Author: Roberto Sánchez Cazar
Title of the play: “Nehru and his horse”.
5 characters:
- Nehru: a boy of 9 or 10 years of age, lively, intelligent.
- Father: Nehru’s father, a middle-aged man.
- Man 1
- Male 2
- Girl
Single act
Scene I
A flowery garden in the countryside.
In a corner, a man with a long beard throws food to some birds. He is dressed in a tunic.
At a moment a boy, about 9 or 10 years old, comes running in, runs towards the man and hides under the tunic.
Man: (almost falling down) but…
Nehru: Don’t move so much, daddy.
Man: How can I not move so much, Nehru, if you’re under my tunic, do you think you’re a turkey?
Nehru: I just don’t want them to see me.
Man: Who?
Nehru: The neighbors.
Man: Hold still, I’m going to fall down… AHHHH
(The man falls down and is left on the floor with his feet in the air, Nehru is uncovered, cringing and covering his face with his hands)
Nehru: Dad, come back here, you’re leaving me uncovered!
Dad: (scolding him affectionately) Nehru!
Nehru: (smiling guiltily) It’s ok, I’ll tell you (he starts a barrage of words at full speed) I was on my horse walking to the village feast and the neighbors laughed at me because they said…!
Dad: Nehru, speak slowly, I don’t understand anything!
Nehru: I was walking with my toy horse (pulls out a toy horse) decorated with colorful ribbons for the village festival and the neighbors saw me and said: what a fool, he doesn’t even have a real horse…!
Dad: and what do you feel?
(Nehru’s face turns as red as a tomato)
Nehru: ehhh, nothing, nothing, I know what I’m going to do (he runs off).
Dad: it’s ok, I’ll be here whenever you need me (looks at the sky) Night is falling, it’s time to go to sleep (goes out)
Scene II
A moon rises and quickly crosses the stage and is followed by a sun. Then a rooster crows.
(The father comes out and begins to feed the birds. Immediately Nehru enters with a real horse.)
Dad: I see you took one of my horses.
Nehru: (beaming) I am going to the village feast.
Dad: What about your toy horse?
Nehru: (nervous, restless) I don’t know ….mmmm, I think I lost it, I can’t find it. Well, bye.
Dad: Bye.
Nehru starts walking with the horse. In the background two men pass by talking. When they see Nehru they start laughing loudly.
Man 1: But look, what a fool that little guy with that big horse!
Man 2: Haha, it looks like the horse is going to crush him.
Man 1: it would be better if he had a small donkey with him, so he could at least ride on it.
Nehru stops dead in his tracks and looks at his father.
Dad: Nehru, are you all right? You’ve turned as red as a tomato.
Nehru: (confused) Ehh, yeah, uh, yeah, I’m fine, I’m going home.
Dad: Weren’t you going to the village feast?
Nehru: No, actually, I’m not really looking forward to it, the party is boring.
Dad: (scolding affectionately) Nehru!
Nehru: Really dad, I am going tomorrow, I am going home now.
Dad: Ok, do as you wish
A moon comes out and runs across the stage quickly and is soon followed by a sun. Then a rooster crows.
Scene III
Nehru enters with a small and very decorated donkey.
Nehru: (fearful) I hope no one sees me (towards the house) good bye daddy, I am going to the village feast.
(A little girl enters through a corner)
Girl: Where are you going Nehru?
Nehru: To the village party.
Girl: (starts laughing and ends up laughing out loud) With a donkey? With that hairy donkey, so small and so big-eared? Who would think of that?
Nehru stops dead in his tracks and the girl continues on her way, still laughing loudly.
Dad: (coming out of the house) Hello Nehru.
Nehru: Daddy (hugs him).
Dad: (affectionate) What’s wrong? Your eyes are full of tears.
Nehru: Nothing. I know, I know what I will do.
Dad: What will you do? What for?
Nehru: I have decided that tomorrow I will go to the party with my donkey, only that I will cut his hair and ears, because he is very eared.
Dad: Stop there, do you think people will stop laughing at you?
Nehru: Sure, that’s all that’s missing, I’ve done everything I’ve been told to do but I can’t get them to stop laughing.
Dad: Nehru, come here
(They walk towards a tree)
Dad: My son, you won’t do anything else. People always find reasons to criticize and laugh, you must differentiate between good advice and silly ill-intentioned comments. Do you understand me?
Nehru: I don’t know
Dad: Well, I’m taking the donkey to his corral, meanwhile you can think a little bit.
(Nehru walks away a little bit. He takes out his toy horse and starts playing with it).
Nehru: Dad.
Dad: Nehru?
Nehru: I am going to the village feast.
Dad: And you are carrying your toy horse, people will laugh at you.
Nehru: (jumping around his father) I don’t c-a-r-e. I mean (pauses) I’m still embarrassed, but I’ll let them talk.
Dad: Let them talk.
Nehru: (circles around his father and plays) I’ll let them t-a-l-k.
(Runs faster and faster)
Dad: Stop, stop Nehru, you’re making me dizzy!
Nehru keeps running and so they reach the end.
END