This play was written by Jeannette Teo in 1997, edited and performed by Bethel Presbyterian Church, Singapore, in 1997 and re-ran in 2000 by special request.
contact:
scriptwriter:
jeannette teo <whitejade@hotmail.com>,
producer/director:
joey cheung pui chung <joey@atlas-associates.com>
MERRY CHRISTMAS, ANGELA
ACT ONE
revised by Jeannette Teo 5 Sept 2000, 26 Sept 2000ACT ONE
Character Breakdown
Yi Chong - 20+, Christian, Secondary School teacher
Derek - 20+, ambitious IT Executive who wants fast cash
Melvin - 20+, Army Officer, married to Mei Jiao
Mei Jiao - 20+, Housewife
Shirley - 20+, Clerk, suffering from anorexia
Angela - 20+, Masters Degree student who cannot accept failure in studies
The Play:
Open - MTV
MTV plays a montage of Christmas carols. In the MTV, we see shoppers, crowded and lighted atmosphere in Orchard Road, couples taking photos.
CHOIR sings: Joy to the World & Christmas Hymn.
Joy to the world, the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing (3x
Christmas Hymn
Praise to God whose love was shown
Who sent His Son to earth
Jesus left His rightful throne
Became a man by birth
The virgin’s baby Son
All creation praised Him God incarnate come
Come to Bethlehem
Still a higher call had He
Deliverance from our sins
Come to set all people free
From Satan’s hold within
For by the sin of man we fell
By the Son of God He crushed the power of Hell
Death we fear no more
Now we stand with strength with power
The sons of God on earth
Faithful to the final hour
Christ’s righteousness our worth
And now all praise is giv’n
For the babe the Son the Saviour King is ris’n
Christ is Lord indeed
For the babe the Son the Saviour King is ris’n
Christ is Lord indeed.
Cut to various homes celebrating Christmas:
Home 1 shows a family setting up a Christmas tree;
Home 2 shows a group of friends watching video together and eating popcorn and pizza.
Home 3 shows a group of church choir visiting and singing to the family.
STAGE:.
Then.. The same church choir, live, on stage.
From these homes, we finally arrive at Yi Chong's house to see a group of friends gathered for a home-cooked meal to celebrate Christmas together.
ACT ONE, SCENE ONE:
Night, Dining at Yi Chong's house (Christmas Reunion, A week before Christmas)
Reunion dinner set up. Present at the table is Yi Chong, Melvin and Mei Jiao, Shirley and Angela. Everyone is in high spirits, eating together, chatting and laughing, singing Christmas carols.
YI CHONG (NARRATES)
Next week is Christmas again. Time really flies. It seems like only yesterday that we met up at my house for a reunion dinner last year.
Meanwhile, let me introduce you to my friends...
there’s Shirley (spotlight on Shirley), our recovering anorexic, Angela (spotlight on Angela), the do or die professional post-grad student, Melvin and Mei Jiao (spotlight on the couple), yep, they’re married ... and here’s me, Yi Chong (spotlight on Yi Chong), I’m a school teacher. Everyone’s here at my house again...
oh, all of us are here… except for DEREK...
(starts wagging his finger and changing his voice/tone)
but he’s always late.
Shirley is laughing like a hyena and the others are roaring with laughter.
MELVIN
Come on, Angela… imitate Mr Yeo, our weird science teacher…
SHIRLEY
Mr Yeo’s not weird! He’s funny!
ANGELA
(acting like their effeminate Science teacher)
Always late!
SHIRLEY
Not me, Mr Yeo!
ANGELA
Don’t try to be funny, Miss Shirley!
(more squeals of laughter from the group)
ANGELA
(continuing her act, wagging her finger at everyone)
I cannot stand you, lah! Always late! You naughty boys and girls! And you never do the homework I give you. How do you expect to pass your exams without doing your homework? You all make me so... so (emotional, teary) ... so SAD you know!
(Using a lame finger to point at them)
You, you, you, you aaaaa-and you!
Make me want to throw up blood!
(starts walking around the room like the teacher).
SHIRLEY
(acting like a student, raising her hand)
Er, Ex- excuuuuse me, excue me, Mr Yeo?
MELVIN
(switch personality to an unhappy Mr Yeo)
Yes, Shirley Yeow?
SHIRLEY
(acting as a student, stammering)
Mr Yeeeeo, yyy..your hhhh…hair, your hhhair….
Your hair, ah…
MELVIN
(impersonating Mr Yeo patting his head in panic)
What? What’s wrong with my hair?
SHIRLEY
Yyyour hair, ah… (break into a big smile) very nice today!
MELVIN
(impersonating Mr Yeo looking pleased with the compliment, patting his hair lovingly)
Oh? Really? You think so?
SHIRLEY
(shrill hyena laugh, not very good in English)
Poor Mr Yeo!
YI CHONG
Hey, why make fun of our dear Mr Yeo? If not for him, we wouldn’t have passed our Science exam!
ANGELA
(grinning)
Of course, I’m glad he helped us pass Science, but he entertained us more than teach us science!
MELVIN
We were such terrible students! I don’t think I had a brain back then.
SHIRLEY
Now then you know, ah?
Hey, do you remember our song?
MELVIN
Song? What song?
SHIRLEY
There, the song we sang in the school talentime…
YI CHONG
Oh, I remember! It's theeeeee… the… the…
SHIRLEY
The, the , the, your head, er! It’s one of the songs from the movie… Grease…
YI CHONG
Tell me more!
MEI JIAO
No, no, no, it’s called Summer Nights!
MELVIN
Oh yeah!!
The guys sing along and dance around as if performing in the talent-time.
Song: "Summer Nights"
From "Grease", Sung by: John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John
(notes: in the replay in year 2000, the musical director changed this song to "Eye of the Tiger" by pop group Survivor)
Before the end of the song, Derek arrives with a bottle of whiskey and joins in the singing and clowning around. When the song ends they have a good laugh.
