Berold Brecht: Script

Script:
Chorus: Mina crouched in pain as she had stumbled across the village in her torn clothes, headed towards home. When she had reached her destination, she needed to be comforted since she was tired and her stomach was hurting. She thought about her parents and imagined them saying “Come in dear, where have you been? Are you all right? Do you need help? Everything will be fine, don’t worry” They will say, she thought as she longed to tell them the dreadful story of the pain she had experienced. She finally knocked on the gate waiting to be welcomed by Hasin and Sakina, her parents.

(Hasin opens the doors with his squinted eyebrows. Sakina is sitting on the table with her hands on her face looking disappointed. Hasin steps back and stands beside Sakina)

Hasin: Where have you been all night? (Eyebrows squinted towards Mina. Mina stays quiet as she looks down)

Sakina: We have been searching for you since 4pm. We looked all over for you and gave up. (Voice increases; angry tone. Mina still looks down, quietly)

Hasin: You think you can stay out as long as you want? You have restrictions Mina. (Angry tone, squinted eyebrows, points fingers at Mina. Mina is looking down)

Sakina: How could he have done this? Where were you?

Hasin: We give you food and a shelter and you do this.

Mina: (Waits a few seconds and bursts out) Do you know what I have gone through? Do you have any idea? You fail to protect me from the predators in our villages and you tell me I have restrictions? You are a disgrace to parenting.

Sakina: How dare you speak to us like this! What has happened to you? Tell us. (She looks at Mina eagerly)

Mina: I was abused and raped by Mahmud.

Hasin: What?! How did this happen Mina?

Sakina: Why aren’t you speaking now? Are you having trouble understanding? Where have you gone lingering off?

Mina: I was getting groceries as you have instructed me. I was in the shop and as I was getting out, I decided to go to the forest to collect some fresh blue berries.  Mahmud was there. He saw me. He smiled at me. I kept on picking berried. Suddenly he was gone, he came from the back and choked me and dragged me to his home….

(She looked down for a second)

I cannot speak anymore.

(Sakina does not say anything and just looks down)

(They wait for 30 seconds as Sakina and Hasin look at each other without saying anything as Mina stands there)

Sakina: You are impure now. You cannot be here. You must leave Mina. Run away. You cannot be seen with us.

(Sakina goes back into her room)

Hasin: Mina, you can stay now but you must leave tonight, your mother is religious you see.

(Hasin goes back into his room)

(Mina studs out of the house without saying anything)

Chorus: Mina left the home without looking back.

She sought to be comforted and be safe but she got nothing in return.

She had no home and no money for food
But what can she do? Her mother’s religions you see.