Themes

Themes

 

There are many major themes in the play ‘Road’ I feel like one that is a big part of the play is poverty. I know poverty is a theme because of many reasons like the character Scullery who doesn’t have anywhere to stay and rummages through bins to try and find stuff to sell so he can earn money ”Old tap 30p. Basket, a bob.” He also wore dirty clothing and would get drunk a lot of the time. I feel like this fits in with the theme poverty because most people when they’re unhappy in some way drink they’re problems away and poverty is a massive problem. He would drink to see the better side of it, for example he lived on the streets so he would describe what a great view the road was to him when actually it was just a dirty old road with bins, rubbish bags, bottles, fag buts and maybe a pile of sick on the ground. They lived in poverty because during this time which was the 1980’s Margret Thatcher closed down the coal mines which meant 1,000 of people lost their jobs. I will use this research in the play to show through my character Doreen that she hates. She hates, the state she lives in and is tired of going out drinking every night. I know this because of what Doreen says in scenes for example in the scene with her and Lane when they’re talking about staying out drinking longer and Doreen says “I don’t fancy it” but Lane wants to. In my opinion this does show that Doreen is getting sick of going out drinking all the time otherwise she would have said yes and they would have continued drinking because why would you stop unless you had too?

 

 

 

Another theme is sex I consider sex to be a major scene because in the play characters use it as a tool and it’s mentioned a lot. It’s also used for the women to just get some attention because most of them are single and just want to feel loved. For example Helen who invites Kurt the drunken sailor to her place and then starts flirting with him even though he’s basically out of it. She doesn’t do this because she a bad person she just wants to feel loved and get some attention from a guy who’s new to the road. I also feel like sex and music can be linked as a theme because the music is what helped people enjoy themselves more. Their music in the 1980’s also spoke a lot about sex and would influence it. The popular music was pop and hip-hop and would help you to loosen up. I will use this research in the play for my character Doreen for when she starts to get drunk and after she’s come back from the pubs. I’d do this by showing it through her actions and gestures so showing she’s a bit more loosely after going to the pub, having a few drinks and a good time. In order to show this I’d start by walking all over the play so not in a straight line and laugh more because when people are drunk they do have a good laugh because the drink and music allows them to have a better time and enjoy themselves more. It will also be used in the last scene with Carol, Louise, Eddie and Brink. Near the end of their scene there will be music played to show that Eddie and Brink are going to liven things up a bit. During the time the music is playing you will see the characters start to get looser and looser and they continue to dance and listen to the music.

Social was another big theme when it comes to ‘Road’ because everyone on the road knew each other and everything about each other. Most of the characters have lived on the road are there due to not being able to afford to go anywhere else. For example the professor who wrote books before we lost everything. “I lost my wife, my family, half my stomach, everything.” This was because he wanted to do a study on road and “go down in history” but it didn’t go as planned. He now sales he’s books “for the price of a pint or chips” due to being so short on money. In 1980’s Margret Thatcher introduced poll tax which made many individuals income so low that like the professor they would do any small job just to get money. During to this and when Margret closed down the mines it meant everyone was doing whatever they could to get some money. There was a massive queue outside the job centres as everyone was trying to get some money to help them get by due to 1,000 of people losing their jobs.  Characters like Brenda would even flirt with other characters just so she could get a fiver. I will use this research for my character Doreen by showing her not taking money for granted and to show that she doesn’t have a lot of money. In order to show this for her costume I’ll wear plain clothing’s because if you didn’t have a lot of money back then you wouldn’t of been able to buy fancy fabrics like lace or one with a pattern on it. I wouldn’t talk about it though because although it was a difficult time for those without jobs, after a while you would have excepted it and made do with what you have.