A DAY LIKE ANY OTHER

CHARACTERS:

Luca: A 13 year old boy. Maria’s twin brother.

Maria: Luca’s twin

Mother: A 35 year old woman, the twins’ mother

Father: A 45 year old man, the twins’ father, aggressive

Teacher: The twins’ class teacher 

Teacher: Technical education teacher 

Classmates  

SCENE I - GOOD MORNING

Luca and Maria are in their bedroom. They’re sleeping. Their mother comes inside to wake them up.

Mother:       (sharply) Wake up Luca! Wake up Maria! Get out of bed, it’s time to wake up! 

Luca:           (half asleep) Yes mom, I’m coming… 

Mother:          (to Maria who’s also half asleep) Hurry up! Go wash yourself then come here quickly to make breakfast!

They both get up, stretch, go to the bathroom and then dress quickly.

Maria brushes her hair, then goes out of the scene (to make breakfast); Luca stays. 

Luca:         (speaking to himself) And again today, like every other day, I have to cut the wood before going to school while Maria makes breakfast. Oh and I mustn't forget my backpack with the books in it and my lunch. 

SCENE II - A BUMP IN THE ROAD

Maria and Luca,dressed in the school’s overcoat and their too big jackets, are walking to school. 

Maria thinks that her shoes are very uncomfortable, so she  grimaces pain. 

Luca:      What’s wrong Maria, why are you making that face? 

Maria:       I hate these shoes, they’re old and worn-out, I’m too grown up for them. Today my feet hurt really badly!

Luca:         (talks while looking at his sister and not the street) I feel you, mine are also five years old, and… (he trips over a root and falls on the ground. He instantly stands up and touches his collar worried) Oh no! What have I done, the collar is filthy now. If the teacher finds out she’ll punish me!

Maria:        You have to be more careful… Come here so I can try and fix it. (examining his collar) Here you are, that’s better, but the stain is still visible. I can’t do more. Hurry, we absolutely can’t be late!

SCENE III - PAINFUL CONSEQUENCES

The two kids are in a large and gray classroom. In one part of the room there are some desks made of wood placed side by side two by two. 

On the other side there is the teacher's desk, also made of wood

TEACHER: (enters the class in the

general silence; the students immediately stand up.

The teacher greets them seriously in a cold way).

Good morning, students.

Now, let’s start the prayer.

(interlaces her fingers,lowers her head and starts praying).

STUDENTS: they imitate the teacher and they pray with their heads down)

Pater noster, qui es in coelis... (the rest of the prayer is an indistinguishable murmur)

TEACHER: Good, now let's check if you are clean and tidy, how you should be at school.

(starts to pass between the desks to check the decorum of the students).

LUCA:(closes his eyes, interlaces his fingers and prays that the teacher doesn't notice the dirty collar) 

TEACHER:(Stops in front of Luca’s desk and assumes an angry expression, then moves her gaze to Maria) Your brother’s overcoat is dirty, why didn't you wash it? A girl your age should be able to do these easy tasks!

MARIA:         But my brother is…

TEACHER:     (screaming) Don't try to justify yourself miss! Go to the corner now!

Maria gets up from the desk and goes to the corner of the class, with her back facing the teacher's desk, looking at the wall. The classmates raise a light laugh that the teacher stops by hitting her hand on the desk.

TEACHER:      Take the nib and the ink, today we will do a dictation.

STUDENTS:    (they snort and they prepare by putting the notebook and the nib on the table)

 TEACHER:   (Starts to dictate) paenitere many not emo… (the rest of the dictation incomprehensible)

TEACHER:     Alright guys, now show me what you've done. (approaches a student) What is this?! You did it   all wrong! (in an angry tone, she takes the paper from his hand and tears it, then slaps him on the fingers)

SCENE IV - BREAK TIME

The bell rings and the break starts.

Maria and Luca separate:She goes to sit on the benches with her girl classmates while he joins his friends.

MARIA: "Hi girls,it's nice to finally talk to you.The teacher is so strict, she doesn't let us be together…"

GIRL CLASSMATES: (nodding)"You are right, the teachers at this school are very strict."

MARIA: " Anyway, I wanted to ask you, what are you going to do in the future? Will you stay at home or look for a job?"

GIRL CLASSMATES: (all surprised by the question)Are you crazy?! We'll obviously  stay at home; working is for men! We'll just take care of our future child and husband!

MARIA: (sad and disappointed by the answer)I understand what you're saying, dear friends, but you have no desire for a new world, for more freedom? Aren't you tired of seeing your mothers staying at home doing nothing, knowing that one day it'll be your turn too? 

