01x05 - On Record

[bunniefuu]

MUSIC: Fabulous by Freestylers
and Scarlett Quinn

♪ Everybody knows
I think she's fabulous. ♪

So...

What have you got to say
for yourself?

IN EXAGGERATED SCOTTISH ACCENT:
I've already said

I did not commit the m*rder.

GROANING

God...

For God's sake, Brian,

just take Scottish off your CV.

Tit.

Right, moving on.

Now, have you seen this?
Big news.

"A Theatre Company is looking
for dynamic talent..."

That's you lot, yeah?

"..to join their production
for a national tour

"for six months." Ooh!

"Particular focus will be
on BAME..."

Your time has finally come, Brian.

Just don't do Scottish.

"..and working class."

All o' yer.

Especially you, Tina. You what?!

Oh, come on, Tina, love,
who are you kidding?

You're rough as a dog's bollock.

For whatever reason - who knows? -
working-class people

are in fashion now.

We're like an exotic fruit.

So, juice that m*therf*cker, kids.

Juice it.

RELAXING MUSIC

Do you know what?

I'm going to call this Siobhan.

Do it, babe. Yeah, I will.

RINGING TONE

Golden Rose Theatre Company?
Hello, Siobhan!

Or...or do people call you, Shiv?

Anyway.

I'm just calling about your audition
for the touring theatre company.

It...it says that you're
looking for working-class actors.

Sorry, love, all the working class
slots 'ave gone.

Have you got 'owt else, love?
What do you mean?

Disability?

Well, I don't process dairy well,
if that counts?

No, love. Are you
black, Asian, minority ethnic?

Could I be black?

No, babe. OK.

I'm not black, but I am ginger.

No, love.

Well, according to Ancestry.com,
you can actually trace

our family tree all the way back
to the foothills of Nicaragua so...

Are you LGBQT?

Well, what is sexuality, Shiv?

I mean, that's up for grabs,
in't it, really?

Not on this form, it's not.

Are you care experienced?

Been through the care system?

Yeah... Yeah, I am.
I've got that one.

Yes. I have actually been in and out
the care system since day dot, Shiv.

For someone who's never gone
past the M62,

I'm very well travelled.
I've stayed in a lot of places,

and not all of
them would get a glowing review

on TripAdvisor,
I can tell you that much.

Garstang Estate.
Felt more like a holiday camp.

All the kids ran riot.

We didn't have to go to school,

and thought the local drug dealer
was our uncle.

Uncle Tony! Uncle Tony!
All right, c*ck!

Then I took a short stay on a farm,

where I became the sole carer
of a one-legged chicken named Klaus.

I was given strict instructions

to feed him when he was hungry,
talk to him when he was lonely,

and prop him up when he fell over.

It was a political awakening for me,

fighting for the rights
of a disabled chicken.

Then Grandma's house.

Not the warmest of welcomes
from the host.

I don't want her here.

You're forcing her on me,
and it's not fair.

But the decor was intriguing,

and the breakfast
authentically northern.

She's going to be just like her
mother, I can tell by the ears.

Jan's house.

No concept of personal boundaries.

Would happily chat to me
about her difficult divorce

when I was clearly busy.

Maud's house.

Certainly a pet-friendly
environment.

SLURPING

Perhaps TOO friendly.

OK. Well, you'll need a letter of
support from social services,

and then we can secure you
an audition.

Oh, that's fantastic.
Thank you very much.

Fabulous.

LINE CUTS OFF

I think I've got an audition.
Well done, babe.

Do you know what?

I knew having a f*cked-up childhood
would pay off eventually.

To your f*cked-up childhood. Whoo!

Ticket number 22 to desk 6,
please.

Poor f*ck, social workers.

They deal with loads
of harrowing stuff,

take sh*t off everyone
and never get a lunch break.

I had loads growing up.

They always look knackered,

love a bloody cardigan

and look like they drink
too much red wine mid-week.

My first social worker was called
Beakface. She used to take me

on these dinner dates to the chippy

then write up a report about it
afterwards.

Like some sort of sh*t TripAdvisor
for troubled kids.

Alma was in a difficult mood.

She would only refer to me
as Beakface and threw chips at me

throughout the meal.

She told me she didn't like me,

she didn't like her foster parents
and she wanted to live on her own.

Do you want a drink to go with them
or anything?

I always saw myself in a fully
furnished Manhattan apartment.

Never really understood what
I was doing in Bolton

with all these twatty b*stards.

Good butty?

Sorry.

