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BOXING DAY TEST

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Two young brothers eke out a semi-squalid existence together in a ramshackle student share-house. Patrick is preparing for a clerkship at a law firm, while his older brother, David, is sluggishly working through an Honours thesis in English literature. David owes Patrick months of back-rent and - much to Patrick’s chagrin - is using the third bedroom in the house to grow a hydroponic dope crop in order to raise the money.

Patrick has a huge crush on a fellow student, Sophie. When he discovers that David has been sleeping with her behind his back, the delicate brotherly balance is thrown off kilter.

The boys’ estranged father, John, appears on their doorstep on Boxing Day with a car full of clothes and appliances. It seems he thinks he is moving in. Patrick, knowing his brother will be enraged by John’s invasion of their space, does nothing to stop him. When David and John come face to face, dark memories and family secrets rise to the surface, bringing with them violence and fear, stirring up the past and inexorably dragging Patrick and Sophie into the maelstrom.

  • naturalistic drama
  • 90
  • 4 total
  • 1 female identifying, 3 male identifying
  • 16 to 18, 18+
  • adult, young adult
  • Australian Script Centre


  • MONOLOGUES
  • PRODUCTION HISTORY

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David

Male | 20s | under 3 minutes
Starts on page 66

EXTRACT: Then I started a slow tiptoe along the hall. I was about halfway along when I heard something. A weird grunting noise...For a second I thought I'd caught Father Christmas in action, but then I remembered I was too old for all that crap and I crept a little further down the hall. Then I heard more noises...grunts and thumps and something that sounded like a...like a little cry. Coming from Mum and Dad's room. I froze for a bit...

Adult themes

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SKU: ASC-1310 Category:

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