Acting Profile

Opening Scene – On a train going to audition for Britain’s Got Talent. The present.

Opening scene sound of trains, talking, noises and lights to reflect the movement of a train.

As the scene begins

There is a voice over announcing the trains soon arrival in London.

When the lights come up there is a motionless tableaux of the family sitting together on the train. Mel is admiring her nails that she has just painted, Tom is holding a picnic basket looking inside the picnic basket he has a look of shock and horror on his face, Anthony is fast asleep with his mouth open snoring loudly. Elaine is doing knitting. The tableaux used for the opening of the first scene demonstrates the families relationship together and the fact that everyone is on their own journey. There is an underlying subtext throughout the play that each member of the family is on their own journey. The train at the beginning of the scene portrays the start of the families day out, but at a deeper level it is the families journey together.

(Tom puts his hand in the picnic box and pulls out Elaine’s false teeth)

Tom. Yuck you left them in the picnic box.

Elaine. I wondered where they’d gone.

Mel. Mum give dad a push he’s giving me a headache. My head’s killing have you got some Aspirin Tom?

Tom. Sorry, I’m out of Aspirin. Maybe we can get some when we get off this train.

Nicky enters wearing a waitress outfit. She is bringing a trolley of drinks through.

Nicky. Morning, Sir would you like any drinks?

Tom. I’ll have a vodka and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps

Nicky passes a bag with the refreshments in it.

Mel. I feel really queasy.

Tom. It’ll be your travel sickness, dear. Didn’t you bring your travel sickness pills?

Mel. No, I forgot.

Elaine. I have some soluble ones, but you’ll need some water.

Mel. Tom give us some of your vodka.

(Tom reluctantly passes Mel his vodka who puts two tablets in it and proceeds to drink the lot)

Mel. Ah, that’s better.

Tom. I can’t believe you just did that. That’s so unfair.

Mel. I’ll get you another when we get off this train.

Tom. Does anyone want a sandwich?

Mel. I’m not eating any of them sandwiches now mum’s teeth have been in them, that’s gross. I hope you cleaned them before you left them in there they looked like they had last night’s curry on them.

Elaine. Just you wait till you get older. It’s been fifteen years since I got my false teeth and they’ve never failed me. Not once. Not like your father.

Tom. You’re not saying you like wearing false teeth are you?

Elaine. I do. They make me look younger. You don’t think I always looked like this do you? Every day is full of memories. Why? I dunno. I always dreamed of being more than just Mel’s mum. I dreamed of singing on the stage, that’s what I was born to do. Singing is full of the past it takes away my boredom. It’s my first love and the only reason I’m coming here today is that I want to see you and Mel making a go of something I never got the chance to do. I often look in the mirror and remember what I used to look like. There was a time where I had to fight off all the men. I was beautiful and when I sung I lit up the room.

Anthony. Do you remember when we met? I walked into the bar where you were singing and said, “Do you fancy a drink? I’m sorry It’s not much of a chat up line, but I tend not to chat up girls”. I used to be the silent admirer, never one to chat girls up, but when I met your mother I couldn’t help, but chat her up. I walked into that bar and she was like a star twinkling in the night. She stood out from the crowd. “Just a glass of water” she said to me.

Mel. (Stands up and does a twirl) Does my bum look big in this?

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