Lynda rehearses a subversive play and Pip worries about her relationship with Matthew.

Radio Times: Lynda hits the rehearsal room, while Pip worries about her relationship.

Characters: Brian, Jennifer, Jill, Jim, Lynda, Pip, Ruth

• Brian complains about Lilian’s mess. He is focused on the BL board meeting where he will be nominated as chair.
• As Jill returns from the village shop, she finds Ruth and Pip exhausted from moving the cows. Jill and Ruth discuss Ben’s birthday and the cake Ruth has made. [With Jill in the house, however did Ruth find the nerve?] Ben has threatened to buy a mini-drone with his birthday money. Jill comments that at 14, Ben is as tall as David and his voice has deepened. The ladies also discuss Pip’s relationship troubles.
• Lynda and Jennifer talk about the memorial garden. The new problem is the font for the stone tablet announcing the name of the garden: Resurgam. At this point Brian bursts in with the news that he is the new chairman. More talk about the pageant play: Since Justin is taking part, why not Brian? Lynda still needs a local celebrity to open things.
• Lynda and Jim discuss fonts. Avant-garde is too-avant-garde. Then the others arrive for the rehearsal. Brian and Jennifer are to be Squire and Mrs. George. ‘Type casting,’ mutters Jim. Brian is at first disappointed that Justin could not make this rehearsal but now that he has read the play, Brian is reluctant to take part. Justin is cast as the villain who wants to pillage the countryside for profit. Lynda and Jim are disingenuous in their claims that there is no inference as to character; this is only a part in a play. Brian agrees reluctantly to go on.
• After the others leave, Lynda and Jim discuss the E. M. Forster play which was written in 1940. Lynda notes that Forster is challenging the audience to act as stewards of the land. The super-rich land owners (Justin) can be contrasted with the disenfranchised (the Grundys) in the play and in life in Ambridge today.
• Jill pops in to give Pip some positive advice about Matthew. They are both farmers, after all, and they will rise above these challenges. Pip isn’t so certain.