Mark Jefferey - Monologue by Rowan

These graves have been driving me mad for way too long now! Back in old Wood Ditton’s me home with me Ma and brother.

Me Dad is a wastrel who was treating us wrong. Brother and I planned to leave home; we weren’t safe … it was for our own good.

We became cheap jacks, living on the roads for years. Time passed but my blustering love of boxing came around and before I knew it, I’m a good 1-2 knockout.

Not long after that I met a man called John Hart (act mad). Led me to a life of crime he did! Committing 17 crimes together we finally got caught. John dobbed me in to the coppers, showing proof of every crime I made! I was swinging me arms like I was protecting me own Ma. I was furious! Off to the slammer I went! John followed me path.

On the other side of the table he was one day. I started to fume! I saw the chance of murder, but I didn’t take it. Before I knew it, he died, without me doing no nothing. Blamed, I was sent to Van Diemen’s Land on the ship “Elisa”, A two-year trip over to complete me 15-year sentence. When I arrived, I thought things’ll brighten up. But no … (sigh) I got a stint on Norfolk Island for me troubles, then to Port Arthur.

I was made a grave digger and since I was always fighting, they called me “Port Arthur Flagellator”. People say I got this grave digging job because I’m always angry, but it’s only because they give me next-to-nothin’ to eat. More like, I’m always hungry.

I’m cold and lonely out in this forgotten place. The Isle of the Dead they call it. That’s probably because there’s no one here but me, these corpses, and the Devil himself. Me life couldn’t get any worse (look down at the ground at start to cry). I’ve turned to the bible but I’m starting to sink into depression. From now on I don’t know where life’s gonna go. Many things have happened, but most of all, I hope me brother’s well back in Wood Ditton.