5. Interrogation
Do you remember the Doctor? Ten-part drama starring Charlie Craggs, with Jodie Whittaker.
Cleo, Abby and Shawna are trapped in a safehouse being interrogated about someone called ‘the Doctor’. Unfortunately, only Cleo remembers who that is. And so far, their captors seem to be big on violence and short on patience…
Credits:
Cleo Proctor - Charlie Craggs
Abby McPhail - Lois Chimimba
Shawna Thompson - Holly Quin-Ankrah
Kate Stewart - Jemma Redgrave
Miller - Pip Gladwin
Roberts - Karim Kronfli
Written by Sasha Sienna
Produced and Directed by Ella Watts
Executive Producer: James Robinson
Sound Engineer: Paul Clark
Studio Assistant: Jacob Tombling
Sound Design: David Thomas
Additional Sound Design: Arlie Adlington
Original Composition: David Devereux
Production Co-ordinators: Sarah Sharpe and Sarah Nicholls
Script Editor: Tasha Dhanraj
Recorded at Sonica Studios, Clapham.
A 鶹Լ Studios Production for 鶹Լ Sounds.
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5. INTERROGATION
Doctor Who Redacted
Episode Five
Written by
Sasha Sienna
FX: 鶹Լ SOUNDS STING
SCENE 1
INT. SHABBY HOUSE. THE HOUSE IS DETACHED AND RURAL, WITH NO HUMAN LIFE WITHIN HEARING DISTANCE.
We start the episode with one long, ominous note playing repeatedly.
FX: A rush of footsteps on wooden floorboards. CLEO, SHAWNA and ABBY are blindfolded and their hands are bound.
ROBERTS
Keep moving!
CLEO
Well maybe if I could see!
SHAWNA
You better believe Amnesty are
gonna hear about this!
ABBY
This ’t funny! ’m my mother’s
carer! She needs me!
ROBERTS
Move!
CLEO
Yeah, we get it, you’re really
tough, shoving young women about.
FX: A door creaks open. CLEO, SHAWNA and ABBY are led downstairs into an empty basement.
The door bangs shut. CLEO immediately bangs loudly on the door as it shout.
CLEO
Let us out of here!
We hear the redacted sound mixed with a soft piano.
CREDITS
Doctor Who Redacted: Episode Five. By Sasha Sienna.
SCENE 2
INT. BASEMENT. THE WALLS AND FLOOR ARE CONCRETE AND IT IS EMPTY, BESIDES CLEO, SHAWNA AND ABBY.
SHAWNA
Oh, this is bad. No this is
properly bad. If they’re gonna
kill us, I wish they’d hurry
up and get on with it. How
long’s it been?
ABBY
Feels like hours.
FX: Clumsy door rattling as ABBY tries to open it with bound hands.
ABBY
Still locked.
CLEO
Well, it’s always worth a try
FX: ABBY hurls herself at the door.
CLEO
Abs! What are you doing?
ABBY
What else are we supposed to do?
Just sit here?
SHAWNA
You’ll hurt yourself.
CLEO
You’re not built for knocking down
doors. I don’t know about you, but
’m getting out of these cable ties
now.
FX: Sounds of shuffling, huffs of effort and shoes tapping against the concrete floor as CLEO gets her hands in front of her
CLEO
Oh my god, this is worse than yoga
SHAWNA
No, you look really...graceful.
CLEO
You little liar.
ABBY
(sarcastically)
No, really. You look like a gazelle.
Being born.
FX: CLEO stands up with a TRIUMPHANT HUFF.
CLEO
Cirque du soleil can bite me.
She raises her arms over head, slams them down onto her knee and the cable tie snaps.
ᴡ±
Woah. That was seriously hot.
CLEO
I know!
ABBY
That was seriously amazing, where
did you learn to do that?
CLEO
TikTok. (laughs)
SHAWNA
That’s so cool, all it ever shows me
are, like, conspiracy theories and
fruit loaf recipes.
ABBY
Hmm, I wonder why.
SHAWNA
Cleo, can you show me how to do that?
