Children and laughter.

• 1) Children and laughter.

  Posted over 14 days ago.  Added 12/02/2011 11:37:34 by Soapsud
  I can't understand anyone objecting to the use of the word "children" to describe Lily and Freddie. Kids are young goats and although we use that term it is probably not going to be thought appropriate for an event so unexpected as Nigel's funeral was. There would probably be a combination of "children" and "Lily and Freddie" in the dialogue. As for laughter at a time like that, though grief follows certain patterns - Anger after numbness and denial, disbelief and eventualy an acceptance of the loss, laughter is a release mechanism. It happens when someone is embarrassed or doesn't know what other reaction to show or if the person who has died was a funny character as Nigel was. I remember a radio play once about a boarding school and a young girl who had been bullied missed her swimming lesson. There was an unexploded mine left over from the war and it blew up, killing ten of the swimmers. One of her compatriots came back to the school and heard her shouting for food from the sick bay (she had been ill with flu). The girl, on the edge of hysterical laughter, told the girl there was nobody to answer her call as all the nursig staff had gone to the casualties of the accident. She said, outright: "I know I am laughing but I can't help it". She explained she did not think it was funny but she couldn't stop it. Others experiencing grief do odd things. A very upright neighbour I once had, took milk from other people's doorsteps after losing her husband. She was an elderly lady who was a church going Christian who was as kind as it's possible to be and who was very moral and yet she still stole while in the throes of extreme grief. The brain and mind are complex things and Kenton and Shula were close to Nigel. Also laughter and tears, like love and hate, are very close together.

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• 2) Re: Children and laughter.

  Posted over 14 days ago.  Added 13/02/2011 18:44:16 by Soapsud
  After the recent criticism of the children, Lily and Freddie, I had another listen to them today and a much closer listen at that. They are delightful and well played by the actors concerned.
  
  Just one quick thought before I go: Maybe I missed something but shouldn't it be General Custer? I may have forgotten that Nigel, who had a real sense of the ridiculous and fun, may well have deliberately called their bull General Custard.

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