REFUGEE BOY PLOT SUMMARY Flashbacks
Scene 1 Flashback to when Alem and his father Mr Kelo are looking a the north star
Scene 2 Alem wakes up in Mr Hardwick’s hotel in London. He wakes up and is distressed as his father is not
with him. He is screaming and Mr Hardwick tries to calm him down. He finds a letter left by Mr kelo
and gives it to Alem to read. It says that his father has left him there until the fighting stops
Scene 3 Alem is at a children’s home. He meets Mustapha who is friendly to him. he also meets sweeney who
teases and threatens him
Scene 4 Alem and Mustapha are on the street talking. Sweeney joins them and talks to them rudely, telling
them that family is bad, and that their better off in the home. Alem replies by telling him that he likes
his family. Sweeney sees this as Alem challenging him and starts to threaten him and Mustapha,
forces Alem to say ‘I am a refugee boy’
Scene 5 Flashback to Alem and his family in Ethiopia, their house is invaded by a soldier
Alem runs away from the children’s home, speaking his thoughts aloud
Scene 6 At the Fitzgerald’s home having dinner, it is very chaotic
Scene 7 Alem has a flashback to when he was watching the sky with his father
Scene 8 At the Fitzgerald’s home discussing what will happen at court and why
Ruth and Alem tell each other that they hear the other crying every night
Scene 9 Court: Alem speaks about his life back at home, court grants him permission to stay with the
Fitzgeralds in England until the next court date, Alem wishes everyone merry Christmas
Scene 10 Mustapha and Alem talk at the bus stop, Mustapha tells Alem about life in the children’s home for
him. Mustapha promises to not betray Alem again
Scene 11 Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald have conversation on how it is all too overwhelming for their family, however
they still want to help Alem however they can. Ruth feels neglected. Alem receives a letter from his
father informing him of his mother’s death. Alem hallucinates and hears someone banging on the
door
Scene 12 Flashback to Alem and his father in Eritrea, very violent and traumatising
Scene 13 Alem leaves the house. Mrs Fitzgerald and Ruth argue(ish), Ruth speaks about the mental toll of it all
on her whilst her mum pretends that everything is completely normal and gets on with normal tasks.
When Ruth explicitly mentions Themba, Mrs Fitzgerald softens and they actually listen to each other,
she acknowledges Ruth’s pain
Scene 14 Ruth goes to Alem in his bedroom where she finds him crying, she opens up to Alem (about he other
foster kids and we assume Themba). Alem sees the snow and is fascinated by it, Ruth tell him to
touch the snow. Alems tells Ruth about his mother’s death and cries
Scene 15 Mustapha and Alem talk to each other, Mustapha opens up to Alem about his father.
A hooded person comes up to Alem to steal his bike, Alem refuses and pulls a knife out. Sweeney
approaches, he tells Alem to drop the knife, he does, and tells the hooded person to go away, he
does. Sweeney tells Alem to stay out of trouble, whilst opening up about himself to Alem
Scene 16 Alem talks himself up, and tells Ruth a different version of the story, with no Sweeney or knife. Ruth
hopes he is okay after all he has seen and been through
Scene 17 Mr Kelo unexpectedly turns up at the Fitzgeralds’ house, he has an awkward conversation with them.