FX: SHAWNA starts hopping about, trying to bring one leg through her bound arms.
CLEO
I might not need to. Hang on.
(pause)
They should have taken my earrings
when they took our phones. Here, give
me your hands, come.
FX: SHAWNA turns to show her hands to CLEO, who bends down and starts scratching at the plastic with her earring.
(PAUSE)
SHAWNA
What if, we like...crossed
a line or something? Found out too
much? Everyone – stop breathing!
They might be pumping nerve agents
through the vents -
CLEO
Girl, you need to go on a YouTube diet,
stop it.
FX: The cable tie starts to slowly break.
ABBY
Shawna, they’re obviously aliens.
CLEO
Wait, what?!
ABBY
I mean, think about it-
CLEO
Do you two hear yourselves sometimes?
(to Shawna)
I think that’s weakened it – see if you
can pull your hands apart now.
FX: sound of a snapping plastic as SHAWNA breaks her cable tie.
SHAWNA
Yes!
CLEO
Yes! Oh thank god. OK, Abs,
quick, your turn now.
FX: cable tie loosening
CLEO
Keep your hands still, babe.
ABBY
Right, sorry, sorry. If aliens were
here, and if they were trying to
remain undetected, and if we have managed
to detect them, then they’d probably
have to do something, like, wipe our
brains, or, or…
SHAWNA
Or make us disappear. Abby, you’re
loving this aren’t you?
CLEO breathes heavily as she keeps trying to break the cable tie.
ABBY
No! What about my mum? And Craig must
be going out of his mind; if I don’t
reply to his texts in like a minute
he freaks out.
CLEO
Girl, that ain’t healthy.
Give that a go.
FX: Snap of plastic as ABBY breaks apart her own cable ties.
ABBY
We did it! Group hug?
CLEO
I think we’ve earned one.
FX: sound of manoeuvring into a warm hug.
CLEO
Right, now where are we?
Just hug a little longer…
SHAWNA
That window’s way too high to see
out of.
CLEO
Do you think you could give me
a boost up Shawna?
SHAWNA
Get on my shoulders.
CLEO
Really? Are you sure?
SHAWNA
Well you can’t cycle up Sheffield hills
without getting titanium thighs.
CLEO
I think I’ve seen her drag act once.
Alright come on, let’s give it a go.
FX: sounds of struggling about as SHAWNA kneels down, CLEO climbs onto her back and SHAWNA stands up.
CLEO
Oh wow, Shawna, you weren’t lying about
those legs!
ABBY
Can you see anything?
CLEO
Not much. There’s a lot of field.
Empty field. There’s some trees.
ABBY
What kind?
CLEO
(unsure) Errr...the big kind?
ABBY
Helpful.
CLEO
Right. There’s not a lot else.
Sorry, sorry. There’s not a lot
else. I don’t see any other buildings,
or a road or anything.
SHAWNA
(struggling to hold Cleo)
Can you open it?
CLEO
Hm I don’t think so. Looks like
it was painted shut a few years ago.
There’s bars on the outside anyway.
So yeah sorry, let me down.
FX: SHAWNA breathes out exasperated and lowers herself as CLEO steps down awkwardly.
ABBY
Take my hand.
CLEO
Sorry.
SHAWNA
Are you alright? Are you down?
CLEO jumps down with a thud.
CLEO
Sorry, are you ok?
SHAWNA
(Sighs) Yeah. Well, at least I get
to die with you guys eh. Oh god I
sound like ’m in a Smiths song.
CLEO
Oi. You know me and Abby would never
let anything bad happen to you,
right Abs?
ABBY
Right. Besides, whoever it is that’s
taken us, they wouldn’t have done it
if we weren’t onto something!
CLEO
What are you on about now?
SHAWNA
No that’s true, it’s the blue box!
Whoever these people are, they’re
clearly mixed up in it. I told you
blue box was government agent-
ABBY
It could still be aliens!
SHAWNA
What? Aliens with two hands and
feet who wear cheap aftershave
is it?
CLEO
Girls!
ABBY
Other planets could have aftershave!
