An Interesting Personality
Mona Doan
When did you first meet Helen?
Bernard Berg
It was many years ago in London.
I was a post-graduate student then.
And she came there to give a course
of lectures on Russian literature.
It seems to me I've known her for ages.
Steve McQueen
Has she been abroad since then?
Bernard Berg
Yes, many times.
She's translated and edited some very interesting books.
Nora North
And where's her husband?
Bernard Berg
She's a widow.
Nora North
Oh, I'm sorry.
Steve McQueen
She doesn't look her age, does she?
Nora North
How old is she?
Bernard Berg
I never ask women about their age.
A woman is as old as she looks.
Steve McQueen
And a man?
Bernard Berg
A man is as old as he feels.
Mona Doan
Who are we waiting for?
Steve McQueen
Our sociologist.
Nora North
He's interviewing University students.
Mona Doan
But he interviewed them yesterday!
Pat Harris
Yes, he did. Yesterday and the day before yesterday.
Tony Dakota
As far as I know he has interviewed about thirty students so far.
Pat Harris
And today he's been interviewing
the young people since 3 in the afternoon.
Mona Doan
Rather a lot, isn't it?
Pat Harris
Well, he's studying the interests of youth.
He needs it for his thesis.
Shirley Pearl
A week ago or so I was also interviewed by a British sociologist.
Bernard Berg
What questions were you asked?
Shirley Pearl
All sorts.
For example :
What's your opinion of young people today?
What's the most popular newspaper with young people?
What newspapers and magazines do you subscribe to?
What section of a newspaper are you most interested in?
Sport? Fashion? Politics?
Are you keen on painting?
Are you interested in the arts?
Which in particular?
Which do you prefer: ballet, drama,
the circus or musical concerts?
Do you care for the cinema?
Are you fond of classical music?
How often do you go out for the evening?
How much time do you spend watching TV?
Do you enjoy disco-dancing?
Do you enjoy doing sports: swimming,
skating, skiing, gymnastics ?
Do you jog in the morning?
What do you hate doing?
What are you going to do 5 years from now?
What are your priorities this year?
Who are your favourite contemporary writers?
Win Lynn
By the way, do you like poetry?
Mona Doan
Who are your favourite poets?
Cora Grant
It's difficult to say.
It might be Burns or Byron, Tennyson or Kipling.
Each of them creates his own world.
Bernard Berg
For instance, Burns is unique for the melody of his verses,
for his wisdom and sense of humour .
Cora Grant
I like this one :
My Love is like a red, red rose That's newly sprung in June.
Oh, my Love is like the Melodie That's sweetly play'd in tune.
Shirley Pearl
It's like music.
Steve McQueen
Perfect recitation!
Bernard Berg
Robert Burns was an interesting personality.
He was born into a farming family in 1759.
Robert's father worked hard but he died in poverty.
Burns received some elementary schooling.
Cora Grant
He was fond of Shakespeare and Milton.
He studied world geography, English grammar,
some physics, astronomy and botany.
Win Lynn
On the whole Robert Burns was well educated for his times.
Cora Grant
He was a man of character.
Win Lynn
A man of principle, and a brilliant talker.
He was a bitter satirist and a rebel against
the social order in his country.
He wanted justice for his people.
Steve McQueen
We're proud of him.
Shirley Pearl
I admire his love songs.
Cora Grant
Robert Burns wrote:
"There is certainly some connection
between Love, Music and Poetry."
Tony Dakota
And he fell in and out of love several times.
Cora Grant
But I think his true love was Jean Armour .
Shirley Pearl
Did they get married?
Cora Grant
It's a long story.
The fact is , her father was strongly against their marriage.
They had to part.
However, two years later he married her and they had twins.
Bernard Berg
He died rather young at the age of 37.
Steve McQueen
I'm afraid we must be going.
We've been waiting for Russell too long.
Nora North
Can we leave a note for him?
Steve McQueen
A good idea!
Russell Brundon (rushing into the lounge )
No need! Here I am!
Nora North
Better late than never.
Russell Brundon
Sorry I kept you waiting.
There are days when everything goes wrong.
First I got stuck in the lift.
Then I realized I had left my umbrella somewhere.
When I went out into the street it was raining heavily.
Shirley Pearl
It has been raining since early morning today.
Russell Brundon
It wasn't the rush hour.
There wasn't much traffic in the street.
But I couldn't take a taxi.
To crown it all I slipped on the pavement and broke my glasses.
Suddenly ... oh, words fail me.
Cora Grant
That's all right.
Shirley Pearl
You're here anyway.
All's well that ends well.
Russell Brundon
And yet I'll tell you all about
it on the way to the museum.