Far Gone (NHB Modern Plays)

John Rwothomack

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN:
  9781839040733
• eBook ISBN:
  9781788505338
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

When Okumu's village in Northern Uganda is attacked by a guerrilla rebel group, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) led by Joseph Kony, he and his brother find that their lives are changed forever. Far Gone is a profoundly moving play for one actor which tells the story of a young boy's journey from childhood innocence to child soldier, seen through the eyes of those that love him – and those that betray him. Inspired by John Rwothomack's own real-life experience of nearly being kidnapped by the LRA, the play was co-produced by Roots Mbili Theatre and Sheffield Theatres, with support from Theatre Deli, Sheffield. It premiered at the Crucible Studio, Sheffield, in 2022, directed by Mojisola Elufowoju. 'This play is not about me, the kid who was lucky enough to escape. This play is for the hundreds of thousands who did not. For the parents whose children were either lost forever or forever changed. For the young girls who were forced to marry men old enough to be their fathers. For the brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews, sons and daughters who lost the innocence of childhood, simply for being born at an unfortunate time in an unfortunate place. For the future generations who will continue to suffer the trauma the LRA has imprinted on them, for many years to come.' John Rwothomack

As we enter, OKUMU is playing udhilu, a game of ‘spin the wood’. The game involves tying a piece of string around a piece of wood and then spinning it on the floor. As the piece of wood spins, it is hit with the piece of string to keep it spinning. He will invite audience members to join him in the game, where they can’t play he will endeavour to teach them.

OKUMU (to one audience member). Hello, if I invited you to come with me on a journey, a story, will you come with me? Thank you!

He gives the piece of wood to the audience member.

Hey, hello, what about you? Sir/madam, if I welcomed you to listen to a story, my story? Will you lend me your ears? Thank you.

He give the piece of string to this audience member.

Hello, thank you all, thank you for coming. I have a story to tell, it is very important to me, will you favour me with your eyes and ears and voices? Yes? Thank you, thank you…

Your eyes will see, your ears will hear, but your voices I am going to need them. There’s a man you are going to meet, the commandant. He is going to need you to answer some of his questions when he asks you. It is not hard, let us try. For example, when the commandant says…

COMMANDANT. De commandant is feeling very generous today.

OKUMU. He will then ask you…

COMMANDANT. How does de commandant feel?

OKUMU. Your answer…?

He waits for us to answer, this will be repeated twice. The COMMANDANT might correct the audience to answer ‘very generous’ if they only answer with ‘generous’.

And if he says…

COMMANDANT. De commandant has changed his mind. What has de commandant done?

The COMMANDANT waits for the audience to answer.

What has de commandant done?

Again, waits for the audience to answer.

We are called the Lord’s Resistance Army. What are we called?

He waits for us to answer.

What are we called?

Waits again.

After the audience answer, he leads them in a chant.

LRA! LRA! LRA!

OKUMU. My name is Okumu. I am from Minakulu village, in Lira in the north of Uganda. My mother – (Taking out a picture.) Alice Adong, she is the best. She cooks for me the okra and fish when I am not feeling very well. My father, Agama David, he is a farmer, everybody says he is a good man, but he is always beating me and my brother. I have two older brothers, but my parents said when I was two years old Vincent Opio, the eldest, was sent away – well, disowned by my father. The story begins when me and my other brother, Okello, were playing outside.

OKELLO. Okumu, are you going to play it properly today?

OKELLO starts the spin the wood game as we saw OKUMU playing at the beginning of the play but it is mimed this time. He sets it up for OKUMU, who hits the wood and stops it from rotating, and so stopping the game.

OKUMU. I’m sorry, Okello, I’m sorry.

(To us.) My brother, even though he is only two years older than me, he is so much bigger and stronger and better than me in anything physical. But up here, God did not bless him, even a goat is better than him. Don’t laugh, he is my brother. He also has a very bad temper.

OKUMU hands back the stick to OKELLO, who re-starts the game, hands the stick to OKUMU – who fails again.

OKELLO. Okumu! Use the string, not the stick! One more and I am going to kill you.

OKELLO resets the game for the second time for OKUMU, who fails again.

OKUMU. Okello, I am sorry, I am sorry… no… no…

He runs as OKELLO is chasing him. The boys chase each other. OKELLO eventually reaches OKUMU. He goes to grab him, but he misses as OKUMU dodges him.

Haha… haha… you missed me, you missed!

OKELLO. You come here!

OKELLO grabs OKUMU’s leg and pulls OKUMU towards him.

OKUMU. No no… no leave me alone.

OKELLO begins tickling OKUMU.

No… no… no don’t tickle me…

Hahahahahha… no… no… hahha… no.

OKELLO. Ehh, eh, what are you saying now… eh? Eh? You idiot. Look at you.

As the boys continue play-fighting we hear two sounds of gunshots in the distance. They freeze.

OKUMU. Did you hear that?

OKELLO. Yes…

Silence.

Pause.

Rapid gunshots are heard followed by people screaming, shouting and running from rebels.

GET UP! GET UP! RUN! Come, come!

OKELLO beckons OKUMU to follow, they find a place to hide behind the bushes. OKELLO may peep to see what’s going on. OKUMU is scared on the groun...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Contents
• Original Production Details
• Joseph Kony and the LRA
• A Word or Two from the Writer
• Epigraph
• Characters
• Far Gone
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information