by Adam Brace
Anne-Marie Am I just a terrible mother?
Suzanne (sighs) No.
Anne-Marie Did I raise you so wrong?
Suzanne Fine I’ll stay, just don’t expect me to talk to anyone.
She walks away. Anne-Marie storms into the kitchen.
In the lounge: Stef and Nounou.
Stef My father was, father was the big one for me.
Nounou When you lose your father?
Stef I was twenty-seven. Hit me so hard. Basically quit my job.
Nounou He was a powerful man?
Stef Uh, I suppose he was.
Nounou I can see this actually. What was his job?
Stef Businessman, farmer, hard to say
Nounou Farmer? Where?
Stef Uh, Kenya.
Nounou
Nounou nods in comprehension.
Stef You know, all we actually need is for you to come along and vote on one day. Tomorrow.
Nounou This is my community you ask me to be against. My church.
Stef Look at what they did to Anne-Marie. We can’t tell them those tactics work.
Nounou No, they know already it work.
Let me think.
Nounou goes for food. Stef surreptitiously looks at her smartphone.
Oudry ‘Why Men Pull Away.’
Here are ten reasons why men pull away from women
Stef (annoyed) Delete.
Stef catches Tony’s eye and indicates Suzanne. Tony shakes his head.
Stef shrugs at him (‘Worth a try?’). Tony shakes and mimes her height (‘She’s a child’). Stef approaches Suzanne anyway.
Hello again. I’m so sorry about your grandfather. It’s really hard.
Suzanne He was old, he was always gonna die.
Stef Did you ever visit where he came from?
Suzanne Nope.
Stef So you’ve never been to Congo?
Suzanne Mum doesn’t take me cos of school and. It’s not safe or whatever. But I reckon she enjoys it more on her own.
Stef I’m sure it’s not that. So you’re not dual nationality?
Suzanne Dunno.
Stef Do you have a Congolese passport?
Suzanne Just British. Why?
Stef It’s interesting, isn’t it. I was born in Kenya, but I don’t have a Kenyan passport.
Suzanne
Stef My thoughts are with you. Your mum’s a brilliant woman.
Stef gets up. Grimaces at Tony. Indicates for him to talk to Kevin.
Tony Can I talk to you about a Congolese festival?
Kevin I’d rather you didn’t, mate, to be honest.
Tony Okay. Are you, are you Congolese?
Kevin No, mate, I’m just at work.
Tony Oh, you’re the copper?
Kevin nods. Tony taps the side of his nose: ‘Your secret’s safe.’
Tony returns to Stef and shakes his head.
Stef. Why didn’t you invite me to your dad’s funeral? We got on.
Stef Quiet affair. Everyone was angry we didn’t observe his burial wish.
Tony Are you angry with those Kenyans for saying he couldn’t be buried there?
Stef No. Because they didn’t.
That’s just what I told my family. I decided. He didn’t belong there.
Outside the flat. Maurice is about to knock. Luis pulls him back.
Luis
Maurice
Luis
Maurice
Luis
Maurice
Luis
Maurice knocks. Nounou opens the door.
Nounou
Maurice
Nounou
Maurice
Nounou
Luis
Nounou ‘Blessed is he who perseveres under trial.’
Luis Indeed.
Nounou I hope it goes to trial.
They enter the lounge. Anne-Marie nods to Kevin that these are the men.
Anne-Marie
Maurice
Anne-Marie
Maurice
Luis
He helps himself to food.
Maurice
Anne-Marie
Maurice
Luis
Maurice and Luis exchange an angry look.
Nounou
Luis
Maurice
Brother Luis.>
Luis
Maurice leaves the flat.
Luis nods cordially to Stef, who nods back, steely.
Nounou stares at Luis. And walks away to find Stef.
Nounou I will come tomorrow.
Stef Brilliant!
Stef gestures to Tony: ‘One.’ Luis approaches Stef.
Luis Miz Cartwright. I’m very sorry to hear of your trouble.
Stef We’ve had quite a lot of trouble, you’ll have to be specific.
Luis Your festival is not to happen.
Stef Where did you hear that?
Luis Everybody knows. Not enough Congolese for your Congolese festival.
Stef Sorry to disappoint you, the festival is going ahead.
