Bean - Great Britain

GREAT BRITAIN Richard Bean GREAT BRITAIN OBERON BOOKS
LONDON WWW.OBERONBOOKS.COM First published in 2015 by Oberon Books Ltd 521 Caledonian Road, London N7 9RH Tel: +44 (0) 20 7607 3637 / Fax: +44 (0) 20 7607 3629 e-mail: www.oberonbooks.com Copyright Richard Bean, 2015 Richard Bean is hereby identified as author of this play in accordance with section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The author has asserted his moral rights. All rights whatsoever in this play are strictly reserved and application for performance etc. should be made before commencement of rehearsal to United Agents. 1226 Lexington Street, London, W1F 0LE. No performance may be given unless a licence has been obtained, and no alterations may be made in the title or the text of the play without the authors prior written consent.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or binding or by any means (print, electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. PB ISBN: 978-1-78319-213-7 EPUB ISBN: 978-1-78319-712-5 Cover design by National Theatre Printed, bound and converted by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY. Visit www.oberonbooks.com to read more about all our books and to buy them. Acknowledgements Id like to thank all who helped me in researching and writing this play. Acknowledgements Id like to thank all who helped me in researching and writing this play.

In particular I owe a great debt to Clive Coleman who is often cited as the story consultant but he should be credited with much terrific additional material. David Yelland, once the editor of The Sun gave his time and opinions generously. I also owe another ex-Sun editor, Kelvin MacKenzie, several rounds of drinks. The cast and creative team made many original contributions and fixes. Andrew Caldecotts legal notes were essential, and his unsolicited dramaturgical interventions were not ignored. But particular credit should be given to Nick Hytner, who held his nerve by rehearsing this play in secret, and opened it, without the benefit of previews, immediately after the court verdicts in the Operation Weeting phone hacking trial.

His job, as Artistic Director of the National Theatre, is partly to consider the state of the nation, and I was happy to make a contribution in fulfilling this obligation. The National Theatre of Great Britain, where this play had its world premiere in June 2014, is dedicated to the constant revitalisation of the great traditions of the British stage and to expanding the horizons of audiences and artists alike. Founded in 1963, in its three theatres on Londons South Bank it presents an eclectic mix of new plays and classics from the world repertoire with seven or eight productions in repertory at any one time. The National Theatre aspires to reflect in its repertoire the diversity of the nations culture.With a commitment to openness, wide-reaching engagement and access for everyone, the National shares its resources, energy and creativity with audiences and theatre-makers around the globe; using its Studio for research and development of new work, offering extensive learning and public engagement programmes, touring and broadcasting in the UK and internationally, and creating innovative digital content.In 2013-14, the Nationals audience reached almost 4.3million globally, 2.8million of them in the UK, through attendances on the South Bank, in the West End, on tour and through National Theatre Live, the digital broadcast of live performances to cinema screens all over the world.Information: +44(0) 20 7452 3400Box Office: +44(0) 20 7452 3000National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PXnationaltheatre.org.ukRegistered Charity No: 224223 Characters Press and their roles at the start of Act 1 PAIGE BRITAIN late 20s or early 30s, Journalist GARTH 40s, OLeary Business Executive WILSON late 50s, Editor JACKIE 30s, ex-Page 7 girl, now Picture Editor TINA 20s, Celebrity Desk LARRY 50s, Crime Desk WALLACE TV column, How Bigs Your Telly! MADDY 40s, Royal Correspondent MARCUS 30s, Investigative Reporter GEMMA 30s, Foreign Desk HOWARD 50s, Senior Journalist THE LEGEND (Billy Cain) 68, Sports Desk PASCHAL OLEARY 60s, Proprietor VIRGINIA WHITE New York, New York Editor Civilians BORIS TUDOR, 70s CLARISSA KINGSTON-MILLS, 60s STELLA STONE 20s, Celebrity WENDY KLINKARD 30s, Solicitor (in a wheelchair) Police DONALD DOYLE DAVIDSON 30s MAC MACMANAMAN 50s SULIMAN (SULLY) KASSAM 40s, of Pakistani ethnicity DI CRAM 30s Politicians JONATHAN WHEY 40s ST. JOHN 30s DIANE BENDALL 40s Police, waiters, other press as required. Set A fluid, open stage, with use of video wall.

The video is used to show the mornings papers, the rivals of The Free Press. These are THE DEPENDENT (dependent on Russian Oil Wealth), THE GUARDENER (We think so you dont have to), THE DAILY WAIL, THE EXPECTORANT, THE REAR VIEW. The video wall is also used to show TV, and filmed scenes. One recurring set is the newsroom of The Free Press which has at least two very large flat screens. Contents Prologue

PAIGE: I love this paper. Its end of the pier; its naughty but nice, like knocking the VAT off for cash; its full of half-naked girls, and chopped up prostitutes, and pop stars drugs, and footballers wives. Its my England. As a kid, it never failed to make me feel a little bit horny. Not so horny that you have to sort it out, but, you know, that pleasant, itchy, glad to be alive horny. One time, on the Pembroke Road, Bristol, I was maybe thirteen, when I realised that Dino was going to wrap my chips in the Guardian.

Aaaargh! I leaned over the counter and grabbed his arm, and screamed No! No! No! Stop! Not the Guardian! I want something to read! Ironically my first job was at the Guardian. I didnt last two days, my revulsion was physical. Rows and rows of journos knocking out sanctimonious, liberal propaganda about tax dodging, multi-national corporations, seemingly unaware that Guardian Media Group registered multiple companies in the Cayman Islands to dodge as much tax as possible. Woah! Looks like you guys didnt know about that either!? Isnt it a wonderful thing, free speech. Act One SCENE ONE The open-plan newsroom of THE FREE PRESS. A placard hangs from the ceiling TRUTH, BEAUTY and JUSTICE.