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02x09 - Stage Fright

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Sister Boniface Mysteries". Aired: 8 February 2022 – present.*
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Sister Boniface is a Catholic nun at St. Vincent's Convent in the fictional town of Great Slaughter in the Cotswolds who has a PhD in forensic science, allowing her to serve as a scientific adviser to the local police on investigations.

02x09 - Stage Fright

Post by bunniefuu »

How dark seems the night,

when we comprehend

the dangers therein.

More fear!

- And how small

and alone is man,

when at the mercy

of a ravenous beast!

Will this great and terrible

bear tear apart

Well, keep going!

- Tear apart my very soul

Honestly?

- Look, is this the best

we can do,

great and terrible bear-wise?

On our budget, yes.

- She's trying to make me

wear a dress.

- It's a to It's a toga.

- You'll look heroic, darling.

- Look, just take your position

behind the boulder.

What if I'm on the boulder?

This is my scene.

It won't be a soliloquy with him

- preening himself on a rock.

- "Preening"?

- Just stand behind the boulder

if you please.

Right, from the top!

- How dark seems the night

- Sorry.

Um, just need a minute

to set up the great

and terrible bear again.

Refreshments incoming!

Oh, don't bother, Derek.

Apparently it's time

for another break.

Tea drinking,

about the only thing

you lot do with any conviction.

- Just popping out

for more yellow.

Thought the back cloth needed

a jolly sun in the sky.

- "The Cursed Arrow" is a

tragedy, Miss Thimble.

- But you said "a child sky

over desolate heath."

- A wild sky, Dottie,

and the playwright said it.

- Well, I suppose that

makes sense.

- One wild sky coming up.

- Sir.

- I brought it straight over, sir.

- Aha!

Well, the regional arts fund are

offering a very generous grant

for "most promising

cultural endeavour."

- I don't quite follow, sir.

Is this a police

- What?

- Is it a police matter?

- No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

And the grant committee

The grant committee will be

coming to our first performance.

Ooh!

Yes, our beg-borrow-and-steal

years will soon be over!

Stay and give us your critique

on act one.

- No, sir, I can't.

I'm a bit busy at the moment.

Right.

Pressure's on, company

Deliver a cracking performance

and we'll take the sad out

of G-SADS once and for all!

- Tis true I neglect

my manly duties

and allow my womenfolk to pine,

but can any mortal resist

the lure of the ultimate prize?

More pathos, less panto.

And where are the lights?

This is a serious drama,

not burlesque!

Or a n*zi interrogation.

I'm coming up.

- We're coming through.

Come on, chaps!

- Convent cast-offs!

Should get a few togas

out of this lot.

- Perfect.

- Wish I could help more, but

- Oh, you're on.

- Oh.

- It's basically a semi-circle

with a flat bit at the bottom,

one size fits all.

You are a godsend, Sister.

Oh! Godsend.

- Ambrose Chance must be spinning

in his grave.

- Ah, yes,

the esteemed playwright.

Great Slaughter's

most famous son.

Some might say second

most famous,

after Monty the albino shire

horse, but let's not dwell.

I hope this will pass muster.

It's magnificent.

- I think a round of applause

is in order.

- Positions, company!

From Mateo's entrance.

Who this way comes?

Tis Mateo, a huntsman.

- See how he sharpens

his arrows,

unaware this innocent quiver

will seal his fate.

- Tis true I neglect

my manly duties

and allow my womenfolk to pine,

but can any mortal resist

the lure of the ultimate prize,

a creature so white it must have

been hewn from moonlight.

- Pick them up

and carry on, man!

sh**t me, darling.

Oh.

Ah, someone has returned.

- How are you, my brave soldier?

- No.

- You gave us quite a fright.

- Steady.

- No, no, no, it can't be.

Where are you going?

The artistic temperament, eh?

- Now where's he going?

- I think he needed some air.

- And I need a large whiskey,

but we've got a play to put on.

- Might be time to call it a day,

Chief Constable.

Excuse me. Thank you.

I'm going in there.

Thank you!

Excellent. Bow and arrow?

Perfect.

Stag runs into clearing?

Needs work.

Right, knife into flesh?

Ooh, marvellous!

