Market Boy by David Eldridge. Methuen
Time 1985-1993
Accents Essex, London, Cockney
Place Romford Essex
Set Romford Market
Specicify
The play jumps from Market to to next very quickly, there is room for Sotto voice and mine, and suited to large groups. It's specific to Essex.
Suitable for. A-level students and above
Characters
Boy 13-18
Mum 40-50
Mouse 20-25
Don 20-25
Snooks 20-25
Trader 30-40
Girl 15-18
Meat man 40-55
Toby 35-55
A whole host of other minor characters
Key words
Romford
Essex
Sexism
Margaret Thatcher
Unemployment
Drugs
Eighties culture
80s
Market
Male xhivanists
Politics
Pride
Englishness
Changing times
Love
Parents
Mum
Loss
90s
Pride
Broken families
Being stuck
Single mindedness
Synopsis
Market Boy is a response to harsh 80's and the changing times of the early 90s.
Boy is employed on a busy shoe stall in Romford Market. He is initiated and taken through his paces by boss, Trader and his workers Mouse, Don and Snooks.
The stall is visited by various types of women of all social classes including Margaret Thatcher. It is clear to say that the males who work on the stall shovanists .
The play is very fast pace and the scenes are moved on swiftly with 80's music.
There are regular historical references related to the stalls Roman History. The references to Drugs and "Zammo" (Grange Hill) is a nice touch and the occasional appearance of Margaret Thatcher provides much comedy and contrast to the Romford accent and goings on. This counteracted with a visit from the Labour Party, the play must be around election time.
Boy falls for girl and asks her out in naive ways that lacks in romance, but eventually wins her over. He eventually loses her as he becomes arrogant and heavy as market life pulls him down.
Trader is clearly Boys father figure in an unconventional way. Despite sleeping with Boys Mother, sacking him and talking to hi. like he is nothing at times, it is evident that there is love and respect between them.
The play ends in a homage to the characters times after the 80s crash some succeed some fail and some are no longer with us.
Monologues and duologues etc...
Pages 20-21 (1min) In this short Monologue Trader shows off his charming nature and ways with women "if you tell women they are pop stars, they love it"
Pages 73-74 (4 mins) Meat man speaks of his love and pride of Romford Market, and of being English. This monologue is spoken over 'Land of Hope and Glory' crescendoing with the whole market singing a long.
Meat man starts discussing two beautiful fillet steaks he selling to Boy and goes off on a tangent in celebration in all that is available to buy on the various stalls and how Alain it is to be English, he ends with a praise of changing times in 1988 and treated Margaret Thatcher like royalty, saying "God bless her son, God bless Margaret"
Links to the writer: David Elderidge
Written by Josh Ashley-Smith
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