Chicken Burger N Chips. Corey Bovell

Rai is a Movement Director and Actor based in London, working across many disciplines such as; film, TV, theatre and visual art as well as teaching workshops. Performed on the Sadler’s Wells stage for Breakin’ Convention, and B.Supreme UK tour for females in Hip-Hop. Within Movement Directing, Kara creates a physical language for screen and stage. This includes shaping a character through physicality, choreographing transitions and full on routines.

      Theatre includes: Stains (Hammersmith Lyric).

      Contents

       Scene One

       Scene Two

       Scene Three

       Scene Four

       Scene Five

      Acknowledgements

      Niyi Akin, Elijah Baker, Lisa Bent, Joe Cusack, Alex George, Sáde, Nicole Jacobs, TD Moyo, Jordan Mitchell, Steffi Novia, Gbolahan Obiesan, Aaron Pierre, Audrey Pitter, David Pitter, Renée Pitter, Tyrell Williams, Bruntwood Prize, Ovalhouse Theatre, Arcola Theatre and all of the staff at Jack Theatre.

      George Spender and Salamander Street.

      Chicken Burger N Chips was heavily inspired by Arinzé Kene’s Misty and Michaela Cole’s Chewing Gum Dreams. These two amazing artist where allowed to tell their stories from their own perspective about growing up in London. Their plays are the reason why Chicken Burger N Chips exist and I’m hoping to inspire a young creative tell their story and share amongst the public.

      This edition features the full-length version of the play which was correct at the time of performance.

      ‘Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.’

      Eleanor Roosevelt

      Notes on the Text

      Stage directions are in (Italics)

      Words ‘that’ are not in italics within the text indicate the inner thought which was prerecorded by the actor

      A dash (–) indicates the conversation has a fast pace

      Lines in italics indicate that the actor is role-playing other characters.

      An ellipsis (…) indicates a trailing-off of thought or delayed response.

      Characters during dialogue in [square brackets] can be performed by the actor

      All other character dialogues are performed by the Voice Over actors ‘Jodie from Scene 3, Pops & Guy 1’

      An asterisk (*) indicates the character’s traits

      An (/) indicates a break from the dialogue

      Notes from the Movement Director

      ‘Creating a movement scape for the show as Movement Director I will help the actor prepare to embody his character and play with physicality/ gestures with the other characters that may surface in this one man show. The play also goes into a psychological place, therefore we will be exploring for example anxiety into a movement language. As the play is taken back to a specific time and place we will explore the movement language/dance/grooves that may have been trending at that time to add nostalgia to the piece.’

      Corey is going in between narrating the story and showing us the action within the story.

      SCENE ONE

      The stage has no form of human life present, just the key stage props, which will help, tell this South East London tale. Our stage includes a counter representing ‘Morley’s’ up stage, a few red chairs, and a bed stage right.

      After a few moments of nothingness, COREY enters the stage.

      Corey – Ahhhhh London, the city, bright lights, fancy restaurants, all these wonderful things God blessed us fortunate Londoners with, to have and to hold till death do us part. To some London is their partner, their homie, their lover – someone who they adore and cherish. For me London is London. I’ve never really got to experience its amazing ambiance or glittering lights or even feel that soft breeze sweeping gently across the cheek on a cold winters night while strolling down Oxford Street enjoying a £10 crepe. Sitting on the open top bus and traveling through central London to see all the tourist attractions, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, British Museum, even the London Eye. Sea World, War Museum, London Zoo, London Dungeon, Madame Tussauds and the Tate. No, that’s not my London. My London is Lewisham Clock Tower, the Catford Cat hanging proudly in the sky seen from Blockbuster’s half a mile away. Constant flashing lights and police sirens damaging my eardrums, Catford pitts where all the ballers go and play, Sydenham, Turnham and Woodpecker youth clubs on Friday evenings. 50p can drinks, the unsavory conditions Ladywell swimming baths is in, but to me, that’s all I know.

      Lights, bright lights, flashing lights, blue, red, green, amber, red, blue, amber, green. These lights stay in your brain until they become second nature, until they become normal until these lights become YOU and YOU become these lights within your community. We manoeuvre around the city following a format invented in 1869, and to this day still has a massive impact on our daily lives. We see a red light, we stop, we see amber and we prepare to move, we see green and we GO FOR IT.

      (Stage lights change colour, with the text above.)

      This didn’t make sense to me until my big cousin broke it down; Yo cuz, in ur life ur gonna come across bare traffic lights and I ain’t talking about the ones you buck on road cuz. Now dese traffic lights come in three different colours and ur job is to find out who floats to you in a ghostly fashion sporting dese colours. Like… Like if man was to cut holes in a bed sheet, throw the towel over me and walk towards you, yeaaah dat kinda ting cuz. Now… the first colour, people come to you in is RED. RED symbolise a negative direction, why you think people use it for warning signs cuz, to stop you from getting close to what’s ahead. The second colour, people will come to you in is AMBER. Now, when you see AMBER cuz, approach with caution. Like what Shaggy and Scooby Doo do when trying to solve a mystery. Last but not least you have your GREEN party. GREEN people, not GREEN party, I’m ain’t tryna sound all political or philosophical now. When dose people come into your life, go with them, because they will take you places, introduce you to new tings, and out of ends girls. Dat’s why my chick’s from Peckham cuz.

      Corey – Despite the stench of his medical marijuana, which often smelt appealing consumed the room which we sat in at the time. The smoke clouds descended from his mouth and into the air like a fire-breathing dragon unleashing the smoke. At first, I thought, “This dude is high” then I thought, “shit am I high,” then the penny dropped, he made a valid point. People around you have an indefinite role to play in your life while holding up their colours. RED, AMBER, GREEN. What colour was I? What colour are you?

      (We see police lights flash.

      Lights help to change the scene to the daytime in COREY’s bedroom.)

      It’s the start of our six weeks’ holiday and boy have I been looking forward to this. Waking up whenever I want, playing Football Manager all day, chilling with the man dem going radio. Just not worrying about having to be anywhere or do anything in particular. Well actually I might have to worry about that small thing called, Results Day aka D-Day, but that’s not for a few weeks. I just wanna chill and have fun, this summer.