And finally, a roaring fire?

Jolly well done, old chap!

Right then, Derek,

let's get this on, shall we?

We have to raise our game.

The smell should fade.

I really don't want to.

Pull your finger out, man,

- and remember what I taught you.

- But

- We've been in worse

predicaments than this before

and come out victorious.

Alright, I'll do it.

- Excellent.

Company, gather ye round.

Now, we come to the technically

most demanding scene.

Callista stabs Mateo

in a tragic moment

of bloody vengeance.

Positions!

- Please, I just wish you would

tell me what's going on.

- Just leave it. Trust me,

you don't want to know.

- Come on, please.

- Lights!

- I come to you in spirit form

to offer you a choice.

Admit it was your arrow that

slayed me, or feel my vengeance.

- I take my orders not from

she-demons,

but from mortal men.

Line!

Thank you, Tom.

What's done cannot be undone.

Then your fate is sealed!

Aah!

- Oh, come on, man, you look like

you're waiting for a bus.

Aaah, my life ebbs away.

Is this guilt pouring

from my veins?

Eee gods, lights!

Lewis, Lewis. Thank you.

Lewis, far be it from me

to put pressure on an actor,

but imagine the entire future

of G-SADS,

the the hopes and dreams

of a community,

rest on your performance.

Yes? Good.

I'll call an early lunch.

You can run your lines

with Myrna.

Oh, a-a-a-and listen

do it for her.

Do it for Ambrose.

Do it for the Loch Ness monster

for all I care,

just don't step on this stage

till you are ready

to give us some drama.

- I rue the day I convinced

Ambrose's widow

to let us have that play.

It should have stayed in

the drawer where she found it.

It was rather

a coup, though, Vera.

His only unperformed work.

- Maybe it was never performed

because it's so terrible.

- Wait! Let me explain!

It's not what you think!

- It seems "The Cursed Arrow"

is cursed in more ways than one.

We have a problem.

- Just add feuding thespians

to our list of woes

and we shall soldier on

in true G-SADS spirit.

No, an even bigger problem.

BAPs.

Ah.

- Crack yer head in a paper bag.

BAPs!

Barnsford Amateur Players.

- Oh, dear.

- Oh, dear with tights on.

They're doing "King Lear."

First performance on Saturday.

- Are they after

the grant money?

Is Roger Farnaby a Scotsman?

Is he a Scotsman?

- No idea. All I know

is he's Hector's nemesis.

So I expect complete focus,

which means leaving your egos

and petty squabbles

at the stage door, understood?

Now, the death scene

is our ace in the hole,

so please,

let us make it convincing.

- That won't be a problem.

- Good. Right.

Greek chorus, to your places.

We'll run from page 48.

- But soft, what messenger

from the netherworld approaches?

- She who was wronged

has returned for vengeance.

- Mateo, I come to you in spirit

form to offer you a choice.

Admit it was your arrow that

slayed me, or feel my vengeance.

- I take my orders not from

she-demons, but from mortal men.

What's done cannot be undone.

Then your fate is sealed!

Oh, eureka!

My very life ebbs away.

His very life ebbs away!

Is this guilt pouring

from his veins?

- Lewis!

- Cut! Bravo!

Well done, Lewis.

Best performance so far.

More corn syrup in the blood,

perhaps?

- Right you are.

- Right, let's go again and die

inside the spotlight

this time, please.

- Oh, my.

Someone call an ambulance!

Very little blood loss,

which would suggest the blade

penetrated straight to the heart

or possibly the aortic root,

resulting in more or less

instant death.

- Is that glue?

- Apparently so, yes.

Mass-produced prop dagger

that's been tampered with.

By Myrna?

- She's adamant she's

never seen it before.

- I'm not sure if this is

relevant, but, Sister, remember

Lewis did have

a strange turn yesterday.

- He collapsed on stage.

- Oh, yes.

After seeing the backdrop

for the first time.

How odd.

Button, search Lewis'

lodgings, will you?

I'll see if our hapless k*ller

can enlighten us.

On it, sir.

- I've been reading about this

new American method acting.

I was so immersed in the moment,

I had no idea

I had an actual deadly weapon

in my hand.

- Apparently Lewis collapsed

yesterday.

