The scripts Ageism, Disability, and Sexual Orientation are the newest, commissioned for DEW in 2009. The remaining 13 scripts are from the previous EIWP project, with the titles and straplines of the DEW project. The scripts were written by Adam Duncan, commissioned by Language Training London on behalf of the DEW Project. DEW Project 2010 AGEISM
I don’t know what she’s talking about!
MELIK Maybe we don’t need so much safety
MELIK We can save time and stay on target.
MELIK We can’t be pushed around by Gunter
ALAN Look, these are difficult times. Gunter
will be the first to complain if we have to start
laying people off. Let’s start implementing this
THEA Well, we can’t agree with him on this
ALAN I know, but sometimes management is
about making tough decisions. Thanks, Mali.
THEA And if this goes wrong who takes the
MELIK It’s not good to argue with the boss.
ALAN Mali, Nice to see you. Sit down. Sit
MELIK It doesn’t matter. He’s the boss.
THEA Look. We’re supposed to be working as
THEA Well, It's risky, isn’t it. You can't change
MELIK It’s not a team. They tel you it’s a team
to make you work harder. Back home we don’t
ALAN I'm just speeding up the training. Look,
do things this way and it still gets the job done.
The best way is to not argue, otherwise you’re
going to end up with the short straw or no
THEA We could cut two percent off the targets
ALAN Do you want to explain that to the board
MELIK Thee, you disagree with him if you
THEA Well, it's better than compromising
health and safety, surely. What if there's an
I just don’t believe it. It just seems ,wel , so
two-faced. I thought We were on the same
side. Maybe it’s a cultural thing. Maybe they
THEA Yeah, because of the safety training.
just do things differently in Iran or Turkey,
ALAN Legally, we are still in compliance.
down. I told him to look at me but he just couldn't look me in the eye.
AL-ABIDINE Hassan has the utmost respect
SCHENCK Hessian Khan. No fixed abode. No
for you. In his culture it would be insubordinate
to look a man of authority like you in the eye.
AL-ABIDINE Brought in on suspicion of. . . ?
AL-ABIDINE Also where he comes from it can
be very dangerous to look the police in the
SCHENCK That is what we're going to find
eye. He travelled across half a continent to get
to the Mediterranean coast. There he and four
hundred others were rounded up and thrown
AL-ABIDINE Hassan. Let me see your legs.
SCHENCK He's shifty, this one. I saw him at
the back of the High School, hanging out
there. He looked as if he was waiting for
mistreated by the authorities. These are
cigarette burns. Two months later he was
dumped in the desert by the local police. No
food. No water. He was left to die. Fortunately
AL-ABIDINE Hassan, I want you to look at
Fake. Street value ten euros. I can't believe
AL-ABIDINE You can't charge him for that.
SCHENCK No, drugs. He’s hiding something.
AL-ABIDINE Tell the officer what you were
SCHENCK I'm damn sure of it. Shiftiest damn
Wouldn't look at me. His head kept hanging
MARY Ivanka, I need to lock the door and go
IVANKA You’re so serious.! Life is to enjoy. In
my country people know how to enjoy life. We
like to dance. Here people don't know how to
IVANKA Oh, this food! In my country we have
enjoy the life. We love to dance. We love to
the best food. Not only the best food, we have the best wine. You taste the wine. It is the
best. Here I go to market to buy vegetable and
MARY Ivanka, if you wouldn't mind just …
MARY Ivanka, I need to lock the door now.
MARY … cleaning the floor, just quickly.
MARY No. I‘m going to miss my train.
IVANKA So you don’t want me to clean the
MARY If you wouldn't mind, just a quick once
MARY (relieved) Thank you. Then I can lock
IVANKA I need ten euro till tomorrow. You
IVANKA I get the brush. I clean the floor.
nothing. In this country, ten euro buys bus
tickets, in my country I can eat like a princess.
back to her stupid country if it is so good?