ANGELA
(impersonating Mr. Yeo)
Derek! Why are you always so late?!
DEREK
Sorry Mr Yeo. I was at a business seminar to learn how to “get rich quick”. I’m going to be rich tomorrow!
SHIRLEY
Business shmaffles your head!
ANGELA
Rich?! Hey Derek, ever try working for a living?
DEREK
(at Angela)
Work, work, work. So much work, so little pay! I’m glad I have a side job... selling property and dealing some stocks and shares... otherwise I couldn’t eat or pay the bills.
SHIRLEY
You moonlighting, ah?
DEREK
I don’t call it moonlighting... I call it... “extra curricular activities”.
ANGELA
If you want to be successful, then join me and we can study together!
DEREK
Me? Study? With you? Don’t make me laugh! You spend so much time studying for a Masters Degree. Weren’t you doing that when we met here for our reunion dinner… last year? I don’t need a Master’s degree to make more money! You’ll need to work three years just to make up for the money lost while studying for that Master’s. In that same amount of time I’ll have more salary than your Master’s will ever get you anyhow.
ANGELA
Money. money, is that all you think about?
DEREK
At least I don't have to worry about exams or red marks, not like you, whole life buried in books. If you don’t ace your exams will you die? Hah, you didn’t even know your boyfriend was two-timing ‘cause your nose is always buried in those books.
ANGELA
You mean my EX-boyfriend. He's the world's greatest idiot.... reminds me of somebody in this room.
MEI JIAO
Yeah and it wasn’t her fault anyhow.
DEREK
Hey, I don't go around breaking people's hearts OK...
SHIRLEY
Ok lah, no need to argue. It's our reunion. Let's enjoy ourselves!
DEREK
(holding the whiskey bottle)
Good idea. That reminds me! Let's drink to our friendship!!
(starts pouring into Mels glass)
MELVIN
Alright! Let's PARTY! (offers cigarettes to Derek)
MEI JIAO
You're driving later you know.
MELVIN
(to Mei Jiao)
For once could you please not nag?
(to Derek)
Oh, I forgot, the wife is supposed to nag.
MEI JIAO
(angrily)
It’s for your own good.
MELVIN
(ignores Mei Jiao, turns to Derek)
Let's eat, drink and be merry!
DEREK
(pouring out the drinks, Yi Chong and the girls decline to drink)
(to Shirley)
Oh sorry I forgot, not good for your stomach, huh?
(he sets the bottle down and raises his glass)
MERRY Christmas! ho ho ho!
YI CHONG
Hey, we’re supposed to be watching Angela’s video tape, remember her project on the Philosophy of life and death?
DEREK
Aiyah, don't be a SQUARE. (draws a square in the air) You're such a party pooper! Don't want to drink, don't smoke!
SHIRLEY
(Shirley goes to grab the tape and holds it up)
But I want to see myself!
MELVIN
There’s a mirror in the toilet what? Go and see.
(he and Derek laugh)
MELVIN
(offers a cigarette to Derek)
SHIRLEY
First drink, now smoke! Gamble after that?
DEREK
Who are you, my mother or what? The Ministry of the kaypoh Environment?
YI CHONG
(smirking, goes to get tea in the kitchen)
I’ll get the coffee ready. Then we’ll decide what to do next.
SHIRLEY
Smoke and drink... not healthy at all!
MELVIN
(to all, with his hands up in surrender)
Ok ok!
(to Derek)
Let’s go on out for a cigarette.
Yi Chong is getting coffee/tea and Derek and Mel start are out smoking.
As the girls talk around the dining table, Yi Chong is moving in and out of the kitchen getting the coffee ready.
SHIRLEY
Why do they smoke? They know smoking can get cancer... plus lung cancer, number one killer in Singapore… really, not healthy at all!
MEI JIAO
Mel’s bad habits are getting worse and worse.
SHIRLEY
Never used to drink and smoke. Is it because of the Army? You know, lots of people pick up drink and smoke when they get in there... like drink and smoke makes them a real man! Ha!
MEI JIAO
Well... you may be right. Mel did pick up some of his bad habits from his “friends” in the Army.
ANGELA
You can’t blame it all on the Army. After all, they do have brains to decide for themselves.
MEI JIAO
Well that’s true. Anyhow I noticed that since my miscarriage, he just became worse and worse. When I asked him to go and see a counsellor he says he'll look like a weakling and his men will call him "Mr Softy".
SHIRLEY
Nothing wrong with seeing a counsellor what! I saw a counsellor, and she helped me to accept my anorexia problem. Didn't you notice me eating just now? I don't force myself to eat any more.
ANGELA
Don't worry, we definitely noticed you eating. Or else... we'd FORCE you to eat, like last year!
(They all laugh.)
SHIRLEY
You all ah, so horrible! Just stuff pizza into my mouth. I hate pizzas! And that stupid boyfriend of yours, Henry, laughing at me when my face turned green because I almost threw up... Now I wished I did…oh oh (looks apologetic) sorry Angie, I forgot you two broke up already.
ANGELA
It's OK, Shirley. Henry is such a jerk! I wish you threw up on him too. That two-timing, egotistical and big mouth fffffffff-fish! Because of him, I’m having so many problems with my exams.
MEI JIAO
Aiyah. Men are so complicated.
ANGELA
Not really. Men only think of themselves... they're only interested in being macho, chasing girls or making money. Very simple indeed.
MEI JIAO
But hey, how about Yi Chong? He's not like that at all.
YI CHONG
(just walked in with some biscuits to go with the coffee)
SHIRLEY
Aiyah, Yi Chong is different lah! He's a Christian what... Christians supposed to be nice.