Luis Is that so?
Stef It is.
Luis Very good, like brother Malcolm X. (Laughs.) ‘Any means necessary.’
Tony Hi. Tony Jarman, we met when we had you ejected from the press launch.
Luis Miz Cartwright, you look well today, your complexion, you use a special product for this?
Luis addresses the room.
Some warm laughter.
Anne-Marie Thanks for your words / brother.
Luis
Victor
Luis
Victor
Anne-Marie There’s no problem.
Luis
Nounou
Victor
Anne-Marie
Luis This man Victor is true Congolese. So Congolese, he doesn’t even have the British passport. He is illegal! I pay my British taxes. I am proud to do it, they took me when our country was stolen. Do your Parliament friends know how you live in London? About your tax?
Stef It’s none of our bus
iness.
Anne-Marie
Victor Apologise to Mama, Anne-Marie.
Anne-Marie
Luis
Kevin Right I don’t understand a word of this but back off.
Victor Apologise!
Luis
Anne-Marie Stephanie? When is your meeting?
Stef Tomorrow.
Anne-Marie I see you there.
Nounou starts clapping, Stef and Tony join in. Oudry plays his thumb-piano?
Luis
Victor swings at Luis, misses and Luis hits him to the ground.
Kevin Police! Don’t move! You are under arrest for assault, endangering the safety of those around you. Turn around and present your arms behind your back. Now!
With calm dignity, Luis allows himself to be arrested. Kevin takes Luis away.
The scene disperses leaving Suzanne and Anne-Marie alone in the lounge. Later …?
Suzanne
Anne-Marie
Suzanne
Anne-Marie
Suzanne I know a bit, Jeez I’m not deaf.
Anne-Marie How you mean, not deaf?
Suzanne
Anne-Marie
Suzanne
Anne-Marie
She wraps her daughter up in her arms.
But I must go tomorrow. Last time.
NINETEEN
THE WORST THING
Stef stands alone tapping on her tablet. As the meeting is built around her.
Oudry Dear Congolese friends. Excuse the group email – this is a plea to any of you to attend tomorrow’s meeting. Or CongoVoice festival will not go ahead. I urge you to back this imperfect event, this imperfect attempt.
Thank you, Stephanie Cartwright
In the meeting room, Fred, Jenny, Stef and Samo are all waiting, fiddling with smartphones or tablets. People look around awkwardly.
Tony enters.
Tony Sorry, not started have we?
Fred Nope, we’re waiting for three Congolese people to make anything we say matter.
Jenny I’m afraid it might be more complicated than that. I believe Jeremy has emailed you.
Stef Today? My email’s been on the blink.
Stef starts checking her smartphone but thinks better of it.
Look, let’s do what we can without the full committee here. We have some brilliant news: the festival has sold out
Fred Well, I could’ve told you that.
Stef Yes, the tickets have sold out, Fred. There was a surge after the actor Harry Jandrell tweeted.
Now circumstances permitting we need to vote to sign off on all the costs and pay them tonight.
Jenny Shouldn’t we first talk about what Jeremy from Streetchild has said?
Fred StreetChild’s money is still twenty per cent of our budget.
Stef Jeremy hasn’t turned up, we can spend his money for him.
Jenny Pains me to say, but it’s not the worst thing in the world this festival being called off.
Stef No, the worst thing in the world is what the festival’s about.
Jenny Do check your emails, Stephanie.
Stef goes to check her mails.
Stef ‘Deep Tissue Massage 54% off.’
‘Viagra best price in market.’
Nounou enters. She is welcomed by the room.
Followed by Anne-Marie in an elegant eye-patch. The room rises to her.
Fred Very brave, I hope it’s not been in vain.
Samo We are close, but still need
Anne-Marie Another Congolese, yes.
Stef (to Anne-Marie) Did anyone get back to you?
Anne-Marie Sorry.
Stef has accessed her emails.
Oudry ‘Amount won 5 million dollars!’
‘CongoVoice withdrawal.’
‘Prime land can be yours.’
Stef Back.
Oudry ‘CongoVoice Withdrawal. Jeremy, Streetchild.’
Stef Open.
