Original subtitles

♪

♪ I had shoes full of holes

when you first took me in ♪

♪ The path that you led

wasn't straight to your bed ♪

♪ There's no cots to sleep in ♪

♪ And you showed me ♪

♪ Who I was running from ♪

♪

♪ As if I had not known all along ♪

♪

♪ Oh, my old feet ♪

♪ They know this hard street ♪

♪ Stay like old friends ♪

♪

♪ You're flat on the ground ♪

♪ There's no further down ♪

♪ There's no cots to sleep in ♪

♪ So come in ♪

♪ Leave them outside the door ♪

♪

♪ Tear off the paper ♪

♪ Tear off the carpet ♪

♪ Off the floor ♪

♪

♪ And I know you're hurting ♪

♪

♪ And I can't be there for you ♪

♪

♪ And I know you're hurting ♪♪

♪

Was this agreed?

No.

Come on. Come.

Coffee?

As a rule, they put the kitchens downstairs,

but here it's upstairs.

It's not actually terribly convenient.

I've spilled no end of stuff,

but the guy upstairs is never home,

so I just spill things and there's no one to see.

♪

So, you really live here?

♪

You asked me that last time.

♪

I'll sort it out when I've got some cash.

♪

Are those CDs in the boxes down there?

I'll show you.

♪ Engines stop running ♪

♪ The wheat is growing thin ♪

♪ A nuclear error, but I have no fear ♪

♪ 'Cause London is drowning, and I live by the river ♪♪

Sorry.

♪ Some make you sing and some make you scream ♪

♪ One makes you wish that you'd never been seen ♪

♪ But there's a shop on the corner

that's selling papier mache ♪

♪ Making bullet-proof faces, Charlie Manson, Cassius Clay ♪

♪ If you want it, boys ♪

♪ Get it here, thing ♪

♪ So you scream out of line, I want you! I need you! ♪

♪ Anyone out there? Any time? ♪

It's a bus lane, you cunt!

♪ When it's good, it's really good ♪

♪ And when it's bad, I go to pieces ♪

♪ If you want it, boys ♪

♪ Get it here, thing ♪

♪ Well, on the street where you live ♪

♪ I could not hold up my head ♪

♪ For I put all I have in another bed ♪♪

Jay?

This is Ian, he'll be helping you tonight.

He worked for a while at the Atlantic.

Come on. What day are we today?

Wednesday. I'll see you later.

♪

Oi, do me a favor?

Put my coffee in the fridge, will you?

I'll finish it later.

♪

Steve quit Saturday night at closing time

and you'd already gone.

This French bloke dropped off his CV a fortnight ago,

so yesterday we rang him up!

- Seems okay! - Yeah, okay, okay,

they all seem okay.

Maybe we should hire someone who wants to do this job.

I'm surrounded by assholes who are doing this job

only while they're waiting for something else to turn up.

Scratch the surface of any one of the fuckers,

they turn out to be actors or dancers

or some poncy other fuckery.

I'm not kidding, I've had it up to here with these assholes

who miss no opportunity to tell the punters

who they really are, what they're really into.

Oh, oh, where do you do your classes?

Isn't it difficult keeping up one's career and--

- That's made up, isn't it? - Made up or not,

- it pisses me off. - Oh, right.

A bar is not a restaurant, a bar is not a restaurant,

a bar is not a restaurant.

Come the evening, you get a completely

different customer here.

Now, I'm the head barman,

which means that I get to do

whatever I like to do, and you get to do

whatever I tell you to do.

So you can forget what those people told you upstairs.

You haven't got a week to get used to it.

Either you click right away or not at all.

Where's your vodka?

In the afternoon, anyone can serve them their beer.

It's not quite so simple in the evening,

and there's always someone out for your blood, too.

My blood?

You asshole.

Oh, Jesus.

You see that big guy over there in the suit?

He's been drinking since four o'clock this afternoon.

Come closing time, you've gotta chuck him out.

See this woman coming along here now?

She's the type who always orders the same thing,

but she still needs you to ask her

each time what she wants.

I've done evenings now for three months here.

She hasn't changed the record once.

Hello there, sweetheart!

My, you're looking cheerful today!

Do I have to dance on the table to get some attention?

Okay, so what does she have?

Oh, she'll tell you.

It doesn't include a tip.

♪

♪

♪

Alex gave me his action man.

Then he gave the same one to Mark.

Can't we share the action man?

- No! - No!

Susan?

We're up here!

♪

Aw, not yet.

Come on.

Dad?

I love everyone.

♪

Alex can't come to my party,

- he's not allowed! - He's not allowed?

Why isn't he allowed? That's terrible!

Who is Alex?

Alex is a prick!

♪

- Are you cold? - No.

- A little bit? - No.

- Are you sure? - Yeah.

Okay, now I'm gonna make you some tea in a minute.

Okay, hurry up, go downstairs and play.

Go on, hurry.

The children are looking beautiful at the moment.

Yes, they're looking very well.

You do love them, don't you?

♪

♪

Cold?

It's cold, but it's all right.

Next Wednesday.

Is that a Wednesday, too?

- Heya. - Hi.

Well, is he what we need?

Oh, he'll do. Customers like him.

♪

- Goodnight. - Night.

♪

Oh!

♪

Two vodkas on me.

The barman buys his boss a drink.

♪

You know that woman who is always in here?

The one you were chatting up the other day?

Today, she said to me,

"You're Joel's brother, aren't you?"

- She said what? - "You're Joel's brother."

I didn't give her a yes or a no, but she took that as a yes.

But that's cool.

I quite like the name Joel.

♪

'Cause when I was little, I used to listen

- to lots of Billy Joel. - Billy Joel?

Oh, spare me.

How old are you, exactly?

Look, it was my sister who was nuts about him,

first of all.

She had everything of his,

and I used to listen too, it was fab.

- ? - Jesus Christ, come on.

Spare me.

♪

How long have you been working here then?

Since my eldest son was born six years ago.

