The Iron Lady Page #6

DICKENS (CONT’D)

Mr Collins..Who is at last here!

Why is it I am waiting for you,

Wilkie? Why must you always be

late?

COLLINS in smiling greeting, embracing DICKENS

COLLINS:

Because it irritates you, Charles,

and it amuses me to see you in bad

temper!

LAUGHTER-

11 INT. STAGE. FREE TRADE HALL. LONDON. 1857. DAY. 11

The SET and THEATRE now fully installed. A few STAGE HANDS

finishing off small bits of carpentry and adjusting set. The

set now lit with oil lamps.

The ACTORS wait on stage, finding their positions. NELLY

amongst them, ushered by MRS TERNAN into place.

Downstage, to one side, DICKENS and WILKIE in whispered

debate-

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 13.

COLLINS:

I cannot see a scene we can afford

to lose, Charles.

DICKENS pen in hand, mapping out potential cuts on a page of

the script-

DICKENS:

But it is too long. And it will

bore if it is too long. It was too

long in London and it will be too

long in Manchester. Though it pains

me... Wilkie-

DICKENS hands the script back to COLLINS, offering him a look

at his suggested cuts, his gaze direct.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

Cut.Cut.Cut.

COLLINS throws his hands up exasperated but concedes, scoring

ferociously through the text with his pencil.

COLLINS:

It is done! It is done!

(hushed)

You may tell Mr Egg he has lost his

last soliloquy.

DICKENS:

(hushed)

You must do it. As author I shall

not deny you that.

COLLINS:

You are insufferable.

DICKENS scribbles more on the script, then hands it once more

back to COLLINS.

DICKENS:

And here..And here..

COLLINS:

Butcher!

DICKENS smiles, walks to centre stage to address the company

of ACTORS

DICKENS:

Now everyone please be careful.Our

little theatre is not yet

complete-

DICKENS nods to MR STANFIELD giving a finishing touch to the

set, paintbrush in hand.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 14.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

And as we are rehearsing Miss Ellen

in today let us be considerate. I

am keen to review the last act,

just the final entry of Wardour and

Aldersly so places friends.

(directing MARIA)

Maria, if we could have you

over there.

DICKENS gently positions MARIA, moving back across the

stage-

DICKENS (CONT’D)

And-?

DICKENS’ eyes graze over NELLY mildly lost, awaiting

direction.

DICKENS (CONT’D)

We have the ladies in a group

over here. Miss Ellen..Mrs

Ternan.

MRS TERNAN:

Just over here, Nelly dearest. Mr

Dickens may I suggest the women are

positioned a little further

upstage?

DICKENS:

Yes..Let us have you here.

MRS TERNAN:

Thank you.

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