MEI JIAO
Yes, somehow he’s different you know.
YI CHONG
Talking about me behind my back again, ah?
ANGELA
Well, Yi Chong, we're glad you're not anything like Henry or Derek...
(Yi Chong is pouring coffee)
MEI JIAO
(quietly to herself)
Or Mel...
SHIRLEY
(to Yi Chong)
I always wonder, Christians dance, can or not?
Marry, can or not? Watch a horror movie, can or not?
Yi Chong really different you know. People say Christians got so many rules no fun one. But Yi Chong is fun what?
YI CHONG
Well it’s not so much the rules Shirley. It’s just that when you follow Jesus your values begin to change. What mattered a lot to me in the past, like making money and going to movies, began to fade away into the background.
SHIRLEY
(to the girls)
But they must not have food rules ‘cause he can sure eat LOTS of anything, even ang mo food and sushi wallowee!
YI CHONG
You should try it sometime Shirley. I’ll even take you out and show you how to really enjoy your food.
ANGELA
And I always wonder, aren’t all religions the same. Don’t all roads lead to Rome? Don’t all religions teach us to be good? So what’s so special about Christianity? What makes it different from any of the others? Because it’s from the West?
YI CHONG
Well in some ways you’re right Angela, Most religions do try to teach us to be good. But what I’ve found is that Jesus not only teaches me to be good, He enables me to be good. By my own strength I cannot be good. God relates to me on a personal level. And that’s the difference. I found a relationship with Christ. It’s not a religion really, but a relationship with our Creator.
As for the West, Jesus was born and lived in what is now Israel. Israel is in western Asia. Jesus was Asian….like us you know?
SHIRLEY
Not ang mo, ah?
YI CHONG
Asian, like us.
(Yi Chong goes back to the kitchen)
ANGELA
(contemplatively)
Maybe I could do a thesis on whether God really exists, or if Jesus is really the only way to heaven.
MEI JIAO
Angela you really do think about study, don’t you?
ANGELA
(Yi Chong comes in again, with the cream)
How else to get A’s?
MEI JIAO
I really envy you Yi Chong, you're so happy compared to us.
ANGELA
How are you now? Are you two ok, Mei Jiao?
SHIRLEY
Are your finances ok? My granny always say, (in Chinese) “Sour finances, sour marriage.”
MEI JIAO
(looking down)
Well, they could be better.
ANGELA
Can we help you Mei Jiao?
MEI JIAO
No, I’m sure we’ll get through. (slight pause) So many problems….
YI CHONG
Yes... We all have problems. Some people’s problems are more visible, some even worse than any of ours.
MEI JIAO
I know, but you always seem so happy... always smiling, always singing to yourself.
YI CHONG
Sometimes I sing to cheer myself-up when I’m depressed. Remember that the next time you see me singing to myself.
SHIRLEY
Eh, Yi Chong, why not sing a song for us? Ka-la-oke... hor?
YI CHONG
(laughing)
Don’t want lah, me very shy…
SHIRLEY
Sing lah! Shy, my foot! Just now you sing until your voice crack… sing leh… eh, but don’t sing a church song OK?
MEI JIAO
Sing a normal song, Yi Chong… just for us, OK?
YI CHONG
OK, OK...
Song:Till there was you - Anita Bryant
Till there was you
There were bells on the hills
But I never heard them ringing
No, I never heard them at all
Till there was you.
There was love all around
But I never heard it singing
No, I never heard them at all
Till there was you
Near the end of the song, we hear a crash from outside.
Then Melvin is pushing and shouting at Derek. They burst into the living room. Yi Chong steps in and tries to break them up and the girls follow and are trying to help. Shirley is screaming and running in circles. Yi Chong grabs Melvin and the girls pull Derek away.
YI CHONG
(in a strong voice to Melvin)
Calm down!
MELVIN
I don't care! Give me back my money!
DEREK
I told you it's gone!
YI CHONG
What's going on?
MELVIN
(pointing his finger)
Derek took my money! I want it back Derek, you hear me?
DEREK
I can't! The money's gone. Read my lips... GONE!
MEI JIAO
Mel, what money? What are you talking about?
MELVIN
I gave Derek money to invest in some stocks and shares... he said... "sure make money one"... but look what happened! You said it was a guaranteed sound investment. Now you say it was gambling. You cheat! Give me back or I'll bash you until you got no face!
MEI JIAO
(desperate)
What money? How much?
MELVIN
10 thousand dollars!
MEI JIAO
(hysterical)
What? That's the money to pay for our flat! How could you take the money from the bank? Where do you expect us to live? How could you do such a thing? We’re already in debt and then you do that? 10 thousand! Mel!!! How could you do it? How?!
ANGELA
(to Derek)
Derek! Are you still gambling!
And with other people’s money?
MELVIN
(to Mei Jiao)
Don't blame me, blame HIM. (pointing at Derek)
He made me do it!
DEREK
(to Angela)
It’s not gambling... it's called investing.
MEI JIAO
(to Melvin)
You mean, if he told you to jump from a building you would? How weak are you?
SHIRLEY
(to Derek)
Derek! You always get other people into trouble!
MELVIN
(to Mei Jiao)
Weak!?.
(the rest turn to Derek as Mei Jiao and Mel quarrels)
DEREK
(to Shirley)
I never forced him to invest what...
Mel and Mei Jiao continue arguing about money while Shirley and Angela are arguing with Derek. Yi Chong is standing in the middle, not sure what to do or say.
YI CHONG
(look left to one quarrel)
Hey, stop it! Stop arguing!
DEREK
Oh, shut up!
YI CHONG
(angry)
No, I think you should.
DEREK
What? Telling me what to do, huh? Think you’re right all the time, huh? You’re Mr Oh-My-God-I’m-so-Holy-and-you’re-not?
