I can't do it. Honest, I just can't understand what hell it’s all about.

(Goes to his briefcase on the window-desk and starts looking for Rita's "Peer Gynt" essay) You will. You will.

It's alright for you sayin' that. You know what it's all about.

(She goes to her chair by the desk) Oh, you think we could forget about Forster for a moment?

With pleasure.

(Takes the 'Peer Gynt' essay and stands over her for a moment. Then he perches on the corner of the desk UPRIGHT) I want to talk about this that you sent me.
(He holds up a sheet of A4 paper) Yes. In response to the question, 'Suggest how you would resolve the staging difficulties inherent in a production of Ibsen’s Peer Gynt', you have written, quote, 'Do it on the radio', unquote.

That? Oh.

Precisely.

Well?

Well what?
Well I know it's probably quite naive of me but I did think you might have spent some time considering essay.

That’s all I could do in the time. We were that busy in the shop this week.

You write your essays at work?

Yeh.

Why?

Denny get's dead narked if I work at home. He doesn’t like me doin' this. I can't be bothered arguin' with him.

But you can't go on producing work as tardy as this.

Is it wrong?

No, it's not wrong... it's just,

See, I know it's short, only I thought it was the right answer.

It's the basis for an argument, Rita, but one line is hardly an essay.

I know, but I didn’t have much time this week, so I sort of, had a go.

But it's not enough.

Why not?

It JUST isn't.

But that's rubbish ‘cos you say - you say, don't y' - that one line of exquisite poetry says more than a thousand pages of second-rate prose?

But you're not writing poetry. What I'm trying to make you see is that whoever is marking would want more than, 'Do it on the radio'.
(He moves around to the other side of Rita's chair) There’s a way of answering examination questions that’s expected. It's sort of an accepted ritual, it's a game, with rules. And you must observe those rules.
(He leans with one hand on the back of Rita’s chair) When I was at university there was a student taking his final philosophy exam. He walked into the examination hall, took out his pen and wrote 'God knows all the answers'! Then he handed in his paper and left.

(Impressed) Did he?

When his paper was returned to him, his professor had written on it, 'And God gives out the marks’.

Did he fail?

Of course he failed. Using a clever answer is not necessarily the correct answer.

I wasn’t tryin’ to be clever. I just didn’t have much time.

But look, you’ve got me time now (he leans on her chair; bending over her) Just give it a quarter of an hour or so adding some considered arguments to this: 'In attempting to resolve the staging difficulties in Peer Gynt I would present it on the radio because...' and explain your reasons supporting them... as much as possible, with quotes from accepted authorities. Right?

Yeh. All right.

(She picks up the essay, opens a copy of 'Peer Gynt', and reference book, sticks the cigarette in her mouth, and starts to move towards the window desk) Now, are you sure you understand?

(Stops and looks over her shoulder with the cigarette still in her mouth) Yeh. What d' y' think I am, thick?
(She takes her usual chair and puts it in front of the window desk. She sits down and puts her belongings on the desk, moving Frank's briefcase out of the way. She pauses) I was doin’ this woman’s hair on Wednesday... and I said to this woman, I said ‘Do you know about Peer Gynt? She thought it was a new perm lotion. So I told her all about it y' know the play... an' y' know somethin', she was dead interested, she was y' know.

Was she?