GIRL CLASSMATES: (in chorus) No!

Meanwhile: Luca and his classmates play in the corridors and they prank each other.

LUCA: (to his classmate)

“You have it!”

MARCO: “ No! I caught you again!”

(he trips Luca, making him fall)

LUCA: (amused but also angry)

“ Hey! You don’t trip.”

The teacher arrives.

TEACHER: (clearly upset)

“ Children! What’s all this fuss about? Don't you see that you are disturbing all the other classes?”

LUCA E MARCO: (Sorry, with their eyes on the ground)

“ Yes,teacher.We’re Sorry.We won’t do It anymore.”

Luca and Marco start playing and joking again, not paying attention to what the teacher said .

The bell Rings again. The break Is finished.

SCENE V - MATH’S LESSON

The bell rings and all the Students enter the classroom.

Maria:(tells her classmates, while they enter the classroom) Unfortunately we have math now.

Teacher:(enters the class, everybody stands Up and welcomes her) today I’m going to ask questions about all the topics that we did this year (opens the register and chooses the person to interrogate) Luca, come to the blackboard . 

Luca Slowly comes to the board, gets a chalk and waits for the teacher to ask something. 

TEACHER: Draw a square with a 4 cm long side and find the area of it. 

Luca writes the data and doesn't speak.

TEACHER: (nervous) Luca, did you study? Let me see your homework.

Luca:(nervously)I didn’t do it.

Teacher:(gets a ruler and goes near Luca, she tells Luca to stick his hands out and she hits Him more than once)  

SCENE VI - MANUAL WORK

After the math lesson, the teacher arrives in the classroom.

Maria: We finally have technical education, yay! 

Luca: I’ve been waiting for this moment all week 

Teacher (M): good morning students, get your materials out immediately. Today we will do some woodwork. Meanwhile you girls should listen to the teacher giving a sewing lesson. 

Teacher (F): (moves the girls in a corner of the classroom and gives each one collars, needles and sewing threads). So girls, now we have to put a lace on these collars. I recommend being careful of the details.

Maria:        (talking to a girl classmate) just the other day my mum explained to me how to do it with some flowers. I’m sure that they will be appreciated by the teacher!    

SCENE VII - CLEANING

 (The bell rings the end of the school day)

Luca:           Yes! Finally we’re going home.

Teacher:        Where do you think you’re going?

Luca:           Teacher, the bell has rung!

Teacher:       Yes, but you and Maria have to stay here to clean the classroom. 

Luca:           Why? What did we do?

Teacher:        What did you do? How can you ask me that! You, Luca, definitely have to startstudying; and you, miss, it’s time you start acting like a woman. 

Maria:          We’re sorry, we’ll clean the class.

Luca:           Yes, sorry.

Teacher:       Great! So I want Maria to sweep the floor, meanwhile Luca must pick up the garbage. 

Maria and Luca slowly return to the classroom and start to clean with sad faces on. 

Luca:          (whispering to Maria) I don’t want to stay here another minute! 

Halfway through the work the teacher comes to check in on Maria and Luca. 

Teacher:     Luca, you can go now, your sister will finish the work. 

Maria continues with the cleaning but accidentally trips over the bin and falls. 

Teacher:      (angry) Careless girl! You don’t even know how to walk, show me your hands! 

Maria shows her hands to the teacher that hits them with a ruler.

Maria:       (with tears in her eyes) I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, it won’t ever happen again.

Teacher:        (furious) It better not! 

The teacher walks out and Maria finishes. At the end she reaches her brother Luca and they walk home together. 

SCENE VIII - BACK HOME 

Maria massages her hands from the caning 

Luca:Do they still hurt?

Maria:Yes, a bit.

Luca snorts 

Luca: Well, you should have been more careful. 

Maria: Yes,you are  right, tomorrow I will apologizethe teacher again 

They arrive near their home and hear shouting 

Luca: Our father will scold US 

Maria shrugs her shoulder when she hears her father shouts for the umpteenth time 

Father: Where are they? they know that they have to help me after school, they cannot do as they please 

They arrive at home and Luca opens the door

Father:( very angry) How many times do i have to tell you that you mustn’t come home at this time !

Maria:( worried voice) but dad, the teacher held us back at school

Father:( very angry) I’m not interested in this cheap nonsense. If I tell you to do something, you have to respect it! Otherwise there will be trouble!  Am I clear?! Luca, tell me what really happened!

Luca: Dad, Maria told the truth, I swear.

Mother: Kids,enough arguing. Luca go and take care of Clotilde(the cow) and Maria, put away your brother’s clothes!

Father:(tuning Maria)you little girl, tidy up my clothes  too