The Grandfathers by Rory Mullarkey. Connections 2012. Methuen

Characters (9 males)

Zhen- 18-22

Tol-35-45

Kol-18-22

Kost-18-22

Val-18-22

Dim-18-22

Sash-18-22

Stand-18-22

Lev-18-22

Time and setting 

21st century. A hillside in Central Asia. A barracks room and training field in an unspecified Eastern European country. The play is written in English.

Synopsis

A totalitarian state have risen up and anyone who defies the state, die. Young army recruits don't know any better and the current crop are of a mixed bag. Many are ill disciplined and more accustom to there Xbox's and dating girls then warfare.

The play is a dark or black comedy. With debates around whether "flamingoes are gay" or not, whether an injured bird that has "flown in through the window " has broken a "clandestine incursion " or not or whether ones press up is more like a "snake having sex with a doughnut".

The scene that stands out is scene 5 where Val takes an injured bird in to his care. Which offers hilarious lines of dialogue. The scene is a refreshing escape from the other more tense scenes of war and training. 

The recruits learn the harsh reality of life through gruelling routine, physical punishments, homesickness, loss of life and the smell and look of blood on ones hands.

It's a great play to do with students 14-23 years of age. In his notes, Mullarkey writes that the play can be done with all male, all female or a mixture of the two.

Monologues and duologue etc...

Pages 268-273 Scene two. There is enough chunky Dialogue in this scene to create a monologue for the character of Tol. The Dialogue is witty and would make a good speech any playing the ages 30-45

Pages 273-277. Scene Three. Though this is a scene with most of the other characters, this scene also works very well as a duologue between Tol and his conscript Val. Val is training to kill using a bayonet to stab a sand bag. He struggles with the idea and action.  The scene ends with Vals eventual grandmother giving way stabbing the sandbag Ina savage sequence shouting "blood, blood, blood, blood, blood"

Page 278. Kost is described as the "most aggressive of all the conscripts" (Mullarkey, 2012, 305). In his  monologue it is clear that Kost lacks respect and discipline.

Pages 288-290. The scene takes place a night in the barracks room as the conscripts try to sleep. Taking away the other characters dialogue, Dims paragraphs when put together make an excellent monologue. The speech discusses Dims fear of war.

Key words

Loss

Friendship 

War

Totalitarian 

Comedy

Teenager

Young men

Soldiers

Naivety 

21st century

20 century

Confusion

Blood