The Jester's Dilemma and Man of God
by
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ACT ONE
SCENE 1
(Cape Coast, Ghana in the 1960's. The action takes place in the kitchen-cum-dining room and the sitting room in BEN’s bungalow. Upstage - The dining room opens into the sitting room, separated by a curtain. There is a table with two chairs around. There are two windows at the back of the room. Downstage - The kitchen is neatly arranged. There are two cupboards on either side; the left one contains the provisions, the right one the cooking utensils. The refrigerator is perched at the left corner, the gas cooker on the right side, and the sink in the middle. There is a table in the dining room, with two chairs around it. There are two doors. The right one leads to the bedrooms and sitting room, the left one to the outside.
PETER is sitting in the dining room, dozing, and snoring audibly. There is a broom lying in front of him. SAMMY enters from the right door, wearing an apron and a cap, holding a sugar bowl. He stops short and calls PETER.)
SAMMY: Peter! Peter! Pick up the broom and sweep the room. (SAMMY puts the sugar bowl on the table, picks up the broom, and hands it to PETER.) Take the broom and sweep the room. I don’t tell you to come here and sleep. (SAMMY exits by the right door. A moment later, he re-enters and finds PETER weakly clinging to the broom, snoring audibly.) Peter! Peter! (SAMMY stamps the floor in disgust.) Gush! (PETER opens his eyes and cranes his head here and there. He closes his eyes and resumes snoring.) Peter, wake up and start sweeping the room. You hear me? (SAMMY approaches PETER and holds his ear, twitching it.) You’re not deaf, are you? Peter! Peter! Peter! What woman born you? You don’t pay me no attention. Why? (SAMMY exits by the right door. A moment later, he re-enters and finds PETER snoring. SAMMY stops to call Peter.) Peter! (SAMMY pours some water into a glass and sprinkles PETER, who rises and walks headlong against the wall, falling down. He recovers himself, grabs the broom, and disappears into the right door. SAMMY is disgusted with him. He lays the table, making careless mistakes such as misplacing the cutlery, or carrying the teapot to the bedroom. He realizes his mistakes, whines, and corrects them. BEN enters from the right door, glaring at him.)
BEN: Good morning, Sammy.
SAMMY: Morning, sir.
BEN (drawing chair back and sitting down): How do you feel?
SAMMY: I'm OK, sir.
BEN: Did you have a pleasant sleep?
SAMMY: Yes, sir.
BEN: Cheerful dreams?
SAMMY: Yes, sir.
BEN: But you don't look cheerful. (Pause.) Do you have any problem?
SAMMY: No, sir.
BEN: You're sure?
SAMMY: Yes, sir.
BEN: I wish you'd tell me.
SAMMY: Well, since you're pressing, I'll tell you. It's about Peter.
BEN: What has he done?
SAMMY: He got no respect for me. He clown about in the house, playing with me like his own kind. He think this is a theatre.
BEN: Does he entertain people here?
SAMMY: More than that. He is rude too.
BEN: I remember you made the same complaint to me some time ago.
SAMMY: Yes, sir.
BEN: And he has not changed?
SAMMY: No, sir. He is worse now. (Pause.) I want to send him away.
BEN: Why?
SAMMY: Because he is good for nothing.
BEN: What has he done lately?
SAMMY: Yesterday, I asked him to go to the Corner Store to buy me some table salt. You know what he brought?
BEN: No.
SAMMY: Rice.
BEN: Rice?
SAMMY: Yes, sir.
BEN: Maybe he didn't hear you well.
SAMMY: I repeat myself over three times.
BEN: So what did you tell him?
SAMMY: I ask him to return it. A moment later, he come back say the seller close.
BEN: You didn't believe him?
SAMMY: No. He hide himself somewhere and come up with that story.
BEN: Any other reason?
SAMMY: Plenty, but I can't tell all.
BEN: Well, you brought him here; if you want to get rid of him, I can't be in your way. However, I'd request you to stay your action until I return from work this afternoon, so that I can give him money for his passage home.
SAMMY: Yes, sir.
(A knock at the door. SAMMY goes to the left door and opens it. BAABA enters, looking melancholy.)
BAABA: Hello, Sammy.
SAMMY: Hello, Miss.
BAABA: Hello, cousin.
BEN: Hello Madam Bee-bug. What wind blew you here?
BAABA: The Harmattan.
BEN: Come sit down and let's have some breakfast.
BAABA: No, thank you.
BEN: Sit down and let's have something to eat.
BAABA: No, thank you.
BEN: Sit down.
BAABA: No.
BEN: You can't stand and watch me eat.
BAABA: Would that offend you?
BEN: Of course.
BAABA: Then I'll sit down. (She sits down.)
BEN: Thank you.
SAMMY: Miss, how you feel?
BAABA: Like a drenched bird. (She sneezes.)
SAMMY: God bless you.
BAABA: Thank you. Oh, my cold.
SAMMY: You'll be all right.
BAABA: Thank you.
SAMMY: You want to see the doctor today?
BAABA: No. It's too early. Besides, I have other problems.
SAMMY: It's never too early to see a doctor, Miss.
BEN: She is afraid of injection.
BAABA: Who is afraid of injection?
BEN: You.
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About the Book
The Jester’s Dilemma
Man of God depicts a conflict between man and forces of nature. Set in Moree, a village in Ghana, the play hinges on Sam, a lay Preacher whose child is dying from an unknown disease. Bonso, a witch doctor, divines that the child is bewitched, and demands sacrifices to appease the evil spirits who are responsible. But Sam dismisses this as pure superstition, and puts Bonso out. The child’s illness worsens and death seems imminent. Sam debates with himself whether to give in to Bonso’s demands, or cling to his faith in God. Man of God was first produced at The American Theater of Actors, New York, in November 1986. It was later produced at Samuel Beckett Theater, New York, in November 1998.
About the Author
A native of Ghana, Kweku Andoh-Menson taught Writing, African Literature, and African Folklore at State University of New York (Empire State College), in Brooklyn. He studied Dramatic Writing at Brooklyn College, City University of New York. His two other plays, The Temple (about child abuse), and Spare the Rod (about school violence), will be published soon.