Mr. Briggs view on education is that children should follow strict rules and be taught by telling it them rather than interacting with the children.
The relationship between Mr. Briggs and Mrs. Kay is purely business. They know each other because they work in the same school as the play unrolls the relationship between Mr. Briggs and Mrs. Kay steadily declines until the scene on the cliff top where Mr. Briggs is with Carol where after Mr. Briggs is more pleasant and relaxed.
Mr. Briggs’s relationship with the kids follows the same pattern as his with Mrs. Kay.
In the coach leaving the school Mrs. Kay says that there is only one rule that is don’t do “ anything that might be dangerous to yourselves or to others”. Then Mr. Briggs arrives at the coach he reels out six rules most only applicable for the coach. Mr. Briggs is a shouting and lecturing person he will say every detail this is not always a bad thing but he explains too much. Out of those rules only a few are needed and the rest make the trip plan and boring.
Mr. Briggs’s attitude with the kids is the same at the shop. He still feels the need to shout at them no matter how serious the affair.
Just before they enter the zoo Mrs. Kay flatters Mr. Briggs by telling the kids that he is an expert with animals. Mr. Briggs attitude changes here he becomes friendly towards the kids. I think this is because one Mrs. Kay complemented him to the kids and because the kids are asking him questions, he didn’t need to shout at them because the kids wanted to know the answer so the kids started to talk to him more. So he got to know them. When Mrs. Kay asks Mr. Briggs to come have a drink in the café Mr. Briggs is uncertain he doesn’t want to leave the kids alone but in the end he goes and has a cup of tea with Mrs. Kay. She tries to get him to call her Helen but he doesn’t he probably think that is not professional I think that Mr. Briggs never relaxes he is always tenses. When Mr. Briggs and Mrs. Kay return to the coach they see that all the kids are back early this comforts Mr. Briggs they were left on there own and they are fine they even return early. When some zookeepers abroad the coach Mr. Briggs defends the children which is a sign of him trusting them. He doesn’t jump down throats asking what they have done, but as it happens the kids have stolen animal from the petting zoo. All the trust the kids have got from Mr. Briggs has now depleted and he now feels the same he did at the begging if not worse. Mr. Briggs then feels the need that he should take over the running of the trip, he does not let Mrs. Kay discipline them and let her handle it. Mr. Briggs then decides that the trip should go the castle straight away and when they get there split up into four group’s one member of staff to each group. I think that Mrs. Kay is still in control but she lets Mr. Briggs think other wise to make it easier herself and the to other staff.
When they get their Mr. Briggs takes his group round and lectures them all on the state of the building and why it is that way, where as Mrs. Kay lets the kids run around and play. Mr. Briggs has not realised that the kids are not listening and still Mr. Briggs has not realised that these kids are not taught like that. When Mrs. Kay decides that they are going to the beach Mr. Briggs says that this is not what they came for and that he will take full control of the trip and send every one home. Mrs. Kay simply replies that he’d “better start walking”
Mr. Briggs doesn’t agree with this detour and goes and sits aside. Mr. Briggs thinks that this is not in the original plan and they have already gone to the zoo out of plan and the kids have not been on their best behaviour. When Mr. Briggs finds out that Carol is lost he has a quick snap at Mrs. Kay but she say to leave it until they find Carol. When Mr. Briggs finds Carol on the cliff top his charter really changes. It first he shouts and orders at her this does not work. So he tries counting down, then when that fails he starts to worry about himself and thinks that she is trying to get him into trouble. Clearly not aware of what Carol is saying and thinks of himself alone. Mr. Briggs then tell her she’s been silly not a very good way of dealing with a possible suicidal person. When Carol says that Mr. Briggs hates all the kids Mr. Briggs’s character changes and tries something new, he talks to Carol. When he has assured Carol that he will not mention this back at school or to the police she comes down with him.
I think that the biggest thing that has changed about Mr. Briggs is that he is more relaxed. He doesn’t feel the need to shout at all the kids. When they both get down to the beach and meet Mrs. Kay and staff. He keeps his word and doesn’t speak a word of what went on up on the cliff. When they all get back in to the coach Mrs. Kay says that it is time to go home but Mr. Briggs disagrees and says its time for the fair.
I think that Mr. Briggs is now more relaxed more understanding of the kids he is with and he realises that the kids don’t have much of a future and so wants them to have fun on their day out.
On the way back Mr. Briggs is at the back with I kid asleep on his shoulder when they enter the city he seems to straighten up and he fixes his tie and put his novelty hat on the sleeping child. This may just be his appearance or he may be turning back to his old self then gets up and heads down to the front where Mrs. Kay is sitting. He then offered to develop the pictures from the day in school Mrs. Kay said you’d use the school facilities for personal use in a joking manor. When the coach is back at school Mrs. Kay offers to Mr. Briggs a trip down to the pub but he declines it. He goes to his car when Mrs. Kay has gone he gets the film and exposes it to the light looks at them and then screws them up. I think that Mr. Briggs enjoyed his day out but he has respect to keep but I don’t think he will go all the way back to his old self.
