(ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS) - No hurry, David, but it's important to find out what happened in the house while your memories are clear. Take your time, David. - (DAVID WHIMPERS) - His vitals appear normal. (DOG BARKS) - (DAVID GROANS SOFTLY, PANTS) PANTS: Casey. Casey. Casey! (DOG BARKS) Casey! (DOG BARKS) WHIMPERS: Oh, they're coming. They're coming. SHOUTS: They're coming! (SOLEMN ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) (STRING MUSIC SWELLS) - My father is dead, isn't he? I saw him. - I'm sorry, David. Your mum and your dad are dead. (DOOR OPENS) Excuse me, David. I won't be long. - Is this gonna hold me up for long? The next week or so? - It's likely. - It's just I'm in a play. Oedipus Rex. We're in rehearsals at the moment. It might pay to ring the producer. (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) Captions by Julie Taylor. Captions were made with the support of NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2020 - CHOIR: # My richest gain # I count but loss # and pour contempt # on all my pride. # Forbid it, Lord, # that I should boast, # save in # the death # of Christ, my God. # - Hey, Gareth. Have you heard of Opera Alive? It's great. We put on shows, and we learn the ropes and everything to do with music theatre, basically. - Um, I dunno if my voice is good enough. - Oh, well, I can help you. Look, you'll love it. It's all jinks and jokes, so... Here, give me the pen. Call me, and I will introduce you. - David. - CHOIR: # ...so amazing, # so divine. # Demands my soul, # my life, # my all. # - You were in fine voice tonight. Very strong. (WINDSCREEN WIPERS THUD SOFTLY) - Thanks. I'm thinking of going back to varsity. I'm gonna do music and classics. - Mm. Well, might be a bit more up your alley than science. Music papers can be tough going. You'll need to get on top of reading music. - Yeah, I know. I'm only doing two papers, so I can stay on the dole and still help Mum. (WINDSCREEN WIPERS THUD SOFTLY) - Sounds like you've got it all figured out. (TOILET FLUSHES) - MARGARET: Stay here. - LANIET: You can't make me. - Laniet, would you get back to your room? - No! - Laniet! (RUNNING FOOTSTEPS THUD, DOOR SLAMS) (TV PLAYS SOFTLY) - Is everything all right? I heard Laniet` - Of course, it's not all right. I told her she had to stay at home tonight, and she went out anyway. That girl is out of control. - Hmm. I'll have a word to her. - What good is that gonna do, Robin? She's got you wrapped round her little finger. No, she needed a firm hand. (LOW, INTRIGUING MUSIC) - All my friends are allowed to go to parties. She's so unreasonable. - Well, that's because she cares. - I wish she didn't. She's always on my back and telling me how bad I am and nagging me to pray. - Well, to be fair, you do go out of your way to wind her up. - What about you? She makes you sleep in a caravan in the middle of winter. - Oh... It's not so bad. - It's freezing. And why do you always have to do what she says? Are you getting a divorce? - No, no. I don't think it'll come to that. Uh, in the weekend, we should go and see a movie. - Jurassic Park. It's meant to be amazing. - Deal. - (CHUCKLES) (SEAGULLS CRY) - Morning. - Uh, Mum said that I could borrow the chainsaw for the garden. - I might need it up at the school. - Need to prune some fruit trees. - Well, the saw was probably just as quick. It's a heck of a lot safer. Oh, all right. Please remember to check the chain oil. - Yeah, I know how to use it. - MARGARET: Robin! Robin, did you take cash from the jar? - Guilty as charged. - You've had your spending money. - Yeah, but I bought this. - What am I looking at? - Well, it's a CD-ROM. It's an entire encyclopaedia on two discs. (CHUCKLES) Imagine that. - How am I meant to run the household if you take whenever you feel like it? - Well, it's a good resource for the school. - No, no. You promised me you would work on it, Robin. It's all just words with you. - Oh, well, have a good day, Margaret, unless you have other plans. (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) (CHAINSAW MOTOR WHIRRS) (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC SOARS) - (GRUNTS) Ow! (PANTS) (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC QUICKENS) - GIRL: Good morning, sir. - Oh, good morning. - She's here already. - Hmm? - Miss Withers with ERO. I suppose you've been inspected lots of times. - Well, not under the new regime, and in New Guinea, I was the one doing the inspecting. Say no to negativity. I'm sure we'll be fine. ...G-U-I-M. Oh. Uh... Oh. Back up not found. Oh, well, so, 'A' ` abort, or 'R' ` retry, or 'P' for panic! (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) - The storybooks are disappointing, as