Mrs Danby's Destiny
Liz Wainwright
y’s Destiny
Liz Wainwright
Copyright © 2012 by Elizabeth Wainwright
Elizabeth Wainwright asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
Loveday Manor Publishing
www.lizscript.co.uk
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you to Glyn for the book design.
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Page Layout Notes
Speech numbers relate to pagination of the original BBC studio scripts and may be affected by font size selection on some eReaders. Speech and studio direction Indents may also be affected by font selections.
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The Girl who wasn’t Good Enough
Liz Wainwright
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Book One of Three
The Lynda Collins Trilogy follows Lynda’s life and dreams from the 1960s to the Year 2000
Don’t miss the chance to enjoy the company of fascinating characters in this warm-hearted, powerful story of Lynda’s life, and her search for love.
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DRAMA SCRIPTS - RADIO
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OTHER SCRIPTS BY LIZ WAINWRIGHT
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Does Your Mother Dance? Stage Play – black comedy
Mixed Company Stage Play – black comedy
Grounded Stage Monologue
One in Three TV Film
Sunshine Radio Drama
Gwyn Radio Drama
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https://www.lizscript.co.uk
Mrs Danby’s Destiny
By Liz Wainwright
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Original Production
Directed by Marion Nancarrow
BBC Radio 4 Drama
‘Thirty Minute Theatre’
Broadcast November 1993
Running Time: 30m
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Original BBC Radio Cast:
Susan - Pauline Yates
Greg - James Taylor
Julia - Lynda Baron
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MUSIC:
JACK JONES ‘Wives and Lovers’
NAT KING COLE ‘A Blossom Fell’
‘Unforgettable’
HARRY SECOMBE ‘Katharine’
FRANK SINATRA ‘Come Fly With Me’
‘It's all right with me’
‘You're sensational’ (High Society)
FRANKIE LANE ‘Jezebel’
STRAUSS WALTZ ‘Vienna Woods’
‘Paper Roses’
SCENE 1.
KITCHEN OF A LARGE ECHOING HOUSE, WINDOW RATTLES IN THE WIND.
A TAPE PLAYS: WIVES AND LOVERS.
SUSAN CUTS UP SALAD INGREDIENTS, MIXES DRESSING ETC, SINGING WISTFULLY.
1. GREG: (ENTERING) Oh, not flaming salad again!
2. SUSAN: It's good for you, and the doctor said . . . .
3. GREG: I know what he said! (HE SWITCHES OFF THE TAPE)
4. SUSAN: (TO HERSELF) Just like my Dad! Switching things off!
(TO GREG) Greg! Leave it on. Please.
5. GREG: You can have it on when I've gone.
6. SUSAN: You're not going out again tonight, are you? You know I don't like being in on my own.
7. GREG: Stop being so stupid, Susan!
8. SUSAN: (TO HERSELF) I do wish he wouldn't use so many sibilants. It's not very nice to be spattered. I try to wipe it off discreetly - not to hurt his feelings, but . . .
9. GREG: I don't know why you've got so jumpy lately.
10. SUSAN: I told you - bad memories.
11. GREG: Oh, you're not going to start on about your mother!
12. SUSAN: I can't help it, Greg. Julia coming back has made me think about it all again. Oh, Julia was so good to me when I lost my Mum. She was only fifteen herself, but she knew how to comfort me.
13. GREG: Yes, she's . . . . (CAJOLING) Look, Susan, you've got to put the past behind you. And I think turning this place into a hotel would help you.
14. SUSAN: But this is my home, Greg, this house you call 'the mausoleum'! And what do you mean, a hotel - I thought you said a guest house!
15. GREG: (LOSING PATIENCE) We'll talk about it later.
(OPENS THE DOOR)
And don't just sit listening to your mother's old records while I'm out tonight, do something useful like signing those cheques, and that letter to the bank manager!
16. SUSAN: (SIGHS TO HERSELF) There speaks the master!
(TO GREG) What time will you be back?
17. GREG: No idea! Does it matter?
18. SUSAN: No. I just thought I'd leave some supper out for you, if you're going to be late.
(TO HERSELF) It's time they added the vow of hypocrisy to the wedding service, don't you think?
19. SUSAN: It wasn't till I married Greg that I understood why my mother used to be pleased when my Dad "found another interest". "If he's bothering them, he's not bothering me," she used to say. She never was explicit. She wasn't miserable, my mother, but she wasn't happy.
PAUSE
My mother didn't believe in divorce. She considered it a humiliation for the woman.
