The story is based on the musical: Escaping The Musical By Kelvin Rush. The play is set in December 2019, and is based around the Butterworth Care Home for the elderly, situated in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England. We follow the lives of three main characters: Morag and Betty (residents), and Bernie (staff nurse). When Morag and Betty meet for the first time, they strike up a friendship. But that soon changes, when Betty reveals a painful event from her past, involving Morag’s late husband Stanley. Morag is left angry and confused. But when Stanley visits her in a dream, things start to become a lot clearer. Morag and Betty sneak out of the care home to visit Stanley’s grave, on his birthday. But they get more than they bargained for, when Stanley and some of his deceased friends in the cemetery, decide to have a birthday party, and Morag and Betty are most definitely welcome.
All the residents love staff nurse Bernie. She’s very kind and helpful to the residents, and fellow staff members. However, her own life is far from happy. Lurking in the background is her violent, abusive husband Ralph. Bernie has left him and wants a divorce, but Ralph has other ideas, and he’ll do anything to get Bernie back. One night, while fuelled with drink and drugs, he breaks into the care home, and confronts Bernie with a knife. There’s a dramatic turn of events, when Ralph starts to attack Bernie, stabbing her in the process. Colonel Bob and Cyril, two of the residents, come to Bernie’s rescue. Everyone is on edge, as they desperately try to save Bernie’s life.
I’ve Got To Escape is available in Paperback and Download:
UK: Amazon.co.uk
USA: Amazon.com