CLEO
Girls! Not now, oh my god!
(beat)
Anyway, you kidnap people, you could at
least give them a cuppa. ’m gasping for
one.
SHAWNA
I’d go for something stronger.
CLEO
(chuckles) Yeah.
Then suddenly they all jump in surprise as the door bursts open.
ROBERTS
(menacingly) Get up.
CLEO
Oh my god.
ROBERTS walks over to SHAWNA and starts to drag her out of the room.
SHAWNA
Hey, what are you doing? Get off me!
CLEO
Oi! Shawna!
ABBY
Where are you taking her?
FX: ROBERTS drags SHAWNA across the room and pushes her up the stairs. CLEO and ABBY run after her, trying to pull her back.
SHAWNA
No! Let me go!
CLEO
Leave her alone!
ABBY
Shawna!
FX: ROBERTS and SHAWNA exit and the door slams and locks behind them.
We hear SHAWNA’s muffled shouting from behind the door.
SHAWNA
Let me go! Abby! Cleo!
Back in the basement, we can still hear Shawna shouting in the distance
ABBY
What do you think they’re gonna do
to her?
CLEO
I don’t know, but ’m not waiting
to find out, come on.
FX: CLEO RATTLES THE DOOR
ABBY
Maybe there’s another exit -
CLEO
Shh - do you hear that?
FX: conversation echoing from another room.
ABBY
What is it?
CLEO
It’s Shawna! I can hear her voice.
I think it’s coming through the
ceiling - listen.
SCENE 3
INT. SPARSELY FURNISHED ROOM, SET UP AS AN INTERROGATION ROOM. MILLER IS QUESTIONING SHAWNA.
FX: Dialogue starts muffled and becomes clearer over SHAWNA’s first line, as we move through the ceiling into the interview room. During the scene, there’s the occasional sound of shoes on floorboards as MILLER circles around the room.
MILLER
Do you know why you’re here?
SHAWNA
Because I’ve been kidnapped?
MILLER
(sharply)’m not interested in your
jokes, Miss Thompson.
SHAWNA
Sorry. Being hilarious just comes
so naturally to me.
MILLER
You and your friends have vivid imaginations.
SHAWNA
You’ve taken us hostage! We haven’t
imagined that have we?
FX: (MILLER stops walking and taps his foot lightly a few times)
MILLER
Your podcast – the Blue Box Files.
Why do you make it?
SHAWNA
Because we think people deserve to
know the truth.
MILLER
And why, exactly, are you claiming
that people are disappearing?
SHAWNA
Because they are! Have you seen the
news recently? There’s a missing
person epidemic.
MILLER
I have, in fact, seen the news recently.
I don’t know what darknet conspiracy
blog you get your so-called ‘news’
from Ms Thompson.
MILLER slams down a stack of newspapers. Dumbstruck, SHAWNA files through them.
SHAWNA
But that’s not – that’s not possible,
it was headline news… It was – I saw
it on all over the front pages, like
yesterday.
(MORE)
SHAWNA shoves the papers away from her
Ominous music starts in the background as SHAWNA refuses to believe what she’s seeing.
SHAWNA (CONT’D)
Nah. This is fake news. Literally. It’s
got to be. I know what the truth is
and you’re not going to gaslight me
into thinking differently.
MILLER
(laughs darkly) Ok. What exactly do
you think the truth is, Miss Thompson?
SHAWNA
That there’s always someone like you
in the background. Who doesn’t care
what happens to anyone else.
FX: MILLER taps his foot again.
SHAWNA (CONT.)
You think you get to control everybody.
Well guess what, you’re not going to
control me..
MILLER
You think you understand all about how
the world works, don’t you? Your version –
that’s the right one. And you’re not interested whatsoever in the
(MORE)
MILLER (CONT’D)
work of this department or the good
we might do, because I am so blatantly
evil, right? Because what – because ’m wearing a uniform?
SHAWNA
Yeah, that’s about right. You’re
obviously working for some shadowy government agency.
(falters)
You’re probably behind all the disappearances.
