Three short scenes from a screenplay.
INT. ARENA. DAY
This is the yearly party conference.
This year’s party slogan “A FAIRER WAY”. It seems benign.
ANGELA THORNE (42) is about to make the speech that will change her life.
There is LOUD APPLAUSE and CHEERING.
ANGELA waves, ANGELA is Julius Cesar.
ANGELA
I thank you, Prime Minister for your gracious introduction.
ANGELA waves for the audience to sit down.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
Please. You’re too kind.
The AUDIENCE shout ‘AN-GEL-A’.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
Oh for goodness sake. Sit down.
ANGELA waits for quiet and the crowd to sit.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
Well hasn’t it been a marvellous week? To look out here and see so many of your welcoming faces just warms my heart - it really does. The Secretary of State for Internal Affairs is indeed correct when he says that we are a very good-looking party. We’ve laughed this week, we’ve cried, we’ve booed, we’ve hissed, but most of all we’ve been together on everything. We’ve faced troubles head-on and, hopefully, along the way made some new friends. We are a party that is not afraid to disagree. It is welcomed in this party with open arms. We are a party of democracy. A fairer party for a fairer way.
APPLAUSE
ANGELA (CONT’D)
I think that now is time that I have to mention someone who is the darling of us all. Our glorious Prime Minster is about to leave us with his head held high and the party in the best spirits it has ever been. Thank you, Prime Minister from all of us, your grateful friends. We salute you. We cherish you.
ANGELA blows a kiss off screen.
LOUD APPLAUSE. The AUDIENCE goes quiet. One LONE VOICE shouts ‘I LOVE YOU, ANGELA’. Probably staged.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
And I love you. All of you. This is what this new party is all about. Love. Love and more love. Understanding through a fairer way.
CHEERS.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
For the right people, obviously.
LAUGHTER
ANGELA (CONT’D)
If you play ball with us, we’ll play ball with you. If you challenge us, we will challenge you. If you seek to destroy us, we WILL destroy you. Rest assured. For too long we have let those who despise us, ride rough shod over us as a people, over us as a nation. This is not the last of Britain. This is not the last of this island. This is only the beginning. The start. The birth and rise of the New British Party.
LOUDS ROARS.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
This is a Christian nation and as such, we as a party will not tolerate any other flavours of worship. This is a Christian nation and we as a party, as a nation, will not bow to extreme forms of prayer and worship. You know who you are. We are coming to get you.
CHEERS.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
If you play fair with us, we will play fair with you. A fair nation, supported by a fair people, for a fairer way. The only way. You steal from us and we will shut you down.
The AUDIENCE have heard this phrase before. Chants of “SHUT YOU DOWN! SHUT YOU DOWN!”.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
It is no secret, my friends as I have already hinted at my good news with my many close and intimate friends, on numerous occasions. As so today, I tell you my friends that I intend before the next election, to stand for leadership of this party and in turn, to be the next Prime Minster of this great and blossoming land.
CHEERS
ANGELA (CONT’D)
We did not start all of this but we will not stop it either. People are dying out there and we have to make choices. Real choices. Who should survive? Let God be their judge. Who should survive? Let God feed and house them, there is no benefit system, no social catch-all. If you do not have the means to survive then.....
ANGELA cups her hand to her ear. The AUDIENCE respond.
AUDIENCE
LET THEM GO! LET THEM GO!
ANGELA
Please, show some compassion. You may say that but ‘I couldn’t possibly comment’.
More cheering. ANGELA touches her heart.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
We will not talk of the dark times we have faced as a party, as a country, as a nation. We will not talk of the slogan our enemies have created. This is not the last of Britain and I will not talk of our once great friend from Uxbridge.
Booing
ANGELA (CONT’D)
ENOUGH! Enough. I am sure he had his reasons. After all he was an honourable man. As we are all honourable men and women. Our forefathers meant well. They tried to support those who would require help, they tried to provide shelter for those in need - but as we all, yes all, have found out to our cost: they steal. These people. They stab us in the back. These people. We are better rid of them. These people. We ARE rid of them. We are a becoming a great nation once again. This is not the last of Britain. This is just the beginning. My friends - all my friends - please support us in any and every way you can - my beloved friends - We are the New British Party and we are not going away. We are here to stay.
AUDIENCE
The New British Party!
INT. ST. PETER’S HOME FOR THE AGED. EVENING
ANGELA and her BODY GUARD enter the home. She takes a deep breath, then enters.
ANGELA
(to Guard)
Wait here.
GUARD
Mam.
ANGELA looks through the window of the room, to see her MOTHER sitting, staring out of the window.
ANGELA SIGHS then enters.
This tough woman becomes a little girl again, at least on her face.
ANGELA
Mum. It’s me.
ANGELA takes her Mum’s hand
ANGELA (CONT’D)
The doctor says you smiled at the nurse, today.
The MOTHER turns her head.
MOTHER
Who are you?
ANGELA
I’m Angela, Mum your daughter.
MOTHER
My daughter, I remember you.
Her mother runs her hand through her daughter’s hair.
