From
PURE GOLD
by Michael Bhim
Pure Gold by Michael Bhim was first staged at Soho Theatre, in London on 27 September 2007, in a co-production with Talawa Theatre Company. This production was directed by Indhu Rubasingham, Artistic Director of the Tricycle Theatre. The original cast included Clarence Smith (Simon), Golda Rosheuvel (Marsha), Louis Ekoku (Anthony), Leonard Fenton (George), Mark Monero (Paul) and Dermot Kerrigan (Samuel).
Pure Gold explores our obsession with money to validate our popularity, class, wealth and happiness to others. Bhim questions how far people will go to obtain ‘Pure Gold’ asking if money is worth jeopardising the respect you have for yourself and that family members have for you. Pure Gold focuses on lead character Simon whose employment status suddenly changes when he is made redundant from his long-standing job. His cousin offers him an illegal way to make money fast by ferrying illegal immigrants into the country. Family man Simon is faced with a moral dilemma, which could result in him losing the very thing that money cannot buy; his family.
About the Playwright
Michael trained at the Royal Court Theatre on the Advanced Playwriting course in 2004. He has been associated with Plaines Plough Theatre Company, Soho Theatre and the Tricycle Theatre. Michael received a professional production of his first short play Night Moves at the Pleasance Theatre in 2005. In 2006, Bhim won the Alfred Fagon Award for his play Daydreams of Hailey, which led to a year-long writing attachment for Future Perfect at the Plaines Plough Theatre Company. His play Distant Violence, a response to Darfur at the Tricycle Theatre was nominated for the Meyer Whitworth Award in 2007. Michael is currently a member of Talawa Theatre’s writing group. Pure Gold was Bhim’s first full-length play to be professionally staged.
Other published play by Michael Bhim include: Distant Violence.
Summary (Extract)
Husband and father of one, SIMON, has recently lost his job as a bus driver, after a white member of the public made an official complaint about him. Although he was unfairly dismissed from work, Simon is too proud to fight for a job when his employers have no respect for him. Simon struggles to find work to support his family, his wife Marsha has been forced to give up her studies to become the breadwinner of the family and their son Anthony is looking forward to receiving the piano his dad promised him for his birthday. Simon is full of guilt and frustration which can only be resolved by one thing, ‘Pure Gold’.
(Shouting.) I can’t get what I want! Don’t you get it!! (Simultaneously in a fluster he pushes the chair back and stands by the window.)
Pause.
…
(He looks out of the window.) I married a woman who’s happy to dream. To sit in the dark and read shitty magazines about other people’s lives… And when it comes to really living…
Long pause.
…where’s all the people saying that London’s such a great city? I’m standing here, looking out...it’s like an overripe fruit. You want a better life, you got no choice but to come here into this ghetto, the road’s falling apart, they never fix the water pipes… And everyway you turn, you can feel that noose, turning tighter around your neck, and loan sharks, just waiting, holding their hands open, pumping their filth through the TV, knowing that you’re falling straight into their hands cos you can’t survive and pay for a house, and a kid, and good things on this shit… And just down the road they wanna open up a great big casino, just to mess around with us, and have our last hopes resting on a gamble...a bet. (Pause.)
Them people up there, them people up in the government, they don’t care if you’re falling. They just make the way clear so you fall deeper and deeper. (Pause.) Everything Paul says is right! One day, we’ll all be pushed out to all the smallest areas and into the smallest houses. (Turning to Marsha.) And most of my friends I grew up with are so fucked off at being ignored. I can understand why they’ve all gone with the BNP cos they’re the only ones offering something different… And they come to me and they say, it’s time to get tough cos no one else’s listening! But what about me? Cos if I’m English, if I’m born here, I have every right to live out my ambitions. I want that chance, I want it! Instead of being a dog, instead of working to try put scrapes of shit in my gut. We work so hard, backs get bent like rusted iron. And I tell you and you don’t give a shit! (Pause. He looks back outside. Suddenly shouting.) What happened to you people! What happened!