there's very little actual story content. And what there is isn't corrected. There's no spelling or grammar suggestions, no teacher comments. We expect more, especially from the older students. - Um, a lot of our students are from disadvantaged backgrounds. - I'm aware of that. - And I find that working with computers helps engage them. We're part of a beacon programme with other schools in America and Canada. - None of this is in the workbooks. - No. - I'd like to see your teachers' plans, if I may. - I don't have them. - Where are they? - (SIGHS) I haven't prepared any. - But you knew this review was taking place. - Yes. - A very peculiar man. - Well, I suppose he is a bit of an eccentric. - He looks like death warmed up, and he's got terrible body odour. - Some of our kids put up with a lot worse. Robin knows what he's doing, even if it isn't always by the book, and the children love him. - That is not how the system works. And it's not a popularity contest. - Sir, do you think next summer we could plant some strawberries? - Yeah, sounds lovely. Strawberries. TJ: Have I done enough to wear the jersey? Gotta sweat out that fear because this is bigger than me. I do it for my fans and my family. ION4 hydration. Sweat it out witih Powerade. (LOW, INTRIGUING MUSIC) - Hey, Dad. - Ah, here he is ` the best drier-upper in the land. - Why are there so many plates? - I've been collecting them at the school especially for you. - Thanks (!) - ...computering to you, David. - Yeah, yeah. - Oh. - Well, Friday does come around. David, there's a vanload of wood you might wanna cut up. - Yeah. - What happened to you? - He tried to cut his leg off. - When the chainsaw slipped. - He was lucky he didn't lose his foot. As it was, we had to go to the hospital, which meant waiting around for hours. He had to have stitches. - Well, is it all right now? - Yeah. - Shouldn't have left the chainsaw. - It was an accident. If you were a little bit more use, though, I wouldn't have to rely on David so much. - Stephen, come back here, please. - Hey, thanks, for the lift, David. (CHUCKLES) - Oh, it was all right. I was going in anyway. I'm actually meeting up with someone from the language department about me learning some German for my opera singing. - That's a great idea. - Look, should we meet up later? - Oh, I've got lectures and study group. - What are we gonna do about Dad? - What about him? - He's making everything so... stressful. - Yeah, I know. Maybe it would be easier if he just left. (CHUCKLES) - He's always sneaking around and trying to control us. That's the reason I don't have any confidence. - Well, I just think it's sad that Steven doesn't really have a father figure in his life. - Well, I try. - No, I wasn't saying that. It shouldn't be up to you. Anyway, we should get going. - So we'll meet up later in the cafe for lunch. - Yeah, sure. - And... - ALL: # Tutira mai nga iwi. - # Aue! - # Tatou, tatou e. # Tutira mai nga iwi. - # Aue! - # Tatou, tatou e. # - It's an unfortunate situation, no two ways about it. It's safe to say Mrs Withers' report is not what any of us were expecting. All this gobbledegook about tomorrow's schools. She's got no idea ` no idea what Robin's done for our little school. - I think she just took a set against us. - Well, I mean, it's not as bad as it looks. Darlene and I are revising our assessment process and health and safety. We're working through it, ticking all the boxes. We'll get there. - Thank you, Robin. I think I speak for the board when I say we're behind you 100%. And on a brighter note, the Taieri Musical Society is putting on 'Oklahoma'. (CHUCKLES) And Robin here has a part. See you on stage again. Last week I received a call as a referee for a position you applied for. - (CHUCKLES DRILY) Yeah. I didn't want to do it, but it's for a bigger school. It'll mean more money in retirement. - I'll be sorry to lose you, Robin. - I didn't even warrant an interview, so as you were. - Well, I hope you know how much we all appreciate you here. - I appreciate your appreciation. - Well, if you are staying on, you need to do something about that school residence. You can't go on living in a van. - Oh, it's not so bad. - Night, then, Robin. - CHOIR: # ...that raiseth me. # Still all my song shall be. # Nearer, # my God, # to Thee. # Nearer, # my God, # to Thee. # Nearer # to Thee. # - Oh, yeah, you can definitely work on your range. It's just a matter of practice. Didn't use to be able to sing three octaves, but now I can, so... - All set? - Me and Gareth were gonna go out for coffee. We're in 'A Christmas Carol' together. - Oh, you're an aspiring singer too. - Well, I try, but I'll never be as good as David. - Let's