The First Domino

The First Domino play takes its name from the domino effect, and was written as a response to a real-world nail bomb attack. In 1999, David Copeland, a Neo-Nazi and former member of the British National Party, who was found to have decorated his bedroom with Nazi symbols and collected news stories on racist attacks, The first attack was in the largely black community of Brixton on Saturday, . The second hit the Asian community of Brick Lane on Saturday, . The third took place at a pub in Old Compton Street, Soho – the heart of London's gay community.had agreed to meet two friends in the Admiral Duncan, as was usual for them. where the final bombing occurred|alt=A blue/purple public house with large prominent signage as "The Admiral Duncan". A rainbow flag is above it, and a number of garbage bags are on the pavement in the foreground. Three people died as a result of the blast (including a pregnant woman) and many more were seriously hurt, including Cash, who was standing close to the bomb; he received injuries to his back and shoulder, and burns to his face and legs. He had been diagnosed by five psychiatrists as having paranoid schizophrenia. In 2007, the High Court ruled that he must serve at least 50 years. Cash received financial compensation, and used it to fund an MA in Dramatic Writing at the University of Sussex, saying he "wanted to do something positive with the money". Cash perceived Copeland as wanting to be the first domino, setting off a race war. ==Plot==

The opening scene shows a young man kneeling on a Union Jack, manufacturing a bomb, which is left menacingly on the stage. We meet him some time later, in a top-security prison, convicted for terrorism. He is interviewed by a psychiatrist who is engaged in research on sociopaths for an academic paper. The bomber's belief system, incorporating violent racism and homophobia, is revealed causing the audience to question their own beliefs. It is a play about hatred, which illustrates how violence breeds more violence. The complex relationship between bomber and psychiatrist fails to result in a solution. ==Reception==

A preview in The Guardian in said it had "surprising twists [...] as the plot thickens", and one reviewer said it was "one of the most honest and hard hitting plays I have seen". The play received that year's Best Theatrical Performance Award. A representative of the Gay Police Association hoped the play would raise awareness; the GPA helped to raise money for producing it, and recollections from the police influenced the story. == Development ==

It was several years after the bombing before Cash was able to write about the events with objectivity. with "surprising twists". Cash and Williams's production company, Brighton Theatre, presented the play at Brighton Festival Fringe on , close to the of the bombing (though they state the date was coincidental). The cast list included Toby Jones, Joseph Kloska, Claire Price and Struan Rodger. Less than a year later, Cash was quoted in The Guardian in a piece reacting to the 2011 Norway attacks as conclusions were reached about the similarities between David Copeland and Anders Behring Breivik. Cash said, "It has made me think about the words people use. How they create a landscape. When someone is being bigoted or homophobic, everybody should be asking questions". == References ==