The Big Speech: Understudy WIP 03

Extract from David Nicholls' novel 'The Understudy' from the chapter 'The Big Speech.'
Stephen needs to make his big speech, but unfortunately when he gets back, he finds Nora has uncovered everything he's been hiding since they met.

Transcript

1. Scene 1 Panel 1 Slugging INT. BEDSIT - DAY
2. Scene 1 Panel 1
3. Scene 1 Panel 2
4. Scene 1 Panel 2
5. Scene 1 Panel 3
6. Scene 1 Panel 4
7. Scene 1 Panel 5
8. Scene 2 Panel 1
9. Scene 2 Panel 1
10. Scene 3 Panel 1
11. Scene 3 Panel 2
12. Scene 3 Panel 3
13. Scene 3 Panel 4
14. Scene 4 Panel 1
15. Scene 4 Panel 2
16. Scene 4 Panel 3
17. Scene 4 Panel 4
18. Scene 4 Panel 5
19. Scene 4 Panel 6
20. Scene 5 Panel 1
21. Scene 5 Panel 2
22. Scene 6 Panel 1 Slugging INT - CORNER SHOP - DAY
23. Scene 7 Panel 1
24. Scene 7 Panel 2
25. Scene 8 Panel 1 Slugging INT - BEDSIT - IMAGINATION Dialog Nora: Stephen, this really is the best slightly brown toast I've ever had...
26. Scene 8 Panel 2 Dialog Nora: ...It kind of changes everything... I'm definitely going to leave my husband...
27. Scene 8 Panel 3 Dialog Nora: OH MARRY ME STEPHEN!!!
28. Scene 9 Panel 1 Slugging INT - CORNER SHOP - DAY
29. Scene 9 Panel 2
30. Scene 9 Panel 3
31. Scene 9 Panel 4
32. Scene 10 Panel 1
33. Scene 10 Panel 2
34. Scene 10 Panel 3
35. Scene 10 Panel 4
36. Scene 10 Panel 5
37. Scene 10 Panel 6
38. Scene 10 Panel 7
39. Scene 10 Panel 8
40. Scene 11 Panel 1
41. Scene 11 Panel 2
42. Scene 11 Panel 3
43. Scene 11 Panel 4
44. Scene 12 Panel 1 Slugging EXT. LONDON STREET - DAY
45. Scene 12 Panel 2
46. Scene 12 Panel 3
47. Scene 13 Panel 1
48. Scene 13 Panel 2
49. Scene 14 Panel 1 Slugging INT - BEDSIT - IMAGINATION Dialog NORA You do know I'll have to leave you eventually, don't you?
50. Scene 14 Panel 2 Dialog NORA You do know I'll have to leave you eventually, don't you?
51. Scene 15 Panel 1 Slugging EXT. LONDON STREET - DAY
52. Scene 15 Panel 2
53. Scene 15 Panel 3
54. Scene 15 Panel 4
55. Scene 16 Panel 1
56. Scene 16 Panel 2
57. Scene 16 Panel 3
58. Scene 16 Panel 4
59. Scene 16 Panel 5
60. Scene 17 Panel 1 Slugging INT. HALLWAY - DAY
61. Scene 17 Panel 2
62. Scene 17 Panel 3
63. Scene 17 Panel 4
64. Scene 18 Panel 1
65. Scene 18 Panel 2
66. Scene 18 Panel 3
67. Scene 19 Panel 1
68. Scene 19 Panel 2
69. Scene 19 Panel 3
70. Scene 19 Panel 4
71. Scene 19 Panel 5
72. Scene 20 Panel 1
73. Scene 20 Panel 2
74. Scene 21 Panel 1
75. Scene 21 Panel 2 Dialog ofscr, recording, STEPHEN singing: The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...
76. Scene 21 Panel 3 Dialog ofscr, recording, STEPHEN singing: The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...
