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AIBU?

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Original poster

That GCSE drama script is littered with the f word

76 replies

Sidelook · 08/11/2018 00:29

Ds brought his drama script home to revise. I said that I would help him with it. He starts to read it out and the second sentence in says “who gives a fuck” followed on by “oh fucking hell”. And so on.
As a rule we do not use swear words, never have. It’s a personal preference. I am not naive in thinking that DS does not do it outside of the home. However, he has never used swear words in front of me. He knows that I do not like it and will not tolerate it. No matter how old he is.
He said that he has to read the script out in school in front of the teacher, using the f words!!

OP posts:
ScreamingValenta · 08/11/2018 18:18

If he wants to eliminate the swearing, I think best to take it out altogether rather than replace with euphemisms and use emphasis as best he can to convey the anguish.

"What have you done to my dog?" "Why?"

ErrolTheDragon · 08/11/2018 18:28

I've never seen the play but from what I remember of the book, playing that scene for laughs would be very inappropriate.

yourealifesaver · 08/11/2018 19:50

It is a fantastic play. The staging in incredible and innovative.

If you focused on a small bit of bad language you'd miss so so much in the story, the ultimate aim of which is to convey that Christopher can do anything he puts his mind to if he tries.

Please read the whole play and take the language in context before you condemn.

Curious Case hasn't won 7 Olivier awards for nothing.

Gilead · 08/11/2018 19:56

I hate the book, I hate the play, but then I'm autistic.
Other than that sidelook to be honest you need to swallow this, you'll embarrass your child in front of his peers if you make a fuss. It's also not up to you to censor a play, a book or other exam piece. It was written that way for a reason, and you were not privy to that reason.

SinkGirl · 08/11/2018 20:20

I played Marlene in Top Girls at school when I was 16. There was one particularly sweary scene where I had to say “don’t you fucking this fucking that fucking bitch fucking tell me what to do fucking do fucking...”

20 years later and it’s probably the only line I remember

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 08/11/2018 20:24

Maybe they chose a script they thought would be interesting for 15/16 year olds, will bring up some conversation and stretch their acting abilities?

Sorry I really don’t see the problem.

Cheby · 08/11/2018 20:28

I find rules for the sake of rules a little ridiculous. You won’t tolerate swearing in front of you...why? What will happen if your DS swears in front of you, while rehearsing lines in a play? He’s a teenager, plenty capable of understanding context. The sky isn’t going to fall in if he says fuck a couple of times.

Anasnake · 08/11/2018 20:30

People swear
It's acting
YABU

janisposh · 08/11/2018 20:34

Surely not! Is this a joke?

PerpetualStudent · 08/11/2018 20:39

Ha, we did Steven Berkoff’s Greek for GCSE drama 15 years ago. Tons of swearing and I played a character with a monologue about how much I loved wearing stockings, and had to adjust said stockings/suspenders throughout. Only occurs to me now how utterly cringe worthy that must have been for all the parents watching (I also got my bf at the time to give me a massive love bite, for realism I’m very method daaaaahling)

So I guess what I’m saying is it could be worse?

PickAChew · 08/11/2018 20:42

If Biff and Chip were firing off the expletives, then your outrage would be understandable.

But your ds is only a few years off adulthood. The pearl clutching is unwarranted.

We had gory Shakespeare murders and "country matters" when I did my English lit O-level.

londonmummy1966 · 08/11/2018 20:45

DD1 brought her drama script home for her scripted scene GCSE practical - there is a description of a boner in it. I am not normally one to clutch my pearls but this is a school where girls get suspended for using the f word in whats app chats........

booellesmum · 08/11/2018 20:57

My DD did drama gcse a couple of years ago.
She would have been 14 throughout year 10 and not 16 until after she had taken her gcse's.
We don't swear at home and I don't like hearing swearing in general everyday speach.
However, doing a play is different. I was fine with practising plays with her that had swearing in. It is a good opportunity to talk about swearing within a context and the emotion that is being felt.
When DD2 was around 11 we watched the film 127 hours - it has a lot of swearing in it but we discussed how that was acceptable given the poor guy was having to cut his arm off. Told her she could swear like that if she was ever in that situation!

booellesmum · 08/11/2018 21:02

@londonmummy1966
You wouldn't approve of our family viewing this week which is "Atypical". Me and DH are watching with DD's aged 17 and 14.

corythatwas · 08/11/2018 21:04

"I just don’t see why a script for school has to have swear words in it no matter what the characters are or the age of the student performing it. Surely there is another way to articulate the part!"

So no Shakespeare then?

These are not scripts "for school", they are not written like textbooks but actual theatre scripts written for the theatre. And some of those GCSE students are only a year off auditioning for the big drama schools. They need to be able to handle grown-up texts.

youarenotkiddingme · 08/11/2018 21:06

Rufus ds is doing the technical theatre side of it. If one of yours is still there they probably know each other?!

londonmummy1966 · 08/11/2018 21:08

@booellesmum - I think the difference is that it was your decision. A bit of me feels that it is massively hypocritical of the school to be prissy about dc swearing on their whatsapp chat and then to send her home with a play that is pretty graphic at times.

ClemHFandango · 08/11/2018 21:09

You’re going to love the part where the main character gets called a cunt.

booellesmum · 08/11/2018 21:15

@londonmummy1966
I agree with you on that. What kids say in private messages should have nothing to do with the school unless there is a safeguarding or bullying issue. How on earth does the school know what they post anyway?

Gilead · 08/11/2018 21:20

You’re going to love the part where the main character gets called a cunt
Grin

kenandbarbie · 08/11/2018 21:27

At 16 kids need to be learning about proper adult plays which will have the language appropriate to the play in them. I think you're being ridiculous. Swearing adds to the richness of language.

LokiBear · 08/11/2018 21:34

Drama teacher here; swear words are just words. We teach them how to use words to create an effect. Some teachers with abridge swear words out. I never do. Identifying how to use language to convey meaning is a skill. Plenty of the texts that are studies in English have swear words.

AlexanderHamilton · 08/11/2018 21:40

Dd did a monologue that was littered with swearing for her MT college auditions.

But if you think Curious Incident is bad be thankful they arn’t doing Sarah Kane 4:48 Psychosis!

SinkGirl · 09/11/2018 11:29

Or any Sarah Kane, to be fair - Blasted, anyone?

notacooldad · 09/11/2018 11:39

Not really swear words are they. YABU
Blimey, you're hardcore!
Even though I use the word I class it as a swear word.
Generally speaking, if it's word I wouldn't use in front of children, my mother or the head of our services, there's a reason for it!