Synopsis of the Scenes
            
            
             ACT I
            
             Set in Collingwood (Melbounre) in the early evening of Christmas Eve, late 1950s, this scene introduces most of the characters of the play and also the conflicts existing both between the Italian immigrant family, the Bianchis and their resentful neighbours. During the scene, Momma and Poppa fight about how to react to the treatment they recieve from their neighbours and Poppa confronts Clarry about his promise to take Gino into partnership. Clarry later on confronts Gino about telling Maria he has been fighting. Maria and Clarry also talk about Gino and the partnership. The scene is mainly one of introduction and tells many things about the relationships and feelings which will later influence the storyline substantially.
            
             ACT II
             Scene one
            
             Set on the same day and in the same place as ACT I, this scene further enhances the knowledge acquired in the previous act. The family experience more problems in this scene, starting with a blocked drain. As the scene continues, Poppa is grieved by the family situation but soon forgets about it as he starts getting into the Christmas spirit with a few beers. Gino enters toward the middle of the scene, and once more Clarry confronts him about the dance hall Gino insists on going to. This scene introduces Leila's and Donny's problems also. Donny illustrates once more the problems the Bianchis face in their community. Momma and Poppa fight once again about how to react to the abuse dealt to them by the neighbours on their right, this time the roles are reversed and Poppa takes his revenge on them, as Momma did earlier. The scene ends dramatically with Gino once again entering the backyard.
            
             ACT II
             Scene two
            
             Set at approximately midnight the same night and still in the Bianchis' backyard. Clarry tries to comfort Momma all throughout this scene and Leila, though she has her own set of problems, tries to help as well. Clarry begins to realis...