Samskara E-Book

Lanre Malaolu

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

Seitenzahl: 72

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

'When I look at you – when you look at me – when our eyes connect? I have to protect. To hold on to something, 'cause there's too much to feel!' Four generations of black men are trying to understand themselves in a world which tells them they have to be strong. Inspired by real-life testimony and told through an explosive fusion of text, physical theatre and hip-hop dance, Samskara explores vulnerability, emotional trauma and how cycles of fathering affect masculinity. Moving through joy and suffering, laughter and longing, this soul-baring odyssey untangles what it means to be a black man in twenty-first-century Britain. Samskara premiered at The Yard Theatre, London, in November 2021, written, directed and choreographed by award-winning artist Lanre Malaolu.

Leseprobe

Lanre Malaolu

SAMSKARA

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production Details

Epigraph

Author’s Note

Samskara

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Samskara was first performed at The Yard, London, on 8 November 2021, with the following cast and creative team:

SILENT MAN

Paaliba Abugre

WISDOM

Oliver Alvin-Wilson

FATHER

Will Atiomo

YOUNG BUCK

Ntonga Mwanza

OLDER

Razak Osman

DRUMMER

Yahael Camara Onono

Writer, Director& Choreographer

Lanre Malaolu

Assistant Choreographer

Rochea Dyer

Assistant Director

Kirk-Ann Roberts

Dramaturg

Anthony Simpson-Pike

Technical Stage& Production Manager

Meg Hodgson

Associate Designer

Natalie Pryce

Lighting Designer

Ali Hunter

Composer & Sound Designer

Jan Baranowski

Additional Composition

Yahael Camara Onono

Creative Producer

Shereen Hamilton

Executive Producer

Ruby Baker

The Black Nod is not just ‘hey, racism exists and we’ve got a coherent experience…’, The Black Nod between mandem is also, sorry we was all such dickheads to each other fam…

Akala

So did you see who shot you?

yes I saw his touch its pulse like my father who held me twice the day I was born the day I angered him

Caleb Femi, ‘Repress’

Author’s Note

I’d like to thank a few people who’ve helped to build, develop and plant the seeds for Samskara over the last decade. Some of these people are aware of this, some aren’t.

Thank you to the brothers at HMP Thameside in 2016, for being vulnerable with me during those six weeks of workshops, in an environment that doesn’t promote vulnerability in any way, shape or form.

Thank you to my incredible cast, creative team and The Yard for your continuous work, passion and engagement during (and after) rehearsals. You’re all Gs.

Thank you to Valentine Olukoga. The bravery and heart you showed me and the cast within those three days will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Thank you to Derek Owusu. Safe was the first book I read where I truly felt seen.

Finally, they say your greatest challenges are your greatest teachers. So, thank you, Dad. I wouldn’t have created Samskara without having the experience I did growing up.

L.M., 2021

Characters

YOUNG BUCK

OLDER

FATHE

WISDOM

SILENT MAN

DRUMMER

Setting

A row of four chairs upstage-centre, where the ensemble will sit.

A chair on the outskirts of the space, where DRUMMER will sit.

A Few Notes

Words in bold in a character’s line denote where movement could perhaps happen, either as the word is spoken, or to replace the words.

A triple dash (---) denotes where movement could perhaps happen between words.

Unless stated otherwise, lines spoken by characters who are not directly involved in the scene are to be delivered from their seated position.

Unless stated otherwise, characters are to directly address the audience with all dialogue.

All movement sequences and stage directions are a template. The performers and collaborators will use this as a base to work from. Many ideas may stay, many may go.

I wouldn’t call this a play.

I also wouldn’t call this a dance show.

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

Prologue

The following action will happen as the audience enters the auditorium…

SILENT MAN paces up and down the space. Deeply focused, but slightly apprehensive.

DRUMMER enters the space, cracks his hands and neck – stretches out, preparing. Sits behind his drum on the outskirts of the space – continues his preparations.

SILENT MAN stops centre-stage. Looks out at the people entering, moving between seats, the people sat… Then shoots off again. He’s psyching himself up for an intense challenge ahead. This will happen a few more times until the audience are all in. At which point, SILENT MAN lands centre-stage and looks out to the audience for a beat. He takes a deep breath in and… exhales.