IVANKA The food is no good. The weather is
IVANKA You my friend. You good lady. Don't
IVANKA These men are no good. They are no
real men. In my country we have men who are
men. Here, they’re not proper men, they like
MS TATE Well, you’d be responsible for
managing staff so it’s probably not appropriate
SEEMA I could do my job perfectly wel …
MS TATE There is quite a considerable salary
SEEMA It’s not a matter of money, Ms Tate.
Ms. TATE Hi, Seema. Take a seat. How are
MS TATE A young woman with your qualities
could go far in a company like this. Eighty-five
percent of senior managers are male. Now
things have to change round here. We need
MS TATE Well, so is your career. If you ‘re to
make the most of your talents, you need to
SEEMA I don't need to take off my hijab to do
MS. TATE There’s an opening for a finance
MS. TATE Of course. I‘ve been fighting for
women's equality in the work-place since you
MS TATE I’d like to see you get the post.
SEEMA But you are telling me that I should
MS. TATE As a woman I respect your right to
MS TATE It would be good to have a woman –
certainly a woman of your calibre in charge of
SEEMA It’s not a matter of choice, Ms Tate.
MS. TATE (TO CAMERA) As I see it, it’s a
faith run by men for the benefit of men.
hijab. It keeps me protected. Why can't they
adapt to my appearance? I don't need to show
MS TATE As a book-keeper the hijab hasn’t
been a big problem but if you were to become
a finance officer, you’d have to consider changing your appearance.
CHIDIMMA Ms Hagan doesn't know how to teach. Most of the time the children are
CAITLIN I'm sure they're educational games.
mathematics curriculum. I know how to teach
mathematics. I won the National Mathematics
CAITLIN I'm sure you're very good at maths,
Chidimma. Look, we really value your hard
work and your contribution but you need to
country might not be what’s best for our
children. You see, this is a child centred
CHIDIMMA Child centred ! The only proper
CHIDIMMA You can't separate academic work
CAITLIN Chidimma, I really think that you to
CAITLIN I've just been talking to Ms Hagan.
need get to know the staff better A lot of us
are going for an Indian meal tomorrow night.
It's a chance for colleagues to get know one
CAITLIN (very firm) It would be nice if you
CAITLIN She's not finding it easy to work with
CAITLIN You're there to support Ms Hagan.
Chidimma, I know it's not easy for you but if
She’s a qualified teacher and you're a
you just make a little bit of effort …
CAITLIN But not qualified to teach in this
RANI Has anyone been keeping an eye on her
RANI She hasn’t been eating. I can see she’s
REGISTRAR I’l make sure she gets put on a
RANI No. I don’t want you poisoning her
anymore. I’l bring her food in. I’ll prepare it
RANI (TO THE REGISTRAR) Surely, it is on
her record. She’s a Hindu. All her life my
mother has been a devout Hindu. Food for her
regulations about bringing in food for the
REGISTRAR We do our best to care for the
MRS. KANTI Please, don’t be so dramatic.
RANI You served her Irish stew with mashed
REGISTRAR We’ve been very short-staffed.
RANI Short-sighted, you mean. You serve her
meat and when she says she doesn’t eat meat
you scrape it off and give her plate back. Is
RANI And coriander chutney with apple and
REGISTRAR Some of the staff are new and.
It is terrible! It’s no way to treat a sick woman.
RANI I’m trying to talk to the registrar.
RANI (to Registrar) You see … she is looking
better already. So, no more Irish stew for my
with Irish stew? This isn't a hotel. We can't
have her bringing her mother samosas. What
happens if she's called into surgery? If I had
my way, everyone would eat exactly the same.
INGRID What are you talking about, Asif?
ASIF Jamila has two young boys. She cannot
INGRID Asif, that's not up to you. It's up to
ASIF Jamila would not be working here part
time if it were not for me. I cannot ask her to
abandon her children to work for you night and
INGRID The child care is perfectly adequate.
secondary school. And she's studying very
ASIF A good Muslim mother does not abandon
her children to child care. The mother is the
centre of the home. And the home is sacred.
