DEATH OF A NIGHTINGALE
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* New and abridged version, adapted for the stage,
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Contents
Prologue 1
Death of a Nightingale 13
Author’s Note 15
Background to the Play 15
Cast 19
Act 1
Scene 1
Music Room - a new pupil arrives 25
Scene 2
Regional Office, DfES - managing Inclusion 31
Scene 3
Staff Room - a mood of unease 41
Scene 4
Music Room - a music lesson 54
Scene 5
Office of Director of Education 62
Scene 6
Head teacher’s living room 73
Scene 7
Meeting of the Finance Committee 79
Scene 8
Music Room - letter to the PM 84
Scene 9
Head teacher’s living room 88
ACT 2
Scene 1
Director’s room 91
Scene 2
Staff Room - emergency meeting of governors 96
Scene 3
One month later 110
Scene 4
Meeting with parents 117
Scene 5
One month later 123
Scene 6
In the Garden Café 125
Scene 7
One year later 130
Notes and Quotes
The Case for Inclusion 135
A Change of Policy? 137
Human Rights 138
Pupil perceptions 138
Bullying of children with Learning Disabilities 139
From Leadership by Rudolph Giuliani 141
The Power Inquiry 142
David could not tie his shoe-laces 142
Pills and pills! 143
The Alexandria Declaration 148
Death of a Nightingale Fund 149
Special Needs - Legal Rights in UK 150
Conclusion - Questions for Quiet Contemplation 154
Bibliography 157
* Abridged and adapted for stage performance
Further improved after Rehearsed Reading at New End Theatre, Hampstead, London Nov. 2009
Synopsis
There are three themes to this play. The first is the attempt by the Westborough Local Authority to close Brighouse School, a school for physically disabled children with an associated learning difficulty in accordance with a policy of Inclusion with national and international endorsement, but against the wishes of parents, children, staff and governors. The second is the pressure on the head teacher to support this against her better judgment leading her to attempt suicide. The third is to see in a music lesson, where music has a special value to children with special needs, whether “spirituality” in music can reconcile different faiths that believe in a universal creator so that each one can respect the others, while atheists and agnostics can rejoice in the flourishing of the human spirit.
ACT ONE
Preamble, Tracey, a pupil, introduces the audience to her school.
Scene 1 Joan Errington, the English teacher at the school finds her close friend, Margaret Williamson, the head teacher comatose after taking an overdose. The rest of the first Act consists of flashbacks explaining how this came about. Scene 2 sees the head teacher, Margaret Williamson, introduce two parents Anwar and Judith Fawzi and their son Harry, a child with brittle bones, to a music lesson in the School. Scene 3 in the regional office of the DFES, a mandarin, James Harrington and a regional officer, Judy Fotheringham, discuss with David Harding, Westborough’s Director of Education and Gerry Thompson, special needs coordinator, the steps needed to close the school. Scene 4 The staff gets on with the job. Scene 6 In the staff room, there is unease about the future. Scene 8 sees pressure being brought to bear on Margaret, with Margaret ultimately agreeing to do what the local officers want. Scene 10 Margaret shares her woes with her friend Joan Errington.
The intermediate scenes comprise the music lesson and mark the passing of time.
ACT TWO
Scene 1 The Director telephones Don Smithson, the new acting head teacher and James Harrington, the official in London. Scene 2 Pupils send a letter to the Prime Minister. Scene 3 There is a conversation between Eileen Winterton and Joan Errington about Margaret. Scene 4 In the head teacher's living room Margaret makes her peace with her colleagues. Scene 5 A meeting with parents where the closure of the school is announced. Scene 6 Parents, staff and pupils lament the demolition of the school: “The Death of the Nightingale.”
By playing multiple roles those acting the parts with the exception of Emma Kirk, the music teacher,
will demonstrate that there are no heroes or heroines here, and no villains either, but that all are casualties of a system that has somehow lost its way.
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