The Dresser Page #10

we all labour. "

My Life will have to do.

Wait a moment, wait a moment...

"The carpenters, electricians,

scene-shifters... "

Sir?

Sir...

Sir?

Sir...

We're not dead, are we?

That's your cue.

You know the line.

"You lie! Jack Clinton... "

"lives!"

Talk about untoward.

Ooh... You're right.

The room is spinning.

Your Ladyship!

MADGE!

Anybody!

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

Wasn't much of a death scene.

Unremarkable.

And ever so short.

For him.

Where's Her Ladyship?

They all left before he did.

Couldn't wait.

I'll telephone her.

And I'll get a doctor.

Too late for a doctor, ducky.

What's going to happen to me?

Close the door. Wait outside.

I don't want to wait outside.

I NEVER wait outside.

I want to be with HIM.

I know my place, ducky.

Try and sober up.

Ambulance, please.

"Carpenters, electricians,

property men"? You cruel bastard.

You might have remembered.

Yes, Your Ladyship, it's Madge.

I was wondering if you could come

to the theatre.

MADGE HANGS UP PHONE

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

Her Ladyship's coming at once.

She took it very calmly.

She asked for him

to be covered in his Lear cloak.

Covered in his Lear cloak?

Ooh! Fetch the photographers, ducky.

Covered in his Lear cloak?

This isn't the Death of Nelson,

you know.

Where is it?

There's no mention

of stage managers either.

Come out of here.

Are we going to get paid?

I mean, is there money in the till

after deductions for income tax?

We've got to be paid

for the full week, you know.

Just because a man dies

on Thursday doesn't mean to say

we get paid pro rata.

Come away.

Where will I go?

Where?

I'm nowhere... out of my element.

I don't want to end up running

a boarding house in Colwyn Bay.

What am I going to do?

You can speak well of him.

Speak well of THAT old sod?

I wouldn't give him a good

character, not in a court of law.

The ungrateful bastard.

Get out. Get out!

I don't want you in here.

Holy, holy, holy, is it?

This isn't a shrine!

No pissing on the altar.

Stop it.

Speak well of him?

I know what YOU'D say.

I know all about YOU, ducky.

I have eyes in my head.

We all have our little sorrows.

I know what you'd say - stiff upper,

faithful, loyal, loving.

Well, I have only one thing to say

about him

and I wouldn't say it in front

of you, or Her Ladyship, or anyone.

Lips tight shut. I wouldn't give you

the pleasure. Or him.

Especially not him.

If I said what I have to say, he'd

find a way to take it out on me.

No-one will ever know.

We all have our little sorrows,

ducky...

You're not the only one.

The littler you are,

the larger your sorrows.

You think you loved him?

What about me?

Oh, this is no place for death.

I had a friend...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes