English Wordplay ~ Listen and Enjoy
Portway School, Bristol
Murder at Penny-Bottom Castle
The previous episode: "Heaven and Hell" by the children of Brislington School, Bristol
Episode 3: The Train Ride to Hell
With the help of writer John Fletcher, actors Bonnie Hurren, Barbara Kellerman and Christian Rodska, sound engineer Jonathan Lane and producers Tom Bennett and Shaun MacLoughlin to mentor and participate, the children wrote and performed this episode.
With a little encouragement it is remarkable what these learning difficulties children can achieve.
At the subsequent ceremony, in which the children were awarded STARS (Student talent Achievement Awards), it was immensely rewarding to experience the delight of the children and their families. One girl, who had been very unconfident at the start, said it had been the best experience of her life.
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| PLEASE LISTEN |
| ANNOUNCER | We present Murder at "Penny Bottom Castle. Episode 3: "Train Ride to Hell" |
|---|---|
| SCENE 1 | LIMBO ACOUSTIC LIMBO ACOUSTIC (SUCTION SOUNDS, WHOOSHES, TIME-DELAYED EHOES, SPACE, LIGHT YEAR BEEPS AND FLASHES OF LIGHT, (AKIN TO) A FIREWORKS DISPLAY. RADIOPHONIC SOUNDS OF VORTEX TRAVEL, INTERMINGLED WITH MOANING AND SCREAMS. FIVE DISTINCT, INTERSPERSED, WHIP-LIKE CRACKS. AN ECHOEY VOICE CALLS "LAMPWICK" AND ANOTHER SAYS "I'M - SOMETHING INDECIFERABLE - YOU". FADE EFFECTS DEAD SPACE - LIMBO.) |
| BOY 1: | I'm learning you beeping idiot. |
| GIRL 1: | You're even fatter. |
| BOY 1: | You're even thinner. |
| BOY 2: | We seem to have gone into another world. |
| GIRL 1: | And we've all changed. I'm even more beautiful. I'm even thinner. |
| BOY 1: | More like a drowned rat, you mean. |
| GIRL 1: | Excuse me. |
| BOY 2 | Is Maria alright, Cory? |
| BOY 1: | She seems to be. |
| GIRL 2: | But look. Another point has disappeared from her pentagram. TRAIN HOOTER |
| BOY 2: | What's that? |
| BOY 1: | It's a steam train |