Lamb Chops

Description

Paddy’s been called to meet the big boss Warren at his lamb farm and the mood is a little ominous. Apparently, Paddy's son Billy has been talking to the police and has to “go away”. Even though - as Paddy admits - his son is very annoying, he’s still not so keen on killing him. But Warren won’t take no for an answer. He hands Paddy a worming syringe that's not for worming, tells him he has to trust him, and that's that. Initially suspicious about his father’s sudden enthusiasm for a camping trip in the Lake district and generally unimpressed by all the “nature shit”, Billy is eventually won over by its wild and rugged beauty. Despite several failed attempts to kill Billy, and despite Billy being really, quite annoying, Father and son become closer…which makes Paddy’s terrible job even harder. Then one night, after a lot of whiskey, sausages, farting and Chumbawamba, Paddy goes into Billy's tent…and Billy doesn't come out again. When Warren turns up to inspect the body, he brings another syringe with him that revives Billy. Shocked and confused, Paddy asks Warren why he made him do it, to which he replies: “Faith, Paddy”.

Biblical Connection

Lamb Chops is a dark comedy based on “The Binding of Isaac” story in Genesis 22, where God, Abraham and Isaac are replaced by charming but very naughty Scouse gangsters. There is already a strong parallel between the honour-based moral code of the criminal underworld and the key themes of trust, loyalty and sacrifice that are the message of the original bible story. For a hardened old-skool criminal like Paddy, the code of “omerta” is sacred. His son has seemingly violated this and so committed a terrible sin for which there is only one punishment. Nevertheless, having to choose between turning his back on a sacred oath and sacrificing his son is still a terrible dilemma. Despite the different worlds and context, the core conflict for Abraham and Paddy are the same: an impossible choice between love and faith.