National Theatre Live: Nye

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'Knife, please.'

'Scissors, please.'

Arianwen!

Help!

Yes... He's coming out of theatre.

Nurse, straighten that apron, please.

Chaps, patient incoming.

- OK, uh... Are you OK? - I'm OK.

It's gonna be OK. We'll do this together.

- OK. - Mm-hmm.

He's coming round.

He's coming round.

Oh! Here he is! Hello!

Oh, Jennie!

Here I am. I'm here.

- Archie... - All right, butt?

How are you feeling?

- Oh, God! Awful! - Try to keep still.

You've just had an operation.

- Where am I? - The recovery ward.

You had an operation - the ulcer.

- You're in the hospital. - Remember?

The nurses have been wonderful. They've been asking after you.

Making sure everything's OK.

- It hurts. - You're a patient in a hospital.

You've had an operation.

The hospital you built. Look...

I'll, uh... see if the doctor's free.

So nice... seeing it.

Without everyone, you know, standing to attention.

Isn't it?

Look at what we did.

- Nye, I... There's something we need to... - And there's more to do yet.

- Darling... - I'm fine!

I'm not going anywhere.

Except maybe Number Ten.

Mr Bevan! Good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?

Oh... Bit rough.

It'll take some time for the effects of the anaesthetic to wear off.

Are you comfortable? Would you like me to come back later?

- Oh, yes. Maybe later. - No, no, it's fine. Go ahead.

- You sure? - Yes, yes.

OK. Mind if I examine you?

No, go ahead.

Deep breath for me.

And again please.

Good.

Now, just...

All right, all right...

Good.

Mr Bevan, I need to talk through some things with the operation.

It was meant to be a two-hour procedure,

but in the end, we kept you under for six hours continuous.

Why so long?

Wait, you got the ulcer, didn't you?

- So... - Yes!

Yes, they go it. All went fine.

It was fine. Wasn't it?

You just need to be careful and get plenty of rest.

Doctor, you can you tell him, can't you?

Everything went fine. Didn't it?

Yes, yes. I performed a laparotomy.

We found a large duodenal ulcer, about an inch and a quarter by an inch.

Then we used an omental patch, some fatty tissue to patch over the top.

There were no complications beyond finding such a big ulcer,

which is why it took so long.

So, bed rest for three weeks.

- When can I leave? - Let's focus on getting better, shall we?

I want to get back to... work.

Oh, you'll be back to work soon.

Won't he, Doctor?

I can't see why you won't be back at work soon.

You hear that? You'll be causing trouble in no time.

We tell people, "No lifting for three months."

Can I... Argh!

What is it, Doctor? What's wrong?

Try not to move too much. It will subside.

What's happening, Doctor?

Matron, a fifth of a grain of morphine, please.

- Oh, God! - What's going on?

- Is this the operation, or... - Deep breaths if you can, Mr Bevan.

Can we move Mr Bevan? Bay 7, thank you.

- Where are you taking him? - Somewhere with a little more privacy.

- Jesus Christ! - Mr Dain, some pentobarbital.

Yes, Matron, two grains, please.

This will make things more comfortable, Mr Bevan.

He's in a lot of pain.

- Please do something. - This will take care of it, Mr Bevan.

Just a few minutes, and you'll start to feel the difference.

Is this normal, or...?

Could I speak to you... outside, please?

Uh, uh... of course! Uh...

- Can I have a drink? - Some water?

A drink drink!

Whisky!

You can't get whisky on the NHS, Mr Bevan.

Well, that's a bloody oversight!

This shouldn't take too long before you start to feel more comfortable.

Ugh, God! Uh... talk to me!

Uh, distract me.

I can't tell you the number of girls I've had offering to swap shifts with me.

- What for? - Everybody wants to look after you.

Does everybody know I'm here?

Not officially, no, but we're nurses.

Oh, God! Everybody knows, then!

Be in the bloody "Daily Mail" tomorrow.

No, they just want to know what you're like. Um...

One girl wanted to know what you're reading,

or what colour your pyjamas are.

I hope you told her I'm the best-dressed patient you've ever had.

Absolutely! Can't lie about that.

Feeling anything now?

Oh, not sure, still a bit, um...

Can you try counting back from ten for me?

Oh, right, uh...

Ten.

- Nine. - That's right.

- Eight. - It's funny being this close to you.

- Seven. - I went to see you speak once.

- Six. - My sister and I came down from Nottingham.

- Uh... keep counting. - Five.

I was already signed up for nursing,

and she was doing a secretarial course...

- Four. - ...but after seeing you speak,

she switched to nursing like me.

- Three. - She's at Bart's now.

We could barely see you. Now look, I'm tucking you in.

Making sure you're comfy.

I'm gonna look after you. I promise.

And then I'm going to tell my sister.

Sister...

- You're late. - I, uh...

- You're late, Nye. - I'm just...

How come you're so late? What happened?

I don't know. Archie was there.

Going over the cases for tomorrow?

Uh, yeah, I think so.

Did they give you a room in the club?

- I can't remember. - Have you eaten?

Um... No, I'll be OK.

- You need to eat. There's soup. - It's fine.

- I'm fine! - No, you need to eat!

You probably haven't eaten all day.

You can't be a miner's agent if you're fainting at tribunals.

How'd you get home?

- I walked. - Why didn't you get the bus?

I fancied a... a walk.

- With all your papers? - I fancied a walk.

Up the hill with all your papers? Were the buses running?

Yeah, but... but it's fine.

Mrs Richards Garw Nant paid for her curtains in advance.

I don't mind walking.

I don't want you coming home exhausted and falling asleep in a chair.

I'll pay you back.

That was tasty, thank you.

- Get a bus tomorrow. - Yeah, I'll try.

- No, get a bus! - I've got a lot on with all the cases!

- I've got three hearings this week. - I'm not saying you're not busy, just get home!

If I can't get men back to work, they'll be destitute, Arianwen.

- I know. - I've got whole families relying on me.

So, this family can't rely on you?

What do you want from me? You've been on pins since I got in.

I want you to come home on time.

Fine. I'll come home on time.

And then when you come home on time, I want you to sit with Dad.

Someone needs to sit with him all the time now,

and if you start doing your bit, then it means Mum and I can have a rest.

Do you have any idea how much reading I've got to do?

Do you have any idea what I've got on?

I've got my sewing work. I'm caring for Dad.

I'm doing housework for Mum.

- I'm getting medicine, your shopping... - OK!

- ...cooking your tea... - OK!

...and it seems all you do is your union work,

which doesn't pay enough even for the bus fare.

I'm sorry... but it's Dad!

You've always put him on a pedestal - why don't you care?

I... I do care! I care!

Then show it!