“Master Harold” . . . and the boys Statement and Assignment

This is an additional scene to the play, “Master Harold” . . . and the boys. It is set after Hally leaves the store and comes home to his parents. The audience will be the same as it would in the other parts of the play. This scene is supposed to flow well with the other scene, but let that be to judge. The style of the play is supposed to be the same as if the actual playwright wrote it.

Since Hally is none to pleased about his fathers early release from the hospital, Hally is in an edgy state. His post phone-call conversation with Sam has also made Hally irritated, so Hally is ready to explode. Hally really doesn’t want to talk to his dad. The important parts of Hally’s conversations are his initial conversation with his mother and his expletive-match with his father. These show how Hally feels about his father and how much Hally’s temperament has regressed. Hally’s reactions to his mother’s statements help bring out his anger, so by the time he talks with his father, he can contain his anger only so long. Hally’s final action also shows how fed up he is with his father’s life. Although this play was based on Athol Fugard’s life, I took the liberty of not keeping the story entirely accurate. I felt that this ending would make the story more shocking, and it would introduce a new twist. As Hally wanted to make the story of the kite with a twist at the end, so I did with this story. Without further introduction, read the new ending and critique away!

Hally enters his house to an empty front room with a sofa on the right and a radio atop a table in the corner of the room. Hally looks around and calls out.

Hally: Mom, Dad, I’m home!

(Hally’s mother, Mary, enters the room)

Mary: He’s in bed Hally, so we’ll have to be quiet for a bit.

Hally: Why did you let him come, Mom. Why?

Mary: I didn’t want to disappoint him; he was sitting there, waiting to go and I just couldn’t say No. Hally, he is your father and he loves you. Sometimes, he just doesn’t display his affection.

Hally: If he had any love, he wouldn’t come home drunk every night.

Mary: Hally, he can’t stop; he and alcohol go together like dogs and food. He can’t resist it.

Hally: Well can’t he see that he’s hurting his family?

Mary: When he is under stress, he doesn’t think about those things.

Hally: Well he should!

Mary: I agree, but his life is on a downward spiral right now. His loss of his leg compounded his life further.

Hally: He has no excuse! He should understand that his amputation is his fault and that he should stop drinking if he wants to live another five years.

Mary: Hally, don’t talk like that! He is my husband and your father! He can be the best man in the world when he isn’t drunk.

Hally: Mom, when is he not drunk or asleep.

Mary: Hally! When I met your father, he was handsome and had what seemed like a prosperous life in front of him. He had just graduated from the University and the government gave him a position in South Africa. Since then, he has been removed for his incompetence because he was always drunk. He was a good man! By the time you were born . . .

Hally: By the time I was born, what??

(Hally’s father, James, enters the room on crutches and looks at his wife and son)

James: Hello, chum, nice to see you.

Hally: Great to see you, too, Dad.

James: How have you been since the last time I saw you. Hmmm, let’s see, I saw you two weeks ago Tuesday, no, Monday . . .

Hally: Oh, I’ve been doing all right. Have you been feeling better?

James: Oh, much, I feel great right now. I got better overnight I believe.

Hally: That’s great Dad. Were they nice to you at the hospital? Will you be able to manage here? (Gets a glare from his mother)

James: Oh, yeah, I will be fine. It was boring at that bloody place, though. The nurses never paid any attention to me. By the way, did you bring that brandy bottle home?

Hally: No.

James: Why not? Didn’t your mother tell you to bring it home?

Hally: Yes.

James: Then why don’t you have it?

Hally: You don’t need it Dad. All of your problems are the result of alcohol, so you don’t need any more.

James: What??? Can’t you go back there and get it now.

Hally: You heard me. And, no, I can’t go back to get it because I smashed it!

James: You bloody little bastard! You respect your father when he tells you to!

Hally: Not anymore. I refuse to tolerate your bulls--- anymore!

Mary: Hally!

James: You will do what I tell you to. I want my bloody brandy now!

Hally: You’ll not get it from me.

James: Get the f--- out! Get me the bloody brandy now and don’t give me your independence bulls--- or get the h--- out!

Hally: All right, goodbye Mom.

(Hally leaves the house)

James: Where does he think he’s going?

Mary: I hope he comes back, James, because he may not.

James: Oh, he will, but he’d better be prepared to apologize.

Mary: James, don’t be too hard on him if he comes.

(The phone rings and Mary answers)

Mary: Hello . . . What? . . . . No, it can’t be . . . Yes, that’s his name . . . No, this is impossible . . . There must be some mistake! . . . No! No! . . . Why now?? . . . My poor Hally!

(She turns to James with tears in her eyes)

Mary: He’s dead, James, and you’re the reason why.