Beat.

He turns to DRUMMER, gives him a nod. DRUMMER nods back, then begins hitting his drum. As soon as he does, SILENT MAN runs offstage.

Beat.

He returns, dragging two large heavy sacks. Drops them centre-stage, opens one, reaches in and lifts out fresh, moist soil. He looks at it for a moment, squeezes it, meaningfully, then shoots to the outskirts of the space and begins to pepper the soil around it. This should be done as a sacred ritual. The more soil that is laid, the faster and more intense the drumming gets.

We eventually see that SILENT MAN is creating a large semicircle with the soil.

SILENT MAN finishes. He stands, breathless. Looks at his hands and slowly wipes them on his T-shirt.

Beat.

He takes a breath in and begins a repetitive movement motif. The energy of it feels like a calling of some kind.

Beat.

YOUNG BUCK jolts into the space. He looks around, pissed off and confused. He suddenly clocks the threshold of soil at his feet, then looks up at SILENT MAN. He crosses over the soil, wants to figure out what the hell SILENT MAN is doing.

Beat.

OLDER jolts into the space. He looks around and then looks at SILENT MAN, intrigued. He crosses the threshold and, as soon as he does, YOUNG BUCK turns and clocks OLDER, registers him as a threat.

Beat.

OLDER gives YOUNG BUCK a nod… The Black Man’s Nod. YOUNG BUCK responds with the smallest of nods back, then looks back to SILENT MAN.

OLDER inspects the space, perhaps he grabs a handful of soil, plays with it between his fingers.

YOUNG BUCK walks closer to SILENT MAN. He smirks, then mockingly does SILENT MAN’s motif. SILENT MAN ignores him. His focus will not waver…

FATHER jolts into the space. He stands behind the threshold of soil, sombre, but a look in his eyes, as if he was expecting to be here. He takes a breath, then crosses over. As soon as he does, YOUNG BUCK and OLDER acknowledge his presence. Another tense moment between the men, which simmers down with a couple of head nods.

SILENT MAN’s motif builds…

A pensive WISDOM slowly enters the space – on guard and fully in control.

He stands behind the threshold for a very long moment, then takes the smallest of steps over the threshold into the circle. But he doesn’t move from his spot, just canvasses the space with his proud stance. Again, the men register WISDOM. He eyes them back. Then, after a beat, changes his mind and turns to leave…

Meanwhile, SILENT MAN’s motif and the drumming reach a crescendo into…

Silence.

WISDOM stops and turns back.

SILENT MAN turns to the men, breathless. He sees the men for the first time and takes this moment in.

Beat.

SILENT MAN suddenly takes a sharp breath in. After a beat, a readied FATHER does the same. An intrigued OLDER follows. WISDOM, still tense, kind of wants to see where this goes, he takes a breath in.

All that’s left is YOUNG BUCK. He looks at them as if they’re all crazy people. Maybe has a little chuckle to himself, then mockingly takes a sharp breath in and…

SLAM!

DRUMMER hits the drum and the men explode into the space, taking us into…

‘Keep It Tight and Keep Going’

Our first collective movement sequence, underscored by DRUMMER.

During this, we will see fragments of what these men hold… their pain.

We’ll also see moments of collective joy, as well as the unspoken, yet universal, interpersonal black male physicality.

The sequence crescendos with the ensemble and SILENT MAN marching together, in sync. They start to move backwards towards the seats, while SILENT MAN goes towards the outskirts of the space. He’s still within the circle of soil, but closer to DRUMMER. He sits on the floor.

The rest of the ensemble sit on the chairs, taking us into…

‘Why Is Your Leg Touching Me Fam?!’

The men are pretty up-close, arms touching and whatnot. After a beat, YOUNG BUCK shifts, nudging FATHER’s leg, which slightly touches his. This could be so subtle we think it’s just the performer shifting.

FATHER shifts position, trying to create more space for himself and nudges YOUNG BUCK by accident (on purpose…) along the way.

This builds and builds as FATHER and YOUNG BUCK try to physically top the other to create more space for themselves. Opening legs wider, stretching arms across, etc. Light and humorous.