Hello. Didn't know you were there.

How can I help?

So, er, Debbie, I'm auditioning
for a theatre company,

and I've got to prove
that I'm care experienced.

So, I just need a letter
from you guys, to say, "Yeah,

"she was with us, her life were a
bit sh*t, let her in your company."

That sort of thing.
Great, yeah.

Good for you, love.
Have you got your form?

Yeah. Here you go.

I want to be a famous actress,
Debbie.

Do you know, loads of people like me
are actors?

Kathy Burke was in care.

Marilyn Monroe was an orphan.

God, I could be Bolton's
very own Marilyn.

Pierce Brosnan - he was actually
fostered by his grandparents.

I could be the next James Bond!

We have a lot of information
about you here.

Yeah? We could put in a request to
get your records posted to you,

if you like?
I mean, yeah, go on.

I mean, anything about me
is always interesting.

I'm my favourite subject, Debbie!

Right.

How do you hold yours, Julie?

Thank you, everybody here.
I'm overwhelmed.

I can't believe it, erm,
three nominations in one night

and a standing ovation.
I mean, it's a lot, isn't it?

But, erm, yeah, deserved.

Erm, and, yeah, I'm very grateful.

I-I'd also to thank
my ex-boyfriend, actually,

because he cheated on me
with essentially a foetus,

cos if it wasn't for him providing
that kind of "f*ck you" feeling, um,

I wouldn't be at the stratosphere
that you see me at today.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Oh.

My records are here.

Oh.

WOMAN: I arrived at the flat
at 10:40am,

to see Alma looking through
the letterbox.

Mum's sick.

No visitors today, Beakface.

She told me she was thirsty

and started trying to drink from an
empty bottle of cider on the floor.

It was noted that there was no food
in the house for her breakfast.

I posted a carton of milk

and a packet of peanuts
through the letterbox.

Ta, Beakface.

Alma shouted at the dog for
defecating in the living room.

f*ck's sake, Benjamin.

DOG BARKS

MAN: On the 21st of October,

Alma was finally removed
from her grandmother's care.

Get 'er bloody well out of 'ere,
and don't come back.

I'm divorcing you!

Oh, piss off, you old crow.

Alma was added to the child
protection register under

the category "gravely at risk".

Alma's behaviour was difficult
when meeting her mother.

Alma is not making progress
academically.

Several teachers have refused
to teach Alma.

Alma, 16, is living independently

and struggling to manage her
finances.

Alma is an overactive,
oversensitive,

emotionally distressed child.

f*cking hell.

But you're OK?

I mean, yeah.

It's pretty weird having your whole
life handed to you in a box, Leanne.

But I'm fine.

I feel weirdly zen
about the whole thing, actually.

Ooh, I love THAT.

What the hell is this?

A spatula. Yeah.

It's £1.29.

Er, yeah.

It's a 99p shop
and this spatula's £1.29.

Do you see where I'm going here?
Oh, yeah, you're right.

Not everything's actually 99p.

Well, then, why the f*ck

is it called The 99p Shop, Carl?

It's just a kind of round about
figure...

No, it's not "a round about figure",
it's a lie.

Because you're selling an idea
that doesn't really exist.

You think, "Oh, I can get
everything I need for 99p."

You feel joy and hope,

and then you realise.

"Aha! This spatula is £1.29!

"I CAN'T get everything I need
for the price I've been promised,

"and I'm being f*cked, AGAIN."

Er, sorry?

Well, sometimes sorry's
not good enough, Carl.

I'm actually just
on work experience.

How convenient.

All right, babe, let's take this,
er, spatula and pop it down here

and we'll go this way, OK?

Come on.

MOUTHS

Maybe you should chat
to your family about these records?

Leanne, I'm fine.
I don't think you're fine, babe.

I'm completely fine.

THAT was an injustice, Leanne,

and I can't stand by
and watch injustice happen.

Maybe Leanne's right -

perhaps my family CAN bring some
solace at this difficult time.

I don't know
whether to k*ll myself or get drunk.

Maybe not.

She's been painting in rehab,
now she thinks she's Van Gogh.

Look at my living room.

Oh, my God.

I don't know
what you're moaning about.

The place needed brightening up.

SMASH!

Oh, for God's sake, Jim.

J...

That's the third thing he's broken.

Look at my porcelain dog.

Decapitated.

Sorry. It's like an art gallery
for the paranoid in here.

How can I possibly flourish as an
artist in this toxic environment?

You're not an artist.

You're a drug addict.

