: Sami Ibrahim
: Multiple Casualty Incident
: Nick Hern Books
: 9781788507738
: NHB Modern Plays
: 1
: CHF 13.80
:
: Dramatik
: English
: 120
: Wasserzeichen
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
Here, in a London training centre, people prepare to help strangers on another side of the world. There, a city is burning. Here, Sarah gets a meal deal. There, people are in danger. Here, Khaled watches a training video. There, there are men with guns. Here, Sarah and Khaled flirt with each other. There, an aid worker looks after a refugee. Suddenly - here becomes there. In Sami Ibrahim's play Multiple Casualty Incident, roleplay, desire and compassion intertwine, revealing the limits of help, the beginnings of harm and the complexities of humanitarian work. It was first performed at The Yard Theatre, London, in 2024, directed by Jaz Woodcock-Stewart.

Sami Ibrahim is a writer from London. His plays include: Multiple Casualty Incident (The Yard Theatre, London, 2024); A Sudden Violent Burst of Rain (Paines Plough / Rose Theatre, Kingston / Gate Theatre, London, 2022); two Palestinians go dogging (Royal Court Theatre, London, 2022; winner of the inaugural Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award in 2019); Metamorphoses, co-written with Laura Lomas and Sabrina Mahfouz, after Ovid (Shakespeare's Globe, 2021); Wind Bit Bitter, Bit Bit Bit Her (2018 VAULT Festival, London); Iron Dome Fog Dome (The Yard, London, 2017) and Force of Trump (Brockley Jack). He has worked at the Almeida Theatre as a member of their Creative Board, developing and producing From the Ground Up, a piece of immersive theatre. (Author photo by Ali Wright)

An under-decorated room: stark and white. A few chairs are stacked to one side, there’s a rubbish bin, scraps of paper that haven’t made it in, a kettle and mugs on the floor in the corner, a duffel bag filled with clothes, a backpack, and whatever else you’d find in an empty room.

Stage left there are some double doors leading into the hallway.

Stage right, an emergency fire exit.

NICKIsits in a chair up against the back wall.

Next to her, but not too close, is KHALED.

NICKI I can get you a tea or a coffee or…

KHALED I’m good.

Thanks.

Pause.

NICKI They should’ve told me last week.

KHALED It’s no problem.

NICKI Well I’m sorry.

About that.

Another pause.

I wanted to say there’s a world where you take time off.

KHALED I don’t need time off.

NICKI Okay.

And another pause.

NICKIchecks her watch.

I’m just trying to think of

Before they get here

KHALED –

NICKI As in it’s not the same this week, you know, you’ve got to be up for throwing yourself in, trying stuff out.

KHALED I get that.

NICKI Which is great.

KHALED And I’m doing fine, I don’t need people sticking their nose in.

NICKI No one’s sticking their nose in, it’s

Then NICKI’s phone goes off. She rejects the call.

KHALED You can take it, I don’t mind.

NICKI It can wait.

KHALED –

NICKI Look, I’m not trying to tell you what to do but

I think

The more people you have around to…

You know, the easier it’ll be.

And obviously that can be difficult.

KHALED Difficult?

NICKI Sometimes. But maybe you could do with, I don’t know

Her phone goes off again. She sighs.

You know what, is that alright?

NICKIstands, answers her phone –

Hey. Yeah, uh-huh, look. I’m about to

–and leaves the room.

KHALEDwaits. For a moment. Then he stands. He unstacks a couple of chairs.

SARAHenters.

SARAH Hey.

KHALED Hi.

She puts her bag in the corner of the room.

SARAH Good weekend.

KHALED Fine.

SARAH Get up to anything.

KHALED Not much. You?

SARAH Not much either.

An awkward pause.

KHALED Um. I’m just gonna

KHALEDdrags a chair over to the centre of the room, places it there. SARAHpicks up a chair and puts it next to the first chair.

DANenters.

DAN All good all good?

SARAH Morning.

DAN Everyone else have a shit weekend?

DANdumps his bag and helps move a