SHE CHANGES THE TAPE TO SINATRA.
She always used to say she was all right as long as she had Sinatra.
MUSIC: SINATRA ‘FLY ME TO THE MOON’
SCENE 2.
MUSIC: PAPER ROSES
SUSAN AND JULIA ARE IN THE KITCHEN HAVING A CUP OF TEA. A TAP DRIPS. THE WINDOW RATTLES.
1. JULIA: Mind if I have another choccy biccy? I know I shouldn't, but . . .
2. SUSAN: Go on. You look wonderful - you always have done.
3. JULIA: Oh, it's only real friends that tell you lies like that! (TAKES A BISCUIT, BEGINS TO EAT) Ooh, when Greg re-fits this kitchen, it'll be marvellous.
4. SUSAN: (SIGHS) I suppose so.
5. JULIA: Susan Danby, what is the matter with you?
6. SUSAN: Greg's determined to change everything.
7. JULIA: Well, it needs changing. I couldn't believe it when I saw this place again - the same curtains you had over thirty years ago!
8. SUSAN: My mother chose them. They were very expensive.
9. JULIA: You must let Greg go ahead. He's right, you know, it will make a super guest house, and even a hotel if you let Greg extend it!
10. SUSAN: But it's not my sort of thing, Julia. I'm not sociable like you.
11. JULIA: (PAUSE) Well - I think it's all wonderful!
12. SUSAN: (TO HERSELF) Julia always was good at enthusiasm. I'm always so hesitant about things. That's one of the problems of being born under the sign of the crab. I got into horoscopes a few months ago. I'd been a bit depressed, so I bought myself a magazine to cheer myself up. There was a four page spread by this astrologer called Dorothea. And it was amazing how accurate she was. So I started reading her horoscopes, to get a bit of insight into my destiny.
13. JULIA: Ah, what's the matter, chicken? It's not just the house, is it?
14. SUSAN: No. It's Greg. I can't seem to please him at all at the moment.
15. JULIA: Oh. I'd have thought he was easy to please. (LAUGHS, COVERING UP) I mean, all men are, aren't they - when it comes, you know, down to it!
16. SUSAN: He's fed up with me, Julia. Sometimes, I think he'd like to get rid of me if it wasn't for my money.
17. JULIA: Now, don't be silly. I'm sure you're imagining all this. You always did have too much imagination.
18. SUSAN: Yes. But now my imagination's fifty years old it has a wider range.
19. JULIA: Now Susan, let's not talk numbers! It scares the life out of me - not to mention the libido!
PAUSE.
20. JULIA: (CALCULATING) Susan, how about if I help you with the house, help you choose new curtains and everything.
21. SUSAN: Oh, would you! Oh, thank you, Julia, I'll enjoy it with you -
I've always enjoyed everything with you!
(TO HERSELF) That's true. And yet you could say Julia is the cause of my depression. It's not her fault - she's always been a true friend to me. No, it's the way Greg's been making eyes at her. Oh, there's nothing between them, Julia wouldn't . . . she used to be like a sister to me.But, it's the way he is when she's around. Lively, and well, sexy, I suppose.He's never been like that for me.
22. JULIA: We'll go round the shops tomorrow!
23. SUSAN: Oh, yes! - just like we did when we were teenagers! (PAUSE) I have missed you, you know!
24. JULIA: And I've missed you! I don't know why I didn't keep in touch.
25. SUSAN: I'm so glad you moved back up here after Mike died.
26. JULIA: To be honest, I didn't have much choice.
27. SUSAN: Are you all right, financially?
28. JULIA: Oh, you know me - always waiting for a millionaire to come along and bail me out!
29. SUSAN: (TO HERSELF) She said her last husband was the best one she'd ever had. She seemed a bit frightened when she wrote to me. Not very nice, losing another husband. And, like she said, they're not as easy to replace as you get older.
(TO JULIA) I'm sure you'll meet someone - you always do!
30. JULIA: Yes. I've been lucky - sometimes. Oh, why do we need men, eh?
31. SUSAN: To look after us. I thought no-one would ever marry me. And then Greg made the offer.
(TO HERSELF) And I accepted it! No fool like a frustrated spinster, is there!
(TO JULIA) You must have been very surprised when you found I was married to somebody as good looking as Greg.
32. JULIA: (LYING) No. I was pleased for you.
PAUSE
33. SUSAN: To be honest, I've come to realise my money played a big part. And I think I panicked really - having just lost my father. I was frightened of being on my own.
34. JULIA: Yes. I don't like it. I should have come
