Under The Roof Of Nepal
Characters:
April - Domestically abused woman / years of age
Surya - Daughter of april / 5 years of age
Chandra Elliot - sort of like April's concealer and friend / years of age
Archan - Sex Slave trader and owner / years of age
Daman - Husband april, Father of surya / years of age
Junu- A little kid who bright suryas world in a place that all hope would be lost. / 7 years of age
Under The Roof of Nepal
Act 1 Scene #1
Chandra Elliot
Stage directions:
Chandra Elliot
“Yeah I know I'll be there... okay got it. See you soon... ‘Kay bye”
Another Case another day why can’t men just leave women alone. I’ve been an activist for a little over 7 years and not much has changed in men’s reasons to take over women because they feel as though the need to be a dominant figure in their life. They were always controlling and when someone didn’t agree with what they were doing and tried to escape, was when the man started to get viscous and threaten the wives loved ones and used violence to keep them with them. April... April.. a victim of domestic abuse who had a kid name... Surya.
APRIl
“I can’t believe how long that i have let this happen and go on for. What am i now? i no longer know who i am anymore.”
Chandra Elliot
“wait wait calm down” i told April, I'm not sure if i had any answers to her questions, but i had a feeling that i needed to answer these questions for myself as well.
Chandra Elliot
“April with all of the victims that i have encountered you are one of the strongest and more put together.”
Chandra Elliot
“it’s not your fault that you continued his relationship with him, you had no choice right? you were trying to protect Surya were you not?”
APRIL
“yes i was but..”
Chandra Elliot
“no buts look at me... April.. I'm so glad that you stood up for yourself the way you did, not many others could do that. you are strong willed that's why you rejected him in the end and he will never bother you again if i can help it.”
APRIL
“Thanks Chandra this really means a lot to me, but i still allowed him to do those things to me without a word of refusal... i. i”
Chandra Elliot
“What did i just tell you? Its not your fault many others have gone through your situation regret, just let me help
Act 2 Scene #2
Surya’s story:
Stage directions: There is a little girl in the corners hugging her knee’s to her chest with a teddy bear in between.
SURYA
“Mom!!”
I screamed with a new found power for my mom’s life
I knew that my father was abusive to my mother though there wasn’t much that I could do about that fact. I was defenseless to my father’s power since he was able to abuse my mother. I hated not being able to do anything. Especially since I loved my mother so dearly and wanted nothing but the best for her. She was my mother and our bond was unbreakable. The way my father was he would hurt anyone ,and he was over even though he was who we need protection from. I wanted the strength to be able to stand up for my self I had taken to the initiative to learn at least some self defense but none of it was enough to stand against my father. i believed in my mom and i hope that she knows this well. I was abused by her farther when I tried to stand up for my mother. no matter what I tried to tell others but they wouldn’t listen. it was forbidden to talk about domestic abuse and matters at home in public. I was unable to convey feelings with anyone. So it all bottled up inside of me. I tried writing down my feelings on slips of paper and putting the paper in a jar.
(she sitting in a corner against a wall with her hands around her legs. while looking up at the ceiling. teddy between her chest and legs.) Nothing was really working the only one I had to turn to was my teddy bear nat- tsu.
Scene #3
April’s story:
Stage directions: Standing center stage across from a male as her husband. There are two people on stage and they are standing across from each other. The male has his fist balled a he moves in to attack mode wit his fists raised over his head. The woman is cowering while standing and has her hands defensively in front of her face.
APRIL
The searing pain crawled across what I used to consider my face. I was thrown to the ground with the brute force of someone with hatred driven deep inside him. Tearing away what was left of my sanity and this relationship.
(april is groveling on the floor, tears streaming down her face)
It all started when I fell in love with the most handsome and sincere man I had ever met little did I know there was more hidden under this unbreakable mask of deceit.
(looking up at the ceiling in flashback)
He controlled me with the power of strings that tore away at my soul. Everything loosened its hold on me, as I was forced to loosen my hold on it. My loved ones, my place in life, my home, my self, and what I live for. It all became his, when I signed over myself to him. A contract of rules he created, a judicial system he stands by and acts upon.
When he decided to keep me all for himself (rest in notebook)
What did I do, a question that i ask my self frequently. It all became his , When i said those wretched words ‘i do’
His mouth seethed with the vigor to take over me, since he was the dominant type. That’s what attracted me to him; I wouldn’t have expected the brutal violent part of him. In my life I have made so many poor decisions. (smiling at the thought of Surya reaching into her shirt for her necklace, holding it close.) He gave me a baby and she was the most beautiful thing in my life. Surya I care so much about her yet because of my wrong choices in men and birth control that she was brought into this horrible relationship and at times she’d even seen her mom abused by her dad.
Just then realization caught through to me how can I protect my daughter and care about her so if I can’t even protect myself.(clenching her teeth and balling her fists. slowly standing up and walking closer to her husband) I seethed with the power to try and take command of part of myself thus this relationship in which I was always the victim left to feel power less and defenseless. Its time for me to change that and make him think twice before striking me again. Without a second thought my hand whipped out and bit hard across his face. He stood paralyzed from the shock of the fact that i just hit him. I flinched as he restored himself from his state of shock to realization, his words cut deep but I wouldn’t dare show it. (leaning towards her husband angrily with hand motions)
APRIL
“ Fine” I screamed catching my breath before thinking of what to say next.
Daman
“.....” (looks at april as if she’s lost her mind)
“I am tired of this, you striking me thinking its okay demeaning me to a point that I don’t even feel comfortable in my own body.” I inhaled not trying to rush the adrenaline pumping through my veins then exhaled.
