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This is the final episode in Season 10. Helen has returned home from her jaunt with Hera to reports that Mr Parks & Gardens is snooping around homeless ex-solder Mike's spot near the bus stop, possibly interfering with the plants in which Demeter has provided some salad and fruit plants at Helen's request in Episode 3 of Season 10. Well! We can't have that, can we? So, it's Helen and granddaughter Susie to the rescue!
Cast:
Christopher McDougall - Charlie
Wendy Lap - Annie
Sarah Golding - Betty
Edward Donnelly - James
Wayne Stuart-Cole - Mr Parks & Gardens
Roy R Carruthers - Mike
Flloyd Kennedy - Helen, Susie, Jackie
Music:
In the Labyrinth, composed and performed by John T La Barbera
SFX: Freesound.org
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POWER TO THE PLANTS!
FLLOYD: Thunder's Mouth Theatre presents: Power to the Plants, Episode 10, the finale of Season 10. Back in Episode 3, Helen encountered Mike, an ex-soldier, now homeless, living on the street near her local bus stop. She arranged with Demeter, Goddess of Nature, to have some lovely fruit and veggies growing in pots, for him. and the council Parks and Gardens took exception to this. Some weeks later, the word is that Parks and Gardens may be having another go at Mike's plants, and Helen and Susie are determined to stop that from happening. Enjoy
BY MIKE'S SPOT NEAR THE BUS STOP
SUSIE: Hi Gran!
HELEN: Susie, darling, thanks so much for doing this. Where's Mike?
SUSIE: He went to the shop to get some biscuits.
HELEN: Did he say what Parks and Gardens was up to?
SUSIE: No, he was in a hurry, said he'd be back shortly.
HELEN: Good. Is Charlie here?
SUSIE: On his way. But we've got--this is Annie Jenkins. Annie, this is my grandmother, Mrs Docherty.
ANNIE: Hi, Mrs Docherty, lovely to meet you.
HELEN: Oh, Helen, please. And who is this?
JAMES: James. Please to meet you, Helen.
BETTY: I'm Betty. Lovely to meet you. We've heard so much about you.
JACQUIE I'm Jacquie!
HELEN: Oh, That's a bit of worry.
SUSIE: Oh don't worry, Gran. Nothing bad.
JAMES: Nothing at all bad-- hang on, who's that?
HELEN: Where?
JAMES: Just parking behind the bus stop, in the van. It looks like-- a council van.
CHARLIE: Hi Helen, sorry I'm late. Everything ok? Have I missed anything?
SUSIE: Just in time, Charlie. Ok everybody, get ready.
HELEN: Hang on, ready for what. What are you going to do?
SUSIE: We're going to stop him.
HELEN: Yes, but how? No violence, remember.
ANNIE: Oh, no, Mrs-- er--Helen, no violence. We're written a great chant.
HELEN: Oh. A chant! Right. Ah, yes, that's him. Mr Parks and Gardens. I'll just have a word first.
SUSIE: No. Wait Gran. Come on everybody, banners up! Let's block him. Power to the Plants!
EVERYBODY: Power to the Plants!
SUSIE: Plants for the People!
EVERYBODY: Plants for the People!
SUSIE: What do we want?
EVERYBODY: Plants
SUSIE: Who needs them?
EVERYBODY: The People.
Hey! Parks & Gardens
Leave our plants alone!
Hey! Parks & Gardens
Leave our plants alone!
PARKS & GARDENS: Excuse me, excuse me please, I'm just trying to--
HELEN: Mr Parks and Gardens! What are you doing here? Can't you leave Mike alone? He's not doing any harm to your parks and gardens.
PARKS & GARDENS: Oh yes I know that but--
SUSIE: Move on please sir. There's no need for you to be here.
PARKS & GARDENS: Oh but I--
SUSIE: What's that you've got? Gran, he's taking Mike's plants!
PARKS & GARDENS: No, no I assure you I--
HELEN: Put that back! Put it back right now!
PARKS & GARDENS: That's what I--
ANNIE: I think he's trying to take the plants away.
JACQUIE: Well that's not going to happen. Come on everybody. Surround him. And somebody call the police. Power to the Plants!
