You're Not Singing, Eddie Moore
A psychological drama centred on the interrelationship of Father Eddie Moore, a Catholic Priest, and two characters who exist only in his nightmares – his alter ego Eddie Moore, a petty criminal, and Freddy Fox, who, unknown to Father Eddie, is a reincarnation of his deceased twin brother.
Freddy, with the help of his also deceased mother, has returned from the grave to claim his right to half a lifespan. However, in order to claim his right, he must convince Eddie that he (Eddie) is not worthy of the last 25 years of life, which isn’t easy, considering Eddie has led such Godly existence. So, in order to do this, Freddy creates evil deeds within nightmares – the only trouble with that is, the evil deeds are a reflection of his own character and not Eddie’s. This leads to a bizarre trial with Freddy as the Judge, and the victims within the nightmares, as the Jury.
While Eddie struggles to unravel the plot with the aid of his long-time friend and Psychiatrist, Michael Pennington, a most unlikely saviour emerges in the apparitional form of a ghostly choirboy – this being Eddie’s deceased father, a disciplinarian who always struggled to show Eddie any kind of love during life.
The scenes alternate from various nightmare locations to the Church and to the Psychiatrist’s Office.
In the opening scene (the first nightmare) Eddie is depicted as the dominant character, while his companion Freddy Fox plays a supporting role.
As the story progresses, the dreams become more frequent and the behaviour of the two lead characters becomes increasingly irrational, until there is a reversal of roles. Being that Freddy is naturally evil, Eddie begins to lose control and finds himself trying to repress his brother’s influence.
Meanwhile, Michael, the Psychiatrist, discovers that Eddie’s nightmares have become such an integral part of his daily life, that his two ‘existences’ are gradually becoming inseparable. However, being a professional man, he also struggles to accept Eddie’s notion that there is an afterlife.
To make matters worse, Eddie is warned against seeing the Psychiatrist by the Bishop, who feels that the Parish would suffer in the face of idle gossip.
As part of the psychiatric treatment, Michael tries to unlock the nightmares by hypnosis – the first attempt fails but, as the story nears its conclusion, Michael, in desperation, again turns to hypnosis, and this time succeeds. However, in so doing, he opens the door to a world far beyond the boundary of human understanding.
In the final nightmare, Eddie finds himself outside his own Church listening to his beloved choirboys taunting him with ‘You’re not singing, Eddie Moore,’ (which is actually derived from a football chant more appropriately known as ‘You’re not singing anymore.’).
On entering the Church, the singing stops and the trial begins. Although it appears that Michael finds a way to enter this final dream – and when it looks to Eddie like Michael has disrupted the trial and rid him of his brother, it transpires that his apparent saviour (Michael) was no more than a guise adopted by his scheming mother – and that the ashes spiralling out of the Church at the end, weren’t to signal Freddy’s demise, but his spirit being passed over into the real world – all as part of the exchange for Eddie’s existence.
The screenplay concludes with one more final twist – the father’s return as the ghostly Choirboy. Ending the existence of his wife (Eddie's mother), he also ends that of Freddy.
Throughout the screenplay, the links between scenes gradually fall into place, revealing the darkest side of human nature and the ultimate fear of the afterlife.
MAIN CAST LIST AND DESCRIPTIONS:
EDDIE MOORE – PETTY CRIMINAL
At 34 years old, Eddie Moore seems little more than a small time criminal with a big time attitude. He is temperamental and often looked upon as someone who is always on the lookout for trouble. Of thin build, weighing around 150 lbs, he is always well-groomed and, for the most part, softly spoken. He always wears the same black, calf-length leather coat; the same stonewashed jeans; and has several sombre-coloured shirts to match his black and grey ties. He tries to look ‘smooth,’ yet he often appears to be uncomfortable with the ‘hard man’ image he conveys by his behaviour. His main loves are status, the respect from his peers and money, though not always in that order. As a general rule, his acquaintances do all they can to appease him – it is far better to appear to be Eddie Moore’s friend, than to be his outspoken enemy.
EDDIE MOORE – THE PRIEST
In his role as a Catholic Priest, Eddie Moore is a caring individual with high moral standards – the exact opposite of Eddie Moore the criminal. He is well respected by his parishioners, and a man well-versed in the preachings of the bible. He has a good relationship with his Choirboys, and they too have a fondness for him. Following the death of his mother, father and sister, his brother moved abroad, thereby cutting the last of the family ties. Eddie’s passion is the boys’ choir – he enjoys teaching them the joys of song, while showing them the ways of the Lord at the same time.
