by Fin Kennedy
Note that the Real-World cast cannot see the Neverborn, except sometimes for the odd flicker. However they can, of course, see them when the Neverborn are on screen, and when they finally enter the Dreamworld.
The Neverborn are capable of silently manipulating the Real-World cast, a bit like puppeteers or hypnotists, sending them in certain directions at certain times, or prompting them to speak with a snap of their fingers. This can be played with in production, and is not always referred to in the script.
Note that the sections referred to as taking place ‘on screen’ do not necessarily have to be pre-recorded films. They could be realised more imaginatively, using live performance too.
The Dream Collector was first performed by Mulberry Theatre Company, as the inaugural production at the Mulberry and Bigland Green Centre, on 16 October 2013, with the following ensemble cast:
‘REAL-WORLD’ CAST NEVERBORN
RAPHAEL Fatima Khatun Afsana Yasmin
MADGE Maria Amrin Aisha Miah
NASIMA Mina Begum Basma Akouiz
JAYDEN Muslima Sheikh Rumana Miah
MACK Nazia Salim Syeda Thani
ALI Promee Reza
SURAYA Sumaiyah Ahmed
AMELIA Wahida Tasnim
Director
Shona Davidson
Set and Costume Designers Barbara Fuchs,
Afsana Begum
Technical Director Chris Stone
The play was developed across two schools simultaneously. A parallel premiere production was also performed at St Paul’s Way Trust School on 4 December 2013, with the following ensemble cast:
‘REAL-WORLD’ CAST NEVERBORN
RAPHAEL Jenna Islam Julakha Begum
MADGE Nabeela Hoque Nazia Begum
NASIMA Romaysa Azzoug Abida Chowdhury
JAYDEN Matthew Rano Kamar El-Aslani
MACK Ben Cribb Muneem Hussain
ALI Azhar Uddin Alessanrdo Islam
SURAYA Sherinne Ghoneim Soraia Pinheiro
AMELIA Beatrice Green Saabira Tasneem
Mahfuza Uddin
Creative Director and Producer
Kelly Jasor
Set/Costume Production Liz Gaskell,
Frances Beasley,
Magdalena
Plewa-Ould
Technical Lead/Lighting Rob Yardley
Stage Manager Stephenjohn
Holgate
Assistant Stage Manager Ming Liu
Music Denzel Bunbury
Characters
REAL-WORLD CAST
All fourteen or fifteen-year-olds from a twenty-first-century East London school:
MACK, dreams about quantum mechanics
AMELIA, dreams about fashion
MADGE, dreams about animals
ALI, dreams about business
JAYDEN, dreams about ninjas
SURAYA, dreams about medicine
RAPHAEL, dreams about dying
NASIMA, dreams about the army
TEACHER, a part which can be pre-recorded and played as voice-over, or played by some of the students, or the Neverborn (or even a real teacher). This is a creative decision for the company.
Ethnicity of these parts is not that important. It is also possible for girls to play boys, if necessary.
THE NEVERBORN
Can be played by any young people with good physical-theatre skills. They do not have individual character names and their lines can be distributed among the group, as a chorus. Each new line indicates a new speaker, though sometimes several can say the same line. Play around with this. Sometimes they chant, sometimes they sing – find their rhythm.
Gender and ethnicity of the Neverborn is not that important either, though it would help if each had a passing similarity to the Real-World character they shadow.
Together, this cast also play the imposing figure of CHARLES SOMNA, an early black-and-white movie pioneer and inventor. How this is achieved is a creative decision for each company.
Lights up. AMELIA, MACK, MADGE, ALI, JAYDEN, SURAYA, RAPHAEL and NASIMA are onstage. They are asleep.
The NEVERBORN are also onstage, though they are invisible and inaudible to the REAL-WORLD CAST (mostly).
Each of the sleeping characters has a school uniform laid out nearby, ready for the next day. As they speak, the NEVERBORN remove the school uniform from AMELIA’s room and replace it with a green dress. One of the NEVERBORN, who shadows AMELIA, also wears a green dress.
NEVERBORN. Sssssshhhhhh
This is a story about dreams
The vast eternal deep
We enter when we sleep
Sssssshhhhhh.