EVERYBODY: Plants for the people. Power to the Plants! Plants for the People--
PARKS & GARDENS: There's no need for that, I'm just trying to--
HELEN: Ah, here's Mike. Mike! Mike! It's alright Mike, we won't let him--
MIKE: Mrs Docherty! Helen? Ye 'right?. What's going on? Is everything ok?
HELEN: Yes, don't worry. We've got him surrounded. He was trying to take your plants away.
MIKE: Who?
SUSIE: Mr Parks and Gardens here.
PARKS & GARDENS: Mike! Mike, please help me. They won't let me--
JAMES: You just keep quiet, mate. You've said quite enough.
PARKS & GARDENS: But I--
MIKE: Hi Aubrey! You ok, mate?
ANNIE: Audrey! His name is Audrey?
JAMES: You have got to be kidding.
BETTY: No, that's what he said.
HELEN: Mike, are you ok? This Parks and Gardens fellow was taking one of your plants.
MIKE: Who? Aubrey?
ANNIE: Told you.
JAMES: Audrey!
PARKS & GARDENS: No. It's Aubrey. My name is Aubrey. With a 'B'.
HELEN: Right, then. Aubrey. With a B.. What are you doing with Mike's plant?
PARKS & GARDENS: I'm bringing it back.
HELEN: So you did steal it.
PARKS & GARDENS: No I didn't. Tell them, Mike. I didn't steal it, did I?
MIKE: No, not at all. He took it away to treat it for black spot.
PARKS & GARDENS: And now I was just bringing it back. I had to take it away before it infected all the other plants, and I treated it with a fungicide, and it seems to be ok now so I was just bringing it back. And I've brought you a baking soda spray so you can keep it under control.
HELEN: Is that right, Mike? He's actually helping you to keep the plants healthy?
MIKE: Yeah. He's been very helpful, giving me advice, you know, how often to water them, brought me some plant food last week.
HELEN: Ah. Alright everybody, stand down!
SUSIE: What?
HELEN: All just a misunderstanding Susie. But thank you for doing this--
JAMES: What's happening. Is everything alright Helen?
HELEN: Yes, thank you all, very much everybody.
ANNIE: Are you sure there's nothing else we can do?
HELEN: I don't know. What do you think, Mike? Oh, these are some of Susie's friends.
MIKE: Oh Hi Susie. I didn't see you there. You ok??
SUSIE: Yes, thanks Mike. I'm good. Are you sure you're ok? This man is actually being helpful?
MIKE: Yes, he's been really kind. Giving me lots of advice. See how good they all look. Would you people like some tomatoes? I've got too many, I'll never eat them all.
SUSIE: That's very sweet of you, Mike. Maybe just one?
MIKE: One for the road, eh? Right, come on everybody, come and get a tomato. Help yourselves. You want one, Helen?
HELEN: Are you sure you've got enough?
MIKE: Oh yeah. They all decided to ripen at once, when we had those sunny days last week. I can't get through them all. Took some over to Mum.
SUSIE: Come on everyone. Tomatoes for the people, eh?
BETTY: That's very kind.
CHARLIE: Thanks Mike!
JAMES: Yes. Thanks Mike. Much appreciated.
MIKE: Oh, you're very welcome.
ANNIE: Righto, let's go. Nice to meet you Mike. You too, Aud-- I mean Aubrey!
PARKS & GARDENS: Oh. Yes, very nice to meet you.
EVERYBODY: [MOVING OFF] Power to the Plants
Power to the Plants!
CHARLIE: Plants for the People!
EVERYBODY: Plants for the People!
SUSIE: What do we want?
EVERYBODY: Plants
CHARLIE: Who needs them?
EVERYBODY: The People.
Hey! Parks & Gardens
Leave our plants alone!
Hey! Parks & Gardens
Leave our plants alone!
THEY BEGIN TO MOVE AWAY
HELEN: What a rabble!
SUSIE: I know. Aren't they adorable?
