Race
This play, set in Australia during the 20th Century, is particularly concerned with race. Norm is a white, middle-aged war veteran, who stops Ahmed at a bus stop to ask if he has a lighter for his cigarette. Ahmed is a young man from Pakistan, and the two men have an in-depth conversation in which Norm's feelings of hostility, anger, and bitterness are made evident.
Hostility
Norm and Ahmed have a seemingly normal conversation at the bus-stop. Despite some indications of hostility, Norm's shocking and violent behavior at the end of the play might come as a surprise to the audience. This sense of mystery is something that has inspired debate among viewers and critics, with many suggesting it is a manifestation of anger, alienation, and racism.
