A Town Named War Boy

Ross Mueller

• Editorial: Currency Press
• Año: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781925210477
• Categoría: Littérature
• Categoría: Théâtre

'We hit Cairo like a train!... Every dirty little alley, every dusty back-room bar. The pyramids are marvellous, but I could spend the rest of my days quite happily in the arms of your temptation.'%##CHAR13##%%##CHAR13##%Inspired by the State Library of New South Wales' jaw-dropping collection of World War I diaries and letters, A Town Named War Boy explores both the events of war and the impact it has upon soldiers and their families. Written with insight, humour and sensitivity, Ross Mueller's moving play brings the ANZAC legend to life.

PROLOGUE

Lights up on SNOW. He is barefoot on the sand. The sound of waves and distant gulls. He smiles. He draws with his toe in the wet sand and then he speaks and kneels and writes with the index finger of his left hand.

SNOW: The contents of this book…

Have been written at random.

Yeah…

So please… do not take… offence, at any personal remarks.

Pause. He smiles.

This town… alright.

Our town is…

Full of silence.

The sound of little waves.

This place, which gave me my great chance in life—now…

Pause. He stops writing.

I daydream now of…

He starts to build a little sandcastle with his left hand.

Open plains and drifting.

Mates,

cobbers…

My boys.

I am… a little wild man!

Cold, cold and muddy.

Wallowing in the mud like… mad—bloody—pigs!

He regards the castle.

Where are my war boys now?

SCENE ONE

SNOW approaches the desk with caution. He takes a chocolate from his pocket and starts to eat. He scans some of the other documents. Some sketches. He picks up a small red book. Opens it carefully. He reads the first line quietly to himself. Closes the book in his hands, smiles and puts the diary into his breast pocket. TOM rises from beneath the books and papers. Pause.

TOM: What’s the matter, are you scared?

SNOW: No.

TOM: Yes, you are.

Beat.

SNOW: Is this your desk?

TOM: Yes.

SNOW: Why is it covered in bodies?

TOM: What?… This is paper.

SNOW: Diaries.

TOM: Purchased by the library. These are books not bodies.

SNOW: Looks like people.

The sound of water lapping begins.

TOM: Is that what you think?

SNOW: I know.

TOM: What do you think you know? [Pause.] ‘Nature is sad.’ I can see it in your eyes.

SNOW: Those words do not belong to you.

TOM: Come inside—let’s begin.

SNOW: Can you hear water?

TOM: No.

SNOW: Listen…

HUDDO: Signaller…

TOM: What?

SNOW: Over the top!

A whistle.

SCENE TWO

Men roar into the fire of battle—SNOW throws the desk over on itself, papers fly everywhere and the desk becomes a boat. All jump in the boat. Water lapping. They sit in silence. The night rocks them gently. Little waves are made up from the text of the diaries. We can just make out the men’s faces.

HUDDO: Bloody freezing.

JOHN: Blood / oath.

SNOW: Typical.

HUDDO: What does that mean?

SNOW: This was all your idea...