THEME MUSIC
OUTRO
FLLOYD: And that's it - for Season 10. Although there might just be an extra tidbit after the credits, for your listening entertainment. The cast for this episode was - Christopher McDougall as Charlie, Roy R Carruthers as Mike, Wayne Stuart Cole as Aubrey, or Mr Parks and Gardens, Wendy Lap as Annie, Sarah Golding as Betty, Edward Donnelly as James, and me, Flloyd Kennedy, as Helen, Susie and Jacquie. The theme music, as usual, is the title track from John T La Barbera's album, In the Labyrinth. And since you're still listening, I'll assume that you are enjoying.these mini episodes in the life of one, fictitious, elderly Aussie living in London. If you'd like more of them, I REALLY need you to let me know, by either rating and reviewing in your podcasting app, or by dropping a comment or a review at the website https://amIoldyet.com/reviews. Also, a big shout out the lovely folks at the Fable and Folly network, who took us in just as this season was starting, and whose wonderful support, advice and encouragement is helping to keep me sane. And finally, thank you so much, you lovely generous people who are supporting the show on patreon.com/amIoldyet. I simply could not do it without you. For the next couple of months, I'm going to focussing on bring the new podcast "Baked Off! to life for your listening pleasure. In the meantime, thanks for listening, stay safe. And now, for the epilogue finale.
STREET AMBIENCE
ANNIE: We've going to have to change that. We can't blame Parks & Gardens any more.
BETTY: How about "Hey, Government organisations!
JAMES: Doesn't scan very well. What about "Hey! Climate Change Deniers!
ANNIE: That's even worse.
JAMES: Well you come up with something better.
ANNIE: I think it should be "Hey! Big Oil, leave our plants alone!"
BETTY: But Big Oil isn't exactly threatening our plants...
JAMES: Maybe not directly, but indirectly.
BUS PULLING UP
BETTY: Oh, I see what you mean.
ANNIE: Isn't that our bus? Come on!!!
JAMES AND BETTY: Come on! Come on!!
BETTY: Anybody got any money?
ANNIE: No. You can walk.
JAMES : [LAUGHS]
BUS DOOR CLOSES. PULLS OUT.
SARAH: Are we actually these people? I thought we were just reading in... [LAUGHS] Oh. Sorry!
Actor
Born and raised in Liverpool, England, Roy experienced life in a variety of jobs, before he came to acting after graduating from University as a mature student at the age of thirty-eight. Previous theatre credits include: the MI5 agent in ‘By The Waters of Liverpool’ (Empire Theatre, Liverpool), as panto villains Abanazar (Dubai Media City), the Sheriff of Nottingham and King Rat (Gracie Fields Theatre, Rochdale), Tony De Vito in ‘Lennon’s Banjo’ (Epstein Theatre), Victor Franz in Arthur Miller’s ‘The Price’ (Liverpool Unity Theatre), Frank in ‘Ladies Night’, Slater in ‘Funny Money’ and Santa in ‘Night Collar’ (Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool), The Fourth Wall (Old Red Lion, Islington) and Mafioso (Hill Street Theatre, Edinburgh).
On TV he appeared in ‘Longford’ (Granada), ‘Good Cop’ (BBC TV) and as Frank in the Feature Film Sparkle (Magic Light Pictures).
Roy supplied over 50 character voices for 10 unabridged audio books of the Redwall series, by best-selling Liverpool author, Brian Jacques and can often be heard on BBC Radio 4; credits include ‘Cobwebs’ and ‘Brief Lives’, ‘The Sad Story of Jim Thorpe’, ‘William Quilliam: The Sheikh of Liverpool’ and ‘The Strange Case of Oliver Cromwell's Head’ plus two appearances on the Radio 4 show Pick of The Week.
Actor
Edward Donnelly trained at the Birmingham Theatre School and graduated in 2005. Since then he has appeared in a wide variety of roles from panto to Shakespeare, and performed in schools, theatres, tv, and even Glastonbury!
Theatre includes - Gremio - Taming of the Shrew - Bridewell Theatre; Famine - Old Red Lion; Platform - Bread and Roses Clapham; Tybalt, Romeo and Juliet - Glastonbury Festival; Hugh Evans - Merry wives of Windsor; Ugly Sister - Cinderella; Abanazar - Aladdin; Ebenezer Scrooge - A Christmas Carol; King Rat - Dick Whittington; Charley (Understudy) Charleys Aunt.
TV and Film includes - Conspiracy - Channel 5; Britain's Secret Homes - ITV; Bloody Tales - National Geographic; Rev Holtom - Malady (feature film); Dancer - Snoop Dogg music video.
Edward is also a big Star Wars and James Bond fan and would love a part in either of them!
