Act 1 - Scene 3
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 June 2019
Summary
(LULU is sitting on the floor trying to learn ‘The Daffodils’ by Wordsworth. JAKES watches as MINGUS and PRINCESS quarrel. MAMARITI sits quietly in a corner. FAHFEE sits at the kitchen table working on his gambling numbers.)
PRINCESS: Ek soek haar nie hier nie. Mingus, hoe kan jy so maak? Let this Jewish girl just move in? As jou my like, Mingus, you'll get rid of her.
MINGUS: Listen my angel, my princess, ek mnca jou, okay, but you're driving me mad. If you don't shaddup I'll have to crack you up.
PRINCESS: How can you let her stay here? We don't know who she is. You don't listen to me - you only listen to Jakes.
MINGUS: Look - you're just an American's tjerrie, and that means you shaddup and listen or I'll have to cut you up.
PRINCESS: I know about these Jewish girls from Yeoville. They're spoilt. Their fathers give them lots of money - they do what they like. They've all got nannies. Well, I'm not going to be anybody's nanny.
LULU: You're just jealous.
MINGUS: Look, I brought you here. I give you dresses, I take you to bioscope, you're my princess. What else do you want?
PRINCESS: I want that Jewish girl out.
MINGUS: Shaddup or I'll have to cut your spinal off! I didn't bring you from your shack so you can complain.
LULU: I like her. I stared at her face all night. It glowed in the dark. It made me think of the line in this poem, ‘a host of golden daffodils'. I need help with this homework.
PRINCESS: I'll help you.
LULU: What do you know - you're just an American's tjerrie.
PRINCESS: I'll give you a good klap. How can you let her stay here? She doesn't belong here, man. She's a European. Europeans don't live in Sophiatown. It's a native location.
JAKES: It's a freehold suburb - no fences, no superintendent.
MINGUS: Ja, and this house is open. If I say she stays, she stays.
JAKES: Look, she's got guts. I need her. She's a hot story. How many others are there like her?
LULU: There's that white woman living with the police sergeant in Orlando.
JAKES: Regina Brooks.
MINGUS: Ja, she's alright.
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- Information
- SophiatownA PLAY CREATED BY JUNCTION AVENUE THEATRE COMPANY, pp. 16 - 24Publisher: Wits University PressPrint publication year: 1993