YI CHONG
That’s enough!
DEREK
No, it’s not. I had it with you, always telling me what to do, think you’re so righteous and goody goody… well, I’ve got news for you… you always like to judge me for my sins and you can be quite a hypocrite!
YI CHONG
(speechless)
MELVIN
(to Derek)
And you…! I trusted you with my money! I trusted you and what do I get? Lousy scum!
(Mel storms out, Mei Jiao follows)
MEI JIAO
(going after Mel)
Mel!
DEREK
(yelling at Mel on his way out)
Hey, you think I want to lose money huh? If I didn’t think there was a good chance to earn I wouldn’t have invested. Don’t you believe that? You think you're the only one who lost money?
MELVIN
(yelling back from the outside)
So what?! I want my money back! You hear me?
DEREK
(to the rest who stayed in the room)
How about me? I lost 10 thousand, too, you know! I work so hard... but my pay is so miserable. I want a decent car, I want to travel around and enjoy myself, I want to live in a house with my own swimming pool... Is that too much to ask from life? Instead, I end up slogging my whole life away. I just want to make enough money to start my own business, be my own boss. Look at me, I'm such a failure... work for so many years and drawing this kind of pathetic salary...
SHIRLEY
Where got pathetic, your pay? You got car, got fancy clothes, got leather briefcase, eat at Raffles... Then, how about us? Are we just nobodies to you? Look at Yi Chong, you two used to be friend friend, now see?
DEREK
Excuse me madam! I don't want to end up like Yi Chong, a school teacher earning just enough to pay for 3 lousy meals a day. Teachers got no ambition, no vision for the future... well, I'll never want to end up like him. I want money and success!
YI CHONG
Derek, what is success? To you it’s money and a business. What are those? Do they make you happy? Obviously not! Look what chasing those things has done to you. Now you’re fighting with some of your best friends. Do you call that success?
SHIRLEY
Yeah lah, money is not everything.
ANGELA
And success can come in many forms,…….
DEREK
(interrupting)
You all don't know what you're talking about. Life is all about money. Money solves all the problems in this world. People don’t care about other people, they only care about making money!
SHIRLEY
No matter how much money you make, you'll never be happy. Derek, I know you.
YI CHONG
You're not happy because you’re spending your whole life chasing things that never will. Derek, you can’t find peace when you work so hard to chase things that won't last. You know I was like that in school. In fact, we shared the same dreams. But when I discovered that peace comes only from a relationship with God, then I found rest, not so much on the outside , but on the INSIDE. Only through that internal peace from a relationship with God can you be content. That’s the only way.
Derek laughs at Yi Chong.
DEREK
Yi Chong, you're such a fool! You give up all your dreams of becoming a millionaire ever since you started reading the Bible and joined that church! Well! I’m not going to end up like you, an old pathetic school teacher like our dear Mr Yeo. I want that feeling of success... I want to feel like my life is worth living. Didn't the Bible say... “God helps those who help themselves".. huh, Yi Chong?
SHIRLEY
Ooi! Don't anyhow you quote the Bible.
DEREK
Isn’t that what everybody says? It was quoted at the last success seminar I attended.
ANGELA
If you studied at all you’d know enough to check your sources.
YI CHONG
Excuse me, Derek, even though we hear this all the time, there’s really no such words in the Bible. You check and see.
SHIRLEY
(gesturing a Derek)
Yah lah!
At wits end, Derek stares at them and leaves in disgust. Derek on his way out, Mei Jiao comes back in, dragging her feet and slumping her shoulders. As they nearly bump into each other, Mei Jiao gives Derek a slap on the face. Derek tries to say something like “I’m sorry” but decides to walk off instead, leaving Mei Jiao a little guilty but still angry.
ANGELA
(to Mei Jiao)
Are you ok?
SHIRLEY
Where’s Melvin?
MEI JIAO
Forget it. He's so hard to talk to.. like talking to a brick wall in an obstacle course.
YI CHONG
Mei Jiao, we know you two are having problems. What can we do to help?
MEI JIAO
Forget it... after my miscarriage, I sometimes felt like life wasn’t worth living anymore. I cried for days and weeks and months... Mel tried to comfort me but whatever he said or did couldn't stop me from crying. Actually, I was thinking... maybe I should just leave him alone... leave him for ... for a while. My ex-boss offered me a job in Brunei. I'm thinking of working there for a while...
SHIRLEY & ANGELA
What do you mean... leave?
MEI JIAO
(shrugs) Don't know... maybe get separated for a while and if things don't go right, then divorce.
SHIRLEY
(gasps, Angela too)
Divorce?
The three try to console her but she backs them off to stand alone.
MEI JIAO
Just leave me alone.
“Mei Jiao” sings a song...
Song: “Somewhere down the road" by Amy Grant & Wayne Kirkpatrick
Somewhere down the road
So much pain and no good reason why
You’ve cried until the tears run dry
And nothing here can make you understand
The one thing that you held so dear
Is slipping from your hands
And you say
Why, why, why
Does it go this way
Why, why, why
And all I can say is
Chorus:
Somewhere down the road
There’ll be answers to the questions
Somewhere down the road
Though we cannot see it now
Somewhere down the road
You will find mighty arms reaching for you
And they will hold the answers at the end of the road
Yesterday I thought I’d seen it all
I thought I’d climbed the highest wall
Now I see the learning never ends
And all I know to do is keep on walking
Walking round the end, saying
Why, why, why
Does it go this way
Why, why, why
And all I can say is
Why, why, why
Does it go this way
Why, why, why
And all I can say is
All I know to say now
Mei Jiao ends up crying. The girls console her. Shirley ends up crying as well.
