Pat and Plain

Actor’s copies of the Pat and Plain drama series by Dan Gordon are now available to download.

 

The Boat Factory... This is the story of a new apprentice in the Belfast Shipyard in the late fifties.  Willie McCandless is 14 years old. When he arrives late for his first day of work at Harland and Wolff, fellow apprentice, Tucker Wylie, takes him under his wing and explains to Willie what life in ‘The Boat Factory’ with 35,000 men will be like.

 

Download The Boat Factory

 

Kissing the Shuttle…for 13 year olds Katy, Marie, Sadie & Hetty it’s their first day as full-timers in the mill. Woken at half past five by the Rapper-up, they make it past the Timekeeper and the new Foreman before meeting their Doffing Mistress, Lizzie Longley. As they take new doffer, Agnes Roberts, under their wing we get a fascinating insight into the lives of the 90,000 men and women who worked in the Mills of Ulster.

 

Download Kissing the Shuttle

 

A Lemonade Bottle for Clabberin’ Hitler…it’s 1939 and in Belfast, neighbours Aggie and Maggie hear the Prime Minister announce that the country is at war with Germany. As the politicians debate the issue in Stormont, citizens like wee Hughie Speers have their own ideas on defence! It’s business as usual, as children continue going to school and play games in the street, but everyone must learn to cope with blackouts, sirens, gas masks & rations. Then, in 1941, the city is devastated as the threat of attack becomes reality.

 

Download A Lemonade Bottle for Clabberin’ Hitler

 

Sit There For The Present...the story of a group of children at school in the early fifties when learning was often purely fact-based and by rote.  Away from school they play traditional games and vie for ownership of the local glen.

 

Download Sit There For The Present

 

Scahldies Up The Chimley...the story of a group of children evacuated to the countryside during World War II.  They are city dwellers and through their eyes we learn a little of what farming life entails.

 

Download Scahldies Up The Chimley

 

The Ulster-Scots Agency has also produced Director’s copies of the scripts of ‘The Boat Factory’, 'A Lemonade Bottle For Clabberin' Hitler', 'Kissing The Shuttle', Sit There For The Present' and 'Scahldies Up The Chimley' with an accompanying CD containing all the sound effects and music required to deliver a performance of the play. 

 

The Pat and Plain school-based drama project is now in its fourth year of delivery.  The sixth and final script written by Dan Gordon, 'She Was Alright When She Left Us', is based on the story of the Titanic.  Work on this new play began in January 2012 in eleven schools and performances will take place during March and April 2012 – to mark the centenary of the ship’s ill fated maiden voyage.

 

The following schools will take part in the final year of the Ulster-Scots drama project:

 

Avoniel Primary School, Belfast
Cavehill Primary School, Glengormley
Cranmore Integrated Primary School, Belfast
Cumber Claudy Primary School, County Londonderry
Dundonald Primary School, Belfast
Hardy Memorial Primary School, Richhill, County Armagh
Howard Primary School, County Tyrone
Maguirebridge Primary School, County Fermanagh
Spa Primary School, County Down
St. Mary’s Primary School, Kircubbin, County Down
Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagain, Belfast (funded by Foras na Gaeilge)
 
To request a copy of one or all of the scripts produced to date, email info@ulsterscotsagency.org.uk stating your name, address and which scripts you would like to receive.