Osama the Hero
cover of Osama the Hero by Dennis Kelly
Written byDennis Kelly
Characters
  • Gary (Male, seventeen)
  • Francis (Male, late twenties)
  • Louise (Female, mid-twenties)
  • Mandy (Female, fifteen / sixteen)
  • Mark (Male, fifty)
Date premiered2005
Place premieredHampstead Theatre, London
Original languageEnglish
Genrein-yer-face theatre

Osama the Hero is a three act in-yer-face play by Dennis Kelly. The first two acts were staged as part of the Wild Lunch series by Paines Plough theatre company in May 2004 at London's Young Vic theatre.[1][2] It was subsequently staged in a full production at London's Hampstead Theatre in London in 2005. The provocative title led to police on the doors when it opened, though Kelly has since said "I was a little worried about the title. But, once I'd had the idea of calling it that, it felt cowardly to back away. The police didn't need to be there. The only thing that happened during the run was that a little old lady came up and gave me a telling off. My main worry was that the title would overshadow the play."[3]

Synopsis

Gary, an awkward teenager, writes a school project defending Osama bin Laden, for which he is violently persecuted by his shocked and scared neighbours. The neighbours convince themselves that he is a local vandal and work themselves into a frenzy, leading to a threat to Gary's safety.

Reviews

References

  1. ^ "Wild Lunch 7". Paines Plough. Archived from the original on 6 September 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  2. ^ Theo Bosanquet (5 September 2013). "Changing of the Guard: Vicky Featherstone at the Royal Court". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 10 September 2013.
  3. ^ "In pursuit of monsters".
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