The under room

de Edward Bond

When a refugee breaks into Joan's cellar, she must make a choice; does she hand him into the authorities, or help him make his escape. He makes a convincing argument; represented by an actor who speaks the lines, and a dummy who embodies them, he shows how a person can do only what they must do to survive and still be deemed illegal. The play highlights the conflict between our obligations to society's laws and our desire to help one another, and shows how these often irresolvable duties can lead to catastrophe for everyone involved. 'The Under Room' was first performed at the Roade School, Northampton, in 2005.