Story first appeared in Happy Mag 19/1, under the title of, 'William Starts the New Year'.
Edited by Rex Diamond and adapted for radio by Richmal Crompton in collaboration with Alick Hayes.
Script published by David Schutte in William the Terrible. ISBN: 978 0 9546802 4 4
This is the first play in which we do not begin in the safe haven of the Brown household. Instead, we find William and Ginger at the cinema, just as the film is reaching its climax.
The hero of the film finds and returns a stolen infant. And, of course, William will do whatever he can to emulate the hero that has captured his imagination for this particular afternoon.
William and Ginger are forcibly removed from the cinema, as William's rat has escaped, giving them some extra time to enact William's plan to be a hero. Upon their exit, they come across Hubert, who after an explanation, seems keen on ensuring William sticks to his promise of doing good things for people. Starting with giving a kid on the street his final sweet - leaving William with none for himself.
This kids turns out to be the titular Albert, a kid who makes money selling coal, which he steals from coal carts by distracting horses with turnips. Gaining all round respect from our lads.
As he returns home, William hears of Miss Milton's plan for 'stronger members of the community' to help with the burdens of the weaker members, including adopting children. Miss Milton makes it clear that she doesn't have time to look after a child. She's rarely home, as she is a member of ever-so-many committees. This doesn't stop William questioning exactly what child she would like, if she could have one.
Mrs Brown is having none of this suggestion that she should adopt a child, and explains bluntly her situation. The result is Miss Milton upset by her 'attitude'. Before Milton leaves, Mr Brown enters and arranges to view Milton's wardrobe, to see if it is suitable for Robert on his return from the army.
Albert takes a lot of convincing to stay at Miss Milton's house. He prefers to sleep in the kitchen, rather than a bed. But, never-the-less William gets his way and they enter the neat and tidy home of Miss Milton and manage to get Albert in bed. Without time to escape, William, Ginger, and a Violet Elizabeth in just her knickers (read the play!), hide in the wardrobe. All this, just at the time Miss Milton and Mr Brown enter the bedroom.
An enjoyable (for the reader) confusion and uproar ensue. Mr Brown has misunderstood the entire adoption scheme and thinks that Miss Milton has lead the way by adopting the boy in her bed. He congratulates an increasingly faint Miss Milton, but eventually the murky waters become clear.
There is an explanation given by William, which his father accepts as him trying to turn over a new leaf. We leave William in the same state we found him - with Rufus the rat gone missing!
| Cast |
|---|
| William |
| Mr John Brown |
| Mrs Brown |
| Ginger |
| Hubert Lane |
| Violet Elizabeth |
| Miss Milton |
| Albert |
| Commissionaire and Policeman |
| Lady (at cinema) |