FX: MILLER’s shoes click against the floor as he slowly circles SHAWNA. He taps his foot again.
MILLER
’m not the one you should be
frightened of, Shawna. ’m not the
one controlling this blue box of
yours, but someone is, and they are
much, much worse than you understand.
You see, I, and the people I work
with, we’re here to protect good
people. Good people like your
grandmother, for instance.
FX: SHAWNA stands up.
SHAWNA
Leave her alone!
Ominous music continues in the background, long, low notes.
MILLER
If all goes according to plan, then
there’s no reason that your grandmother
ever needs to hear about this…little incident, or from us at all. But if not –
if you don’t co-operate, (pause)
well then I suppose plans change.
Don’t they?
FX: MILLER stops and taps his foot again
SHAWNA
Why do you keep doing that?
MILLER
What?
SHAWNA
When you tap your foot, you keep
looking at that mirror.
(PAUSE)
Ominous music stops.
SHAWNA (CONT’D)
Ah, someone’s watching us, aren’t they?
Are they telling you what to say?
You’re not in charge here, are you?
MILLER
I have the authority to make your
life very difficult, Miss Thompson.
And your grandmother’s.
SHAWNA
Who’s watching us then?
(shouting to the room)
Come here and tell us what you want!
You cowards!
MILLER
Tell me how you and your friends are involved with the blue box and you’ll
find me much more amenable.
(pause)
Tell me what you know about the Doctor.
SHAWNA
Doctor who?
SCENE 4
INT. BASEMENT.
FX: The door opens and ROBERTS shoves SHAWNA inside.
She runs down the stairs and into ABBY’s arms, breathing shakily. CLEO rushes to join them.
ABBY
Shawna! Oh thank god
CLEO
You’re alright, babe. We’ve got you now.
FX: ROBERTS crosses the room and pulls ABBY apart from SHAWNA. He drags ABBY across the basement and up the stairs.
ROBERTS
Your turn!
ABBY
Let go of me!
CLEO
What? Oh my god!
SHAWNA
Abby! Abby you’ll be all right,
just don’t trust them! They’re
liars! Don’t listen to them!
ABBY
Where are you taking me?
ROBERTS
Move!
CLEO
Abby! It’s going to be OK babe!
FX: The door slams shut and locks.
SCENE 5
(SHAWNA sobs)
FX: CLEO walks to SHAWNA and puts an arm around her, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.
CLEO
Oh, come here babe.
(Pause while SHAWNA catches her breath and CLEO comforts her)
CLEO (CONT’D)
We’re all getting out of this
together Shawna. I promise.
SHAWNA
How are you so calm?
CLEO
What?
SHAWNA
Like it’s just another Tuesday.
Went to Glasgow, got kidnapped.
CLEO
Oh babe, ’m wetting myself too.
SHAWNA
Well you could have fooled me.
CLEO
It’s just…I don’t know, you know
When you’ve got lots on your mind
and your brain’s almost like buffering,
and you don’t actually have the space to have a real breakdown.
SHAWNA
Yeah, yeah.
CLEO
(Beat) Honestly the worst part though,
is for a second I thought I might get
to see my dad again. Like, maybe this is what happened to him, too. And if it was,
at least I’d know, you know.
And then I thought of my mum. Jordan
going missing, then me… And maybe she
didn’t lie to us about Dad, and maybe
he didn’t go off to Marbella with some
bird. And maybe this whole time I’ve
been angry at her about something
she didn’t even do.
Thoughtful music appears in the background, slow synth music.
But then I remembered she doesn’t care.
She wouldn’t care if I was gone. Her
life would be a hell of a lot easier
if
(MORE)
CLEO (CONT’D)
I was gone. So maybe I should go.
I can be with Dad and this would all
be over. Maybe me disappearing would
be better for everyone.
SHAWNA
Cleo it wouldn’t be better. Not for
Jordan. Not for me or for Abby. Never
ever think that.
CLEO
’m sorry. ’m sorry. It’s just, this
is all so much, and now Jordan’s gone
and -
SHAWNA
We’re going to find him. Babe,
I promise.
