Who were The Upper Room?

The Upper Room were a Brighton-based band who enjoyed two UK top 40 singles back in 2006, but unfortunately disbanded shortly after.

Would I know any of their music?

Pitched for big things, they were signed by Sony BMG and collaborated with Paul Schroeder, who previously worked with The Stone Roses. You may have heard the absolute sublime pop gem that is “Black and White” – it reached number 22 in the UK charts and was taken from their only studio album, “Other People’s Problems”.

Why should I read the script?

I produced the script on 28/03/2016, and just today I received the permission and blessing of the band members to make the script available on my website – a huge thank you goes out to Jon, James and Beau.

Lastly, I suggest you listen to the album as you read the script – each song incorporated in the story is highlighted at the appropriate point. Not only will this method bring the “musical” to life, but you’re also likely to fall in love with one of the best guitar pop bands of the 2000s.

Characters:

Alex – lead male

Kate – lead female

James – Kate’s brother who was killed in gang attack

Simon – Kate’s ex, who has links to one of the local gangs

Scene 1: the scene is set in what is mainly a working class residential area (although we see some gleaming grand houses in the background). Two-floor terraced houses line the streets – it appears to be a late Autumn morning. Kate arrives in the area in a taxi, and begins walking past aggressive residents. Occasionally, a friendly face stops to speak to her. Alex is approaching from the opposite direction – also pushing past aggressive residents and speaking to the occasional passer-by.

All Over this Town –

Kate (singing): “It’s a funny feeling…not really… Comfort me, cos I’m hearing violence in the streets – friends I meet say ‘It’s all over this town’. The way you cheat, the way you lie The way you want me to die, Over this, Over this, Over this town.

The way you drive through the night, with a gun, me in your sights, Over this Over this Over this town”

Alex (singing): “I’m caught in your headlights No escape…move too late. And I’m hearing violence, in my head, In my bed, Cause it’s all over this town… and that does get around.

The way you cheat, The way you lie, The way you want me to die, Over this, Over this, Over this town. The way you drive through the night With a gun, me in your sights Over this, Over this, Over this town

Alex & Kate (singing): “So many questions, floating around But for the moment, hide underground.

The way you cheat, The way you lie, The way you want me to die, Over this, Over this, Over this town. The way you drive through the night With a gun, me in your sights Over this, Over this, Over this town.”

Alex and Kate meet – they begin to reminisce of when they were younger.  This is clearly the first time they have met in a while. They point to a bus shelter and begin to recall when they first met.

Black and White – 

Alex (singing): “I met her under shelter We were hiding from the rain (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh). She was blowing bubbles And I’ll never feel the same (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh).

Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain I’ll miss you in a minute If you’ll only feel the same. Oh… Now it’s all black and white for me baby, It’s all black and white for me now. It’s all black and white for me baby, It’s all black and white for me now.”

Alex and Kate continue to talk about their times together when they were younger. Alex remembers pining over Kate when they socialised, and went shopping.  Unfortunately, the feelings were not reciprocated back then, as she was dating Simon.

Cue change of scene (in black and white) where Kate and Alex are younger – their characters remain in colour as we witness the flashback:

Leave Me Alone –

Alex (singing): “She really gets me started , Every time that she is here.  Shame that we’re always parted, Shame that she’s never near. On the day that we went out shopping, All she bought were very short skirts. Shame that we’re always parted. Shame that she’s always saying…

Please stop calling me at home, Please stop calling me at home. Though I think you’re lovely baby, Won’t you please, leave me alone? 

Kate (singing): “Found a note lying on your table, Found a note, dropped it on the floor. And we always will be parted, Of that I’m completely sure…

Please stop calling me at home, Please stop calling me at home.  Though I think you’re lovely baby Won’t you please, leave me alone?”

Alex & Kate (singing): Please stop calling me at home, Please stop calling me at home. Though I think you’re lovely baby, Won’t you please, please leave me alone? Please stop calling me at home, she said….

Kate: “Please stop calling me at home, though I think you’re lovely baby, please leave me alone!”

Alex & Kate laugh at their memories, but then begin to talk about her time away from the neighbourhood.  Kate explains that she has been volunteering in a war-torn part of the world.

Even though the plight of the people over there is much greater than those who live in this city, there are parallels.  Alex speaks from his experiences in the city whilst she’s been away – she speaks from the perspective of the war-torn country she has been to. We see flashbacks yet again – these are of her time abroad, and his time trying to cope with the violence and aggression he witnesses in the city.

Combination –

Alex (singing to Kate): “One heartbeat, suffocation… You’re in my eye. You talk of starving nations That are very dry.

Kate (singing): “And all the years of segregation, Make you wanna cry”

Alex (singing): “Heartbeat of the starving nation, Telling me the reasons why.”

Kate (singing): “It was a combination of many things. Big bang and the constellations Make you feel alone.”

Alex (singing): “You march on the corporations That invade their homes.”

Kate (singing): “You don’t take all the new medication, so tell me why you have wronged. It was a combination of many things, uhuh It’s like a combination of many things, uhuh.”

