Drama and writing activities

Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah

Introduction to Refugee Boy

What is a refugee? Discuss the answer to this question with a partner. Then look at the
dictionary definition below – is it similar to what you thought?

Refugee

1. Noun: one who flees to a shelter or place of

safety.

2. Noun: especially one who, in times of

persecution or political commotion, flees to a
foreign power or country for safety.

3. Noun: One who flees in search of refuge, as in

times of war, political oppression, or religious
persecution.

Now discuss the meaning of the key words flee, shelter, safety, refuge and persecution.

Plot summary

Read the following plot summary then discuss the questions that follow.

Alem Kelo’s mother is from Eritrea, his father is from Ethiopia, they live in the border
region between the two countries, which are at war. As a result of the war, the family are
not welcome in either country and they have been persecuted, attacked and forced out of a
number of different homes. Alem’s parents live in terror for their own safety but are even
more frightened for the safety of their son.

Alem arrives in London for a dream holiday with his much-loved father. He is ready to see
the sights, experience a new culture and spend some time with the father he loves and
respects so much. The pair arrive at a quiet, family run hotel in Datchet, which is to be
home for their stay. The father and son travel into London and Alem is mesmerised by the
capital: the crowds, the noise, the traffic, the old and the new, and as he dreams of being
an architect he enjoys passing time imagining what he would build. At his father’s insistence
they speak only in English rather than their native Amharic.

After enjoying dinner together, they return to the hotel tired and happy. When Alem wakes
up the next morning his father has gone. Alem assumes he has gone to get their breakfast
but after an increasingly tense wait and an uncomfortable conversation with the hotel
owner, Alem comes to realise that in order to protect him from the war in their homeland,
his father has abandoned him.

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 Drama and writing activities
Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah

The hotel owner informs the authorities and Alem is taken into the care of the social
services and the refugee council. He has an unhappy stay in a children’s home, from which
he unsuccessfully runs away, but he is fortunate to be taken in by the Fitzgeralds, a kind,
loving foster family. Alem is far from home, English is not his first language, he is fearful of
the fate of his parents and has to manage the cold, impersonal arm of the British legal
process involved in seeking asylum in the UK.

Alem slowly assimilates into life in Britain; he goes to school and makes some good friends
especially Robert and Buck. But just as things seem to be settling down, his world is crushed
when Alem learns that his mother has been killed. Things get even more complicated when
his father arrives in the UK meaning that Alem can no longer be fostered by the caring
Fitzgeralds and has to live with his father in the grim asylum seekers’ hostel.

It’s not long before the Kelos’ barrister, Nicholas Morgan, informs them that their asylum
application has been refused. In an act of support Alem’s friends launch a campaign for the
Kelos to be allowed to stay in Britain, but it is only after a further tragedy when Alem’s
father is shot dead, that Alem is allowed to remain.

1. What do you think life would be like if you lived on the border of two places and both places
did not accept you?

2. How would it feel to walk to school every day feeling frightened and not knowing if your
parents would be there when you got home?

3. What’s your holiday of a lifetime? How would you feel if you went home tonight and were
told that you were going on that holiday?

4. How do you feel if you are ever left alone? What would it be like to be alone somewhere
really far from home?

5. How did you feel on your first day at secondary school? Did you have any friends from
primary school? What would it be like to be in that situation in a foreign country where you
didn’t speak the language as well as your own?

Improvisation activity

As far as Alem is concerned, when he arrives in London with his father it is for the holiday of a
lifetime, a well-deserved rest from all the problems at home.

In pairs, create a series of still images that represent some ‘photos’ from Alem and his dad’s
holiday. Two people will play the part of Alem: one person narrates to the audience what is
happening in the photos and the other person is Alem in the frozen image. Ideas might include a
visit to Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, going up in the London Eye, being on the
Tube, travelling on an open top bus. They might also include landing at Heathrow or arriving at
the hotel. Create your image. The character playing the speaking Alem should introduce each
photo e.g. ‘This is my father and I on the Tube. We had never seen anything like it; it was so
cramped and hot.’

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 Drama and writing activities
Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah

Writing task

Mr Kelo loves his son more than anything and the reason he leaves him in
Britain is because he fears for his life in their homeland. What he does seems
unbelievably cruel but he does it out of love. Write a short monologue (around
200 words) from the point of view of Mr Kelo starting with going to bed after
their sightseeing day, giving an account of what he did and how he felt.

Improvisation activity – Sweeney’s role

Sweeney is clearly in control of his gang and is used to others doing what he says. Alem is strong
and stands up for what he believes and so stands up to Sweeney.

In groups of four, improvise a scene with Sweeney and his gang. One person should play
Sweeney, two others should play gang members and one should play the role of their victim.

Before you start working consider the following:

1. How can you show that Sweeney is in command of the

other two without the use of words?

2. What sort of posture will the gang have?

3. What facial expressions will you use?

4. How will you use your voice?

5. Although you might threaten the victim, you are not

allowed to physically touch them. How can you show your
intentions but not touch them?

6. How can you use vocal work to emphasise your intentions

but without shouting?

Writing a monologue

In groups of four come up with a list of words that describe how Alem feels when he hears of his
mother’s death e.g. devastated, shocked, etc.

Using your key words, write a short monologue from Alem’s point of view, describing his
feelings. When you have written this, pick four key words that you think have the most impact.

When the monologues are performed, each person in your group will play the role of Alem at the
same time. When each of the key words is spoken, everyone in the group will say it.

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 Drama and writing activities
Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
The piece should be performed with all four Alems in a row but in different position e.g.

1: Sitting on the floor, legs crossed

2: Standing, arms folded tightly
3: Sitting on a chair, head in hands
4: Standing, head bowed low

When the key words are spoken, each performer should look directly at the audience.

Discussion questions

In much of the world, education is something that is only available to you if you can afford it. In
the UK it is free and compulsory. How would we feel if that right was taken away?

Alem is keen to learn and very studious, he can’t wait to get to school each day. As modern,
British students, how do you feel about Alem’s view of education?

How would you feel if you had to pay to go to school?

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