Root issue: repeated conversation of a common fault, falling alternatively on the mother or the son.
Domestic helper as a perspective, what if they were a parent themselves.
Overview:
Mother and Son, an unbroken conversation about love and acceptance.
Character sheet:
MOTHER
Turned single mother as her child entered marriage, a woman with a temper which tapers off with old age, which is when she loses articulation and does not fight back as much. Protective of her son, but is an anxious avoidant. Abrasive at times and has to establish her level of dominance and strength.
MAID
Offstage, being called for menial tasks only. Employed after father’s death
SON
Nurtured
WIFE
Unseen onstage, only via phone call
Chronological Topics:
beginning from the start of real conflict and agency in the son, and ending with the loss of agency in the mother.
1. Son’s Puberty (childish)
2. Consoling him after beaten by Father figure (mother’s dating interest of 4 years)
3. Giving Career advice !
4. Disapproving Girlfriend !
5. Son’s Marriage !
6. Daughter in law conflict (wanting kids? Responsibilities?)
7. Fallout (with son, phone calls unanswered)
8. Letter writing (angry) both mother and son?
9. Letter writing (pleading)
10. Letter writing (relaying memories)
11. Old folks home
Losing not just the son, but also her core memories of him.
ACT 1
Son’s Puberty (childish)
Mother is pacing alone on centre stage. Son enters the scene, looks at mother, and freezes.
MOTHER: Well.
SON: (in a cheery voice) Hi mom, the boys had so much food, we took hours to finish them. I don’t think we ever had so many things
Mother stares at son, tight-lipped and without movement.
SON: Haha…thank goodness that we have no tomorrow
MOTHER: You’re not allowed to go until
SON:
MOTHER:
SON:
MOTHER:
SON:
MOTHER: You said you’d be home by 10
SON: (slowly trudging past MOTHER)
MOTHER: You said you’d be home by 10
SON: that was a month ago!
MOTHER: You did not even apologize.
SON: I-
MOTHER: What made you betray my trust?
SON: I’m home, mom. I’m safe. We never
MOTHER: No, no, no, no. What did you promise me then?
SON:
MOTHER:
SON:
MOTHER:
SON:
MOTHER: used to be the woman in the son’s life. HUsband didn't give enough for the wife, and she turns her attention to the kid, but she fears losing him.
SON:
Consoling him after beaten by Father figure
MOTHER: He didn't mean it.
SON: You want him. I get it. Choose a monster with anger issues over your own son.
MOTHER: I don’t think you get this, he’ll never hurt
SON: Look what he did to me.
Giving Career advice
Disapproving Girlfriend
Son’s Marriage
Daughter in law conflict (wanting kids? Responsibilities?)
Fallout (with son, phone calls unanswered) son cut contact to preserve his family’s peace,
Letter writing (angry) son reading mail, still helps mom on the side, sending handymen, making sure aunties help out his mom, neighbours etc.
Letter writing (pleading)
Letter writing (relaying memories)
Old folks home
s home…
our birthplace?
the workspace?
where our feet take us?
in a land we’ve never been to?
just a box we return to every night?
somewhere we can really be ourselves?
on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram?
merely a state of mind?
All or none of the above?
Woman Brutally Murdered in a Brothel
Setting: Malaysian future. Brickfields.
A girl named was brutally murdered in a hotel room at 3:52 am on a Friday morning. She was a successful University student with a PHD in Civil Engineering. None of her family members were aware of her service in the prostitution industry. Her family members were shocked to find out about her death as well as her working in a brothel. Everyone had the
DIALOGUE:
*Disclaimer: The indented texts are digitally sent, and will be performed with audio cues. All time-stamps are shown as examples; an approximate indication of time lapsed between readings and replies.
(BROTHER is waiting nervously in the detainment area of the police station. Busy uniformed workers walk past him without stopping, while giving him pressuring details regarding the case.)
UNIFORM 1: (arrives) Wash your hands here. Sanitise here. (leaves)
UNIFORM 2: (arrives and hands BROTHER a bottle of water) We will return your belongings when the procedure is complete (leaves).
