NOARALOT
By
Allen Lyne
Cast 13 ( more if required. There is much doubling)
SYNOPSIS
The Silvertails and the Deadbeats are the two gangs in town and they are at war. Having access to plastic and territorial rights is the two main issues. Adults and adult societal structures are viewed through the eyes of the gangs.
Will the Silvertails share their plastic? Will the deadbeats allow Silvertail access to their beach? Who is the best rumbler amongst he gangs? Can Sergeant Schmertz, his two constables and the city council avert the threatened gang war?
BLURB
Noaralot looks at youth culture in a humorous way. It takes as a starting point the fact that there are haves and have-nots in society. The play goes on to look at the issues of identity and of territory.
The play is often hilariously funny, but it does examine underlying issues that affect all teenagers.
NOTES
Noaralot was written on commission from Backstairs Theatre, Port Noarlunga. This company in Christies Beach, South Australia, first produced the play. The play was written and then extensively workshopped by the company's young actors.
Noaralot has been produced in three Australian states and a second South Australian production was mounted by Westminster College.
Noaralot was first produced by Backstairs Theatre Company, Port Noarlunga, South Australia, in August 1987.
Backstairs used a cast of fifteen young people in the production. Ages ranged from twelve to twenty. Cast list and possible doubling follows.
Backstairs used an up front style of acting which particularly suited this type of play. Nothing was hidden from the audience and all actors remained on stage for the duration of the play. They sat in a semi circle and watched the action when not performing.
Costumes were made from plastic garbage bags (designer models!) for the Upmarket Silvertails and from Hessian bags for the Downmarket Deadbeats. All props were obviously props.
Noaralot has had productions in three states of
Deadbeats
(Possible Doubling)
Jo Councillor Jury Member
Sam Councillor Jury Member Rumble Judge
Carmen Mayor Jury Member
Rocky Councillor Jury Member
Bruce
Michelle
Silvertails
(Possible doubling)
Barbarah Councillor Judge
Sarah Defence Attorney
Kevin Constable Noname
Fleur Councillor Jury Member Rumble Judge
Jody Clerk of the Court
Clive
Others
Sergeant Schmertz
Constable Somebody
LIGHTS UP.
SERGEANT SCHMERTZ AND CONSTABLE SOMEBODY ENTER. THEY MOVE FRONT CENTRE. SHMERTZ PEERS INTO THE AUDIENCE AND POINTS OUT VARIOUS PEOPLE TO SOMEBODY, WHO MAKES NOTES. SCHMERTZ BLOWS HIS POLICE WHISTLE AND ALL ACTORS EXPLODE ONSTAGE FROM VARIOUS DIRECTIONS. THERE IS A MINI RIOT, THEN THE DEADBEATS FORM UP STAGE LEFT AND THE SILVERTAILS STAGE RIGHT. THE NARRATOR STEPS FORWARD.
NARRATOR Once upon a time there was a town called Noaralot. In Noaralot there were two gangs. One gang was called the Downmarket Deadbeats. The other gang was called the Upmarket Silvertails. The Upmarket Silvertails were distinguished by having pieces of plastic. The Downmarket Deadbeats were distinguished by not having pieces of plastic. The Downmarket Deadbeats were distinguished by other things as well... and so were the Upmarket Silvertails
Deadbeats (chant) NOARALOT NOARALOT'S A HELL OF A PLACE
YOU CAN HAVE A GOOD RAGE, GET OFF YOUR FACE
NOARALOT'S THE PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO BE
BEAUTIFUL NOARALOT DOWN BY THE SEA.
Clive Come on, let's show them Silvertails.
SILVERTAILS REPEAT CHANT
Narrator The Silvertails and Deadbeats controlled their own territory.
Deadbeats (roar) Keep away from our beach or you'll be dead, Silvertails.
Silvertails Rah rah rah we're the best by far. Keep away from our hills or you'll be dead, Deadbeats.
Narrator The leader of the Upmarket Silvertails was Clive.
CLIVE STEPS FORWARD AND STRIKES A POSES DURING THE FOLLOWING MONOLOGUE.
Narrator Clive was good looking, intelligent, rich and one day expected to be famous, like his daddy before him and his daddy's daddy before that. Clive used a personal deodorant and had all his own teeth. He also had more plastic than any other kid in town.
Clive Rally on me, chaps. Rally on me.
CLIVE LEADS THE SILVERTAILS OFF RIGHT. THEY SIT.
MICHELLE STRIKES POSES DURING THE FOLLOWING MONOLOGUE.
Narrator The leader of the Deadbeats was Michelle. She was good looking, intelligent, poor, and didn't expect to be famous. Just like her mummy before her and her mummy's mummy before that. Michelle never used deodorant and couldn't afford dentists. Michelle had no plastic and she was angry about it.