FREDDY FOX (FREDRICK MOORE) – PETTY CRIMINAL
Freddy is, more often than not, scruffy in appearance. His face is gaunt, he always seems to have a ‘five o’clock shadow,’ and his hair is usually unkempt. Dark bags beneath his eyes are his constant companion, and the stress induced twitching of his top lip doesn’t enhance his facial appearance. Like Eddie Moore, Freddy tends to stick to one style of clothes – He prefers a brown leather jacket, black T-shirt, brown ‘Dealer’ boots, and drainpipe jeans that cling to his bowed legs.
MICHAEL PENNINGTON – THE PSYCHIATRIST
Michael is a loyal friend to Eddie Moore the Priest. The fact that Michael is a professional Psychiatrist at only 32 years of age is a testament to his drive, ambition and intelligence. He cares deeply for, not only his patients, but also for his fellow humans. Like Eddie, he is a Catholic and places his faith in God, though he often tries to reason with the conflicting messages between the logic of psychology and demands of his faith. For example, he believes there’s an afterlife, yet fails to apply that belief to Eddie’s theory.
MINOR CHARACTERS & DESCRIPTIONS:
RUPERT COVINGTON-SNYPE – LORD OF THE MANOR
Rupert, a man in his late thirties, has been spoilt all his life. He was born into money and he mistakenly believes that his money gives him the right to treat everyone else, particularly the poor, with contempt. He has a desire to be accepted by those in high circles, but often finds himself despised because of his materialistic values. However, in the world in which Rupert thrives, the more money one has, the more is your worth as a human being. He is arrogant, superficial and self opinionated, and his baby-face topped with an extravagant wavy forelock, together with designer watches, hip flasks and gold cufflinks, are an instant indication of his social standing.
ROB MELCOTT – PETTY CRIMINAL
Rob Melcott is known to all his acquaintances as a scrounger. He is one of life’s losers, spending most of his time cadging and stealing to feed his drug habit. He treats females with disrespect, and takes everyone for a mug when employing his own particular brand of insincere chat.
CEDRIC WOOD (CEDAR) – BOUNCER
36-year-old Cedric typifies the old-style brand of Bouncer – big on muscle, short on brains. He is around 225 lbs in weight and has a short, stocky frame complete with bald head and pug features scrunched towards the centre of his face. He maintains his flashy lifestyle by peddling drugs at Janine’s Nightclub. He refuses to trust anyone, and usually with good reason. Furthermore, because he is known to have a very short fuse, Cedric is feared by clientele and colleagues alike.
MELANIE – CEDRIC WOOD’S GIRLFRIEND
24-year-old Melanie is a foolhardy girl, never scared of taking chances whatever the risk. For most part, she is streetwise, but her youthful years lend a naivety that many men are all too keen to exploit. She is a very pretty girl, yet dresses like a street whore – a ploy she uses to attract male attention to great effect.
MRS. RICHARDS – HOUSE CLEANER
Mrs. Richards is nearing retirement age – and to see her through, she undertakes three part-time cleaning jobs, one of which is at the Catholic Presbytery. She is kind-hearted, but can also talk about insignificant subjects to the point of becoming an annoyance.
DONALD – PROPRIETOR OF PAWN SHOP
Donald, once touched by a life of crime, struggles on with his wife of more than 40 years. He is a tired man who was never destined to be wealthy. Having accepted that fact, he pacifies himself with the thought of retirement.
MARY – WIFE OF DONALD
Mary has stuck by Donald through thick and thin, and for that has paid a heavy price. She has suffered with her heart and has undergone heart surgery to alleviate the problems. Mary is not a naturally outspoken person, but she will speak up if she feels her family life is being threatened.
BISHOP MATHERS – EDDIE MOORE’S SUPERIOR
Although being a man of seemingly high morals, Bishop Mathers often compromises his principles to satisfy the views of others. At the first sign of trouble, he plays everything by the book, even if that means sacrificing his own instincts. He is single-minded, and his stern voice advertises his authority.
PRIEST REVEREND FATHER RAYMOND MACAVOY
Raymond Macavoy appears to be a gentile man in his late sixties. He is slim, has a circle of white hair surrounding a span of shiny scalp, and wears half-moon, gold-rim spectacles, which are perched half way down his nose. However, it is all a cruel deception – Macavoy is no more than a disguise worn by Eddie’s mother to lead him to Freddy’s grave.
MATTHEW – THE CHOIRBOY
Matthew is a very pleasant boy who cares about what happens to Eddie Moore. Mature for his years, he shows a degree of compassion that few would expect.