Do you know why?

- No.

He wouldn't talk about it.

Then this morning

he was in an odd mood.

Snippy, not himself at all.

- Is that why you two

argued earlier today?

- I left my bobby pins

in the dressing room,

went back to fetch them,

and walked in on him and Hildy.

Take your time.

- I thought he was going

to propose.

To me.

- That must have been

quite a shock.

But I'd never have done

anything to hurt him.

Lewis wasn't perfect,

but I loved him.

I only agreed to be in

this wretched play

so that we could be together.

- It was an expletive

deleted bloodbath

he'll never unsee

and no mistake.

- Right, okay.

Thank you, Tom.

Um, if you remember anything

else, please let me know.

Or anyone else that's on duty.

- Right, let's all get

this place shipshape again

so we can crack on.

- Sir, might a hiatus

be necessary,

you know,

pending investigations?

- Where's your Blitz

spirit, man?

What is "necessary"

is a bucket of sawdust

and a can-do attitude,

eh, Pargiter?

Well, uh

- Although of course, G-SADS

are now one man down.

Yes.

You'll do.

I will, of course,

take Lewis' role,

and you will be our new

Second Huntsman,

no audition required.

Congratulations, and well done.

No, no, sir. I can't.

Acting really

is not my cup of tea.

- We'll have a one-to-one

rehearsal

first thing in the morning.

And as your commanding officer,

that's an order.

Good!

Onwards, company!

One spare, as requested.

I suppose it's not a "spare"

anymore.

- What was your relationship like

with Lewis?

- I know you two were

- Strictly no-strings.

Myrna was saving herself

for marriage, bless her,

so Lewis had quite the itch.

It's a shame Myrna walked in

when she did.

I know what I saw.

Why wouldn't they believe me?

My advice is stop fidgeting

till I've finished

pinning this hem.

- Have you ever doubted

yourself,

your memories,

your sense of reality?

Don't feel guilty.

Let me take your mind off

whatever it is

that's bothering you.

- Lewis?

- Ah, we were, um

- Stage blood.

I was putting it up his toga.

- How could you?

- No, no.

Maybe it's best she knows.

Then you and I can

There is no you and I.

Myrna, wait!

Lewis!

He was acting really strange,

but he trotted after her

like a lapdog,

so I went for a smoke.

For a whole hour?

- I was also prepping makeup,

styling wigs, sewing costumes,

painting props,

cleaning the toilets.

Welcome to Amateur Dramatics.

- Considering your, um,

mutual scratching,

you don't seem too bothered

by Lewis' death.

No, I'm not bothered.

I'm devastated,

but it wouldn't do to let

Myrna see that, now would it?

- She's definitely more upset

than she's letting on.

Who else is in the frame?

- Everyone who didn't spend

the duration

of the lunch break in the foyer.

The thing is,

they rehearsed before lunch

and the dagger was un-doctored,

so the perpetrator must have

made the switch

between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m.

Captain Pargiter apparently

always spends

his lunch breaks at home.

Derek was painting

the boulder backstage.

And Hildy was mostly

in the dressing room,

and, unfortunately for her,

Myrna's alibi

is the m*rder victim's.

What about the dagger?

- Myrna always left it

in the same place,

the props table in the wings,

stage right.

- Um, may I?

- No, I

- Blunt sprung blade, retracts

into the handle on impact.

Harmless and pretty foolproof,

as you can see.

Our m*rder weapon,

on the other hand,

tempered steel blade,

glued into position

at the handle

using a fast-setting epoxy.

A simple adaptation that would

nevertheless

have involved thought,

planning, and manual dexterity.

And time.

- Well, depending on

our perpetrator's skill,

I'd estimate 5 to 10 minutes

to replace the blade

and wait for the glue to set.

Obviously not a permanent bond,

but strong enough

for a fatal, single use.

Hmm. Any fingerprints?

Oh, yes, mostly bloody,

and nearly all, apart

from the victim's, Myrna's.

- Hmm, our innocent

proxy m*rder*r.

- Lewis' diary

from when he was a boy.

- Good work, Button.

- Bravo!

This was on his bed.

He must have looked at it,

traumatised, last night.