SHAWNA pulls in CLEO for a big hug.
(pause)
SHAWNA
(sighs) Do you think she’s OK up there?
FX: faint sounds of conversation from the room upstairs.
CLEO
Babe. She’s probably up there interrogating
him.
SHAWNA
(Faint laugh) Yeah, fair.
SCENE 6
INT. INTERROGATION ROOM.
FX: As in Sc3, dialogue starts muffled and becomes clearer over as we move from the cellar to the interview room. MILLER’s shoes click on the floorboards as he slowly paces.
ABBY
Who are you?
(pause)
MILLER
My name is Miller.
ABBY
What are you doing here?
MILLER
’m keeping people safe, Miss
MacPhail. Whether ’m protecting
you, or protecting people from you,
I’ve yet to determine.
ABBY
But what are you doing here? Like,(whispering) on Earth.
FX: MILLER’s footsteps stop as he pauses. He taps his foot.
MILLER
Where else ought I to be, exactly?
ABBY
(lightly laughing)
OK, well, -I mean, you look pretty
human - but you work for them, don’t
you? The beings that are behind all these abductions?
FX: MILLER’s hand slams down on a table surface. ABBY gasps.
MILLER
(shouting)Am I supposed to believe
that you and your friends are just
playing at Men In Black?
He pauses.
MILLER (CONT.)
(laughs) OK. I’d like to play you
something.
FX: MILLER places a phone down on the table and sets it to play a recorded excerpt of The Blue Box Files.
CLEO
Girl, how do you not know your star
sign? ’m a Scorpio sun, Aries moon
and Leo rising.
ABBY
That explains a lot!
CLEO
Excuse me, what’s that supposed to mean?
SHAWNA
Am I the only one who doesn’t think
my personality is dictated by shapes
in the sky?
It is dictated by the state-sanctioned brainwashing that is the education
system -
ABBY
Ah, but we’re not just talking about
The redacted sound begins
ABBY (CONT’D)
the regular constellations we’re all familiar with. These ones were different. All across the world, people say they saw-
FX: the episode abruptly cuts into the redacted sound. The recording bleeps as it stops playing.
MILLER
What made that sound?
ABBY
That’s not how it used to be.
Something happened to it. It was
a really interesting episode, though,
you’re missing out –
MILLER
Until you drop the act and tell me everything you know, I won’t be letting
you or your friends go anywhere.
(pause)
Do you think your mother can manage
without you for that long?
Miller begins pacing the room again.
ABBY
(scared) What do you mean?
MILLER
I know how much she relies on you.
Is whatever you’re hiding really worth leaving her without the help she needs?
ABBY
What do you want?
MILLER
Tell me what you know about the Doctor.
ABBY
What are you talking about?
MILLER
I know you must think you’re being
very clever, Miss McPhail. But this
stops now.
ABBY
No, seriously, I don’t know what
you’re talking about.
MILLER
Penny Carter. Oliver Morgenstern.
Rani Chandra. All of these people disappeared immediately after crossing
your path.
ABBY
No, that’s not…
(she thinks for a moment)
oh my god…(beat)
Music begins to play, echoing Abby’s confusion.
ABBY (CONT’D)
Sorry, no, no that’s not us –
that’s – well we don’t know but
it has something to do with this
Blue Box.
MILLER
It’s called a TARDIS. But the Doctor doesn’t go around kidnapping people,
Miss McPhail. The Doctor doesn’t erase people from history.
ABBY
We just want to go home.
MILLER
Your going home depends on your answer
to a very simple question, Miss McPhail. What have you done to the Doctor?
Music builds dramatically and then slowly fades into the next scene.
SCENE 7 INT.BASEMENT.
FX: Door opens. ABBY is ushered into the room by ROBERTS.
SHAWNA
Abby! Are you alright?
CLEO
Oh my god!
ABBY
Yeah, I think so. They just kept asking
me the same question over and over
about…erm…someone… I can’t remember.
ROBERTS
(forcefully to Cleo) You, up.
CLEO
Yeah alright babe, I can walk myself
’m not a dog.