END OF ACT ONE
CHOIR: Interlude Music: “Ray of Hope” The choir
CHOIR: Interlude Music: “Ray of Hope” The choir
Ray of Hope
In the stillness, in the darkness, on a chill and lonely night
Came a stirring, came a shining, came a star of promise bright.
O’er a city, o’er a manger, o’er a corner of the earth
It came to rest on, came to smile on, one sweet child of humble birth.
There’s always a ray of hope
God always provides a way
Just follow His star to tomorrow
and He’ll be the light for today
For there’s always a ray, a bright shining ray
There’s always a ray of hope.
Thru the darkness, of the ages wise men waited for the light
And the star that shone so brightly was their beacon in the night
Like the wise men, come and follow let His star become the sign
Then you will know that come tomorrow if you seek you’ll surely find
Shine on, shine on , heaven’s star, lead us all to where you are
And when hope is nearly gone, be our light to carry on
There’s always a ray of hope
God always provides a way
Just follow His star to tomorrow
And He’ll be the light for today
For there’s always a ray, a bright shining ray
There’s always a ray of hope.. of hope.
SET CHANGE: Choir going across the stage caroling “Ray of Hope”.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, ANGELA
ACT TWO
Edited Sept 6 2000
ACT TWO, SCENE ONE:
Melvin's and Mei Jiao's house
Melvin's and Mei Jiao's house
Yi Chong goes to visit the married couple on Christmas Day. An untidy Mei Jiao opens the door.
YI CHONG
Hi! Merry Christmas!
MEI JIAO
(tired, unhappy although pleased to see Yi Chong)
Merry Christmas, Yi Chong! Aiyah, I’m so dirty... just doing some cleaning up, lah... Come in, come in... let me get you a drink... some tea?
YI CHONG
Thanks. Where's Mel?
MEI JIAO
Don't know. Probably at the pub getting drunk. He’s still so upset with Derek.
YI CHONG
Yeah, I suppose so. I’ll try to talk to Mel and Derek later when they come over to my place. They need to patch things up. Anyhow, here’s a little something for your tummy, and something for your soul.
(he hands her a tin of chocolates with a ribbon on it and a small booklet)
MEI JIAO
Yi Chong, you don’t have to do that. Besides, we don’t have anything for you.
YI CHONG
But you do. You have chocolates. Just open the chocolates, PLEASE :)
MEI JIAO
Ok Ok… I just made some tea. We’ll have that with the chocolates.
(She goes into the kitchen and brings out the tea. They sit down. Yi Chong already has the tin open.)
YI CHONG
(nibbling on his first chocolate)
Wahhhh! So bitter, but so smooth.
MEI JIAO
(staring at Yi Chong’s savouring with the booklet in her hand)
Shirley was right. You are a food maniac. (taking a bite of chocolate) Wah so bitter! I’ve never had these kind before.
YI CHONG
Nice hor?
MEI JIAO
(nodding, still on the chocolate, holding up the booklet)
What’s this about?
YI CHONG
(setting down his tea)
Oh yeah. It’s a little pamphlet about relationships. It talks about how most of the main problems in our lives have to do with bad relationships.
MEI JIAO
I can agree with that. Look at Mel and me. We’re both miserable, even without our money problems.
YI CHONG
Yeah
MEI JIAO
There’s so much bitterness…between Mel and I, and Mel and Derek and I think I’m bitter at Derek too. And now you bring me bitter chocolates. It’s like my life is fated to be bitter. Aren’t you bitter at Derek for insulting you?
YI CHONG
Well yes, but then no. Of course my initial reaction is to…
(he punches his hand)
And you know that in our younger days we did fight quite a lot. Like the time he took my maths notes and sold them in Sec. 2.
MEI JIAO
Yeah I remember that.
YI CHONG
I never could forgive Derek before. But now, I calm down before I do anything.
MEI JIAO
How? How do you calm down?
YI CHONG
Because along the way God showed me that carrying all those grudges and anger inside for so long was actually destroying me. I kept replaying all those scenes in my head and getting angry all over again and again. It started to affect my health too. I had so many headaches. Then I’d blame the headaches on him and then I’d get even more angry.
MEI JIAO
(starting to get emotional)
I know what you mean. When I think about what Mel and Derek did with the money, I get so angry I can’t think of anything else.
YI CHONG
You know, we’re not made to carry these kinds of burdens and grudges too long you know. You’ll get a stone heart.
MEI JIAO
How can you say that? If we aren’t supposed to get angry then why do we have these feelings all the time?
YI CHONG
It’s not that we don’t have feelings, but that we shouldn’t let anger and bitterness stay in us too long. So when I get angry like that I learned to give all my anger to God. With God’s help, I can then forgive guys like Derek. And then when I forgive, all the bitterness goes away, and no more headaches.
MEI JIAO
But how can you forgive just like that? You make it sound so simple.
YI CHONG
Cannoooot. On my own I cannot forgive. But when I came to know God, he showed me how much Jesus forgave me. So when I accepted that forgiveness, then it’s like God enabled me also to forgive others. That’s one reason why I like these kind of chocolates.
MEI JIAO
Huh?
YI CHONG
(holding up another chocolate and takes a bite)
Well it’s like I said, the beginning is sooo bitter, but then later it becomes soooo smooth. Before I learned to forgive, life got pretty bitter. (he takes another bite) But then after I learned to forgive, wah it’s so smooth, delicious even.
(he finishes that one off)
MEI JIAO
But how?! I have tried to forgive but somehow I’m still so miserable. And how to forgive Melvin for throwing our money away to Derek like that? It’s so ridiculous even to think of it!
YI CHONG
That’s true.
MEI JIAO
I don’t know what to do. Forgiving doesn’t seem like the thing I want to do right now.
YI CHONG
How long will you stay angry?
MEI JIAO
I don’t know. For as long as it takes for him to stop doing those stupid things I suppose.
