Favour E-Book

Ambreen Razia

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Serie: NHB Modern Plays
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 90

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

'I'm going to answer all your wishes, bubba! Big or small, it'll be me who makes them come true, no one else.' Leila is happy living at home with Noor, her loving but traditional grandmother. But when Aleena, her fiercely independent mother, returns home from prison determined to deliver a new world of fun and excitement, their calm lives are upended in a blur of nail varnish and sweet treats. Family secrets come tumbling into the light, and Leila finds the task of deciding on her future more difficult than she first thought. Ambreen Razia's play Favour is a touching and hopeful family drama about a working-class Muslim family, tackling duty, addiction and the challenge of pulling yourself back together after it all falls apart. It was a Bush Theatre and Clean Break co-production and premiered at the Bush, London, in 2022, directed by Róisín McBrinn and Sophie Dillon Moniram.

Leseprobe

Ambreen Razia

FAVOUR

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production Details

Dedication

Characters

Favour

Glossary

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Favour was first performed at the Bush Theatre, London, on 24 June 2022, with the following cast:

NOOR

Renu Brindle

FOZIA

Rina Fatania

ALEENA

Avita Jay

LEILA

Ashna Rabheru

Co-Director

Róisín McBrinn

Co-Director

Sophie Dillon Moniram

Set & Costume Designer

Liz Whitbread

Lighting Designer

Sally Ferguson

Sound Designer & Composer

Sonum Batra

Movement Director

Sarita Piotrowski

Design Mentor

Kat Heath

Costume Supervisor

Sabia Smith

Vocal Coach

Gurkiran Kaur

Dramaturg

Deirdre O'Halloran

Casting Director

Vicky Richardson CDG

Production Manager

Tabitha Pigott

CSM

Gemma Scott

ASM

Hester Blindell

Production Electrician

Ola Pryztula

Education Workshop Facilitator

Maryam Shaharuddin

A Bush Theatre and Clean Break Co-Production

My beautiful force,

My walking truth,

My mother,

Who unintentionally led me to myself.

For Mum and Nanoo.

Characters

NOOR, sixty, Aleena’s mother, Leila’s grandmother

ALEENA, forty, Noor’s daughter, Leila’s mother

LEILA, fifteen, Aleena’s daughter, Noor’s granddaughter

FOZIA, fifty-five, Noor’s friend

Key

Words in bold to be spoken in Urdu.

/ indicates that the line after is to be delivered immediately, if seen within a line it indicates the point where the next line overlaps.

Words in italic are to be emphasised.

Note

The actor playing Aleena may interpret the relationship with Sian in whichever way they choose.

They may also decide whether she is still alive or no longer.

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

Winter. 7 a.m. A living room in a small two-bedroom house. All the lights and lamps are on. A television faces away from the audience at the front of the stage. A sofa, with two doilys on the arms, faces the television. Walls are full of family photos. One slightly centre and bigger than the rest consists of a near perfect middle-class Pakistani family: a father, a mother and their two young sons, slightly tilted as it hangs. The room is cluttered with a mesh of Islamic furnishings and Ikea items. A homemade ‘welcome home’ banner hangs above the sofa, the dining table is covered in Pakistani finger food, the likes of samosas, pakoras, yoghurt, chickpeas, dates. An adjoining kitchen: half of the wallpaper has been removed, half not, cheap appliances and lino flooring. An unkempt armchair sits in the corner of the room. A door frame sits at the back of the stage leading into the hallway and the rest of the house, next to it is a small window with curtains that remain closed.

As the audience enter, NOOR is anxiously smoking a cigarette with an ashtray on her lap. LEILA’s school uniform and bed sheets sit on the arm of the sofa next to her, NOOR’s phone rests on top of it. LEILA is on the floor, painting on a huge canvas, different coloured paints are scattered around her.

Lights up.

Scene One

LEILA continues to paint, she hums Jesy Nelson’s ‘Boyz’, as she gets further into her painting she begins singing the chorus aloud. NOOR watches her, after a moment LEILA notices NOOR’s eyes on her and stops. NOOR receives a text on her phone, disappointment floods her face.

