 |
| Monday, May 18, 2009
The Mismatched Girl Writer : Yang Ming(this is an excerpt from Yang Ming's play, The Mismatched Girl. The protagonist enjoys wearing mismatched slippers and watching HDB lights. She befriends her neighbour, an old man, and they forge a sweet friendship.) From Act III, Scene 6 GIRL: Why do people cry and then laugh the next minute? Why people have to hate each other? Why do people love? Why does big animal only eat the small animal and not the other way round? Why can't dogs and cats live together? Why do people have to grow old? Why do people have to pretend everyday? Why they cannot be themselves? (The LITTLE GIRL continues her questioning in a fast pace till the OLD MAN couldn't keep up with her. At first, he thought the little girl was talking hysteria and nonsensical but later, he realises that she speaks in her innocent way) MAN: You ah, so many questions. I think it's time for you to go back home and have a good rest. GIRL: I have enough rest already. MAN: Then go home, ah girl. GIRL: No. I am not going home until you give me all the answers. MAN: But so many questions! How to answer? GIRL: Uncle, see there's so many neighbours sitting around here, you can ask them! (She points to the audiences and the old man urges the audiences to participate. He will ask till they help him with the answers) GIRL: Uncle, they have given you the answers. MAN: Ok, I know already. We have to cry then we know how to laugh. People hate each other because they cannot stand each other. People love each other because hate will only hurt them. It is normal that big animals eat small animals. Dogs and cats cannot stay together because their characters are incompatible. They will end up fighting. And naturally, we have to grow old. Then people act everyday because the world is like that. The world makes them like that. So they cannot be real. Correct? GIRL: Wrong! We cry then laugh because if we cry too long, we will die. Sometimes people hate each other because they know each other too well. People love because their hearts tell them to. Some big animals are scared of small animals, like an elephant is scared of a mouse. Dogs and cats can live with each other if you trained them to. People don't have to grow old. We can be young if we want to. People don't have to pretend all the time. If they don't like you, then don't friend them. MAN: (chuckles) That is very interesting. That is what the schools teach now? GIRL: (shakes head) So Uncle, don't be sad all the time. Ok . MAN: Life is beautiful when you are simple. But I am old man now. People like me have see a lot of things more than you. You are too young to know what is life. When you grow up, you will know. It's not always happily ever after. Ok, I'm going kopitiam to drink kopi and play chess with my friends. (He gets up from his seat and ready to exits but the LITTLE GIRL stops him) GIRL: No! Uncle, do you know what you can do besides that? You can help out in charity or join other activities or even marrying another woman. MAN: Choy! So old already! And I only love my wife. GIRL: (chuckles) Uncle, why old already means cannot do this and that? You don't have mummy and daddy to stop you from doing anything... not like me... MAN: You said you want to be an astronaut right? You think it's so easy ah? You want to go space right? (The OLD MAN chuckles) GIRL: My friends laugh at my ambition, just like you. MAN: You know... I believe you can be an astronaut. Just believe. I know you can do it. I will see you go up on the TV! GIRL: You think so? MAN: Of course. You must believe in yourself. GIRL: I want to but nobody believes in my dreams. I tell my friends and my parents and I tell them stories just like the way I tell you. But they just laugh at me. I always look stupid in front of them. MAN: I think they all got laughing gas inside them la. Ah girl, don't care about them, all of us are different - in sizes and talents. So don't compare or care what they say. You can be astronaut and a good storyteller. One day when you go up, you will come back and tell people of your stories. Ok? GIRL: You will be the first one to be told! MAN: Hahaha! Can, can... GIRL: You will wait for me, right? MAN: I will be a very very old man by that time! I'm not young anymore you know. The Mismatched Girl was played to full houses in its debut in 2007.
|
|
|
 |
 |