go. (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (MUSIC CONTINUES) It will be so quiet that the click of the trigger will be louder than the firing. (KNOCK AT DOOR) - Hard out. - Oh, hello, here's trouble. What are you two up to? - Look, David's got a new silencer. - Look out. Never point a gun at anybody. - Yeah, well, the magazine isn't even in. - Might still be something in the breach, David. You should know that. We'll take it outside, and we'll sight it. It'll help improve accuracy. - Can I come? - Yeah. (BIRDS WARBLE) (GUN FIRES, BIRDS WARBLE, CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!) (SIGHS) Be a problem with the mechanism. Must be jammed. Happens sometimes with these 10-shot magazines. Wish I'd come with you when you bought it. Military training has its use. I finished top of my class in armaments. (GUN FIRES, BIRDS WARBLE) Ah! Not bad. Right, that should do it. - When's it my turn? (GUN FIRES, BIRDS WARBLE) - We might have to find the side of a barn for David to hit first. - The sights might still be off. - Relax, David. Squeeze the trigger gently. (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) (GUN FIRES, BIRDS WARBLE) Better. Much better. (GUN FIRES) CHUCKLES: Yes! (TABLET KEYBOARD CLICKS) This for the car? No. (UPBEAT MUSIC) Yeah? (DOG GRUMBLES) Nooo. (FLOOR SQUEAKS) (HUMS SOFTLY) 'Zero rhythm?' (PHONE CHIMES) Yeah? Nah. (GRUNTS) (SCOFFS) (DOG BARKS) Take a right. No, you want to go left. (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) - MARGARET: Stealing? What even possessed you? (SIGHS) Robin, do you have anything to say? Was that those kids? Did they dare you to do it? - MUMBLES: No. - What? - No. - Don't lie to me, Stephen. - Did you not stop and think of the consequences, Stephen? We're part of this community. I'm a school principal, and now everyone knows my own son broke the law. I mean, does that not mean anything to you? - I'm sorry. - Go to your room while your mother and I discuss appropriate punishment. - First Laniet, and now Stephen, and these bloody, bloody migraines. - Just because he did a bad thing doesn't mean that he's a bad kid. We just have to give him love and support and put our heads together and make a plan. This is Bel. The house is full of it. You have to pray to clear yourself, otherwise nothing is ever going to change. So will you do that for me now, please? Pray, Robin, please, for me. - Of course. - Thank you. - (SIGHS) - All month we've been camping. You're the best camper. What's your favourite part of camping? - Um... Going out my house. - (CHUCKLES) What was your favourite part, David? - Probably... setting up the tent. - You were very helpful. David was very good at setting up the tent. - He was. - Guten Morgen. Wie geht es dir? Guten Morgen. Wie geht es dir? Guten Morgen. Wie geht es dir? (LOW, ETHEREAL MUSIC) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (WATER RUNS) (WASHING MACHINE WHIRRS LOUDLY) Special delivery. - Oh! Thank you. Gosh. - There you go. - Oh, I lost track of the time. - Well, how's your headache now? - Oh, it's better to keep busy. Oof! (CHUCKLES) You know, next spring, these will be a gorgeous sea of irises ` so long as the builders don't trample on them. (CHUCKLES) - Yeah. - There is a dark cloud hanging over you, David. What's the matter? Hmm? - Dad thinks I'm going to bomb out of varsity. He doesn't come out and say it, but I know that's what he's thinking. - Your father. Who is he? He has a degree, all those certificates, but... genuine growth and change has to come from inside. - Yeah. - What in God's name? - Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, Margaret. I took Laniet to the movies, and then she needed to do some shopping. - What for? - Well, I dunno, things that young ladies need. - But that's your decision to make, Robin. This is family money. - Well, it's money I earn. - Yes, because I don't have a career any more, because I spend every moment looking after your children. But, of course, you wouldn't know that because you're never here. - Well, you can always go and get a job. - You don't listen! I'm needed at home. - Doing what? Filling David's head with nonsense. - I don't see you. WHISPERS: I don't see you. - STEPHEN WHISPERS: OK. Wait. Right here! Right here! Right here! There! There! There! There! Right there. Right there. (GUN FIRES) Missed. Come on. I'll do it. - No. You don't have a licence. - So? You do. Come on, please. Please, come on. - Oh, fine. Squeeze the trigger, don't jerk it. - You're sounding like Dad again. - Just do it. (GUN FIRES, BIRD SCREECHES) - I got it! - Nice! - Yes! Come on! Come on! - OK, OK, OK. Well, now you have to skin it. - Did you see the look on its face? - CHUCKLES: Yeah. - 'Oh crap. I just got shot. How did