A sudden bang. Something hits the window. NOOR jumps, LEILA gets up, they look at one another before NOOR rushes over to the window.

LEILA. Is it?

NOOR makes her way back to the sofa.

NOOR. No.

LEILA darts to the window.

Don’t open it!

LEILA. Okay I won’t.

LEILA peeps through the curtain.

It’s those dickheads again! /

NOOR. Leila /

LEILA. One of them goes to my school /

NOOR. Come away from the window /

LEILA. That bike’s way too big for him, looks like he’s mounting a horse…

LEILA continues to look out.

Oh my god! /

NOOR (startled). What? /

LEILA. He’s wearing Kangol…Who wears Kangol?!

LEILA moves away from the window, she stretches her arms out to the ceiling and winces as she does.

NOOR. I told you to sit at the table.

LEILA. Proper artists sit on the floor.

NOOR. They sit at desks.

LEILA. I don’t have a desk and those chairs hurt my bum.

NOOR. Don’t get paint on the carpet.

LEILA. It’s been hours, where is she?

NOOR. I don’t know.

LEILA. Shall we call her?

NOOR. She doesn’t have a phone /

LEILA. What about Auntie Shabana’s phone? /

NOOR. I’ve tried.

LEILA. And?

NOOR stubs out her cigarette.

NOOR. Your lunch is by the door.

NOOR hands LEILA her underwear.

Brush your teeth and get changed.

LEILA smells her underwear, it smells of smoke, she smells herself.

LEILA. I need a shower!

NOOR. She’ll need the hot water /

LEILA. But I had PE yesterday /

NOOR. You should have had one last / night.

LEILA. I was doing my homework /

NOOR. Did you do your maths?

LEILA. I tried.

NOOR. You tried?

LEILA. It’s hard.

NOOR. What about those revision books we bought you?

LEILA. I’d learn Japanese faster.

NOOR. You always finish your art homework.

LEILA. Cos I love art.

NOOR. Science and maths are just as important.

LEILA. Boring…

NOOR. There’s some food in the fridge, drop it to your Auntie Fozia on the way.

LEILA (under her breath). Can’t she come here and get it?…

NOOR. You know she has a bad back.

Beat.

She’s your auntie /

LEILA. Not my real auntie /

NOOR. What have I told you about that?

If it wasn’t for Fozia we wouldn’t have this house.

Don’t forget that.

LEILA smiles.

LEILA. Don’t worry I won’t.

Beat.

Nanoo? /

NOOR. Yes?

Beat.

LEILA. Can I have the day off? /

NOOR. No /

LEILA. Please? /

NOOR. Nay! /

LEILA. But I have a hundred per cent attendance /

NOOR. And that’s how it will stay.

LEILA huffs.

I heard your class at the masjid has been /

LEILA (excitedly). Cancelled!?

NOOR. Delayed, by an hour.

LEILA sighs.

One of the sisters has a dentist appointment this afternoon /

LEILA. I’ll never get to see her /

NOOR. Don’t be a drama queen /

LEILA. It’s just one day off /

NOOR. You can pray for her at the masjid /

LEILA (under her breath). I can pray for her at home.

NOOR shoots LEILA a look.

God’s everywhere!

NOOR. Your routine has to stay the same.

LEILA. I / know

NOOR. That’s what the doctor said.

LEILA huffs.

Kapray Phenno! Get dressed.

NOOR hands LEILA her school uniform along with fresh bed sheets.

And that’s the last set of bed sheets I’m washing.

Beat.

LEILA. Is she coming?

NOOR. Yes.

Go.

LEILA exits, NOOR glances to see if LEILA’s gone, she slips another cigarette out of her packet, lights it and paces up and down.

LEILA (offstage). Maybe her and Auntie Shabana stopped for food?

LEILA re-enters in her school uniform, she stands in front of the mirror and begins tying her hijab.

What if something happened to them?

NOOR. What?

LEILA. On the way here /

NOOR. Nothing’s happened /

LEILA. How do you know? /

NOOR. I know /

LEILA. How? /

NOOR. I have faith /

LEILA. Faith? /

NOOR. That’s all you need /

LEILA. I’d like a phone call /

LEILA finishes tying her hijab, she looks at NOOR, her breathing quickens.

