The Moors

Tonderai Munyevu

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781350204621
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Theatre Playwriting

Two migrants both alike in dignity in this city where we lay our dreams. Two men arrive in London looking for Shakespeare. They say they are from Balaika, Africa. They have passed through fire to be here and are determined for the great man to hear their stories. Alas, Shakespeare is dead! However, his theatre still stands. Soon they find themselves swept up and placed on stage in front of an expectant audience. Fame, fortune and love awaits... But, can they survive the increasingly hostile environment? In triumphantly energetic Southern African style, two actors play men, women and immigration police to portray this funny yet moving story of love, friendship, and ambition. Published in Methuen Drama's Plays For Young People series, this edition features resources for teachers and students, including an introduction by Sonia Massai, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Kings College London, and a contextual response to the play in production by the author.

Act 1

Looking for Shakespeare

1.1

Ready for Battle

Actor One It all started one rainy day in south London.

Actor Two Two migrants sitting in a tent pondering life in the diaspora . . .

Sir Tom One

Tom Cowbury-Smith here. Or, if you like, ‘Sir Tom’.

Thank you, beloved members of the press.

It’s gratifying to have you here, and now:

This day is one of great excitement for me.

As we announce something extraordinary.

We are to host a splendid fundraiser!

Of course the details are not ready yet,

But here’s the headline: it’s designed to show

The power of art in motion, I dare say

You will dig deep into your pockets. And

Do rest assured it will prove true the adage

That Shakespeare is alive and kicking. Thank you!

Actor One TJ and Tonde react with astonishment to this news.

Actor Two THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.

Actor One They pack up their ‘home’, a tent.

We see the two of them pack their bags, singing (‘Nants Ingonyama’, The Lion King song), as we travel with them to Shakespeare’s Globe, London.

1.2

Major Barbara

TJ OK, alright, I will go in, stay here.

Tonde Remember, keep calm, TJ.

TJ Oh my God, she’s there, she’s there . . . there’s a woman, I can’t, I can’t . . . you go, go in!

Tonde Hello! Is this the . . . er. . . Shakespeare’s theatre? The Shakespeare’s Globe?

Actor One We meet ‘Major Barbara’!

Actor Two Busty, nervous, northern . . .

Barbara Two Oh yes, love.

What can I do for you?

Tonde Is this the home of Shakespeare?

Barbara Two Oh yes, love!

Well, in a manner of speaking . . . never thought of it like that but yes . . . it is the home of Shakespeare.

Tonde We would like to see Shakespeare.

Barbara Two Well, we have a matinee today of Richard III, an evening performance of The Merchant of Venice, tonight at . . .

Tonde Yes but we wanted to see Shakespeare himself.

Actor One Barbara laughs uproariously.

Actor Two I think she likes them.

Tonde TJ, why is she laughing?

TJ I think she’s . . . I think she is nervous.

Tonde We want to speak to Shakespeare himself, we hear that he is alive and kicking. I don’t think you should be laughing at us, eh!

TJ Madam, we’ve come from very far! Balaika! Do you know it?

Barbara One Er. . . I think I have heard of it . . . yes.’

TJ We are here to see Shakespeare.

Barbara One But Shakespeare doesn’t exist!

TJ What did you say?

Barbara One He’s dead.

TJ What?

Barbara One Four hundred years ago . . . but you can see the tour, and you might also be able to see Richard III and The Merchant of Venice, and in the education department there’s workshops on ‘Female Artistic Directors of the Future’. Which one would you like to see?

TJ Shakespeare. Is. Dead?

Barbara One Yes.

TJ Dead?

Barbara One Yes, love.

TJ Nooo!

Begins to cry.

Do you know how far we have come? We’ve come all the way from down south, through the tropical central jungles, through deserts upon deserts, onto many boats, through perils on the high seas, into the dim and dark back of lorries, trains, buses and now a very confusing walk up the South Bank to tell him our stories and you tell us that he is ‘dead’?

Uncontrollable crying.

Barbara One Sorry, love, please stop crying.

TJ He is dead, dead, dead!

Barbara One Oh dear, oh dear . . .

TJ Don’t tell people these things!

Barbara One Oh no! Sir Tom? Sir Tom . . .

Actor Two Barbara runs off to find Sir Tom.

Tonde That worked.

TJ She said he was dead. She didn’t have to say it like that, man.

Tonde Yes, but stop crying now – she’s talking to Sir Tom . . .

Now she is crying, wringing her hands like a Bantu woman by the river . . .

Sir Tom is comforting her . . . they are pointing here . . .

He is coming here!

Oh my God: Sir. Tom. Cowbury. Smith. Is. Coming. Here.

To. Speak. To. Us!

TJ Shoosh!

1.3

Sir Tom and the Boys

Actor One Sir Tom Cowbury-Smith.

Sir Tom One Oh dear, what’s happening here? Are you alright, old chap?

TJ begins to cry uncontrollably.

TJ I’m sorry, she . . . .

She . . . .

Sir Tom One Pull yourself together, man! What is going on?

TJ We came here looking for Shakespeare but this woman has just told us that Shakespeare . . . is dead!

Sir Tom One Of course Shakespeare is not dead.

TJ Thank you! Thank you! That’s what we said!

Sir Tom One SHAKESPEARE IS ALIVE AND KICKING.

TJ So why did she say that he was dead?

Sir Tom One Well, I suppose people have different ways of looking at it.

TJ Amen!

Sir Tom One But we here at his home can prove it!

TJ We like Shakespeare.

Sir Tom One We like him too.

TJ I mean we really like him.

Sir Tom One Us too.

TJ The things he writes about . . . he’s like . . . a journalist!

Sir Tom One Yes, I suppose you could call him that.

TJ But . . .

Launching into his story, accompanied by drums (which is very similar to the story of the play Othello) in his native language (Yoruba). Actor One translates it to Sir Tom (an audience member as designated stand-...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Characters
• Prologue
• Act 1
• Act 2
• Act 3
• Act 4
• Act 5
• Epilogue
• eCopyright