The REAL-WORLD CAST all turn over together in their sleep.
This is a story about what it could mean
To build a machine
To view on a screen
Our dreams
Ssssssshhhhhh.
The REAL-WORLD CAST all turn back the other way in their sleep.
They start to stir
The night abates
Daylight yawns
The world awakes.
The NEVERBORN withdraw to where they are less visible. The REAL-WORLD CAST each get out a smartphone or laptop.
MADGE. Facebook: I’m awake. Who else is up? Share.
AMELIA. Me.
MACK. Me
ALI. Me.
SURAYA. Too early, man. Share.
MADGE. I had mad dreams. Share.
RAPHAEL. Yeah and me! Share.
ALI. I was riding on the back of a giant ant.
BOYS. Like!
SURAYA. I was sinking into a sofa made of chocolate.
GIRLS. Like!
MACK. I was killing aliens made of baked beans.
BOYS. Like!
RAPHAEL. I turned see-through, so everyone could see what I had for lunch.
ALL. Eurgh.
AMELIA. I was wearing a… (Sees the dress laid out, frowns.) green dress.
AMELIA picks up the dress, shrugs and puts the dress on.
NEVERBORN (whisper). Good girl.
JAYDEN. I don’t even wanna talk about mine.
MADGE. I always think there’s like this massive factory, all full of elves, and they’ve all got their little elf outfits on, and their little tools in their little hands and they’re hammering away, building everyone’s dreams, night after night.
NEVERBORN. If only she knew.
MADGE. Share.
NEVERBORN. She will.
GIRLS. Like.
BOYS. Weirdo.
NEVERBORN. Time to get them ready.
The NEVERBORN snap their fingers and the REAL-WORLD CAST get ready for school, packing a bag, putting their school uniforms on, etc. (In reality they could be partially dressed already and just put on a school tie, headscarf or blazer, etc.)
The NEVERBORN take out clipboards and pencils. They make notes about each character as they discuss them, or read notes about them from their files.
MADGE. School trip today!
ALL. Yay!
JAYDEN. Bor-ing.
AMELIA. Shut up, Jayden.
JAYDEN. What you all bringing?
AMELIA. Make-up.
GIRLS. Nice.
MACK. PSP.
BOYS. Cool.
MADGE. Tofu.
ALL. YUCK.
ALI. Sweets – to sell.
SURAYA. Crisps – to eat.
RAPHAEL. Medical wristband – just in case.
NASIMA. Army survival kit – just in case.
JAYDEN. It’s some dusty old house, not World War Three.
ALI. What you bringing?
JAYDEN. Nothing
MACK. Not even a toothbrush?
JAYDEN. It’s only one night.
RAPHAEL. Not even pants?
JAYDEN. These ones are good for at least another week.
MADGE. Boys are like animals.
BOYS. Woof.
SURAYA. I thought you liked animals.
MADGE. Only real ones.
The NEVERBORN gather arou
nd MADGE.
NEVERBORN. They call this one Madge
We’ve been watching her
From a family of butchers
Or so our records say
But also a vegetarian
Hmm, interesting.
The NEVERBORN note this down.
MADGE. Animals feel pain, they have rights too.
NEVERBORN. It says here she works part time at London Zoo.
MADGE. That’s because I want to be a vet.
AMELIA. But you’re a butcher.
MADGE. No I’m not!
MACK. You sure you’re not there undercover?
JAYDEN. Yeah, on behalf of the family.
RAPHAEL. Scoping the place out.
JAYDEN. Hustling some exotic meat for the family shop.
MADGE. Shut up, I would never do that!
MACK. Yeah, half a kilo of tiger steak please, Madge.
MADGE. I work in the insect enclosure actually.
NEVERBORN (write). In-sects
Per-fect.
The REAL-WORLD CAST have finished getting ready and all meet up with their bags.
BOYS. Alright.
GIRLS. Alright.
They begin the walk to school together, immediately separating into girls and boys. The following conversations take place while they walk.
JAYDEN. So what is this place today?
ALI. It’s like a country house of some old geezer.
