Father Brown

Oedipus Rex...

WOMAN WAILS - Hamlet...

Woyzeck...

Ubu Roi...

WOMAN WAILS

Faust...

all tortured souls!

Why? - All rebelling against social conventions.

SHE WAILS Why?

Beaten down by the rules imposed by their masters.

WOMAN WAILS

Your masters! Time to rise up!

Aaargh!

Destruction equals freedom.

Destruction equals freedom!

Destruction equals freedom!

Release him! Release the inner chaos.

Destruction equals freedom!

Destruction equals freedom!

Destruction equals freedom!

I thought this was going to be a nice open-air theatre production.

Isn't it marvellous!

They're so unpredictable... dangerous.

I have no idea what is going on.

They're a performance troupe of anarchists.

They believe in change through destruction.

They believe in utter nonsense as far as I'm concerned.

Destruction equals freedom!

Destruction equals freedom!

I didn't know you were a supporter of the Arts, Inspector.

We're just here to keep the peace, Father.

Wherever this troupe of ruddy misfits tour, they incite violence.

Why on earth did you let them use your farm?

My wife's idea.

She's an old friend of the director's.

What... that nutcase?

They'll be gone by this evening.

Just passing through on their way to Birmingham.

Destruction equals freedom!

Destruction equals freedom!

Society is an illusion!

Ghosts of the mind!

All that matters...

is the individual!

Allow me, sir.

What is it with you and dead people?

Just in the wrong place...

At the right time.

Well, put your back into it!

It won't budge, sir. - Stand back...

Oh, Lionel...

TITAN SIGHS

One of your actors?

Yeah.

And the troupe's writer.

He said he wanted somewhere quiet to work.

Well, the window won't open, sir.

And the door was bolted from the inside.

Lionel often locked himself away when finishing a script.

He didn't like to be disturbed.

Do you recognise the gun?

I'll ask the questions, Padre.

You're a witness, not Dick Tracy.

It's Lionel's.

Why would a writer have a gun? - Protection.

Our plays have made us quite a few enemies. Mainly right-wing extremists...

Spare me the politics.

Looks like suicide.

All yours, Padre.

Your attention, please!

Nobody is to leave the premises until I say so.

Just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any worse.

I had a peep through the window.

Gruesome! Blood and brains splattered all over the glass.

Oh, Penelope.

Titan...

Finally get you alone.

Poor Lionel. You must be very upset.

He was a true anarchist and I admired him for it

but as a man, he was an obnoxious bore.

SHE LAUGHS

Do you know...

I thought I'd never see you again.

You've hardly changed.

You have.

What happened to that wild-child I used to know?

She's still here... somewhere inside.

I kept the locket you gave me. - Don't change the subject.

I'm married.

SHE GASPS

Well, that's a disgrace.

A married woman carrying on like that.

Oh, we all need a bit of passion, Mrs M. You should give it a whirl.

HE CHUCKLES

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the epitome of outdated values!

The Catholic priest!

Read about your performances.

Very interesting.

Really?

They've caused a lot of unrest in some towns.

Protests, riots...

We are merely arming the people with the truth.

A noble cause.

You don't sound convinced?

Is it the truth that's important... or the chaos you leave behind?

A puppet of the Vatican such as you

could never understand the true nature of anarchy.

HE BURPS

Do you want a tea? - No.

Something wrong?

You tell me.

You're the one who seems tense.

Well, after Lionel's suicide...

Please, don't take me for a fool.

I've seen the way you look at Titan.

Don't be silly.

I'm not the one behaving like some love-struck girl.

Sally...

wipe that make-up off your cheek.

Just because he's dead, I'm not gonna pretend...

Well, if I'm honest, he was pretty vile.

Made my skin crawl.

I thought you were limping. When did that happen?

Yesterday. I dropped a hammer on it.

Looks nasty.

Give it a rub for me later.

Stop it. You know I've got a wife in Glasgow.

Yeah, how boringly conventional.

Well, I was 18. I didn't know any better.

You do now. So...

I have to say, I found your performance exhilarating.

Thanks. - I really have never seen anything like it.

I'm sure you haven't.

It's inspired me to write something myself

a poem, about anarchy.

I don't suppose you'd give me some tips?

You should ask my father.

Time for the second half!

I thought it was cancelled, out of respect for Lionel?

My dear boy, you're not thinking like an anarchist.

We don't conform to such social conventions.

Like marriage.

And anyway, the inspector's insisted that no one leaves.

So that means the audience can't escape!

What about Lionel's part?

Well...

If you want to know about anarchy, you can do it.

Me?

Well, I don't know what to do. - Where's your sense of adventure?

Just copy the others!

Sergeant.

Did anyone hear the gunshot that killed Lionel?

Farmer Clegg and his wife heard something, Father

but they assumed it was from the neighbouring estate.

Ladies and gentlemen!

The second half is about to begin.

Penelope...

Commencing with some excerpts from Hamlet.

Oh, Shakespeare, well, that's better.

How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable

seem to me all the uses of this world.

Oh, wretched state! Oh, bosom black as death!

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Or is it England... with her corrupt leaders?

That's not Shakespeare!

Should we suffer their slings and arrows?

No!

We should take arms against them.

BUNTY GASPS - Oh, not again.

CROWD GASPS

SHE EXHALES

Mrs McCarthy...

I have had quite enough of this nonsense!

I'm afraid nobody's allowed to leave yet.

Father Brown!

For the shock.

Do you think the deaths are connected?

I doubt it.

The police seemed very sure Lionel killed himself.

My father would never do that.

He was angry at life, but... he loved it too.

I know.

It's just not fair.

He can't be gone.

They're still unsure about the cause of death.

But they don't think it was an accident.

SHE EXHALES

Oh, Angus...

SHE SNIFFLES

Hold me.

Please.

SHE SOBS

Two ruddy corpses... right under our noses!

The Chief Super isn't going to be happy, sir. - Oh, really?

I thought he'd be ecstatic!

You need to speak to everyone here.

I already have, sir.

Then do it again!

Well, move your backside, Sergeant!

Constable.