YI CHONG
(pausing)
Yeah I suppose. (more pausing) How about your miscarriage? What feelings do you still have over that?
MEI JIAO
(pausing to think)
That’s even worse.
YI CHONG
How so?
MEI JIAO
Because I can’t forgive myself.
YI CHONG
So when will you forgive yourself?
MEI JIAO
(starting to get weepy)
I don’t know.
YI CHONG
Don’t you see?
MEI JIAO
See what?
YI CHONG
There’s no end to it.
MEI JIAO
(breaks down crying)
I know. I need to do something because I don’t like all this bitterness. I want the smooth part too. Yi Chong will you pray for me so I can learn to forgive also?
(as they bow and pray the background music -Ray of Hope- begins)
Song: (The choir is on the stage singing “Ray of Hope”as the set is changing.)
END OF ACT TWO, SCENE ONE
ACT TWO SCENE TWO
ACT TWO SCENE TWO
ACT TWO, SCENE TWO:
Yi Chong’s house
Edited; Sept 6 2000
Yi Chong’s house
Edited; Sept 6 2000
Yi Chong is expecting the group to arrive. There’s a knock at the door and Yi Chong opens it.
YI CHONG
Derek! (Come on in.)
DEREK
(looking tired, resigned)
Hi… Hey, where are the girls? Angela’a always on time. How is it that I’m first today?
YI CHONG
I’m not sure where they are either.
(Derek sighs loudly and sits down, puts his hands on his face and looks tired)
YI CHONG
What's wrong?
DEREK
(he’s in a bad mood)
What's wrong? Everything is wrong. Nothing has gone right since that day at your house. What's wrong is that I lost my money in the stocks and shares, I got caught for moonlighting and this morning and when I got to my car, some stupid police officer had it towed away! That's what's wrong with me. Why me? Why am I having such a terrible week? Am I such a terrible person? Why must I suffer while it's so easy for others to get promoted, or get a salary increment, or a better job? The car next door was illegally parked too. Why tow mine? God is so unfair.
YI CHONG
Sometimes it does seem unfair. I see other people in my age group having cars and condos… then I think, what is fair anyhow? It’s so subjective. But then, being a teacher has its own rewards, and the job also pays my bills…
DEREK
At least you can pay your bills. I can’t even pay attention.
YI CHONG
What are you going to do?
DEREK
I don’t know. As you know, it wasn’t just my money that was lost either. I never have enough to get ahead. God is so unfair.
YI CHONG
He’s not Derek. And to think he’s unfair, is unfair of you. And there’s more to life than getting. There’s giving too you know.
DEREK
Yeah right. The only reason anybody gives is so they get something back. You scratch my back, I scratch your back. You get as much as you can, then you die. That’s all there is.
YI CHONG
Not true. Giving means not expecting anything back. No strings attached. That’s giving. It’s a part of love. What you’re talking about is more like manipulation.
DEREK
(getting sarcastic)
If “God is love” he’d give me the money to get me out of my suffering.
YI CHONG
See? You’re trying to manipulate God. Anyhow Derek, are you a good investment? If he did bail you out, what return on his investment would he get from you? By your own standards you’re not a good investment. You know that. Of course he can help you. But he’ll do it on his terms, not yours. In fact, he already has bailed you out and given you eternal life. That’s Christmas Derek - the coming of Jesus, the Saviour, right into our world. He’s already saved you from all your sins. That’s the ultimate debt payment. All you have to do is believe it.
DEREK
Believe…? My problem, (a slight pause showing self-doubt) is money. Get enough money, then no prob……
There’s frantic hard knocking at the door. Yi Chong goes to open it. It’s Shirley. She’s very upset, in tears and panting. Derek stands up and comes to the door standing next to Yi Chong.
SHIRLEY
(in tears)
I…It’s…It’s Angela. I just got a call (showing her handphone). Go to Mei Jiao’s place.
YI CHONG
(he and Derek glance at each other, then..)
Shirley what’s the matter? Calm down first, then tell us.
SHIRLEY
(she can barely talk through her tears)
It’s Angela. She’s gone!
DEREK
She what?
SHIRLEY
She’s gone! She failed an exam. Then she killed herself. She’s gone!
Yi Chong puts his arms around her as she cries on his shoulder. Derek and Yi Chong stare at each in speechless shock.
END OF SCENE 2
END OF ACT TWO
MERRY CHRISTMAS, ANGELA
ACT THREE
END OF ACT TWO
MERRY CHRISTMAS, ANGELA
ACT THREE
Edited; 10 October 2000 by Jeannette Teo
ACT THREE, SCENE ONE: At the wake
The group crowds around Angela. The choir sings a song.
CHOIR: "Light at the End of the Darkness" by Chris Christian
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE DARKNESS
There’s a light at the end of the darkness
And it shines for all the world to see
It will shine on your heart if you will let it,
I was blind when it finally shined on me
There’s a hope in the light for the hopeless
And a soothing balm for pain and misery
It’s as near as your faith but sometimes seems fleeting
I was blind when it finally shined on me
There’s a light at the end of the darkness
So look up when you are down and try to believe
Sometimes we have to be knocked down to make us look upward
I was looking up from the bottom when it finally shined on me!
I was looking up through the bottom when it finally shined on me!
Video shows images of Angela’s youth.
At the end of the song, Shirley and Mei Jiao starts to cry hysterically. Mel and Derek has to calm them down.
