From
BOY WITH BEER
by Paul Boakye
Paul Boakye’s Boy with Beer was produced by HOB Productions, in association with This is Now Theatre Company, at The Man in the Moon Theatre, London on 14 January 1992. This production was directed by Steven Luckie and performed by Tunde Oba (Donovan) and Clive Wedderburn (Karl).
Boy with Beer boldly tackles the taboo subject of homosexuality and AIDS in the Black British community. This two-hander explores the making of a loving relationship between two black men, British West-Indian Donovan and British African Karl, showing the societal and cultural pressures that impinge on their relationship.
Donovan lives a double life flitting between his year-long relationship with girlfriend Susan and the occasional secret one-night stands with black men. Donovan wants to be a father one day and hopes to impregnate girlfriend Susan for his own gain. Karl is the complete opposite to Donovan; he is an openly gay, educated man who sleeps with white men but wants to settle with a black man. The two meet in a nightclub, but unlike other men that Donovan has slept with in the past, he returns to Karl’s house more than once. As the play unravels, the relationship with girlfriend Susan becomes more turbulent, Donovan stays at Karl’s house for longer periods of time allowing Karl’s feelings for Donovan to intensify. Tempers flare when Karl realises that Donovan is still sleeping with Susan who is now pregnant with his child. He gives Donovan an ultimatum; to leave his house for good or accept the fact that he is gay.
About the Playwright
Paul Boakye was born in London in 1963. He is an award-winning playwright, essayist, editor and entrepreneur, best known for his self-produced play Boy with Beer, and as the former CEO and editor of DRUM magazine which was inspired by the famous DRUM of South Africa in the 1950s.
Boakye has written for the stage, radio, film, the internet, academia and magazines. He has won several awards for his plays, namely the UK Student Playscript in 1986 for his first play Jacob’s Ladder and a BBC Radio Drama Young Playwright’s Award for Hair in 1991.
Other plays include: No Mean Streets (1993) and Wicked Games (1997).
Summary (Extract)
DONOVAN’s, (a twenty-one-year-old Black British-Caribbean man), girlfriend has aborted their baby due to contracting the AIDS virus. Donovan reveals to Karl that he may be HIV-positive, Karl comforts him. For the first time in the play, Donovan talks openly about his homosexuality and, more importantly, his feelings for Karl.
I’m like that, though, you know. You say it’s cos I don’t give. I used to give to people, you know. I used to give all the time to people. You ask my mum. But the more I give the more people want to take. Take, take, take, that’s all people do. And then I don’t wanna give, cos I don’t wanna feel, and I don’t wanna feel cos I don’t wanna get hurt. Candy hurt me. Candy my…we were gonna get married, man. It’s so stupid. D’you know she slept with my brother. My big ole fat ugly brother. If he was the last man in the world I’d rather shag a sheep. She slept with him to hurt me. I s’pose she’d say she wasn’t getting enough. Trevor hurt me. Trevor was the first man I met. Trevor is pathetic! That’s one of your words, ennit? Do you know he’ll swear to God he screwed me. I overheard him on the phone one night showing off to his friend. I said, ‘Trevor, you’ve never screwed me!’ He said ‘Yes, I have!’ I said, ‘When? Where was I?’ D’you know what I mean? He’s so stupid! I met Nathan right after Trevor. Nathan was quite nice at first. Then he started to want to treat me like a woman. I wasn’t having none a that! I met Susan in Safeways. I thought, I ain’t having any luck with men. Susan was really good in bed. ‘You don’t think I’m a slag, do you, Donovan? I’m not a slag, you know. I’m just really really attracted to you!’ Susan didn’t hurt me. I hurt Susan. She needs love, you know. I didn’t mean to hurt her. I wanned to have a son. That’s what it was. It was mainly to have a kid. How could I love Susan when all the time I was attracted to men? That’ll only breed anger and suspicion, ennit? And anyway, here I am now with you – another man – and feeling good about it for the first time in my life. I ain’t making no promises to you, Karl. But just to be with you, you know. Talking to another black man. Someone who can listen without passing judgement. You make me feel so good.