Plot
Martin wakes up in hospital, badly burned after a car crash. When he gets out, some people stick with him, some people bully him, some patronise him, and some no longer want to be around him at all. Eventually Martin realises his life is up to him, and how he looks is nothing to do with it.
This drama is adapted from the original novel by Benjamin Zephaniah.
Author – Benjamin Zephaniah
Benjamin Zephaniah on Twitter and on Instagram
Discover more about Benjamin Zephaniah
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Analysis and discussion
20th anniversary of Face novel – interview with Benjamin Zephaniah
Themes – universal ideas
Appearance, belonging, confidence, discrimination, friendship, identity, image, loyalty.
More to explore – motifs, symbols, context, setting
Accidents, burns, dancing, disfigurement, driving under influence, drugs, East London, emergency services, fairs, fire, gangs, Greek chorus, Greek theatre, gymnastics, hospitals, immigration, joy-riding, mirrors, modelling, plastic surgery, risk-taking, skin grafts, unconsciousness, vanity, wasting police time.
Did you know?
Benjamin Zephaniah investigated car crashes and changed his story to fit the information that he discovered.
The Martins act as a chorus to help the audience understand what is going on. This is a style of drama that goes back thousands of years to the invention of theatre in Ancient Greece.
Further reading
Discover these titles and more
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If you enjoyed Face, try these titles:
Crash by Andrew Fusek Peters and Polly Peters is the story of a fatal accident through the eyes of everyone involved. Library copy available.
The look by Sophia Bennett follows sisters, Ted and Ava, as they work out what’s required to be a model, and how to beat cancer . Library copy available.
Wonder by R.J. Palacio. This beautiful book describes Auggie’s life as he heads to mainstream school for the first time, and deals with the bullying and the looks to make real friends. Library copies available.
Uglies by Scott Westerfield is the first in a science fiction series where everyone is considered ugly before being made pretty through plastic surgery. Library copy available.
Tall story by Candy Gourlay tells the story of another boy who isn’t happy in his own skin. Bernardo is an 8 foot tall teenager from the Philippines who has finally been allowed to come to stay with his mother. His size makes him stand out, but it’s not what makes him a hero. Library copy available.
Survivors : extraordinary tales from the wild and beyond by David Long is a collection of real life escapes from appalling accidents. Library copy available.
Benjamin Zephaniah is a brilliant performance poet and novelist, and a look through his website and YouTube channel is an excellent introduction to his other work.
Literacy and Language
Benjamin Zephaniah uses several meanings of the word face throughout the play to help tell the story, including nouns, verbs and idioms
How many different meanings of the word face can you identify in the play?
How does this constant changing of the word face help tell the story?
Numeracy
Martin has a skin graft which can take a long time to heal – see this NHS page on skin grafts for details.
Now you have this information, what is your estimation for how long Martin spends in hospital?
Health and Wellbeing
Do you think Martin is a risk-taker? What’s your evidence?
Could he have avoided being in the accident? Why do you think he didn’t?
Developing the Young Workforce
Martin’s doctor helps him with his mental health as well as helping to heal his burns.
How important do you think an understanding of mental health is for doctors dealing with physical problems?
Rights Respecting Schools
People deal with Martin’s facial disfigurement in several different ways, from kindness to verbal abuse.
Article 3 says: Adults should act in the best interests of the child.
Has every adult has acted in Martin’s best interests?
Which adults’ behaviour do you disagree with?
