Boy Overboard: the play

the play

Morris Gleitzman, Patricia Cornelius

• Publisher: Currency Press
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781925210323
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

A story of adventure, ball control and hope.Jamal and Bibi have a dream. To lead Australia to soccer glory in the next World Cup. But first they must face landmines, pirates, storms and assassins. Can Jamal and his family survive their incredible journey and get to Australia? Adapted for the stage by Patricia Cornelius from Morris Gleitzman's best-selling novel, Boy Overboard depicts a deeply human side of the 'asylum seeker' issue by following the journey of Jamal and Bibi from Afghanistan to Australia. Based on real life events, this is a moving play about young people overcoming the confusion of war, politics and the search for a safe haven.

Scene I

MOHAMMED emerges silently from the shadows and walks to the boot of his taxi. He looks around. Assured he has not been seen, he opens the boot. Three GIRLS, heavily veiled, carrying school books under their arms, quickly get out of the boot. MOHAMMED closes the boot. He watches the GIRLS exit. He furtively looks around. He opens the boot again and another three heavily veiled GIRLS emerge and follow the others. MOHAMMED closes the boot, looks about, opens the boot once more and three more GIRLS climb out and exit.

The sound of drumming feet causes MOHAMMED to panic. He slams the boot shut and runs to the front of the car to drive away.

Darkness. The sound of drumming feet continues—a slightly ominous sound.

‘Zeir Baghali’, from ‘Inside Afghanistan’, a recording by Deben Bhattacharya, accompanies the drumming, and continues into the next scene.

Scene 2

The feet belong to a line-up of BOYS. Like a chorus line they move in a choreographed movement sequence toward the audience. It is as if they are playing soccer but there is no ball. The soccer moves are slightly stylised making them dance-like. The ball is so acutely imagined we can almost see it as it bounces from knee to knee to head to foot to knee to chest. The drumming comes to a stop.

The sound of a single bounce of an actual soccer ball is heard. The BOYS listen intently. Again there is the sound of the bouncing ball. They listen and the sound continues.

The line splits to reveal JAMAL behind them, soccer ball in hand, his face lit up in an exuberant smile. The BOYS collectively gasp. JAMAL lifts the ball above his head as if it’s some precious thing and moves forward to join the chorus line. They cannot take their eyes off it. YUSUF, JAMAL’s one-legged friend, appears on crutches and joins the line.

JAMAL throws the ball high up into the air and a highly stylised game begins. The BOYS move into action and freeze the moment the ball drops and JAMAL stills it with his foot. He narrates the game with intensity.

Jamal Latching onto a fumbled ball from the opposition Manchester United, always in command, in fact, in inspirational form, deliver a stunning, curling, long-distance strike. It’s intercepted by Newcastle United and could prove to be an expensive miss but Jamal dramatically, almost miraculously, regains possession and piles on the pressure. Aziz from Newcastle United lunges at me. I dodge the tackle. Aziz is small but he’s fast and he comes back for a second lunge.

Three young boys, MUSSA, AZIZ and ZOLTAN, engage closely in the game. AZIZ makes a move.

Aziz You’re dead meat, Jamal.

Jamal I dazzle him with my footwork.

He does.

Aziz Too good.

Jamal I weave one way, then the other. The ball at my feet is a blur. Mussa, who’s also Newcastle United, tries to remove my feet from my ankles.

MUSSA moves into stylised action.

Mussa You’re finished, Jamal.

Jamal I avoid his big boots and flick the ball between his legs.

Mussa You always do that!

Jamal [with a laugh] I duck past him, steer the ball around a bomb crater, and find myself in front of goal. And there’s Yusuf.

YUSUF, in position as if between goalposts, balances on his one foot, his crutches stretched out to the sides.

Yusuf the terrible.

YUSUF lets out an almighty growl.

His eyes never leave the ball at my toes.

Yusuf Don’t even think about it, Jamal.

ZOLTAN gestures to JAMAL to pass....