1. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXTUALISATION
6.1. STUDY CONTEXT
6.1.3. The play’s Synopsis: Saving the Forgotten
Saving the Forgotten is a forty-minute play with a theme that appears like an adaptation of the 1998 American epic war drama film Saving Private Ryan, written by Robert Rodat and directed by Steven Spielberg. In Saving Private Ryan, Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded by the brutal realities of war, while searching for Ryan, each man embarks on a personal journey and discovers their own strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honour, decency and courage. The film is notable for its graphic portrayal of war, and for the intensity of its opening
27 minutes, which includes a depiction of the Omaha Beach assault of June 6, 1944.
Saving the Forgotten written by this study leader, is a story about a young couple, Rudolf and Sherryl, from an impoverished community in Africa, who worked hard, self- schooled, and then travelled overseas to further their studies. They remain in England at the end of their studies, secure jobs and eventually get married. Five years down the line, they visit their community in Africa. In the words of characters in the play,
“Saving The Forgotten” at the beginning of the second Act gives us a picture of the horror and shock they encountered upon their arrival in their community after a few years’ stay in England.
Excerpts from “Saving The Forgotten”:
Act Two
Five years after. Rudolf and Sheryl return home on a visit to their community. They observe that things have not changed. Some infrastructures are even dilapidated.
RUDOLF Sheryl.
SHERYL Yes, love.
RUDOLF
See, to even think that we were nursing the idea of returning home to live amongst our own people.
SHERYL
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Not even the city. That is far below human standard. The filth, for one, is so annoying. Do people not see?
SHERYL
But all of these were there before we travelled. It is only an issue now that you have witnessed the ideal in the White man’s land.
RUDOLF
You can say that again.
SHERYL
But to even imagine that these god-forsaken politicians visit developed countries is a far cry.
Do they not have eyes to see the ideal in those nations?
RUDOLF
They have eyes. It is some other vital organ that is missing.
SHERYL Which is?
RUDOLF
Conscience: that is what they lack. Trust me!
SHERYL I see.
RUDOLF Indeed.
SHERYL
Look at the filth. And that woman prepares and sells food near that rubbish dumping site.
RUDOLF
Like we said, it has always been like this.
SHERYL Yeah. It is what it is!
The play reveals that living conditions of people in developed cities, for example, the United Kingdom, are more desirable than what exists in most African communities. Upon arrival at their community, they lament that what they now
witness is a worse version of the realities on ground at the time of their departure to England.
Again, when Sheryl and Rudolf sight one of their high schoolmates scavenging from a dustbin, the repulsiveness it reposed in them prompted them to vow to do their best to get their friends and siblings out of that community to a better environment, such as England, that will not stifle their promising futures.
Excerpts from “Saving The Forgotten”:
Rudolf sees something……he seeks to confirm if he sees correctly RUDOLF
Wait. This cannot be true.
SHERYL What?
RUDOLF
Look ahead, to your right. No! Your right! Don’t stare.
SHERYL
OK. I can’t see anything. I see a trash collector.
RUDOLF
Look at that trash collector again. Is he familiar?
SHERYL
(Screams at the realization of who she sees) What is this? Anthony!
RUDOLF
Goodness me. Don’t let him see us. Do not stare.
SHERYL Why?
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(Anthony is surprised.)
ANTHONY
You mean me? Sorry I do not know you.
RUDOLF
Anthony. It is Sheryl. Sheryl Adewale.
SHERYL
Yes, this is me Anthony. That is Rudolf.
ANTHONY
What? Sheryl? Rudolf? What happened to you both? I was told you were in the city.
RUDOLF
Not for long. We travelled to England. We are graduates now.
SHERYL
We are even married. Anthony, what happened? You are brilliant. Why picking trash?
ANTHONY Long story!
RUDOLF
Let’s talk. Take a break my friend. We need to talk.
SHERYL
No! You cannot be doing this. We need to act fast and get you to where you belong. You cannot be picking trash, Anthony.
RUDOLF
Not under our watch (They all hug and sob some).
An irony in this short play is that their friend, Anthony, did not recognize his high
school friends, perhaps because of the evident transformation of life in England. For Rudolf and Sheryl, it was a delight to point out the regression in the community they left back at home, but their friends deny life has worsened at home. They claim it has always been like that before Rudolf and Sheryl departed. The couple refer to England as the place of great lights. Rudolf is quick to announce the progress they have made:
RUDOLF
Not for long. We travelled to England. We are graduates now.
The play was stopped at this point. The reason is to enable participating community members give suggestion on how it should end. There were a number of opinions given by participants:
It is very simple. What happens is that the friends from overseas will plan for
their high school friend and take him abroad.
(6th Respondent)
But sometimes, it is not very easy because even if you want to travel abroad, where is the money? You need to borrow some
money
or get sponsors.
(4th Respondent)
The third respondent was more critical, suggesting that the plot of the play be problematised even further:
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always difficult, these things. Let a number of past issues spring up to spoil their plans to help their friends. Let it be that Rudolf and Sherryl were former members of a gang that terrorized the community ten years ago.
(8th Respondent)
The reaction by the 8th Respondent was supported by another observer:
That is good o, I like it, but don’t let it be a total waste. Let only Anthony make it to the city and England. Let another friend, Billiard not depart from the community because his father, who was robbed by the gang years ago, refused to forgive Rudolf and Sherryl.
(3rd Respondent)
Consequently, the play presents the life of typical youths in rural communities with burdens of hopelessness, lack of recreational facilities, teenage pregnancies, poverty and an excruciating lack of opportunities to develop their minds and potentials. Through the characters, the play portrays that the youths want something better than what they are given by their governments and societies, a deprivation steeped in history and contemporary realities. The play’s duration was about forty minutes. Before the play commenced, the researcher briefed the audience, volunteers and participants about the procedure of the research. After the briefing, the availability of registered participants was verified through the register in order to replace any absent volunteers, if necessary.
The enthusiasm of the participants implies that they like to discuss issues that directly affects their wellbeing rather than imbibe solutions from disconnected politicians. Invariable, the research team feels that if those who suffer directly are allowed to investigate and proffer solutions to those
issues that has become common decimals with them. It is believed that, from their personal “encounters” with their problems, in a play, the same avenue could also be employed to bring up ways by which those predicaments could be removed oraltogether eradicated.
I contend that in order to get to this deeper understanding, there is expected to be a rigorous creative purpose. The entire process of understanding the lives of, and our interactions with, young people can be underpinned by a coherent aesthetic of improvisation and dramatic performance.