- "Ma doesn't believe me,

but I know what I saw."

Hmm.

"There were two of them,

bent over, digging.

I could see a lump.

They dragged it into the hole.

I think it was a dead body."

June 6, 1935.

- Are there any missing persons

unaccounted from that time?

- Lowsley was a beat copper

back in 1935.

Maybe he's got some intel.

And I know exactly

where to find him.

- Kenny Buck,

18 when he went missing,

used to grub about

Great Slaughter

with his ne'er-do-well pals,

pilfering and pick-pocketing.

Can't remember much else

except that he was a right

royal headache.

- Perhaps a trawl of

the police files

might yield some

useful information?

- Rather you than me.

- Will you excuse me, gents?

- We're throwing caution

to the wind.

We're doing no such thing.

It's just been

a very taxing day.

- At the risk of taxing

you further,

um, might I ask you about

your magnificent rendering

of the Plain of Aegis?

Oh, that.

I just read

what it said in the play

and sploshed some paint around.

- It reminds me somewhat

of a real place.

Ingleby Heath, in fact.

- Ah, yes.

Now you come to mention it.

- Might it be possible to borrow

a copy of the play

- until tomorrow?

- Be my guest.

I'm the only cast member

who's off-book,

as we say in the theatre.

- I shall take utmost care

as I burn the midnight oil.

- Uh, tonight's dinner is

kidney pie.

I'm afraid my purse

wouldn't stretch to the steak.

- Don't be late.

- Terribly sorry, Mrs. Clam,

but I shall be spending

the evening

in the police records office.

- Extra helping for you then,

Inspector Gillespie.

Mm.

Callista

Callista raises the, um

the what?

Callista raises

Oh, gosh, is that the time?

I really should, um,

just for a moment

Hello, and welcome,

Ambrose Chance,

to this special dead playwrights

episode

of "Questions for Thespians."

First question,

what's the real reason

"The Cursed Arrow" has been

hidden in a drawer until now?

Oh, a strategist,

ladies and gentlemen.

Let's try another.

If the Plain of Aegis on the

backdrop is an actual place,

are the two huntsmen

based on real

Bonus point for this

next question,

did you, Ambrose Chance,

know local teenager Kenny Buck?

Wait! Buck stag.

Um, does the white stag

in the play represent

- Sister?

- Quickest on the buzzer

for a bonus point!

- I'm sorry?

- Oh.

Oh, my.

I think I've just had

my own epiphany.

Anyway, yes, how did you get on?

- No epiphanies,

but I did discover

that Kenny got himself mixed up

with a London g*ng

called "The Magpies."

Um, he returned back to

Great Slaughter

to look after his sick

mother a few months

before he disappeared.

- Well, I'll wager

that what 8-year-old

Lewis described in his diary

was Kenny's final resting place.

Lewis was simply not believed

and forgot about it until he saw

Miss Thimble's backdrop.

- And the next day,

he ended up dead.

So these murders must be linked.

Let's share the news with Sam.

Right, you hop in the sidecar,

we'll be there in a jiff.

- I can't, I have rehearsals

with CC Lowsley

and I don't know my lines.

- Well, is just as well

you have the dauntless Tom

Thomas as line prompt then.

Yeah, that's what I fear.

- So you think this play will

lead us to Kenny Buck's body?

- Well, the play is about

two huntsmen

who become obsessed

with a white stag.

Okay, stag, buck. Go on.

- Well, they fire a brace of

arrows at it,

but as the animal gasps

its last breath,

it transforms

into an innocent maiden.

Now you've lost me.

- The stag turned maiden could be

a metaphor

for a blameless innocent,

possibly a play on words,

chaste as in decorous,

and chased as in hunted.

Either way, the

huntsmen dispute over

whose was the deadly arrow.

They quickly bury her and speak

no more of their crime.

Given that the play was written

in cathartic style,

- it would appear to be

- A confession?

Indeed.

- So we've got a dead suspect

in Ambrose Chance,

but who's our other huntsman?

- Well, that, Inspector,

is the ten-bonus-point question.

Ah, behold!

The mythical Plain of Aegis,

if I'm not mistaken.

Right, yes, see the burial

mounds, identical positions.

The standing stones and large

boulder is still here.

