O-LevelLiterature in EnglishDrama2010/11 · May/June 2010 · Q125 Marks

ALAN AYCKBOURN: A Small Family Business Read this extract, and then answer the question that follows it: Jack watches the next in stunned amazement. The ensuing business discussion happens with great rapidity. Desmond: How much are we talking about, then? Anita: Ten maximum. Cliff: How many of us are there — one, two — don't count Jack 5 — three, four five — Five? Can we go to ten? Desmond: Ten? I can't go to ten ... Cliff: No, two — Desmond: Still a lot. Anita: We could start with five. Hold back five. 10 Cliff: In reserve. Roy: Two maximum. Desmond: Five up front. Anita: Five behind. Right? Roy: Done. 15 Cliff: Carried. Desmond: OK. Jack: What's going on? What's going on? Anita: [to Orlando] Duemila lire sterline. Ciascuno. Diecimila come assicurazione. D'accordo? 20 Orlando: [laughing at this] Con un premio simile mio fratello ti combinerebbe un’assicurazione molto più permanente. Jack: What's he saying now? Anita: Orlando says for that sort of premium his brother could arrange something more permanent 25 Cliff laughs. Jack: Like what? Orlando: [laughing] Un'assicuriazione contro gli incidenti, eh? Anita: [laughing] He says, accident insurance Cliff: What? Like accidently falling out of a fifth-floor window 30 ...? Roy: Accidentally swallowing his magnifying glass? Orlando makes a cheerful choking gesture with his hands, for Jack's benefit. Jack: If this is intended in any way as a serious suggestion – ? Anita: No, no, Jack. Orlando's joking, isn't he? [kissing Orlando 35 on the top of his head] Oh, I love this one best of all. Do you know he's got six children? Sei bambini, si? [reaching for his wallet] Sei bambini, si... Orlando: 40 Jack: Look, just a minute. Just a minute Under this, Orlando is passing round photos of his family to any who are interested. Orlando: [during the next] Questa è la più piccola, Maria. Ha due anni. Quella è sua madre. E' una bella donna, vero? Questo è mio figlio maggiore, Rodolfo. Ha otte anni e già vuol fare l'architetto. Queste sono le gemelle, Lucia e Lucrezia, il giorno del loro quarto compleanno ... 45 Jack: What is going on here? Roy: We're just sorting out how much we need to give him, Jack. Jack: Give who? 50 Roy: This Mr Hough. Jack: We're not giving him anything. Except what he's earned Desmond: But, Jack - Jack: No. I've had enough of this. No more of it. You understand. Orlando tries to interest Jack in a family snapshot. 55 Jack: No, I don't want to see. Put them away. Avanti! [to the others] Let me make this quite clear. I have no intention of indulging in any more blackmail, bribery, corruption or anything else. Is that understood? From now onwards, all our business is going to be conducted above board. My God, if we start giving five hundred quid here and five hundred quid there to every — 60 Roy: Thousand. Jack: What? Roy: I think we're talking about thousands, Jack. Ten thousand. 65 Jack: [stunned] Ten thousand quid. You're joking. Desmond: It might only be five. Jack: You are joking ... I am boggled ... Cliff: It's about the going rate, Jack Jack: I am just – boggled – I mean 70 Desmond: [hopefully] You don't think Jack could get him for five hundred, do you? Anita: Never. Cliff: Jack ought to do it, though. Jack: What? 75 Anita: Yes, you'll have to be the one to deal with it, Jack. Jack: You want me to do the bribing as well? Anita: Seriously. It'll have to be you. Jack: [rising in fury] That's it. No more. Not another word Cliff: Wait a second, Jack. Wait a sec 80 Anita: It has to be you, Jack. You're employing the man. Jack: Good day. I am leaving now before I commit damage. Desmond: [vainly] Jack! Don't go that way, please Jack: Goodbye. How does Ayckbourn make this episode so funny? Support your ideas with details from the extract.

(a)How does Ayckbourn make this episode so funny? Support your ideas with details from the extract.[25]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2010). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[25] Here is Jack caught up in negotiations of a sort which would have been unthinkable to him a few days before.
[25] Of course, it seems quite normal to the rest of the company, highlighted by the hilarious way in which the subject is discussed at what must be the shortest board meeting in history.
[25] The mixture of sex and families with murderous Mafia procedures, toy boy with the assassin, is another astonishing thing for Jack to grasp, though not for a moment is there any doubt which approach will prevail in the end.
[25] Most candidates should be able to explore something of the above but the key to differentiation is the word funny; any answer which receives reasonable reward should show some engagement with the laughter.
[25] High reward should only go to those who respond with relish and perhaps manage to latch onto the outrageous way Ayckbourn constantly keeps the pot boiling with sudden comic shifts.
[25] Refer to the band descriptors in arriving at your mark.

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