Pooka

Martin, 12, is a small, smart boy in a school where both conditions attract danger equally. Nor is home a respite; his mother’s abusive boyfriend, Davis, sees to that. Martin’s one friend, Phoebe, who is also 12 and also a target for lunchroom bullies, provides some comfort, despite towering over Martin physically if not intellectually. Life holds little promise of improvement until a pooka, a mythical Celtic...
Martin, 12, is a small, smart boy in a school where both conditions attract danger equally. Nor is home a respite; his mother’s abusive boyfriend, Davis, sees to that. Martin’s one friend, Phoebe, who is also 12 and also a target for lunchroom bullies, provides some comfort, despite towering over Martin physically if not intellectually. Life holds little promise of improvement until a pooka, a mythical Celtic fairy who can assume the shape of any animal or person, appears to Martin one day. Initially, Peter seems a good friend and one capable of bullying Martin’s bullies right back. But whether he means Martin well, ill, or indeed anything, and whether the possibilities he presents for Martin will lead to a happier life or disaster, are only made clear in the play’s terrifying final scene.
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

Pooka

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    21 Jul. 2021
    A powerful story about bullying, trauma and finding one's way through it to, hopefully, a better outcome. Well done.
  • Nick Malakhow:
    14 Mar. 2021
    A boldly theatrical play that tackles adolescent identity formation, bullying, and family trauma and violence with a wildly dark comedic bent. Martin and Daphne's chemistry and quirky relationship feels specific and human and contrasts nicely with the larger external forces tormenting the both of them. The Pooka serves as an excellent extended metaphor for all the rage and anger and helplessness it is so easy to feel when encountering trauma as a young person and feeling completely out of control of your own destiny and unable to change the things that impact you. Creative, theatrical, and startling!
  • Charlotte Stowe:
    5 Jan. 2021
    I read this play in 2018 when I was a reader for a new play festival and it has stayed with me ever since. James McLindon captures the magic and wonder of an early Speilberg movie, like ET or Gremlins, and brings it to the stage. Pooka is a wonderful narrative about revenge, love, and standing up to bullies that will delight and thrill those young and old. I so hope to be able to see this play staged in the upcoming future.

Character Information

  • Pooka
    An ancient mythical creature,
    Any
    ,
    Any gender
    Pooka is an ancient shape- and gender- shifting mythical creature. He is hard and calculating. He knows what he wants and he's not your friend. He speaks with a hard Irish accent.
  • Officer
    20s to 50s,
    Any
    ,
    Any gender
    A beat cop, smart and trying her best given the limits of the law and the ingenuity of men like Davis.
  • Martin
    12,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Smart, but small, in a world in which both characteristics are dangerous, Martin is nondescript prey, just trying to survive another day of middle school. He should be played by an adult, not a child.
  • Evie
    late 20s-early 30s,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    A still young single mother, but with mounting mileage, she's making here way and taking care of her son as best she can in a hard world.
  • Davis
    30s (a few years older than Evie),
    White
    ,
    Male
    For the most part, his tone is often understated and pleasant, even sweet. For the most part. But he’s the kind of man whose smile can be more dangerous than his glare.
  • Daphne
    12,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    A very bright middle-school student, Daphne may be attractive someday, but not today. She looks forward to college and leaving the hell of middle school behind. She should be played by an adult, not a child.
  • Chloe
    14,
    Any
    ,
    Female
    Stylish and mean, a middle school bully, she can be played by a 14ish-year-old or an adult.
  • Avery
    14,
    Any
    ,
    Male
    Avery is Chloe's stooge, not very bright. He's a bully, but might not be free of Chloe's influence. He's probably middle school attractive for a boy. He can be played by a 14ish-year-old or an adult.

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    The Blockheads
    ,
    2016
  • Reading
    ,
    Lark Play Development Center
    ,
    2015
  • Reading
    ,
    New Repertory Theatre
    ,
    2015
  • Reading
    ,
    Sanctuary Playwrights
    ,
    2015
  • Reading
    ,
    Dramatists Guild Fellows at Playwrights Horizon
    ,
    2014
  • Residency
    ,
    Dramtists Guild Fellowship
    ,
    2014
  • Residency
    ,
    CAP21
    ,
    2014

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
Workshop
,
Seven Devils Playwrights Conference
,
2015