Bangers (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

Danusia Samal

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

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

It's club night and the tracks are spinning. Set against a backdrop of precarious lives in urban London, two headliners crossfade between stories of love, sex, and losing their creative spark. Bangers follows the highs and lows of two strangers as they struggle with their own pasts, while hurtling towards each other's futures. All the while, the DJ continues to play, dropping samples and words of wisdom. In the end, it's not the last track that counts, but the one coming up next... Featuring original music inspired by early noughties and present-day R&B and Garage, Danusia Samal's exhilarating play was first co-produced by Cardboard Citizens and Soho Theatre, and directed by the former's Artistic Director Chris Sonnex. It toured community venues across London, before a run at Soho Theatre, London, in 2022.

Leseprobe

Danusia Samal

Bangers

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production Details

Author’s Note

Bangers

About the Author

Copyright Information

Bangers was co-produced by Cardboard Citizens and Soho Theatre and first performed at Soho Theatre, London, on 15 June 2022, with the following cast and creative team:

ARIA

Danusia Samal

CLEF

Darragh Hand

DJ

Duramaney Kamara

Director

Chris Sonnex

Composer & Sound Designer

Duramaney Kamara

Designer

Zoë Hurwitz

Lighting Designer

Martha Godfrey

Movement Director

Louise Kempton

Dramaturg

Gillian Greer

Originally commissioned by Soho Theatre and Paines Plough

Author’s Note

I started writing this play in April 2020, in a nationwide lockdown. No one really knew if theatre would ever happen again, let alone dancing and raving in sweaty clubs!

But I guess UK Garage proves itself invincible once again…

This is a play about love, intimacy, sex, gender… and all the grey areas. About what music has taught us, and what it still can. About reclaiming bangers with questionable lyrics or history and making them ours.

I can’t quite believe we’re here. None of this would be possible without the thoughtful and sensitive guidance of Gillian Greer; the energy, musical expertise (and unlimited Maoam!) of Chris Sonnex; my amazing agent Alex; Soho for giving me the chance to write this damn thing; the BRIT School students who chatted to me about music and misogyny; all the staff, trainees and members at Cardboard Citz helping make the show happen (too many of you to list but big love all the same!); Duramaney for writing a whole soundtrack in about twenty minutes; Darragh for bringing a dozen characters to life with humour and truth; CM for the studio time; and everyone else who has given time and energy to this.

Also a little shout-out to James, who reminded me how good it feels to dance again.

Danusia x

Characters

ARIA, female, thirties, guarded till she finds her power

CLEF, male, seventeen, idealistic, but struggling to find himself

DJ, any gender and age, a musical narrator, steering Aria and Clef through their story

BEX, female, thirties, Aria’s best friend, sass and heart

TONE, male, seventeen, Clef’s best friend, self-proclaimed roadman, passionate about music

NAT, female, seventeen, Clef’s girlfriend, kind, caring, but doesn’t take any shit

MUM, female, fifties, Clef’s mum, loving, bossy, trying her hardest all the time

DAD, male, fifties, Aria’s dad, quiet, withdrawn, avoiding a past they can’t discuss

BOYFRIEND, male, thirties, trying very hard to be ‘one of the good guys’

MR B, male, forties, an important figure for both Aria and Clef, supportive, attentive, generous… until he thinks his neck might be on the line

Notes on the Text

This is a gig. And also a play. The space should feel like a club, bit smelly, bit dark, bit paint-peeling.

In the original production, all characters were played by two actors and a DJ – but the play could also be performed with multiple performers. In a two-actor version, Aria and Clef narrate their stories with the attitude, colour and impartiality their character perspective brings.

The DJ is at their desk, king or queen of all they survey. Music is always present, even sound effects become musical. The DJ shapes the tone and feel of each scene with music and sound; the actors playfully switch between narrating their story to the audience and playing the scenes out. Sometimes they use mics, sometimes they don’t. The music of the show is original, but takes inspiration from early noughties and present day R&B and Garage.

Text in bold italics indicates that the character is singing/rapping.

Text in ‘speech marks’ indicates dialogue within a scene, with the characters talking to each other as opposed to narrating.

A forward slash / or dash – indicates a character being interrupted.

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