Scene 3

First Minister's Official residence. Angus & Mandy Macbeth: she is wandering around, looking at the decor.

Macbeth         (to audience) I've just got back from the dentist. That injection made half my face numb. (rubs jaw) I've lost touch with my caring, sensitive side.

Mandy            Business as usual then.

Macbeth         Thanks for the sympathy.

Mandy            I don't think much of this decor. The wallpaper is so last year. And the furniture looks like it came out of the ark.

Macbeth         Well, as soon as Wendy moves out to her new flat, we can throw out all this rubbish and decorate.

Mandy            Yes, yes, I have a few ideas... But first you need to do something about those troublemakers, the ones who are saying you shouldn't be First Minister.

Macbeth         Well, I have some ideas of my own.

Mandy            Like what?

Macbeth         I could put them on a committee or something. Like the Community Re-engagement Access Program. That'll keep them out of mischief for a while.. They can spend five years debating, then they submit a report, then I consider it for a couple of years, then I ignore it.

Mandy            It might work. But what about the MSP for Ecclesia-Magirdle[1]? He's been spreading a rumour that you had something to do with what happened to Duncan King.

Macbeth         Well, I could banish him to the most wretched constituency in Scotland.

Mandy            John O' Groats? East Fife?

Macbeth         I was thinking of Coalburn.

(They laugh fiendishly.)

Audience         Boo!

Macbeth         Oh, don't you lot start. You're just a bunch of Lesmahagow layabouts.

Mandy            Netherburn numpties.

Macbeth         Boghead bampots.

Audience         Boo!

Macbeth         Away and boil your head!

Mandy            Anyway, how are you getting on with your new legislation?

Macbeth         Well, I'm going to reduce the school holidays to two weeks in the summer. And they have to stay open all through the winter, even when it snows. Can't have the little urchins having fun and making snowmen when they're supposed to be working.

Mandy            Fair enough.

Macbeth         And there will be Fixed Penalty Notices for shops which misuse the apostrophe.

Mandy            Excellent.

Macbeth         And you'll need to have a Standard Grade in Arithmetic to be allowed to use the word "decimate".

Mandy            And "lowest common denominator", too.

Macbeth         Good idea.

                        I'm going to make it a criminal offence for shops to sell Easter Eggs in January.

Mandy            Oh, we're on a roll here.

Macbeth         Plus, I'm going to have Irn Bru banned.

Mandy            Um, maybe that's going too far.

Macbeth         Oh, alright, but they're going to have to start spelling it properly.

Mandy            Right. What else?

Macbeth         Well, that's enough to be getting on with. The trick with removing people's freedoms is, you need to do it a little at a time, so they don't notice. (To audience) Is that not right?

Audience         Boo!

Enter Wendy and Macduff R.

Mandy            Well, if it isn't little Miss King. Hello dear. Getting ready for your flitting?

Wendy            Yes, but you don't need to look so happy about it.

Macduff          We know you've had your eye on this place for ages.

Wendy            We know it wasn't burglars who killed my father.

Macduff          We just don't have any proof, yet.

Macbeth         Are you suggesting something?

Macduff          No.

Macbeth         Don't you try to threaten me, young man. And as for you, young lady, you shouldn't be going out with someone from the opposition. If your father were here now, he would forbid it.

Mandy            I suppose that makes you star-crossed lovers.

Mandy and Macbeth laugh and perform a high-five.

Mandy            Run along now dear, and finish your packing. Mind and take those One Direction posters with you.

Exit Wendy and Macduff R.

Macbeth         Now, about the dining room...

Mandy & Macbeth exit L., plotting

Mandy            I think we should knock down that wall...

Macbeth         and put in a spiral staircase...

Mandy            and build an extension with glass walls...

etc etc

Blackout

 



[1] pronounced "Ex ma girdle"

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