that happen?' - MAN: ...but I'll leave it with you. - I'm terribly sorry. I'll have a word to them. - Righto. - Thank you for coming by. - Possums, they're in the fruit trees. - You can't fire a gun around here! You've upset the neighbours. Would've thought you had more sense than that. What kind of example are you setting for Stephen? He's in enough trouble. Put that away! (LOW ORCHESTRAL MUSIC) Lord, thank you for this beautiful day. Walk beside us, Lord, help us understand... the path you have chosen for us. Help me see the beauty in every day how others see the beauty in your wonders. Guide me through perils towards your brilliant light. Lord bless and protect Margaret, David, Arawa, Laniet ` especially Laniet ` and Stephen. We trust you, Lord. (PIANO PLAYS, INDISTINCT CHATTER) - This is the new poster. I might give you that. - Number two. Huge. - (LAUGHS) Bit of weed. Do you want to? - Probably not. - No problem. I actually smoke it because of, like, this bad shit that happened to me in PNG. - Like what? - It was nothing. Don't worry about it. - Heard a rumour that we're doing 'Godspell' next year. (CHUCKLES) Don't want to get my hopes up, but it would be pretty awesome if we... Oh, Dad alert. - David, if I could... - What? - Look, thank you for driving them out, especially Laniet. I think it's good for her to be involved. - Yeah. - Um, how about demonstrating to the young ones how to do a quickstep? - Look, I dunno. - Oh, but you're such a fine dancer, David. Excuse me, everyone. If we could have a moment. Um, hello, everyone. - LOUDLY: Hi! - Yep. Oh. Thank you, Stephen. Um... While we're waiting for Herr Direktor, I thought we could practise our dancing. Uh, remember the last time we tried the quickstep and we all fell in a crumpled heap on the floor? (LAUGHS) So, luckily we have Fred Astaire here today who's going to run it through for us and show us how it's done. We'll just go over it for you, and then you can partner up. So, we'll, uh, man goes forward; lady goes back. And we go quick, quick, slow, slow. (PIANO PLAYS LIVELY TUNE) Quick, quick, slow, slow. Quick, quick, slow, slow. Turn to the left. Turn out, and around they go. Isn't she lovely? (CHUCKLES) And we come` - Look, I think I should be dancing with Laniet. Laniet? - Um, might be dangerous. I could squash your toes. - Come on, just follow my lead. - OK. Don't I didn't warn you. - Right, we... Grab a partner and we'll see how we go. Thank you, Mr Kendrick. (PIANO PLAYS LIVELY TUNE) Quick, quick, slow, slow. That's it. Guiding the lady around the floor. Yeah, that's the story. Quick, quick, slow, slow. Lovely. - (LAUGHS) (LAUGHS) (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) (REMOTE CONTROL CAR WHIRRS) - STEPHEN: Hey! - (LAUGHS) Got ya. Um, hey, do you wanna take this down to the school ` go for a drag? - Can't ` got stuff to do. Sorry. - Don't leave your bike there. - Doesn't matter. No one cares. - Uh, it's your bike and your responsibility, Stephen. - It doesn't matter. - Move your bike, Stephen. - Get off of me! - Yeah, well, are you gonna move your bike? - Hey, hey, hey! That's enough. - David started it. It was his fault. - Yeah, well, he left his bike there. - What? - Any fool can argue. A wise man knows when to say sorry. Shake hands. - Dad. - Go on! - Fine. - (SIGHS) Ah! Peace in our time. Stephen, put your bike away, please. David, I need you to give me a hand with something. - Yeah, Stephen, put your bike away. - Oh, shut up. - Ah, here we go. Jump on the end of this, and we'll drag it out. After the show, we're having a party. Thought I might call a square dance, like in PNG. Remember? We were always putting on shows. How do you feel about that ` about me calling a square dance? Well, lick of paint, it'll be as good as new. - What's it for? - Oh, I thought it might come in handy for the new house. - But the house is gonna be all new. We're actually building something special, a real sanctuary, not some... not some old dump. - Well, there's plenty of good materials we could salvage. - You don't know what you're talking about! - All right. All right. You don't have to be like that. - Are you gonna move this? (CHAINSAW MOTOR WHIRRS) (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) - (SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (DOOR CREAKS) (PIANO PLAYS IN DISTANCE) - (CLEARS THROAT) - David Cullen Bain at your service. (CHUCKLES SOFTLY) - You know, when I first saw you hanging out with Laniet, I thought you were her boyfriend. - Oh, we're close. Our whole family is. - She said you guys were in New Guinea. She said something awful happened. - Yeah, well, it was traumatic, but we don't like to talk about it. - Well, what about you? Have you got a