Portfolios 1 Writing Assignment: Play One: Family Fued

Portfolios 1
Name
Institution
Portfolios 1
Play One: Family Fued
Cast
David (Father): The father who toils to see to it that his children go to school.
Magdalene (Mother): Primarily charged with taking care of the home.
Joshua (Son): Never feels that he needs to worry about his studies. He does not like his parents telling him to study.
Susan (Daughter): Like his brother, they are not good at school.
Synopsis
A family argument about the school performance of the daughter and the son turns tragic. Setting
The living room of Mr. David.
David (Turns to Magdalene): At what time are the kids arriving from school? I have errands to run, but I can’t leave without seeing their performance this term. Total waste of money.
Magdalene: I have told you times without number that you need to take it easy. I am sure the kids are trying their best.
David (Looking surprised): Trying their best? Your reasoning leaves me perplexed. Sometimes I wonder whether those kids are really mine. I was never that stupid in class.
(Magdalene turns to him angrily, but before she can utter any word, the door opens and Susan is the first to enter followed by Joshua).
Magdalene: How was the performance this term kids.
Joshua: Normal. It is like the teachers have a hidden agenda against us. Father, did you ever wrong our teachers?
David: (Murmurs to himself) Total waste of money. (Turns to Joshua shouting) you are old enough to get married instead of wasting my money in school. You deserve punishment together with your little brat sister.
Susan (To no one in particular): I have only taken after my parents. Why am I expected to perform at school when none of you was ever bright?
David: You little! I should have married you off to that old man.
Susan: It would have been better than having to go to school.
David: (Tries to slap Susan but misses). You are good for nothing, I wish you can be all gone and leave me in peace.
Joshua: (Turns to his father): Never lay a filthy hand on my sister!
(The two men are up in arms, sizing each other up. Joshua tries to get himself free and pushes his father away. He hits his head on the wall and lays still).
Magdalene (Runs to the aid of her husband and discovers he is not breathing): What have you done? You have killed your father.
Joshua: I have not. The Oldman looked frail and was always at the point of death.
(Magdalene can’t take the shock of her husband’s death and how the kids are free spirited about it. She clutches her lungs gasping for air. Unable to breathe, she falls and lays still).
Susan: (Turns to Joshua): Cheers to freedom.
The play ends with the two leaving the scene unconcerned about what the future holds, but happy that no one will bother them with school matters anymore.
Play Two: Prodigal Daughter
Cast
Roseline (Matron): She is responsible for taking care of the kids at the children’s home.
Winnie (Social Worker): Deals with cases concerning ladies at the home.
Marianne (The Lost Girl): The girl that runs away from home to nowhere in particular.
Joseph (Father to Marianne): Follows up on the case of his lost daughter.
Synopsis
Joseph gets a call that his lost daughter has been found at the children’s home. He is called to come and take her home, but before that, they have to solve issues with the matron to know why she ran from home and how she can be helped.
Setting
The setting of the play is in the matron’s office.
[Joseph arrives at the children’s home having travelled a long distance from upcountry. He looks tired and worn out. Marriane is elated to see her father and runs into his arms].
Roseline: Welcome Mr. Joseph, sorry for the long journey.
Joseph: It’s no problem. I am most thankful to you for taking care of my daughter. I was a little worried about her. Tell me, how did you people find her? I have looked everywhere to no avail.
Winnie: Marianne was brought to us by the police. She reported there that she was lost. She can be a stubborn girl. She initially indicated that she had no parents. It has been difficult getting information from her.
Joseph: [Looks at Marianne with astonishment]. Marianne, can you tell me why you left home to this far land?
Marianne: [Looking unconcerned]. I had no reason to leave home. In fact, I came here to do nothing.
Joseph: [Turns to Roseline and Winnie]. This girl had no reason to leave home. I have never laid a finger on her. She is supposed to be going to high school. The only problem I know of is that she was never at peace with the school we chose for her. But I explained to her that we could never afford her school of choice. I thought she would understand.
Roseline: [Turns to Marianne angrily]. Why would you stress the old man? We want to help you, but we need to know why you left home and what plans you had. Did you leave home with anybody?
Marianne: No.
Winnie: What did you come to do in the city?
Marianne: Nothing.
Joseph: [Snaps at Marianne]. You can say you had no reason for leaving home and you had nothing you wanted to do in the city. Do you take us for fools? Look little girl, you either tell me the truth or I send you to an approved school.
[Marianne is startled at the thought of going to an approved school, she begins to talk]
Marianne: There was a man. He convinced me to leave home. I had only known him for a week. He said he would take me to the city and pay my fees. We boarded the bus together, but I never saw him alight. That is why I decided to report to the police in the morning.
Joseph: [Looking surprised]. How could you leave home with a total stranger? Are you demented?
[Marianne goes silent, too ashamed to speak].
Winnie: We are going to let you off the hook only this time. If we ever find out that you ran away from home again, we would send you to an approved school.
[They leave the scene with Marianne and her dad holding tight together]
Play Three: No One is Perfect
Cast
Yemi (Husband to Genevieve)
Genevieve (The wife of Yemi)
Fidel (Husband to Carren)
Carren (Wife of Fidel)
Synopsis
Fidel and Carren are having issues with Yemi’s household. They think that their neighbors are using too much parking space and their music is always too loud. But the turn of events leads to uncovering of hidden secrets that threaten to tear the families apart.
Setting
Yemi’s living room.
[There is a knock at Yemi’s door as Fidel and Carren are let in by Genevieve].
Genevieve: Come in and have a seat.
[The Fidels enter and take their seats. They turn around and look around at the wonder of the sitting room].
Yemi: How can we help you?
Fidel: Actually, we are having an issue with the way you have been parking. It leaves us no room to park our cars. And the noise, you can tell your wife to tone it down a little.
Genevieve: Actually, your wife makes the loudest noise in this neighborhood with her loud music.
Carren: That’s a lie. How can you even suggest that? No wonder your husband never knows about your drinking attitude. You are just a perennial liar.
[Yemi turns to his wife surprised].
Yemi: You mean you have been drinking here under my roof?
Genevieve: No darling! I just put a little whisky in the coffee to make it drinkable. But why am I the only one being treated as the devil here? Carren, can you tell your husband about the mourning that comes from your house when he is at work.
Fidel: [Turns to his wife with a little node]. You mean you have been cheating on me?
Carren: No darling. There is no man involved. It’s just that you leave me dissatisfied in bed. I can never cheat on you, I just used the toys.
Fidel: Why did you not tell me?
[Yemi laughs hysterically. He is happy that it is not just his wife that is being seen as a villain].
Fidel: [Turns to Yemi]. So you think this is funny? Have you ever told your wife how you used to belong to gang groups in college?
[Genevieve t...