FX: CLEO and ROBERTS walk up the stairs and the door closes behind them.
Music quickly builds then fades into the next scene.
SCENE 8
CLEO IS SAT ALONE IN THE INTERROGATION ROOM.
FX: The door swings open and MILLER walks in.
MILLER
Cleo Proctor. You know, your friends
have already been very informative.
CLEO
Ha, try again mate. You know we can hear
you from downstairs, right?
FX: MILLER taps his foot
CLEO (CONT.)
Shawna said you do that a lot. She
reckons you’re signalling someone.
MILLER
Tell me why you and your friends
started The Blue Box Files.
CLEO
Oh, you know how it is. All the
really glamorous mysteries already
had their own shows already.
MILLER
Perhaps you’re being paid by
someone else. Someone with influence?
Money?
CLEO
(laughing)Yeah, right, because anyone
with money wants to spend it
listening to three queer women chat
about conspiracies all day. Babe, if
we had money don’t you think we’d have better production values?
(BEAT)
MILLER
You grew up on the Powell Estate,
didn’t you?
CLEO
Yeah, so?
MILLER
A lot of the flats there are empty.
CLEO
Look, if you want to talk about
London’s social housing crisis,
’m your girl.
MILLER
There are an unusually high number
of missing person’s reports filed
from residents of that estate.
CLEO
Duh, that’s what you get through
decades of underfunding in social
services.
MILLER
Are you aware that one of these was
filed by your mother? For a Jordan
Proctor?
CLEO
Obviously, he’s my brother.
MILLER
He was last seen on the Powell Estate
five days ago. Your mother still
lives there. But I notice you moved
out some time ago. And your brother
followed shortly after.
CLEO
Do you really think ’m involved
with this? You’re so far off the
mark it’s funny.
MILLER
Did you convince your friends to
use your podcast to investigate
these disappearances?
CLEO
Oh my god, does nobody even listen
to our podcast? ’m not even the
one who believes in all this stuff!
’m literally just there for the
hilarious quips.
MILLER
And that would be the perfect act,
wouldn’t it?
CLEO
Babe, we’re not sharing state secrets
are we? We’re just going off about urban
legends.
(BEAT)
Do you know what happened to him?
MILLER
Who?
CLEO
My brother. Jordan.
MILLER
’m the one asking the questions
Miss Proctor.
CLEO
Yeah right. So you don’t. Got it.
MILLER
Listen to me very carefully. Whatever
you’re mixed up in, whoever you’re
working with, is truly dangerous. If
I were you, Miss Proctor, I would be
very, very scared.
CLEO
Scared? You’re telling me I should be scared? ’m a trans woman who’s just
been abducted by some shady men in suits. ’mterrified babe! But so what? ’m scared every time I have to use a public toilet,
but I still do it. Being scared’s nothing. And now you want me to think you’re gonna protect me? (laughs) Yeah if fear’s all you got, you can’t touch me.
BEAT of silence as this speech hangs in the air. MILLER walks takes a few slow steps round the room as this sinks in.
MILLER
You’re right. ’m sorry. Of course,
you’re right.
MILLER slumps down into a chair, defeated.
CLEO
Er, are you alright babe?
You just got like way less police
brutality and about way more
pencil-pusher.
MILLER
No, ’m not alright.
CLEO
’m not going to bite.
Probably.
MILLER
It’s the Doctor.
CLEO
What did you just say?
MILLER
(not really listening to Cleo)
She’s supposed to be here. She’s
supposed to fix things like this.
Or stop them from ever happening.
Or ever having happened. But all the
intel we have suggests that she’s behind
it somehow. And I don’t know why.
CLEO
Wait, wait, wait. Are we talking about
the same Doctor? The one normally seen
with a Blue Box. What did Rani call it –
a TARDIS? A TARDIS! I thought she was
Mrs Collateral Damage or something.
Lord knows she’s got the body count for
it.
MILLER
(suddenly paying attention)
You know about the Doctor?
CLEO
Yes! Finally! Oh my god every time
I tell anyone about her, they just –
MILLER
(finishing Cleo’s sentence)
- Completely forget. I was starting
to think I was going mad.