Before that, I was a musician,

like Billy, sort of.

Funny, I'd never have guessed you had kids.

♪

One day a year ago, I just walked out.

Went to stay with a friend.

Things can happen like that in life,

very simple things.

The night arrives which is the last you spend at home

in a house with a wife and family.

Next morning, you just open the door

and close it again.

And if the house is already empty,

well, that helped.

They'd all left already, so that was a help.

You mean you didn't say anything,

- you just split? - Say what?

♪

Billy Joel.

Fucking hell.

♪

Did you say you were looking for somewhere to crash?

It's a fucking nightmare when you've got nothing left

and you have to start buying all over again.

I didn't want people giving me their gear.

Other people's gear makes me puke.

You want to piss me off good and proper,

just drag me down the local Oxfam.

This is all you, clean, unblemished, no past.

Hey, let's have a drink.

Um, no, let's have a little tour first.

Yeah, we'll have a little tour.

Uh, my room in there.

No great interest, nothing to see.

You've changed a lot of things.

- Victor, was that there before? - Come on, Jay,

that's been there for ages.

♪

Your room.

My room.

♪

- Okay? Good? - Yeah.

- You like that? What's wrong? - Okay, that's okay.

Good.

Hey, is there no room at Jay's place?

- Oh, come on, Victor, please! - Jay lives in a house now.

I told you, it's a room on the ground floor.

It's nothing like this place.

Anyway, I don't need extra rent.

- Well, less than you fucking do. - What the fuck do I know?

See, there's all manner of reasons

why Jay here needs just as much bread as myself.

You know what I mean, he keeps schtum about it,

but I can imagine.

See, when you leave your family, they clean you out.

House, kids.

Bled dry, that's what we are.

Are you--are you living with anyone?

- No. - Are you a queer?

What do you think?

You just fuck all over the shop.

victor! Victor, give the guy a fucking break, will ya?

See, Jay and me, we were like two brothers here.

Old twins, that's us.

I mean, one or the other of us could've been left

by the wayside at any time, but no.

Onward as one, and how many people

can you say that about in a lifetime?

I mean, Jay and me,

we've both done our share of drifting,

but at each bend in the road,

we always did what we wanted to do,

and that makes one fuck of a difference.

Enthralled to our desires, that's us.

♪

Victor is that impeccable gentleman

who rings your doorbell one evening

and suggests cable TV.

Oh, I can get ya-- I can get ya a very nice price

if you fancy a wee set for your room.

Ooh.

♪

Hey, hey, hey.

What is that?

♪

Oh, that gets to me.

Maybe you don't want a tenant after all this--

- What? - Victor needs money,

he needs a space to crash, it's so simple.

- You have to complicate it? - No, no, all right.

Then again, no, maybe it's me.

Maybe I've got the whole thing wrong.

We should just drop the whole thing.

Fine by me if it could help!

'Kay?

I've nothing against it.

I have my own life.

Don't look to me for anything.

victor provides the room, full stop.

Just put the money on the table and that's that.

Cash, no checks.

♪

My son told me he wanted to go to art college.

And when I was 16,

I used to paint a bit.

♪

- Funny, yeah? - You know it's not good for you

to be on your own. Come on, Victor!

If you're on your own, the moment there's trouble,

they'll fuckin' have you away.

Jesus, will you just listen to yourself?

- All right. - I don't need you

setting me straight, thanks for dropping by.

And yeah, you throw that crap about twins, too.

What is that shit?

Old twins!

Pisses me off.

♪

♪

♪

Hello, darling!

Hello, love!

♪

♪

♪

♪

Daddy?

Daddy.

- Daddy? - Just a minute.

What? What?

Look.

Oh, you've--you've had a little accident, have ya?

Maybe you'll do the same for me someday, huh?

Let's change these things.

Good man.

Your eyes are upside down today.

Why do you say upside down?

'Cause when I go like this,

see, they look like eyebrows.

Your head works both ways round.

On your mother's side, they've got big bags

under their eyes like that.

Wait, oh, wait a minute!

- I think I can feel-- - No, I haven't got them!

Maybe you'll have them one day, though.

No, I won't!

Wait, wait.

- What? - It's all right.

Oh, Victor, what the fuck are you doing here?

- Piss off. - Sorry, sorry.

I know I should've called you.

I don't know where I got this idea that you--

you never have anyone round.

I mean, it's just bloody stupid.

Mind you, it's nice to have people round.

I used to like it.

- No, no, Victor. - Sorry.

Hey, that friend of yours, um, Ian, he never showed.

- Did he say anything? - Uh, I don't know.

You haven't got any gear knocking about, have you?

Just, I'm feeling a bit wasted.

No.

I don't use that stuff.

Have you got everything you need here?

'Cause I can sort you out with cable whenever you want.

You never told me you were seeing someone.

"I'm not seeing anyone," you told me.

She's my landlady, she was coming to check

if I had everything I needed.

All right, yeah, yeah, I get it.

Personally, I've always thought it's best

not to have anything to do with those people.

It gets them kind of emotional.

And then you manage not to be able to ask for anything,

you know, like when the heating fucks up.

This place is fucking gigantic.

Are you--is it just you here?

Uh.

So is there something your landlady does

especially well apart from freaking you out?

I mean, have you seen the look on your face?

All right, two days.

You can stay two days.

But that's all.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

People all have their own faces, don't they?

Everyone manages to have a special one.

It's great.

If I look at them, I can see they're all different,

but tomorrow, put me in the same carriage

with the same people,

I won't recognize a single one of them.

It's caused me no end of shit.

Will I see you on Friday?

- Why, don't you want me to come? - Oh, Betty.

So how was your day then?

Nothing to write home about.

Goodbye!

♪

♪

- Have you got the tickets? - I put them in the bag.

It's over there, downstairs.

Just over there.

♪

You mustn't expect too much of Laura.

- What do you mean? - She seems all those things

to you and me because she's ours and we love her.

We don't even notice she's crippled anymore!

Don't say "crippled."