END OF ACT THREE
MERRY CHRISTMAS, ANGELA
ACT FOUR
Edited; 14 Sept 2000
CHOIR: “Christmas Hymn”; Joy to the world
Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come:
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing (3x)
Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns:
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods,
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy (3x)
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found (3x)
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love (3x)
Christmas Hymn
Praise to God whose love was shown
Who sent His Son to earth
Jesus left His rightful throne
Became a man by birth
The virgin’s baby Son
All creation praised Him God incarnate come
Come to Bethlehem
Still a higher call had He
Deliverance from our sins
Come to set all people free
From Satan’s hold within
For by the sin of man we fell
By the Son of God He crushed the power of Hell
Death we fear no more
Now we stand with strength with power
The sons of God on earth
Faithful to the final hour
Christ’s righteousness our worth
And now all praise is giv’n
For the babe the Son the Saviour King is ris’n
Christ is Lord indeed
For the babe the Son the Saviour King is ris’n
Christ is Lord indeed.
ACT FOUR, SCENE ONE:
Christmas Reunion, 1 year later
Shirley, Derek, Mei Jiao (pregnant), Melvin and Yi Chong are having dinner in Yi Chong's house again, one year later.
YI CHONG (NARRATES)
Christmas is here again. Time really flies. It seems like only yesterday that we met up at my house for a reunion dinner last year.
Meanwhile, let me introduce my friends you to again...
there’s Shirley (spotlight on Shirley), now very recovered from anorexia, and then there’s Melvin and Mei Jiao (spotlight on the couple), yep, they’re still married ... and they’re aiming for the baby bonus… (pointing to Mei Jiao’s stomach), as you can see. And then there’s me again, Yi Chong (spotlight on Yi Chong), I’m still a school teacher. Oh, and there’s Derek (spotlight on Derek), he’s finally on time!
So we’re all here at my house again as usual.
(an awkward pause of hesitation, as if something’s missing),
DEREK
(holding up a video)
Hello, hello! Attention, please! Here’s the latest movie on DVD. Who’s game to watch it!?
MELVIN
Sounds good to me!
MEI JIAO
Hey, I thought we were going to finally watch Angela’s video?
YI CHONG
Yeah me too I have it right here.
SHIRLEY
Yeah lah, I want to see how skinny I got last time.
DEREK
Wait now… let’s be democratic about this. We’ll take a vote. All those in favour of this movie say “aye!”
MELVIN
(very loudly while raising his hand)
Aye!
DEREK
And those for Angela’s school project?
THE REST
(even louder)
AYE!
DEREK
Ok Ok. We’ll watch this next time.
MELVIN
(to Derek)
Bring it to my house for New Year’s. We’ll watch it then.
DEREK
(to Melvin)
You’re on.
YI CHONG
Ok here it is.
(he pushes the remote button to start the player, everybody settles in to a place to sit)
(to the video screen)
----- VIDEO STARTS -----
Classical Music
Montage of images:
1. paintings: Mother and child, war field with dead bodies, african tribe dancing around the fire.
2. video: a gravestone, graveyard, babies crying, children playing in the playground, people walking along the streets and eating in fast motion, elderly people.
3. pictures: Newspaper cuttings of casualties from natural disasters or accidents, eg. Plane crash, earthquake, etc.
Music ends
Title:
“The Philosophy of Life and Death”
Dissolve to Angela standing in front of a park.
ANGELA
Hi. Welcome to my video, a philosophical research on how different people view life and death. Let’s hear from a few people about how they see life and death...
MIRANDA
I like babies, just born ones. Such a miracle of life.
(WHITE FLASH)
MEI JIAO
Life is like sand, slipping away from your fingers. When I lost my baby, I felt dead, like her. I thought life is death after all. The end is death, so that’s all there really is.
(WHITE FLASH)
MELVIN
Death is the end, man. End of the road. A very... DEAD... end...
(WHITE FLASH)
YI CHONG
To me, death can be the beginning of life - eternal life that God wants to give us. (pointing into the camera with a solemn eye)
Will you accept his gift of life?
(WHITE FLASH)
SHIRLEY
I hate the thought of growing old, to look so tired, like never sleep for a hundred years like that. I hate the thought of lying on my bed when my skin like kiam chye, hair like cotton wool, or maybe no hair at all... I hate to think I die like that...
(WHITE FLASH)
DEREK
What life, what death? No need to care lah! Everyone must live and everyone must die. That is life. WAKE UP! Hello?
(WHITE FLASH)
ANGELA
My comment on life and death? To me, life is... life is a long, long corridor and at every door along that corridor, are opportunities. And death... what do I think about death? A mysterious, dark place...
----- VIDEO ENDS ABRUPTLY -----
Shirley turns off the video.
DEREK
Hey! Why’d you do that?
SHIRLEY
(upset, tears in eyes)
I can’t watch it any more! All I wish is that Angela is here and we’re laughing again.
MEI JIAO
We seem so... incomplete without Angela.
(pause)
(Mel holds Mei Jiao's hand to show that he's comforting her. Mei Jiao smiles at him)
MELVIN
It’s true. But in the meantime, life goes on.
SHIRLEY
I miss her. She always tells us jokes when we're having dinner... she's so funny... and smart...
DEREK
If she's so smart maybe she wouldn't have committed suicide.
SHIRLEY
Derek!?
DEREK
Isn't that true? I wished she didn't kill herself, too, but she did and we can't do anything about it now. I miss her, too.
(pause as the lights go off and focuses on Shirley)
The cast walks up to pay their respects to Angela.
Then Shirley raises her glass in a toast, they all do the same.
Then they ALL say:
Merry Christmas, Angela!
SHIRLEY
(MONOLOGUE)
I know Angela very long already. In school, she help me study. I thought to myself, “aiyah, study, study, study, so boring one”! And I thought I so stupid I got no hope already. But Angela never gave up teaching me Maths and Science. End up, I passed because of her.
Then, when I became sick and never eat because I got anorexia, Angela bring me to hospital and because of her, I'm OK now. She's always there when I needed her. But now she's... (tearful) What am I going to do without her?
Why Angela? You so smart. You got all the potential. It was only one exam. Makes no sense. Why you leave me? I’m so lonely without you.