CLEO
You and me both. Though I hadn’t quite
stepped it up to kidnapping people.
Very softly, the REDACTED sound effect begins to build throughout this scene as the tension in the music rises.
MILLER
(scared)It’s just: if something has
happened to the Doctor, if someone’s
done something to her, like brainwashed
her or something, then it’s not just a couple dozen disappearances we’re going
to have worry about. This could be the
end of the human race.
CLEO
Yeah, you’re back to sounding crazy
again.
(BEAT)
What are you smiling about anyway?
Is this an: “I’ve lost it and ’m about
to get out the chainsaw” smile or “I’ve
decided Cleo’s really earned a cuppa” situation?
MILLER
It’s just such a relief. You wouldn’t believe how long I’ve been looking for anyone who remembers her –
The REDACTED sound effect rises like a wave, muffling Miller’s last few words.
CLEO
Are you ok?
Now all of Miller’s words are muffled and he’s slowly repeating himself.
MILLER
It’s just such a relief. You wouldn’t believe how long I’ve been looking for anyone who remembers her –
CLEO
Wait, what’s happening to you?
MILLER
Even Kate’s forgotten –
(Miller repeats forgotten and it echoes as if in a loop)
CLEO
What’s happening?
The REDACTED sound gets louder then suddenly stops.
MILLER
(SCREAMING)
HELP! (STATIC) CLEO! (STATIC) HELP ME!
The REDACTED sound effect gets unbearably loud.
CLEO
I don’t know how! I don’t know what
to do!! Tell me how to help you, I don’t
know!
MILLER
HELP ME!
CLEO
Oh my god help!
MILLER
(A TERRIBLE, DISTORTED SCREAM)
CLEO
HELP! SOMEBODY HELP! I don’t know
what’s happening, I don’t know his
name. Oh my god - HELP!!
FX: we hear a small, supernatural rush of air as MILLER disappears in front of CLEO’s eyes.
FX: Door opens and KATE STEWART enters.
KATE
Miss Proctor. I need you to calm down
or we will have to restrain you..
CLEO
(frantic)Who are you? What the hell
just happened to that man??
KATE
My name is Kate Stewart. ’m Chief Scientific Officer at UNIT, or whatever’s left of it.
CLEO
Where’s he gone??
FX: Kate sits down.
KATE
Take a deep breath and explain.
(Beat)
What man?
CLEO
The man who was just in here interrogating me! Where is he?
KATE
There was nobody in here with you.
Who do you think you saw? Did he look
like your brother?
CLEO
What? No! He was, tall, bit of a belly, balding, brown hair, brown eyes. He was RIGHT here!
KATE
You believe you heard him speak to you?
CLEO
He did speak to me!
KATE
If you’ll just calm down -
CLEO
Calm down?! A person just disappeared
Right in front of my eyes! ’m not talking to anyone until I see my friends. I need to know they’re still here.
KATE
If I bring your friends up, will you
sit down and have a reasonable
conversation with me?
CLEO
If you’ve done anything to them -
FX: Brief static sound as KATE activates a communication device.
KATE
Roberts, would you please bring the
other two girls upstairs?
FX: Roberts muffled reply on the radio.
KATE (CONT’D)
Now, Miss Proctor, tell me about
The Blue Box Files.
CLEO
What’s happening right now?
FX: The door opens. ROBERTS enters with ABBY and SHAWNA.
ROBERTS
(to Shawna and Abby) Move!
CLEO
Guys you’re OK!
ABBY
Cleo, what happened? Are you alright?
KATE
Thank you for joining us.
FX: The door closes.
SHAWNA
Who are you?
KATE
I can explain everything, my name
is Kate Stewart, ’m Chief Scientific Officer at UNIT. And we all need to
de-escalate this situation.
SHAWNA
(to Kate) What have you done to her?
CLEO
No, ’m alright babe, ’m alright.
ABBY
Yeah?
CLEO
I was talking to that man and he just, he disappeared right in front of me-
SHAWNA
What man?