Oudry (sings in an increasingly disturbed way) In disappointment at the festival’s lack of concern for Kinshasa street children. Its unwillingness to consult. We will be pulling all of our funds from CongoVoice Festival and campaign with immediate effect.
Stef
Guys?
It looks like it’s over.
Reaction. General disappointment.
Victor enters.
Victor This looks the place.
Stef Victor!
Nounou Maybe not finished yet!
Tony Yes!
Fred Oh good for you
Anne-Marie Brother, do you mean this?
Victor Those men don’t decide what we do.
Tony You bloody hero, Victor.
Nounou
Anne-Marie
Victor
Nounou
Victor
Anne-Marie
Victor
Anne-Marie and Victor look at each other. Anne-Marie looks away.
But I will be here for the festival.
Anne-Marie So it’s not over
Jenny I’m afraid it is. I was copied in to an email I think Stephanie’s just got.
Stef First you’ve heard of it, I’m sure
Jenny The festival is thousands of pounds shy. It’s very regrettable.
Disappointed general reaction.
Victor You said just come and I have come!
Anne-Marie Always. The same.
Oudry Don’t look at the wound.
Stef is looking at her smartphone.
Stef Hold on.
Oudry ‘Naturally Low Blood Pressure.’
Stef No, there’s a new donor.
Samo Money is through organisations, not donors.
Stef Giving his money to Anne-Marie’s organisation
Oudry ‘You Deserve a Walk-In Bathtub.’
Stef Who specifies it must go to this project.
Anne-Marie First time I know of this.
Stef It’s literally just come in.
Jenny From where?
Stef A good source
Oudry ‘Fat loss mega fat loss fat loss miracles.’
Jenny This is irregular in the extreme.
Fred It’s got to be done right, Stephanie.
Samo And the money is needed tonight.
Oudry ‘Free Pass to All Local Pussies!’
Stef Yes, it can be transferred tonight
Jenny Well, I hope your donor has another twenty thousand pounds.
Because we’re out too.
Stef
He. He does. He can cover it.
Tony What’s actually happening here?
Anne-Marie Who is this donor? Giving to my organisation?
Stef looks at her phone.
Stef It’s an anonymous donor.
Jenny No no no
Fred We can’t allow them, you know that
Stef It’s through Anne-Marie’s women’s group.
Jenny Even so, big donors need clearance
Samo We don’t allow anonymous
Fred How do we know they’re clean?
Stef It’s legit, I just can’t tell you who it is.
Fred You have to.
Tony No, you don’t need to say any more
Samo She does! Do not tell us our job, sir
Tony You don’t need to say anything, Stef, just
Jenny Name them.
Samo We have strict rules, they must be checked out.
Tony Let’s stop all this now
He gently takes Stef’s phone from her hands. Oudry moves outside the scene.
Stef I need that!
Fred Who are they?
Stef We’ll have it in cash tonight – Anne-Marie you’ll come get it with me?
Anne-Marie From who?
Jenny Absurd.
Fred Really you must
Tony Stef, let’s just drop it now
Anne-Marie Tell us, Stephanie, who it is.
Stef It’s my father.
Jenny Oh for
Samo Your father
Tony Stef, don’t say any more.
Stef There’s enough to cover the forty thousand pound shortfall.
Samo Did you not say he
Stef He would have wanted this.
Fred and Samo begin to pack up, embarrassed.
Victor
Nounou
Stef I’ll get it out in cash!
Tony Stef, please
Stef Tony, shut the fuck up and let me do this – Anne-Marie, will you come and process it?
Anne-Marie Why me?
Stef Because your organisation doesn’t have strict rules like they do.
Jenny (leaving) Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen.
Anne-Marie We cannot take your guilt money any more than the others.
Stef You can. He fucking made the money in Africa. Let’s give it back.
Victor Stephanie, none of us can process that donation
Stef Listen to me, okay – there are ways. This is something I know best about. There’s nothing stopping you taking this money.
Anne-Marie Okay.
I will accept the money.
Stef Brilliant! (Shouting at the door.) Jenny, it’s going through with or without you. Tony get everyone back, we need to vote.
Anne-Marie But if that money is in my organisation. It becomes my responsibility. And I would not spend it on your festival. I would send it to our women’s refuge in Goma – it would be gone tomorrow
Stef No, you said you supported this, supported me / you said.