Ep 2: The Ballroom of Romance
with Alison Spittle
May 19th, 2020
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Characters
BRIDIE
Leading lady. Mid 30’s. She’s in charge of the family farm, takes care of her elderly Dad and goes to the Ballroom of Romance on a Saturday night.
BRIDIE’S DAD
Is very grateful for Bridie’s help but feels guilty that she’s not living part of her life while caring for him. Delighted that she gets out on a Saturday night and likes Wild West novels.
MR AND MRS DWYER
Own the Ballroom of Romance. Seem nice enough but also Mr Dwyer turns a blind eye to some not great treatment of women young and old at the Ballroom.
MADGE
A friend of Bridie’s, the only woman older than her still going to the Ballroom. Subject to ridicule from the young wans, and not treated well by the lads.
THE BACHELORS
Group of older lads who have a few pints on a Saturday and then come down to the Ballroom with naggins of whisky in their pockets. There are three of them –
DANO: Sound enough
BOWSER: Kinda trash
EYES: Complete trash.
Synopsis
- The main bit of the story takes place during one evening at the Ballroom of Romance. Bridie has been going there every Saturday since she’s been about 16.
- The love of her life ended up with someone else and moved to England years ago, and since then she’s maybe gotten the ride a few times after the Ballroom but nothing serious.
- She’s thinking it would be nice to have a husband as the house will be quiet and lonely after her Father dies, and also she’ll need a hand with the farm.
- She thinks maybe she could marry Dano, a nice lad who works for the Council and lodges with an older woman and her disabled son. She’s thinking the hypothetical marriage could be a good deal for Dano – even though he’d lose his Council wage after going to work on Bridie’s farm, he wouldn’t have to pay rent anymore because he’d live in the farm house for free, so it’d all work out.
- That night at the Ballroom, Bridie tries to strike up conversation with Dano by offering some Optrex for his eyes. He says it’s no bother, and that Ms Griffin (the widow he lodges with) reckons he just needs glasses. That’s all Bridie needs to hear to know Ms Griffin is planning to marry Dano.
- Bridie allows herself to be upset and pissed off about this, something she doesn’t often do. She decides that’ll be the last time she goes to the Ballroom, she isn’t arsed with it all anymore.
- She goes off with Bowser because he's there and she feels like shit. She thinks to herself that he’ll probably seek her out in a few years time and propose marriage, after his Mother dies.