INGRID I’m very pleased to hear it. What can I
INGRID It’s up to Jamila to make her decisions.
responsibility. She is a very capable woman.
ASIF No, Ms. Hellman. Children need their
mother. Her children need her at home. Not
opportunities? I can't refuse Jamila promotion
ASIF Oh, there’s nothing wrong with her.
because she’s a mother. It’s against the law.
INGRID And she’s patient with the clients.
ASIF (TO CAMERA) I will talk to Jamila's
ASIF But you must not offer her promotion.
husband. He's a sensible man. He would not
INGRID I've offered her a full time job, if that's
overstepped the mark. How dare he! I can't let
him impose his sexist views on my staff.
INGRID But I've no doubt Jamila will make a
Jamila. it’s Ms Hellmann. When you’ve
ASIF No. Not Jamila. Sorry, I cannot allow it.
Can you imagine putting your nose or your face to the ground where there may be some
dog poo? And when Muslims pray, they pray
in a room which doesn’t have any statues or
The administrator of A LARGE HOSPITAL. is
ADMINISTRATOR It’s unacceptable of you to
RASHID ENTERS. Rashid is siTting, waiting
members of staff. We simply don’t have the
for the administrator to finish a phone call.
RASHID This is such a large hospital. All we
Could I have them by tomorrow? I need them
are looking for is a small room. This would
by nine-thirty tomorrow. You can do that?
Thank you so much. OK. I’ll speak to you later.
help the hospital’s reputation, to say that the hospital is going out of its way to look after
those people who work for the hospital and
those who come and visit the hospital and we
Rashid. Thank you very much for coming in.
I’m sorry. I’m very, very busy at the moment.
but we don’t have the resources. I mean, there
is a mosque in the city. You are aware of that,
RASHID Do you know that the mosque is ten
kilometres away? If you are going to ask every
Muslim who’s going to pray to go to the
RASHID Yes, I realise I can see you’re very,
mosque when they need to pray, the hospital’s
very busy. But have you given any thought to
my request for a prayer room for the Muslim
doctors and clerical staff and the visitors who
they need to pray’? They can pray on their
that much more consideration. And we spoke
RASHID Muslims pray five times a day. And it cannot be done. There are certain times when
about it at the last meeting and we think we
they need to pray. You can’t ask them to pray
might have come up with a solution, actually.
at different times. More than that, other
hospitals are doing this and we haven’t done
ADMINISTRATOR I’ve taken your points on
board and I totally understand what you’re
saying. Can you leave it with me and I’l
discuss it once again at the next meeting and
I’m sure we can come to some resolution on
ADMINISTRATOR Well, we thought we could use the hospital chapel but providing, of
course, the Muslim members of staff don’t use
RASHID Do you know that the Muslims pray
board what he’s saying and I do actual y
understand him a lot more but my boss won’t
on their hands and face, which touch the
be as understanding as I am/ He just won’t be
ground? It is completely unacceptable for the Muslims to be allowed to pray there when
people could easily walk in the dog poo.
JAY (ON THE PHONE) Hello, Mrs Snow! Yes.
This is Jay, calling from KR Research. Carol
Snow, can I call you Carol? Ok. I just wanted
JAY No, no, that’s not me. There’s been a
to ask you a few questions concerning your…
JAY Yeah of course. I’ve got nothing against
you last night? You missed a classic. So we
go into the King and Queens, yeah, and we
start with a couple and then go to this other
place on the corner of Market Street. You ever
warning this time. Things that you may think
been there? Well, no. Ok, so we go in, I go up
to bar, I’m about to get a couple of drinks,
feeling good about myself, and then I noticed
there’s no women. It’s just fellas. Not fellas like
you and me fellas. No, no, no, they’re all of a
We’ve walked into a poofter’s bar. Ah, there’s
all these old queens everywhere. Two good
looking guys going right into their den. Ah,
You should have seen the look on Terry’s
face. It was classic. So we run out of there as
fast as we can – backs to the wall, know what
JAY I bet it was Carl. He’s the only one who
could be gay because he’s always going on
SUSAN Look, it doesn’t matter who it was, you
don’t have to be gay to find it offensive.
