Act 1 - Scene 2
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 June 2019
Summary
(The scene opens with PRINCESS sitting on the table painting her nails. MAMARITI is asleep in her chair. LULU is preparing for school.)
LULU: I wandered lonely as a cloud … that floats on high, above vales and hills. When all at once I saw a crowd, a host of golden daffodils. Besides the lakes, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
(There is a knock on the door. Silence. PRINCESS doesn't move. Another knock. MAMARITI awakes with a start.)
MAMARITI: Kom in! (Knock.) Kom binne! (Knock.) Hey kom in, come in! (Knock.) Jislaaik. Well if you don't want to come in, fok off man! (She is now fully awake.) Princess, go and open the door.
PRINCESS: I'm busy.
MAMARITI: How my son can live with you I don't know. Lulu, open the door.
LULU: I'm busy, Ma. I'm studying.
MAMARITI: For crying out loud! Stand up and go and open the door! What is going on in this house?
LULU: (Going to the door.) I wandered lonely as a cloud … (Bangs her head.) … I wandered lonesome like a cloud … I'll never learn this thing.
(Enter RUTH, the Jewish girl from Yeoville. She is carrying two suitcases and seems prepared to move in. LULU, PRINCESS and MAMARITI draw back in surprise.)
RUTH: Hullo! I'm Ruth. (Silence.) Ruth Golden. (Silence.) I'm the Jewish girl. (Silence.) I wonder if this is the right address? (She scratches in her clutch bag.) 65 Gerty Street?
LULU: Yes?
RUTH: Well, I came in response to the advertisement …
Where shall I put my things?
LULU: Look, who are you?
PRINCESS: Yes, this is Sophiatown you know.
RUTH: Yes, I know. I've come in response to the advertisement.
(Enter MINGUS and CHARLIE.)
MINGUS: Hey, hey what's going on? What's happening?
LULU: This lady seems to think she's moving in.
RUTH: Yes, well …
MINGUS: Listen, lady, who are you and what do you want?
(CHARLIE, who has followed MINGUS in, begins to paw TRUTH'S shoes. She pretends not to notice.)
RUTH: I'm Ruth Golden, the Jewish girl from Yeoville. I came in response to the advertisement.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- SophiatownA PLAY CREATED BY JUNCTION AVENUE THEATRE COMPANY, pp. 9 - 16Publisher: Wits University PressPrint publication year: 1993