Play for performance: Game Over

A new Mark Wheeller play is always going to be worth a look; some of his works are now set texts on a number of GCSE courses, and Wheeller is known for his verbatim plays which take on difficult and challenging subjects inspired by true stories.

Game Over is no exception.

The play is a record of the events surrounding the murder of Breck Bednar and the effect on his family and friends. Breck was groomed online – via gaming sites – and brutally murdered by a young man. It is a very new piece, having been premiered in July this year in a production by the Beaumont School in St Albans, directed by Lyndsey Wallace.

When it comes to performance, there are several interesting and challenging elements to this play. Firstly, it is a verbatim play, using the words of the actual people involved, and that carries a level of responsibility with it, making it a significant undertaking for young performers. However, it is my experience that young people feel drawn to message-based drama and respond positively to such stories.

The nature of the story is something that must be seriously considered. The play is not for the faint hearted – either in the audience or among the performers. Before committing to the production of this text it would be important to consult with those around you to judge whether it is appropriate for your setting – I know there are some headteachers out there who might baulk at this piece. Equally, the roles require a depth of intensity that some young actors may find beyond their capability. The central figure who looms over the play is that of Lewis Daynes (referred to in the play as LD, as Breck's mother is unable to use his name) the man who groomed and subsequently murdered Breck. It is as much his story as Breck's and his mother's – and it is a difficult role to pull off.

There are several interesting elements for staging a production of this play. There is the multi-roling of Breck's mother, Lorin. This character is taken by 6 actresses and their ensemble represents how Lorin's world has been torn apart. This is based on Lorin's own comment to Wheeller when she said of herself ‘I don't feel whole; [I'm] missing parts and can't function properly.’ This allows for students to create an ensemble that will show the various states that she is feeling. Wheeller does also suggest that the roles can be allocated to suit the strengths of the young cast, which allows directors to be inclusive but to work to the strengths of the performers available to you.

There is one specific section, where the Lorins confront LD, which would allow for some creative and powerful physical theatre or even dance theatre work. Choice of music would also be key; the first production had music composed and performed by students from Beaumont School. Costume would need to be approached in such a way that it links these characters together.

In terms of the look of the play, the piece lends itself towards simplistic staging – although since the online gaming world is a key component of the play, one of the challenges is to show how that world is seen by all the characters involved. The original production used screen to show the online interaction, and if it can be managed this should be included in other performances. Otherwise, elements of the online world need to be incorporated another way and this presents an opportunity to find imaginative and original ways of doing so.

The principal challenge of the text itself is the same for many verbatim plays. Because it is based on interviews there is a danger that the movement may become too static. This is particularly true of Game Over. The words tell a story that is so fundamentally shocking that it has the potential to create a sense of awe and respect, making it difficult to play around with. The text however is strong enough to allow for a highly imaginative and potentially stylised approach.

This is an extraordinary play with a vitally important message for young people and their parents, in a world where so much of teenagers' lives are spent in online groups, where anonymity is part of its attraction and its danger. It deserves to be explored by as many young performers as possible and to be seen by their peers and their parents – as a message, a warning, and a memorial.

Game Over is available for performance and can be purchased from zincpublishing.co.uk

The play is supported and promoted by www.breckfoundation.org