girlfriend? - Well, I broke up with one, but now I've just got friends that are girls. - Do you kiss them? - (PEOPLE CHEER) - Hey! Hey! Give those back. - Come and get them. - Yeah, well, how can I when I can't see you? Thank you. - WOMAN: (CLAPS) All right, everybody. Who wants to do some karaoke? - WOMAN: Me! - No, me. Um... Tom Jones ` Delilah. - Hey, what's your dad doing? - I dunno. - Just sign your name. First come, first served. (TOM JONES' 'DELILAH') - # I saw the light on the night that I passed by her window. # I saw the flickering shadows of love on her blinds. # She # was # my woman. # As she deceived me, I watched and went out of my mind. # My, my, my # Delilah. # Why, why, why # Delilah? # I could see # that girl was no good for me... # - (PLAYS 'NEARER, MY GOD, TO THEE' ON GUITAR) # Still all my dreams shall be. # Nearer, # my God, # to thee. # Nearer, # my God, # to thee. # Nearer # to thee. # (LOW, UNEASY MUSIC) - The children are achieving well. The school demonstrates strong progress. Well, you can read the report for yourselves. ERO is satisfied most of the issues raised are being addressed and we are no longer on their watch list. (CHUCKLES) They also noted the fine work Robin's been doing with our Japanese exchange programme and evening classes for our parents. Well done, Robin. - I haven't done it all alone. Everyone's chipped in. Um, I would like to thank the board for making the schoolhouse available. - Well, it won't be ready for a few more weeks yet, but we're getting there. Next on the agenda... Right. Attentiveness in class. - CHOIR: # Xeres, we'll drink ` Manzanilla, Montero ` # wine when it runs in abundance # enhances the reckless delight of the wildest of dances, # the reckless delight of the wildest of # dances. # (PIANO FINISHES WITH FLOURISH) - Very good. Very good. Mark, can I just see you? - Hey, David, we're off to get something to eat. You coming? - Hand. Coming to get me. (BREATHES HEAVILY) - What`? What do you mean? David? David? David, are you OK? Dav` David! - (GASPS, PANTS) - Do you want me to get a nurse or something? Or...? - Don't remember what just happened. Um... Think I zoned out. Um... But I'm fine. Cool. Cool. Right. Come on. - Hi, David! - Hey. - Hello. - Hey. - Oh, guess what. - What? - Dad's taking me out to Taieri Mouth. He's getting the school house, and he wants me to move in. - Well, why would you wanna do that? - I'll still be here on the weekends and stuff. Arawa thinks that she can get me a job at the museum cafe. - What about the sanctuary, or the work that Mum's been putting in? There's a room for you. - Yeah, I just... I don't think it's gonna happen. - Mum's almost finished with the plans. - Ah, morena, David. Do you wanna come up to the school? We're going on a bit of a working bee. - Mum's got stuff for me to do here. - Yeah. (SOFT PIANO MUSIC) - Stephen, come here and hold this for a sec. - Sorry, I'm busy. (LOW, FOREBODING MUSIC) - Oh, this is a nice surprise. (CHUCKLES) Mm, good morning, darling. Mm. You're never too old for a cuddle, are you? (CHUCKLES) - I thought I saw someone come into my room. - Oh, darling, it was just a dream. Don't be afraid. Mummy's here. (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) - What can you tell me about your father's relationship with Stephen? - Stephen needed a father figure. Dad would treat Steven as my son, his progeny. It made Stephen feel oppressed and being angry at Dad for the way that Dad was doing it. - How do Dad and Mum get on? - Uh, not very well. About a year after we arrived here, things went rapidly downhill. She felt as if she had given him everything and he just took without consideration of her. - Do you know if Mum had done anything legally to separate from Dad? - No. And she wasn't about to either, I think. - So as far as you were aware, she was content with the arrangement of him being just out of her bedroom. - No, she wasn't content with that; she wanted him out of our lives, not living there any more. - What happened at home last night? - Last night, I said that I wanted the chainsaw. I said it quite firmly, and... he tried to beat me down with... comments, trying to assert his authority to rule the roost. - Can you think of how you got that lump on your head? - I don't remember anything that would have done it,... apart from when I blacked out. And I don't know how I got the skin off my knee either. - To your knowledge, did Dad ever hurt your Mum? - No. No, there was never any physical violence. - Who was Dad's best friend? - I... I've no idea. (ORCHESTRAL STRING MUSIC) - Do you know who he would confide in? - No. He's not that sort of person. (ORCHESTRAL MUSIC CONTINUES) www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2020