You know I never allow that word to be used!

But face facts, Mother, she is.

- And that's not all. - What do you mean, "not all"?

Laura is very different from other girls.

I think the difference is all to her advantage.

Not quite all.

In the eyes of others, strangers, she's terribly shy,

lives in a world of her own.

All those things make her seem peculiar

to people outside the house.

Hello.

I don't intend to humor your silliness, Laura,

so just sit down and compose yourself

till they come.

Tom has forgotten his key,

so you'll have to let them in when they arrive.

Mother, you answer the door!

I'll be in the kitchen, busy.

Oh, Mother, please!

You answer the door!

Please, don't make me do it!

That is your brother and Mr. O'Connor!

Will you open the door, daughter?

Mother, you go to the door! Please!

Can you give me one good reason...

Coming!

Just one second!

...why you should be afraid to open a door?

You march right to that door.

Yes, Mother.

Laura, this is Jim.

Jim, this is my sister, Laura.

I didn't know Shakespeare had a sister.

- Fantastic! - Oh, no, not at all.

- Do you like it? - Oh, I don't know,

I'm not into the theater at all.

They haven't got much space here, have they?

It's not like a company that does different plays.

They choose each group of actors for them.

- How long have we got now? - Fifteen minutes!

- I'll get the drink. - No, no, it's all right!

I'll have the Guinness, please.

- What will you have? - I'm all right, thanks.

I'll have a Coke, thanks, yeah.

- A Coke? - Yeah, just a Coke.

- I'm working later. - What would you like?

Can I have a Coke as well, please?

- Just a Coke! - Want some crisps or anything?

- No, I'm okay, thanks. - Yeah, two Cokes.

Mom was wicked tonight, wasn't she?

- Yeah, yeah! - What's that?

I said, I thought Mom was wicked tonight.

He loves coming here, though.

He'd come every night if he could.

I'm watching her, but you know, often I'm really nervous.

I'm thinking, "Oh, my God, she's gonna forget her lines

or she's gonna trip over--"

I just keep checking around

making sure people are enjoying it.

But he'll watch the entire play.

He's got a real knack for it, don't you?

You really love it, don't you?

Yeah.

Here we go again!

Second half.

Do you like Tennessee Williams, yeah?

Yeah.

I've gotta leave someone and I don't know how.

Fucking hell.

So what's the situation this time?

It's just a girl I'm seeing,

she comes around, we fuck, she leaves.

Without me asking her to come back

or anything like that.

I mean, all right, well, I asked her around once,

but what would you say?

It's crazy, right?

I mean, you suggest something just the once

and they make a fucking habit of it.

Okay, I mean, it's not a hassle to me

or anything to be-- actually, it is!

That's exactly what it is, just that!

I think I find it, yeah, a drag.

But only now, not before, but now all of a sudden,

it's become a real pain in the ass really quick.

I mean, now, right, this bloody Wednesday thing,

it's like we owe it to each other or something.

It's all wrong.

She'll understand.

People do understand.

What would you do to end it?

Oh, I'd stay just the same.

It breaks up by itself.

Still, can you believe how desperate

that woman must be?

Wednesdays two to, I don't know, four,

wanting that and only that.

Who is to say she's any more desperate than you?

Why should--why should she be?

You didn't ask her to come back

and she didn't ask you if she could.

Even so, you're to her

and that's how it works.

Where is the desperation in that?

It's not so often you come across someone

who wants the same thing.

Maybe you give her a lot.

- You don't even realize it. - Wait, how do you know?

- You don't even know her. - But I can imagine her.

I'm sure you give her a lot.

I don't know, I can hardly believe

she wants the same thing I want.

I don't have the impression of being with anyone either.

And what does she say about all this?

I don't know, we don't talk.

Oh.

Victor?

♪

Mate, your polish is all dried up.

You shouldn't even be here to see it.

Fuck, Victor, why is it always the same with you?

- I said two days only. - I'm leaving tomorrow!

Today is Wednesday and you know you should not be here

on a Wednesday afternoon in any case.

Okay, all right, fine.

Well, you should've said so.

Okay, come on, just leave it, just leave it. Come on.

♪

If there was a problem, you'd tell me, right?

- Are you not down the pub? - Come on, I forgot the pub,

I'll only drink.

That's no solution.

Yeah, that's no solution.

Hello, hey!

You wanna catch the show again?

Not surprised another time you'd come.

Such a brill evening, and here you are again,

and that proves it!

It's not as if you're a real theater buff, right?

- Do you work here? - Oh, no, no, no, no!

Looks like it, right? But no.

I've already-- I've already forgotten

- what happens just there. - What?

Oh, in the theater.

And people don't talk about it after.

They see the show and they bugger off

just like that.

Makes her sad, so I'm here!

I hear what they say on the way out

and I tell her later.

I know you're not supposed to give a toss and all that.

As a rule, my wife does all right.

People really like her!

You know, in principle.

That depends on what part she's playing, of course.

My wife's in the show.

Yeah, yeah, she's the one playing the girl?

- Amanda? - Laura.

Laura, yeah, Laura. I don't know anymore.

Anyway, I'm sure I told you all this.

Asshole.

You know, personally, I can never really tell

whether someone's good or bad when I go to the theater.

Yeah, the punters have got an opinion about everything.

It's really interesting.

There I am, right, listening in at the interval,

and all of a sudden, bang!

I ask questions.

And I don't feel like a twerp doing it.

Anyone.

No one gives a toss whether I'm there or not.

Sure, but they don't know who you are, do they?

No, no, I mean the others in the company.

They used to see me around, you see.

I lend a hand from time to time.

You can call me a wanker if you'd like,

but I feel like a pig in shit.

Laura, that is your brother and Mr. O'Connor!

Will you let them in, daughter?

Please, you go to the door!

This really suits you here.

Yeah, in more ways than one, actually.

Being with her, of course, because this passion of hers,

it could cut her off from us.

Because it's true, isn't it?

If you really, really love something,

you often end up ruling out something else, right?

