FIT

by Rikki Beadle-Blair

Fit was commissioned by Queer Up North and Stonewall and its first UK tour of schools began in September 2007. The original play was adapted into a film in 2010.

Focusing on the issues surrounding homophobic bullying, Fit follows a group of late teens who are part of a school dance group. JORDAN is 17, of African descent and a talented athlete/footballer. He’s in love with his best friend Tegs (who turns out isn’t gay, despite general opinion) but has been too afraid to tell him…until now. In this scene, JORDAN not only reveals his sexuality but also explains why he was kicked out of his last college.

JORDAN

When Lee spoke up. I should have said it. ‘I’m gay too.’

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’Cause its true. I should have stood up and said it – loud and proud and sod everyone else.

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I got kicked out for fighting – like I told you.

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I was in love.

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With a lad called Melvin. He was lovely. Dead skinny, but lovely. He was out. He was proud. And they used to knock seven bells out of him. They used to spit on his back from the top of the stairs. They used to steal his stuff and piss on it and worse. And he was like you. He never cried. They did some right horrible things. Constantly. Just torturing him. And I used to let ’em. I used to watch. And I never said nothing. Til one day, he tried to kill hisself. Tried to hang hisself with his shirt in the changing rooms while the rest of us was playing football. I don’t know why he chose the changing room. Yeah, I do. So we’d find him there. So we’d discover him. It was meant to be his final statement. But he didn’t die. Just nearly. Ambulance came. Took him away. And people started laughing about it. Straight back to taking the piss. Someone found Melvin’s bag – started to kick it about. And I snapped. I went mental. I broke this lad’s cheekbone. I’m not sorry. He deserved it. I deserved it. I was another coward just like them. When I should have been brave like Melvin.

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So you wanna kiss us or what?