BROTHER: (shouting anxiously after UNIFORM 2) Did you find her?
UNIFORM 1: (arrives behind BROTHER, offers a red print-pad) Your right thumb, here.
BROTHER: (disoriented) My sister… Was it her that they found? I was just there to take care of her, I…
UNIFORM 2: (arrives stage right ) You have the right to stay silent, you know. Please sign here. (places a pen in BROTHER’S hands)
BROTHER: Why do I need to sign this if I'm innocent?
UNIFORM 1: (pedantically) You are guilty when there is evidence. Clearly, you know the business that goes about…in these circles. It’s much better for you—in your interest, to sign these papers before you get tangled up in something worse. The ink is drying.
BROTHER: I want to know if my sister is safe, please.
UNIFORM 2: (passing by) We will contact her next of kin shortly.
(Brother struck dumb, with shaking fingers, he signs, and the uniforms leave. He begins to type, lights out, with the sound of typing continuing, and comes back on when he presses send.)
(Parents on-stage, hotel room. FATHER in an online meeting, focusing on his laptop facing away from the audience; MOTHER is texting son, BROTHER, who is off-stage.)
BROTHER [7:34pm]:
Appa amma
Goody died.
Don’t panic first. Let me explain
MOTHER: Appa. Appa! Did you see? Ashwinder is in the groupchat!
Appa! (goes to FATHER and taps him on the shoulder)
FATHER: Shh, shh.
MOTHER: (slaps his shoulder with each point) When was the last time your son contacted you? When was the last time you’ve talked to him? Appa, come on! You don’t need to be in this conference meeting right?
FATHER: (flinches, and pushes her away without really listening to her) Can you deal with it, I'm in a meeting (mutes and flips his phone down)
MOTHER: (expresses frustration before returning her focus on her phone. The screen lights up again as she types) Dei, Ash! Why you never pick up our calls! (pauses before typing) Let me try calling Goody. (calls Goody) Dei, she’s not picking up either! (texts BROTHER.)
MOTHER [7:36pm]:
Magan stop fooling around
Why you never pick up our calls
Call me now
(MOTHER calls but BROTHER does not pick up. Missed call sound cue. MOTHER's eyes dart around the room erratically. )
FATHER [7:36pm]
[automated] Hello, thank you for your call. I am not here right now, but will call you back ASAP.
FATHER: (turns around to mother, who nods at him) Please. I’m in a conference right now. Can you go to the balcony?
(MOTHER goes to the balcony, but leaves the balcony door open so that she can fill her husband in on Ashwinder.)
MOTHER: Hello, Ash? Hello?
(MOTHER calls three times. Missed call sound cues three times.)
MOTHER: Pick up. Pickup, pickup useless boy! What are you doing at this time?! Hello!
(MOTHER tries to call another time. Missed call sound cue.)
MOTHER: AISH! Why this boy not picking up his bloody phone!
(MOTHER tries to call another time. Missed call sound cue.)
BROTHER [7:46PM]
Wait la, I’m trying to tell you
(MOTHER stands up and starts pacing while typing.)
MOTHER [7:47pm]
Stop texting. Pick up my call now. 😡
(MOTHER tries to call another time. Missed call sound cue.)
BROTHER [7:47pm]
I can’t. Am at the police station now
MOTHER [7:56pm]
Police station? Why are you at the police station???
MOTHER: Police station! Appa, he is at the police station! Aish this boy always up to trouble I tell you. Especially after he moved out. Next thing you know, he’ll be asking for money!
(FATHER waves her away and taps his earpiece.)
MOTHER: You’re not helping! Work, work, work! Only know how to work! Now got emergency- our kids in trouble! Still work!
BROTHER [8:00pm]
The police found her
So they called me
MOTHER: Oh my god… police? Appa! They are with the police! Goody is with the police!
MOTHER [8:00pm]
Where
Is she safe? Did they take care of her?
Go see her and bring her home.
