Cake

Donna-Michelle St. Bernard

• Publisher: Playwrights Canada Press
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9781770919709
• eBook ISBN: 9781770919723
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Canadian Drama
• Index: Literature

A man earns. However little, however nefariously, he earns.

Oba, a middle-aged businessman, is torn between his pride and dignity. He's obsessed with making deals in unidentified substances to stay afloat. A powerful client named Araf arrives, interested in Oba's business, but also his fierce, inherited servant Femi. Oba's young progeny Mabo is hungry and desperate, but still driven by his skills and sympathetic to the needs of others.

In this stark and poetic musing on the nature and poisons of survival, Cake humanizes the dynamic between Niger and Iran and their clandestine trade in uranium, presenting a dark and critical look at oppression, consumerism, and what happens when all of our resources are dried up.

Moonsong

The following is a land acknowledgement delivered by Femi in character. The italicized text should be replaced with the original nations in the territory where the play is performed. An effort should be made to use the traditional name of a nation rather than an externally imposed appellation.

Femi: My grandmother told me this, whispered while I was enwombed, how she watched over me nightly in silvering light, how she rested only when she had entrusted me to those I would sustain:

Petun, Seneca, Mississauga, Wendat . . .

She saw and told of

lean times,

broken covenants,

silenced songs.

My grandmother has not slept for a very long time now.

Quo

Mabo sits carving a small piece of wood. Oba assesses a collection of leather-bound books between two bookends. He puts them on the floor and opens a box, replacing them with an identical set.

Mabo: Have anything to drink, Oba?

Oba: Femi.

Femi: (entering) Coming.

Oba: Some water.

Femi goes to the bar and looks among the bottles of liquor. She finds water with some difficulty and brings Mabo a glass.

Mabo: Thank you.

Mabo comes over and goes to open a book. Oba stops him.

Oba: What’s mine is yours, Mabo.

Mabo: (good naturedly) Always enough nothing to go around, eh?

Oba: Not nothing. We have legacy, we have dignity and we have faith in the future.

Mabo: We do.

Oba: How’s it going with . . . uh . . . things.

Mabo: Alright. I managed to sell a few pieces the other day but nothing too steady. Oba, you know how much I respect you, and I do want to stand on my own like you taught me. Still, I thought you might be able to help me —

Oba: Good. Good for you. Just keep moving forward.

Mabo: Are you throwing those books away?

Oba: See what you can get for them.

Oba distractedly gives him the old books and waves him away. Mabo exits.

Set-up

Mabo tells a story.

Mabo: Long ago, it used to be that the animals would gather after the harvest to trade stories, discuss matters and wrestle one another. One year the griot beat upon his drums and sounded praises for lizard. He sang of mighty conquests, of great strength and deeds of heroism. Hearing his praises sung, the lizard began to puff himself up, raising his tail high for all to see. Tired of his bragging, the spider offered a challenge.

“You will be easily crushed,” bellowed the lizard. “You would do better to find your equal. I will not be defeated by an insignificant spider.” He continued to shout until he was almost out of breath, all the while puffing himself up and flexing his long tail. Spider said nothing but looked at the lizard’s tail, and his own agile limbs.

When the fight began, some of the animals cried out. “Stop the fight! He’ll be killed!” And, “It’s unfair!” While others said, “Teach him a lesson! Crush him!” And, “Hurry up so we can eat!” The fight went on for some time until finally the spider nimbly mounted the lizard’s back and clung there tightly.

The fight was stopped, but the animals could not agree who had won, so the lizard and the spider were brought back into the arena to fight again. Some of the animals cried out. “Call it off! He’s too small!” And, “You’re going to put one of your many eyes out!” While others said, “Destroy him! Shame his children!” And, “Whatever. Just get it over with!” Again they fought and again the spider climbed onto the lizard’s back. The animals could not agree who had won the second fight.

Spider and lizard fought once more. “On no!” said some animals. “Oh yeah!” said some others. Once again the spider climbed onto the lizard’s back and once again no winner could be declared.

Disappointed, the crowd turned away. “It’s funny,” said one onlooker. “He really looked taller in the song.”

Tease

Mabo lets himself in and sits opposite Oba, carving a piece of wood, waiting for Oba to speak. Finally Mabo puts the carving down on the table.

Mabo: This one is for you. No charge. Come now.

Oba picks up a paper with interest.

You got ...

Table of contents

• Foreword by Nikki Shaffeeullah
• Characters
• Cake
• Afterword by Kern Albert
• Acknowledgements
• About the Author