77. Scene 22 Panel 1 Dialog recording, STEPHEN singing: The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...
78. Scene 22 Panel 1
79. Scene 22 Panel 2 Dialog recording, STEPHEN singing: The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...
80. Scene 22 Panel 2
81. Scene 22 Panel 3 Dialog recording, STEPHEN singing: The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...
82. Scene 22 Panel 3
83. Scene 22 Panel 4 Dialog recording, STEPHEN singing: The Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round...
84. Scene 23 Panel 1 SFX HORROR STAB MUSIC
85. Scene 24 Panel 1 SFX HORROR STAB MUSIC
86. Scene 25 Panel 1 SFX HORROR STAB MUSIC
87. Scene 26 Panel 1 SFX HORROR STAB MUSIC
88. Scene 27 Panel 1
89. Scene 27 Panel 2
90. Scene 28 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: Hey
91. Scene 29 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN: uh...
92. Scene 29 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: ...hey... uh...
93. Scene 30 Panel 1
94. Scene 30 Panel 2
95. Scene 30 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: What are you doing?
96. Scene 31 Panel 1
97. Scene 31 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: Learning about numbers
98. Scene 31 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: No really, Nora- What are you doing?
99. Scene 31 Panel 4 Dialog NORA: Well.... If you really wanna know, I'm just sat here trying to work out what's weirder- you stealing Josh's Best Actor award, or you dressed up as a massive singing dancing squirrel.
100. Scene 31 Panel 5 Dialog NORA: Well.... If you really wanna know, I'm just sat here trying to work out what's weirder- you stealing Josh's Best Actor award, or you dressed up as a massive singing dancing squirrel.
101. Scene 31 Panel 6 Dialog NORA: Usually I'd say it was steling the award. Until I started watching this, that is. Now I'm not so sure...
102. Scene 32 Panel 1 Dialog Recording: if you're happy and you know it, shout we are!
103. Scene 32 Panel 2 Dialog NORA Offscr: We are...
104. Scene 32 Panel 3
105. Scene 33 Panel 1
106. Scene 33 Panel 2
107. Scene 33 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: don't you dare!
108. Scene 33 Panel 4
109. Scene 33 Panel 5
110. Scene 33 Panel 6
111. Scene 33 Panel 7
112. Scene 34 Panel 1
113. Scene 34 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: Well... it's a look
114. Scene 34 Panel 3 Dialog Stephen: It certainly is
115. Scene 34 Panel 4 Dialog Offscr Recording: If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet
116. Scene 34 Panel 5
117. Scene 34 Panel 6
118. Scene 34 Panel 7 Dialog STEPHEN: //breathes deep// Of course, another question...
119. Scene 35 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN contin: Might be, what gave you the right to start nosing around in my stuff?
120. Scene 35 Panel 2
121. Scene 35 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: LOOK /Sammy/ - I understand. You're not happy and I know it. But I wasn't "nosing around"
122. Scene 35 Panel 4 Dialog NORA contin: . It's just I was cold and I was looking in your wardrobe for a sweater, or a blanket or something...
123. Scene 35 Panel 5 Dialog NORA contin: ...and I sort of stumbled upon... these
124. Scene 35 Panel 6 Dialog NORA contin: ...and I sort of stumbled upon... these
125. Scene 35 Panel 7 Dialog STEPHEN: That still doesn't give you the right to--
126. Scene 35 Panel 8 Dialog NORA: I was going to put them back and pretend that I hadn't seen them, but- well, I'm sorry, but some things are pretty hard to ignore, Steve.
127. Scene 35 Panel 9 Dialog NORA: ugh...
128. Scene 35 Panel 10 Dialog NORA: Y'know...
129. Scene 36 Panel 1 Dialog NORA contin: Y'know most guys would just have porno hidden in the back of their wardrobes...
130. Scene 36 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: Would that be better or worse?
131. Scene 36 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: It's a close call, Steve. It's a very close call. It it was a DVD of say, you in a squirrel costume having sex with my husbands BAFTA, that might conceivably have been worse...
132. Scene 36 Panel 4 Dialog NORA contin: ...You're very good by the way
133. Scene 37 Panel 1
134. Scene 37 Panel 2
135. Scene 37 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: It's the role I was born to play
136. Scene 37 Panel 4
137. Scene 37 Panel 5
138. Scene 38 Panel 1
139. Scene 38 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: I think this is the moment where you say "there's a perfectly rational explanation for all this"
140. Scene 38 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: There is.
141. Scene 38 Panel 4 Dialog NORA: I'm all ears...
142. Scene 38 Panel 5 Dialog NORA contin: ... as indeed, are you
143. Scene 39 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN ofscr: OK, well...
144. Scene 39 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN ofscr: OK, well...
145. Scene 40 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN... well...
146. Scene 40 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: THIS...
147. Scene 40 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: This I do partly for the money, and partly because I enjoy-
