Holding the Man

(Bell tolls)

(Bell tolls)

(Puffs)

(Telephone rings)

ANSWERING MACHINE:

You've called Pepe Trevor.

Leave a message

afterthe tone...

Yes? Hello?

MAN:
I can'tremember

where he sat.

Tim, are you OK?

- Where was John?

- You know where John is.

At our dinner party

with the girls -

was he opposite or beside me?

Er, does it matter?

I'm trying to write itdown,

and I...

There were mint leaves

in our drink,

I remember the colour

of your dress,

but I can't remem...

remember where he sat,

anditfrightens me.

It's like

I'm going to lose it.

He was... he was...

(Coin clunks,

call disconnects)

Pepe?

Pepe?

Cambio? Cambio?

TIM:
DearJohn.

Lipariisparadise.

I seem to be doing

manyofthe things

I wantto do before I die.

Signor Conigrave!

Signor Conigrave!

- Per lei.

- Grazie.

VIVALDl:
Gloria

All set?

Let's go, boys!

(Boys cheer)

He's holding the man, sir!

He's holding!

- Just get on with it!

- It's a free kick, sir!

Sweet flower,

with flowers thy bridal bed

I strew.

O, woe!

Thy canopy is

but dust and stones,

which with sweet water

nightly will I dew.

Can't you do it sadder?

You're Paris. She's Juliet.

You've lost your fiance,

not your bus pass.

Or wanting that,

with tears distilled...

No, stop. Stop.

Can you imagine

what it would be like

to, say, lose your girlfriend.

I guess so, sir.

It'd be tremendously sad,

wouldn't it?

What's her name?

I don't have a girlfriend,

sir.

BOY:
Yeah, wonder why!

(Laughter)

Here, lying in her tomb, eh?

Cold. The colour -

colour's gone from her face!

See?

Lifeless!

TIM:
Or wanting that, with

tears distilled by moans,

the obsequies that I

for thee shall keep

nightly shall be

to strew thy grave.

- And weep.

(Applause)

T. REX:
20th Century Boy

MAN:
Stay with him!

Stay with him!

Friends sayit's fine

Friends sayit's good

Everybodysays it'sjust

like rock'n'roll...

Whoo!

I move like a cat

Talk like a rat...

Come on, John!

Babe,

I wanna be yourman...

Over here!

(Cheering)

- Get him, John! Get him!

No!

- You OK, Johnny?

MAN:
Get back, boys.

Keep still, John.

Who are you?

I'm Tim Conigrave.

I'm in your geography class.

Oh.

You're pegged for the

Best and the Fairest medal.

Yeah, I really wanna think

about that now, don't I?

I'm in a play with

your brother, actually -

Romeo And Juliet.

Are you Romeo?

Mmm, the competition.

Paris - the one Juliet leaves

for Romeo.

Poor Paris.

Yeah.

Should come and see it.

(Pencil case unzips)

Do you mind if I sign your...

Uh, it's still drying.

You can if you want.

(Plays piano)

La, la, ba, ba, ga, ga, ga

Ga, ga, ga, gallop, gallop

Gallop, gallop, gallop,

gallop, gallop, gallop a pace

Gallop a pace...

- The house is open.

Beginners... Tim?

Beginners, everyone.

Standing by for the prologue.

Beginners.

(Pepe squeals)

- Break a leg.

GIRL:
Break a leg!

BOY:
Break a leg.

TEACHER:
Eric, curtain!

BOY 1:
Why is everyone

saying 'break a leg'?

BOY 2:
Because you're not

meant to say 'good luck'.

BOY 1:
You just said it.

PEPE:
Is he here?

TEACHER:
Tim!

- Tim!

- Oh, hi, Paul.

TEACHER:
Prologue, Tim!

- Is your brother in?

- I'm in his geography class.

PAUL:
So?

OK, and remember,

if anyone laughs at you,

it's because they haven't

the guts to do it themselves.

Break a leg.

- Cue overture, Chris.

(Dramatic music plays)

Eric, curtain!

