Read on to get a flavour for the characters and setting in the play Stockwell, written by participants in our Write Now workshop.

Stockwell.

By the Write Now Outside Edge Group.

Characters:

Frederick. 8 years old.

The police helicopters are circulating.
Everyone’s coming, even like Old Bill…
I’m Frederick and I’m 8 years old.

Samira.

My name’s Samira and I’m 19
There’s blue palm trees on my dress, matching my big, blue African head-wrap
pointed to the not at all blue sky.
I’m trying to bring the natural Nubia to this place and I’m trying to blend in but
not too much…….. gotta bring the bling, the magic and ting –

Liam.

My name’s Liam, I despise people who judge me and tell me I’ve got issues with
my manhood.
I smell sick and taste nothing
I no longer want to have sex

Tony.

My name is Tony, DS Jarvis –
I want to find the fuckers who killed my stepson
I smell the hot fetid air and the drink on my breath, the music is an assault on my
senses, the music is drilling into my brain; boom, boom BOOM!

Denise Stella Davies.

The coppers search me and ask me for my details, I give ‘em the correct info coz
I’m too mashed to think of anything else
My name is Denise Stella Davies and I’m 23 years old

I need to sell all these pills to make money for my son’s birthday …….. If I don’t,
I’ll never forgive myself.

Reece.

I am so different, to everyone – my friends, my family… My name is Reece and I
need to get my fix!
The sweats and the cramps are starting, I hate clucking, I hate it more than
anything -the shame.
I’m 24. How did my life turn out like this?

Michael Jones.

I am 15 and ¾ and my name is Michael
No one gives a shit about me, not really. Always asking me how I feel. Idiots.
Nothing ever happens in my life.
I can see idiots dancing, smell skunk, hear the music… Nothing ever happens in
my life, but as the police arrive I get the feeling that today is different and
something just might…

———————————————————————————————

It’s a beautiful, lazy, hot late September afternoon and the Stockwell community
are out in full force. The community centre is due to be shut down and the local
residents are up in arms. It’s the last straw in a long line of cuts, closures and
nightmare reforms in the area so the local Stockwell community have come
together to unite, join forces and cause a ruckus. They are squatting the local
community centre to host a massive community party and everyone is invited.
However, when the police rock up expecting a riot events spiral out
of control and no-one could possibly predict the outcome…

Stockwell is a play about community. It is about the coming together of people to
offer hope in the face of government closures and displacement. It is a story of
how the human spirit can triumph despite it all…

The play was written by members of the Wednesday night Write Now group –
based at Stockwell community centre – And promises to be a riotous, crazy truly
edgy show. All are welcome!