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Synopsis (For old screen ireland treatment.)

This story dramatises real events in Ballyvadlea, Tipperary, 1895. It is based upon court testimony.

Act I

see how much detail you need to the presentation before you rewrite this.

Also Use this doc as the ‘master’ doc for different LOD sections

setting has changed completely.

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Jack Dunne, a local man with knowledge of the fairy people arrives late one night at Bridget’s home, where she lives with her Father Pat and her husband Michael. He is wearing a mask, made of straw. Such a mask was known to be worn by “mummers” or “straw men”, local players and keepers of tradition in Ireland. For Jack sees himself as such a man. Although, Michael, was not there, Jack invites himself in and seeing a small crowd present, tells the tale of a child who was taken by the fairies, leaving a changeling in its place.

The next morning Michael makes advances on Bridget as she prepares to go on her egg run.

-None of that business now, we both know it’s only trouble.

-Michael kisses her on the neck. She does not respond. He gets angry.

-Am I invisible to you now?

Pat Boland, Bridget's father walks in. Pat doesn’t notice the atmosphere of the room he had walked into but Pat had never noticed much. When he leaves Bridget turned to Michael.

add these to lines inside the outline. Also add the idea of when he speaks Irish and why and how I portray this

-What did I tell you about being a curse in your own head?

She kisses him on the head with much tenderness.

-Gabh mo leithscéal. Michael whispers.

He always did that. Spoke Irish when he was sorry. And he was often sorry.

On returning from her egg run, Bridget tells her own fairy story, about a woman, trapped in a lake by a spirit. In order to escape the lake she must tempt another woman into the lake to drown, before taking her place.

Act II

the ‘perspective’ on this has changed I want to plant the idea or at least a doubt as to whether she is sick or changed

You need to work out is Bridget’s auntie and female cousin is present and what’s there perspective. Perhaps the doctor is the only one who questions the changling idea

Bridget falls ill after walking in bitter cold. And Michael was looking after her, bringing her soup and an odd bit a’ stew. And he did look after her, for those first few days, for he could be good when he felt good inside in himself. See it was Jack Dunne started all the trouble.

-This ‘woman’ is a fairy, he declared. He says ‘woman’ with some disgust, spits it almost. And Bridget, though she is ill, can’t help but laugh at him. The fool of a man that he is. But as she laughed she looked upon her husband and father. And they weren’t laughing at all.

nice beat. Add it to outline

Michaels father dies but he does not attend the funeral.

Bridget is seen by a Doctor, who says she has -nervous excitement and slight bronchitis but would get better soon. As a matter of caution, a local priest gives her the last rites.

merge Jack Dunne and the fairy doctor

Emphasis the ‘against the clock’ aspect and the extremity the cure

Have a perspective on what happens to Bridget if the cure doesn’t work

Don’t call it a ‘cure’ as this confuses the condition…call it something that indicates that it banishes the fairy and brings back Bridget

Michael gets a “cure” from a local fairy doctor, and recruits Jack Dunne and Bridget cousins

again. Who is present?

The fire should feel like a huge. Escalation

into holding Bridget administering it against her will. On Dunne's insistence and inline with Fairy beliefs she is held near a fire and asked her name over and over, ‘till she can scarcely remember it herself.

Act III

need to understand how it’s revealed she was never a sí

Add scenes with Michael’s mother.

Sounds like Michael’s mother tells Bridget she was away with them.

The following morning, Bridget is helped into her dressing gown by her cousin and Aunt. She sits at the table with her accusers and their accomplices. Although her aunt cautions her to be silent, Bridget will not be silent.

The couple begin to quarrel, despite attempts to calm the situation Michael becomes more uncontrollable. When Bridget reveals that Michaels own mother had -Spent two nights with the fairies. he goes into a rage, knocking her to the floor and again asking her name.

Michaels locks the door and in front of Bridget's Aunt, her cousins and her Father, sets her on fire.

Two days later, Michael sits in the middle of a fairy ring waiting for his wife to return. When he is dragged off by police he screams:

-You’ll destroy her...you’ll destroy my wife.

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