Bullying and teenage angst are the themes of The Yum Yum Room, a new play being staged at The Courtyard Playhouse in Dubai this month.
The Australian playwright Stephen House wrote The Yum Yum Room when, in 2006, he was commissioned by the City of Mount Gambier in South Australia to address the region’s high suicide rates.
House developed a coming-of-age theatre drama about a 17-year-old boy trying to find his feet in society and turning to his neighbour for support.
The Dubai-based independent director Sarah Dufayard decided to bring the play to the Emirates because such turmoil resonates with youth in the UAE, too.
“The story is set in Australia,” says Dufayard, “but it can be set anywhere because it has a universal theme. Wherever you go there is struggle between young people and their parents and their attempts to find their place in society.”
Tom, the main character, is belittled at school, constantly judged because he has a single dad, and wants to drop out to become a disc jockey. He cannot talk to his father, so seeks counselling from his old neighbour.
“He is not being accepted because of who he is and like most kids he does not want to talk about it.” To drive the message home, Dufayard has partnered with Bolt Down on Bullying, a UAE campaign spearheaded by the cross-cultural consultant Samineh Shaheem.
“The story tackles real issues and the message needs to be shared,” Dufayard says. “The themes of bullying, finding your place in society, being ashamed of your past, struggling with single parenthood are all as current in Dubai as anywhere else.”
In this one-hour play, the four characters create a pertinent, positive story with a beatbox soundtrack. Dufayard believes every audience member will be able to identify with the characters.
“First, with Tom and Anabel, his love interest. He is an introvert and she is full of confidence. She has never been bullied and is from a bigger city.”
She says parents will connect with the father and his challenges in raising a teenager. “The neighbour had been a victim of prejudice when she was younger. So she has her own story to tell.”
She says the story will play out well in a small community space like The Courtyard Playhouse.
“I wanted an intimate space for this production, where the audience is seated close to the action. I only have four characters so this small theatre provides a good ambience for such a production.”
• The Yum Yum Room will be staged at The Courtyard Playhouse on Thursday at 8pm and Friday and Saturday at 6pm and 8pm. Tickets cost Dh50 and can be booked on courtyardplayhouse.com/whats-on/
