Sunday, 1 October 2017

The Straits by Gregory Burke. Faber and Faber

Characters (3 males/1 female)

Doink 16 (aggressive, violent and unpredictable) 
Darren 15 (Naive, easily led and won s susceptible to bullying)
Jock 16 (Scottish decent)
Tracy 16 (Darren's older sister, she is intelligent, but promiscuous)

Time 2nd May 1982

Accents  Various English accents

Place Gibraltar, Rosita Bay


Set A beach, water, a bay for diving and crabbing 

Specicify This play has significant historical references such as Falklands 80s British music and Culture. It is only suited for the time, set and place it is based.

Key words

Falklands
Conflict 
80's
Gibraltar 
Army
Navy 
Marines
Paras
Friendship 
Bullying
Racism
Tension
Argie's 
Argentina
Boredom
British 
Promiscuity
Violence
Teenagers
Friendship
Naivety  

Synopsis
The Straites is set in Gibraltar, at a time of high tension between Spanish Main land, Gibraltar, Britain, Argentina and the Falklands.

The play reflects tensions between the British Natives and the Spanish "Spics" who cohabit the island of British, Gibraltar. The play is about growing friendships and boredom in such a place but is also written to parallel the growing tension in the Falklands and the eventual conflict that broke out. Doink losing his older brother Steve, a British marine stationed on the 'Sheffield' destroyer that was attacked by the Argentinian Navy on 4th May 1982. 

Darren aims to impress as he settles in to life in Gibraltar, he meets Doink and Jock and does his best to befriend them. They are from military families and Darren struggles to keep up with them in violent conduct and army training. 

Tracy looks out for Darren but makes strange choices, one being sexually arrive with Doink who had just beaten up Darren.

Darren in his desire to be liked by the others murders a "Spic" with a speargun. The boy dies but Darren gets away with it because he is 15 and under age. The play ends Ina very anticlimactic way with the boys going diving. 

Monologues and Duologues etc...


Page 12 (2 mins). Doink delivers a simplistic Monologue based on his views of "Spics" in Gibraltar and his claim to Rosita bay being British owners, for British based residents. This includes the sea and the octopus that swim near by.

Doink discusses how he caught an octopus and sold it for "twenty quid" a lot of money for the 80's and a 16 year old. It's a comedic speech with a racist and ignorant message.

Page 33 (2 min)  In this Monologue Jock talks about how his Granddad survived a piece of Shrapnel during war that split his face in half, knocking out all his teeth. A German taking pity on him, giving him a smoke and then leaving him alive. Once stitched up his Granddad had a constant smile and was unable to speak properly.Pages



Links to writer: Gregory Burke















Garagarin Way, Black Watch, Hoors 




Written by Josh Ashley-Smith

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