148. Scene 40 Panel 4 Dialog NORA ofscr: DO?
149. Scene 40 Panel 5 Dialog STEPHEN: Sorry?
150. Scene 40 Panel 6
151. Scene 40 Panel 7
152. Scene 40 Panel 8 Dialog NORA: You said "Do" not "did"
153. Scene 40 Panel 9 Dialog NORA: You said "Do" not "did"
154. Scene 40 Panel 10 Dialog STEPHEN: I've been filming the sequel...
155. Scene 40 Panel 11 Dialog NORA: I thought you said it was a tough indie crime thriller.
156. Scene 40 Panel 12 Dialog STEPHEN: ...set in a woodland...
157. Scene 40 Panel 13
158. Scene 40 Panel 14
159. Scene 41 Panel 1
160. Scene 41 Panel 2
161. Scene 41 Panel 3
162. Scene 41 Panel 4
163. Scene 42 Panel 1
164. Scene 42 Panel 2
165. Scene 42 Panel 3
166. Scene 42 Panel 4
167. Scene 42 Panel 5 Dialog Sammy the Squirrel Recording: So when I have two hazelnuts, and I get another TWO hazelnuts, what do I get then BRIAN?
168. Scene 42 Panel 6
169. Scene 42 Panel 7
170. Scene 43 Panel 1
171. Scene 43 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: In my defence, I actually think I'm pretty good
172. Scene 43 Panel 3
173. Scene 43 Panel 4
174. Scene 43 Panel 5 Dialog NORA: You are, but isn't there a scale issue here?
175. Scene 43 Panel 6 Dialog NORA: You are, but isn't there a scale issue here?
176. Scene 44 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: That is one dumb bear...
177. Scene 44 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: True...
178. Scene 44 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: FOUR HAZELNUTS!!
179. Scene 44 Panel 4 Dialog NORA: You owe him FOUR HAZELNUTS
180. Scene 44 Panel 5 Dialog NORA: You owe him FOUR HAZELNUTS
181. Scene 45 Panel 1 Dialog NORA contin: you IDIOT!
182. Scene 45 Panel 2
183. Scene 45 Panel 3
184. Scene 45 Panel 4
185. Scene 45 Panel 5
186. Scene 45 Panel 6
187. Scene 45 Panel 7
188. Scene 45 Panel 8 Dialog STEPHEN: Nora, you are listening to me, aren't you?
189. Scene 46 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: I'm sorry but...
190. Scene 46 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: ...I'm...
191. Scene 46 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: ...finding it impossible to look away
192. Scene 47 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN: Well...
193. Scene 47 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: Could you try, Nora?
194. Scene 47 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: Please? You're not making this easy for me...
195. Scene 48 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: I have no intention of making it easy for you...
196. Scene 48 Panel 2
197. Scene 48 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: Look- Stephen, THIS... this is fine. This I don't mind- it's actually almost quite cute in a sinister kind of way. To be honest...
198. Scene 49 Panel 1 Dialog NORA offscreen contin: ...I'm a little more concerned about...
199. Scene 49 Panel 2 Dialog NORA offscreen contin: ...I'm a little more concerned about...
200. Scene 49 Panel 3 Dialog NORA offscreen contin: ...This
201. Scene 49 Panel 4 Dialog NORA offscreen contin: ...This
202. Scene 49 Panel 5 Dialog NORA offscreen contin: ...This
203. Scene 49 Panel 6
204. Scene 49 Panel 7 Dialog STEPHEN: I didn't steal anything
205. Scene 49 Panel 8 Dialog NORA: So what happened then?
206. Scene 49 Panel 9 Dialog STEPHEN: OK...
207. Scene 49 Panel 10
208. Scene 49 Panel 11 Dialog STEPHEN: well the thing is...
209. Scene 49 Panel 12
210. Scene 49 Panel 13 Dialog STEPHEN: you remember that party, where we first met...
211. Scene 49 Panel 14 Dialog STEPHEN: ...
212. Scene 49 Panel 15 Dialog STEPHEN: Do you... please...
213. Scene 49 Panel 16 Dialog STEPHEN: would you mind turning this thing off?
214. Scene 50 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: I'll pause it
215. Scene 50 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: I don't want to miss anything...
216. Scene 50 Panel 3
217. Scene 51 Panel 1
218. Scene 51 Panel 2
219. Scene 51 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: So that party, you know, when I drank a little too much, and had that weird attack because of those antibiotics I'd been taking...
220. Scene 51 Panel 4 Dialog STEPHEN: So that party, you know, when I drank a little too much, and had that weird attack because of those antibiotics I'd been taking...
