Protege

Description

Alfonso is about to retire from running his Bar. Reluctantly he is leaving it to his dependable, but uninspiring son Marco to run. With impeccable timing Frankie the perceived prodigal son returns home after many years of travel.

Delighted at Frankie’s return Alfonso thrusts him into managing the bar, demoting the diligent Marco. As the story unfolds, seen from Alfonso’s perspective there is a realisation that the returning son cannot live up to the expectations laid onto him as the prodigal son.

The backdrop to the story is the financial crash and the continual battle for survival that many bars are now facing. We learn that Frankie had been given his inheritance early, and largely squandered it travelling, while Alfonso and Marco had worked hard to make good the Frankie sized gap in their finances. This adds into the pressure on Frankie to turn the business around.

Biblical Connection

The genesis comes from the Parable of the Prodigal son. Luke 15:11-32. One son (of two the father has) wants his inheritance before his father dies and so having gotten it leaves home. The father becomes sad when his son has gone. Many years go by and the son returns home, much to the annoyance of the other son who stayed by his father and worked hard. The Father said we must rejoice in him coming home because once he was lost and now he is found. Building upon this story foundation I wanted to explore the story from the point of view of the father, how he manages his own expectations of the family, his sons and his role in his sons initial departure.