JAYDEN. Dusty, man.
RAPHAEL. Better than school.
MACK. There’ll be a coach.
JAYDEN. I hate coaches.
ALI. You can show your arse to traffic out the back.
JAYDEN. I like coaches.
The NEVERBORN gather around MACK.
NEVERBORN. This one they call Mack.
ALI. Mack the Hack.
JAYDEN. King of the Nerds, what’s up.
NEVERBORN. But this one has a trick up his sleeve.
MACK. Just seeing what the teachers are saying innit. Let’s see…
MACK is fiddling with his PSP (Playstation Portable).
NEVERBORN. The boy has somehow managed
To access the main school server
Using only his PSP
PSP?
Playstation Portable – try to keep up
I’m a hundred years old
That doesn’t stop the rest of us.
MACK. Mr Campbell’s asked Miss Singh out for a drink after work!
ALL. LET’S SEE!
They crowd round MACK’s PSP.
MADGE. We might have a school wedding!
JAYDEN. Eurgh I hope not.
School bells go.
TEACHER. Registration!
The class sit behind desks at registration.
MACK and MADGE are next to each other.
They smile at each other awkwardly.
MACK. Do you like quantum mechanics?
MADGE. I don’t know what that means.
TEACHER. Amelia.
AMELIA. Here, miss.
MACK. It’s like a branch of physics.
MADGE. Oh right.
TEACHER. Ali.
ALI. Here, miss.
MACK. It’s amazing. It means there might be a Multiverse, that’s like, loads of universes, all existing at the same time.
TEACHER. Suraya.
SURAYA. Here, miss.
MADGE. I dissected a frog in science yesterday. Doing it made me cry, but now I understand frogs so I can cure one if it gets sick. Does that make it worth it?
TEACHER. Raphael.
RAPHAEL. Here, miss.
MACK. Did you know some people think the Multiverse was created by giant lizards?
MADGE. A frog’s an amphibian not a lizard.
TEACHER. Jayden.
JAYDEN. Miss, if a geek and a nerd had a baby, would the baby be a neek or a gerd?
TEACHER. Don’t be silly.
JAYDEN. I’m not.
TEACHER. Are you here or aren’t you?
JAYDEN. Not really.
TEACHER. Well, thank goodness for that.
NEVERBORN. This one they call Jayden
Neither a geek
Nor a nerd.
JAYDEN. No way, man.
NEVERBORN. But he does seem to think he’s a ninja.
JAYDEN. I’m a blue belt in karate actually.
AMELIA. You’re a black belt in getting on our nerves.
NEVERBORN. The Year-Ten bad boy
Troubled
Troubling
Why do we have no data on his family?
Perhaps they never existed
Not possible
It is for us.
RAPHAEL. I’d like to do karate. Does your dad take you?
JAYDEN. No.
MACK and ALI gesture silently to RAPHAEL to shut up.
RAPHAEL. Your mum then.
MACK and ALI continue to gesture.
JAYDEN. Is that any of your business?
RAPHAEL. Just wondering…
JAYDEN. Well, don’t.
RAPHAEL.…if they could take me too.
JAYDEN. Would you shut up about my parents, man!
ALI. Allow it, Jay, he’s new.
MACK. Yeah, he doesn’t know.
JAYDEN stomps off.
RAPHAEL. Know what?
MACK. Jayden’s parents are… (Draws his finger across his throat.)
RAPHAEL. No way.
ALI. Yeah.
MACK. He lives with his cousins now.
RAPHAEL. That’s awful. What happened?
ALI. Nobody knows.
MACK. Nobody wants to know.
RAPHAEL. I should say sorry.
AMELIA. Don’t bother.
ALI. Yeah let him cool off.
AMELIA. He’s such an idiot.
MACK/ALI. Amelia!
AMELIA. What? I know he’s been through a lot but it’s no excuse.
NEVERBORN. This one they call Amelia
Clever
But arrogant
With a tendency to stand up to authority.
AMELIA. Miss, you’ve put a spelling mistake on the board.
NEVERBORN. Our files show she has access to funds
Make-up
Clothes
Jewellery
MP3 players
We detect ambivalence among the others.