- Absolutely. - Yeah, well, I don't want her

to fall victim to that, you know?

So Claire and I, we decided not to rule out anything.

I'm Andy.

Jay.

So she's called Claire?

- Who? - Your wife.

Well, didn't I tell you?

I told you all sorts of other things,

I forgot the most important!

It must be pretty unusual,

a bloke following it all, though, like you do.

I don't know.

If I was doing a job like this,

I'd wanna get some feedback, you know?

People to talk to me, but then again,

maybe I'm the only one that it upsets.

Probably comes with my job.

I drive a cab, you see, black cab.

Okay, so I've got a fare in the back,

I've got a job to do, but if we don't talk,

I feel like I'm only doing half the job, you know?

If we don't talk, if I don't talk to you.

- Yeah, right. - If you fancy going

upstairs, downstairs, show wherever you look.

That's what's good about it here.

And you, you married?

You know, when you're with someone,

there's only a very short time

when you can really give each other things for free

with neither of you having to ask.

Because later on, all you do is make demands of each other.

Perhaps the only difference between her and all the rest

is that she's asking you for nothing.

What have you learned? You scare me.

Haven't you learned anything at all from leaving home?

Perhaps I should only go out with people

who are fit and well.

Yeah.

That's it.

Only wants all this,

bearing your wounds and all that shit?

It's not for me, it's just not my style.

She's seeing someone else, too.

- And aren't you? - Me? No, not at all.

This woman, you know, she's all I've got.

- Where are you going? - A handsome guy just went by.

I'm off, if you don't mind.

Joan, hi!

- Joan, this is Claire. - Hi.

- So, did the tour go well? - I suppose so.

Like any other tour.

- Bye. - Bye.

You know, a tour would suit me down to the ground.

It's just what I need to get my blood tingling,

all that moving around.

I don't look like a tart, do I?

A tart? No!

- Tarts don't look like that. - It's just

I was at another casting session this morning,

and I realized it's pretty perky at my place and so I tend--

Claire Nichols?

Yeah.

So, you give classes?

Yeah, but for amateurs.

You could come one day if you wanted.

- Sometimes something happens. - When are they?

Tuesdays and Fridays,

but Fridays it's at three o'clock.

Oh, okay, Friday, I'll come on Friday!

♪

♪

You know what, the first time we met,

I found you a bit stuck up.

Like you were shitting on us or something,

but that's not right, is it?

It's just the way you look.

Then again, you know, some days,

oh, this fucking life we all lead.

Take my wife, I mean, it's all very well,

the theater and all,

but I mean, I know full well she does too much.

- But there you go. - Yeah.

I was thinking, I was saying to myself the other day,

people who are really fond of each other,

I mean, really fond of each other,

what could possibly come between them,

and fuck everything up at some point or another?

What would you think?

Well, people who are in love, or just mates?

Oh no, I think, in love.

Or why not, maybe they're even lovers.

You, for instance, Andy.

What could possibly fuck up your marriage

once and for all?

You take a look at me, I've been working in this bar,

waiting for something else to turn up, for...

I don't know, six, seven years now maybe.

I mean, at first it was just for a while, see,

but now I'm stuck in a rut like a fuckin' asshole.

Yeah, if I'm honest with myself,

the only time I can really say,

"Jay said he'd do it and he did it"

was when I left home.

Ah, so you are married.

Yeah, yeah.

I thought the other day. It does--

Except, when you have an idea like that,

you tend to keep it to yourself, don't you.

When everything is going down the drain

and all you can think of is getting out,

you keep that to yourself.

So who did you tell you were going to leave?

A couple of mates.

One mate, actually.

Well, that's when it gets ugly, isn't it?

When you do that--

You know, you hurt people when you do that.

I mean, they get shit, yeah, that's an example.

That would really get to me, that one.

Except when you're caught in the middle of it, Andy,

you can't see anything.

It was really only when I was out on the pavement again

that I could see how unhappy I was.

How low I'd sunk, pretty low, in fact.

Because, after all, Andy, it's so very easy to stay.

Isn't it?

Don't you find that's how it usually goes with people?

What about you, how did it all start

between the two of you?

What do you mean?

What, me and my wife?

What's going on here?

Now hang on a minute.

That's private business.

I've got a big gob, right?

But not even he knows about that!

Fuck off.

Right, boy?

Now get yourself a drink off Mozzie.

Don't go outside.

Put it on the tab.

You all right, Luke?

- Yeah, thanks. - Yeah?

- Yeah. - Good, good man.

What would you think of a mother who has it off on the sly,

regularly, and then goes back home in the evening,

as if nothing happened?

Goes back to her family.

And all of that with a wicked gift for pretense,

because, I mean, how--

how can you after being fucked all day by some guy

go home in the evening to your husband--

to me, I mean, to Jay, her husband, her family,

as if nothing happened?

- You want to know my opinion? - Yeah!

- Really? - Yeah, I'd like that.

Um, well, I think...

I think there's a lot of blokes around

like you, Jay, but...

That's no help to you, is it?

Because she's got to go back, hasn't she?

In the evening.

Kiss the kids, give them a hug,

pour herself a drink,

pour a drink for the fuckwit sitting opposite her

at the table.

Maybe she's even got to talk about her day,

"A slightly tiring day, dear, of course,

but a really lovely day,"

after being shagged all day,

by some... some fucker who--

on top of that, he doesn't even say a word to her.

Andy, play, fuck's sake!

Else Jay here can take over, and I can find me a game

somewhere else.

You know what, mate?

That was the moment that she looked at me

with the most attention.

Susan, my wife.

She'd come home every evening and she'd just

eat me up with her eyes.

Give yourself a break, man.

Because...

she's bound to compare, isn't she?

When she comes home in the evening,

and the fact is, she's there at your side,

and she's happier than she's ever been before.

Are you listening to me?

What do you think, though?

I say that as long as she comes home every evening,

that's... that's just fine.

That's... fine, that's fine.