Two households,

both alike in dignity,

in fair Verona

where we lay our scene.

(Whispering)

- (Boy meows)

(Scattered laughter)

(Shushing)

TEACHER:
('Sweet flower,

with flowers'.)

(I know.)

- ('Sweet flower. ')

- (I know!)

Sweet flower, with flowers

thy bridal bed I strew.

Eugh!

- What's up with you?

- No, just...

Probably morning sickness.

Maybe you're pregnant.

No, Doc,

I think I'd know if I was.

Conigrave's pregnant.

Conigrave's pregnant!

You told me

you were on the pill.

- You guys are suss!

- I hope you're not angry.

I'll get rid of it

if you want!

Doctor, I'd like an abortion.

That's against...

Am I to understand that some

kind of miracle has occurred?

TIM:
Just a joke, sir.

TEACHER:
You disgust me,

Conigrave.

(Laughter)

(School bell rings)

- 'You disgust me, Conigrave. '

- Sucked in, Conigrave!

JOHN:
Hi.

(Laughs) Oh, hi.

- Sorry I missed your play.

- Oh, did you? No worries.

Hey, do you want me to...

I can...

Oh, no, I'll manage.

I'm getting good at it.

- Better get going...

- John?

Um, I'm having this thing -

the girls from the play

are having this dinner party

thing at my place on Friday...

(Book thuds)

- Bugger!

Should you be bending?

- Pardon?

- The baby.

(Laughs) Oh, yeah.

So, what do you reckon,

this dinner?

Getting home might be

difficult.

The girl who played Juliet,

her mother's giving everyone

a lift home.

I don't know about theatre,

or that Wobbledagger fella.

What?

Shakespeare.

TIM:
I'm not putting on

Mozart!

PEPE:
It's in the ice bucket.

TIM:
I know!

So, what did you think

ofthe play?

I didn't see it.

- We were fabulous!

(Laughter)

I should have worked harder

to make you come.

(Girls laugh)

- Is there a problem?

(Girls laugh)

We're a new group offriends,

so I think we should send

a kiss around the table.

- What? No. No.

GIRL:
Oh, yes.

- Yes, let's.

TIM:
Absolutely not.

I'll go first.

Gina!

Lucky last! Come here! Mwah!

BOY:
For those trapped

in the darkness of sin,

that the light shining in

Christ may free them

and bring them

to God's favour,

that, moved

by God's loving mercy,

they may turn away

from their sins

and open their hearts

to the divine life of grace.

- Lord, hear us.

ALL:
Lord, hear our prayer.

(School bell rings)

- Take these for you?

- Oh, I'm right.

(Jolly music plays on film)

MAN, ON FILM:
Letus take a

closerlook atapublic enemy.

The Queensland fruitfly.

Itisplaying

an increasinglysinisterrole

in the everydaylife

ofthe nation.

There is scarcelyanyfruit

thatis immune

in the months

thatthe flygoes about

its destructive task.

Onlybystringentcontrol

can this...

(The Best and Fairest medal.)

(That's a new pencil case.)

You two seem

to be getting along.

I thought you had the hots

for Derge, Tim.

He is the father

of your child.

I'm sorry,

but my heart belongs to John.

Might have to make it

a three-way.

You have to drop him,

Conigrave.

Derge needs

to know he's special.

Alright! John, you're dropped.

(Laughter)

- You guys are off!

(Laughter)

(Ringing tone)

Hello?

Are you there?

Hello?

Yes, hello, um,

I'm calling for John.

Who's speaking?

Timothy Conigrave.

One moment, Timothy.

JOHN:
This is a nice surprise.

Is it? That's... good.

There's something

I want to tell you.

I'm all ears.

That game

Biscuit played in class...

Whatgame?

Where he said I have to

drop you - I didn't like it.

I didn't like

saying that to you.

That I have to drop you.

Justa game.

Mum's gotdinneron. I'm

supposed to setthe table...

- You have to go?

- Yeah. Sorry.

- That's OK. Bye.

- It's nice chatting. Bye.

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