The Piano Lesson Page #5

ADA and FLORA dressed in cloaks and bonnets skirt the dense bush

trying to find a path in. It is not easy, because the bush is so

tight. ADA's leg slides in up to her calf in mud.

Sc 27 EXT BAINES' DAY Sc 27

ADA and FLORA arrive at BAINES' rough hut. It is mid-morning but

BAINES is not yet dressed. ADA hands him a note. BAINES looks at it

blankly.

BAINES:

I'm not able to read.

ADA signs to FLORA.

FLORA:

Please take us to the beach

where we landed.

BAINES:

I'm sorry, I can't do that.

(FLORA and ADA stare evenly at

him)

I don't have the time.

(They continue to stare.)

Goodbye

Sc 28 EXT BAINES' DAY Sc 28

It is much later when BAINES emerges from his hut with a saddle over

his arm. The two women are still there. ADA looks up at him

expectantly.

FLORA mirrors her expression.

BAINES:

I - can't - take - you there. I

can't do it.

He puts the saddle over a rail. He continues to saddle up, sneaking

glances at them from under the horse and around its side. They watch

him closely, not pleadingly, but stubbornly1 eerily of one mind.

Sc 29 EXT BEACH DAY Sc 29

The sky is blue with long wisps of cloud.

The party of three break onto the long expanse of beach where the

piano still stands. It has not been without visitors. There are

footprints on the sand and some of the boards have been pulled back.

ADA passes BAINES, walking urgently towards it. Soon, ADA has removed

enough boards that she may lift the lid and play the keys. EMNES stays

back. ADA takes great delight in feeling her fingers on the keys

again. Her whole composition is altered. She is animated, joyful,

excited.

Down on the wet sand FLORA does a wild dance of her own invention

using a seaweed wig. She finishes by rolling down the beach in the

sand.

BAINES views them with suspicion, yet he is magnetically drawn to the

spectacle He has never seen women behave with so much abandon. His

attention fixes on ADA's uninhibited emotional playing, and as he

watches, he finds himself edging irresistibly closer.

Sc 30 EXT BEACH LATE AFTER NOONSc 30

The shadows are long on the sand when BAIN'ES collects the boards. ADA

and FLORA are attempting a duet. ADA notices him come towards them

with the boards, obviously intending that they should leave. Her mood

darkens, she continues playing stubbornly even though FLORA has

stopped. Abruptly she finishes. In black spirits she replaces her cape

and bonnet. BAINES is struck by this sudden change, he watches her

mesmerised as he replaces the boards.

Sc 31 EXT BEACH NIGHT Sc 31

From a helicopter, the camera tracks along the beach, following the

crashing wave line, to find the piano.

SCENE 32 DELETED

Sc 33 EXT STEWART'S HUT & KITCHEN DUSK Sc 33

The hut puffs smoke out into the valley. The lie of the land traps

sound like a shell and the clear high notes of a voice echo out.

Suspicious that ADA is singing, STEWART approaches the house quietly.

Through the open kitchen door he sees that the keys of a piano have

been etched on the table top. While ADA "plays" the notes FLORA sings

them.

STEWART puts his pack down. ADA stands to attention, folding the

tablecloth back over the table.

5, 6 + 7 See notes

STEWART:

Hello, then.

FLORA:

Hello.

ADA nods. STEWART'S hand explores the markings on the table. ADA

watches his hand moving under the checked cloth.

Sc 34 INT MISSION HOUSE DAY Sc 34

AUNT MORAG, NESSIE and TWO MAORI GIRLS dressed in proper Victorian

costume are kneeling around a huge double white sheet, sewing and

cutting it. The MAORI girls are part of the mission's good works. They

are dressed in European style and while their training is in polite

proper domestic behaviour they constantly corrupt it with their

demonstrative displays of affection, and their clay tobacco pipes to

which they are addicted.

STEWART is standing, looking on. BAINES is behind him in the kitchen

removing his boots.

AUNT MORAG:

(looking carefully at STEWART)

Well you stopped combing your

hair, which is a good thing, it

was looking over done.

(without pause but referring to

the sheet) You see these are

the slits that the heads will

go through, show him Nessie ...

they'll be dead, the Reverend

is going to use animal blood,

no doubt it will be very

dramatic. Tea!

(for NESSIE rather than to her)

NESSIE:

It will be very dramatic.

NESSIE leaves to get the tea. HENI, the MAORI girl with a Moku tickles

MARI'S back while she sews.

They sing the anthem in snatches. It is background to the

conversation.

STEWART:

(sitting down)

What would you think if someone

played a kitchen table like it

were a piano?

AUNT MORAG:

Like it were a piano?

STEWART:

It's strange isn't it? I mean

it's not a piano, it doesn't

make any sound.

NESSIB puts STEWART'S tea down. BAINES comes in with his tea cup

dwarfed in his big hands. He stands back leaning against a wall.

AUNT MORAG:

(hissing to NESSIE) Biscuits.'

No, no sound.

NESSIE hustles back to the kitchen.

STEWART:

I knew she was mute, but now

I'm thinking it's more than

that. I'm wondering if she's

not brain affected.

AUNT MORAG:

No sound at all?

STEWART:

No, it was a table.

AUNT MORAG:

(musing) Well, she was very

violent with the gown. She tore

off a chunk of lace. if hadn't

been there I'd have sworn she'd

used her teeth

NESSIE:

and wiped her feet an it.

STEWART:

Well it has not yet come to

anything. Just a concern.

AUNT MORAG pats her chest. a calming device.

AUNT MORAG:

Oh, yes, yes of course, a

concern.

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