The Domino Effect (NHB Modern Plays)

Fin Kennedy

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2015
• ISBN:
  9781780016153
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

A silent girl finds her voice, and her mother, when a mysterious East End antiques dealer teaches her how small actions lead to big effects, and how to master the law of unintended consequences.

The Domino Effect – a five-star hit at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe – is an ensemble play for teenage performers created by award-winning playwright Fin Kennedy.

THE DOMINO EFFECT

Author’s Note

The play is written in an ensemble style, with a chorus of Narrators who can number anything from two to ten. Lines in the narrative passages can be distributed among the company as they see fit. Individual named parts can be doubled by Narrators, or can be played by separate actors. Smaller bit parts can be played by anyone, and the really small cameos could even be played by puppets, projections or otherwise suggested impressionistically. Cast size is therefore highly variable – though I would suggest a minimum of about eight to play all the parts and pull off all the effects required.

The play is written to incorporate dance and physical-theatre sequences. These can be performed by the Narrators/actors, or by a separate team of dancers. The intention is to achieve a fluid playing style in which we can move quite quickly through time and space. Dance and movement is intended to be part of the story, the story should not stop for it to take place. Similarly, all of the passages of narration are intended to be accompanied by a physical enactment of the stories we are hearing. Just because movement is not specified in the stage directions does not mean nothing is happening on stage. Indeed, physical movement is essential to bring the denser passages of text alive. I am deliberately vague about the onstage activity in order to allow the company to deploy their own imaginations in how to bring the play to life. Bodies and movement can even be used to suggest locations at times. Detailed naturalistic sets are therefore not required, and there should not be lengthy pauses for scene changes. Projected imagery or even simple stop-motion animation may assist with this.

The Domino Effect was first performed by Mulberry Theatre Company at the 2014 Edinburgh Festival Fringe on 4 August 2014, with the following ensemble cast:

ONSTAGE	BACKSTAGE
Jamila Ahmed	Afsana Begum
Tamanna Ali	Almitra Simpson
Naphysa Awuah	Naima Chowdhury
Maria Jahan Begum	Bipasha Islam
Tanya Hossain	Kinza Javaid
Naeemah Islam
Shahena Miah
Nowshin Sweety

Director	Shona Davidson
Movement Director	Lynsey Roddam
Voice Coach	Sarah Blumenau
Designer	Barbara Fuchs
Design Assistant	Rachel Roselle
Production Manager	Chris Stone
Company Manager	Afsana Begum

Characters

in order of appearance:

NARRATORS

FOX

MRS KHAN

STANLEY TROUT

PATIENCE ADEMOLA

JOYNUL UDDIN

MRS UDDIN

ALI MUSTAFA

MAHMUD NAZIM

JUDITH THE SHEEP

FAHIDA BEGUM

LAILA BEGUM

TOWER HAMLETS COUNCILLOR

AMINA RAHMAN

NABIJAH RAHMAN

SAMIT RAHMAN

MUSEUM GUARD

BOSS

DOCTOR

TEACHER

FLUSTOMER

THE DEBT COLLECTOR

POLICEMAN 1

POLICEMAN 2

ARTEMIS

LAWYER 1

LAWYER 2

ANIMALS

INTERVIEW PANEL

MUSEUM OF TIME CURATORS

GIRL/SURGEON

NARRATORS. On the first of March 1997

At 7.03 a.m.

A wild fox trots down Whitechapel Road, East London

In the misty half-light of a Tower Hamlets dawn.

Like a fox, these streets never sleep;

Even at this hour they are quietly humming;

Padded paws pass Jalebi Junction

Firing its fryers to tempt early risers

With caramel sa...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• The Domino Effect
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information