Clare In The Community

Brian writes a play, for his A level pupils, which is a barely disguised portrayal of his own personal life.

It has been 10 years since Clare and Brian got together, and so Brian has planned an evening in. He calls it an anniversary but Clare differs, not classing "a fumble in a minibus coming back from Leeds" as a special day to remember. After Clare leaves, Brian realises that he has never been to Leeds. At his school, Brian is with some pupils who are rehearsing his play about a man, a romantic adventurer, torn by conflict. The pupils ask for more background to the play, which is clearly Brian's perspective of his relationship with Clare. Brin (Brian) is in a crumbling relationship with Carol (Clare) and he wants to be with Meg (Megan), who is an 'idealised representation of woman'.

At the office, everyone has been given invited to an anti-discrimination workshop. Clare says she doesn't need a workshop on anti-discrimination, which Helen thinks is arrogant. Irene calls her prejudiced and more or less forces her to go. Clare arrives during the rehearsal of Brian's play and asks if he wants to go to the pub. While having a drink, Brian tells Clare that she is completely self-obsessed and asks her to take an interest in him. She asks him about his play, but he doesn't want to talk about it. He claims he won't get an audience, but Clare secretly asks her colleagues to go with her to be part of the audience rather than going to the workshop.

They meet Megan at the school, because it turns out she too has come to see Brian's play. Brian is backstage and looks through the curtains to see Clare in the audience and he becomes almost sick with fear. The play begins exactly the same as Brian and Clare at the flat at the start of the episode. When the play finishes, everyone leaves and Clare stays behind, telling Brian that she'll leave him by the weekend. They tell each other that they don't want to break apart and that they still love each other. Brian wants to tear down the 'wall of words' they have made over the years and he wants to have sex with Clare on the stage. They decide to go home but, spoiling the moment as they leave, one of the pupils asks if they are still getting their ride home from Brian.