The Invisible Woman
1 EXT. BEACH. MARGATE. KENT. DAY. 1885. 1
The STEADY FOOTFALL OF A WOMAN’s BOOTS, sinking in wet
sand-
The RISE and FALL of a WOMAN’s breath-
MRS GEORGE WHARTON ROBINSON aka ‘NELLY’, head down consumed
by thought, etching a line across the sand, like charcoal
on paper until-
NELLY stops looking out at the endless grey Margate
coastline beyond, eyes dark and lost in some deep troubled
distraction, a sense she has walked as far as the landscape
will let her-
Heart beating, chest rising, she stands until-
She turns, head down, once more walking, as she picks up
her pace-
The swoop and call of gulls, skimming the pier,
overhead.
2 INT. SCHOOL HALL. SCHOOLHOUSE. MARGATE. DAY. 1885. 2
A school hall-
On a raised stage, a YOUNG SCHOOL BOY in fake
moustache dressed as a waiter, stands in waiting. Two
more SCHOOLBOYS, dressed in climbing costumes, sit at
a cafe table close by. A back cloth of the Swiss Alps
strung up behind. A young male teacher MR LAMBOURNE
[late 20’s] hovers distracted, clearly trying to
organise an errant backstage.
In the wings just visible, PROP MAKERS and STAGE MANAGERS
adjust collars on SCHOOLBOY ACTORS; An angelic LION [6 yrs]
waits with OTHERS, bored and tired in floormop wig and
painted nose, yawning as he peeks out to the auditorium
beyond to see-
REVEREND WILLIAM BENHAM [mid 50’s] sits, silently waiting,
in the makeshift stalls, reading through a playscript
entitled-
No Thoroughfare:
A Drama in Five Acts by Charles Dickensand Wilkie Collins.
Beyond a small orchestra of SCHOOLBOYS just visible in a
makeshift orchestra pit; a JOLLY SCHOOLBOY PERCUSSIONIST
tightens a nut on a wide drum. A TEENAGE VIOLINIST waxes
the strings on a viola, a SCHOOLBOY OBOIST and PIANIST
quietly tune up, looking to the clock overhead.
Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 2.
DISTANT MURMUR OF VOICES PASSING
MR GEORGE WHARTON[early 30’s] headmaster, clergyman and
husband, just visible escorting a PORTLY PARENT along a
distant corridor.
GEORGE:
Here is the theatre. The boys
always perform a short play at the
end of term, highly popular with
the parents. Theatre is an abiding
interest of my wife’s. Which of
course I delight in!
He smiles at BENHAM, a shared look of quizzical concern, a
clock ticking overhead.
GEORGE (CONT’D)
Is she still not here?
BENHAM shrugs, smiles benignly.
GEORGE (CONT’D)
Mr and Mrs Featherstone may I
introduce Mr Benham. Mr Benham is
invaluable to the school. He
assists my wife with penny readings
and other charitable events. You
will often find them in corners
plotting their next money raising
venture.
The CAST, ORCHESTRA and BENHAM wait on-
GEORGE (CONT’D)
(moving on)
Shall we move on?
3 EXT. CLIFFS. OUTSIDE SCHOOL. MARGATE. DAY. 1885.3
NELLY clambering over sandy dune seeing a small town in the
distance. She hurries on.
3A EXT. PATH. NEAR SCHOOL. MARGATE. DAY. 1885 3A
NELLY ascends a small path in the town. She walks briskly
towards a schoolhouse and enters.
4 INT. HALLWAY. SCHOOLHOUSE. MARGATE. DAY. 1885. 4
MARY, the maid carrying a tray with oil lamps on
passing GEORGE and the PORTLY PARENT heading towards
the study-
Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 3.
GEORGE:
Mary, tea if you please.
MARY quietly disgruntled, slides the tray down,
turning to head back to the kitchen.
A shadowy figure just visible through the glass, NELLY on
the approach-
The SWING OF THE FRONT DOOR open, NELLY hurriedly pulling
off hat and scarf, just seeing GEORGE, closing the door of
his study-
GEORGE (CONT’D)
(hushed)
Mr Benham has been here since-
NELLY:
(nods)
Yes..Yes..I am so sorry.
