Runway, by Pascale St-Onge (original title: Tarmac), translated by Alexis Diamond.
Since their sister Effy disappeared, her sisters do what they can to fill the absence she left behind: Eda spends her nights trying to spot Effy’s face in dark, crowded night clubs, and Aby sticks her head in the aquarium. Effy is trying to locate a sense of belonging on the airport runway, while her sisters search for their sense of self, of being alive, which eludes them. A coming-of-age tale about memory, loss and freedom.
In 2015, Tarmac was presented by the National Theatre School of Canada, directed by Solène Paré. In 2017, the play was produced by the Festival Théâtre en Scène, Château du Tertre, France, and directed by Anne-Audrey Deltell.
The English translation of Tarmac was commissioned in 2016 by the National Theatre School of Canada, under the mentorship of acclaimed playwright and translator Fanny Britt.
Keywords: coming of age, memory, freedom, siblings, sisters, running away, loss, family, isolation, bereavement
Genre: Drama, Theatre for Young Audiences
Acts: 1
Run time: 75 minutes
Suitable for students 14+
Content notes: Includes themes of suicidal ideation, disappearance, bereavement
Cast size: 6 actors
Male roles: 2
Female roles: 4
Casting notes:
The three sisters are teenagers. They can be played by actors who are female, femme, trans woman, non-binary.
Eda, the eldest (18-21 years old)
Effy, the middle child (15-16 years old)
Aby, the youngest (13-14 years old)
Arno (male) is about the same age as Aby.
The One We’ll Call James Dean (male) is about the same age as Eda.
Flight Attendant, can be any age.
The Flight Attendant could also be a trans/non-binary/gender non-conforming role.