£5.00
165 in stock
By Fatma Durmush
ISBN: 978-1-84747-803-0
Published: 2008
Pages: 121
Key Themes: schizophrenia, script, playwright, relationships, love
Description
Coming soon
About the Author
Fatma Durmush has had schizophrenia for thirty odd years and after living with that amount of mental health problems she when she reached forty decided she would begin studying in good earnest. So she did an GNVQ and then foundation in art and then a degree and this year she has finished her MA in fine art. When her father became seriously ill she had to make a choice was it to be giving up the BA or doing the BA? In the end her father decided for her and he was gone but Fatma always said it was a thing that she could not decide for she loved them both.
Book Extract
A TINY ROOM, HARDLY ROOM TO BREATHE. SEBAHAT IS SITTING PEELING ONIONS. SHE IS CALM AND COMPOSED. TANYA IS CUTTING A PIECE OF CLOTH- THEY ARE BOTH BUSY. THEN SAMI COMES IN WITH A CHAIR. THE THREE LOOK ODD. THE MAN CANNOT FIND ROOM TO PUT THE CHAIR IN. HE SCRAPES THE CHAIR TO ONE SIDE WHICH GOES TOWARDS TANYA AND THEN ANOTHER CHAIR WHICH GOES TO HIS WIFE SEBAHAT. IT IS LIKE A SHIP AND IT IS LIKE A TINY ROOM ON A SHIP, BUT THEY ARE IN A TERRACE HOUSE IN LONDON. THEY ARE ALL TURKISH, A SOLID PEASANT VARIETY.
SAMI SCRAPES THE SOFA AND SITS ON THE SOFA. HE PLACES THE CHAIR UPSIDE DOWN. HE BREAKS WIND. THEY ARE A GOOD TURKISH FAMILY AND THEREFORE HAVE A PHOTO OF ATATURK AND FAMILY PHOTOS WHICH GIVES THE ROOM A TERRIBLE SMALLNESS.
SEBAHAT: For thirty years you’ve been doing just that, every night. Fart, fart.
TANYA: Father don’t, the smell is unbearable.
TANYA GETS UP AND OPENS A WINDOW. SHE IS A TALL GIRL WITH TORN TIGHTS AND A SKIRT WHICH IS LONG AND TIGHT. SHE IS WEARING HUGE SHOES, HER FATHER’S SHOES. SHE SITS DOWN AFTER OPENING THE WINDOW AND TAKES A TURKISH BOOK AND BEGINS TO COUNT THE STRESSES OF THE EMBROIDERY PATTERN.
SEBAHAT NODS IN APPROVAL. THE MAN LOOKS LIKE HE IS DOMINATING THE ROOM. THE SOFA IS SMALL AND HE IS BIG.
SAMI: I am going to do it for another thirty years. So there.
SEBAHAT: Get away you silly old man.
HE CRACKS HIS KNUCKLES.
SAMI TURNS TO HIS DAUGHTER AND CURSING HER HE LOOKS HER UP AND DOWN AS IF HE WAS MEASURING HER EMBROIDERY.
SAMI: Well how is school? The wandering scholar.
TANYA: (WITH HUMOUR). Well, I must say the onions are smelling awful mixed with fart, it makes a strong aroma.
SEBAHAT: Don’t encourage him. He is as bad as can be without you encouraging him.
TANYA: You think so? Mum, I have a problem.
SEBAHAT: Your shoes, yes that’s the problem.
TANYA: I don’t mind my shoes. It doesn’t bother me. No. I’ve been at the OU for the past ten years and I still don’t have a degree. I enrol and because of family commitments I don’t actually do the exam. Why don’t I do the exam is the question? When I can’t sleep at night I deplore the weakness to see you quarrelling with dad. I know that dad is mad. That he’ll never be sane ever again but I wish he had the grace to admit that he is at fault.
SAMI: With a daughter like that who needs peace and quiet? Every year you are getting older and none the wiser.
SEBAHAT: Stop picking on the girl. You know she suffers from her nerves as bad as you. Now stop that and let us do something constructive.
TANYA: Let’s get out of this room. This room is suffocating me.
SAMI: No backbone, no skeleton. You soft girl?
TANYA: GETTING UP AND WALKING ROUND AND ROUND THE ROOM AS IF SHE WAS WALKING ON STILTS.
TANYA: No I think studying is a substitution for living. I am thirty five and yet have been married only once.
SAMI: How many times did you want to be married? Your mother and I have been married for 36 years our first marriage our only marriage. Ordinary people only marry the once! Famous people several times.
TANYA: What I fear is being left on the shelf. He has been abroad now for the past ten years. He bothered to ruin our marriage by laughing all the time. Oh his irritating laughter I can still hear it. I am a woman whose first night was her last. I am a bride with only the honeymoon to remember. Now I’m chained to him as if he has bound me with chains. I need love! I, a Turkish girl, must have love.
SAMI: Shut your mouth. (THE CHAIR COMES AND LEANS ON HIM.)
SEBAHAT: Don’t tell her to do that! You must bring her up properly. Proper upbringing of children is essential. One child, one mother, one father and then one family. I hate all those Europeans with their step-children, walking the tight rope and no decency. To bring one’s family into this so-called modern age is impossible for me.
TANYA: Why did he marry me if he was to leave me? Why was he laughing at me? I can’t get over it and I dread that one day I’ll wake up with only studying to ease my mind.
SAMI: Sit down girl, you are wearing yourself out. At least you’ve got something to fall back on.
(HE GRINS HIDEOUSLY AND PUTS THE CHAIR HE HAS BEEN LEANING ON AWAY FROM HIS KNEES.) TANYA SITS ON THE TABLE CROSSING HER ARMS IN A DEFENSIVE GESTURE.
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