SAME DIFFERENCE by Amjad Prawej

The stage is empty except a huge painting with vertical stripes starting with Red and ending with White used as the backdrop

Enters RedWhite Man dressed in all red. He stands facing the painting, raises both his hands and bows thrice. He circles the painting still raising his hands. He comes downstage right and sits on the floor . He opens a book and reads in silence.

Enters WhiteRed Man dressed in all white. He kneels in front of the painting, folds his hands and gently rocks back and forth for some time. He gets up and kisses the painting. He comes downstage left and sits on the floor . He also opens a book and reads in silence.

After few seconds they read aloud together

He opened His eyes and there was Light. What He had created was beautiful. It was like a beautiful painting. He cried with joy. His tears formed the rivers and the oceans. He sighed in relief and thus formed the pleasant breeze. He smiled and the life was born. He admired His own creation. There was peace, serenity and love. Everything was in harmony. And that's the purpose of our lives. To maintain this harmony. To follow the eternal law. The law of..

Together overlapping Red and White

RedWhite ...Red and White

WhiteRed ...White and Red

They immediately look at the audience questioningly. Silence. They go back to their books.

Together again

RedWhite: The law of Red and White.

WhiteRed: The law of White and Red.

They look up. Confused. They slowly turn their faces towards each other. They are stunned. They keep staring for sometime.

RedWhite: Are you trying to mock me?

WhiteRed: Are you trying to insult me?

RedWhite: You've got it all wrong.

WhiteRed: Not at all. I think you are are mixed up.

Pause.

RedWhite: Our book was written much before yours. This is the True Book.

WhiteRed: Yes, ours was written later. It is well researched and up to date.

RedWhite: Ours has Almighty's own voice.

WhiteRed: Ours has proven facts and incidents.

RedWhite: Ha! A man making “Sun Rise” in the middle of the night? A proven fact?

WhiteRed: Sacrifice- Butcher living animals in my name? God's own voice?

They start getting angry.

RedWhite: Your book has more fiction than facts.

WhiteRed: Your God doesn't dictate books anymore.

RedWhite: (Shuts his book) Shut up!

WhiteRed: (Shuts his book) You shut up!

RedWhite: You and your people will burn in Hell.

WhiteRed: Your won't find any place even there!

RedWhite: The only truth is Red-White-Red.

WhiteRed: Everything except White-Red-White is a farce.

They move towards each other. They are getting aggressive. They shout.

RedWhite: You lock-up your women.

WhiteRed: You put them on exhibition.

RedWhite: You are barbaric.

WhiteRed: You are immoral.

RedWhite: You discriminate your own people.

WhiteRed: And you kill your own.

RedWhite: I wish your kind just vanished from the face of the Earth.

WhiteRed: I wish your kind never existed.

RedWhite: You are a hypocrite.

WhiteRed: You are a fascist.

RedWhite: You are a fool.

WhiteRed: You are an Idiot.

RedWhite: You eat with your hands and wash your hands in the same plate you eat.

WhiteRed You are lazy to use your hands and if you do you don't even bother to wash them. You just wipe them with a piece of paper.

RedWhite: You lack values.

WhiteRed: You lack education.

They are running out of abuses.

RedWhite: You are meat eating beasts!

WhiteRed: You are bunch of alcoholic bastards!

RedWhite: You are.... fat/thin.

WhiteRed: You.. You.. You smell.

RedWhite: You take dowry.

WhiteRed: You take.. bribe.

RedWhite: So do you.

WhiteRed: That still doesn't make it good.

RedWhite: I know.

WhiteRed: Good for you.

Pause.

RedWhite: You are... There is nothing GOOD about you.

WhiteRed: Everything about you is BAD.

RedWhite: That's a lie.

WhiteRed: Its a fact. The greatest lie is that book of yours.

RedWhite: Definitely not. Your book is nothing but a joke.

WhiteRed: Now that is a big lie.

RedWhite: Then let me read your book.

WhiteRed: Only if you let me read yours.

RedWhite: Fine.

They exchange their books. They read and laugh mockingly. They turn pages and keep laughing.

RedWhite: (Reading) Its all White-Red-White.... PATHETIC!

WhiteRed: Everything revolves around Red-White-Red... ALL LIES!

RedWhite: This is misleading.

WhiteRed: This is so primitive.

RedWhite: (Throws the book down) Filthy!! (starts stamping it)

WhiteRed: Vulgar!! (Starts ripping the pages)

RedWhite: (Noticing) How dare you? I'll kill you!

WhiteRed: I am going to rip you like this book.

They hold each other by their throats. They keep hurling abuses. They slap and kick and box. They fall to the ground and start wrestling. Each wants to kill the other.

As the fight continues, two kids (the younger the better!) dressed exactly like the men enter and witness, with folded arms. They are confused and pained. They probably want to cry. They have certainly not seen their fathers in such states before.

Together softly:

RedKid: Pa..pa..

WhiteKid: Da..dy..

The men look up and freeze. They are unable to react.

RedKid: What are you doing Papa?

RedWhite: We are.. Well...

Looks at WhiteRed for support but he is still shocked

WhiteKid: (looking at RedKid) I think they are fighting.

RedKid: Are you fighting?

They react fast. And talk almost at the same time.

RedWhite: No..No..

WhiteRed: No.. not..

They realise they are still holding each others throat. They quickly let go and get up on their feet.

WhiteRed: We... we just.. we were..

RedWhite: Playing. We were just playing.

WhiteRed: Yes, it was just a game.

WhiteKid: A game?

RedKid: Really?

RedWhite: Yes. A simple game (looks at WhiteRed. They both try to laugh)

The Kids look at each other and immediately holds each others throat. They scream like their fathers. The men act real fast and separate them.

WhiteRed: No, you should never play this game.

RedWhite: Never in your life.

RedKid: Why Papa?

WhiteRed: Because its.. Its not good.

RedWhite: Its bad. Promise me.

WhiteRed: You'll not play this game ever in your life.

RedWhite: Promise me.

RedKid: I promise.

WhiteKid: I'll never play this game.

RedKid: I didn't really like the game.

WhiteKid: It was not fun at all.

RedKid: It hurts.

WhiteRed: (Concerned) Let me see it.

RedWhite: Raise your head.

WhiteRed: Don't you worry.

RedWhite: I'll ask Mama to apply ointment.

WhiteKid: Doesn't it hurt you Papa?

RedKid: When you play this game?

Both men stop massaging. They slowly look at each other. They hug their kids.

WhiteRed: Yes. It does

RedWhite; Its very painful.

Together:

Kids: Then don't play.

Men: We won't. Never again!!

WhiteRed: I am sorry.

RedWhite: Please forgive me.

WhiteRed picks RedWhite's book and hands it to him.. RedWhite does the same.

RedKid: I like your cap.

WhiteKid: You can have it.

RedKid: Thanks. You can have mine.

WhiteKid: Its so nice.

The kids put their caps on. Fathers lift their kids up and walk towards the painting.

WhiteRed: I'll see that he never learns the Game.

RedWhite: Me too.

They stand facing the painting. They still have their kids up. They exit in their respective direction. The kids wave good bye.

The End