by Mike Leigh
BEVERLY: But he wouldn’t listen to me, Ang.
TONY: That’s right, yeah.
BEVERLY: But I never thought it would happen at this age; I thought it’ll be more when he was fifty or sixty.
TONY: Thank you.
[Tony hangs up.]
BEVERLY: Oh, Christ, Christ, Sue, listen to that noise he’s making, Sue!!
SUSAN: Angela, is there anything we can do?
ANGELA: No, we must just wait for the ambulance.
[Beverly lights a cigarette.]
BEVERLY: Ang, what happens when they get him to the hospital? Will they give him oxygen to revive him?
ANGELA: They’ve got everything he needs in the ambulance.
BEVERLY: Yeah?
[Susan is putting away the Beethoven.]
Oh, Christ! [She goes back to the bar for more brandy.] Sue, d’you want a little drop of brandy?
SUSAN: No, thank you.
BEVERLY: Tone?
TONY: No, thank you!
BEVERLY: Now, Ang, listen to me … d’you think it would be a good idea if I put a little dab of brandy on his lips?
ANGELA: No!
BEVERLY: Now I don’t mean for him to drink it – no? Well, how about a little dab of water, then, eh?
ANGELA: No, he must just lie still.
BEVERLY: Well, shall I get a cold flannel and lay it across his fore-head?
ANGELA: He’ll be all right if he lies still.
BEVERLY [kneeling]: ’Cos I am very fond of him, you know, Ang.
TONY: Keep that cigarette out of his face!
BEVERLY: All right, Tony, lay off me if you don’t mind, please!
SUSAN: Beverly, you’re flicking ash all over him!
BEVERLY: All right, Sue, that’ll do from you as well!
SUSAN: Calm down!
BEVERLY: Look, Sue: it’s all right for you, your husband isn’t lying here with a heart attack, is he?
SUSAN: Angela, is there nothing we can do?
ANGELA: No! Just sit down.
[Susan sits.]
BEVERLY: It’s my fault, isn’t it? I know it is, Ang. But, I didn’t mean to upset him tonight, I didn’t, Sue, I wouldn’t do that. But, Sue, he is argumentative with me. And when he shouts, I can’t help but shout back; but I didn’t mean to upset him tonight. You see, and when he started talking about his pictures, I should have kept quiet, but I couldn’t. And I shouldn’t have brought that picture down, Sue, ’cos he hates that picture. [Pause.] Oh, Christ, this is ridiculous! Tony, where’s that ambulance? Ang, shall we give them a ring again?
SUSAN: Beverly, we’ve only just phoned them!
BEVERLY: I know we’ve only just phoned them, Sue, but you don’t know what’s going on at these places, they could have taken the address down wrong, or anything – they might go to the wrong road for all we know! Tony, do me a favour, get on the phone, and just check what’s going on, please!
TONY: Shall I ring them again, Ang?
BEVERLY: Look, never mind her, I know she’s a nurse, but I happen to be his bloody wife!
TONY: All right!
BEVERLY: Now get on the phone!
[Tony dials 999. Beverly sits.]
SUSAN: How is he?
ANGELA: He’s all right.
BEVERLY: Mind you, Sue: he’s brought this on himself. I’m sorry, but he has. If you knew, Sue, the number of times I have pleaded with him to take a day off and relax, and he wouldn’t – he wouldn’t listen to me, Sue. He wouldn’t take any notice of me, Sue! And d’you know why? Because basically he’s stubborn, and he’s pig-headed!!!
TONY: Ambulance. 503–9041. Yes.
BEVERLY: 13 Richmond Road, tell ’em, Tony, and it’s off Ravensway. Make sure they’ve got it right.
TONY: Hallo – er, we phoned for an ambulance earlier, and it doesn’t seem to have arrived.
BEVERLY: Listen, Tony, tell them we’ve been waiting for ten minutes actually and there’s a man lying here with a heart attack.
TONY: Shut up!!!
SUSAN: Beverly. BE QUIET!!!
BEVERLY: I beg your pardon, Sue?
SUSAN: Will you just shut up for a minute?
BEVERLY: Look, Sue, I’m telling you now: this is my house, and if you don’t like it, piss off!
ANGELA: Oh, shut up, please.
TONY: 13 Richmond Road. 503–9041. Ta. Thank you.
[Tony bangs up.]
BEVERLY: What did they say, Tone?
TONY: It’s on its way.
BEVERLY: Great.
[Pause. The shrieking voices of a few teenage girls are heard in the street. Then the Rock music from the party starts again.]
Oh, for God’s sake, Sue; would you go down and tell Abigail?
SUSAN: It’s not my fault they’re making such a row.
BEVERLY: I know, Sue, but she’s your daughter, isn’t she?
SUSAN: Well, I can’t help that! Can I use the phone?
BEVERLY: Yeah, go on.
ANGELA: Now it’s all right – just lie still.
[Laurence has started to come round.]
BEVERLY: What is it, Ang? Is he coming round a little bit, is he?
ANGELA: Yeah. You’re gonna be fine – keep still.
BEVERLY: Now, Laurence. Laurence, it’s Beverly speaking! Now, listen to me, Laurence. I’m just putting me cigarette down, ’cos we don’t want to blow smoke in your face, do we? Now, listen to me, Laurence. Now, Laurence, you’re not well. You’re gonna be all right, we’re gonna take you to the hospital – now listen to me … I’m gonna stay with you all the time, Laurence, and I’m not gonna leave you, all right? Now Ang is looking after you, see?
[Angela is now pounding Laurence’s chest, Laurence having died at about the point where Beverly was saying, ‘I’m just putting me cigarette down’.]
Ang! Ang, what’re you doing?
SUSAN: Could I speak to Abigail, please?
Abigail!
Abigail Lawson!
[Angela listens to Laurence’s chest. Then she starts to administer the kiss-of-life. Then she stops.]
ANGELA: Tony, can you hold my hair out of my face?
TONY: Eh?
ANGELA: Tony!
[Tony crosses, and holds Angela’s hair out of the way, while she does the kiss-of-life. This goes on for some time. Eventually, she gives up. Tony lets go of her hair. She sinks back against an armchair.
Pause.
Beverly throws her arms round Tony with a gasp, holding the embrace.
Pause.
Angela leaps up suddenly, grasping one leg.]
Ur, shit! Ur, Tony, Tony. Tony!
[Angela flies across the room. Tony disengages himself from Beverly.]
TONY: What’s the matter? You haven’t got cramp again, have you? Come here – give us your leg! Stretch it. Stretch it!
[Angela is relieved, and lies still on the floor. Tony kneels in exhaustion. Beverly sobs.]
SUSAN: Abigail, it’s Mummy here.
Abigail?
ABIGAIL!!
[Blackout.
The Rock music surges.]
CURTAIN
THE BEGINNING
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First published (in Plays of the Year 47) by Paul Elek 1979
Published in Penguin Books 1983
Reissued with a new introduction in this ed
ition 2017
Copyright © Mike Leigh, 1977, 2017
The moral right of the author has been asserted
Cover design: Matt Carr
All performing rights of this play are strictly reserved and in all countries permission to perform it or give readings by professionals must be obtained in advance from A. D. Peters & Co. Ltd, 10 Buckingham Street, London WC2N 6BU. Permission should be obtained from Samuel French Ltd, 26 Southampton Street, London WC2E 7JE, for any readings or performances by amateurs.
ISBN: 978-0-241-98133-7
