View a FREE sample

Act One

• The play opens with Manus working with hedge-school student Sarah.

• Although everyone in the town has accepted that Sarah is unable to speak, Manus is trying to teach her to talk.

• Jimmy reads from Homer's Odyssey as Manus praises Sarah when she manages to repeat a sentence.

• Manus converses with Jimmy and jokes with Sarah easily as the three prepare the barn for that night's classes.
• Manus wonders why his father and master of the school, Hugh, has not shown up for classes yet.

• Using signs, Sarah tells him that Hugh has attended a christening and is probably enjoying drinks at a local pub.

• Meanwhile Sarah gets a bunch of flowers she has hidden in the straw at the barn and presents them to Manus, then runs away.

• Manus follows her, thanks her for the gift and prompts her to say the word "flowers."
• Maire, another...

(read more Chapter Abstracts)

This section contains 1,804 words (approx. 7 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample