:: Tuesday, May 27– Scene List 2::

Monday 26th May

WORKSHOP NOTES
MORE STORIES/ SCENES
1. At Mahroof’s place and at the bank – performed by Julie, Hala, Hashem, Mahroof
Mahroof is complaining to his Mum that he’s low on cash… "Mum I need money to go to TAFE in Campbelltown… as you know we live in Bankstown and it’s far…I need $40". The whole scene is performed in Arabic from here….

Mother replies in Arabic - "Where am I going to get $40 from?
Dad answers - "Are you joking?"
Mother – "What about your Centrelink money?"
Mahroof – "Dad takes all my Centrelink money"
Dad – "What are you talking about, how can you accuse your father of that?"
Mum – "Fine, let’s go and see how much money you’ve got in the bank"
Mahroof – "No, no, that’s not a good idea"

Mahroof and his Mum go to the bank and she puts $20 in his account. She gets a receipt and realizes he’s got plenty of money in his account and drags him home to his father to be dealt with. His father is disgusted that his son is accusing him of stealing money from him. They continue to argue.

2. At Mohammed’s house and next door at his best friends place – performed by Ali, Mohammed, Aladdin, Wazza
It’s Mohammed’s birthday (Aladdin is playing the role of Mohammed). Mohammed wants to go out with his mates… they are going to the beach, to hang out, pick up chicks and just be boys – you know!. Mohammed’s at home and he says to his Dad…"I’m Bored, I’m going to Matuse’s place next door". He goes next door and the boys convince him to go and talk his Dad into allowing him to go out for the night. Mohammed returns home and asks, only to receive an immediate NO from Dad. This is where the argument comes in…. "Why can’t I go. I’m good. I look after my sister. I’m good at school…. you know who the boys are. They come from good families". Ali represents the father as saying things like… "Son, you respect me and I respect you. What do you want to go tot he beach at 10pm. Why do you lie to me…. why do you hang around with these boys…who are these boys". After tireless arguing, reasoning, questioning and comparisons to other ‘good’ kids, he lets Mohammed go out but on the provision that… "You get a job and you be good".

3. At Ali’s house – performed by Ali, Youssef, Elissar, Ahab
Elissar is on the phone. Her brother and father are smoking the argyla (hubbly bubbly pipe) and watching Optus Pay TV. Someone knocks at the door. It’s the son. He throws his bag and his mother begins hurling abuse at the father in Arabic…" teach your son some respect…you don’t just come home and throw your bag in the middle of the lounge room". The daughter comes out because she hears noise and then they start yelling at her… "go and sweep the floor…go to your room." The father dismisses her as if she doesn’t even exist. The son wants to take the family car out that night and his father allows him but his mother is furious because his father says yes. The daughter hears and comes out of her room and she complains that if her brother gets the car, why doesn’t she. The whole family ends up in a huge argument.

4. At Izra’s house – performed by Ahab, Ahmad, Doha and Izra
Izra’s Mum and Dad are in the kitchen. Their son comes home and sits at the table with them. There’s a knock at the door minutes later and it’s their daughter (Izra). The mother, father and son are bitching about Izra, complaining that she doesn’t behave like a ‘good Arab girl’ should. Izra enters. After a screaming match and questions about where she’s been etc. they start praising their son, and why she can’t be like him…. "He goes to university and comes home and respects us….you hang around Bankstown Square with boys/ girls and do nothing".
They stop arguing and start eating. Out of nowhere Izra’s father starts hurling abuse at her and stands up banging the table in anger. He says… "The Prophet says we hold the fork and eat with our right hand….why are you eating with your left". Izra tries to fix her oversight immediately and swaps hands that she holds the fork with from left to right. The Dad overreacts and hurls abuse at her saying, "you have no respect, you are rubbish". A huge debate on religion is started and the whole family ends up in an argument.

5. In the car with Elissar and Matuse and at their home – performed by Julie, Matuse and Elissar.
Elissar picks her brother up from school and on the way home in the car he pulls out a packet of cigarettes. Elissar looses it and is very angry that her brother has started smoking. She says…"what are you smoking for…. those things are cancer sticks". Matuse brushes her off and tells her to mind her own business. "Are you smoking just because your friends are", she says. "Yeh maybe, so what if I am" ,he says. The two argue all the way home in the car. At home Elissar walks in and her mother (Julie) notices that she looks disturbed. She probes her, asking constantly what is wrong. Elissar tries to avoid talking to her mother but in the end is forced to tell her that she is angry because Matuse is smoking. Their mother immediately calls Matuse and they engage in a heated argument. Matuse is swearing and cursing his sister…"where is the trust between us…what did you tell mum for you bitch". The scene ends when Matuse walks away from his mother and sister.

6. At a petrol station and then on the phone between the homes of Susan and Ahmad – performed by Susan, Ahmad and Wazza
Ahmad is filling up petrol at the local station and he sees his ‘girl’ get out of a car. He is shocked because they were supposed to be together that day and she said she couldn’t leave the house. He approaches her and demands an explanation. She refuses to speak to him, saying… "I can’t talk to you now, call me later". He uses a little force, grabbing her arm, but she resists stronger and walks away. Ahmad calls Susan that night and she immediately tells him that she cannot see him anymore… "We can’t see each other, we’re from different sects of our religion". Ahmad replies…."but it doesn’t matter, I love you. We’re both Muslim and that’s what counts isn’t it". The two of them argue and Ahmad will not take no for an answer. He begs and pleads with Susan not to leave him. Susan is harping on about the difference in religious sects and how that will affect their relationship. She confirms that it’s over and Ahmad gets really angry…he ‘clicks it’. She asks if they can be friends and he yells…. "No way, it’s either we are together or we are not, that’s it!" Susan ends the conversation with… "have a nice life".

7. At home in Anthony’s lounge room – performed by Anthony, Julie and Susan
Anthony and his brother Mark are watching television and a program comes on featuring Yassar Arafat. Mark makes a comment… "As if he gives a crap about anyone who’s not Islamic". Anthony is enraged by this comment and says to him… "How do you know anything about politics, what do you know about Arafat…you haven’t met the guy". Mark is offended and they begin a heated debate, it’s half politically motivated and half just brother’s disagreeing. They continue to argue and one of them throws a punch. Within minutes, it’s a brawl and they are swinging punches left, right and centre. Their father hears the screaming from another room and comes in and splits the two up…"How can you hit each other…you are brother’s", he says. Anthony and Mark continue hurling abuse at one another and the father gives them a serious lecture, sending them both to their rooms.

8. At Dooa’s friends house –performed by Dooa, Julie and Hala
Julie goes to her friend Hala for advice. She is worried about making the wrong decision about being with the guy she has chosen. He threatens to hit her all the time and she doesn’t know what to do. Hala is furious that her friend is feeling endangered by her boyfriend. She demands that she should leave him immediately. Julie is defensive and although she is asking for advice, any advice that Hala gives is thrown back at her by Julie. The two end up in a huge argument because Julie starts questioning Hala’s relationship. Hala is enflamed because Julie was the one with the issue and because Hala told her the truth, Julie couldn’t and wouldn’t accept it. It was obvious that the truth hurt and Julie felt stuck in the relationship or somehow it was a sense of security for her. Hala was trying to break that comfort zone and she did. Of course Julie didn’t like that and the argument continued.

9. At Dooa’s house – performed by Ali and Dooa
Dooa calls Ali and tells him she needs to talk to him about something really serious. She asks him to come over right away. Ali brushes her off, pretending not to care, saying…. "what are you pregnant or something…..your always bloody winging….there’s always something wrong". Ali goes to her house anyway. They sit and talk and Ali remains non-chalant about the whole idea that Dooa is genuinely disturbed by something. She gets increasingly angry with him, yelling…. "Why do you have to behave like such an idiot…I called you up and told you I need to talk to you about something serious and you just carry on like a fool..not caring". Ali gets up to walk away, calling her a winger and nagger. Dooa switches into dominate mode and demands he sits back down. Ali sits and keeps probing foolishly that if she is pregnant, then she should just come right out and tell him. Dooa is silent for a while and then says…"so what if I was, is that how you would react…what if I was pregnant". Ali looks concerned now and demands that she just come out and say it like it is. Dooa is furious that he is reacting so irrationally and with no emotion, making the audience believe that she is actually pregnant. And then, the bomb hits….she stands up and announces…"if you really want to know, my dad just died". Dooa storms out of the house and Ali is left feeling miserable, cursing himself that he reacted that way. He feels now that he has really hurt Dooa, but it’s too late.

10. Outside Julie’s workplace – performed by Julie and Anthony
Julie is getting ready to close up shop and finishing her last duties at work. Her boyfriend is waiting impatiently outside. She is wondering where he is and calls him only to realize he’s outside. He is complaining about waiting for 20 minutes for her and she is furious that he would be so impatient knowing she is working really hard…"I’ve been on my feet for 14 hrs, busting my ass to make some money and all you can do is complain about waiting a fucking bit". Her boyfriend is furious and he walks off…"I don’t want to go out with you anymore…you’ve ruined the mood". Julie screams out…"yeah walk away …you are good a that". They meet again a while later at the train station and Julie says, "how can you leave me like that in the middle of the street….you know I’m scared to walk by myself at night…how do you expect me to believe you love me if you just walk off like that all the time". He responds with more winging about how he can’t stand waiting and that she always makes him wait. The train is about to come and she says…"are you getting on that train"….he says, "no…why don’t you get in the car with your brother, he’s parked right over there". Julie doesn’t care about how she will get to where she is going. She just wants proof that her boyfriend will stand by her and unfortunately she is proven wrong. She gets on the train alone.

11. At Izra’s place – performed by Hashem and Izra
Izra calls her boyfriend (Hashem) and asks him to come over immediately. He does, and they sit staring into each other eyes. Izra breaks the news to him, that they cannot be together anymore. Hashem is shocked and he asks why. Izra says…"You know how your Christian and I’m Muslim…well my parents just won’t accept that and it will be hard for us to be together". Hashem thought that they had agreed to drop the religion thing…"it doesn’t matter about religion…what’s in my heart is only you and you should put your family aside". Izra is adamant that she cannot do that and their relationship has to end. Hashem becomes really upset and angry. He storms out of the room, leaving her behind.

:: Patrick 12.50 PM [+] :: ...