Scrooge

Question 1

Now go away all of you! And let me get on with my work.

Answer 1

Enter Fred
Merry Christmas Uncle Ebenezer!

Question 2

Humbug!

Answer 2

Who were you talking to?

Question 3

Mind your own business Fred

Answer 3

Did I hear you say that Christmas is a humbug, uncle? Surely, you don’t mean that.

Question 4

I do mean it. What reason do you have to be merry? You’re poor enough.

Answer 4

What reason do you have to be miserable? You’re rich enough.

Question 5

Riches are relative. I am richer than a church mouse, but poorer than the Queen of England. Richer than a bullfrog in a garden pond, but poorer than Simon Cowell. Poorer than…

Answer 5

Yes, I get the idea, uncle.

Question 6

What’s Christmas except a time for paying bills without money and a time for finding yourself a year
older, but not an hour richer? And to make it worse, you have to sit through the final of X-Factor.

Answer 6

But that’s the best bit.

Question 7

What good has Christmas ever done you?

Answer 7

Well, if you ask me, uncle, I say Christmas is a miracle and God bless it!

Question 8

(To Fred) Nephew. Don’t you have somewhere else to be? Shouldn’t you be sitting in your tastelessly
furnished living room playing tedious parlour games with your friends?

Answer 8

I shall choose to ignore that ugly remark, uncle. (To the charitable workers) Here is my donation, gentlemen.

Question 9

McKinley Lovely speaking voice.

Answer 9

(To Mr Scrooge) So, I imagine you won’t be coming to have dinner with Emma and me tomorrow?

Question 10

Frankly, sir, I would rather stick a pen in my eye.

Answer 10

That’s very clear.

Question 11

Love? Love? That’s the only thing in the world more ridiculous than a Merry Christmas!

Answer 11

It’s no use, uncle. I will continue to wish you a Merry Christmas in spite of your rudeness. (Fred hangs his wreath.) Merry Christmas Bob!

Question 12

Mrs Fezziwig Belle this is Ebenezer. Ebenezer this is Belle.

Answer 12

Very pleased to meet you, Belle.

Question 13

Would you like a glass of punch?

Answer 13

No thank you. I’ve seen the recipe.

Question 14

Awkward pause. 1

Answer 14

It’s… very warm in here.

Question 15

Belle Yes.
Another awkward pause.

Answer 15

Would you like to go outside? Just for a moment to get some air. I know it’s snowing, but …

Question 16

Belle enters and sits on a bench. She waits. Mr Scrooge as a young man enters.

Answer 16

Belle, darling. I hope you haven’t been waiting long.

Question 17

I feel like I’ve been waiting forever.

Answer 17

I’m sorry. I got lost on the way here.

Question 18

Unlikely

Answer 18

I locked myself in the office.

Question 19

Nonsense

Answer 19

I was run over.

Question 20

Run over? By what?

Answer 20

A… horse?

Question 21

What?

Answer 21

A reindeer and sleigh?

Question 22

No more implausible excuses, Ebenezer. Come and sit down.

Answer 22

I’m sure I was only five minutes late.

Question 23

It’s not about that. You said we could not get married until we had a house, and I agreed.

Answer 23

Yes

Question 24

But you’ve had your house for three years now.

Answer 24

Yes, but we also need something to live on.

Question 25

I realize that, and you said that when you got promoted at work we’d have enough.

Answer 25

But, it wasn’t as much of a pay raise as I’d hoped. I thought we agreed.

Question 26

We did agree, but now you’ve saved enough to buy another house. Ten houses if you wanted to. How much money is enough, Ebenezer?

Answer 26

But Belle…

Question 27

I don’t care about money, Ebenezer. All I ever really needed was you. We could have been happy.

Answer 27

Could have been?

Question 28

I’m sorry Ebenezer. It’s over.

Answer 28

What?

Question 29

It’s not me it’s you.

Answer 29

You’re dumping me?

Question 30

It’s for your own good, Scrooge.

Answer 30

But I love you.

Question 31

Spirit of Christmas Present Look and listen.

Answer 31

And then my uncle said that Christmas was a humbug! He really did, and he believed it too.

Question 32

But that’s an awful thing to say, Fred.

Answer 32

Oh, he’s a comical fellow really. I know he’s not as pleasant as he could be, but I’m sure his sins carry their own punishment. Even his wealth is of no use to him. He doesn’t do any good with it. He doesn’t even make himself comfortable with it.

Question 33

It’s very hard to have any patience with him.

Answer 33

Oh, I couldn’t be angry with uncle if I tried. Who suffers because of Scrooge? Only he does. He’s decided to
dislike us, and he won’t come to dinner. What’s the consequence? No dinner for Mr Scrooge!

Question 34

And it’s a very good dinner, even if I do say so myself!

Answer 34

Well, I shall continue to visit him every year. In the spirit of goodwill.

Question 35

Very well.

Answer 35

We’ll play “Yes and No”. I’ve got a good one, too.