Plastic E-Book

Kenny Emson

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

'Today's the day Yes it is Reebok Classic of a day today Yes. It. Is.' Kev used to be captain of the school football team. Scored the winner in the All-Essex Schools Cup Final. He used to have a girlfriend called Lisa; she wore a fitted blazer, and lit up the playground. Ben used to get beaten up most days. He stole money from his mum's purse to pay off Wicksy. Then there was Ben's mate Jack. Loyal, unbreakable Jack. An unflinchingly honest new drama about the kids who survived school, and those who didn't, Plastic premiered at the Old Red Lion Theatre, London, in 2018 before transferring to the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, produced by Poleroid Theatre and directed by Josh Roche. Kenny Emson is a BAFTA Award-nominated screenwriter and playwright. His other plays include Terrorism (Bush Theatre) and This Must Be the Place with Brad Birch (Winner of Show of the Year at VAULT Festival 2017). 'Emson writes with wit and fine emotional precision… holds you gripped throughout' Financial Times on Terrorism

Leseprobe

Kenny Emson

PLASTIC

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Characters

Plastic

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Plastic was produced by Poleroid Theatre in association with Mercury Theatre and first performed at the Old Red Lion Theatre, London, on 3 April 2018 before transferring to the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, on 26 April 2018. The cast was as folllows:

KEV Mark Weinman

BEN Thomas Coombes

JACK Louis Greatorex

LISA Madison Clare

Director Josh Roche

Designer Sophie Thomas

Lighting Designer Peter Small

Sound Designer Kieran Lucas

Stage Manager Kieran Lucas

PR Chloé Nelkin Consulting

Poster Image Helen Murray

Producer Molly Roberts, Poleroid Theatre

Associate Producer Corinne Salisbury

Assistant Producer Holly White

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Jodi and Declan. Sarah Liisa and the rest of the team at Nick Hern. Emily, Georgie and Tumi at The Agency. Brad, Luke, Jon, Rachel, Anya, Dan, Nat, Darwen and Marcelo who listen to me moan and keep me sane. Sofie Mason and Disco Di for everything. And Angela, for putting up with me.

K.E.

For AK Dancerand the girl who wanted to be a ballerina.Nothing without you

Characters

KEV, late thirties (nineteen)

BEN, mid-thirties (fifteen)

JACK, fifteen

LISA, fifteen

The play is set in a small town along the Thames Estuary in Essex.

Author’s Note

Punctuation is used to mark delivery in performance not to conform to the rules of grammar.

( / ) means the next speech begins at that point.

( – ) means the next line or thought interrupts what is currently being said.

(…) at the end of a speech means it trails off.

Lines enclosed in speech marks are when characters play someone else; this should be marked in delivery.

Lines in italics are spoken as active dialogue between characters.

Blank space in between lines indicates a length of time between speech.

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

KEV So it’s two-all.

Last minute of the Cup Final

The All-Essex Cup Final

BEN Big deal

KEV The pitch is heavy and wet

Kits are sodden with a mix of mud

Sweat

And blood.

BEN We stand on the sideline

Like a couple of mugs

Blazers masking our shrugs

KEV First years

BEN Too young

KEV Too dumb

To understand.

BEN Just the kids from Colville Close

Where it’s small

Where it’s close.

KEV Recently promoted from Primary

BEN Where you could still be

KEV Kids.

BEN But not here.

Not now.

‘GO ON LAD!’

Someone shouts from the touchline

KEV As the small kid from Year 10 cuts in past their left back

BEN Takes the ball into the penalty area

KEV Raises his left foot

BEN Looks at the goal

KEV Imagines the school assembly dedicated to him

BEN The girls in their white shirts

KEV Moist at the mention of his name

BEN The Year 11s that never noticed him

Except to throw stolen pool balls at him

KEV When he hadn’t found out the importance

BEN Of kicking a ball into an empty net

KEV And the friends it can get –

BEN You.

KEV Rain

Stops

On

Cue.

And time enters

Slow motion

Action replay

Sky Sports

Andy Gray

Time to have a little scratch around at the grey matter

Interlude.

As in that one moment

When he has the ball at his feet

The goal in his sights

His life…

His whole life in his sights…

BEN Then –

KEV BANG

BEN Their centre back comes crashing through him not coming close to the ball

KEV Alan Hansen’s saying

‘Disgraceful’

BEN The ref’s whistle pierces the air

KEV Alan Hansen’s saying

‘No danger’

BEN The ref that is in fact our PE teacher Mr Power

KEV Alan Hansen’s saying

‘Stonewall’

BEN Who was never going to not give the penalty in a million years

KEV Was he?

BEN ‘What happened to the golden generation?’

Alan Hansen’s still / saying

KEV But one lad ain’t a kid

BEN On this pitch where dreams are made.

KEV One lad ain’t shaking

BEN Hands quaking

KEV Nerves faking.

BEN One lad just knows that it’s his time

KEV As he steps up.

Man enough to be a man

BEN Amongst all these boys