eBook - ePub
Estate Walls
About this book
Estate Walls is the story of Obi, a young writer who dreams of leaving his estate. But with bad boys Myles and Cain for best friends, there are bound to be setbacks…
Arinzé Kene's play premiered at Ovalhouse Theatre in south London in September 2010, directed by Ché Walker, winning Arinzé the Most Promising Playwright at the Offies (Off West End Theatre Awards) in 2011.
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Yes, you can access Estate Walls by Arinzé Kene in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Literature & British Drama. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
PROLOGUE
Enter OBI, MYLES and CAIN.
OBI. I’m on da estate wall!
CAIN. Me too.
MYLES. Me too.
CAIN. On da estate wall.
OBI. And that’s where?
MYLES. Right here.
CAIN. Within da estate walls.
OBI. He’s back.
CAIN. I’m back!
MYLES. When da world’s outside.
OBI. Outside.
CAIN. All I know are these estate walls.
ALL. Estate walls.
MYLES. These cracked windows.
ALL. Estate walls.
OBI. These cracks in my ceiling.
ALL. Estate walls.
CAIN. These cracks that I peep through.
ALL. Estate walls.
MYLES. These cracks on da floor.
ALL. Estate walls.
OBI. You can’t jump these cracks.
ALL. Estate walls.
CAIN. You’ll get eaten by da crack.
ALL. Estate walls.
MYLES. Feel you bones go CRACK!
ALL. Estate walls.
CAIN. But I love it here.
OBI. Right here?
CAIN. Right here on da estate wall.
MYLES. Me too.
OBI. Me too.
CAIN. On da estate wall.
MYLES. You bored?
OBI. Not at all.
CAIN. How long?
MYLES. All day.
OBI. How far?
CAIN. Bare far.
MYLES. You bored?
OBI. Gettin’ bored.
CAIN. How long?
MYLES. Too long.
OBI. How far?
CAIN. This far.
MYLES. Where you at?
OBI. Right here.
CAIN. Right where?
MYLES. At da wall.
OBI. Alone?
CAIN. Never that.
MYLES. Who you with?
CAIN. I’m wid you.
OBI. And me.
MYLES. Obviously.
CAIN. There’s three.
OBI. A family.
MYLES. You scared?
CAIN. Don’t ask them questions there.
OBI. You scared?
MYLES. Don’t ask them questions there.
CAIN. You scared?
OBI. Don’t ask them questions there, there’s no fear on da estate wall.
CAIN. Not at all.
Scene One
A cool summer day. An estate wall. CAIN, MYLES, and OBI. OBI has a book. MYLES’ mobile phone beeps. It’s a text message
MYLES. Message.
This girl’s always texting me some emotional lovey-dovey waste messages. Tell me if this makes any sense to you lot.
(Reading.) ‘Dear Myles, I watched a leaf get blown off its branch today and it reminded me of the time you and I broke up, I’m so glad we’re back together xXx : )’
OBI. The girl likes you so she’s making an effort.
MYLES. I don’t wanna know about no leaf gettin’ blown off a twig, b. Why can’t she just say ‘Hi Myles, I like the way you broke me off last week, can I have round two?’ She’s always chatting some garbage and because nobody understands it but her, she finks it’s deep.
OBI. She’s trying to stimulate your mind.
MYLES. Stimulate ma – you know what, you chat to her then. I don’t speak in riddles.
OBI. You sure you wanna do that?
CAIN. Handing her over to the merchant of lyrics. That’s a sucker move.
OBI. Tell him.
CAIN. Now, there’s a certain type of man they say you shouldn’t leave your girl around.
OBI. I can out-slick a can of oil.
I can sell water to a well.
Don’t leave me round your girl.
MYLES. You could never steal my girl…
OBI. There’s no challenge for the ruler.
MYLES. Not even in your wildest, b…
OBI. You’re lucky I’m done with that.
MYLES.…’Cause I’m too pretty.
I mean look at me! (Stands, gives us a twirl, his trousers hang low.) See, Obi, I’ve been blessed and burdened at the same time. My blessing lies at face value, it’s evident – I’m good looking. But my burden… man, so many… I’ve had so many of those caramel tings that I can’t even remember their names… and I ain’t proud of that but – that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
My gift is my curse.
Being beautiful.
This face is a good look. It’s just the way I was born, gotta live with it. But you, Obi, you’re one of the lucky ones, I envy you – you’ll never feel this pain.
OBI. Never?
MYLES. Never. You’re too ugly.
CAIN. Oh! Deeep.
OBI. You got jokes.
MYLES. I’m just sayin’, you don’t wanna go through this, b. I’m the Eighth Wonder of the World, that’s a lot to digest every day. Even the way my hair grows is unique, it grows that way, like feng shui – to the east or something… or north… I don’t care, the girls love it.
OBI disregards MYLES and gets back to reading his book.
Your sister knows – she is drunk off of love potion for me.
OBI gestures in disapproval.
Don’t think your sister’s an angel, ya know. You don’t know what your sister gets up to when you’re not about. (Grabbing his crotch and nudging CAIN.) I do.
CAIN (stirring and laughing). Oh no! Don’t have it.
OBI. Come off my sister please.
MYLES. No but, b, you need to come to grips with something though, ’cause you always talk about your sister like she’s a saint. Bruv, that girl is seventeen – SEVENTEEN. Dat’s the age that make girls do mad shit and experiment – remember? Her hormones are running high right now – sex hormones. Them the ones that make you wanna have sex and shit.
OBI. Do you wanna shut your mouth?
CAIN. Don’t let him roast your sister.
MYLES. Bruv, brother, b, don’t act like you don’t see your sister walking up and down the estate looking freshhhh.
Fresh to death.
Fresh to her bone marrow.
That girl always looks magnetic.
Sometimes I think this estate was built over an ancient burial ground and she’s one of the ghosts ’cause when she walks she floats.
But where’s she going?
OBI. She’s going college innit – leave it.
MYLES. That’s what she wants you to think, b! Do you see her going into the college gates? No. All you see is her leaving the estate and unless you’re following her you can’t tell me she’s not skipping classes to link up with one of those sweet boys, one of those sweet-like-chocolate boys, getting greasy with one of them boys. Even the good girls do it every once in a while. Face the facts, rude boi, your sister’s no different from the rest of us.
OBI (snapping). Look, you haven’t got a sister. But maybe one day – one day if you’re lucky enough you’ll have a daughter, then you can see if it’s easy to f...
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title page
- Contents
- Original Production
- Foreword
- Characters
- Estate Walls
- About the Author
- Copyright and Performing Rights Information