~Mikko

Intro: Setting the Scene

(The stage is dimly lit. The Narrator stands to the side, perhaps holding an old leather-bound
book or a flickering lantern.)

Narrator: "The year is 1890. The city is Brussels, Belgium. In a modest boarding house on Rue
Philippe de Champagne, a man of small stature but immense spirit seeks refuge from the
storms brewing in his homeland. Jose Rizal, a man in exile, is caught between two worlds: the
quiet peace of European life and the burning fire of a revolution calling him home. Tonight, we
glimpse the tender, often overlooked chapter of his life with Suzanne Jacoby—a story of Belgian
summers, shared chocolates, and a heart forced to choose between personal happiness and a
nation’s freedom."

~Joshie

The Script: Jose Rizal (The Driven Exile)

(Stage Directions: Jose is sitting at a desk, intensely proofreading a manuscript. He looks

Jose: "Suzanne... she is like a Belgian summer. Bright, sweet, and far too brief. When I walk with
her through the streets of Brussels, or when we share those chocolates she brings, I almost
forget. I almost forget the friars in Calamba, the letters from my sister Narcisa about our family
being evicted, and the weight of the book sitting here on my desk."

(He taps the manuscript of El Filibusterismo.)

"She calls me 'Petite.' It makes me smile, though my heart is heavy with the fate of a giant
nation. She asks me to stay—to practice medicine here, to live a quiet life of science and art in
Belgium. And God knows, part of me wants to. I want the peace she offers. I want to wake up to
the smell of fresh bread and her laughter instead of the news of more arrests in Manila."

(He stands up and looks toward the 'horizon' or the audience.)

"But a man cannot be happy while his brothers are in chains. Every moment I spend enjoying
Suzanne’s company is a moment I am not fighting for the Filipino people. I must leave for
Madrid soon. I must finish this 'Fili.' It is my second child, born of pain and exile."

(He looks at a small token Suzanne gave him—perhaps a handkerchief or a ribbon.)

MIKKO

Middle: Transition to Suzanne

(Jose has just finished his monologue, looking at the token from Suzanne. He slowly exits or
fades into the shadows. The light shifts to Suzanne’s area.)

Narrator: "But every departure leaves a shadow, and every hero is a hero because of the hearts
that sustained him. While Rizal’s eyes were fixed on the horizon of Manila and Madrid, Suzanne
Jacoby saw only the man behind the manuscript. She saw the doctor who skipped meals to buy
paper, the sculptor who carved humor into tragedy, and the 'Petit' who carried the weight of
millions. As Jose prepares to follow his destiny, Suzanne remains, holding onto the memories
that warmed a cold Belgian winter."

Lotie~

Scene 1: The Introduction (0:00 – 1:30)

*(Suzanne enters, wearing a shawl. She is tidying a table, looking fondly at an empty chair.)*

Suzanne: "Brussels. 1890. To most people, this city is known for its grey skies, its intricate lace,
and its world-famous chocolates. But to me, it was the place where I met a man who carried
the weight of an entire nation on his shoulders.

My name is Suzanne Jacoby. My aunt and I ran a modest boarding house at 38 Rue Philippe de
Champagne. We’ve had many travelers pass through our doors, but none quite like him. He was
small in stature, but his eyes... they held a fire that no Belgian winter could ever extinguish. You
know him as Jose Rizal. I knew him simply as 'Petit'—my little one."

Scene 2: Life in Brussels & Traits (1:30 – 3:30)

*(She picks up a box of chocolates and offers one to the audience.)*

**Suzanne:** "He came to us in January. He was a man of immense discipline. While other
young men spent their nights in the taverns of Europe, Jose was here, in this room. He was a
sculptor, a doctor, and a linguist. He taught me Spanish, and in return, I helped him find the
right words in French.

He was incredibly frugal—sometimes too much so! He would skip meals just to afford the paper
he needed for his writing. He had a brilliant sense of humor, often sketching caricatures of the
people he met. But beneath the smiles, I saw his struggle. He was writing a book—a sequel to
his first. He called it *El Filibusterismo*. It was a dark, heavy story, and I often worried that the
bitterness of the ink he used would seep into his soul."

### **Scene 3: The Relationship & Influence (3:30 – 5:30)**

*(She picks up a fountain pen and begins to 'write' a letter.)*

**Suzanne:** "People ask if we were in love. In the quiet moments between his chapters, we
found a deep companionship. I provided him with a home when he was a wanderer. I gave him
the warmth of a family when his own was being persecuted back in the Philippines.

But a man like Jose does not belong to one woman; he belongs to his country. In July, he told
me he had to leave for Madrid. My heart broke, but I understood. When he walked out of that
door, he left a void in our house that no other boarder could fill.

I wrote to him often. I told him: *'I do not want you to be annoyed by my letters, but I would
like to know if you still remember me.'* I called him 'Bebe' in my notes, hoping to bring a smile
to his face while he faced the cold political battles of Spain. I believe my letters were his 'sweet
escape'—a reminder that in a small corner of Belgium, someone believed in him not as a hero,
but as a man."

### **Scene 4: Conclusion (5:30 – 7:00)**

*(She stands up and picks up the heavy book—El Filibusterismo.)*

**Suzanne:** "Jose Rizal eventually finished his book. He went on to fulfill a destiny that led
him back to his islands and, eventually, to a field called Bagumbayan.

I never saw him again. But I am proud to have been the one who kept him warm while he wrote
the words that set a nation on fire. He was the best man I ever knew. My name is Suzanne
Jacoby, and this was my 'Petit.'"

*(She blows out the candle. Fade to black.)*

MIKKO
Outro: Final Reflection

(Suzanne blows out the candle. The stage is dark except for a soft light on the Narrator.)

Narrator: "History remembers Jose Rizal for his words that set a nation on fire and his final walk
at Bagumbayan. But in the quiet corners of Brussels, he is remembered differently. He is
remembered as a man who was loved, a man who laughed, and a man who was once 'Petit' to a
woman named Suzanne. Their story reminds us that the path to greatness is often paved with
the bittersweet sacrifices of the heart. For even a giant nation is built upon the quiet strength of
those who knew the hero... simply as a man."