Our Day Out by Willy Russell

Mrs. Kay
Thats the only rule we have today: think of yourselves, but think of others as well. Ooohleave them. Theyve been cooped up for over an hour. Theyll want to stretch their legs and let off a bit of steam Call me Helen. I hate being called Mrs. Kay. Makes me feel old. I tried to get the kids to call me Helen once. I had the class full of them chanting it. Theres no point in pretending that a day out in Wales is going to furnish them with the education they should have had long ago. Its too late for them. Most of them were rejects on the day they were born. Cant we just try and give them a good day out? At least we could try and do that. Theres nothing for them to do, any of them; most of them were born for factory fodder, but the factories have closed down.

Stage Directions CAROL has her arm linked through MRS. KAYS and is

snuggled up to her they look more like mother and daughter than teacher and pupil. MRS. KAY, glaring in mock seriousness, comes after him. He is laughing. He breaks and runs. She chases him, skirts trailing in the water, with the other KIDS shouting and jeering and urging her to catch him.

Mr. Briggs
She always reminds me of a mother hen rather than a teacher. A lot of you havent been on a school visit before so you wont know how to enjoy yourselves. So Ill tell you.

I mean I think you have to risk being disliked if you are going to do any good for these type of kids. Theyve got enough freedom at home.

..if you are going to have a good and stimulating day then its got to be planned and executed better than this. The minute we start to treat you as real people, what happens? That man was right, you act like animals, animals!

Its a shambles, the whole ill-organised affair. Look , when you bring children like ours into this sort of environment you cant afford to just let them go free. Theyre just like town dogs, let off the lead in the country.

Now just you listen to me Ive had just about enough today, just about enough, and Im not putting up with a pile of silliness from the likes of you. Now why cant, I mean if its what you want, whats to stop you working hard at school, from now on, getting a good job and then moving out here when youre old enough?

Carol. Carol, please come away from here.

Stage Directions At the back, the KIDS are all stifled and bored by Briggss

presence. Briggs grabs out quickly and manages to pull her to him. BRIGGS wraps his arms around her. He pulls open the film and exposes it to the light, crumples it up and puts it into his pocket.

Carol Chandler
Yknow if I started to work hard now an learned how to read, eh? Well dy think Id be able t live in one of them nice places? Thats why we never have nothin nice round our way cos wed just smash it up.

I dont wanna go home. I wanna stay here. I know you hate me. Ive seen you goin home in your car, passin us on the street. And the way y look at us. You hate all the kids. Why cant I live in one of them nice white houses an do the garden and an that?

Dont be friggin stupid Sir, sir, yknow if youd been my old feller, I woulda been all right, wouldnt I?

Clifftop scene 1. BRIGGS 2. BRIGGS CarolChandler! Imtalkingtoyou,CarolChandler.

(She ignores his presence) 3. BRIGGS Imnotputtingupwithapileofsillinessfromthelikesof you.Nowcomeon He starts to move towards her. She takes a step towards the edge of the cliff. 4. CAROL IlljumpyknowIwill 5. CAROLDontlie,you!Iknowyouhateme.Iveseenyougoinhomein yourcar,passinusonthestreet.Andthewayylookatus.Youhateallthe kids. 6. BRIGGSlook...Carol...you'retalkingasifyouhavegivenuponlifealready. Yousoundasthoughlifeforyouisjustending,insteadofbeginning.Now whycan't,Imean,ifit'swhatyouwant,what'stostopyouworkinghardat schoolfromnowon,gettingagoodjobandthenmovingoutherewhen you'reoldenough?Eh? 7. (Sheturnsslowlytofacehimwithalookofcontempt) CAROL Dont be so friggin stupid. (She turns and looks down at the sea below.) 8. CAROLSir,siryknowifyoudbeenmyoldfeller,Iwouldabeenallright, wouldntI? BRIGGSslowlyholdsouthishand.Shemovesotheveryedgeofthecliff. BRIGGSisawareofhowclosesheis. 9. BRIGGS Carol,Carol,pleasecomeawayfromthere. (Stretchingouthishandtoher)Please. CAROLlooksathimandasmilebreaksacrossherface. 10. CAROLSirsiryoudonthalflookfunnyyknow. BRIGGS(Smilingbackather)Why? 11. BRIGGS Itwontevenbementioned. (SheturnsandlooksdownatthedropandthenbackatBRIGGSoutstretched arm.CAROLliftsherhandtohis.Sheslips.BRIGGSgransoutquicklyand managestopullhertohim.BRIGGSwrapshisarmsaroundher.