Sketch:
Tragic music in background.
CAPTION: Hamlet
CAPTION: By William Shakespeare
CAPTION: Act One
Quick cut to a close shot of a big American car skidding round
a corner. Music. Montage of close ups of tyres, foot on accelerator
shots, etc. with a deafening sound track. The car skids to a halt at
the side of the curb. Pull out to reveal it is in a smart Harley Street
type location. The door opens and out gets a man in black leotard, with
make-up and a small crown -- Hamlet, in fact. He goes into a doorway,
presses the doorbell and waits. Cut to modern psychiatrist's office.
Hamlet is lying on the couch.
Hamlet (Terry J.)
It's just that everywhere I go it's the same old thing. All
anyone wants me to say is `To be or not to be …'
Psychiatrist (Graham)
`… that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to
suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous …'
Hamlet
(quickly) Yes, it's either that, or `Oh that this too
solid flesh would melt …'
Psychiatrist
(taking over) `… would melt, thaw and resolve itself
into a dew. Or that the everlasting had not fixed his canon 'gainst
self slaughter …'
Hamlet
Yes. All that sort of thing. And I'm just getting really fed
up.
Psychiatrist
(picking up a skull) Now do the bit about `Alas poor
Yorrick …'
Hamlet
No. I'm sick of it! I want to do something else. I want to make
something of my life.
Psychiatrist
No. I don't know that bit.
Hamlet
I want to get away from all that. Be different.
Psychiatrist
Well um … what do you want to be?
Hamlet
A private dick!
Psychiatrist
Why do you want to be a private dick?
Hamlet
Ooh … why does anyone want to be a private dick? Fame, money,
glamour, excitement, sex!
Psychiatrist
Ah! It's the sex, is it?
Hamlet
Well, that's one of the things, yes.
Psychiatrist
Yes, what's the sex problem?
Hamlet
Well, there's no problem.
Psychiatrist
Now, come on, come on. You've got the girl on the bed and she's
all ready for it.
Hamlet
No, no, it's nothing to do with that.
Psychiatrist
(getting excited) Now come on, come on, there she is,
she's all ready for it. She's a real stunner, she's got great big
tits, she's really well stacked and you've got her legs up against
the mantelpiece.
Dr Natal (Eric)
All right, Mr Butler, I'll take over. (a distinguished-looking
man in a suit enters; the psychiatrist leaves) Morning, Mr Hamlet.
My name's Natal. Sorry to keep you waiting. Now what seems to be
the problem.
Hamlet
Well, I was telling the other psychiatrist …
Dr Natal
He's … he's not a psychiatrist.
Hamlet
Oh. He said he was a psychiatrist.
Dr Natal
Well … yes … um, he's a kind of psychiatrist he's … he's
not a proper psychiatrist. He's not er … fully qualified … in,
um, quite the sort of way we should want. Anyway the problem I believe
is basically sexual is it?
The psychiatrist puts his head round door.
Psychiatrist
I asked him that!
Dr Natal
Get out! (the psychiatrist goes; to Hamlet) Now then,
you've got the girl on the bed. You've been having a bit of a feel
up during the evening. You've got your tongue down her throat. She's
got both her legs up on the mantelpiece …
Enter a distinguished-looking psychiatrist in a white coat.
Third Psychiatrist (Michael)
(quietly and authoritatively, indicating the door) Dr
Natal … out please!
Dr Natal
I'm talking to a patient! Oh … (he goes)
Third Psychiatrist
Out please! I'm terribly sorry, sir. We have a lot of problems
here with bogus psychiatrists. One of the risks in psychiatry I'm
afraid. Unfortunately they do tend to frighten the patient and they
can cause real and permanent damage to the treatment. But I assure
you that I am a completely bona fide psychiatrist. Here's my diploma
in psychiatry from the University of Oxford. This here shows that
I'm a member of the British Psychiatric Association, a very important
body indeed. Here's a letter from another psychiatrist in which
he mentions that I'm a psychiatrist. This is my Psychiatric Club
tie, and as you can see the cufflinks match. I've got a copy of
`Psychiatry Today' in my bag, which I think is pretty convincing.
And a letter here from my mother in which she asks how the psychiatry
is going, and I think you'll realize that the one person you can't
fool is your mother. So if you'd like to ask me any questions abut
psychiatry, I bet I can answer them.
Hamlet
No, no, it's all right, really.
Third Psychiatrist
OK, you've got this girl on your bed, you've had a few drinks,
you've got her stretched out and her feet on the mantelpiece …
(the intercom buzzes) yes, what is it?
Intercom Voice (?)
There's a proper psychiatrist to see you, Dr Rufus Berg.
Third Psychiatrist
Oh, oh my God! Ok, thank you. (he hurriedly changes into
a police constable's uniform) Right, thank you very much for
answering the questions, sir. We'll try not to trouble you again,
sir. (exits hurriedly)
A fourth psychiatrist rushes in.
Fourth Psychiatrist (Terry G.)
Right you've got the girl down on the bed, you've got her legs
up on the mantelpiece.
Two men in white coats bundle him out. Dr Natal Enters.
Dr Natal
Well, well done, Mr Hamlet. You've done extremely well in out
disorientation tests.
Hamlet
Oh? Oh!
Dr Natal
You see, I'm sorry it might have confused you a little, but
we do this to try to establish a very good doctor/patient relationship,
you see … we do it to sort of, as it were, to break down the barriers.
All right?
Hamlet
yes fine.
Dr Natal
Good! Well, you've got her legs up on the mantelpiece …
The two men come in and chase him out. Cut to a man at a consultant's
desk in a smart West End surgery.
CAPTION: Dr Bruce Genuine, Chairman of the Psychiatric Association
Dr Bruce (Terry J.)
On behalf of the Psychiatric Association, I should like to say
that we are taking firm action to clamp down on the activities of
bogus psychiatrists. In fact in many areas of modern psychiatry
computers are now being increasingly used for the first basic diagnosis
and this has gone a long way in eliminating the danger of unqualified
impostors.
Cut to Hamlet in an office. A big, impressive-looking computer
beside him.
Computer (?)
(in tinny computer voice) You've had your tongue down
her throat and she's got her legs on the mantelpiece.
The door opens and a nurse appears.
Nurse (Carol)
Out!
The computer scuttles for the door, revealing that underneath
it are six pairs of legs, in pin-striped trousers and expensive shoes.
Cut to the same computer in a field. The nurse picks up a bazooka. The
computer rises into the air, the nurse fires at it and it explodes.
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