Photo by Martin Péchy from Pexels
What is good among one people is an abomination with others.
– Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, 1958.
PLACE and TIME
A Chapel (stage right) denoted by a hanging stained glass window, a dumpster (stage left), and between the two a street on which there is a tall statue of Red Bull, initially concealed.
Present.
CHARACTERS
RED BULL, a male actor with the face of a bull and red hair that can cover most of his face when thrown forward.
A NUN.
A STREET VENDOR, with a vending cart.
A YOUNG WOMAN sitting on the street, begging, holding close to her what appears to be a baby wrapped in a blanket.
SCENE
Upstage center the STREET VENDOR stands behind a vending cart.
STREET VENDOR
[crying out] Fresh from the sea
The recovered, blue sea
For a life that will be, and well-nigh half free.
Twelve singles a dozen.
Fresh heads of lettuce.
Hearts of woe.
They’re not for sale.
They’re just for show.
RED BULL enters from stage left to throw the body of an animal into the dumpster. He then proceeds across the stage to the Chapel, stage right; lights dim; and in a spotlight RED BULL stands before the stained glass window.
RED BULL
Why O God, O Creator of what is good, I ask you:
Why would you allow them to conceive me, and leave me,
Under the Curse of Ọgbanje? [Oh BON Jay]
After all the babies dying they had, those empty birth parents of mine.
Why weren’t six enough for them? Why me? Am I a golden blind spot in your eye?
He drops to one knee, throws a handful of gold coins toward the window, stands, and leaves.
As RED BULL walks toward downstage center the NUN appears behind him, as out of nowhere. Lights return to normal, and she momentarily catches hold of his sleeve.
NUN
Please pardon me, Sir, but I heard you speak.
I couldn’t not hear what you said.
Please, if you will, tell me: What is Ọgbanje you spoke of? [Oh BON Jay]