SELF CATERING - A SHORT HISTORY OF THE WORLD

by Cullen, Andrew

A plane loaded with holiday-makers crash lands on a deserted island, somewhere en route to Majorca. The five survivors are forced not only to come to terms with the disaster, but also deal with the prospects of survival in an unforgiving atmosphere. The characters, an ill-assorted lot, adopt the names of their favourite film stars, and gradually the personas of Henry (Fonda), Clint, Meryl, Bette and Marilyn begin to take over. The play, a modern day parable of The Lord of the Flies, explores the range of human behaviour as this society in miniature gradually disintegrates, leaving little except quotations from films as a means of communication and survival, yet emerging as one of the most refreshing and entertaining new plays of the year.