See? This is how you've always been,
you've never supported me.

How dare you?!
I've always supported my children.

Mummy,
I need an Easter bonnet for school.

Oh, love.

You haven't got the ears for a hat.

Have you seen the centrepiece
your mother kindly made for me?

What is that?
My childhood memoirs.

You see how she uses her painting
as a weapon?

Not everything is about YOU, Mother.

Right, everybody, just calm down.

The social worker's coming round
any minute to assess us,

and we've got to prove that
we're a normal, loving family.

How long for?

Ow!

Oh! Oh, for...

He's scared of blood.

Oh...Jim!

KNOCK AT DOOR

Oh, sh*t, she's here.

Me p*nis!

I-I'm really sorry, Grandma,

but we don't have time
to mourn your p*nis right now.

Put it away.

My God...

Just in the lounge.

Few teething problems but, er...

gen...generally good.

I think.

So, how's it going, Lin?

Shite.

♪ These arms of mine
were made for holding you... ♪

What's wrong?

You're just sort of breathing on me.

Oh.

It's quite intense,
hot air in my face.

Sort of loud and smelly.

Right, er...

Maybe try breathing less
or more to the side.

OK.

Ugh! I can't breathe.

I didn't mean hold your breath.

I've lost it now.

He's gone.

Have you thought about going
to the doctor's?

You might have a sinus obstruction.

Could be affecting your sleep?

Oh, God...
Just had Ray Ray on the phone.

She's pissed.

That guy just left a terrible review
on the site.

Clients get to write reviews?

For f*ck's sake.

It was just like having sex
with my wife - awful.

Is there anybody who doesn't get to
write down what they think of me?

You can't treat clients like that.

It's rude. His breath was rude.

It was like having sex with a pug
that'd been on a long walk.

ENGINE STARTS

Hi! Hello.
Do you fancy popping to the pub?

I'd love to,

but I'm with Chris tonight,

and we're a bit tied up,
aren't we, love?

No worries.

Bye.

Could you pull in just here?

What is it, love?

Nothing.

Keep going.

VOICES OVERLAP AND ECHO: Alma is not
making progress academically.

Alma reminds me of her mother.
Very vindictive.

Alma has a frantic quality
about her play.

Alma will struggle.

Alma is defiant.

f*ck this.

f*ck this.

MUSIC: Bingo Bango
by Basement Jaxx

THEY CHANT

CHEERING

You should've opened your gullet,
Steve!

Shots on me!

Girl power!

Girl power!

CHATTER STOPS ABRUPTLY
Whoo! Come on!

All I'm saying...is
I don't have any money right now,

cos I've actually been very
charitable myself this evening,

but I will have money in the future.

So I just need you to temporarily,
temporarily, Youseff,

lend me a kebab, huh?

And then I'll pay it back,
with interest.

No.

Oi!

Put it back!

Put the kebab back!

Oi!

Bring that kebab back!

Bring that kebab back!

Roger that, over.

HORN BEEPS

Now, don't you start.

Thanks for picking me up.

You bloody nutter.

Well, it takes one to know one.

No, look, I'm-I'm glad you called.

Are you all right?
Yeah, I'm fine.

Just, you know, nicked a kebab,
chased by the police down the road.

Spent the night in a cell.

I couldn't get hold of Leanne,
that's why I called you.

Well, I'm always here for you,
you know.

Thanks.

What are you doing?

Well, I just thought, like,
you know?

Well, you thought wrong.

Just take me home. All right.

Cool your jets. Jesus.

VOICES ECHO: Alma is rude,
disruptive and verbally a*usive

in class.
Alma is an overactive child.

Alma's life to date leaves
very little hope for her future.

♪ I never knew how long

I could hold my breath

♪ Of my leather dress
my hunger

♪ Great wall of thunder

♪ Why don't you love her?

♪ Lovers don't reappear

♪ In my mirror

♪ I think I'll wear my new dress

♪ They want dress for success... ♪

Hello? Alma?

You left the door on the latch.

Oh.

f*cking hell, Alma,
what happened here?

Just a bit of feng shui. Right.

And arrested? Over kebab meat?

What the f*ck, Alma?

Nothing gets past you, does it?

Bill's sister's cousin's mate's
shagging her best mate's boyfriend,

who knew the bobby who arrested you,
who apparently actually

recognised you from Lesley's
baby's christening two years ago.

Right.

These your records, then?

Yeah. Well, maybe
we can have a look at them together?

Why?

Well, I'd like to actually know
what led to you becoming a felon.