221. Scene 51 Panel 5 Dialog STEPHEN: So that party, you know, when I drank a little too much, and had that weird attack because of those antibiotics I'd been taking...
222. Scene 51 Panel 6 Dialog STEPHEN: ...Well I was in your bedroom... and I...
223. Scene 51 Panel 7 Dialog STEPHEN: ...I saw Josh's award...
224. Scene 51 Panel 8 Dialog STEPHEN: ...and I was picking it up...
225. Scene 51 Panel 9 Dialog STEPHEN: ...Just to look at it...
226. Scene 51 Panel 10 Dialog STEPHEN: ...and I was... y'know...
227. Scene 51 Panel 11 Dialog STEPHEN: ...goofing around in front of the mirror...
228. Scene 51 Panel 12 Dialog STEPHEN: ...when you came back in the room...
229. Scene 51 Panel 13 Dialog STEPHEN: ...to say the cab was there...
230. Scene 51 Panel 14 Dialog STEPHEN: ...remember?
231. Scene 52 Panel 1
232. Scene 52 Panel 2
233. Scene 52 Panel 3
234. Scene 53 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN: ... and uh...
235. Scene 53 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: ... I clearly wasn't thinking straight, because...
236. Scene 53 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: ...I sort of stuffed it under my coat...
237. Scene 53 Panel 4 Dialog STEPHEN: ...and the next thing I knew I was in the taxi on the way home...
238. Scene 53 Panel 5 Dialog STEPHEN: ...and I still had this... thing
239. Scene 53 Panel 6 Dialog NORA offscreen: ...So let me get this straight...
240. Scene 54 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: ...You stole my husband's Best Actor award.
241. Scene 55 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN: Uhm! Not "stole" just...misplaced it in my flat. Temporarily.
242. Scene 55 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: Not "stole" just...misplaced it in my flat. Temporarily.
243. Scene 55 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN: Not "stole" just...misplaced it in my flat. Temporarily.
244. Scene 56 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: You "temporarily misplaced" my husbands Best Actor award in your flat because you'd been taking antibiotics?
245. Scene 56 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: You "temporarily misplaced" my husbands Best Actor award in your flat because you'd been taking antibiotics?
246. Scene 56 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: You "temporarily misplaced" my husbands Best Actor award in your flat because you'd been taking antibiotics?
247. Scene 57 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN: Well...No...
248. Scene 57 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: ...Not just because of that... it was booze mainly, but--
249. Scene 57 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: And Josh's Affair?
250. Scene 57 Panel 4 Dialog STEPHEN: A--ff-fair?
251. Scene 57 Panel 5 Dialog NORA: Affair's....
252. Scene 58 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: Affairs a stupid word- this woman, these... women he's been seeing.
253. Scene 58 Panel 2 Dialog //sigh...//
254. Scene 58 Panel 3 Dialog NORA: Did you know about it?
255. Scene 59 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN: -UH ah--
256. Scene 59 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: NOOOO-ho-ho-ho!
257. Scene 59 Panel 3
258. Scene 60 Panel 1 Dialog NORA What was that?
259. Scene 60 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN What?
260. Scene 60 Panel 3 Dialog NORA “No-ho-ho”?
261. Scene 60 Panel 4 Dialog STEPHEN It means I don’t know
262. Scene 61 Panel 1 Dialog NORA You didn’t know STEPHEN No
263. Scene 62 Panel 1 Dialog NORA I think you’re lying STEPHEN What makes you think I’m lying?
264. Scene 63 Panel 1 Dialog NORA You’re nostrils flare. And you did this weird “no-ho-ho” thing. I don’t know where you picked that up from Seve, but I have to tell you, no human being has ever made that noise ever…
265. Scene 63 Panel 2 Dialog NORA You’re nostrils flare. And you did this weird “no-ho-ho” thing. I don’t know where you picked that up from Seve, but I have to tell you, no human being has ever made that noise ever…
266. Scene 64 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN OK. Yes.
267. Scene 65 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: Yes you did know?
268. Scene 66 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN Yes.
269. Scene 67 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: So did you lie to me, or was it just the antibiotics talking?
270. Scene 67 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: So did you lie to me, or was it just the antibiotics talking?