SUSAN Er, Susan. Jay, could you come into
JAY And he always orders a white wine when
Thirty two hits and counting. Oh yeah! So I
think this is going to be it; paid holiday, bonus,
JAY That’s not normal, is it? What, and now
promotion, I don’t know, something to keep
he’s come whinging to you because I’ve hurt
their top player happy, know what I mean?
his feelings. Why can’t he talk to me face to
JAY See, told you I could do it. Thirty-two hits.
SUSAN Jay, I’m going to give you a written
No one’s going to beat that are they? Not
homophobic comments you will be dismissed.
SUSAN Jay, do you realise that everyone has
the right to work here without harassment,
SUSAN Whether it was intentional or not, it’s
SUSAN It’s not just company policy, it’s the
JAY (TO CAMERA) So they’re saying I’m
homophobic now, you know, because of that
stuff I said about the gay bar. I mean I
wouldn’t have said it if I knew anyone was
listening. But, you know, who wants to go into
a gay bar? Apart from gays, obviously. Now
she’s threatening me with the sack. But, you
know, I mean she can’t do that, can she?
SUSAN I’ve heard that you’ve been making
DOCTOR … we’ll remove the bladder with the
gall stones inside. The gall bladder is a sac
make an appointment for you to come back in
liver that helps your body digest fat. When you
eat a fatty meal, the gall bladder contracts,
squeezing the bile into the intestines. Now the
gall bladder itself doesn't actually make the
bile, and the bile can get into the intestine
without the gall bladder being there, so we find
We’l remove the gal stone that’s been causing
that most people function perfectly well
MRS. PATEL Yes. No, it’s a big problem for
DOCTOR Don’t worry. I’ll need you to sign a
MRS. PATEL I’m sorry, I’m not understanding.
consent form before we perform the operation,
so I’ll make sure there’s an interpreter here
when you come back for your appointment.
MRS. PATEL My son. He understands. I come
MRS. PATEL Yes. My son. Very clever boy.
operation. What we do is make four cuts in
MRS. PATEL Yes. My son, very clever boy. I
DOCTOR (TO CAMERA) It is totally unethical
for a fourteen year old boy to try and explain
this procedure to … . I’m sorry, I haven’t had a
gallstones inside. The gall bladder is a sac
break in eight hours. I’ve got thirteen more
patients to see. It’s such a simple procedure.
I don’t understand anything. I just don’t know.
A FEW MOMENTS LATER LILI IS IN TEARS. MAGDELENA, AnOTHER COLLEAGUE,
MAGDELENA Lili. What’s the matter? Why
LILI So sorry. I thought I was a very good
speaker but when he starts screaming at me, I
LILI I don’t want to lose my job. You know it’s
ADAM I have made five payments in the last
LILI I mean, I have advanced certificate. I went
to college for three years and now, just so
months before my circumstances changed. Do
you understand what I’m saying? I'm entitled
LILI No, not like me. You talk very good.
LILI Well, it says here we last received a
country, I didn’t. I got upset with the clients al
ADAM I've explained this twice already. It
the time. But then I realised, you see, I never
speak the language. I always speak Italian
with my boyfriend, Italian with my friends. I go
to the Italian restaurant. I need to mix more
with the people, you understand and … Lili,
why don't you come to my friend’s home for
language there. I have to go back to work,
ADAM Oh, I'm not going through this again.
Get the manager out here. Or does he only
holiday last year I saw this lovely frame in
broken down into five categories, liquid waste,
antiques market. Just right size for Mark’s
dry waste services, forecourt services, jettying
photo. I asked the price. It was twice what I
expected. But I thought it would break the ice
MOHAMED Yes. Indeed. Don't worry, I'll have
atmosphere in the office. So I bought the silver
frame and I had it engraved, ‘to Mark with best
wishes, from Mohamed and family'. When I
got back from holiday my wife wrapped it up
MARK Tomorrow! Everything has to be with
the client by five o'clock tonight. It’s a four
hundred thousand Euro contract! I need the
strange. He didn't want to accept the gift.
figures now. What’s taking you so long?
