Lucky Country

Tom Lycos, Stefo Nantsou

• Publisher: Currency Press
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781760622015
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

Lucky Country was created with the assistance of students from the International Grammar School in Sydney and is a timely look at multi-cultural Australia, current global debates on the refugee crisis and the role the media plays in shaping public opinion. When a young refugee boy arrives at Cook Vale High School, he is given the name 'Lucky' by the enthusiastic and open-hearted principal of the school. Two boys in his class are not so open-hearted and their 'special welcome' of the new student triggers a chain of events which engulfs the whole community.

SONG: ‘LUCKY COUNTRY’

The joke is on you, the joke is on me,

In this down-under land, girt by sea.

We’re on the run … from the bombs and guns.

Bleeding tears, blinds our eyes,

Well-meaning countries, taking innocent lives.

Whose side are you on? Whose side will you take?

How many souls, and hearts will you break?

We’re on the run … from the bombs and guns.

Where will I go? What will I see?

In this down-under land, an English colony.

Has this down-under land peace and harmony?

Is this down-under land a lucky country?

A lucky country? … A lucky country? … A lucky country!

1. ENGLISH

JIM and JEFF, dressed in school uniform, come forward and address the audience.

JIM: Our school’s been in the news a lot lately. Cook Vale High School.

JEFF: Monday morning first period, I’m sitting with Jim …

JIM: And I’m sitting next to Jeff.

They sit.

JEFF: We’re in English with Miss Mansfield …

MISS MANSFIELD: Who can tell me the origins of the English language? Jim?

JIM: Awww … ‘Sesame Street’?

MISS MANSFIELD: No. Jeff?

JEFF: Captain Cook.

JIM: Queen Elizabeth.

JEFF: Hollywood.

JIM: Aliens.

JEFF: God.

JIM: Wikipedia.

MISS MANSFIELD: No no no no no. Janice?

JANICE: English is a West Germanic language that originated from Anglo-Frisian dialects brought to Britain in the fifth to seventh centuries by Germanic invaders …

The class starts to get bored by the long answer.

From what is now north-west Germany and the Netherlands.

MISS MANSFIELD: Correct.

JIM: See, Miss, I was right, she got that from Wikipedia.

JANICE: I did not. Shut up!

MISS MANSFIELD: Is English the most spoken language in the world? Luke?

LUKE is typing on his mobile phone. He feels caught out, hides the phone behind his back.

LUKE: Arrrrh … yeah prob’ly s’pose I reckon yeah.

KENNETH shoots his arm in the air.

MISS MANSFIELD: Well, that was almost English, Luke … but no. Kenneth?

KENNETH: More people speak Spanish and Chinese than English, Miss.

MISS MANSFIELD: Very good, Kenneth.

KENNETH: A similar question was asked on ‘Eggheads’ the other day, Miss, and it really piqued my interest.

MISS MANSFIELD: I’m sure it did, Kenneth.

JANICE: It piqued my interest too, Miss.

KENNETH: You don’t watch ‘Eggheads’, Janice.

JANICE: I do so!

KENNETH: You don’t watch ‘Eggheads’—

JANICE: I do so—

KENNETH: Or ‘Letters and Numbers’ or any of those programs—

JANICE: I do too—

KENNETH: Because you’re too stupid!

JANICE: I am not, Kenneth, shut up!

MISS MANSFIELD: Alright, settle down!

JIM: See, Miss, watching too much TV makes young people violent.

MISS MANSFIELD: Is that a fact, Jim?

JIM: Yep, that’s why we’re better off playing ‘Call of Duty’.

JEFF: ‘Black Ops’.

JIM: ‘Grand Theft Auto’.

JEFF: ‘Assassin’s Creed’.

JIM: Yeah, ‘Assassin’s Creed’ … it’s a lot more peaceful and calming than ‘Eggheads’, Miss.

MISS MANSFIELD: Yes, I’m sure it is, Jim.

JIM: [narrating] Then me and Jeff, we see out the window, this new kid arrive at the school.

JEFF and JIM stare out the window.

JEFF: A total Middle-Eastern-looking kid …

JI...