The Bracelet Mystery
From Create Your Own Story
Opening scene
The young Canadian woman Emily's great uncle Lige has just passed away. She journeys to the woods where he resided during old age, alone and isolated from the world, to empty the house. In the attic, she finds the bracelet, bearing the initials “JMJ Barnes”. She becomes intrigued with the question to whom it belonged. How to find out? She asks her grandfather. “Hmm, interesting. I know that a few of Lige’s colleagues from the Royal Canadian Airforce are still around. Perhaps you could talk to (insert name)? She used to sing at (insert club)1 Or you could try the local librarian mrs. (insert name?). She might be able to dig up something for you.2
Characters in scene:
Emily, grand father
Music: bird calls, ambient sounds etc.
Images: Nature film? Stage props?
Overture**
Dark stage. Cue wind sounds. Lights fade slowly up on center stage. The stage is cluttered with boxes and papers. This is Uncle Lige Barnes’ attic. [Projections for context. time/place] As violin cuts out, Emily enters. She is trekking through the cold and wind on the way to the cabin. During this trek, we hear the sounds of a military funeral. Gunshots/taps. She works her way through the audience as the music and lights fade. (Encourage audience interaction: Emily asks for directions, “Do you have a tissue?”, fall and use them to get up, etc.)
Emily enters from the cold. She shakes off the chill and gets to work. She sits center, amidst a pile of papers and boxes. After some time rummaging, she finds a handkerchief. Inside the handkerchief is a gold bracelet. She holds it up to the light as the music peaks and suspendsq.
Scene 1
Lights change. Emily stands center. She speaks.
Emily: My Uncle Lige was a part of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Fought during the Second World War. Based in Germany. Home was here though. As he got older he much preferred to spend his time in the woods. He often said, “the quiet speaks to me.” He could have used it after all he must have seen. He passed away last week. Exactly a week after his wife, my Aunt Peggy passed away. They both went quietly. With dignity. Even though he retired, he never really stopped being a soldier. Came out here to sort his things, get his cabin tidied up. I’m the last of the Scargall clan. I wish I could say we were close. He was a very secretive guy. Preferred to be alone mostly. The only person that ever came here was my Aunt Peggy, and even she didn’t spend much time here. The cabin gets too cold for most people, and toward the end she couldn’t make the trek through the woods. As I was sorting through my uncle’s treasures, I came across this... - Projected on the screen is the bracelet. RCAF crest visible - It was folded inside of a silk handkerchief along with a matchbook from the Fat Cat jazz club, tucked behind some old photos from the war. It's a bracelet, Air Force crest on one side…
- Projection switches to bracelet initials side visible -
Numbers and initials on the other. These initials aren’t familiar to me and they don’t match the name written inside the matchbook. My uncle may have passed without revealing all of his secrets, but this could lead me to know him just a little bit better….
Blackout. Cut projection.
Prompt Projection 1: What should Emily do?
Head to the Jazz club to ask about the name on the matchbook. Research the bracelet at the local library.
Emily asks for help deciding. Either one member of the audience, a small group, a large group, all the women, etc.