There are the three

pine trees, look.

So Little Lewis must have

been standing here when he

Wait

That's Captain Pargiter's house.

More to the point,

that's his land.

- I was about to leave

for the theatre.

Whitcomb, would you get us

some more coffee?

Thank you but no

I don't want to take up

any precious rehearsal time.

- Yes, first performance

tomorrow,

what with the grant committee

and a full house,

the pressure is on somewhat.

Of course we're still reeling

from the loss

of our leading man.

- I heard there was some friction

between you two?

- Only the usual jovial

thespian rivalry.

Tragic business, really.

- And, um, why did you go home

for lunch yesterday?

Always do, anything to avoid

Mrs. Clam's

mystery-meat sandwiches.

- Captain, might we have

your permission

to excavate an area

on Ingleby Heath?

Sounds ominous.

- Yes, we're re-opening the case

into the disappearance

of Kenny Buck.

Buck

Buck, yes, I remember.

Long time ago, though?

We have new information.

I see.

I met Kenny once or twice

during my time

as patron of the church's

Wayward Youth Project.

Seemed nice enough

fell in with the wrong crowd,

obviously,

but then so did a lot of boys

who lost their fathers

during the w*r.

And you think he's

- We think it's a strong

possibility, yes.

Poor lad.

One can't help but wish

you don't find him out there.

- Do you remember anything

else about the case, Captain?

- Nothing specific,

lot of trouble

on the heath

during those problem years.

Reported a few incidents

myself, in fact.

Thank you.

Oh, you didn't know

Ambrose Chance, did you?

- Not well, our paths crossed

at functions and whatnot.

Why do you ask?

Just ticking boxes.

Is there any point

digging deeper?

- The play's quite specific

about a shallow grave;

the huntsmen buried the stag

where it fell,

by the tree on the right.

- Let's take a break, boys.

Regroup in ten.

Is there a reason

you're digging

around outside of the cordon?

- Silly mistake, stage left

and stage right are opposite.

A b*llet. Hidden under three

decades of bark.

- Lads, we've been digging

under the wrong tree.

- Good dress rehearsal,

everyone but more

tears in the third act.

Tomorrow is the big day.

Curtain up.

And I want each and every one

of you here rested

and word perfect. Hildy?

I've got a wobbly rampart,

stage right.

Be right there.

He's in high dudgeon.

Or is it low.

One of the dudgeons anyway.

He's just discovered BAPS

have a dramaturg.

- Oh.

- Do you need any help, Myrna?

- I can do it, thank you.

- Suit yourself.

This must not be easy for you?

- Sometimes I don't know

how to put one foot

in front of the other.

But I'd rather keep busy.

- The truth will out, Myrna,

be sure of that.

- Can't be easy for you either,

stepping in at the last minute?

Any more costumes?

What kind of bird is that?

- I wish I knew, that'll teach me

for getting drunk in Blackpool

on my 18th birthday.

- You can take this.

- Thank you.

- Seems like we're running out

of daylight and morale.

- And orange squash.

No one likes the lemon.

- Are you sure we haven't missed

something in the text?

No other coded meanings

or hidden information?

Well, it's hard to know.

Classics, unlike viticulture,

not being an exact science.

- Sir?

- Finally.

Trowel please, Peggy?

- Sister.

- Thank you.

One tibia.

What's this?

One pair of glasses.

And one mystery solved.

- You can't ascertain cause

of death from this, can you?

- Well, there certainly isn't

an arrow

conveniently protruding

from his chest cavity but

Oh! Aha!

A r*fle b*llet?

9 mm would be my guess,

though hard to say exactly

given the degree of corrosion,

but I'll try to clean it up

and get some more detail.

Morning Team, how are ugh,

you never get used to some of

these things on this job.

Quite so.

Derek has a tattoo of a bird.

A Magpie.

- Kenny's g*ng?

- Are you sure?

- Well, the records show

that Kenny here,

and Derek got a warning

for getting into a fight

at a cinema a week

before Kenny disappeared.

Top marks, Felix!

- I guess we'd better talk

to our erstwhile Magpie.

- Alright, so I knocked about

with that lot and yes,

I'll admit, there were bad blood

between me and Kenny.