Yeah, yeah?

All right, I'm not surprised you'd say that,

and I don't even hold that against you, no.

I think until you've lived through something like this,

yeah, you probably do feel really sheltered, don't you?

Yeah, right.

And then when it actually happens,

you're not even surprised, are you?

Right.

Right?

So you're saying,

if we stay...

it's because we can't face it, right?

Oh fine, I've got to get out of here.

I've a fucking bed to chase.

Was your wife seeing a total cunt or what?

You said that you never said a word.

Hearing you talk about it, you're so worked up

it sounds more like you're the one

that got dumped, right?

Yeah?

Marriage, Jay.

It's a wonderful thing.

It's a war, it's a battle, it's a terrible journey,

but it's a reason for living.

I thought you were saying you couldn't play very well.

Ah, don't listen to him. It's not true.

Jay's not a bad player.

You'll bounce back, I'm sure of that.

I've bounced back a bit already.

- I've got no worry on that. - I've bounced back, Andy.

I thought I told you about this woman I'm seeing

once a week on Wednesday,

when we fuck?

I suppose it's better than nothing.

She loves it though; she's a really good fuck, too.

You're probably the sort that doesn't bother

with that side of things,

but for me it really counts.

Oh yeah.

What day did you say you saw her?

Wednesday.

Wednesday.

That's a really good day for me, Wednesdays, yeah.

Yeah, I do really good business Wednesdays.

But then again, on a Saturday, God, fuck,

I feel like hanging myself.

What makes you think I'm not interested

in a good fuck?

Because I don't mention it?

She's got a husband, you say?

I didn't say.

I don't know, actually.

That's a good question.

Fancy another game?

Uh...

There's no performance tonight, it's just the two of us.

There's no performance?

No, actually I was just passing through.

You know.

Is your wife in anything else on here?

Oh no, come off it.

No, tonight, she's out giving her

fuckin' poxy fuckin' drama lessons

out in the fuckin' sticks.

Victor!

Didn't you say you wanted me

to help you with something today?

What?

Oh yeah, yeah.

I was wondering if you would come

to my insurance company with me.

But, oh, you know, we can just stay in.

Where are you going?

I got to go, I got things to do, you know.

But it's only two o'clock.

Yeah, well I'm not going to sit around all day like a pillock.

It's not two, it's ten to.

And if you're staying and the bell goes,

you don't answer it.

It won't go, but don't answer it anyway.

But this thing of yours, I mean,

we could both do it.

Okay?

♪

You were leaving.

Yeah.

You didn't drop by last Wednesday, did you?

- I wasn't there. - Oh good.

I cou--I couldn't.

We hadn't agreed, had we?

Yeah.

No--no, I know.

Yeah.

Let's go.

Shall we go?

What?

No, not like this.

The condom.

- Gideon! - I've got it.

- Dave. - Jason!

I'm here. Let's go.

- What happened to you? - I'm here now, let's go,

I made it.

- What're you doing? - I want to put my hands there.

No!

Like that, there.

That's not touching.

She won't let me touch her,

but I'm the one that's supposed to.

That's not touching.

It's fumbling.

- Just carry on, carry on. - How can I carry on a love scene

- if she doesn't want to love me? - We couldn't get here

any earlier, they were delivering our sofa bed.

Oh, and you've been trying it out, have you?

Just concentrate on the scene.

Carry on.

Hello, everyone.

Hello.

Oh, Gideon, hello, how are you?

- I hear your cold's better. - You all right, love?

You mustn't go.

Can I kiss you?

Yes.

My little Betty.

Oh... Why'd you call me little?

- And I'm not Betty. - Oh, my little Betty.

Look into my eyes.

I can see little gold spots in your eyes.

Kiss me, give me a kiss.

You give me a kiss.

I don't know why I bother.

I have no idea.

Here we've got Betty as stiff as a board,

she has never touched anyone in her life.

And Dave is arrogant as ever.

You're ridiculous!

I didn't believe a word of it.

- That's not a love scene. - Okay. That will do.

They've known each other for ages, see?

I'd imagine there'd already been contact.

You know what I mean?

No, no, no.

This is the first time he's touched her.

He's all fingers and thumbs.

He's bound to be.

- You've picked a bad day. - It's okay.

They're great!

Maybe I don't have to do it this way.

but I am so into this that I get the feeling

I'm all on my Tod.

Sometimes when you're so caught up in

what you're going through,

you don't even clock the other person there.

Maybe.

You understand me?

Carry on.

Carry on.

I need to speak to you, Betty.

Not here, alone, not here.

Will you come with me?

I want to speak to you, too.

I want to kiss you, such long kisses...

such tender kisses.

Where?

Your lips...

your body.

I mean, where do you want me to come to?

To my home.

Come to my home.

When?

Okay.

Stop it there.

Call it a day.

If it's not working, it's not working.

Next couple.

But last week, when we did it in improvisation...

well, you said that it was good.

I was all ready to fuck her just then!

Right then, I loved her!

- I know one thing... - No, you know nothing!

You know nothing!

The thing I know is that what you're supposed to be doing

is to make Betty gather up all her things,

find an excuse to go out and cross the whole of London

to come and see you!

And wasn't I doing that?

Who said it was so far away?

No one did!

But it is.

It has to be.

I'm so glad, I really am.

You know, I was thinking of giving up.

I really was, I was really down on acting,

and you're not going to make any money and all that,

but seeing that, two ordinary people,

I mean, they were just brilliant, weren't they?

It was fantastic, it's really renewed my--

I've forgotten something.

I have to go back.

You go on.

♪

Are you all right?

♪

I'm so...

it's just, I'm...

I've just lost someone.

Someone close?

Was it sudden?

I'm sorry.

♪

Oh, yes.

My little finger bends to one side,

both of them.

It's like each hand has a mind of its own,

by the look of it.

But you know, after all, if you'd asked me,

I would have said you were a real shit

to Dave and me just now.

But don't be sorry,

someone torments me like that,

it's the final straw.

