"Guerra! Guerra!" Script

7/28/2019 "Guerra! Guerra!" Script

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GUERRA GUERRA April/May 2103 1

GUERRA GUERRA APRIL/MAY 2013

INTRODUCTION

AINSLAE: Migration between Scotland and Italy has never been a rare

thing. Italian-Scots today can trace their roots back to 1890when their forefathers came to Scotland. The numbers roseduring international wars despite Mussolini openly opposingmigration.

MATTHEW: Hi, Im Matthew and Im from Inverkip and I think that itsunfair that people are discriminated against just because theyrefrom another country.

FIONA: Hiya, Im Fiona. Im from Greenock. Immigration for me is afresh start.

NATHAN: Awrite, Im Nathan and Im from Greenock and I thinkimmigration is good because people can get away from war intheir own countries.

ALISON: Hey there, my name is Alison and Im from Wemyss Bay and Ithink its a good thing that people can get a new start.

AINSLAE: How youse doing? My names Ainslae and Im from Gourock.For me immigration is a positive future for foreigners.

KATRINA: Hi my name is Katrina and I think immigration allows a chanceto start a new life.

REBECCA: Im Rebecca. Im from Gourock and I think immigration is agood thing, because it gives people from countries a chance toexperience different cultures.

GILLIAN:

SARA: Hi, Im Sara and Im from Greenock. I think immigration is a

new slate.

ANDREW: Sup, I am Andrew and I like the idea of immigration because ifpeople cant find a job in their own country they ca get one inanother.

CARLO JR: Ciao, mi chiamo Carlo. I hope that when we go to Scotlandmama and papa will be happier than they are now.

CARLO: Hello, Im Carlo Volastro. I am thirty-two and I want to givemy family a better life.


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NONA: Mi chiamo Nona. I hope moving to Scotland will bring myfamily closer together.

ROSIE: Hi, Im Rosie. My hope for moving to Scotland is that myfamily can be happy there.

MARIA: Ciao, mi chiamo Maria. I hope when we move to Scotland itwill be just as good as Italy, which I doubt it will be.

MARGARET: Hi, Im Margaret and I dont like these Italians coming instealing our jobs. Mind you, the men arent bad lookin.

ARIANNA: Hi, Im Arianna, Im 33, and my hope for moving to Scotlandis that my husband can start up a new job and we can be happytogether.

BELLA:

ANNABELLE: Im Annabelle, Im 67 and I dont like Scotland but anywherehas to be better than Italy.

GIANLUIGI: Ciao me chiamo Gianluigi. I am 42 and I hope that when wecome to Scotland I can start up my caf again.


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GOING TO SCOTLAND

REBECCA: 4.4 million Italians emigrated between 1916 and 1945 alone.

CARLO, ROSIE AND NONA ARE AT HOME IN ITALY.

CARLO: This is important. We need to do it for the children.

ROSIE: I know, I know, Carlo, its important for the family.

CARLO: I need to have a talk with the children.

NONA: Just remember, Carlo. They are children.

MARIA AND CARLO JR COME IN.

MARIA: Hi mama, hi papa, Hi Nona.

CARLO JR: Hi Nona.

NONA: Hello children.

ROSIE: (whisper to Carlo) Are we doing this?

CARLO NODS: YES.

CARLO: Sit down.

MARIA: Okay.

ROSIE: We have something important to tell you both.

CARLO: Do you remember the Barninis? You used t play with them, butthen they moved away. They went to America so that theycould have a better life.

MARIA: Yeah.

CARLO: Well, mama and I decided we should do that.

MARIA: What do you mean?

ROSIE: Were moving away.

CARLO JR: Where?

ROSIE: Scotland.

CARLO JR: Why?


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MARIA: Why cant we just stay here?

ROSIE: We havent had any work for a while. We cant provide for youany more.

CARLO: I need to be able to look after you. I cant do that here. I wantus to go away so that I can give you a good life again.

CARLO JR: What about my friends?

ROSIE: Your friends cant look after you here, Carlo.

CARLO: Mama and I need to look after you. I think we will be able to dothat in Scotland.

MARIA: Im not going!

ROSIE: Maria, dont be like that.

MARIA RUNS AWAY. ROSIE GOES AFTER HER. CARLO JR GOES TO NONA.

CARLO JR: Why do we have to go, Nona?

NONA: We need to go, Carlo. We need t go and get a better life. Its nogood here.


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IMMIGRATION

REBECCA: 52 per cent of Italian migrants went to other European countriesand 67 per cent of them were male.

