Cadre

Omphile Molusi

• Editorial: Oberon Books
• Año: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781783195442
• Edición: 1
• Categoría: Littérature
• Categoría: Théâtre britannique

Countries go through times of turmoil when in transition from one state of governing to a new order. They consist of many giant and individual struggles. But what happens when the future you meet is not the one that you were expecting? Cadre is one such South African story of dreams and change.

SCENE 1 – GREGORY’S HOME

YOUNG GREGORY is preparing to go to school. Gunshots and TSHOMARELO running away from the shots. He jumps into YOUNG GREGORY’s window and hides as he peeps out the window.

YOUNG GREGORY: Abuti [Brother] Tshomarelo!

TSHOMARELO: Shhhh! (Peeps out the window.)

YOUNG GREGORY: Are you coming back home, abuti?

TSHOMARELO: Not now Ma laitie [youngster], the time will come.

YOUNG GREGORY: Let me call Mama. She hasn’t seen you in a long time!

TSHOMARELO: No, you can’t tell Mama I was here. Okay? Promise me. (YOUNG GREGORY nods.) I see you every day, my laitie. Every day I stand there by the corner and I see you. Even if it’s risky, I make sure I come to see you. If I can’t I send my comrades to come and check on you. I know you have a girlfriend now, Sasa. Here. (He takes out a paper.) For your girl. If you know it off by heart…she will love you forever. (They both laugh. He peeps out the window.)

TSHOMARELO: I have to go now. Take care. (He exits.)

YOUNG GREGORY: Take care, Abuti.

SCENE 2 – GREGORY’S HOME

YOUNG GREGORY: When I saw you first time, instead of my brain, my heart started thinking. For one minute my eye stopped blinking. Doctors told me that it’s a love infection. Iyo! Ya! This is the one. (He holds an imaginary lover in front of him and practises the words. He speaks in a seducing voice.) When I saw you first time…no! (He tries another tone of a seducing voice.) When I saw you first time… Eish! (He holds the imaginary lover close to his chest and tries a different tone of a seducing voice.) Happy birthday my sweet sweetest love. Doctors told me that it’s…

MATILE:Gregory!

YOUNG GREGORY: It’s the last day of school, Papa, being late doesn’t count.

MATILE: Boy!

YOUNG GREGORY: Okay, I’m almost finished. What else?

VOICE: (A sweet young girl’s voice.) If you buy me a present, I’ll give you a kiss on the mouth.

YOUNG GREGORY: (Smiles.) A present! I didn’t buy one. (He contemplates for a beat then quickly opens a drawer and takes out a necklace. He looks at it.) Beautiful! (He convinces himself.) Mama won’t notice. She hasn’t worn them since I was born. (MMA enters.)

MMA:Gregory!

YOUNG GREGORY: (Startled. He quickly hides the necklace.) Ma!

MMA: What are you still doing…?

YOUNG GREGORY: Nothing.

MMA: What’s wrong with you? You want your father to start shouting again. (She gives him a school tie.)

YOUNG GREGORY: No, Mama, I don’t like that one. I want the one Abuti Tshomarelo bought me.

MMA: Hey! Shh! You want your father to get angry. You will not see that tie again because your father burnt it.

MATILE: (MATILE enters.) I’m not going to repeat myself boy. (YOUNG GREGORY puts on the tie MMA gave him then runs out.)

SCENE 3 – THE STREETS

YOUNG GREGORY calls SASA.

YOUNG GREGORY: Sasa! Sasa!

YOUNG SASA: Gregory. (They smile at each other.)

YOUNG GREGORY: Hello!

YOUNG SASA: Hi!

YOUNG GREGORY: Happy birthday.

YOUNG SASA: (Blushes.) Come. I don’t want to be late on the last day of school. You want to be punished on the last day of school? (YOUNG GREGORY hesitates, then shakes his head.) Then come. (She grabs his hand and runs off with him. She starts singing, YOUNG GREGORY joins her.)

SONG: (As they sing they will do a little choreography with YOUNG GREGORY’s belt.)

Into yami ngiyaithanda noma isel’uchwala

Yangisebenzela ithandwa yimi…

(As they run, YOUNG GREGORY takes out his piece of paper from the magazine and starts reading it, practising how he’s going to say it to SASA.)

YOUNG GREGORY: (To himself.) When I say…saw you first time…

YOUNG SASA: What?

YOUNG GREGORY: (Startled.) What…ha? Nothing. (Gunshot! A wounded man runs in.)

BEX: Help!

YOUNG GREGORY: Bro Bex! I know him!

YOUNG SASA: Asambe, let’s go, GREGORY. (YOUNG SASA pulls YOUNG GREGORY.)

BEX: GREGORY, help me! (BEX points at the belt that YOUNG GREGORY is holding.) Please! (YOUNG GREGORY tries to hand the belt over to BEX. YOUNG SASA pulls YOUNG GREGORY away from BEX.)

YOUNG SASA: Come. They will arrest us.

YOUNG GREGORY: Wait! I know him.

BEX: The belt…the belt…help me with your belt! (YOUNG GREGORY gives BEX the belt. BEX tries to tie it around his thigh but he struggles. YOUNG GREGORY helps him.)

YOUNG SASA: Gregory!

BEX: (YOUNG GREGORY pulls him up.) Be careful, young lions, the streets never sleep. Beware of the Crocodile. (BEX staggers away from them. YOUNG GREGORY keeps staring at BEX as he disappears away from them.)

YOUNG SASA: He’s one of the Potch Gevaar [Potchefstroom Danger, a paramilitary unit].

YOUNG GREGORY: My brother told me it’s good to help people.

YOUNG SASA: My mother says the Potch Gevaar kill people.

They are the PAC [Pan Africanist Congress].

YOUNG GREGORY: No, they are only defending us from the government.

YOUNG SASA: My mother says they are only causing more trouble for us. She says we must just do what we are told, for peace’ sake.

YOUNG GREGORY: My brother said there was always peace until they came up with the laws, the passbooks. He asked me: what will you do if someone comes...