What was I supposed to do with a silver frame
that was engraved with Mark's name on it?
be pleased but. He took the family photo off
the wall and I never saw the silver frame
aren't looking very good. We're down for the
second month running. It's not just Mohamed's
He asked me again today, "How are those
MOHAMED Adil and Ahmed. My wife, Yasmin.
lovely boys of yours?" It's none of his
Mark used to have a picture of his family up on
business. First of all, Mohamed has to help me
the wall by his desk, the pin just missing his
meet my figures. That's his job. That's what
wife's head. A lovely looking family. But no
he's paid for. After the figures are met, then
difference to nobody. I’ve been standing here bitching with you for five.
LARS KUHLMAN I'm giving you an unofficial
ADANNAYA I don't want no unofficial warning.
ADANNAYA Is I off sick or lazing all day? No,
Me do my work and me do my work well. Ain't
LARS KUHLMAN You have to be here at eight
o’clock. Not around eight o'clock. But eight
ADANNAYA I don't want no unofficial warning,
nor no official warning neither. I want to be
I will make up the time. You'll no come up
getting on with my work. I don't need to be
again, I'll have to take disciplinary action.
ADANNAYA No need to be fussing about ten
minutes. I will make up the precious ten
minutes. You got no worries, Mister Kulman.
everyone will think it's OK to come late.
you is giving the unofficial warning to me?
at eight o'clock on the dot and it's the end of
ADANNAYA You are clowning with me, right?
ADANNAYA So what about licky-licky bimbo
LARS KUHLMAN Adannaya, I'm serious. It's
you forget that, Mr Kulman? Me never say I
important. I can't have my staff just rolling in
am on lunch break, you know. Remove them
boxes for licky-licky bimbo girl. You forget that,
LARS KUHLMAN You have to be here at eight
ADANNAYA All them times I work extra. The
builders them causing chaos and all that extra
cleaning. Did I say, "My time come. Me going
Adannaya. And I know Adannaya can't afford
to lose this job. Her husband ‘s not working.
LARS KUHLMAN Adannaya, please. All I want
Stupid girl! Why can't she just get here on time
ADANNAYA I'm walking out of here and I'm
If you want to work here, you’ve got to make
NILS I'm talking about becoming part of a
AHMED You saying I don't fit in cause of the
NILS It's nothing to do with colour. You're lazy.
NILS Look! How many times? It’s for your own
NILS If there's any lifting to do, you disappear.
safety! Jorgen says he asked you three times
AHMED Look. Them boys there, they don’t
like me. They say me steal all them girl and
AHMED He’s always asking me to do extra.
me take al them job. They don’t like an
Do this and do that. He not ask the others, you
immigrant boy like me, you know. Them hate
NILS The others do what needs to be done.
NILS If you can’t pul your weight, then you're
They don't have to be told. Jorgen says you
AHMED You can’t fire me because I am black.
AHMED What? Me smoking marijuana? I don’t
NILS No. It’s the same for everyone. I don’t
care about the colour of your skin. I just want
NILS They’re saying you’re lazy. Not fitting in.
NILS Look, we work together as a team and
some of the lads. I know Jorgen can stir things
we get the results. it’s about fitting in.
up a bit. Says things that don't help the
situation. Jorgen's the best foreman I‘ve ever
had. I can't go upsetting Jorgen or we'd never
of this candidate. Just finished her degree two
vacancy. Young and energetic. Ok. Advertise
it at our regular recruitment agency. They’ll
have someone that fits the bill perfectly.
TANYA Ok, but you do know that it’s company
vacancies in the local newspaper as well.
TREVOR Ah yeah, this should be interesting.