MARGARET IS AT AN IMMIGRATION DESK IN GREENOCK. GIANLUIGILEADS HIS FAMILY OFF A SHIP.

GIANLUIGI: New York, New York!

MARGARET: Come on, hurry up. Papers!

GIANLUIGI HANDS OVER PAPERS AND SURVEYS THE SURROUNDINGS.

GIANLUIGI: New York!

MARGARET: Do you think youre in New York?

GIANLUIGI: Ci, New York. Statue of Liberty.

MARGARET: That? Thats James Watt.

GIANLUIGI: James what?

MARGARET: James WATT!

GIANLUIGI: You dont even know?

MARGARET SHAKES HER HEAD, THIS IS GOING NOWHERE. GIANLUIGILOOKS AROUND.

GIANLUIGI: Mia fratelo?

MARGARET: Are you looking for somebody?

GIANLUIGI: My brother, Mario. Hes in New York.

MARGARET: What boat did her get on?GIANLUIGI: Boat one!

MARGARET: Well, he might be in New York, but youre not.

GIANLUIGI: Not New York? Where are we?

MARGARET: Youre in Greenock, in Scotland. Now, keep moving, my feetare killing me.

GIANLUIGI JOINS HIS FAMILY TO BREAK THE BAD NEWS.


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PLAYGROUND

FIONA: You can easily imagine how hard it was for young childrentrying to live and make friends in a new country with new

people and a language they didnt understand.

BELLA AND MARIA ARE PLAYING A BALL GAME AND COUNTING.CARLO JR RUNS INTO THE SCENE CRYING.

MARIA & BELLA: One . . . two . . . three . . .

CARLO JR: Mi fa male.

BELLA: We cant speak Italian now.

CARLO JR: She hit me.

MARIA: Who? Sister Madonna?

BELLA: Shes lovely.

MARIA: So are Ainslae and Gillian, you should really talk to them.

BELLA: Why did she hit you anyway?

CARLO JR: I was counting in Italian.

BELLA: Why dont we teach you to count in English?

CARLO JR: Could you?

BELLA & MARIA: One . . . two . . . three . . .

CARLO BREAKS OUT TO SPEAK TO THE AUDIENCE.

CARLO JR: I moved to Inverclyde about a week ago and it was one of thescariest times of my life. We walked off the ship and were

surrounded by loads of people. I couldnt see where we weregoing and I couldnt hear anything over people shouting andthe ships whistle. I almost got lost in the crowd but mamagrabbed my hand. The smell was horrible, the place stank ofweird chemicals and mes sweat.Im scared in case nona dies, she hasnt gone outside our housein days and shes really quiet. The kids at school are reallymean and they hit me. I think it might be because Im differentand I cant speak English very well. Mama and papa are muchhappier now that papa has a job. I really hope that we get to go

back to Italia soon.


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CARLO REJOINS THE GIRLS AND JOINS IN THE COUNTING. MARIABREAKS AWAY FOR HER MONOLOGUE.

MARIA: Scotland is a beautiful place, well not as beautiful as Italy. Ilike the views, theyre ok . . . I guess. Theres brilliant wildlife

like deer and badgers, so thats one thing that makes me happy.I DONT like the train, I used to dread if it rained back home.

No one really likes change, but it can only get better. Cant it?

MARIA REJOINS THE OTHERS AND JOINS IN THEIR COUNTING. BELLABREAKS AWAY FOR HER MONOLOGUE TO THE AUDIENCE.

BELLA: I like it here. I mean, its nothing like the way Italy was, but it'sgood enough. I miss all the bright and vibrant colours of Italy.Compared to Italy, its so dull here, like its been drained ofcolour. The people are kind and they always try to look out for

us, well some people do. Some feel that we are taking theirbusiness away because of the small businesses we create here us Italians are hard workers. I miss being able to play outsidewith my friends. I dont have many friends here, only the boyand girl next door who are also Italian. None of the other kidsunderstand me.

BELLA REJOINS THE OTHERS AND . . .

CARLO JR: seven . . . eight . . .

BELLA: Youre getting it.

CARLO JR: nine . . . ten.

THE SCHOOL BELL RINGS.

MARIA: Theres the bell.

MARIA, BELLA,CARLO JR: (to audience) Bye.


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DIFFICULT START

KATRINA: Like most immigrants, the Italians didnt have an easy start.But many eventually found success in the food industry, usingingredients widely available in Scotland like pesce e patate

fish and chips!

GIANLUIGI: Weve got no money.

ARIANNA: Thats not my fault.