DAMAN
“Shut up!! shut up!!” DON’T YOU DEAR TALK BACK TO ME WOMAN!!!” (Daman panicked scared to lose his sense of dominance)
APRIL
“I will not stand for it anymore either you get your act together seek help or I'm leaving with Surya.
DAMAN
(There was a puzzled look on his face like he couldn’t believe what was happening but I could I’m happy this was happening. (a wry smile crawls across her face)
APRIL
“You know what fuck us staying together i will leave you abusive and controlling son of a bitch” I could feel my face burning with heat. I balled my fist hard digging into my skin and they started to bleed.
DAMAN
“”
APRIL
“This is the one time I have ever stood up against you and it feels good i should done this along time ago... by the next time you will hear of me is when i spread the news of your sexual harassment and abuse and also to leave you forever” i sighed and listened to our fast paced breathing.
native music
Scene # 4
Archan:
Stage Directions:
Two men are outside a fruit stand walking towards each other thinking. there is are boxes on the floor the one on the left is the limes the one on the right are the pineapples.
ARCHAN
Sending new women to there destination everyday wasn’t an easy task. Not with the police bugging just any random person on the street about my business. The police try and persuade the people that i got to get there daughters to a different country, and the daughters family had no idea that they’d become prostitutes. I get paid a huge amount of money for finding Gorgeous women and children to give to there next owners. It’s a tedious job though i know the effect that it has on my fellow men I have plenty of women and indentured children from the awards of my work. One of my best friends now that i met around town while i was getting groceries. Our relationship all started when we ran into each other, at that fruit stand we both wanted the best apple. I tripped over the pineapples and he tripped over the limes and we collided. I was drawn to the dusty dirt road envisioning the the ground grimly smudging my white un-creased shirt. I hit the floor with a silent thud, disoriented i turned around to see how the other guy was doing. he was sitting on his butt. And.. laughing he was actually laughing, bubbly feeling swelled up in my stomach and i actually started to laugh out right. And at that moment all of my worries floated away in our enjoyment. We quickly became friends after that moment, we shared our views on life and women, sexism and it all. He never really was told what it was that i did for a living. It’s not like it really mattered though because our whole lives weren’t focused around our occupations. We were friends through the thick and thin and that how things stayed while he was married had children the whole thing.
native music of nepal
Music transition
Nepal native music of nepal
Act scene #5
JUNU
Walking along the dirt road i was shocked by the prettiness of all the building and flowers. I like to wander around town because i am an orphan and i don’t like staying at the shelter. It only brings back memories of loneliness and hardships. With the memories of our biological parents and all. The last time i saw my mother was when she gave me away and i was one so i don’t remember much but i never thought she would have done this to me. I just need someone to make me feel better about myself because the way things are, and how i was handled i don’t think i can take it any longer. Though i try to smile all my worries away but it seems to help others more than me. A flash of a dress caught my eyes as it flew farther away.
JUNU
“wait!”
i reached my hand out as she flew farther away. Not sure whether she heard me enough but sure enough she turned around. Awestruck i gaped at her dazzling features; her long dark silky almost black hair. her huge sparkling brown eyes and her eyes were crinkling with excitement. In just one look it felt like she just lit up my whole world.
SURYA
“hunh?” (surya turns around)
JUNU
“hi”
SURYA
“Hi”
(smiles at junu)
JUNU
“um are you from around here?”
SURYA
“Yes, maybe be to that’s cool”
JUNU
“You are cool too ”
SURYA
“Where are you mommy and daddy?”
JUNU
“were are my parent i don’t know” (and a grim looked showed on his face)
SURYA
“Hmm?..” (She looked at him questioning and curiosity in her eyes)
JUNU
“long story... any way whats your same?”
SURYA
“My name is surya whats urs?
JUNU
“oh it’s Surya what a pretty name mine is Junu nice to meet you”
SURYA
“Thank you”(she smiles brightly at the compliment)
JUNU
“What are you doing here with nobody around you?”
SURYA
“I don’t really like being at home so i went out for a walk , and i kinda got lost” (her smile vanished at her head dropped to the floor she started to kick at the stones.)
JUNU
“oh your out for a walk and got lost okay, i know my place around if you’d like me to take you to all the fun places”
SURYA
“I would really like that, thank you very much” (she picked her head back up instantly and smiled)
JUNU
“that's awesome great” I grab her hand and start to run in the direction on the garden, though she was caught by surprise when i suddenly grabbed her hand and she stripped over a loose stone in street. I caught her before she fell. hearing her grasp for breath.
SURYA
“T..th.. thank you” (she said breathless)
JUNU
“Your welcome, oh it’s no problem... my pleasure come on lets” i reached my hand out to her and she grasped it. “and watch out for loose stones” we both laughed at that, and she beamed at me bringing butterflies to my stomach and making my whole face flush.
Scene # 6
April Continued
Stage Directions: April, Surya and Junu are all sitting cross legged at on a blanket in the grass for a picnic. They are eating and laughing.
APRIL
The kids and i were on a blanket it was soft and beautiful under my grazing fingers. I looked at Surya who was sitting next to her best friend Junu. He was a cute little boy with short brown hair and had this way with Surya that made her laugh at everything she said. Looking at Surya just brightened my heart it was the first time i have ever seen her smile this brightly. It was amazing that one boy could brighten her heart and make her feel as though she wouldn’t have to carry the burden of being abused. Even though they are both so young that they probably don’t really understand what is being done to them.
End presenting the actors
April one side of the stage
Find something to do with Daman
draw the scene
Mending with April
Stage Directions:
( Make them older )
depressed
Ideas for monologue:
life after Daman She’s finished blaming her self and she is taking care of Surya. And they enjoy spending time with one another.
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