CLEO
Oh you’ve got to be joking girls?
KATE
Ladies. Enough. ’m afraid we find
ourselves in something of an emergency.
So please: what is the blue box? What
does it do? And who is behind it?
CLEO
It’s called a TARDIS. And it always
shows up with some person called the
Doctor. But that’s all I know,
I promise.
ROBERTS
(exasperated) You can’t expect us to
believe that.
KATE
(SHARP)
Roberts, ’m running this interrogation
CLEO
’m telling the truth! Look I was
just talking to your man about this.
ABBY
Cleo, what are you talking about?
ROBERTS
’m done with your games. This is a
matter of national security, so let’s
handle it as such.
We hear rustling, as if from a bag.
You clearly don’t care about protecting yourselves, so let’s see how much you
care about protecting each other.
FX: Click of a gun being unholstered and the safety being turned off.
Tense music starts as ROBERTS points a gun at the girls.
ABBY
No!
KATE
(furious)
Roberts – what the HELL do you think
you’re doing?
ROBERTS
Getting answers.
KATE
This is not how we do things,
sergeant. Stand. Down.
ROBERTS
Can’t do that ma’am. I don’t like
this any more than you do.
ROBERTS takes slow steps towards the girls.
CLEO
Alright, can we all just chill out for
a second please?
KATE
Roberts, you’re looking at a Court
Martial.
ROBERTS
Small price to save the world, ma’am.
FX: KATE MOVING TO PROTECT THE GIRLS
KATE
Right everyone, get back. Don’t worry –
he’s not going to use that thing.
ROBERTS
Tell us what we need to know.
ABBY
Hold on. I don’t understand. What do
you want from us? We hardly know anything!
(PAUSE)
CLEO
Yeah, hold up - she’s right. We know barely anything, so what do you want with us?
It’s ‘cause you know nothing, ’t
it? You didn’t even know who the Doctor
is.
SHAWNA
Wait – what Doctor?
KATE
Ms Procter, now is not the time -
The music starts to build into a heroic tune, as CLEO realises she has the upper hand.
CLEO
That’s why you’re not getting anywhere –
you don’t even know what to ask!
You’re running scared.
FX: sound of a gun cocking
ROBERTS
Give us the information we need,
or I shoot.
KATE
Roberts I would really prefer not to
have to incapacitate you.
ROBERTS
No hard feelings ma’am. Desperate
times, desperate measures
CLEO
Go on then, do it.
FX: Cleo walks up to Roberts
KATE
CLEO!
ABBY
DON’T SHOOT! DO NOT SHOOT!
SHAWNA
CLEO GET AWAY FROM THE GUN!
CLEO
(To others)
It’s fine, he’s not going to shoot me.
(MORE)
CLEO (CONT’D)
(To Roberts)
Because you need us, don’t you? You
don’t even know who The Doctor is.
You’ve forgotten everything. We’re
literally your only hope.
(BEAT)
The music fades.
CLEO (CONT’D)
We’re in charge now, babes.
END OF EPISODE.
The low bassy surge of the Redacted Main Theme comes in, with its distinctive siren-like synths, rushing into a sudden glitch that dips into a slow, soft piano tune. CREDITS Doctor Who Redacted: Episode Five,by Sasha Sienna.The piano tune keeps going for a moment before picking up the pass with a big beat of drums, strings and synths that turns into the Main Theme tune, a symphony of synths and strings revelling in alien weirdness. CREDITS Starring: Charlie Craggs, Lois Chimimba, Holly Quin-Ankrah, Jemma Redgrave, Pip Gladwin and Karim Kronfli. Directed and produced by Ella Watts.Sound design by David Thomas and Arlie Adlington. Original composition by David Devereux.A 鶹Լ Studios production.With a rush like the TARDIS, the main theme music gets even bigger and louder, turning into a big, bright, fast paced melody that plays to the end of the episode, when it stops abruptly with a sharp glitch which ends with a beep.
Podcast
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Doctor Who: Redacted
The return of the audio drama series, set in the worlds of Doctor Who.