But well, you know, Claire,

the thing I admire about you

is that in no time at all,

you can get on the wrong side of the whole group.

I'm proud of you when you do that,

it's not easy to be horrid.

Don't talk to me, Betty.

No one understands a thing when you talk.

Okay.

But you're in the right job.

And I know, because I have taken other acting classes,

and this one...

Look, the two of us can't be here like this,

with me not understanding a word you're saying,

- do you understand? - Okay.

Excuse me.

I'm bothering you.

You're not learning anything, Betty.

Still, neither am I.

We're not the sort to give up easily, right?

Look!

I can be a real shit,

but you come back.

I'm useless, but I keep meeting people

who think I'd be "perfect" for the part,

yet who say no.

When you're not gifted, you see, that's all you've got.

You keep at it.

You don't let anyone down.

You do your Tuesdays, your Wednesdays,

You just dabble with this and that.

You just dabble with us.

No, I mean with myself.

♪

Come on, Vic.

What the fuck are you doing here?

Where'd you spring from?

So you're getting bored, is that it?

Oh, I didn't come to find you.

Only came for the atmosphere.

Jesus, you make me ashamed!

It sounded so great on the phone when they rang.

Oh, I got to hand it to you, Victor, you're choosing

better places to die in every day.

It's three o'clock in the bloody morning,

I'm doing my own thing. So, fuck you, Jay!

Get him out, for fuck's sake, he tried to beat me up.

You'll catch your death of cold.

Me? No, I never get sick.

Even beer doesn't keep me drunk these days.

"Just go home," that wanker said to me.

Been expecting you.

What have I ever done to you him?

Why does he talk to me like that?

Can't you see they're all taking the piss?

With your sagging trousers and your ass hanging out.

Why don't you take a bloody look at yourself?

Fuck it.

♪

When Jay's given up on you, he doesn't even tell you.

He just carries on smiling, with his mind on something else

as he walks away.

He's a real phony, he is, our Jay.

You can exploit people, you can be ungrateful,

and at least you can live with it, you know,

you can...

Look, I can't figure it out,

you two think you're talkin' about.

I mean, what do you know about life?

Have you ever lived with anyone?

My life is fine, back off!

Merde, my shirt.

Merde.

♪

Jay...

Jay keeps schtum about everything.

He doesn't even say who he's fucking.

You're always complaining, but Jay's worse off than you.

'Cause you, in fact, you do all kinds of things,

and you get it out of your system.

Jay makes himself ill.

Perhaps he doesn't know how to love.

Maybe it never got to him.

It doesn't to everyone.

Why do you say that?

Little cunt!

♪

Fuck you both.

♪

You know, Vic, I swear, I think I've got Alzheimer's.

I'm not kidding.

I think I've got--

feel this, feel this right there.

What is that?

Hey, hey, hey, look, look, the one on the left,

giving you the eye.

I mean, that's gotta be better than fuckin' your landlady.

I knew the singer in college, we were friends.

He was a really nice guy, you know, really clever.

I think his band was really good too.

They were never gonna go very far,

but I think that there was definitely something there,

you know, a basis.

They just have to get rid of that stupid guitarist,

he was so mouthy, you know, always just like, uh, uh, uh...

And such a massive ego.

But they kicked him out,

and after that he became a drummer.

Funny that you should know them.

So this is your place, then?

Yeah, we used to live three streets from here

with a friend, but we fell out.

Find it real hard, you know, because at the same time

we were absolute best friends.

Tasha, you saw her earlier.

I like her, but it's not the same.

Don't you think it takes time to get to know people?

I mean, really know them.

Perhaps you and I will be really good friends too,

I don't know.

And, you see, I really like it here.

This is my place that I decorated, you know.

I put it together myself,

and when people see it, they know something about me.

They see the walls, they see what I have here,

they see my things,

and they see a bit of me, you know--

Yeah.

♪

♪

Come on.

- What? - Come here.

- What? - Come here!

Stay here with me and dance.

Come on. Come on.

No, no, come on.

I'm sorry.

I'm... so sorry.

Excuse me!

It's locked.

You really are an old fart.

What's inside the chicken, boys?

Have some more chicken.

Don't you like the skin?

No, thank you.

- Who gets to pull the wishbone? - Me.

You're sure you don't want anything?

Oh, no.

It's just a while since I've seen you boys, right?

Yup.

Fine.

Um... I've brought these back for you.

I mean, it's Wednesday, right?

- Is she pretty? - Hm?

Who is she?

It's no one you'd know.

So what are you gonna do?

Look after myself.

That's what I'm going to do.

After all, someone has to.

Okay, boys.

Say bye-bye.

Bye.

- I beat him! - Bye!

Here you go.

Everything okay?

You?

Yeah.

Come on!

You all right there, Jay?

I'll give you a game later, if you like.

Yeah, yeah.

Enjoy the second half.

It's much funnier than the first half, I'd say, yeah.

It's a bit shorter as well, so you got more time

to have a drink afterwards.

- Hello, Jay! - Hi, Andy.

How nice to see you, becoming a bit of a regular,

- aren't you? - Yeah.

Well, enjoy the second half, it's good.

I should finish this fag outside.

I'll be right back, excuse me.

You just can't take that second half, can you?

Enjoy it.

♪

♪

I think it stopped raining.

Where does that music come from?

From Paradise Dance Hall across the alley.

How 'bout we cut a rug a little, Miss Wingfield?

Or is your program filled up?

Let me have a look at it.

Every dance is taken.

I'll just have to scratch some out.

A waltz!

I can't dance.

That inferiority stuff.

- Come on, just try. - I'd step on you.

Hold up your arms a little.

- Like this? - Leave it to me.

There you go.

Let yourself go now, Laura, just let yourself go.

Come on, come on.

Hey, that's lots better.

- Am I? - Much better!

Oh my goodness!

- What did we hit? - A table.

- Did something fall off it? - Yeah.

I hope it wasn't the little glass horse with the horn.

- Yeah. - Oh.

