The Beloved

Amir Nizar Zuabi

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781408173169
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

When Abraham returns home from a journey with his son, his wife is troubled by the boy's state of mind. What took place on the mountain that day is the beginning of a lifetime of suffering for his son and the dawn of a new age for millions. A haunting and heartbreaking twist on the story of Abraham and Isaac, which reminds us that this historic tale of sacrifice began with just one family. The Beloved follows writer Amir Nizar Zuabi's previous successes with I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother and In the Penal Colony. The publication coincided with a co- production by Palestinian theatre company ShiberHur with the Bush Theatre and KVS Brussels.

Act Two – Son

Scene One

Son in his late 30s and his Wife in her 30s. Both standing near a butcher’s table. He is sharpening knives. She is looking out.

Son The truck crossed the border an hour ago.

They will be here soon.

Wife Is it a big shipment?

Son At least a hundred head.

I’ll be working all night.

You look pale. Are you feeling OK?

Wife I’m fine.

Son You really look pale.

Maybe you should lie down.

Wife No, I’m fine. And anyway, I want to be with you before you go out …

It’s just that I think that I …

Son What?

Wife I think that …

Son What?

Wife Nothing. I’ll be fine.

Are you going to sharpen all these knives?

Son Every single one.

I like to be ready – when they come.

It’s going to take me all night.

Wife Move. Let me help.

Son Just be careful not to hurt yourself.

Wife You be careful I don’t hurt you.

Son You won’t. You love me too much.

Wife I do.

They sharpen knives slowly.

Slowly they get into the same rhythm.

Son I believe you can only do this with somebody you love.

Listen – we are one.

Wife We are …

I can’t breathe.

Son What’s the matter?

Wife It’s the smell.

Son What smell?

Wife The sheep feed.

Son You can smell the feed?

Wife Yes. I can hardly breathe.

Son It never bothered you before.

Wife I never smelled it before.

Son So what’s changed?

Wife I can smell it now.

Thick moldy smell of hay … it smells like death.

Son You … crazy funny thing you.

Wife Listen …

Son What?

Wife When you finish

will you be sure to wash properly?

Last time there was blood all over the floor,

all over the sheets.

Son I promise.

Sorry.

I’ll do them all tonight.

The truck’ll be here soon.

No time to waste.

They need to be at the packing plant tomorrow.

Wife Don’t kill yourself working.

Son I’m paid per head, you know that.

The more sheep I do, the more money.

And we need all the money we can earn

if we want to have a farm of our own someday.

Anyway, I enjoy it, you know I do.

Wife I’ll never understand that.

Sometimes I think you hate them.

Son Wrong. I don’t hate them.

It’s just something I’m good at,

I’ve always been good at.

The first time I slaughtered a sheep

I knew exactly what to do.

I don’t remember where I learned it.

When I was small, we had no sheep

but I knew exactly what to do.

One fast swipe from shoulder to shoulder.

It seems natural.

It’s as if I know what’s going on in their heads.

I do it so fast they don’t feel any pain.

I don’t hate them.

Wife Half the time I don’t know what’s going on in your head.

Son That’s why you stay with me,

you hope one day you will.

Wife True.

There’s something I want to tell you.

Son What?

Wife I love you.

Son What did you want to say?

Wife I don’t know.

One day you’ll tell me what each of your knives is for.

Son Generally speaking, this one is for cutting and this one is for cutting and this one is for cutting, cutting and cutting.

Wife Stupid man.

Son I love you.

Wife So you should. You should.

They kiss.

Son I need to check the fences.

Picks up all the knives he sharpened and starts walking out.

Wife Wait. Listen …

Soon you’ll have to start working harder.

Son Again?

Wife Soon you will have to work harder.

There will be three of us.

Son I don’t get it.

What …?

Are you sure?

Wife Yesterday I was outside, I felt sick.

I was throwing up. But I was smiling to myself.

I’m sure.

Son But I didn’t …

Wife You did. That one time almost five months ago.

We came home from your mother’s birthday.

You were drunk and so angry, it just happened …

All th...