MEI JIAO AND MELVIN
(DIALOGUE)
MEI JIAO
This past year and a half has seen a lot of changes in me.
(to Melvin)
And a lot of changes in us.
(holding her tummy)
Here’s the most obvious change. My doctor says that everything looks good so far. Somehow I’m not scared about another miscarriage. I’m confident that God will bring this one through. I’ve found that there is more to life than death after all. And if it’s a girl, we’re thinking of calling her Angela.
MELVIN
That’s right. Angela’s death happened at a critical moment for us. We were breaking apart. But then, something happened. Mei Jiao became… different, easier to talk to. And that seemed to help me somehow. She says that God is working in her.
MEI JIAO
That’s right, He is. Perhaps it was Yi Chong’s prayers or that pamphlet I don’t know. But after a while I got so tired of being bitter and feeling so lousy about everything and everybody, including myself, I tried doing what Yi Chong said, to give my anger and bitterness away to God. So then I started talking to Him (pointing upwards) and told Him all of my problems. It was weird, at first. I mean, me, talk to God? But it really does help. Then I started reading the Bible and that helped a lot too. I read about people in there with a lot of my same problems and how they dealt with them. I never thought an old book like that could be so good for me.
MELVIN
Me either. But what was good for her has been good for me.
MEI JIAO
Yeah. Gradually, I was able to learn how to forgive. First, I had to forgive God because I was blaming Him for taking my first baby and for our marriage problems. And then, it was like what Yi Chong said. After I understood and believed that Jesus forgave me and even died for me, how could I not forgive Melvin? Now I feel so light and so blessed. (rubs her tummy)
MELVIN
Whatever makes her happy, makes me happy. Oh, and thank God for the baby bonus!
DEREK
(MONOLOGUE)
Life is like a bottle of champagne, once it starts, you gotta get all you can before the bubbles go flat. That day, when Angela died, I got fired for moonlighting, But I'm glad I got fired because I found a job that I like and it even pays well...
I've worked hard in this new job and my boss likes me... I think she might promote me again soon. Hey, I should “sar car” her to get an increment… (laughs). Angela would have been so disgusted with me, as usual... (sigh) But now, Angela’s gone…
Somehow I feel money isn't everything anymore, but I can't seem to find the meaning of life yet... all I know is… get up, go to work, finish work, go home and sleep... day in, day out, work, work, work... If life isn’t about money, then what?
Sometimes I see other guys working hard, just like me, but they seem content, happy even... Guys like Yi Chong. (makes the square shape). Speaking of Yi Chong, one day you know, I crept into his church. They sang and prayed a lot, and someone gave a sermon, talking about… don’t know lah, don’t understand what he was talking about… Holy Spirit this, Moses that... how can all those things make Christians happy? Maybe happiness is in the Bible... maybe it's in the singing... ??
I don't want to end up like Angela, in a wooden box not knowing why life is so meaningless and miserable. I want to know why I feel so empty inside (pointing to his heart), and what can fill it with peace and quiet. I want to live and make my life meaningful, so that when I die, I can die with a smile on my face and I can tell myself, I made it, I lived well and die satisfied.
YI CHONG
(MONOLOGUE)
One day, one of my friends had a baby. I went to see the baby in the hospital. It was just like what Shirley said, skin like kiam chye, no hair and no teeth, no wonder cry so much. But this toothless, kiam chye, cry baby brings so much joy into our lives!
Just like the birth of Jesus, it brought so much joy to everyone, especially Christians! It just makes me want to shout… MERRY CHRISTMAS to YOU and ME!
(pause)
But, how can you really say Merry Christmas to Angela? I don’t think it’s too merry for her right now.
Angela didn’t die happy… and she was still so young.
I don’t know why I never spoke to her much about God…
I wish I did…
(looking up)
Forgive me, Father, for not sharing with Angela my joy in knowing you.
(pause, looking straight ahead again)
Carpe diem, (catching the air in his fist) “seize the day”. I missed it. “The labourers are few.” “How can they hear if no one tells them?” (another painful pause)
At least Mei Jiao found the way. This is her first real Christmas. For her it is merry. And Melvin seems to be heading in the same direction too. They have hope…. to find the truth…
Shirley and Derek still have hope, too. Shirley is still pretty heart-broken about losing Angela though. She needs to get over the pain and grief. Maybe now it might be easier for me to talk to her. (pause)
And Derek, (shaking his head with a smile) I saw him at church one time. (pointing to the back row) He sat waaaay in the back. I wonder what he got out of it? Or what questions he had? Maybe I should ask him about it. It’s good that he’s seeking God. If he honestly seeks the truth, he will find it eventually. I’ll keep praying for them and Melvin and Mei Jiao too. Maybe by next Christmas one more of them can have their first real Christmas too.
CHOIR: "Ray of Hope"
RAY OF HOPE
In the stillness, in the darkness, on a chill and lonely night
Came a stirring, came a shining, came a star of promise bright.
O’er a city, o’er a manger, o’er a corner of the earth
It came to rest on, came to smile on, one sweet child of humble birth.
There’s always a ray of hope
God always provides a way
Just follow His star to tomorrow
and He’ll be the light for today
For there’s always a ray, a bright shining ray
There’s always a ray of hope.
Thru the darkness, of the ages wise men waited for the light
And the star that shone so brightly was their beacon in the night
Like the wise men, come and follow let His star become the sign
Then you will know that come tomorrow if you seek you’ll surely find
Shine on, shine on , heaven’s star, lead us all to where you are
And when hope is nearly gone, be our light to carry on
There’s always a ray of hope
God always provides a way
Just follow His star to tomorrow
And He’ll be the light for today
For there’s always a ray, a bright shining ray
There’s always a ray of hope.. of hope.
THE END
