Starstruck
Starstruck was first performed at the Tricycle Theatre, London, on 19 September 1998. The cast was as follows:
Directed by Indhu Rubasingham
Designed by Rosa Maggiora
Lighting by Jenny Kagan
Music by Fergus OâHare
Characters
Hope, 38
Gravel, Hopeâs husband
Dennis, 19, Hopeâs son
Little Hope, 12, Hopeâs daughter
Young Man
Lester, a policeman
Pammy, Dennisâs girlfriend
Wally, 22
The play is set in Kingston Town, Jamaica, in the 1970s.
Act One
Scene One
The Gilbey backyard. Morning. Hope comes out from the house to take the washing off the line. She stops when she notices a battered old car that is in her yard.
Hope (furious) Oh Gravel! Is wat yu do now?
Kingston Bus Station. A young black man has just stepped off a bus, he enters carrying several large bags. He is struggling and looks around as if he is waiting for someone. Dennis Gilbey is nearby. He watches the Young man carefully. He chooses the right time to approach him.
Dennis Yu awright young man?
Young man Wat yu say?
Dennis I ask if yu awright.
Young man Me fine.
Dennis Yu look like yu waitinâ fer sumone.
Young man Das my business.
Dennis Awright man, easy nuh I juss bin friendly. Yu come down from country?
Young man How yu know?
Dennis Frankfield right? (Young man nods.) My mama come from Frankfield. Wat yer name? She might know yer family.
Young man I am not givinâ yu my name. My mama warned me about tief like yu âŚ
Dennis Is wat yu say man?
Young man All yu town bwoys do is beg and tief fer money.
Dennis Yu hear me beg yu? I donât wanâ yer money. (Takes out some notes from his pocket.) See it deh. I juss waiting fer sumone like yu, he nuh here yet.
Young man Yu donât wanâ my money?
Dennis No. Yu wanâ cigarette?
Young man Me mudda say I shouldnât smoke.
Dennis I look like yer mudda man?
Young man takes a cigarette, Dennis lights it for him, they enjoy their smoke. Young man coughs a bit.
Dennis Yu turninâ green man.
Young man (panics) A lie yu tell.
Dennis A joke me a mek. Waâ yer name?
Young man Adrian.
Dennis Pleased to meet yu Adrian. William. (They shake hands.) Deh yu see we not all tiefs, both our muddas come from country, anâ dat mek me a country bwoy, yu tink I gonna tief from a country bwoy? No! So who yu waitinâ fer?
Young man My cousin Neil, im late.
Dennis Neil?
Young man Neil.
Dennis Backside. So, it yu das Adrian!
Young man Yes. Yu know me cousin?
Dennis Yeah me know im. Tall right?
Young man No man.
Dennis Short?
Young man No man.
Dennis Medium height?
Young man Yeah man.
Dennis Yeah man me know im. Im work right?
Young man Yeah I tink.
Dennis Well he call me from work to say âDennis, go get me cousin fer me from de station caâ I have to work todayâ.
Young man I tought yer name was William.
Dennis And it is.
Young man So why yu say yer name is Dennis?
Dennis Dennis is my middle name, everyone call me Dennis.
Young man So why yu tell me to call yu William?
Dennis Adrian, calm yerself. All Neil asked me to do was put yu in a cab, mek sure yu donât get tief, caâ wat yer mudda says was right, plenty a thievinâ wretches here. I not gonna tief yu. Awright, watch me now. (Shouts.) Cab! Over here man. See im cominâ, I go put in and mek sure im donât tief yu. Watch me now.
Cab driver, Wally, enters.
Wally Who wanâ de cab?
Dennis My friend here.
Wally Ware im goinâ?
Young man Taylor Street.
Wally Me dunno ware dat is.
Dennis Wat yu mean yu dunno?
Wally Me dunno!
Dennis Backside!
Wally Yu wanâ de cab or not?
Dennis Come Adrian, show dis fool how to get deh.
Young man My first time in Kingston.
Wally Who wanâ de cab?
Dennis Hold on na Taylor Street, dat near Lambertâs Field ainât it?
Wally Me dunno.
Dennis Well wat roads yu know?
Wally Plenty!
Dennis But not Taylor Street?
Wally Cha me gone.
Dennis Hold on. Wait. Weâre cominâ. Come, Adrian, I help yu wid de bags.
Wally Hold on a minute.
Dennis Wat now?
Wally Is wat yu mean âweâ?
Dennis Two a we.
Wally I can only tek one!
Dennis I see yer car from here man, yu can tek two a we.
Wally I got me tings in de back.
Dennis Well fling yer tings out.
Wally Look, last week my woman go throw me out.
Dennis Come Adrian we go find another cab.
Wally Hold on, I let yu pay half de fare. Half!
Dennis Adrian? (Adrian nods.) Come!
Wally Twenty dollar.
Young man Here.
Dennis Na man Adrian it awright. Neil give me money awready.
Dennis gives Wally his money.
Wall...