Ep 6 finds René's acting career taking off, while Artemis and Persephone persuade Helen that her super hero journey is in need of a lift, and they are just the beings to give it to her. Christopher McDougall plays René, Matthew Field plays Tom Maximan. I do the others.
SFX - free sound.org
75526__robinhood76__01153-great-wings-in-motion
Music - John T Labarbera
In the Labyrinth
Song of the Goddess Diana
Ep 6 finds René's acting career taking off, while Artemis and Persephone persuade Helen that her super hero journey is in need of a lift, and they are just the beings to give it to her. Christopher McDougall plays René, Matthew Field plays Tom Maximan. I do the others.
SFX - free sound.org
75526__robinhood76__01153-great-wings-in-motion
Music - John T Labarbera
In the Labyrinth
Song of the Goddess Diana
Flloyd
Thunder's Mouth theatre presents "Am I Old Yet?" a coming of age comedy with a difference, in which our superheroine Helen, approaching her 80s, has a young lodger, René. Now, René's acting career is really beginning to take off, while Helen's adventure as a superheroine, with the help of a couple of Greek goddesses, Artemis and Persephone, is about to literally take off. [FOOTSTEPS]
René
Mrs D? Are you there Mrs D? Are you listening to the radio?
Helen
Sorry, René. What was that?
René
It's on the radio, Mrs D. That program that I was interviewed on is just about to start.
Helen
Oh, right. I'll turn it on. Come on down, we listen to it together.
René
Sounds good. [MUSIC BACH PRELUDE BWV 938]
Tom Maximan
Hello, I'm Tom Maximan and this is "Your Starter for Ten", our brand new arts and culture program in which we look at young people at the beginning of their careers in the creative arts industry. Ten questions and hopefully ten answers. Now, today my guest is René Fraser, a young Scotsman who at the age of 17, has found himself cast as the lead in a brand new television series. Now, René, welcome to "Your Starter for Ten".
René
Thank you very much.
Tom Maximan
And here's your first question. Have you read "Kidnapped"?
René
Oh, yes. No, I read it from the school library when I was about ten. And then my Uncle Gary, he gave me his copy, so I've still got it.
Tom Maximan
So my second question is—it's probably a bit redundant, I assume you must have enjoyed it.
René
I thought it was fun and exciting. It was like a real adventure. I remember when I was playing at being Jacobites with my mates after school. It was great.
Tom Maximan
So you identified with the rebels?
René
Oh, yeah. I wanted to be Alan Breck Stewart when I grew up.
Tom Maximan
Really?
René
Yeah, absolutely. It wasn't really until I read it again when I was asked to audition for the programme that I realized how complex this guy actually is.
Tom Maximan
So did that make you change your mind or did you still want to be him?
René
Well, not actually be him. I mean, I may be a bit young to play him yet, but I'd love to play him, you know, when I'm older.
Tom Maximan
Now I understand your co-star, who is playing Alan Breck Stewart in this television series is Sufyan McKinneny, the Scottish Syrian actor who's been making such a big name for himself in his recent performance. At the Dundee Rep theatre, for example. He's been quite a revelation, would you say?
René
Absolutely, he is. He's just great. [HELEN'S PHONE RINGS]
Helen
Sorry, I'll take it upstairs. Don't worry, I'll listen to it on sounds after. Hello? Artemis?
Artemis
Yes, it's me, Helen. So sorry to interrupt you, but we have something urgent and it just couldn't wait.
Helen
Oh no, Artemis, no more superpower stuff, please. No,
Artemis
I can't say just now. We need to meet. Please, Helen, please meet with us and we will explain and then you can decide. Please.
Helen
All right. Where? When?
Artemis
This afternoon around three, would that be all right?
Helen
Yeah, I guess so.
Artemis
In the park? We'll see you there. Thank you. Thank you so much. And please bring René with you if he's free.
Flloyd
Sure, no worries. Later.
Tom Maximan
What are your plans for the future? What roles would you really like to play?
René
I have some dream roles that I'd love to play. The first one my dad and then my Uncle Gary got me into. You know, if they ever did a reboot or a remake of Taggart, then I'd love to be involved in that. Doctor Who? Pretty big at the minute. We've had a few Scottish doctors, you know—Sylvester McCoy, Peter Capaldi, David Tennant. Now. Ncuti Gatwa. So maybe I can be another Scottish doctor or someone like that down the line. And, you know, I'd really like to play I'd really like to play? Robert Burns or Rabbie Burns, if they ever did some kind
Helen
Oh cool that would be great!
René
Of his life and his works. Yeah. So I would say, yeah, Rabbie Burns would be good fun to play. [MUSIC: SONG OF THE GODDESS DIANA. PARK AMBIENCE]
Helen
Artemis, no. Just no. It has to stop. You have to make it go away. I'm not doing anything useful. I can't do anything. I just want my life back.
