British Comedy Guide

Torture Salesman

INT – DAY A car showroom environment, full of light. A very keen young salesman bounds over to a potential customer.

Salesman : Good Morning Sir, can I be of assistance?

The man is a big brute, dressed in black and is wearing an executioner type mask.

Customer : I'm looking for something new.

Salesman : A new axe is it Sir? We have some lovely models in at the moment.

Customer : No, no. Wouldn't part with me axe for the world, seen off some of the country's finest necks it has.

Salesman : A block then? I bet yours is stained red, like the very devil himself.

Customer : No, no. Not a block, I'm looking to expand me business. Get into the old pre-execution market, it's where the money is these days.

Salesman : Last rites and confession's? You'll need the ecclesiastical tailors down the road Sir.

Customer : No, no I don't want to be a Priest. Good God no, I wouldn't be able to keep up with all the women. No, I'm talking about questioning, getting information that sort of thing.

Salesman : I see Sir. <Whispers> Torture. It's a dirty word, I know. But there is no need to be ashamed, everyone's into it these days. I had a wonderful party of Spanish gentleman over here last week, such delightful men. Anyway enough of my rambling, what sort of thing were you looking for?

Customer : I've been learning the trade with the old branding irons and pokers, but really feel I need something more.

Salesman : Very wise Sir, very inefficient the poker. All that waiting around for the fire to heat up, then think about the summer days. You need something like this.

Salesman leads the customer to a rack.

Salesman : The streachamatic 3000. The very latest in modern racking technology.

Customer : Looks awfully complicated, all those cogs and ropes.

Salesman : Not for an intelligent man like yourself. So much reliable than the poker, sir. This has a written guarantee from the manufacture, that if your man falls to break after the first three hours, you get your money back – no questions asked.

Customer grunts a sign that he is impressed.

Customer : Look at the size of it though, it's going to take up all my dungeon space.

Salesman : It's a fold away model Sir. When not in use you can simply slip it away.

Customer : How much then?

Salesman : Now listen, normally I ask 150. But seeing that you're new to this business. I'll throw in a free full day's training, the gold servicing package and a couple of heretics to try out your new skills on. We have a three year, interest free credit scheme.

Customer : It's tempting.

Salesman : Okay, you're a hard man, I can tell. If you pay in full today, I can throw in a free Iron Maiden.

Customer : In which case, I think that seals the deal.

Salesman : Excellent, now did I hear you say witch? I have a top notch new ducking stool come in….

Salesman leads the customer away.

End

This is a solid idea and some nice naturalistic dialogue. But it lacks jokes and a punchline. Maybe a stronger interplay between 2 diferent sorts of characters, they feel a little samey.

Was thinking similar to sootyj. Could the executioner be reluctant to modernise? This could enable the salesman to be more pushy. Could he be a door to door salesman? Then he could find fault with the equipment in use. "I see you're still stretching them by hand?" Am automatic rack that could be left to stretch the victim while you relax. The victim could press a button to signal that they're ready to talk?

Just thoughts I had so not sure if they're too far away from your initial idea. There's a great idea and good lines in there. Worth developing for sure. :)

I was trying to get the humour out of the absurbity (is that a word?) of the sitution, maybe that didn't work.

I think it gets a little lost as the executioner seems a bit flat.
I think it would have more punch if he had more of a voice. At the moment he seems to be there more as a device for the salesman. I would like to see him use his experience to find fault with the items on offer.

I had this sketch I did a while back. https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/11743 - trying to develop things further. Oh well back to the drawing board.

Nice idea Big Fella, but I think the crits are spot on. I really like the direction scratchyr suggests: The keen door to door salesman trying to modernise the reluctant executioner who isn't keeping up with the times.

Quote: bigfella @ January 31 2010, 2:38 PM GMT

I had this sketch I did a while back. https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/11743 - trying to develop things further. Oh well back to the drawing board.

Great minds Bigfella. ;) You definitely have all the ingredients right, just tweak the recipe so they rise properly. Don't think you have to go all the way back to the drawing board you're very close to the finished product.

In today's economy, any hiring pickup is welcome. According to two reports, retailers are preparing to add more employees for the holiday season than they have in recent times. But will the holiday sales warrant the new hires? Some say no.

Quote: JaneAustin @ October 29 2012, 8:15 AM GMT

In today's economy, any hiring pickup is welcome. According to two reports, retailers are preparing to add more employees for the holiday season than they have in recent times. But will the holiday sales warrant the new hires? Some say no.

I have to agree with Jane on this one Bigfella

Maybe Rochester will sign up too and tell us she is talking bollocks

This is a good idea but all a bit wordy and jokeless bigfella. The other crits are right you need more of an angle. I like Scrathyr's idea of a door-to-door salesman.

Also throw out all the exposition and start quickly.

Salesman: Torturer, is it?

Brute: Executioner. But I'm thinking of branching out into torture, I'm getting tennis elbow.

Salesman: Perhaps you'd like to try one of our carbon fibre axes.

Brute: I'll give it a swing. (Puts on golfing glove).

Salesman: (Calls) Get the stock boy.

or

Brute: What do you want? (Sees object) I've got a trouser press.

Door-to-door salesman: No, it's a portable stretching rack.

Brute: What's the battery life like?

A portable trouser press you can use whilst wearing your trousers

Perfect for the busy salesman whose being tortured

I agree with everyone else: nice concept, low on chuckles. I think there's a lot of fun to be had applying High St sales situations to medieval torturers.

- What do you think of this axe, the height of fashion?

- Not bad, have you go it in a 7?

- We do, but only in the lavender.

- Oh no, I had my heart set on burnished steel.

And so on.

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