GHOSTLY CHOIRBOY – EDDIE’S FATHER, DANIEL MOORE
Nondescript in the first scene, in subsequent scenes he takes on the appearance of himself as a child; very angelic.
Freddy, with the help of his also deceased mother, has returned from the grave to claim his right to half a lifespan. However, in order to claim his right, he must convince Eddie that he (Eddie) is not worthy of the last 25 years of life, which isn’t easy, considering Eddie has led such Godly existence. So, in order to do this, Freddy creates evil deeds within nightmares – the only trouble with that is, the evil deeds are a reflection of his own character and not Eddie’s. This leads to a bizarre trial with Freddy as the Judge, and the victims within the nightmares, as the Jury.
While Eddie struggles to unravel the plot with the aid of his long-time friend and Psychiatrist, Michael Pennington, a most unlikely saviour emerges in the apparitional form of a ghostly choirboy – this being Eddie’s deceased father, a disciplinarian who always struggled to show Eddie any kind of love during life.
The scenes alternate from various nightmare locations to the Church and to the Psychiatrist’s Office.
In the opening scene (the first nightmare) Eddie is depicted as the dominant character, while his companion Freddy Fox plays a supporting role.
As the story progresses, the dreams become more frequent and the behaviour of the two lead characters becomes increasingly irrational, until there is a reversal of roles. Being that Freddy is naturally evil, Eddie begins to lose control and finds himself trying to repress his brother’s influence.
Meanwhile, Michael, the Psychiatrist, discovers that Eddie’s nightmares have become such an integral part of his daily life, that his two ‘existences’ are gradually becoming inseparable. However, being a professional man, he also struggles to accept Eddie’s notion that there is an afterlife.
To make matters worse, Eddie is warned against seeing the Psychiatrist by the Bishop, who feels that the Parish would suffer in the face of idle gossip.
As part of the psychiatric treatment, Michael tries to unlock the nightmares by hypnosis – the first attempt fails but, as the story nears its conclusion, Michael, in desperation, again turns to hypnosis, and this time succeeds. However, in so doing, he opens the door to a world far beyond the boundary of human understanding.
In the final nightmare, Eddie finds himself outside his own Church listening to his beloved choirboys taunting him with ‘You’re not singing, Eddie Moore,’ (which is actually derived from a football chant more appropriately known as ‘You’re not singing anymore.’).
On entering the Church, the singing stops and the trial begins. Although it appears that Michael finds a way to enter this final dream – and when it looks to Eddie like Michael has disrupted the trial and rid him of his brother, it transpires that his apparent saviour (Michael) was no more than a guise adopted by his scheming mother – and that the ashes spiralling out of the Church at the end, weren’t to signal Freddy’s demise, but his spirit being passed over into the real world – all as part of the exchange for Eddie’s existence.
The screenplay concludes with one more final twist – the father’s return as the ghostly Choirboy. Ending the existence of his wife (Eddie's mother), he also ends that of Freddy.
Throughout the screenplay, the links between scenes gradually fall into place, revealing the darkest side of human nature and the ultimate fear of the afterlife.
MAIN CAST LIST AND DESCRIPTIONS:
EDDIE MOORE – PETTY CRIMINAL
At 34 years old, Eddie Moore seems little more than a small time criminal with a big time attitude. He is temperamental and often looked upon as someone who is always on the lookout for trouble. Of thin build, weighing around 150 lbs, he is always well-groomed and, for the most part, softly spoken. He always wears the same black, calf-length leather coat; the same stonewashed jeans; and has several sombre-coloured shirts to match his black and grey ties. He tries to look ‘smooth,’ yet he often appears to be uncomfortable with the ‘hard man’ image he conveys by his behaviour. His main loves are status, the respect from his peers and money, though not always in that order. As a general rule, his acquaintances do all they can to appease him – it is far better to appear to be Eddie Moore’s friend, than to be his outspoken enemy.
EDDIE MOORE – THE PRIEST
In his role as a Catholic Priest, Eddie Moore is a caring individual with high moral standards – the exact opposite of Eddie Moore the criminal. He is well respected by his parishioners, and a man well-versed in the preachings of the bible. He has a good relationship with his Choirboys, and they too have a fondness for him. Following the death of his mother, father and sister, his brother moved abroad, thereby cutting the last of the family ties. Eddie’s passion is the boys’ choir – he enjoys teaching them the joys of song, while showing them the ways of the Lord at the same time.
