Synopsis

"When does a house become a home? What does it take? What’s more, does it ever stop, even after we have left it behind?

Once a year, Lionel, a retired Doctor, comes back to visit his old holiday house for just a weekend. It’s for a break. But also to tend the garden. It’s a garden he helped create many years ago. 

A garden with a history. A garden he just can’t let go of.

Lionel is not just the gardener. He’s not just a visitor. This isn’t just a holiday. He’s tending his flowers. He’s coming back to see his children.

A house and in particular, a garden, can define who we are. It has something of us within it. It can represent a significant chapter in our personal history, our journey. It stores memories. Those we want to hold onto and also, those which simply won’t go away. And during this weekend, and wholly unexpectedly, Lionel is about to make new ones."

Cast

Lionel: 65+, male. Retired doctor. Well spoken, eccentric, passionate.

Sienna: early 40s, female. Mother to Poppy. A complicated person and troubled, the nature of which soon begins to surface as does the relationship with Poppy

Poppy: female, suggested as being 15 for her playing age. A loner, but yearning for a connection, particularly an adult one. To be taken seriously. Moreover, simply to be listened to, understood. 

Sadie: female, playing age 19/21. Lionel’s girlfriend whilst at university. A free spirit. Fun, passionate, larger-than-life, deep thinking. 

Young Lionel: male, playing age 19/21. Poppy’s boyfriend. Intelligent, energetic, driven. His hopes for the future push the two of them apart.

Staging

The scene is of two summer houses opposite each other. Each has a door, a window and a porch with steps down from the houses. In between both summer houses there is a shared garden. Each porch has a bench on it and within the garden is some furniture (table, chairs). There are plants, tubs etc. It could also be played that most of the garden is out front/unseen). A flower bed concealed by a ground row? A lawn or painted flagged/paved garden for the stage floor. The more dressing, the better to accentuate the garden (and an opportunity for a local garden centre to provide the props/dressing?!)

Running time: Approx 50 minutes each act.

To find out more about this play, obtaining a script or performing it, use the 'Contact' page to get in touch.