Lights up on a prison cell in 1963. Table centre, at which sits James Hennessy, head on the table, terrified, two prison Guards sitting on either side of him, looking at each other. A clock starts chiming eight, and Hennessy raises his head, just as the cell door behind him swiftly opens and Harry Wade, in a suit and dicky-bow, and Syd Armfield, his assistant, enter, prompting Hennessy to jump to his feet, knocking his chair over. The Guards stand also. The Governor and Doctor stay outside, looking in.

Hennessy: (London accent) Oh you punctual bastards!

Harry: It'll all go easier for ya, lad, if you just accept it and don't make a fuss.

Hennessy backs up over the table.

Hennessy: Of course I'm going to make a fuss! I'm an innocent man! 'A fuss'!

Harry: Get the strap on, Syd. Guards ...

Hennessy: What's the strap for? Who are them at the door?

Governor: It's the governor and the doctor, James.

Hennessy: Gawking at doors! This is my cell, get out!

He grabs on to his metal bedstead for dear life, curled up on the floor. The men try to prise him off throughout.

Harry: Just go easy, lad!

Hennessy: No I won't go easy! You go easy! You're hanging an innocent man! I never even met the girl! I've never even been to Norfolk!

Harry: That's all just the whys and wherefores. That's nowt to do with me.

Hennessy: Of course it's to do with you, you northern bastard!

Harry: We'll have none of that 'northern' palaver neither!

Hennessy: What's he saying? He can't even talk normal and he's hanging an innocent man! They couldn've at least sent Pierrepoint!

This strikes a raw nerve, stopping Harry in his tracks.

Harry: I'm just as good as bloody Pierrepoint!

Hennessy: Hung by a rubbish hangman, oh that's so me!

Syd: He is just as good as Pierrepoint, Mr Hennessy.

Hennessy: Well, he's shit so far!

Harry: That's your bloody fault! Get his bloody arms!

They peel some fingers off the bedstead but don't get much further.

Hennessy: It's only because I'm scared, isn't it? I'm not normally like this.

Harry: And I've told ya, if you'd just relax, it'd be all easier for ya.

Hennessy: It won't be easier for me. I'll be dead.

Harry: Everybody says you're a good lad.

Hennessy: I am a good lad.

Harry: We know you're a good lad.

Hennessy: What are you fucking hanging me for then?!

Harry: It's the court that's hanging ya, not us.

Hennessy: Well, I'm holding you and you personally responsible. Not you two — (The Guards.) You were nice. You two. I will come back to whatever northern shithole you live in and I will fucking haunt you.

Syd: Well, that's not a nice thing to say, is it?

Harry: Syd! You're just standing around having a chat like a bloody mouse!

Hennessy: He's allowed to stand around having a chat like a bloody mouse if he wants to.

Syd: No, but he's right, Mr Hennessy. If you'd've just tried to relax you could've been dead by now.

Hennessy: Is he having a laugh? Is the mouse having a laugh? I'm getting hung by nincompoops!