Neapolitan Lighthouse (1842, Ivan Aivazovsky)

The Light: A Radio Play

Written by Stellan Rude | June 11th, 2021

The Light is an original radio play developed as part of the Penguin Youth Playwright Cohort and will be released on Ground Zero Radio in July 2021. It is inspired by a film called The Lighthouse (2019) which was directed by Robert Eggers about two men working on a lighthouse when they start to go mad. Follow Penguin on Instagram to stay up to date with the official release.

TW: this piece contains strong language and mentions of violence.

Thomas: late 40s, 5’9, short black hair, has a beard, green eyes and his from Ireland.

Mark: 24, 5’3 Blonde hair, has a scruff, brown eyes, and from New York.

Robert: 22, 5’6, brown hair, green eyes, and his from Canada.

Unknown figures: are both 6’3 and have no eyes, just a face and a moving lip.

Currents up and lights on narrator.

Narrator: Our three men are on a boat sailing to the light. All three of our men are quite all are embracing the smell of the open sea air and the water, it is 5:00pm it is foggy and cold hard to see that bright light coming from the lighthouse. Our young men arrive to the lighthouse and what you are going to witness is about one of these men who goes mad for some reason is it supernatural or more sinister than that.

The men arrive to The York lighthouse and now in there quarters getting to know each other.

Thomas: So, where all did you come from lads, I read that ye are both from Canada right with loving family and Robert from United States.

Mark: That is right born, in Ottawa.

Robert: New York is correct.

Mark: So, Thomas, what is your story?

Thomas stuffed with food in his mouth like a he took a big bite.

Thomas: I am also from Ireland.

The men are all asleep. Sounds are heard throughout the lighthouse quarters. Voices are heard, a sound that seems like footsteps walking across the floor our men do not hear it.

The next morning, our men wake to see footprints on the ground.

Mark: what in the hell footprints did any of you walk about last night?

Robert: No.

Thomas: Nope.
All three men are seated at breakfast not thinking about what they saw afterwards they all get to work. Robert is working on the light when something happens.

Robert: whistling

Unknown voice: This is my light.

Robert hears it but shrugs it off. Suddenly, Robert is pushed by unknown force as he tumbles down.

Thomas: What was that?

Mark: What was what?

Thomas: You heard that tumbling.

Mark: No sir.

Thomas: We should have a look lad.

Mark nods and the two men run to the light to see a dead Robert bleeding out on the floor.

Mark: Damn.

Thomas: Shit.

Mark: Wonder what happened?

(Thomas notices bloody footprints on the stairs leading to the light as they walk up it becomes cold)

Mark: It is cold.

Thomas: It should be warm because of the light.

Mark: Here stand where I am standing.

Thomas: Alright.

Mark moves away so Thomas can stand where Mark was
standing.

Thomas: You’re right, lad; it is cold.
An unknown voice is heard of off stage and only Mark heard it.

Mark: Did you hear that voice?

Thomas: What voice? I heard nothing.

Mark: Well I did.

Robert: Do not go crazy on me kid.

Mark: I will not sir.

Mark and Thomas walk outside to bury Robert afterward they do their jobs working sound effect is heard until we see them at dinner.

Thomas: So, Mark, what did the voice sound like to ye?

Mark: It sounded like a young man, deep voice, did not say a name.

Thomas: Will a man did die here many months ago caught up by the waves his body was never found.

Mark claps and then he starts shouting

Mark: I SEE YOU YOUNG MEN TAKE ME TO HELL AND LET BE WITH YOU!!!!!

Thomas: What in God’s name.

Thomas gets up punch’s Mark right in the nose Mark falls hard to the ground and is in pain his nose his bleeding.

Mark: What in the hell?

Thomas: You started shouting out of nowhere like you were possessed or something.

Mark: Odd.

Thomas: You mean to tell me you do not remember what
happened?

Mark: All I remember is just going black for a second and seeing blood and then I saw this figure in front of me, bleeding, young looking, his head was bleeding then it disappeared.

Thomas: Interesting.

Mark goes to clean his face as Thomas cleans the table and
cleans up the food. The men go to their quarters. Mark reads the Bible and Thomas asks Mark a question.

Thomas: A Christian are you.

Mark: Yes, I am.

Thomas: Why did you not tell us before.

Mark: I had not felt comfortable at the time after what I saw need God’s guidance.

Thomas: You do need it; I will be going to sleep.

Mark: Please God help me tell me will I get of this island give me a sign lord place.

Mark starts crying and decides to sleep.

Mark: Ow something hurts or should I say a burning feeling on my back.

Thomas: Let me have a look lad.

Thomas lifts Marks’s shirt to reveal too big cuts on his back.

Thomas: My God you have big cuts did you feel it.

Mark: No, I was fast asleep.

Thomas: Keep an eye on it, but first, let us clean the blood.

Thomas cleans the blood off Mark they have breakfast and get right to work.

Unknown voice: Leave this light or suffer.

Mark: Thomas, did you hear that?

Thomas: Hear what?

Mark: That voice

Thomas: No.

Mark: Alright.

Thomas and Mark continue to work throughout the day until Mark is possessed again, he walks up to Thomas and asks him to put a piece of cloth over his eyes.

Thomas: why do you want me to do this

Mark: Because it is what he wants you to do

Thomas: who?

Mark: The devil.

Thomas: There is no such thing as the devil.

Mark punch’s Thomas straight in the nose which is now broken.

Thomas: What was that for?

Mark: Never talk of the devil in that way. Follow me.

Thomas: NEVER!

Mark grabs Thomas and drags him across the floor. We are outside of the lighthouse we see an unknown figure pale as the moon, covered in blood standing over looking at the waves.

Unknown figure: Bring him forth.

Mark: Yes, my lord.

Mark takes Thomas to the figure Mark takes the piece of cloth of Thomas eyes and he screams in horror.

Unknown figure: Remember me Tommy old boy?

Thomas: No.

Unknown figure: It is me, Jacob, your old lighthouse friend.

Thomas: I still do not know who you are.

Unknown figure: You remember you abandoned me on this island, left for dead.

Thomas shakes his head.

Unknown figure reveals to us that he killed Robert and the bloody footprints was all him.

Unknown figure: You will be punished for leaving me. You will be tied to this Rock until the water consumes you.

Mark and Jacob tie Thomas to the rocks tightly. Mark goes back into the light. As he goes, he looks at Thomas one last time after he heads in for a while unposed and feels alone. We hear a loud painful scream. Mark walks out and falls into the freezing chilly water, never to seen again as Breezeblocks by alt-J plays lights fade out.

Stellan Rude is eighteen years old and has been acting for eight years. He will soon be graduating from Ballard High School. All production inquiries can be directed to sprude2002@gmail.com .

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