He had a gift of getting

on the wrong side of people.

People like who?

Ambrose Chance?

- Ambrose wouldn't have wasted

his time

- on a scrote like Kenny.

- But you would?

- No, I gave up my g*ng

proclivities decades ago,

thanks to the church

and the Wayward Youth Project.

- So you must have known

Captain Pargiter, back then?

Yes, Sir.

I was also in his regiment

Glorious Glosters.

Me and Kenny,

sorry, Kenny and I,

used to do odd jobs

around the estate.

And Ambrose and the Captain

even let us

sh**t the odd

round of clay pigeons.

- Sorry, Ambrose Chance

and Captain Pargiter

- knew each other?

- Yes. They were friends.

Ambrose was an arse

but he was great fun.

- Curtains up in an hour

and a half.

Chief says you're to bring

his cast and crew

back to the theatre PDQ.

- Fair enough,

I need to interrogate

one of his leading men anyway.

Break a leg with that, Sir.

Had I known, had I known.

That at nightfall

a great and terrible

- Red Lorry, yellow lorry,

red lorry, yellow lorry

- La, la, la, la, la, la, la.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la.

- Red Lorry, yellow lorry,

red lorry,

- yellow lorry

- Finally!

- What time d'you call this?

- I'm sorry, Sir.

- Gillespie. Haven't you made

enough disruption for one day?

This can't wait, I'm afraid.

- Gosh, it's like

Laurel and Hardy round here!

- We found Kenny's body

on his land,

he lied about

knowing Ambrose Chance.

He was obviously trying

to silence Lewis.

- Should I get Peggy

to shut the house

- and send everybody home?

- You'll do no such thing!

Look, that's the grant

committee and you're

not even in costume!

Skidaddle!

Do none of you people respect

the sanctity of the theatre?

This couldn't wait.

I'm all ears, Sister.

- There's evidence

of an entry wound

at the edge of Kenny's scapula.

Bone fragments

from the sixth rib,

- where the b*llet exited.

- Meaning?

- Meaning, with a few trajectory

calculations

I can say without doubt

that Kenny was shot in the back.

As if he was running away.

After all, Kenny was a Magpie.

I'd say that he was

caught stealing

- Pargiter's no m*rder*r.

- You can't deny he is a hunter.

- Yes,

but where's your evidence?

You're holding it, Sir.

Five minutes till curtain up.

- Bring me a matching g*n

or a confession,

then you can take him.

- Fancy a trip

to the Captain's g*n cabinet?

Yes, please.

Right, places, everyone!

Make sure you nail

that first line, Dottie.

- Will do.

- Curtain, Derek.

- What's the line again?

- Save us, Vera.

Welcome to this,

a warning rendered in words,

a carnival of souls.

Is this a tale of treachery,

or of a man wronged?

Only the Gods know what smoke

and mirrors we mortals weave.

Oh, oh

What treasures and mysteries

abound within this sphere,

to be but discovered

and conquered

by a vigourous youth such as I!

- Hmm, the ethics of lock

picking are somewhat complex.

- Can't you just say

a few hail Marys?

- Unfortunately, the Lord

doesn't operate on a buy

now pay later basis.

Bingo!

Yes!

Quite an arsenal.

- Couple of shot g*ns,

but no r*fle.

- Wait. Perhaps our m*rder weapon

has been staring us

in the face this entire time.

Wrong calibre.

- Actually, it's what's missing

that caught my eye.

See the photograph,

and the empty scabbard?

The bayonet's been removed.

- Yes.

And used to k*ll Lewis Garner.

- We should be able to get

back for the interval.

- You'd better be bringing me

a choc-ice, Gillespie,

and not another

half-baked supposition?

- Pargiter is definitely

our man.

- Can he please be our man,

just till the end of the show?

He's a double m*rder*r, Sir.

- Surely protocol would dictate

- Let me worry about protocol.

You worry about

your lacklustre performance,

Livingstone.

Surround the theatre,

you can take him

as soon as the curtain falls.

Depart.

- Ladies and gentlemen,

please take your seats,

the performance

is about to continue.

- Let's hope this is fast

and painless.

- What great adventures await us,

on this

Broccoli?