FREDDY FOX (FREDRICK MOORE) – PETTY CRIMINAL
Freddy is, more often than not, scruffy in appearance. His face is gaunt, he always seems to have a ‘five o’clock shadow,’ and his hair is usually unkempt. Dark bags beneath his eyes are his constant companion, and the stress induced twitching of his top lip doesn’t enhance his facial appearance. Like Eddie Moore, Freddy tends to stick to one style of clothes – He prefers a brown leather jacket, black T-shirt, brown ‘Dealer’ boots, and drainpipe jeans that cling to his bowed legs.
MICHAEL PENNINGTON – THE PSYCHIATRIST
Michael is a loyal friend to Eddie Moore the Priest. The fact that Michael is a professional Psychiatrist at only 32 years of age is a testament to his drive, ambition and intelligence. He cares deeply for, not only his patients, but also for his fellow humans. Like Eddie, he is a Catholic and places his faith in God, though he often tries to reason with the conflicting messages between the logic of psychology and demands of his faith. For example, he believes there’s an afterlife, yet fails to apply that belief to Eddie’s theory.
MINOR CHARACTERS & DESCRIPTIONS:
RUPERT COVINGTON-SNYPE – LORD OF THE MANOR
Rupert, a man in his late thirties, has been spoilt all his life. He was born into money and he mistakenly believes that his money gives him the right to treat everyone else, particularly the poor, with contempt. He has a desire to be accepted by those in high circles, but often finds himself despised because of his materialistic values. However, in the world in which Rupert thrives, the more money one has, the more is your worth as a human being. He is arrogant, superficial and self opinionated, and his baby-face topped with an extravagant wavy forelock, together with designer watches, hip flasks and gold cufflinks, are an instant indication of his social standing.
ROB MELCOTT – PETTY CRIMINAL
Rob Melcott is known to all his acquaintances as a scrounger. He is one of life’s losers, spending most of his time cadging and stealing to feed his drug habit. He treats females with disrespect, and takes everyone for a mug when employing his own particular brand of insincere chat.
CEDRIC WOOD (CEDAR) – BOUNCER
36-year-old Cedric typifies the old-style brand of Bouncer – big on muscle, short on brains. He is around 225 lbs in weight and has a short, stocky frame complete with bald head and pug features scrunched towards the centre of his face. He maintains his flashy lifestyle by peddling drugs at Janine’s Nightclub. He refuses to trust anyone, and usually with good reason. Furthermore, because he is known to have a very short fuse, Cedric is feared by clientele and colleagues alike.
MELANIE – CEDRIC WOOD’S GIRLFRIEND
24-year-old Melanie is a foolhardy girl, never scared of taking chances whatever the risk. For most part, she is streetwise, but her youthful years lend a naivety that many men are all too keen to exploit. She is a very pretty girl, yet dresses like a street whore – a ploy she uses to attract male attention to great effect.
MRS. RICHARDS – HOUSE CLEANER
Mrs. Richards is nearing retirement age – and to see her through, she undertakes three part-time cleaning jobs, one of which is at the Catholic Presbytery. She is kind-hearted, but can also talk about insignificant subjects to the point of becoming an annoyance.
DONALD – PROPRIETOR OF PAWN SHOP
Donald, once touched by a life of crime, struggles on with his wife of more than 40 years. He is a tired man who was never destined to be wealthy. Having accepted that fact, he pacifies himself with the thought of retirement.
MARY – WIFE OF DONALD
Mary has stuck by Donald through thick and thin, and for that has paid a heavy price. She has suffered with her heart and has undergone heart surgery to alleviate the problems. Mary is not a naturally outspoken person, but she will speak up if she feels her family life is being threatened.
BISHOP MATHERS – EDDIE MOORE’S SUPERIOR
Although being a man of seemingly high morals, Bishop Mathers often compromises his principles to satisfy the views of others. At the first sign of trouble, he plays everything by the book, even if that means sacrificing his own instincts. He is single-minded, and his stern voice advertises his authority.
PRIEST REVEREND FATHER RAYMOND MACAVOY
Raymond Macavoy appears to be a gentile man in his late sixties. He is slim, has a circle of white hair surrounding a span of shiny scalp, and wears half-moon, gold-rim spectacles, which are perched half way down his nose. However, it is all a cruel deception – Macavoy is no more than a disguise worn by Eddie’s mother to lead him to Freddy’s grave.
MATTHEW – THE CHOIRBOY
Matthew is a very pleasant boy who cares about what happens to Eddie Moore. Mature for his years, he shows a degree of compassion that few would expect.
GHOSTLY CHOIRBOY – EDDIE’S FATHER, DANIEL MOORE
Nondescript in the first scene, in subsequent scenes he takes on the appearance of himself as a child; very angelic.