NOOR. What is it?

LEILA. You know something.

NOOR. What? /

LEILA. And you’re not telling me /

NOOR. Leila /

LEILA begins pacing.

LEILA. Something’s wrong /

NOOR. Don’t be silly /

LEILA. I know you know something’s wrong /

LEILA’s anxiety grows.

NOOR. Sit down, Jaan /

LEILA. She was supposed to be back last night /

NOOR. Leila /

LEILA. It’s too many hours /

NOOR. Listen to me /

LEILA. No /

NOOR. Sit down and take some breaths /

LEILA. I can’t /

NOOR. You can /

LEILA. I won’t /

NOOR. You will /

LEILA. I won’t till you tell me!

Beat.

NOOR. Your Auntie Shabana couldn’t pick her up.

Beat.

LEILA. But you said /

NOOR. Her car broke down /

LEILA. How is she meant to get home? /

NOOR. She’ll get the bus /

LEILA. The bus! /

LEILA becomes more frantic.

What if someone did something to her? /

NOOR. Leila /

LEILA. She doesn’t have any money /

NOOR. They give you money /

LEILA. What if she got robbed! /

NOOR. Bas, Leila /

LEILA’s breathing quickens.

LEILA. Why has it taken all night? /

NOOR. Enough /

LEILA. Auntie Shabana was supposed to go! /

NOOR approaches her, sits her down and strokes her back.

NOOR. Take some breaths /

LEILA’s panic grows.

In through the nose.

LEILA shakes her head.

Don’t be stubborn, out through the mouth.

NOOR begins breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth.

Let’s do five.

LEILA reluctantly breathes through her nose and out through her mouth, NOOR and LEILA do this action three times. LEILA settles, NOOR rubs LEILA’s back.

You didn’t take them, did you?

LEILA turns away from NOOR.

You have to take them, Leila.

Beat.

She used to play there, right there where you’re sitting.

Beat.

My two beautiful girls, her and your Auntie Shabana, I used to knit little jumpers for them.

Beat.

Your Auntie Shabana used to tickle her like this.

NOOR tickles LEILA, LEILA giggles.

She had the sweetest laugh, it sounded like a thousand little fairies trying to escape through her chest.

NOOR smiles to herself.

When your Auntie Shabana was born my Ami said that she would be my Hawa.

LEILA. What’s Hawa again?

NOOR. Wind. She said this daughter will be steadfast on some days but absent on others.

LEILA. And Mum?

NOOR. She stared at her for a moment, then sat back in her chair, like something pushed her. ‘This daughter will be your Sooraj’ she said /

LEILA. Your sun?

NOOR. She said she will bring you great joy on some days but will burn you on others.

Beat.

LEILA. What am I?

NOOR. You? /

LEILA. Your moon? /

NOOR. Nay /

LEILA. Your stars? /

NOOR. Arrogant girl.

NOOR holds LEILA’s face.

You’re my earth, Beta.

LEILA. That’s so sick.

NOOR. Who’s sick?

LEILA. Sick means good, Nanoo.

NOOR glances down at LEILA’s canvas.

NOOR. Can I see?

LEILA. It’s not finished.

NOOR. I don’t mind.

LEILA. It’s not maths or science.

NOOR. Show me.

After some reluctance LEILA moves towards her canvas. NOOR kneels down towards the canvas, she puts her glasses on.

LEILA. It’s where we’re going to live.

It’s proper big from the inside, white walls, everything new.

LEILA places her finger on the canvas.

That’s you.

NOOR smiles. LEILA moves her finger across.

And that’s her.

Beat.

It’s manifestation.

NOOR. What’s that?

LEILA. It’s what you want most in the world, then you draw it or write it down and it comes true.

NOOR searches the page.

NOOR. Where are you?

LEILA. Dunno yet.

Beat.

NOOR. Have you brushed your teeth?

LEILA. Yeah!

NOOR. Apna Moun Kholo /

LEILA. I have /

NOOR. Kholo Nah /

NOOR holds LEILA’s face. NOOR looks inside LEILA’s mouth.

Jhoot!

LEILA