Bright day.

Oh. Bright day!

How lucky we are to have such

Youth and purpose.

- Yawning purpose.

- Youth and purpose!

- Youth and purpose!

As we stride forth

You've been called.

- You sure you're alright

to do this?

The show must go on.

You're a trooper.

Myrna, you were always

the one

- I know.

I'm doing this for him.

He'd be proud.

But don't do it for him.

Do it for yourself.

Okay. Go on.

How dark seems the night,

when we comprehend

the danger therein.

And how small and alone is man,

when at the mercy

of a ravenous beast!

Had I known that at nightfall

a great and terrible bear

would tear apart my very soul.

- Hold your nerve,

noble shepherd.

- Oh. Um

- Stop that Shepherd!

- It shall be the, um, the

policeman with the handcuffs!

- Stop!

- Hark? Is that thunder I hear?

- You have no proof!

- We have all the proof we need.

- Grab him Felix!

- Ah, you are mistaken Mateo.

Tis but the terrible bear

after all.

Who knew his presence

would be such sweet relief?

Get away from me Gillespie!

- Behold,

what nightmarish visions

may befall

the insubordinate mind.

- Sorry.

- Friends!

Let us start anew!

From page 41.

- Rather let us, let us exit,

being pursued by a bear.

Or rather pursuing,

pursuing the bear.

- Methinks the second huntsman

is, in all regards,

is in the wrong play.

Stop him!

- The Shepherd returneth

to his flock

great be that the fates

allow him to tend them

before the conclusion

of our tale.

- Curtains for you, Shepherd.

I mean, Captain.

- I supposed you're both

very pleased with yourselves?

An arresting performance, Sir.

You shot a teenager in the back.

A boy, who you were supposed

to be helping.

I did help Kenny,

and he repaid me

by breaking into my home.

- He was unarmed

and running away.

- A man has a right to protect

his own property.

We caught the little

deviant redhanded.

Oi!

So then Ambrose,

fancy another trophy?

- So you hunted him down

like an animal?

- You can't prove it was

my b*llet that k*lled him.

- We won't need to in order

to send you down

for a very long time.

- We'll see what my solicitors

have to say about that.

- It must have been a relief

when Ambrose died,

taking your secret with him.

If only there hadn't been

a witness.

- You're the second huntsman.

- What are you on about, man?

I'm the shepherd. Learn

the script for heavens sake.

- This play, it's Ambrose's

confession, isn't it?

Oh, you didn't realise?

The whole time we've been

rehearsing,

you didn't have a clue.

Well, I remembered everything,

the moment I saw that backdrop.

You're a m*rder*r.

I'm a decorated veteran.

- Then let's see

what the police think.

- Who's going to believe

the testimony of a child,

30 years after the event?

I'd be very careful

if I were you.

So you silenced him, right?

You doctored the dagger

and you used poor Myrna

to do your dirty work.

Hopefully Myrna will be

able to start again.

Unlike those two men whose

lives you ended on a whim.

- No need to get sentimental,

Inspector Gillespie.

Preston Hadley Pargiter,

I'm arresting you for

the murders of Kenny Buck

and Lewis Garner.

You are not obliged

to say anything

unless you wish to do so

but anything you do say

may be put into writing

and given in evidence.

- Chins up, G-SADS,

only three more shows to go.

But we've lost half our cast.

- I could perform it as a one man

play experimental, you know?

Give BAPS a run for it's money.

- We're already

a laughing stock.

No offence.

Oh, Morning all.

The good news is

I brought some leftover madeira

cake from the polio fundraiser.

And the bad news.

- Ah, well, I trust Roger Farnaby

will be happy

having something

more to gloat about.

- "The Cursed Arrow fell well

short of its target

turgid and incomprehensible"?

Who wrote this drivel?

"However

"It was agreed that the play

had surreal

echoes of early Beckett."

"While the cast were

somewhat unpolished

and with, um,

blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,

it was thought that Mr.

Livingstone was a rare talent

with a remarkable gift

for the avant-garde."

"with all things considered,

we are very pleased

to confirm G-SADS

the worthy recipient

of the inaugural grant

for Most Promising

Cultural Endeavour."

No! Never!

Onwards!