I just really wanted a kebab.

Do you know what's mad about these?

Right,
they write some proper dark stuff,

and then they just follow it up,
with, like, a dead obvious aside.

Like this one. Listen.

"Mental-health social worker..."
I think that says "Colin",

it's redacted.

"..arrived at Miss Nuthall's

"and was confronted by a bearded man
waving a hammer."

I mean, poor f*cking Colin,
to be fair.

He defo got the sh*t stick
at work that day.

"Colin found Lin in a corner
of a room, distressed, screaming

"and talking to people who were
not present in the room."

Then, it says,

"She was also drunk."

By the time you're sort of grappling
with the devil and screaming

at the walls, whether you're pissed
or not is surely irrelevant.

Alma... I know.

Look at this here, psychology
assessment, right?

I mean,

"The level of neglect Alma has
suffered is already presenting

"itself in Alma's chaotic attachment
style and low self-esteem.

"This could cause more problems
for Alma later in life."

That's like some sort of sh*t
Mystic Meg, isn't it?

LEANNE SIGHS

Do you know, I've always thought,
if I can't be normal,

then I'll at least be fabulous.
You know, I'll become a star, or,

you know, I'll do something
to make it all worthwhile?

I'll recycle it all.

But then you read these and you just
feel completely hopeless

and f*cked.

They're bullshit, Alma.

They don't take into account
any of your actual personality.

They don't mention how fun you are.

You're the only person in the world
I like to get rat arsed with.

Yeah. f*ck these f*cking records.

Where you off?

Oh! f*ck 'em.

Hey... Woo, yeah, f*ck 'em,
actually! Yeah, f*ck 'em!

f*ck 'em! Woo!

Woo! Oh, no sh*t. No, Edna.

She'll have coronary
if she reads those. Quick.

Now, I know you've got
your auditions tomorrow,

so for today, class, were goin'
for t'look at this book

in your lap. It's by a bloke from
Russia who came up wi' summat big

for actors back in t'day.

It's called Effective Memory -

Emotional Recall.

Now, what that is, is an actor,
using their own life and emotional

memories to activate the emotions
of their fictional character.

So, for example...

I might be playing a scene
where I'm a widower.

Now, I've never had a wife,

but I once lost a dog.

I don't mean on t'park, I mean...

VOICE BREAKS: ..lost the dog. Dead.

So what I have to do,
when I'm in that scene,

is try and remember how that felt
when Ralp... Sorry.

See, it's working.

.. when Ralph...when Ralph died.

And then those memories,
those emotions

will help me play
the grieving husband.

Do you get me?

Now, Lesley, you've talked
at great length

about your pelvic floor dysfunction.

Use that discomfort,

use that shame.

Glen, let's be honest,

you've pickled that fatty liver
of yours with booze

ever since your wife left ya.
Use that despair.

Mephistopheles said
he would not fight the battle.

And so I will.

Thank you.

That was fantastic.
A really smashing performance, Alma.

Thank you. So, it says
in your application

that you're a care leaver.

Er, yeah. I just got my records back
recently, actually.

Really? And how was that for you?

Not great, er, one social worker
described me as overactive,

oversensitive and emotionally
distressed, so not fab,

to be honest. But, do you know,
I've decided that just means

that I've got a lot of energy,
empathy and emotional range.

I've...I've certainly got a lot
of effective memory to draw from.

I'd agree with that. As it happens,

I'm a care leaver too,

and, you know, I've always felt

us care experienced folk
have got something special.

We've navigated extreme
circumstances with complex traumas,

and gained skills
and wisdom beyond our years.

We have a huge capacity to love,
and, er, to heal and, um, empathise.

And I see that in you, Alma.

Thank you. Do you know,
I see it in myself.

I'm very wise.

You know in...in a normal way,
not showing-off way.

WHISPERING

Look, we don't normally do this, but
your audition was truly brilliant,

and we'd like to offer you a place.

Oh, my God!

Oh, my God, really?

Oh, my f*cking God.

Oh, f*ck you -
I mean, thank you.

f*cking hell, yes! Woo!

♪ I sit here by myself
And you know I love it... ♪

And I'll just...I'll see you.

I don't know when, but, whoo!

If I could tell that little girl
in my records anything,

I'd tell her you're gonna be fine,
you're gonna be more than fine.

You're gonna be f*cking fabulous,
love.

♪ I wanna be a big shot

♪ And have 90 cars

♪ I wanna have a boyfriend

♪ And a girl for laughs

♪ But only on Saturdays... ♪