Homing
A radio play
My short radio play Homing won Script Yorkshire’s radio play competition and Stefan Escreet at Ragged Edge produced the script.
We recorded in Leeds in September 2019. It was a fantastic day. Such fun to experience my script brought to life by talented actors, with scenes recorded on location, crouching with mics in a gents’ toilet, and outside on a balcony.
Three weeks later, Andy died, so when I received the final recording I didn’t do anything with it.
Four years later, here it is.
Turn up the volume for Homing.
If you’d like to read along as you listen, the script is below:
HOMING by Jackie Daly
CHARACTERS
KATIE (female, mid 40s and late teens)
SAM (male, mid 40s and late teens)
DJ (any gender)
SETTINGS
A flat in Leeds, present day.
Volcano nightclub, Leeds, one month ago.
Volcano nightclub, Leeds, New Year 1996.
SCENE 1.
NEWLY RENOVATED FLAT. LEEDS, PRESENT DAY.
FX: KEY TURNS, DOOR OPENS, HEELS CLICK ON A LAMINATE FLOOR.
KATIE: Here we are. Living room, open plan to the kitchen. Little balcony off. Double bedroom, one single, bathroom in there.
SAM STROLLS THROUGH THE FLAT, LAMINATE TO CARPET IN A FEW STEPS.
SAM: No cats were killed in the making of this flat.
KATIE: No pets allowed.
SAM: I meant, swing a cat. It's small.
KATIE: But perfectly formed. Newly renovated. All mod cons.
SAM OPENS THE DOOR TO THE SINGLE BEDROOM.
SAM: Not even sure I'd fit bunk beds in there.
KATIE: 7 by 10. Standard single.
SAM: Can I ask... have we met before?
KATIE: I don't think so. You're a new client.
SAM: You just, seem really familiar.
SCENE 2.
VOLCANO NIGHTCLUB, A MONTH EARLIER.
IN THE LOO. MUSIC FLARES AND MUTES AS THE DOOR SWINGS.
GRAMS: NIGHTCLUB BEAT.
FX: A CUBICLE DOOR BANGS OPEN, STILETTOS CLICK TO THE SINK, TAP GUSHES.
SAM: What the...? This is the gents!
KATIE: There was a queue for the ladies.
SAM YANKS HIS ZIP UP.
SAM: Ow.
KATIE: Careful.
SAM: You nearly made me chop him off.
KATIE: Funny how everyone on Tinder is dying to send me dick pics, but soon as I crash the gents in a nightclub it's a race to see how fast you can zip it away.
SAM: People really do that?
KATIE: Mouses straight back in their houses.
SAM: No. The dick pics. Blokes send you them?
KATIE: Are you for real?
SAM: I'd never dream of doing that.
KATIE: You, my darling, are a rare breed. I hope your lady appreciates you. Don't forget to wash your hands.
FX: KATIE'S HEELS CLICK AWAY. THE LOO DOOR SWINGS.
SAM: I don't have a. Lady.
SCENE 3.
THE NEWLY RENOVATED FLAT. IN THE KITCHEN.
SAM: Dick pics.
KATIE: You what?
SAM: That's where I know you from.
KATIE: Ugh. You sent me a dick pic?
SAM: No. God, no. We talked about them. In the loo at Volcano. About a month ago. I'd never...
KATIE: My niece's hen night.
SAM: I was at a leaving night. Tony from accounts.
KATIE: We must have been the oldest in there by a good 20 years.
SAM: I woke up next morning and decided my clubbing days were officially over.
KATIE: I often have that effect on men.
SAM: No, not cos of you.
KATIE: I know.
SAM: Volcano used to feel like home, back in the day.
KATIE: When it was all glowsticks and ravers?
SAM: Dancing non-stop for hours.
KATIE: Dripping with sweat.
SAM: Me and my best mate went 51 Saturday nights in a row during 1994. That place, that time, the music, it was magic, wasn't it?
SCENE 4.
VOLCANO NIGHTCLUB, NEW YEAR'S EVE 1996.
GRAMS: 90’s HOUSE MUSIC.
DJ: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. It's 1996. Happy new year!
CHEERS RAISE THE ROOF.
SAM: Happy new year, gorgeous girl.
KATIE: Happy new year, handsome!
SAM AND KATIE KISS.
SAM: That's the best kiss I've ever had in my whole life.
KATIE: You're off your face, kissing strangers in the middle of the dance floor.
SAM: I am. Absolutely off my face. But that was still the best kiss I've ever had in my whole life, stranger.
KATIE: What makes it the best?
SAM: It's full of, rainbows, and music, and sunshine, and yum.
KATIE: Haha. Which music?
SAM: Robert Miles. Children.
KATIE: Love that song. How many shall we have?
SAM: Children? Let's have a football team.
KATIE: Five-a-side.
SAM: Deal.
SAM AND KATIE KISS AGAIN.
KATIE: Still the best?
SAM: Rainbows and music and children and football socks.
KATIE: Ugh. All those children. The laundry.
SAM: Hey, I do the laundry in our house.
KATIE: You, my darling, are a rare breed. I hope your girlfriend appreciates you.
SAM: I don't have a girlfriend.
KATIE: Well you do now.
SAM: I do?
KATIE: You do!
SAM: This is the best new year I've ever had.
KATIE: I need to go and say happy new year to my friend. Don't move. I'll be right back.
SAM: I'll be here.
KATIE: Don't go away.
SAM: One more best-ever kiss.
SAM AND KATIE KISS AGAIN.
SAM: Rainbows and music and home.
KATIE LAUGHS AND RUNS OFF.
SCENE 5.
THE NEWLY RENOVATED FLAT.
KATIE: So, any questions about the flat?
SAM: Do you have any like this, but bigger?
KATIE: Not on your budget.
SAM: Wow, look! Double rainbow.
SAM STEPS OUT ONTO THE BALCONY. KATIE FOLLOWS.
KATIE: Two pots of gold.
SAM: Help me pay for a bigger flat.
KATIE: (IN UNISON) Rainbows and music and home.
SAM: (IN UNISON) Rainbows and music and home.
THEY BOTH LAUGH
SAM: Was it...? It was, wasn't it? It was you.
KATIE: What was me?
SAM: New year. 1996. The best kiss ever.
KATIE: I...
SAM: You didn't come back. I waited and waited. On the dance floor.
KATIE: I, eh...
SAM: You said you'd be right back.
KATIE: I thought that was a dream.
SAM: Why didn't you come back?
KATIE: My friend. She collapsed. A bad pill. I rushed her to hospital.
SAM: But, for weeks, for months, I looked for you. I didn't even know your name.
KATIE: My friend died that night. I couldn't, I never went back. Until last month.
SAM: Oh no. I'm so sorry.
KATIE: Rainbows and music and children and football socks.
SAM: Robert Miles, Children.
KATIE: I still love that song.
SAM: I've got two. With my ex. We split up. That's why, this flat, bunk beds.
KATIE: I've got three. Two boys and a girl.
SAM: We made our five-a-side team then.
KATIE: If I remember correctly, you were in charge of laundry.
SAM: Has this flat got a decent washing machine?
KATIE LAUGHS.
KATIE: The best ever.
END
Jackie, I love it. It’s funny and sweet and it has a big heart.❤️👏
The actors did an amazing job with your touching creation!