SURAYA. You look nice, Ames.
MADGE. Love the dress.
NASIMA. I didn’t know it was non-uniform day.
AMELIA. It’s not.
SURAYA. Won’t they send you home?
AMELIA. It’s a school trip. I’ve paid.
MADGE and NASIMA make faces behind AMELIA’s back.
SURAYA. Amelia, I got you a Dr Pepper.
AMELIA. Oh my favourite, wicked, thanks.
SURAYA gives AMELIA a can of Dr Pepper. AMELIA opens it and drinks some.
SURAYA. Can I have a sip?
AMELIA. No, sorry, I’m well thirsty.
NEVERBORN (write). Doctor… Pepper
Pepper doctor
Hmmm.
Some school bells go.
ALI flips open a briefcase he has been holding. It is full of sweets, arranged in rows like merchandise for sale.
ALI. Roll up, roll up! It’s sugar time!
The others crowd round, some of them buy sweets (it is important that at least JAYDEN does).
Forget breakfast, lunch and dinner, sugar is energy and energy is sugar. Stock up now for the journey ahead. All the sweets and chocolate you could ever wish for, all the stuff that’s banned in the school canteen, get it right here, the sweets of your dreams! What do I have for you today, ladies and gents? I got Fruit Ninjas, I got Hubba Bubba, I got Haribo Starmix, I got Jelly Bellies, Mars bars, M&Ms, come and get it, first come first served!
NEVERBORN. They call this one Ali
Otherwise known as Ali Sugar.
ALI. Lord Sugar to you.
NEVERBORN. After some sort of businessman?
Another one that’s lost on me.
&nbs
p; RAPHAEL. How come you’re cheaper than the shops?
ALI. What can I say? Welcome to Aladdin’s cave.
NEVERBORN (write). Cost
(Write.) Value.
Some school bells go.
ALI. Alright, shop’s shut, people, get out of here.
ALI snaps his briefcase shut and everyone disperses except for NASIMA. They both look a bit shifty.
Alright.
NASIMA. Alright.
ALI. What you got for me then?
NASIMA opens up a bag. ALI looks inside.
NEVERBORN. They call this one Nasima
A dark soul
Conflicted
Pulled between opposites.
NASIMA (to ALI). Sherbert Fountains, Turkish Delight, Cherry Drops, Fisherman’s Friend.
ALI. Fisherman’s Friend? They’re rank.
NASIMA. My Auntie Zora just got ’em in, I don’t even know what they are.
ALI. Trust me, just try one. It’ll make your face fall off.
NASIMA. Whatever.
ALI. I’ll take everything except them.
NASIMA. Fine.
ALI takes out some money.
ALI. Shouldn’t be nicking off your auntie anyway.
NASIMA. It’s never bothered you before.
ALI. I didn’t know it was your auntie’s shop.
NASIMA. Gotta save up for my wedding, haven’t I.
ALI. Thought you was joining the army?
NASIMA. I am.
ALI. You’re a girl.
NASIMA. Dad wanted a boy.
ALI. You need to make up your mind.
NASIMA. I can do both, it is the twenty-first century.
ALI. Yeah, but what’s marriage about? Babies. Life. What’s the army about? Killing. Death.
NASIMA. Do you want this stuff or not?
ALI. Yeah, fiver for the lot.
NASIMA. Done.
NEVERBORN. She does not know who she is
Perhaps a shock will do the trick
(They write.) Shock.
She hands him the bag and he hands her a fiver.
NASIMA goes.
JAYDEN approaches AMELIA. He holds out a box of sweets.
AMELIA. What?
JAYDEN. Fruit Ninja.
AMELIA. No thanks.
JAYDEN. I got them for you.
AMELIA. You’ve opened them.
JAYDEN. We could share.
AMELIA. And why would I wanna do that?
JAYDEN. I dunno.
AMELIA. Stick ’em up your nose.
JAYDEN sticks one up his nose.
You are such a loser.
SURAYA approaches ALI.
SURAYA. Hey, Ali, you got any prawn-cocktail crisps?
ALI. Nah I’m sold out, man.