BROTHER [8:02pm]
Amma, they found her dead body
She’s still at the scene
(FATHER removes his earpiece abruptly and pushes back from the table in shock. His face is deathly pale.)
FATHER: Hai Ram...
(MOTHER looks shocked, speechless, and sits down.)
FATHER: Why so surprised? I checked the chat.
(MOTHER furiously types.)
MOTHER [8:04pm]
What scene? Magan, tell us the truth now.
BROTHER [8:04pm]
Ma I will tell u erytging
MOTHER [8:04pm]
Stop lying.
Why didn't the police call us first???
MOTHER: Appa, did the police call you?
FATHER: No-
BROTHER [8:04pm]
in due time when the police get in touch with you
MOTHER [8:05pm]
Where is she?
BROTHER [8:05 pm]
I never saw her before the police called me
MOTHER [8:06pm]
STOP LYING WHERE IS SHE
BROTHER [8:07pm]
The police found her at…her workplace…Still investigating
MOTHER: Appa… (Breathes heavily.) Appa! Please look at your child now- No, no, no, what is this…
MOTHER [8:08pm]
No
Goody quit Lazarus last month.
BROTHER [8:08pm]
It’s not Lazarus or Machin∞
She had another job
MOTHER: What is this boy saying…
MOTHER [8:12pm]
Where is she now, Ashwinder
Stop making excuses and explain
Ashwinder
MOTHER: Appa talk to your son! He listens to you.
MOTHER [8:14pm]
ASHWINDER
(MOTHER tries to call another time. Missed call sound cue.)
MOTHER: Appa! Now!
(FATHER closes his laptop and glares at MOTHER, but texts BROTHER.)
FATHER [00:06am]
@Ashwinder answer your mother.
MOTHER: Ah now you start caring. See? Now your son not responding already.
FATHER [00:08am]
@Ashwinder where are you.
(FATHER and MOTHER stop texting after their son clearly isn’t responding. Both of them are in a state of shock, still processing the situation they are in. FATHER is sitting down on the couch while MOTHER is standing.)
MOTHER: This would not have happened if you had paid more attention to them. Look at them now. Our own son acts like we’re strangers! And Goody- Goody…
FATHER: You want to point fingers now?! Our daughter quit her job and has been up to god knows what. And now she’s possibly… We won’t- We won’t talk about that now. Not when we don’t have all the answers yet.
MOTHER: If we don’t talk about it now, then WHEN are we going to talk about it?! You never pay attention to our children- You never pay attention to us!
FATHER: (stands up and points at MOTHER.) But that’s YOUR responsibility! I break my back at work every day- everything I do, is for our family! YOU were supposed to look after our children. YOU were supposed to make sure they both succeed. But look at them now! Look what happened! And now you blame me?!
MOTHER: Yes I blame you! If you were around more often, Goody will know there’s someone other than me who expects great things from her! You think I don’t know our daughter? She thinks all I want is to brag to people about her achievements! She thinks I put pressure on her just to make her miserable! And Ashwinder- Useless boy! He looks up to you and you just-
FATHER: (Interjects.) ME? You just let him be! You never watch out for that boy’s studies or career path-
MOTHER: (Talks over father.) But you only care about Goody. If you were home more often, I could’ve looked after Goody and you could’ve looked after Ash- Then neither of our children would...
FATHER: (Interjects with a louder voice.) I'LL tell you the problem. The problem is YOU are too overbearing towards Goody and neglected Ashwinder!
MOTHER: SO ARE YOU! If you aren’t busy with work, you’re busy talking to Goody about her studies and her job! And Ashwinder- (Chokes on her words and tears her head away guiltily, face scrunching up in pain.)
(Tensed silence fills the room. FATHER and MOTHER face away from each other, a significant distance separating them.)
The TV blares, interrupting them: “BREAKING NEWS: 30 year old prostitute was found dead on the fourth floor of a hotel along Brickfields.” (Off stage, the announcer reads this aloud.)
(Father and mother stop and all emotion drains from their faces as they both stare at the TV. They say nothing, slowly walk out as funeral music starts playing.)
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