Seffi
But you have your life. It's true, Helen. We never took that away. It's still there. You are living it.
Helen
No. No. Seffi, I'm sorry, but it's not the same. I'm terrified to breathe out. I can't use this blowing things around sort of thing again. Do you know what I'm good at? If someone stops me in the street and asks for directions. I'm good at looking up Google Maps and pointing them, setting them on their way. Because you would be amazed at the number of people who stop me in the street who don't know how to use Google Maps. So that is what I'm good at. Not good at cleaning up the planet?
Artemis
No.
René
How do you mean, no? She is so too
Artemis
No. There is no way you can clean up the planet and reverse climate change by blowing literally up into the sky. That was Hermes' idea.
Helen
Hermes?
Artemis
Yes, Hermes.
Helen
Hermes thought it was a good idea?
René
Wait! Wait, what? You mean it was all just a trick? And he did it all for a joke?
Artemis
I'm afraid you are right, René. At first, we thought it might have been Hades, but when it started to go wrong, Hermes offered to help. Remember, he organized the dogs to collect the litter safely,
Seffi
But I was suspicious. And then eventually he admitted it had been his idea.
Helen
So I never was the Chosen One? All of that was just a piece of nonsense?
Seffi
No, no, Helen. That was never a piece of nonsense. You are the Chosen One.
René
I don't get it.
Helen
You're not alone, René. I'm the chosen one, but I don't actually have any superpowers to make it worth anyone's while.
Seffi
That is not true. You do have powers.
Helen
Oh, really? What? I don't know. What is it this time? Can I lift heavy lorries with one finger?
Artemis
No. Helen, it's your words. You know how to speak to people. You have wisdom. You know how to fix things, and you tell the truth. That is your superpower.
Helen
Really? I always thought it was a bit of a disadvantage not having a filter.
Seffi
You have filter. Don't worry about that. But when you speak from your heart, you persuade people. You know how to do that without knowing that you're doing it. And that's the perfect, superior power. So we say, will you help us to help you?
Artemis
Helen, we need you to come with us.
Helen
Oh, what, now?
Artemis
Yes, now. It's very important. We have a job for you.
Helen
Oh, again,
Artemis
What we are talking about won't take long, but it is urgent, so we have to get going.
Helen
Where?
Seffi
It's quite a long way, but it won't take long to get there.
Helen
How do you work that out?
Seffi
Because we're going to give you a ride.
René
What do you have an Uber account? Oh, brilliant. Can I get free rides?
Seffi
No, no, René not like that. I mean, she's coming with us. The way we gods travel.
Helen
And what does that mean?
Artemis
Well, Seffi and I will carry you. You will fly like the wind.
Helen
What?
Seffi
Oh, yes. You will enjoy it. You like to travel, see foreign countries?
Helen
No. And yes.
Artemis
And don't worry, it's not a long, long haul flight, or even a short haul flight. You'll be there in minutes, seconds maybe. Probably won't even notice you've gone. And then you'll be there.
René
Am I coming too?
Seffi
Sorry, René. We have another task for you. This is very important. Once we're gone, you must contact Helen's daughter, Janey, and tell her that Helen is with us. She's absolutely fine, and she will contact her as soon as she gets back. Will you do that for us, please?
René
Okay, but she'll want to know more than that, you know?
Artemis
Of course. Tell her her mother is going to attend a very important meeting with regard to the climate change working party. And we will be her bodyguards all the way.
René
Okay, that's great. Sure, I'll call her.
Helen
That's all very well, but what do I do when I get there?
Artemis
You have to speak to some people. Well, I say people, I mean beings.
Helen
Oh, you mean more ancient deities?
Artemis
Oh, yes. You'll see when you get there. Come on, Seffi. There we go. We make a basket for you in our arms. Just put your arms around our shoulders and hold on. Here we go... [SOUND OF LARGE WINGS FLYING] [THEME MUSIC]
Flloyd
That was "Destiny Calls", episode six of season eight. Now, in this episode, you heard Christopher McDougall as René and Matthew Field as Tom Maximum, with me playing Helen and Artemis and Persephone having probably way too much fun doing so.
Now, I'm sure you've noticed I don't have any adverts in this mini program of short episodes. But still, we do need to pay our bills over here in Actorland. So it would be awfully kind if you can spare a dollar or a pound or two to donate either@buymeacoffee.com/AmIOldYet or maybe even become a subscribing patron on Patreon.com/AmIOldYet. And that way I would be able to share the generous proceeds with the actors who are all, like me, doing it for no financial recompense. And it would be awfully nice to be able to top up our meager incomes.
Shout out to Joanna and Scott, who've already joined us over on Patreon.com. Thank you so much. Thanks for listening. Stay safe.