Christopher McDougall
Christopher graduated from East 15 Acting School in 2018 and has been working in
various sectors of the industry since. He has much previous experience as an actor, as
well as a singer, writer and musical director.
Recent acting credits include Widow Twankey in Aladdin (Beverley Artistes); The
Narrator in Bonny and Read (Novanda Productions, Brighton Fringe/UK Tour); Aladdin
in Aladdin, Dugdale Centre, Enfield; Davie McD/Sam/Tobias Grenfell in Tell Me A Story,
produced by Kibo Productions for Zoom; Squire Bogey (and others) in Jack and the
Beanstalk, with M&M Theatrical Productions; God in It’s Aboot Adam, at last year’s
Edinburgh Fringe; Various characters in The Sherlock Holmes Experience, at Madame
Tussaud’s, London; and Fairy G/Sugar Plum in Bad Cinderella, at the Cockpit Theatre, in
December 2018.
In April 2021, alongside fellow producer Mark Hunter, he co-wrote, co-directed and
was Musical Director on Robin Hood: A Virtual Pantomime, which took place on Zoom,
and was very well received – they currently looking to revive it this year.
Christopher has also written a new musical – Star Streaker: The Musical – which he
hopes to revive in the not so distant future.
Find out more about what Christopher is doing at www.christophermcdougall.co.uk
Author, Actor
Flloyd Kennedy (aka Fairy Bessie), Australian-born actress, performance poet, singer-songwriter, director and voice/speech/accent coach, took part in the British folk revival in the late 60s, performed street theatre, cabaret and fringe theatre in Scotland throughout the 1980s and 90s, returned to Australia where she undertook research into the performing voice (specifically Shakespeare) for her doctorate. She has performed, directed, and taught voice and acting skills at colleges and universities in the UK, US and Australia. Now resident in Liverpool, UK, Flloyd tours her one-person versa plays with music around the world, performs her songs and poems at open mics in and around Liverpool. She also coaches student and professional actors, private individuals and community and corporate groups through her private studio Being in Voice. She is artistic director of Thunder’s Mouth Theatre (theatre of poetry, passion and philosophy), a Certified Teacher of Knight-Thompson Speechwork and is an Associate Artist with ISAAC (International School for Acting And Clown), She has now published two collections of poetry, songs and essays, Sunsets & Kites and Home is Where I Hang My Hat. Her songs are available on Bandcamp, as well as all major online streaming services.
Composer/Guitarist
John T. La Barbera, film score composer, producer, guitar and stringed instrument virtuoso and concert artist, has won several awards and commissions from The Jerome Foundation, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Martin Gruss Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts, Meet the Composer, UMass-Dartmouth, and ASCAP.
His film scores include: Children of Fate (Academy Award Nomination 1992); The Old Guitarist starring Dominic Chianese; The Bounty Hunter; Sacco and Vanzetti ; Sister Italy; Pane Amaro; What's up Scarlet; Neapolitan Heart ; Finding The Mother Lode: Italian Immigrants in California; La Festa and Tarantella .
His silent film scores include Assunta Spina, (1915, Naples), ‘A Santa Notte (1922, Naples), Chaplin’s The Immigrant (1917) and The Adventurer (1917), The Black Hand (1906), The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912) and The Adventures of Lieutenant Petrosino, (1912), Regeneration (1915)
In Theater, his expertise as composer, arranger and musical director was valuable in the off-Broadway productions of Souls of Naples, (Theater for a New Audience) starring John Turturro and the stage adaptation of Sicilian playwright Luigi Pirandello's short stories in Kaos, (New York Theater Workshop) directed by Marta Clarke. Folk Opera, Stabat Mater-Donna di Paradiso, was commissioned and performed at The Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
He has appeared on recording and performance projects with many great artists including folk singer Judy Collins, actor Dominic Chianese (Uncle Junior- Sopranos), Hollywood film sou… Read More
Voice Actor and Writer
Wendy is a freelance voiceover artist, performer and writer from Edinburgh.
She has recorded voiceovers, audiobooks, audio dramas and video games that can be heard worldwide.
Wendy writes comedy dramas for stage and audio. She has also penned a self-published book of 'Scottish Sleep Stories'.
Begin at the very beginning, with Episode 1 "Kind Like Sharon". Or pick it up at Season 6, which is the beginning of Helen's life as a Super Hero!