GEORGE:
Mr Lambourne has been organising
the boys as best he can.
NELLY:
I lost all sense of time.
NELLY hurrying along the corridor, a sense of activity as
she passes-
NELLY (CONT’D)
(in passing)
Careful with those corners,
Langan-
A SCHOOLBOY nods, carrying a huge piece of scenery with
ANOTHER BOY follow NELLY through a distant door into-
5 INT. SCHOOLHALL. MARGATE. DAY. 1885. 5
And at once, NELLY is on-
The SCHOOLBOYS smile with relief on seeing-
NELLY:
Mr Benham I am so sorry..I am
here..I am here.
NELLY looking to the SCHOOLBOYS with a reassuring smile and
a smile of thanks to LAMBOURNE.
NELLY (CONT’D)
(to all)
Forgive me. Dear Boys.
NELLY, energy infectious, lights up the room as she enters.
Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 4.
NELLY (CONT’D)
Let’s go from the third act. Mr
Benham must not see all our tricks
quite yet or there will be nothing
left to show him tomorrow.
BENHAM:
It is cold outside.
NELLY:
It is. But it clears the mind.
BENHAM:
It does. It does.
BENHAM clutches a couple of volumes of DICKENS-Great
Expectations and David Copperfield.
BENHAM (CONT’D)
It would be good to decide on the
readings before the end of term.
NELLY:
Yes..Yes of course..I am happy to
consider your suggestions. Maybe
later?
NELLY wavers, nods, smiles, turning her attention back to
the boys.
NELLY (CONT’D)
Laurenson? Tanner? Are we ready?
Good.
NELLY smiles at the SCHOOLBOY ACTORS, with encouragement.
She nods to MR LAMBOURNE.
NELLY (CONT’D)
Mr Lambourne, are you happy with
everything as it is?
LAMBOURNE nods.
NELLY (CONT’D)
(eyeing WAITER)
The moustaches works well, I
think.
SUDDENLY GEOFFREY WHARTON ROBINSON[6yrs] the angelic lion
peers from behind the wings. NELLY, eyes him
NELLY (CONT’D)
No Geoffrey, dear. Not yet. You
come in on the final line.
(hushed)
We don’t want to scare Mr Benham
just yet or he may not return.
Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 5.
GEOFFREY nods, NELLY smiles, hurrying to take her place
next to BENHAM.
BENHAM:
I recall no lion in Mr Dickens
and Mr Collins Play, Mrs Wharton
Robinson.
NELLY:
A little dramatic licence. I am
confident that Mr Dickens would
have let it pass-
NELLY deflects, with a smile.
NELLY (CONT’D)
Shall we begin?
NELLY nods to an OLD STAGE MANAGER.
NELLY (CONT’D)
Yates, would you drop the backing.
The OLD STAGE MANAGER nods, hurrying to drop a scenery cloth,
revealing a mountain landscape.
The SCHOOLBOYS begin a short musical introduction. MR
LAMBOURNE indicates the pace with a nod of his head.
SCHOOL BOY 1
Well, my lads, the day is
breaking at last.
NELLY is up at once-
NELLY:
..No..the day has broken,Hadley.
On BENHAM noticing-
NELLY (CONT’D)
Lets get it right.
The EARNEST SCHOOLBOY MOUNTAINEER nods.
SCHOOL BOY 1
Well, my lads the day has broken-
NELLY consoled, offers a nod and we are away as the SCENE
BREAKS into life on the stage, as the SCHOOLBOY WAITER serves
coffee to the SCHOOLBOY MOUNTAINEERS, lost in earnest acting-
SCHOOL BOY 1 (CONT’D)
What do you say to the weather,
now?
SCHOOL BOY 2
I say the weather will do.
Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 5A.
SCHOOL BOY 3
I say doubtful!
SCHOOL BOY 2
I say - bad!
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"The Invisible Woman" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 22 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_invisible_woman_596>.
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