Alex (singing): “You’re the kind of girl that could fit. You’re the kind of girl in my mould, you’re the kind of girl who could fit.

Hot foot to a new location far away from here, It’s too bad your accommodation Isn’t very near. Cause you make me think twice, And you are kind of right, That we’re sitting on top of… And we’re dancing on top of… And we’re jumping on top of… And we’re laughing on top of… And we’re living on top of the ice.

It was a combination of many things, It’s like a combination of many things, It was a combination of many things, Of many things, Of many things”.

Alex and Kate discuss their darker past – we discover that Kate’s ex (Simon) was part of a local gang, and that his involvement in crime brought danger to the neighbourhood.

We witness another flashback to Kate’s shared home with Simon – he is taunting and baiting her. She is clearly upset. Emotions are running high. We see Alex outside of the house looking to comfort her in this time of need:

Never Come Back –

Simon (singing to Kate): “Remember slagging all your best friends off… It always made me happy, yeah, Because I do prefer you when you’re cross.”

Alex (singing to Kate) “I need your tears true, I need your sighs too.”

Alex (singing to Simon): “I do despise you.”

Alex (singing to Kate): “ Then there was a terrible crime Near to our house. We talked all the time, Panicked about if they’d ever come back, Ever come back, Ever come back.”

Simon (singing to Kate): “Remember calling you some nasty words, I said that you were evil – yeah All the terrible things you heard.”

Alex (singing to Kate): “I need your tears true… I need your sighs too”

Kate (singing to Simon): “I do despise you!”

Alex (singing to Kate): “Then there was a terrible crime Near to our house. We talked all the time, Panicked about if they’d ever come back, Ever come back, Ever come back… I need your tears true, I need your sighs too…

Alex & Kate (singing to Simon): “I do despise you”

Alex & Kate (singing): “Whenever there’s a terrible crime Near to our house. We talk all the time, Panic about if they’ll ever come back, Ever come back, Ever come back (never come, never come)

Alex and Kate move through the town to the very same house – but this time it is in colour.  This signifies that it is in present time.  They enter the grand and beautifully furnished home, and begin to look at photos on the wall.  We see Kate becoming emotional as she works her way around the rooms to look at all of the pictures.  The pictures turn to black and white as they reminisce together. She stops at one with a younger boy by her side (her brother):

Portrait –

Alex (singing to Kate): “We hate everyone we meet Cause they think that they are sweet. Live together in a house, Life is easy in this town. And from the day that you were born, You made it clear that you are torn, Between joy and misery, Happy times, agony… Or is that just me?  

This is a portrait of a life, This is a photo on the wall. This is the sharp edge of a knife Ending it all, Ending it all

Kate (singing): “We hear laughter all around, Cover ears, escape the sounds… But feel guilty later on, Cause we know that we are wrong. And from the day that you were born, You made it clear that you are torn, Between joy and misery, Happy times, agony… Or is that just me?

Kate & Alex (singing) “This is a portrait of a life, This is a photo on the wal.l This is the sharp edge of a knife Ending it all, Ending it all. Oooh… This is a portrait of a life, This is a photo on the wall. This is the sharp edge of a knife Ending it all, Ending it all.”

Kate is distraught giving thought to her past life – she reveals marks on her wrist from self-harming during these difficult times. Alex takes Kate upstairs to a bedroom – it is becoming dark outside.  Alex & Kate sit on the bed – we see what appears to be family members enter the house and begin to settle in the living room that Kate & Alex were just moments ago. Kate begins to explain her feelings and emotions to Alex – they begin to drink various alcoholic beverages:

Your Body –

Alex (singing): “In a recipe for a disaster, In a tragedy forever after, I hate to say, I hate to say, I hate to say That the people in my life have gone tomorrow, Here today, they’re here to(day)…

Kate (singing): “I have lost the only one who mattered to me”

Alex (singing): “You creep around your house because you hate your family.”

Kate (singing: “But I have lost the only one who mattered to me.”

Alex (singing): “Lights are very low because you hate your body”

Alex & Kate leave the house without being noticed, and make their way to a club – they queue and enter the building.  Lights flash and smoke fills the club – they continue to drink:

Alex (singing)” In a club at night… into the dark. In another time… into the harr. The more we drink, the more we drink, the more we drink, Then our problems aren’t as bad as what we think, As what we think, as what we… “

Kate (singing): “I have lost the only one who mattered to me.”

Alex (singing): “You creep around your house because you hate your family.”

Kate (singing): “But I have lost the only one who mattered to me.”

Alex (singing): “Lights are very low because you hate your body”

The club lights flash in time with the beat of the music – Alex & Kate embrace…

Kate (singing): “I have lost the only one who mattered to me.”

Alex (singing): “You creep around your house because you hate your family.”

Kate (singing): “But I have lost the only one who mattered to me.”

Alex (singing): “Lights are very low because you hate your body”

The lights fade to complete darkness…

Act 2 is available – please navigate to the homepage for access: