Gail Louw: Plays Two

Book excerpt: The second collection of plays from Gail Louw, including the plays Duwayne, The Mitfords, The Half Life of Love and Joe Ho Ho. DUWAYNE: Traumatised by his best friend's murder, Duwayne Brooks was treated as a potential criminal instead of a witness. He faced years of torment by those who should have been on his side. He survived Stephen Lawrence's killers, but can he survive the Met? THE MITFORDS: Diana was married to Oswald Mosley and a lifelong fascist. Unity was a great close friend of Hitler. Jessica was a dyes-in-the-wool communist. Nancy was a well-loved novelist. This one-woman play follows four of the Mitford Sisters and their part in the world changing events of the twentieth century. THE HALF LIFE OF LOVE: Junot Diaz said the half life of love is forever. It remains toxic, poisoning life long after love is over. How does love and nurture turn to rejection and hatred? JOE HO HO: The parallels of Linda's life are extreme; on the one hand is the deep despair of life with a demented mother. On the other is a life of passion and sex with Joe, the man of her dreams. Using humour and tension, the play explores how the mind deals with pain and destruction.