271. Scene 68 Panel 1
272. Scene 68 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN No.. no I lied to you...
273. Scene 69 Panel 1 Dialog NORA: You lied to protect JOSH?
274. Scene 69 Panel 2 Dialog NORA: You lied to protect JOSH?
275. Scene 69 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN offscreen: No
276. Scene 69 Panel 4 Dialog NORA: No?!
277. Scene 70 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN: I lied to PROTECT you!
278. Scene 70 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: I lied to PROTECT you!
279. Scene 71 Panel 1 Dialog NORA (laughs bitterly)
280. Scene 71 Panel 2 Dialog NORA How does that “protect” me, Stephen?
281. Scene 71 Panel 3
282. Scene 71 Panel 4 Dialog STEPHEN I– I didn’t want to see you hurt, and JOSH promised he’d change, and there were… other reasons why I didn’t want to be the one to tell you. Also I thought it was none of my business.
283. Scene 71 Panel 5 Dialog STEPHEN contin Also I thought it was none of my business.
284. Scene 72 Panel 1 Dialog NORA And none of my business either, obviously. Well, all I can say is I hope you act better than you lie, Stephen, because as a liar...
285. Scene 72 Panel 2 Dialog NORA contin ...you absolutely stink.
286. Scene 72 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN (GASPS)
287. Scene 73 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN That isn’t a lie! I knew you’d find out sooner or later, I just didn’t want you to find out from me. It wouldn’t have been right to tell you myself.
288. Scene 73 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN That isn’t a lie! I knew you’d find out sooner or later, I just didn’t want you to find out from me. It wouldn’t have been right to tell you myself.
289. Scene 73 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN That isn’t a lie! I knew you’d find out sooner or later, I just didn’t want you to find out from me. It wouldn’t have been right to tell you myself.
290. Scene 73 Panel 4
291. Scene 73 Panel 5 Dialog NORA Why not?
292. Scene 74 Panel 1 Dialog NORA Why not?
293. Scene 74 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN Because...
294. Scene 74 Panel 3 Dialog NORA Because what?
295. Scene 74 Panel 4 Dialog STEPHEN Because...
296. Scene 75 Panel 1 Dialog ...
297. Scene 75 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN Because I’m in love with you
298. Scene 75 Panel 3 Dialog STEPHEN Because I’m in love with you
299. Scene 75 Panel 4
300. Scene 75 Panel 5 Dialog NORA You are?
301. Scene 75 Panel 6 Dialog STEPHEN Yes
302. Scene 75 Panel 7 Dialog NORA In love with me?
303. Scene 75 Panel 8 Dialog STEPHEN That’s right...
304. Scene 76 Panel 1 Dialog STEPHEN:... in love with you. I think I love you, Nora...
305. Scene 76 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN: ...In fact I know I do. I love you very much.
306. Scene 77 Panel 1 Dialog NORA For how long? STEPHEN: Always. Since we met.
307. Scene 78 Panel 1 Dialog NORA (sighs) How do you know? STEPHEN: Know what? NORA: That you love me.
308. Scene 78 Panel 2 Dialog STEPHEN Because it’s agony
309. Scene 78 Panel 3 SFX Nora considers silently for a moment. Turns back to look at the paused projection on the wall.
310. Scene 78 Panel 4
311. Scene 78 Panel 5
312. Scene 79 Panel 1
313. Scene 79 Panel 2 Dialog NORA I see
314. Scene 79 Panel 3
315. Scene 79 Panel 4
316. Scene 79 Panel 5
317. Scene 79 Panel 6
318. Scene 79 Panel 7
319. Scene 79 Panel 8
320. Scene 80 Panel 1
321. Scene 80 Panel 2
322. Scene 80 Panel 3
323. Scene 80 Panel 4
324. Scene 81 Panel 1
325. Scene 81 Panel 2
326. Scene 81 Panel 3
327. Scene 81 Panel 4
328. Scene 82 Panel 1
329. Scene 82 Panel 2
330. Scene 82 Panel 3
331. Scene 82 Panel 4
332. Scene 82 Panel 5 Dialog STEPHEN What are you doing?
333. Scene 82 Panel 6
334. Scene 83 Panel 1 Dialog NORA I'm going Stephen. Going home.
335. Scene 83 Panel 2 Dialog NORA I'm going Stephen. Going home.
336. Scene 83 Panel 3
337. Scene 83 Panel 4
338. Scene 84 Panel 1
339. Scene 84 Panel 2
340. Scene 84 Panel 3
341. Scene 84 Panel 4
342. Scene 85 Panel 1
343. Scene 85 Panel 2
344. Scene 85 Panel 3