Unknown Story

A BOY runs across the dark, flat wilderness of the NorthKent marshes. A bitterly cold December evening, the mistylight is fading and the boy races as if trying to outrunthe darkness.

A small, squat church sinks on the boggy ground. Five tiny lozenge-shaped graves mark the childrens’ finalresting place.

as an IMMENSE FIGURE looms behind him and snatches himup. PIP goes to cry out, but a filthy hand is clampedacross his mouth as he is hoisted, weeping and struggling,into the air.

THE CONVICTHold your noise! Hold your noise, youlittle devil, or I’ll cut your throat!The convict is a formidable figure, immense andterrifying, his head and face brutally shaven and scarred.His name is MAGWITCH, though we won’t hear this spokenaloud for some time.MAGWITCHTell us your, name! Quick!PIPPip!MAGWITCHOnce more! Give it mouth!PIPPip! Pip, sir!

Then PIP is flipped upside down, held by his ankles,shaken.MAGWITCHGot wittles on you, boy? Tell me!PIPNo, sir! - then upright again, he’s seated on a tombstone, histiny face held in massive, manacled hands.MAGWITCHWhat fat cheeks you ha’got. Darn me if Icouldn’t eat em. Where’s your mother?

There, sir!(MAGWITCH flinches -)‘Also Georgiana’, with my father. ‘lateof this parish’. My brothers too.MAGWITCHAn orphan, eh? Who d’you live with?That’s supposin’ I let you live.PIPMy sister, sir - Mrs Joe Gargery, wife ofJoe Gargery, the blacksmith, sir...MAGWITCHBlacksmith, eh?(a moment)You know what a file is?PIPYes, sir.MAGWITCHAnd you know what wittles is?PIPYes, sir, food, sir.

A BOY runs across the dark, flat wilderness of the NorthKent marshes. A bitterly cold December evening, the mistylight is fading and the boy races as if trying to outrunthe darkness.

A small, squat church sinks on the boggy ground. Five tiny lozenge-shaped graves mark the childrens’ finalresting place.

as an IMMENSE FIGURE looms behind him and snatches himup. PIP goes to cry out, but a filthy hand is clampedacross his mouth as he is hoisted, weeping and struggling,into the air.

THE CONVICTHold your noise! Hold your noise, youlittle devil, or I’ll cut your throat!The convict is a formidable figure, immense andterrifying, his head and face brutally shaven and scarred.His name is MAGWITCH, though we won’t hear this spokenaloud for some time.MAGWITCHTell us your, name! Quick!PIPPip!MAGWITCHOnce more! Give it mouth!PIPPip! Pip, sir!

Then PIP is flipped upside down, held by his ankles,shaken.MAGWITCHGot wittles on you, boy? Tell me!PIPNo, sir! - then upright again, he’s seated on a tombstone, histiny face held in massive, manacled hands.MAGWITCHWhat fat cheeks you ha’got. Darn me if Icouldn’t eat em. Where’s your mother?

There, sir!(MAGWITCH flinches -)‘Also Georgiana’, with my father. ‘lateof this parish’. My brothers too.MAGWITCHAn orphan, eh? Who d’you live with?That’s supposin’ I let you live.PIPMy sister, sir - Mrs Joe Gargery, wife ofJoe Gargery, the blacksmith, sir...MAGWITCHBlacksmith, eh?(a moment)You know what a file is?PIPYes, sir.MAGWITCHAnd you know what wittles is?PIPYes, sir, food, sir.