He speaks to Alem
Scene 18 Back at the court. Upon the mention of his mother’s death, he is distressed and faints. The court
decides that he is able to return home and rejects his application for asylum
Scene 19 Alem, Ruth and Mustapha plan a campaign to protest against the rejection of the Kelos’ application
for asylum
Scene 20 Alem tells his father about the campaign they are organising to help them stay, Mr kelo is very against
it, he tell Alem to stay out of the politics of this country. Alem tells his father that everything is based
on politics, and this is the only way for them to stay
Scene 21 At the campaign, many people have attended and Mustapha begins it with a speech
Scene 22 A man from EAST comes to speak to Mr Kelo, Mr Kelo says he is no longer a part of it
Scene 23 Ruth continues with her speech at the campaign
Scene 24 The man from EAST continues speaking to Mr Kelo, who slowly realises what is about to happen
Scene 25 Alem gives his speech at the campaign
Scene 26 The man from EAST is not happy with Alem’s involvement in the politics of this country and the
amount of attention he is getting. He kills Mr Kelo
Scene 27 Alem continues his speech, and invites his father up to the stage. His father is not there
Scene 28 A news report speaking of the death of Mr Kelo and Alem’s devastation (no names given)
Scene 29 Ends with a flashback of Alem and his fathers watching the stars, similar to how the play started
Scene 1 Flashback to when Alem and his father Mr Kelo are looking a the north star
Scene 2 Alem wakes up in Mr Hardwick’s hotel in London. He wakes up and is distressed as his father is not
with him. He is screaming and Mr Hardwick tries to calm him down. He finds a letter left by Mr kelo
and gives it to Alem to read. It says that his father has left him there until the fighting stops
Scene 3 Alem is at a children’s home. He meets Mustapha who is friendly to him. he also meets sweeney who
teases and threatens him
Scene 4 Alem and Mustapha are on the street talking. Sweeney joins them and talks to them rudely, telling
them that family is bad, and that their better off in the home. Alem replies by telling him that he likes
his family. Sweeney sees this as Alem challenging him and starts to threaten him and Mustapha,
forces Alem to say ‘I am a refugee boy’
Scene 5 Flashback to Alem and his family in Ethiopia, their house is invaded by a soldier
Alem runs away from the children’s home, speaking his thoughts aloud
Scene 6 At the Fitzgerald’s home having dinner, it is very chaotic
Scene 7 Alem has a flashback to when he was watching the sky with his father
Scene 8 At the Fitzgerald’s home discussing what will happen at court and why
Ruth and Alem tell each other that they hear the other crying every night
Scene 9 Court: Alem speaks about his life back at home, court grants him permission to stay with the
Fitzgeralds in England until the next court date, Alem wishes everyone merry Christmas
Scene 10 Mustapha and Alem talk at the bus stop, Mustapha tells Alem about life in the children’s home for
him. Mustapha promises to not betray Alem again
Scene 11 Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald have conversation on how it is all too overwhelming for their family, however
they still want to help Alem however they can. Ruth feels neglected. Alem receives a letter from his
father informing him of his mother’s death. Alem hallucinates and hears someone banging on the
door
Scene 12 Flashback to Alem and his father in Eritrea, very violent and traumatising
Scene 13 Alem leaves the house. Mrs Fitzgerald and Ruth argue(ish), Ruth speaks about the mental toll of it all
on her whilst her mum pretends that everything is completely normal and gets on with normal tasks.
When Ruth explicitly mentions Themba, Mrs Fitzgerald softens and they actually listen to each other,
she acknowledges Ruth’s pain
Scene 14 Ruth goes to Alem in his bedroom where she finds him crying, she opens up to Alem (about he other
foster kids and we assume Themba). Alem sees the snow and is fascinated by it, Ruth tell him to
touch the snow. Alems tells Ruth about his mother’s death and cries
Scene 15 Mustapha and Alem talk to each other, Mustapha opens up to Alem about his father.
A hooded person comes up to Alem to steal his bike, Alem refuses and pulls a knife out. Sweeney
approaches, he tells Alem to drop the knife, he does, and tells the hooded person to go away, he
does. Sweeney tells Alem to stay out of trouble, whilst opening up about himself to Alem
Scene 16 Alem talks himself up, and tells Ruth a different version of the story, with no Sweeney or knife. Ruth
hopes he is okay after all he has seen and been through
Scene 17 Mr Kelo unexpectedly turns up at the Fitzgeralds’ house, he has an awkward conversation with them.
He speaks to Alem
Scene 18 Back at the court. Upon the mention of his mother’s death, he is distressed and faints. The court
decides that he is able to return home and rejects his application for asylum
Scene 19 Alem, Ruth and Mustapha plan a campaign to protest against the rejection of the Kelos’ application
for asylum
Scene 20 Alem tells his father about the campaign they are organising to help them stay, Mr kelo is very against
it, he tell Alem to stay out of the politics of this country. Alem tells his father that everything is based
on politics, and this is the only way for them to stay
Scene 21 At the campaign, many people have attended and Mustapha begins it with a speech
Scene 22 A man from EAST comes to speak to Mr Kelo, Mr Kelo says he is no longer a part of it
Scene 23 Ruth continues with her speech at the campaign
Scene 24 The man from EAST continues speaking to Mr Kelo, who slowly realises what is about to happen
Scene 25 Alem gives his speech at the campaign
Scene 26 The man from EAST is not happy with Alem’s involvement in the politics of this country and the
amount of attention he is getting. He kills Mr Kelo
Scene 27 Alem continues his speech, and invites his father up to the stage. His father is not there
Scene 28 A news report speaking of the death of Mr Kelo and Alem’s devastation (no names given)
Scene 29 Ends with a flashback of Alem and his fathers watching the stars, similar to how the play started
