A Favourite Scene In Village Day

    The Prisoner having woken up in his cottage, takes his first tentative steps out into the village, and encounters two gardeners busy working in a flower bed. His foot accidentally kicks a couple of plant pots.

    1^st gardener “Watch out sir, don’t damage the plants!”
    Prisoner “Sorry.”
    2^nd gardener “You alright?”
    “Looks lost doesn’t he.”
    “I’m a little confused, I don’t know where I am.”
    1^st gardener “I was right, he’s lost, a new arrival. Spot em’ a mile off I can.”
    2^nd gardener “Yeah, a new arrival” he laughs.
    “Where am I, what is this place?”
    2^nd gardener “The village.”
    “Doesn’t it have a name?”
    1^st gardener “A name? Of course it has a name, everything has a name, it would be silly if it didn’t have a name.”
    “What is it then?”
    Gardeners in unison “The village.”
    “Can you direst me to the nearest bus stop?”
    1^st gardener “No buses come through here.”
    “A railway station then.”
    2^nd gardener “There is no trains either.”
    “Taxi?”
    “Oh yes you can get a taxi.”
    “We’ve got taxis alright. Up the steps through the archway and round the corner” the second gardener said pointing the way.
   The Prisoner dashes off leaving the two gardeners to return to planting the new plants. But not without watching the Prisoner go on his way, with knowing looks.

   The two gardeners were played by Dave Barrie and Chris Riley, it wasn’t a difficult or testing scene which had to be filmed early one morning before the village woke up for the day’s Prisoner convention in August 1998. We did one rehearsal of the scene and then went for a take and the scene was played out perfectly. The way the dialogue was delivered, and little things taking place between the gardeners helped make the scene, especially when they give each other knowing looks at the end. Again very little direction was required, Dave and Chris played their roles perfectly.

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