A Hard Day's Night Page #25

INTERIOR REHEARSAL ROOM

PAUL goes into the room. The GIRL is in mid-flight. She is

very young and lovely and completely engrossed in what she

is doing. The room is absolutely empty except for PAUL and

herself. She is acting in the manner of an eighteenth-century

coquette, or, to be precise, the voice English actresses use

when they think they are being true to the costume period...

her youth however makes it all very charming.

GIRL:

If I believed you, sir, I might do

those things and walk those ways

only to find myself on Problem's

Path. But I cannot believe you, and

all those urgings serve only as a

proof that you will lie and lie again

to gain your purpose with me.

She dances lightly away from an imaginary lover and as she

turns she sees PAUL who is as engrossed in the scene as she

was.

GIRL:

(surprised)

Oh!

PAUL:

(enthusiastically)

Well... go 'head, do the next bit.

GIRL:

Go away! You've spoilt it.

PAUL:

Oh, sorry I spoke.

He makes no attempt to go. He simply continues to look

steadily at the girl; then he smiles at her. She is undecided

what to do next.

GIRL:

Are you supposed to be here?

PAUL:

I've got you worried, haven't I?

GIRL:

I'm warning you, they'll be back in

a minute.

PAUL:

D'you know something, "They" don't

worry me at all. Anyroad, I only

fancy listening to you... that's all

but if it worries you... well...

GIRL:

You're from Liverpool, aren't you?

PAUL:

(ironically)

How'd you guess?

GIRL:

(seriously)

Oh, it's the way you talk.

PAUL:

(innocently)

Is it... is it, really?

GIRL:

(suspiciously)

Are you pulling my leg?

PAUL:

(looking her straight

in the eye)

Something like that.

GIRL:

(unsure)

I see.

(airily)

Do you like the play?

PAUL:

Yeah... I mean, sure, well, I took

it at school but I only ever heard

boys and masters saying those lines,

like, sounds different on a girl.

(smiles to himself)

Yeah, it's gear on a girl.

GIRL:

Gear?

PAUL:

Aye, the big hammer, smashing!

GIRL:

Thank you.

PAUL:

Don't mench... well, why don't you

give us a few more lines, like?

GIRL pouts.

PAUL:

You don't half slam the door in

people's faces, do you? I mean, what

about when you're playing the part,

like, hundreds of people'll see you

and ...

GIRL:

(cutting in)

I'm not...

PAUL:

Oh, you're the understudy, sort of

thing?

GIRL:

No.

(aggressively)

I'm a walk-on in a fancy dress scene.

I just felt like doing those lines.

PAUL:

Oh, I see. You are an actress though,

aren't you?

GIRL:

Yes.

PAUL:

Aye, I knew you were.

GIRL:

What's that mean?

PAUL:

Well, the way you were spouting,

like....

(he imitates her)

"I don't believe you, sir..." and

all that. Yeah, it was gear.

GIRL:

(dryly)

The big hammer?

PAUL:

(smiling)

Oh aye, a sledge.

GIRL:

But the way you did it then sounded

so phony.

PAUL:

No... I wouldn't say that... just

like an actress... you know.

He moves and stands about like an actress.

GIRL:

But that's not like a real person at

all.

PAUL:

Aye well, actresses aren't like real

people, are they?

GIRL:

They ought to be.

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