- Is it broken? - Now it's just like

all the other horses.

- It's lost its... - Horn.

It doesn't matter.

Maybe it's a blessing in disguise.

He'll never forgive me, I bet that was

his favorite piece of glass.

Excuse me, excuse me.

Come on.

Two hands are better than one.

Besides, I want you to meet my wife.

Come on.

Come on, come on.

Jay, look.

This is Claire, my wife.

- Hello, Jay. - A great actress, as you know.

- Oh, back again, are you, Andy? - Jay's a real theater buff.

Even though he's hardly seen anything.

How do you mean, hardly seen anything?

He always leaves during the interval.

Always?

You don't look like an agent.

You called in to see if we're all right, is that it?

Shame, all my best scenes are in the second half.

Jay's...

he's a big, big Tennessee Williams fan.

Personally, I wouldn't go that far myself.

All the women in them, they always seem so hysterical,

don't they?

Jay's that bloke I was telling you about, um.

He's left his wife.

He hates her now.

I'm sure I mentioned to you.

He sees this woman, sees this woman once a week.

And not only sees her, if I understand right.

Okay, I'm going up...

Goodnight, everyone.

- Bye, Claire. - Goodnight, love.

- Andy. - Oh yeah, shoes.

Bless you.

All right, I'll see you in a minute.

Back in a sec.

I haven't finished dressing.

I'll be there straight away.

See you there.

Nice meeting you.

Stay for a drink?

Want me to shut this?

I mean, at one point, the fact that you never said anything,

I wondered.

A woman who keeps her trap shut so much.

All those things I was hiding--

scary, isn't it?

Look, you know what? It's fucking reassuring.

Very reassuring.

Vows, fidelity, support, faithfulness,

the whole works.

Why should you miss out on all that?

You'd have been the first woman who ever had.

That's not why I'm here, though.

that's not why I'm here, you know.

At one point, just to make it very clear

where I'm coming from.

At one point, I thought that if what we did together

was all that you wanted,

it was because you knew more than me.

I thought you'd found something.

I thought you were ahead of me

and that in the end you would tell me what you knew.

That was the really great thing,

that at some fucking point in the future,

you would tell me what you knew.

But of course, you just keep your gob shut.

What the fuck are you doing with him?

He's my husband.

Excuse me, excuse me.

You wanted to talk?

Well then, here we are.

- Talking. - That's on the house.

So then, you're an unhappy bloke

who's managed to bounce back.

Is that it?

Well, if it's good, what can I say?

It's good, actually.

See you at least one last time.

Otherwise I might have ended up worrying,

like some stupid cow.

Hey.

Back there for a minute,

you looked really sad.

But think of everything that's yours,

everything that you're going back to--

your family, and your kid, and your husband that loves you so,

and a job in the theater that you so love.

Everybody listens to you, don't they?

Everybody listens to you.

Even me, I don't even know you,

you don't even know me,

and here I am listening to you, interested in you.

In some fucking half-assed little theater

that stinks of piss.

Jesus Christ.

It's all your game, isn't it?

I didn't picture you like this.

You didn't picture me like this?

What a fucking game you are.

That first day, you must have been really surprised.

I thought everything that I should want you to--

I didn't seem to make a big deal out of it.

That... that it didn't seem to hurt me that much,

you not saying anything.

I didn't give your not saying anything

a second thought.

You didn't picture me like this?

You didn't picture me like this?

I didn't picture you at all.

Right?

It's much simpler for me,

and now everything's settled in one go.

Well, that's fine.

I like it when things are over and done.

- No time wasted. - Hi, Jay.

- Hi. - I'll be back in a second.

Mom was good tonight, wasn't she?

Yeah.

But she's always good, isn't she?

No, it's Dad.

He says she's "uneven."

But he can't talk, since he only goes

to the first few nights.

So he can't really compare.

I like seeing the play lots of times,

because I don't always understand everything

the first time.

Do you have a girlfriend?

Like, a girl you like a lot at school?

How are things going between the two of you?

Well...

Come on, we're off now.

Come on.

Say goodbye.

What about Thursday?

Are you here Thursday?

When you're in mourning, you know,

all the more reason, I think, to carry on as usual.

That's the only way of handling it.

But then again,

can't you say to the bloke who runs the evening classes,

someone's died, after all!

You know, Betty, actually, no one has died,

actually died.

Well, if no one has died, that must mean it's you.

But if you feel like you're going to die,

I'd rather be with you, no question.

In fact, I'm flattered to be here.

When I died, there was no one there.

I had to go through the whole thing on my own.

Okay, I did it.

But a bit of company won't hurt.

Perhaps I should be getting back.

So, in principle, if you're serious,

you have a program the day you die.

Yes.

Having a laugh with dickheads.

We did that last night.

Then comes going to tell someone something

something you're dead set on, for good or bad,

something you'd never have said.

'Cause on the day you die,

you have total freedom of speech,

in principle.

I met a man,

not like me, I don't know how to use my energy,

but he does, he's really determined.

And then one day, he found out how to turn it against me.

And just like that, he took back everything he had given me.

That's what he wanted, I think, to screw everything up.

And it worked.

Between the two of us, it worked.

Oh, yeah.

What was it, the day you died?

It's in the past.

It's behind me now.

There's no more to say about it.

Thank God.

Claire says she wants to give up the acting class.

I'm all upset.

She's just a bit tired, that's all.

She gives too much of herself, you see.

I'm always telling her.

It's like these classes she gives.

They're always out in places

where the train takes longer to get to

than the time she spends doing the classes.

That's a bit confusing, but you know what I mean.

There you go.

There's nothing you can do about it.

Claire's like that.

It's like when she decided to have a go at acting.

The age she was, she's no spring chicken.

And she'd never really done it before, but...

there you go.

Straight for it, didn't you, eh?

And when we met, you see,

well, I was-- no thanks--

I was just getting over a relationship

that had been pretty painful, actually.

I was in no rush to go into another one straight away.