MOTHER (CONT’D)
My little girl. How was school? Have you done your homework?
ANGELA kisses her mother.
ANGELA
Oh Mum.
ANGELA gets up and walks around the room.
ANGELA (CONT’D)
All this was for you.
MOTHER
Sorry darling?
ANGELA
All of this, all the things I’ve done, were done - to impress you and now you don’t even know.
MOTHER
Tell your dad, I want to see him.
ANGELA
He’s dead, Mum.
MOTHER
Who? Your Dad? Nonsense, I just spoke to him.
ANGELA is talking to her Mum and everyone.
ANGELA
You and Dad asked me to study in school and I did. Then you wanted me to study at college, and I did. Stay away from men, you said, and I did. For a while. Now I may be about to run the country. Now I a may become the most powerful woman in the country, perhaps the world and I have no one here to share it.
MOTHER
Are you being cheeky to your brother?
ANGELA
I don’t have a brother, Mum. You did.
MOTHER
Oh, it was me, of course. I forget sometimes.
ANGELA
I’ll know soon, if I am going to be like Margaret Thatcher, Mum.
MOTHER
Oh I remember her all right. Your father hated that woman.
ANGELA
If only you and Dad could have waited, held on. Just a bit longer.
MOTHER
Tell your Dad, I want to see him.
ANGELA gives up. The GUARD knocks and then enters the room.
GUARD
The first returns are being announced, Mam. They want you back at central office.
ANGELA kisses her Mum and leaves.
INT. BUCKINGHAM PALACE. DAY
The Right Honourable ANGELA THORNE has become the second ever Woman Prime Minister in a land that is breaking up. She is here to inform the King (KING WILLIAM 5th) of her news.
The KING is sitting, the door opens, he stands to welcome.
KING WILLIAM
Please sit.
ANGELA
Your Majesty.
ANGELA bows her head but does not curtsy.
She sits.
KING WILLIAM
Welcome Prime Minister. How is the family?
ANGELA
My mother is holding on, I’m pleased to report. The Princes and Princess are well, I hope?
KING WILLIAM
They are with their mother and in the rudest of health.
ANGELA
Your majesty is aware of the majority, my majority.
KING WILLIAM
We were informed.
ANGELA
Your majesty, then, is also aware that we as the ruling party intend to dismantle the current establishment. It is a major promise to my people.
KING WILLIAM
Your people? All the people?
And when you say ‘dismantle’, you are referring to the Royal Family, of course?
ANGEL
Indeed....and all your many relations.
KING WILLIAM
We are sorry that you feel that way.
ANGELA
I speak for the country.
KING WILLIAM
We are aware for whom you speak. Have you and your party a time frame for these actions?
ANGELA
We will dismantle, not destroy.
KING WILLIAM
You are compassion itself. We wonder what my Grandmother would have made of all this.
ANGELA
Had your Grandmother been still on the throne, we would probably have never been forced to such an action. She was popular.
KING WILLIAM
Unlike the current King?
ANGELA
The rot, your majesty, started with your Father.
KING WILLIAM
We are aware of the country’s reflections on my Father’s reign. He was a most caring King.
ANGELA
If you say so, your majesty.
KING WILLIAM
Are we to be asked to live in a council house?
ANGELA
That won’t be necessary, we only require that you remove yourself to one of your country estates. One of your private estates.
KING WILLIAM
Balmoral for instance?
ANGELA
If that is amenable to both yourself and the family.
KING WILLIAM
In other words, we are to be banished?
ANGELA
You will be safe, I promise. We only wish to remove all icons of your kith and kin from the cities.
KING WILLIAM
And you, will you inhabit the clothes of a president?
ANGELA smiles.
ANGELA
The constitution demands that you will be advised of all Bills passed through parliament.
KING WILLIAM
So presidential in all but name?
ANGELA
Your majesty, this farce was never going to last forever.
KING WILLIAM
Farce?
ANGELA
This privilege. This accident of birth. Your anointment...
KING WILLIAM
By the Grace of God. By the Grace of God.
ANGELA
If you say so.....your majesty.
KING WILLIAM
We do. You intend to take on God as well?
ANGELA
God doesn’t believe in me, I am only reciprocating. I do not believe in God.
KING WILLIAM
Even when you look in the mirror?
ANGELA
You open your eyes and I see a chink of the once favoured prince William. You were popularity itself, a long time ago. They wanted the throne to pass over your father to you.
KING WILLIAM
We were aware of the nation’s view of my father.
ANGELA
And your mother?
KING WILLIAM
What has she to do with this conversation?
ANGELA
Everything.
KING WILLIAM
We do not understand.
ANGELA
Those who support you, did not support your mother.
KING WILLIAM
Are you once again suggesting that she was ‘bumped off’?
ANGELA has heard enough. She stands.
ANGELA
Forgive me for standing without permission, but I am a busy woman.
WILLIAM stands.
KING WILLIAM
Then were are finished here.
ANGELA
Yes, yes, you are.
ANGELA turns her back on the KING and walks out of the room.
bobbt stevenson 2014
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