The Exam by Andy Hamilton. (2005) Collins

Key Words 

Exams, family pressure, expectations, failure, stress, success, friendships, affairs, dating, teenagers, ghosts, teachers, students.

Play Length 1 hour

Time 00's

Accents General London 

Place Unspecified School and family houses, living room, kitchen etc..

Set Three desks and three chairs

Specificity As the play is simplistic in its set with minimal characters, it could be located anywhere. The is play gender specific as there are references to Mother/Father, Mr/Mrs. The play could be done anywhere in England, it does have some London references but generally it is specific to English culture.

Characters 13 (7 males/ 6 females)

Chas 15-16

Andrew 15-16

Bea 15-16

Mr A 45-55

Mrs A 45-55

Mr B 45-55

Mrs B 45-55

Mrs C 40-50

Dad 40-50

Ex 20-80

Miss Baxendale 30-45

Mr Biggs 30-45

Auntie Jean 40-50

Synopsis

Andy Hamilton’s comedy, 'The Exam’ is his only notable written play, having written more for screen, radio and literature.  The play exposes the pressures of being a teenager, exams and parents.

Andrew finds the expectations of his father, heavy, which prompts him to either throw up or freeze. Bea wants to rebel against her nickname ‘two brains’ as a result of her high intellect and Chas who sees the ghost of his dead father, would just be happy to get a C.

The interjections between the parents spotlit advice and the classroom, offers a refreshing balance, which results in some hilarious comedic exchanges. The parental perspectives are all different, but offer an interesting take on family structures and behaviour. 

  

An aside to the main characters sitting exams, is the ongoing affair between Miss Baxendale and Mr Biggs. Both argue and deliberate their “secret” in plain sight of the students, who gossip on every occasion Miss Baxendale leaves the classroom. 

Having completed his exam, Andrew takes the paper home to show his parents, presenting them with a picture of a well drawn, Harley Davidson. The picture is much to the surprise of his father as it is abundantly clear that he has failed his exam. Bea returns to her parents in a buoyant mood having made the eventual choice to successfully complete the exam and with the knowledge that she has a date with Chas on Saturday. To his surprise, Chas receives a compliment from his mother, which is in line with his fathers Ghosts advice, “give her a break, she’s doing the best she can”.

‘The Exam’ is watchable, comedic and like many other National Theatre, Connection plays, it lasts the test of time.

Monologues and duologues etc...

Pages (18-19)

Key Words Tourette's, friendship, hospital, comedy, teenagers

Length  3 mins

Character(s) Chas

Type Monologue
Synopsis Chas tells a funny story about how he and his mate used a made up Tourette's condition to get away with swearing at a man. When the man discovers that they are lying he chases them up a scaffolding tower and the boys escape in a dusty skip chute,  inevitably landing Chas in to Hospital.

Note: there is some interjecting dialogue in between Chas's Paragraphs. So the speech needs to merged slightly.

Snippet

Chas So last week Wednesday this chubby bloke walked past and I shouted 'You big fat git' and well he didn't take to it very well, got a bit upset. But then Spike weighs in and goes' Calm down, mate, no offence, he didn't mean it, he's got Tourette's...We ended up two storey's high with this man down below...Like a sodding monkey he was. Coming straight for us...I spotted one of those chutes that hang down off scaffolding...The bloke in casualty said that I'm lucky I didn't kill myself.

Links to writer

If you wish to purchase Andy Hamilton's play 'The Exam' you can do so at Amazon and Collins books.

Alternatively please follow the link below:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_1_11?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+exam+andy+hamilton&sprefix=the+exam+an%2Caps%2C366&crid=1O6W2D8YJN72M&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Athe+exam+andy+hamilton

https://collins.co.uk/search?ssv=the+exam+andy+hamilton

ISBN: 0-00-720725-5
Written by Joshua Ashley-Smith