A Hard Day's Night Page #14

The BOYS have a giggle at the very idea and at this moment

GRANDFATHER appears from behind the DIRECTOR.

GRANDFATHER:

Hey Pauly, they're trying to fob you

off wid this musical charlatan but

I've given him the test.

DIRECTOR:

(bravely)

I'm quite happy to be replaced.

GRANDFATHER:

(indicating the

director)

He's a typical buck-passer.

DIRECTOR:

I won an award.

JOHN:

A likely story.

DIRECTOR:

It's on the wall in my office.

At this moment NORM comes on the stage, confident, cigar in

mouth and serene.

NORM:

Hello our lot, everyone happy?

The BOYS, the DIRECTOR, FLOOR MANAGER and GRANDFATHER turn

on him and stare silently.

NORM:

All right, all right. If you don't

need this lot, I'll lock 'em up in

the dressing room till you do.

DIRECTOR:

Please do, I'll not need them for

fifteen minutes. Thank you.

He glares at GRANDFATHER who glares right back. The DIRECTOR

walks away with the FLOOR MANAGER pacifying him.

DIRECTOR:

Give me a bottle of milk and a packet

of Oblivion. Oh, it's a plot, I see

it now, it's all a plot.

They go left towards the back-stage.

NORM:

(producing key)

Now, come on, I've got the key.

He leads the lads off right. RINGO is last as he is putting

his drum sticks down safely.

NORM and the BOYS turn on him.

NORM:

Let's have you.

JOHN:

Come on speedy!

PAUL:

Ringo!

GEORGE:

Wake up!

RINGO glares at them and follows quickly. As the BOYS move

off after NORM, they pass the next act waiting for rehearsal.

It is an elegant man in full-tail suit meticulously adjusting

his cuff-links. Beside him is a free-standing sign reading

"Leslie Jackson and his ten disappearing doves." The BOYS

pass him and go through the door.

GRANDFATHER stops and looks at the performer with respect.

GRANDFATHER:

I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed

your act.

He slaps the man on the back with happy camaraderie. There

is the sound of a dove, a few feathers fall out of the sleeve

of the man's coat and he and GRANDFATHER look down at the

floor. The man glares at GRANDFATHER, takes out a pen from

his pocket, crosses out "10" on his sign, and writes "9" in

its place, puts the pen back in his pocket and starts towards

the centre stage putting on a false performer's smile as he

does.

INTERIOR THEATRE BACK-STAGE CORRIDOR

The BOYS move down the narrow stairs, and out of the ground

floor dressing rooms stream a steady flow of costumed actors

and actresses.

They engulf the lads and force them against the wall -- the

actors are all making for the stage door. As the actors push

past the boys we see the boys' excited faces, their mouths

watering for the costumes. JOHN touches the costume on one

actor.

JOHN:

(to actor)

Gear costume!

ACTOR:

(eyeing him)

Swap?

NORM:

Right, first floor and no messing

about.

NORM, leading the way, goes up the stairs but as they turn

the first corner they are confronted by a group of girls, a

game of manners starts, "after you," "No, after you." NORM

who is ahead of the group looks down on them in disgust.

NORM:

Lennon, leave them girls alone or

I'll report you.

The BOYS let the GIRLS pass and resume the journey, always

surrounded by people.

INTERIOR DRESSING ROOM AND CORRIDOR

RINGO'S attention is caught by a door. He crosses and opens

it, looking out to a fire escape. The others join him and

the four boys step through the door and onto the fire escape.

EXTERIOR TOP OF FIRE ESCAPE

From the BOYS' P.O.V. we see down below into the property

yard behind the theatre. It is a long narrow yard full of

old coaches, motor cars and all the general debris of hundreds

of sets from past theatre shows.

Through the piles of heaped high junk there are a couple of

narrow alleyways.

The BOYS scamper down the fire escape.

When they reach the bottom of the alleyways, there is a large

door.

They open it and look through.

From their P.O.V. we see a large green field quite empty.

The boys step through the doorway into the field. We now see

from a HELICOPTER SHOT the four BOYS standing together

surrounded by space.

It is the first time they have been alone and unconfined all

day.

They look at each other and grin... then first GEORGE and

PAUL let out a whoop and run towards the centre of the field,

after a moment JOHN and RINGO follow them. The BOYS pick up

some loose straw and insert it under JOHN'S cap and sleeves,

turning him into a scarecrow.

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