Well, I hadn't planned to, but she saw me.

You chose me.

Bang! You made a beeline straight for old Andy.

Didn't you?

Very strong people

can do totally incomprehensible things.

Right?

Oh, yeah.

I'll go shake a leg.

I'm glad you came.

I'll be off, then.

We'll drop you off.

- Okay? - Okay.

♪

This is it.

Okay.

♪

Well, thanks.

See you Tuesday.

♪

Betty's nice, isn't she?

Yeah.

I'm very fond of her now.

I'm not going to leave, or anything.

There.

Claire's telling Andy she's going to stay with him.

Fine.

I wasn't worried.

So, did you find Jay, or did he come looking for you?

I don't give a shit about all that!

Do you know what the saddest thing is?

You know what hurts the most, you know what it is?

You'll never be an actress!

Never!

And it isn't easy for me to say that.

It isn't fun! But there it is, it's the truth,

and you've got to fucking face it!

I really wonder what good you do your students.

You know, I wonder.

But they seem to like you.

All the same, that's something,

for the want of anything better.

I've got a share,

my part of responsibility in this, haven't I?

I mean, because I never really believed in it

from the fucking start, not one minute!

No, but I jumped in, both feet first, like a fucking idiot.

Keeping up your fantasies,

the little girl who doesn't know what she'll do

and ends up doing just about anything,

like a stupid prat driving a cab around

day in, day out.

As for that fucking moron,

you know, who thinks he's so smart,

- one of these days... - There's a fare for you there.

You know what?

I'm not even surprised.

You remember that look on your face when we first met?

I can see that same torment on your face now.

Suits you right!

You are the least alive person I know.

My being with Jay is in fact a great opportunity for you,

right?

A pathetic little piece of adultery.

Of course you have to be against something like that.

Who wouldn't be?

Oh, it's okay.

Andy's interested in sod all,

but he knows London like the back of his hand.

You don't even know who I am!

You don't even know how to hurt me.

If you knew me a little, you'd know that

what you call my lack of talent,

sure, it makes me suffer, but it won't kill me!

You don't usually look this pissed off

so early in the week.

Joel.

Joel!

Same again, please.

You know, if you were doing your job properly,

you wouldn't have time to notice how I look.

♪

Great place.

Great place.

♪

Gimme a beer.

♪

Actually, it's like seeing a whore, right?

Seeing this woman one day a week,

not speaking, yeah.

Except she found a way of telling you

she was married, didn't she?

She's very careful like that.

Just so you didn't get carried away.

♪

I'll bet she's done it before though, yeah.

No way you're the first, no, no way...

I stopped.

I don't see her anymore.

♪

I was about to suggest we share her,

but it sounds like there's nothing left to share, right?

One day a week, that wouldn't fuck up my marriage, would it?

Just kidding, I'm just kidding you.

♪

I love her more and more as time passes.

Just wanted you to know that.

♪

♪

Ian, have you got any black bags?

Yeah. I'll bring them down.

♪

Now that's me, I'm going to head off now, okay?

Oh, oh... oh yeah, okay. Cheers.

Cheers, victor.

♪

♪

Okay, I'm going now.

I'll just get my jacket from downstairs.

♪

♪

I thought that perhaps you'd said something

at one point that I didn't hear,

and that's what you're holding against me.

Listen, I don't understand the first thing about you.

How can I hold anything against you?

Did I miss something?

What did I miss?

Well then, ask me something.

Anything you like. Go on.

All right, I'll ask you something.

Why did you tell Andy?

Since it wasn't all that important, anyway?

It wasn't worth it, was it?

All that fuss for nothing.

Still, I don't know.

Maybe that's how it works between you two.

You tell him each time, and then that's it.

I mean, for Chri--

you weren't like someone you ask to drop by

who comes by and fucks and goes,

and just for the thrill of it.

What was I meant to feel?

What was I supposed to be like?

Who should I have been

to keep everyone satisfied,

just to come and see a man and bury myself in his arms

because I wanted to?

It'd been a long time since I wanted someone.

And it was with you I wanted to start again.

Not supposed to say that usually, are you?

I know you've given me something that I never asked for,

and that no one does that, ever,

and that I should be grateful.

And yet, somehow, all I seem to do

is to hold it against you.

And I know.

That you should be so close to someone

tears me apart.

Your being close tears me apart.

So.

I'm a divorced man.

I have two children

who are getting used to me not being around.

I'm friends with a certain number of people.

I suppose I'm their best friend.

That's something.

And also I'm this "Wednesday" man

to a woman

that I've never asked anything of,

and she's happy with that, that's no problem to her.

But it really fucks me up.

Everything.

I don't know what I'm doing here.

Sorry.

You missed nothing, Claire.

You missed nothing

because I said nothing.

I didn't know it would be like this.

I didn't know that I would become

so closely tied to you.

I thought it would just blow over.

I...

Stay with me.

If you've come back, stay.

Come back.

Stay.

Now.

Stay now.

No, Jay.

Have you left him?

No.

Sorry, but I have to be off now.

Are you dumping this?

Sorry.

I'll come back and finish off later.

I'm going.

♪

♪ Well, we're living

in a safety zone ♪

♪

♪ Don't be holding back from me ♪

♪ We're living

from hour to hour down here ♪

♪ And we'll take it

when we can ♪

♪

♪ There is no hell ♪

♪

♪ There is no shame ♪

♪

♪ There is no hell like an old hell ♪

♪ There is no hell ♪

♪

♪ And it's lights up, boys ♪

♪

♪ Lights up, boys ♪

♪

♪ And the silence flies on its brief flight ♪

♪ A razor sharp crap shoot affair ♪

♪ And we light up our lives ♪

♪

♪ And there's no more of me exploding you ♪

♪

♪ Re-exposing you ♪

♪

♪ Like everybody do ♪

♪

♪ Re-exposing you ♪

♪

♪ I don't know what to use ♪

♪ Make somebody move ♪

♪ Me exploding, me exploding you ♪♪

♪