GIANLUIGI: We had jobs back in Italy!

ARIANNA: But were not there, we need jobs here.

GIANLUIGI GETS UP AND PICKS UP HIS JACKET.

ARIANNA: Where are you going?

GIANLUIGI: Anywhere away from here.

GIANLUIGI STORMS OUT.

ROSIE, CARLO AND NONA ARE AT A CAF TABLE.

ROSIE: This isnt working. Its the wrong time and place.

CARLO: Give it time.

ROSIE: Its too cold for ice cream.

CARLO: What do people eat when its cold?

ROSIE: Hot food.

NONA: Fish!

ROSIE: Fried food.CARLO: We cant fry ice cream.

NONA: FISH!

ROSIE: We need to figure out what people like.

NONA: The Clyde is full of fish.

ROSIE: What could we fry?

NONA: Fish! Fry the fish!


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ROSIE AND CARLO LOOK AT NONA THEN AT EACH OTHER.

ROSIE & CARLO: (lightbulb moment) Aaah!

BACK TO OTHER FAMILY. ANNABELLE AND ARIANNA ARE AT THETABLE. GIANLUIGI COMES IN.

ANNABELLE: Youre back late.

GIANLUIGI: So?

ARIANNA: Whereve you been?

GIANLUIGI: Nowhere.

ARIANNA: Lies, I can smell the whisky off you.

GIANLUIGI: So?

ARIANNA: Youre becoming more like a Scotsman every day.

GIANLUIGI: Is that a bad thing?

ARIANNA: Maybe!

ANNABELLE: Calm down, we need to make a plan.

ALL: Yeah, I suppose.


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MUSSOLINI

GILLIAN: By October 1922, Italy seemed to slip into political chaos.Mussolinis government gradually ripped apart the democraticgovernment and he made himself dictator in 1925. His

increasing cooperation with Nazi Germany culminated in the1939 Pact of Steel.

ANNABELLE AND GIANLUIGI ARE AT THE KITCHEN TABLE.

ANNABELLE: Mussolini, hes ruining Italy. How can you support him?

GIANLUIGI: Shut up, hes a hero for our country. I trust him to save Italy.

ANNABELLE: Trust him! Hes a monster, as bad as Herr Hitler. Just you wait,Hitler, Stalin and him will get us all killed! Think about the

people dying, think about how Mussolini is treating ourfamilies. Then decide if you really trust him.

GIANLUIGI: If you dont shut your mouth you will get us all killed.

ANNABELLE: Even you agree with me. Mussolini has turned Italy into thecountry it is now and still you think it is right to support him.

GIANLUIGI STORMS OFF.


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HELP FROM LOCALS

NATHAN: Despite the nationwide riots and the anti Italian politicalfeeling, many Italians still had friends within their localcommunities.

CARLO IS ALONE IN HIS CAF. MARGARET COMES IN.

CARLO: Hi Maggie.

MARGARET: Hiya.

CARLO: Can I get you something? Tea? Coffee?

MARGARET: A cup of coffee, please.

CARLO GETS MARGARET A CUP OF COFFEE AND SITS DOWN AT ATABLE WITH HER.

CARLO: So how are we doing then?

MARGARET: Not good, Carlo. This war is getting to me. Theyre talkingabout putting rations on food and clothes. I mean, how are yousupposed to run a business?

CARLO: You cant.

MARGARET: It must be tough.

CARLO: Yeah, but its not even that.

MARGARET: What is it? Tell me.

CARLO: You know those men that come in? The policemen?

MARGARET: Yeah.

CARLO: Well, they told me yesterday Im going to be arrested.MARGARET: Arrested? What for?

CARLO: For being Italian.

MARGARET: Can they do that?

CARLO: I guess so.

MARGARET: But what about your family? What will you do?


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CARLO: I dont know. I dont have anything to give them. I dont haveany money, I might not even have a business. How can I

provide for them?

MARGARET: They can stay with me.

CARLO: No, I couldnt ask that of you.

MARGARET: Its fine, honestly. I dont mind.

CARLO: Thanks, Maggie. Youre a good friend.

MARGARET: Im just doing what anyone else would do. Well, I better go,Ive got a ton of ironing to do.

CARLO: Thanks Maggie.

MARGARET GOES. SHE STOPS AND TURNS TO LOOK AT CARLO.

MARGARET: Stay safe.

CARLO: Goodbye, Maggie.

MARGARET: Goodbye, Carlo.


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TABLEAU 1

KATRINA: The majority of Italians lived peacefully in Britain - some eventaking British citizenship - and worked hard to establish arespected community.