I have chosen as my key scene the one that is on set on the cliff. I have chosen this scene because there is a lot of tension and characteristics change. In this scene Mr. Briggs has found Carol Mr. Briggs goes thought several stages of negotiation before he persuades Carol to come back down to the beach
Before this scene Mrs. Kay and the two other staff are playing with the kids Mr. Briggs is sat a distance away on a rock I think this is so they know that he has nothing to do with this detour. Mrs. Kay notices that Carol has gone and raises the alarm. When Mr. Briggs is told he says, that “it’s a wonder you haven’t lost half a dozen of them” what he trying to say is that he the better teacher. When Mr. Briggs returns with Carol the audience would expect him to that again and gloat, but as it happens he doesn’t. In that Mr. Briggs goes up to the cliff and finds Carol stood looking down on the waves. Mr. Briggs then shouts at her who gave you permission to come up here she replied no one. Mr. Briggs carries on shouting instructions that don’t have any effect. He then tries counting, Carol just stands there and tells Mr. Briggs that she will jump. The certainty the audience get from her voice makes the dramatic tension grow and with Mr. Briggs probably been the worst person to find Carol because he has no sympathy for the children. Mr. Briggs then thinks that she is trying to ruin him. Carol then says why she wants to stay in Wales and asks why Mr. Briggs hates all the kids and he clams down and explains that he doesn’t hate all the kids. If she works hard and does well in school she might when she’s old enough be able to move out here but Carol realises that that isn’t possible for her from her background. Mr. Briggs then stretches out his this creates tension because he is pleading with her he knows how close she is to the edge. He smiles while doing so Carol notices and comments how he looks funny and when he smiles he looks great and that he should do it more often. Mr. Briggs then agrees to not say anything when they get back. For a moment its all fine but this would not end the scene because all this tension had been made and then they just walk off so when Carol turns she slips but Mr. Briggs catches her. I think this is not to add tension but to cleanly end the scene.
If I were to direct this scene I would have a shot of the base of the cliff with water all the way up to the base of the cliff. The wave would then move back to reveal sharp rocks below then the wave would crash back against the cliff sending little shards of rock flying. The camera would follow a shard of rock up the cliff slide at least 40 meters up. At the top Carol would be sitting behind of the safety barrier next to the cliff with her back to the cliff her knees up to her chest her hair would be blow out over towards the cliff. She would be sat like that so it showed she was a bit scared I think this would add to the tension because when she is saying she will jump the audience knows she doesn’t want to but she would. Her hair would over towards the cliff so that a feel for the wind and the direction of it was clear. The shard would carry on going up and over Carol the camera would spin to see a man in the distance shouting “CAROL” over and over. The camera would zoom in to see him clearly it would zoom in about 15 meters so that the audience knows how far away Carol is from the rest of the group I’d do that to add tension. A crash from a big wave would bring back the camera shot to Carol who had stood up and turned to face out over the cliff at the appearance of the man spray from that wave would hit Carol in face. A sound of someone walking on gravel behind Carol she would in one movement wipe her face and turn round to face Mr. Briggs. The camera would be from Mr. Briggs eyesight he would focus on Carol behind of the safety barrier merely 30cm away from the edge and then the camera would focus on a house the same house as Carol had imagined earlier on in the play. Mr. Briggs would shout at Carol to come to him at once and who gave her permission to come up here his voice should be pleased and just a tiny hint of worry. His face expression should be delighted. I would have it like that so that the audience doesn’t know whether it’s a happy to see her or a happy that he found her. Carol should reply no one her face would be pale. Mr. Briggs should be taken aback. When each reason for Carol to come back has been said carol’s voice should be more trusting of Mr. Briggs by that I mean she would accept the reason and think on it more rather than writing it off straight away. The conversation should carry on to the script and when it gets to Mr. Briggs smiling and pleading his expression should be crystal clear and he would start to sweat. Mr. Briggs voice should be of one who is grovelling and Carol’s voice should be that of a little kid who wants something but their mum doesn’t let them. As the conversation goes on it would start to rain getting heavier I would do this so the scene’s tension is increase. The sound while all this happens would be the waves below crashing against the cliff and the sound of the wind whistling. By each sound of a wave Mr. Briggs would become more nervous. When Carol is persuaded and starts to move back to Mr. Briggs she should slip. Mr. Briggs would jump so his ribs are on the safety barrier hands out straight holding on to Carol’s wrists. The scene should stay there for a moment the camera should be a birds eye view looking at Mr. Briggs Carol and the waves below. When Mr. Briggs has lifted Carol up away from the cliff and all is said the camera would show them walking away down to the beach Mr. Briggs and Carol shoulder to shoulder Carol would turn her head and look back at the house in the distance. The scene ends and then the shot of the beach looking along it two people walking down it the sound of their voices getting louder the camera would flick and they are closer and keep flicking till they are right up close. Their voices would be relaxed. When Mrs. Kay asks Mr. Briggs what happened Mr. Briggs would say he found her he dealt with it, no more needs to be said. I want the audience to think that he will keep his word and when he does screw up the film from the camera I want the audience to think he’s only looking after his repatriation.
In mien and the film’s version of the play sound is used a lot. I would also use more camera shots. I would also increase the size of the cliff and make the sea a great deal rougher. I would set the play in the time period as the film version of the play has. I would do it then because that’s when it was written and it has more meaning because people with learning difficulties can now have a better life style.