Das Feld (Kenttä)

Jack and Andrew are participants in a Back to Work scheme, and currently employed at a soon to be disused sports ground as ground keepers. This is a problem, because neither Andrew, who has a mild disability, which to his colleagues’ chagrin he has learnt to use quite advantageously, nor Jack, a ruffian, a raw survivor, who does not have any greater claim than muscle in this world, plan to walk away from this job quietly. These two characters of the play are joined by two more – the Boss and the Pitch, who although absent are never far away from the conversation pieces of the play. The Boss administers absolute instructions to ensure that the pitch is fit for an approaching match between two local schools. Jack and Andrew prepare the pitch with this purpose in mind – that is, until the prospect of romance comes between the two. Pitch is a picture of society in which individuals have shrunken from active subjects to mere observers of their own life. Oppression has become anonymous and appears faceless, in theory not targeted towards anyone or anything. The characters of the play have to invent their own lives; their hopes, fears, crimes, and even their exploitation. Nobody comes and nobody goes, nobody looks anymore. Any activity on the Pitch is of no consequence outside of it. The lives of Andrew and Jack have shrivelled into a verbal game – into a kind of virtual reality, which has no correspondence with authentic experience. The only way of connecting with reality is to count the days. Pitch is a totalitarian depiction of a man isolated from society. “Grounds men are the last of their kind Andrew. With us, it’s either take it or leave it. Grounds men are the original Champions, ‘cause only they get to do exactly what they feel like. ‘ave ye ever seen a Champion settle for mediocrity? ‘ave ye ever seen a Champion get bossed around? ‘ave ye ever seen a Champion allow anyone to tread on his toes? We’re talking about Heroes me boy. We’re talking about Olympic athletes.” (JACK)