DEADBEATS REACT WITH SHOUTS AND POSTURING DURING THE FOLLOWING MONOLOGUE.
Michelle Brothers and sisters, it's time we had a say about this lack of plastic amongst us Deadbeats. There's enough plastic in the world for everyone to have some. We have to convince the Silvertails to share their plastic with us. It's time to end these stupid rumbles about plastic and territory. Let's meet with the Silvertails and offer them the use of our beach for the use of their hills and a share of their plastic. What do you say?
Deadbeats Mutter mutter mutter.
Bruce That's not the way. We all know the Silvertails won't give us any of their plastic, and we don't want them on our beaches. We've got to take what we want. Get rid of Michelle and make me boss and I'll lead you in the rumble to end all rumbles! We'll wipe those Silvertails off the face of the earth.
Deadbeats Mutter mutter mutter.
Michelle Don't listen to him.
Bruce Kill the Silvertails.
Michelle No killing? We appeal to the Silvertails for fair play.
Bruce Fair play?
Michelle Listen to me Deadbeats. I'm leader and I say we stop rumbling the Silvertails. We've been rumbling for years and all it's got us is lots of people hurt and nothing else. Follow me, Deadbeats and we talk to the Silvertails. Those of you who want blood stay here with Bruce.
DEADBEATS FOLLOW MICHELLE OFF LEFT AND SIT.
BRUCE MOVES DOWNSTAGE CENTRE. HE ADDRESSES THE AUDIENCE.
Bruce Yeah? Well I've listened to bleeding hearts like Michelle long enough. She's brainy but she don't know nothing. I live on the streets like most of the Deadbeats. Aint got no home, can't get no job, aint got no education, done time twice in junior stir, but I'm smart enough to know we'll only get plastic if we fight. And we're gonna fight whether Michelle likes it or not. She's brainy, that's why she's leader. But I'm wise. Streetwise. You watch what happens.
BRUCE MOVES RIGHT. MICHELLE ENTERS LEFT.
Michelle Bruce, it's time you and me
Bruce Michelle, you're right.
Michelle What?
Bruce We gotta make peace with the Silvertails.
Michelle This is kinda sudden.
Bruce We been rumblin' for years. We aint got nowhere.
Michelle Don't put me on, Bruce.
Bruce Fair dinkum. I'm seein' things your way.
Michelle All this time you been after blood.
Bruce Just lots of people gettin' hurt for nothin'.
Michelle Are you for real?
Bruce Trust me.
Michelle Come on!
Bruce You're leader. I'm willin' to try things your way.
Michelle No bull?
Bruce No bull.
PAUSE.
Michelle Okay here's what we do. I work out a peace plan with the Silvertails.
Bruce Okay.
Michelle I'll put down on paper exactly what we want.
Bruce Good one.
Michelle It'll take awhile to work out.
Bruce I'll look after the Deadbeats while you're away.
Michelle I'm real pleased you're seeing things my way, Bruce.
Bruce We all make mistakes, Michelle,
MICHELLE EXITS LEFT AND SITS.
BRUCE MOVES CENTRE-STAGE. HE ADDRESSES THE AUDIENCE.
Bruce Bleedin' heart.
DEADBEATS MINUS MICHELLE ENTER LEFT.
Jo Hey, Bruce. What we doin' tonight?
Bruce Same as always.
Sam What's that?
All Hangin' around.
Carmen Hey, there's the Silvertails.
Jo They're on our territory.
Bruce Let's get em.
Carmen Michelle said no rumbles.
Silvertails What are you waiting for...? Scared are you...?
Jo No rumbles Deadbeats.
Silvertails (chant) Deadbeats are scumbags... (repeat)
Bruce They reckon we're scumbags.
CHANT CONTINUES.
Sam Michelle said...
Bruce Stuff Michelle. No-one calls me a scumbag.
CHANT CONTINUES.
Toni We shouldn't
Bruce I'm Gonna rumble. Are you with me or not?
RUMBLE. SIRENS. FLASHING LIGHTS. GANGS RETREAT. BLACKOUT. TWO COPPERS ENTER WITH TORCHES. THEY RUN IN FLASHING TORCHES AROUND THE ACTING AREA AND INTO THE AUDIENCE. THEY COME FRONT CENTRE AND LIGHT EACH OTHER'S FACES.
Constable S Where'd they go?
Constable N Err...I dunno.
Constable S They was here alright.
Constable N How can you tell?
Constable S Footprints in the sand and I heard some noises.
Constable N I heard noises too. Sounded like a rumble to me.
Constable S How come we never catch em?