TREVOR If you must. I probably won’t hire
it’l be a complete waste of time, but go ahead.
TREVOR Look. Al I’m asking, Tanya, is for
TANYA I’m the human resources manager.
TANYA So Una, could you tell us something
TANYA I think this one is particularly good,
UNA I was head of contracts at a legal firm in
TANYA Very impressive. Trevor, do you have
TANYA No, but she’s qualified to do the job.
TREVOR She’s over qualified! Her CV starts
TREVOR I’m surprised someone with your
TANYA She has lots of valuable experience
TREVOR Well you‘ve had some pretty senior
positions. Don’t you think someone with your
experience should be looking for a job with
UNA Have you heard of the Kurawa River in
UNA If I didn’t want the job, I wouldn’t have
TREVOR We’re a very energetic team. We
Rather more exhilarating than…. where is it
results. It’s pretty lively in that office. Do you
TREVOR You’l also find most of our team are
rather keen on five-a-side football. Are you
UNA As you will see from my application, I
more defence or do you like to play upfront?
managed a large workload under stressful
UNA Well as long they’re not making policy
decisions on the pitch, it shouldn’t worry me.
TANYA Yes, your application was exceptional
TREVOR To be perfectly honest, Miss McCall,
I think you might find the… cultural differences
TANYA I wonder why. You know I wouldn't be
differences? Are you saying I’m too old for the
surprised if she took legal action about the
way you talked to her. Especially with her
TREVOR Really? It would our word against
coming up and the whole team’s going white-
water rafting. How do you feel about white-
TREVOR You’d better work out whose side
you’re on, Tanya. And don’t forget who pays
DAVID Ok. This will be your workstation, just
JENNY Actually, can I just take your arm,
LAUREN Retinitis pigmentosa. 15 per cent
DAVID Yeah. Sure. Sorry. Ok, just round here
and if you take a seat then I’ll show you how to
DAVID Lauren, look I don’t have time. We’ve
got the new rules and regs. I’ve got a heavier
workload… …look I don’t have time to… look
DAVID That’s right. If you type your password
Rolands for eight years before they closed.
She’s got great references, commitment
beyond the call of duty, loyalty, an asset to the
DAVID Ok, and press ‘enter’ and, as you can
see, that takes you through to our homepage.
provide what she needs, like the scanner,
she’ll be up to speed with everyone else.
Otherwise, I don’t see a problem here.
LAUREN Partially. How’s the team coping?
anyone like her before. And neither have I. So
I guess I’m just wondering why we hired
DAVID It’s fair to say most of them don’t know
somebody who isn’t suitable for the job.
LAUREN Right, well we’ve done the audit.
starting a new job takes a bit of time to get up
We’re stil waiting for the scanner and let’s get
DAVID Jenny, I just wanted to say sorry about
DAVID Jenny, could you go through these for
the coffee incident earlier. I’ve had a word with
JENNY To be honest with you I’m going to
DAVID Right. I suppose I could get someone
JENNY Well, that’s going to be a waste of
DAVID And now you’re got your scanner, so,
time. Once we get the scanner I’l be able to
JENNY Not at the moment, thank you. I do
DAVID Yeah, the scanner. I do need these
appreciate your help, though. I know it’s
done today so what I’m going to do, I’m going
difficult being a boss at times. But, well, you
to print them off bigger, ok? Be back in five.
DAVID Don’t worry I’ve got it. It’s fine.
LAUREN So they met all their targets, this
DAVID Yeah. It’s strange but they’ve started to
work together better as a team. I’d never have
LAUREN (ON THE PHONE) I’ll speak to you
thought it but it’s like the atmosphere in the
David! So how’s it all going? How’s Jenny
DAVID Well, we’re still waiting for the scanner
DAVID Doing real y well. She’s almost up to
so it’s difficult to know what to do with her,
speed. I was thinking we could get her some
real y. And she’s kind of slow. I mean,
obviously she’s not going to be up to the
speed of, well, I don’t want to say ‘normal’
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