Re-read Act 2, Scene 5 and discuss how Hare uses

Sir Peter and Irina to convey the judicial system

David Hare’s play ‘Murmuring Judges’ examines the legal system in Britain as it was at the end of the eighties, beginning of the nineties of the last century, by looking at the trial, conviction and appeal of Gerard McKinnon, a getaway driver, from several viewpoints: that of the police, that of the barristers and judges, and that of the convicted man himself.

In Act 2, Scene 5 we see how Irina Platt, a junior just starting to make her way in the legal profession,  finally stand up to her silk and mentor, Sir Peter Edgecombe, over the impending appeal of their client. Sir Peter Edgecombe represents the Establishment, and is extremely happy with the status quo. Irina, a young black woman, has throughout the play been trying to reconcile her ideals and principles with making her way in her chosen profession. It has been made clear to her by Woody, the clerk at her chambers, that it will be much easier for her to progress and flourish if she plays the game. In this scene she decides that the price for always remaining silent is too high, and she confronts Sir Peter with some damning accusations of complacency and prejudice.

The scene opens with Irina telling Woody that she has been trying to track Sir Peter down but he has been very elusive. Woody reassures her that Sir Peter is very pleased with her work. ‘You’re very popular. Sir Peter adores you.’ He goes on to tell her how delighted Sir Peter had been when his old rival, Toppy Pilkington had come into the Ritz and seen them eating there together. Irina becomes tense at this and tells Woody that they’re not involved – ‘it’s only appearances.’ Woody tells her she needs to ‘lighten up’, that she needs to ‘play a slightly tricky game…’ with ‘…a smile on your face.’

This underlines the sexism within the judiciary. Irina is taken to various social functions by Sir Peter, including the Opera, ostensibly because he wants to introduce his junior to the right people, so that she makes the right contacts. But it is clear that he also enjoys being seen with an attractive young woman and parades her in a way he would never do with a male junior, the implication being that he quite likes the idea that his rivals might assume there is some sexual relationship between them, even though there is not. Irina has actually, against her better judgment, been colluding in this, because she needs Sir Peter’s agreement and help to lodge an appeal on behalf of Gerard McKinnon, whom she strongly believes had been very badly treated by the criminal system. But we can see in this exchange with Woody her uneasiness with this collusion when she answers ironically, ‘Yes, I must remember. It’s all a big joke.’

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When Sir Peter appears unloading his papers and clothes onto Woody, as if he was a ‘manservant’ the first thing he says is what a relief it was to spent the morning in the Chancery court, rather than Criminal. He claims to prefer libel cases more than crime because ‘There are no facts. You’re arguing with things which no one can prove. You’re juggling with air, pure and simple. And these are the cases where I seem to do well.’ Irina tells him that their client has been beaten up in prison which he already knew, but seems quite unconcerned ...

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