Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Glossary and translation
- Images from production
- Ulwembu: the play script
- Prologue: Our story
- Scene 1 Behind the police station
- Scene 2 The police station, captain's office
- Scene 3 The school yard
- Scene 4 Portia's house
- Scene 5 Behind Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 6 Behind Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 7 The police station
- Scene 8 Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 9 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 10 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 11 Portia's house
- Scene 12 Bongani's house
- Scene 13 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 14 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 15 Bongani's house
- Scene 16 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 17 Sipho's room
- Scene 18 Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 19 Captain's office
- Scene 20 Behind the police station
- Scene 21 Bongani's house
- Scene 22 Portia's house
- Scene 23 Captain's office
- Scene 24 Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 25 On the street
- Epilogue: Our story
- Notes
- The Authors
Scene 4 - Portia's house
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 May 2019
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Glossary and translation
- Images from production
- Ulwembu: the play script
- Prologue: Our story
- Scene 1 Behind the police station
- Scene 2 The police station, captain's office
- Scene 3 The school yard
- Scene 4 Portia's house
- Scene 5 Behind Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 6 Behind Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 7 The police station
- Scene 8 Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 9 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 10 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 11 Portia's house
- Scene 12 Bongani's house
- Scene 13 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 14 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 15 Bongani's house
- Scene 16 Outside Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 17 Sipho's room
- Scene 18 Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 19 Captain's office
- Scene 20 Behind the police station
- Scene 21 Bongani's house
- Scene 22 Portia's house
- Scene 23 Captain's office
- Scene 24 Emmanuel's sphaza shop
- Scene 25 On the street
- Epilogue: Our story
- Notes
- The Authors
Summary
SIPHO is sitting on the sofa watching television. PORTIA sneaks up behind him and conceals a package behind his chair.
PORTIA: How are you, my boy?
SIPHO: I'm not a boy anymore, Ma.
PORTIA: You're right, you're a big man now. [Pause.] 17 years … today?
SIPHO [annoyed]: 16 … yesterday.
PORTIA: Yesterday? Happy Birthday.
SIPHO: You forgot!
PORTIA [wearily]: When you work so many night shifts in a row you lose track of what day it is. I'm tired.
SIPHO: I'm tired too …
PORTIA: They're putting pressure on me at the station. [Pause.]
SIPHO: Tired of hearing how tired you are, Ma.
PORTIA: Rub your mamma's shoulders?
SIPHO: No, Ma.
PORTIA: I've been running after tsotsis all week. That bulletproof vest has been hurting my shoulders.
SIPHO: Does this mean I get a raise in my pocket money?
PORTIA: R10.
SIPHO: R20.
PORTIA: R20!!!
SIPHO: And you pay upfront.
PORTIA: Upfront? [She removes her purse and giveshim R20.] Come … come. [She pats her shoulders impatiently. SIPHO starts to massage them.] How is school going?
SIPHO: Ma, I don't want to go back to school anymore … it's a waste of time.
PORTIA: But you are doing so well. Usufuna ukuba uskhotheni, uhlale ema-tuckshop ufuqa amagwinya? [You want to be a skhotheni hanging around the tuck shop eating gwinyas all day?]
SIPHO: No Ma, I want to be a musician. They are not teaching me anything that interests me.
SIPHO squeezes PORTIA's shoulders a bit too hard.
PORTIA: Ai! Gentle umfana wami. Did you make us some dinner?
SIPHO: There was nothing in the fridge.
PORTIA: Nothing? Shall I make us a sandwich?
SIPHO: There's no bread.
PORTIA [confused]: But I went shopping …
SIPHO: A week ago! [Pause.] I'm a growing man.
PORTIA [laughing]: Ja, uyafuqa! With a grown-man's appetite. I'll take you out on my next night off, nê? We'll go to a restaurant to celebrate properly. [PORTIA remembers the packet she arrived with.] You really thought I forgot? I want you to open it.
SIPHO opens a box and reveals a pair of expensive looking red sneakers.
PORTIA: These are the ones you wanted, nê?
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- UlwembuEmpatheatre and the Big Brotherhood, pp. 13 - 15Publisher: Wits University PressPrint publication year: 2018