.dramatisation.for.

.classroom.performance

CHARACTERS:

• Zena: 12 yrs.
• Josef: Her brother, 15/16 yrs.
• Dad: About 40 plus, Lebanese, probably has a moustache. Zena loves him but they argue.
• Mum: A bit younger than Dad. She is pregnant.

THE SCENE:

• ZENA IS IN THE KITCHEN GETTING A DRINK AFTER SCHOOL. THE LOUNGE ROOM IS NEXT TO IT.
• JOSEF COMES IN FROM OUTSIDE WITH THE PHOTOS.
• Josef: Don't suppose you want to see these?
• Zena: Yay! My photos! What are they like? Are they any good?
• Josef: (LAUGHS AND HANDS HER THE PRINTS) Your'e not much of a photographer.
• Zena: (GRABS THEM AND LOOKS AT THEM) Oh, they're rubbish! What did I do wrong?
• Josef: Well, this one's too close. What is it?
• Zena: It's the bottle with the chemical dripping into it but... And this is the dead grass. This one's not too bad though. It's a bit blurry but you can see the chimneys sticking up behind the containers. Oh, and this one's great! See?
• THEY LOOK AT IT TOGETHER
• Josef: It's a bit dark.
• Zena: No, it's looking between the containers. Like down a dark passage. You can still see tanks and stuff at the end. Can you read that name, Joe?
• Josef: (PEERING) Not really. It's a bit far away.
• Zena: Oh, bummer! They were going to be part of my assignment. If you can't see anything, they're useless. Hey! D'you reckon a magnifying glass would help?
• Josef: (SHRUGS) Maybe.
• Zena: (DROPS PICS ON KITCHEN TABLE) I think I've got one in my bedroom. (EXITS)
• JOSEF TAKES A COKE, GOES TO THE LOUNGE ROOM AND SITS IN FRONT OF TV
• DAD ENTERS FROM OUTSIDE. PICKS UP PHOTOS AND EXAMINES THEM IDLY, THEN LOOKS MORE CLOSELY.
• Dad: Josef!
• Josef: Yes, Dad.
• Dad: (GOES TO LOUNGE ROOM) Why have you been taking these photos?
• ZENA ENTERS KITCHEN WITH MAGNIFYING GLASS.
• Josef: Eh?
• Dad: If my boss saw these photos, I would be in big trouble.
• Josef: Why?
• Dad: Security regulations. Very tight security there. No cameras, no photos.
• Zena: (FOLLOWS DAD) Is that the place where you work, Dad?
• Dad: Yes, and I would like Josef to tell me why these photos were taken.
• Zena: Um, I took them, Dad.
• Dad: You, Zena? Why?
• Zena: It's where the chemical's coming from.
• Dad: The what?
• Zena: You know. The stuff you took to work for one of your chemists to look at.
• Dad: You told me you found it in the creek.
• Zena: I did! It was dripping into the creek and - and I followed it. It led me to the fence.
• Dad: Didn't I say you were not to go to the creek again?
• Zena: I didn't! I went along the factory fences. And I found where it was coming from.
• Dad: I see. And you took photos?
• ZENA NODS, A BIT SCARED.
• Dad: So! You want me to lose my job?
• Zena: Why would you ...
• Dad: Because I have taken your bottle to one of our chemists. Do you think I can tell him it is coming from our own factory?
• Zena: Yes! He'll want to know!
• Dad: Ha! I do not think so! If there is something leaking from our factory, Zena, I am not going to be the one to tell him.
• Zena: Why not?
• Dad: (POINTS HIS FINGER AT ZENA) Because - trouble - makers - lose - jobs! (TURNING AWAY) I am very disappointed in you, Zena.
• Zena: But, Dad ...
• Dad: You have lied to me, you have disobeyed me and now you sneak around the place where I work, trying to make trouble!
• Zena: I'm not trying to ...
• Dad: I don't want to hear anything more about it!
• Zena: But, Dad, it's import ...
• Dad: (TURNS ON HER) Zena! That's enough! I am not talking about it any more!
• Zena: (SHOUTS) You have to! It's important!
• Dad: (FURIOUS) Don't you dare speak to me like that!
• Zena: (DRAWS A DEEP BREATH) Dad, just listen to me for once! I had to find out where it was coming from because - because it's poison, Dad. There was a dead bird and a dead lizard, and that stuff poisoned them! And it's coming out into our creek. You can't just pretend it's not there!
• DAD GLARES AT HER. SPEECHLESS.
• MUM IS STANDING IN THE DOORWAY
• Mum: She's right, Fared. You can't just ignore it.
• Zena: (GLANCES AT HER MUM, GRATEFULLY) Dad, we've got a baby coming; we've got to try and keep things safe for it.
• Dad: You don't understand! Neither of you! Things are not like what they were.
• Zena: What do you mean?
• Dad: I do not want to be like Hakim and lose my job. I have to be careful. People are more suspicious. Of us.
• Mum: And that is why you must report it, Fared. We will not allow bigoted people to take away our freedom to act responsibly.

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