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Plays 1990's |
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1996 Manual for a Desperate Crossing (Balseros/Rafters) |
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Click to enlarge Images |
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Synopsis 'Dedicated to Horacio, and to thousands of men, women and children who perished crossing the Florida straights [sic] on rickety rafts.' In the Prologue a youthful rafter sings of the fear that his raft could break up in the sea, and of the sorrows of those who plan to leave on rafts but are unable finally to leave. In preparation for the journey a rafter gives his neighbour a door key so that whatever is left once the rafter has gone can be salvaged for the neighbour's use. Others arrive and the youngest of the seven rafters describes how his experience of making rafts for mountain rapids will help in the construction of a raft for a sea journey. Knowledge is shared about sea currents and the best places to launch, how rafts are secretly constructed inside homes and how they are made from wood, inner tubes, polyurethane blocks, netting, and can have oars and a sail. Mention is made of the clandestine help contributed by others not going on the journey. The rafters prepare to leave by packing the raft with supplies for the dangerous journey. Precautions are taken for not only storms and rain but sun-stroke, and cold nights. A woman who will remain behind donates a homing pigeon to be released if they survive whilst another woman gives an umbrella. Along with other rafters they can see assembling they prepare to launch, aware that a storm is threatening. The raft is seized by the storm and they fear sinking. Hearing an engine the rafters struggle to show a guiding light but fail and despair. The sound of rowing is heard as another raft approaches. The rafts are lashed together to face the continuing storm. Surviving the storm but now without water, food, or protection from the sun, they weaken. Scanning the horizon they see a ship but it does not come to them. One rafter persuades the others to construct a water distillation plant which produces some water. During the following days they watch as ships pass them by and discuss why one ship should see them, stop to look, but then leave. Exhausting and despairing Horacio gulps down seawater. He dies. At last, seeing land they row towards it, dragging the raft onto the beach at Key West and then find a phone. They phone families and friends and also Horacio's family. A woman holidaymaker offers them Coca Cola whilst they wait for their families and friends to collect them. _____________________________ |
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