Constable N Too quick, mate. Like that character in the Porsche, eh?
Constable S Err...Yeah.
COPPERS ACT OUT CHASE. OTHERS MAKE LIVE SOUND EFFECTS.
Constable N You see it's like this. The lot of the ordinary copper in a town like Noaralot is not an easy one. No, not an easy one at all. In fact, it's downright difficult. You take the other night now. The other night me and me partner here were cruisin' along on night patrol. We gets to the intersection of Beach and Dyson and
FX ZOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
Constable N This red Porsche hurtles through a red light.
Constable S Err...It was yellow.
Constable N A red light. Doing at least a hundred and sixty Ks.
Constable S Well, a hundred anyway. We does a wheelie and sets off in pursuit.
FX SCREECH OF TYRES AS CAR TURNS SUDDENLY.
Constable N This is car four in pursuit of red sedan in Beach road, over.
Constable S We was really shiftin'. Two hundred ks.
Constable N Well, a hundred and fifty anyway--siren blarin', lights flashin'.
FX SIREN. LOUD THEN FADE.
Constable S Then he turns off the main drag and starts hurtlin' through suburban streets. Round corners on two wheels, over the median strip onto the wrong side of the road (they react) nearly a head on with a push bike.
Constable N Finally we're headin' down this hill doin' two hundred and fifty Ks if we're doin' a K.
Constable S Well a hundred and ten anyway.
Constable N Two hundred and fifty Ks, then there's a fence, a cliff and a six hundred metre drop to the ocean.
Constable S Sixty metres anyway. The Porsche gets almost to the bottom of the hill goin like a bat out of hell with us right up his clacker, when suddenly he slams on the anchors.
Constable N He slams on the skids and end for ends her.
FX CAR CHANGING DOWN. SCREECHING TYRES
Constable S Turns her round in about a car's length.
Constable N There we were, lookin' death in the jaws.
THEY LOOK DEATH IN THE JAWS.
Constable S Three hundred Ks.
Constable N A hundred and fifty.
Constable S Siren blarin', lights flashin' and hurtlin' for this fence...
Constable N Stone the maggots.
Constable S The cliff.
Constable N Mummy!
Constable S And a thousand metre drop into the ocean.
Constable N Old Schumaker here's drivin'. He slams em on.
FX SCREECH OF BRAKES
Constable S Pulls on the handbrake.
Constable N And rams her into first gear.
FX GRINDING OF GEARS. MOTOR ROARS THEN FADES.
Constable S Fair dropped the gearbox right out of her.
Constable N Broadsides through the fence.
FX SKIDDING CAR. LOUD THEN FADE.
Constable S Right up to the edge of the cliff.
SKIDDING FX STOPS.
Constable N Two wheels hangin' over the cliff.
Constable S And two wheels on the ground.
Constable N We were starin' the jaws of death right in the face. Old Schumaker here says .
Constable S I'll get out. Hold on, says me offsider here.
Constable N If you get out, what with you sittin' on the side with the wheels on the ground.
Constable S You'll upset the balance of the car.
Constable N And I'll go hurtlin' two thousand metres to me death.
Constable S So, he climbs very careful like, over me.
Constable N Being careful not to upset the balance of the car.
Constable S Then I climbs out.
Both So long car.
THEY WATCH AND WAVE AS THE CAR DROPS OVER THE CLIFF.
Constable N Up the top of the hill.
Constable S Gleaming in the moonlight.
Constable N It was cloudy actually.
Constable S Sits the Porsche.
Constable N The driver leans out the window.
Constable S And gives the victory sign.
Constable N Only reversed.
Mayor Up yours mug coppers.
Constable S The driver yells.
Constable N Does a wheelie.
FX SCREECH OF TYRES AS CAR TURNS SUDDENLY.
Constable S Drops about five tons of rubber on the road.
Constable N And screams off into the night.
THE ACTORS UPSTAGE, WHO HAVE BEEN DOING VOCAL SOUND EFFECTS THROUGHOUT THE CAR SEQUENCE, GIVE ONE FINAL SCREECH AS THE CAR DROPS RUBBER AND DEPARTS.
Constable S The super. wasn't real pleased about the car.
Constable N Yep, it's hard bein' a copper in a town like Noaralot.
Constable S Policing your neighbours.
Constable N You gotta live here too.
Constable S Only one red Porsche in town.
Constable N Belongs to the Mayor.
Constable S We reported it as an FJ Holden.
Constable N We gotta live here. Don't we?
Constable S Spend most of our time policin' the Deadbeat areas.
Constable N Not the Silvertails.
Both There's more crime there. Isn't there?
POLICE MOVE UPSTAGE AND SIT.