TABLEAU 2

KATRINA: But in June 1940, Mussolini sided with Hitler in the SecondWorld War.

TABLEAU 3

KATRINA: Overnight everything changed. The announcement led tonationwide riots against Italians, now seen as a nationalsecurity threat, Businesses and homes were looted and

destroyed.

TABLEAU 4

KATRINA: When Winston Churchill instructed Collar the lot and Italianmen between the ages of 17 and 60 were arrested.

TABLEAU 5

KATRINA: Despite the riots ending, many men would not be returned totheir families until the end of the war.


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WAR

ALISON: I think World War Two started in 1939 and lasted five years,but even so there is a war every day somewhere in the world.Wars can change a lot of things: families, cities, towns and can

take millions of lives. War is a very bad thing and leavesmillions devastated. The only time war has affected me is whenmy great-granddad died in World War Two. I wasnt alive, butif I was to lose my dad or my brother I would be completelydevastated.

REBECCA: War has affected me, perhaps not directly, in many ways. Forexample, my uncle was a pilot of a helicopter in theAfghanistan War and was shot down and consequently killed in2005. Although I was only five years old when this happened, Iwas extremely shocked and upset at the fact that humans

wanted to kill other humans.Because we are on the planet together for only a short whileand using up your life to fight and murder other people who areso similar to you just seems so wrong, regardless of reasons orthreats. We are all human beings, we are all struggling and weshould not set out to destroy others lives simply because oftheir nationality. We are not born with hate inside us, hate isslowly but surely injected into our lives through press andmedia, even just for small things.Like, some people support Celtic and some people supportRangers. Perhaps it isnt as big as Iraq V America, but the budof hate is still there, between two different parties. Perhaps ifwe looked to find things we have in common with other nationswe fight with, ratter than all the differences, we might be ableto live in harmony together one day.

CARLO JR: I turned 15 today and all I can really think about is papa. It wasone year ago today that they took him away. We get lettersfrom him sometimes and we think he might be in Canada.When I heard about the Andorra Star I was so worried that I randown to the docks and sat there crying fro about an hour. Mama

then came down with a letter in her hand. We opened it andrealised it was from papa. I really hope that papa gets opt comehome soon.

NONA: My son and grandchildren are out at war. Poor Carlo is tooyoung to be out there. We just wanted to live a happier life. Iam very sad that they are fighting for their lives because it ahsreally changed the family. Its the mothers and children I feelsorry for.


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KATRINA: Finally in 1943 allied troops landed in Sicily. Mussolini wasfinally overthrown and imprisoned by his former colleagues inthe Fascist government. Italy also signed a peace agreementwith the allies in September. Fathers and sons graduallyreturned to their families during the remaining two years of the

war and life slowly returned to normal.


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2013: SCOTS ITALIANS

BELLA: Hi, Im Bella.

CARLO JR: And Im Carlo.

AINSLAE: I hear wedding bells.

BELLA: We finally got married in 1966.

CARLO JR: And we now have a successful pizza business in the centre ofGreenock.

BELLA: We are both proud of our Italian heritage.

CARLO JR: And our Scottish identity.

BELLA: And we are proud of our grandson Hamish.

CARLO JR: Who recently succeeded in becoming a solicitor.

EVERYONE CHEERS.

ANDREW: Aye, thats all well and good, but what have the Italians everdone for us?

SARA: Fish and chips.

MATTHEW: Pasta

ANDREW: The banking system.

ALISON: Ice Cream.

AINSLAE: (gets to feet and clears her throat) Italians were great designers.The architecture of Nardinis ice cream shop in Largs attractedmany Scots for that reason.

NATHAN: Pizza.

REBECCA: Hairdressing.

GILLIAN: Opera

KATRINA: Fashion

FIONA: Sports cars.


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ANDREW: And can you think of any famous Scots Italians?

FIONA: Peter Capaldi

KATRINA: Nicola Benedetti

GILLIAN: Lena Zavaroni

REBECCA: Eilidh Angiolini

NATHAN: Bishop Tartaglia

AINSLAE: (gets to her feet, but the others groan and drag her back down)Daniela Nardini

ALISON: Paolo Nutini

ANDREW: Paul Di Resta

MATTHEW: Dario Franchitti

SARA: Armando Ianucci

ANDREW: So, as you can see, we have learned quite a lot over this pastweek about immigration and Italians. Thank you for watchingand have a safe journey home.

THE END

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"Guerra! Guerra!" Script