The Last Rite by Lee Yu-Hwa

(Play Script)
In this classical new vs. old tradition story, a young man goes home to his family and finds out
that a bride has been readied for him. What his family does not know is that he is already married to a
woman in the city.
Main Characters:
Chou Nan-an/ Shio An Erh – Julius R. Olores
Lu Yung-Chu – Sharenah N. Fuentevilla
Chou Nan-an’s New Wife – Paola M. Hellicania
Minor Characters:
Grandmother of Chou Nan-an – Harritte Hope Ferolino
Father of Chou Nan-an – Carlo Sadura
Mother of Chou Nan-an – Sharmaine Pangan
Sister of Chou Nan-an – Saira Jenfel Cantere
Kinfolks – Wezie Maxian, Gretchen Torres, Aileen Tagoctoc
Cousins of Chou Nan-an – Joysie Tiin, Aljun Canubas, Eithel Galindo,
Rhea Vivienne Calimbo,Rica Lloren
Servants – Errol Bryle Flores,
Monk/Chinese Priest – John Mark Morales
Mother of Chou Nan-an’s New Wife – Melessa Cahulogan
Father of Chou Nan-an’s New Wife –
[AFTERNOON, BEFORE SUNSET]
[SETTING: Courtyard/Outside the Chous’ mansion]
[Chou Nan-an arrives in the courtyard and does not see or meet anyone. He looks around while his
forehead creases. Chou Nan-an looks up at the threshold of the second court and does not see his
grandmother. Fear and sadness is evident in Chou Nan-an’s face.]
[N: CHOU NAN-AN also known as Shio An Erh, just came home after three years of studying far away
to chase his freedom and ambition. However, when he received a letter saying that his grandmother is
very sick, he immediately travelled home. As he looked around the courtyard, he did not saw or met
anyone. He looks up at the threshold of the second court and finds it strange that his grandmother was not
there. Rain or shine, his grandmother would sit on her favorite bamboo chair in the veranda and greet
anyone who walks into the court.
Chou: [Looks around, remembering his childhood days and memories with his grandmother]
Grandmother would always welcome me home. [Smiles at the thought of the good old days]
[Chou enters the house. He meets his mother who comes out from his grandmother’s room.]
[Chou’s mother, looks at him with longing eyes. Chou looks at his mother for a while too.]
[SETTING: INSIDE THE HOUSE]
Chou: [Finds it hard to speak; stutters] Is – is she… [Fakes cough to find his voice] Is grandmother –
[Does not finish speaking as his mother holds his right arm, preventing him to speak.]
Mother: [Nods at Chou Nan-an, looks at her son longingly. She had not seen him in 3 years.]
I have not seen you for three years. [Both looks at each other again] Your grandmother is inside.
[Opens the door slowly]
Chou: [Follows her mother and enters his grandmother’s room.]
[SETTING: INSIDE GRANDMOTHER’S ROOM]
[SILENCE]
Grandmother: [Sleeping on her bed]
Kinfolks: [Taking care of grandmother] [Looks at Chou as he enters]
Grandmother [Stirs and asks for tea] Tea, please.
Kinfolk 1: [Quickly hands a bowl of tea to Chou’s mother]
Mother: Mother, here is your tea. Drink. [Kneels on the low bed to feed the tea to grandmother]
Grandmother: [Drinks a few spoonsful of tea with her eyes closed] Is my son home yet? [Still eyes are
closed]
Mother: [Gives the bowl of tea to a kinfolk and speaks] No, not yet. But Shio An Erh is here. He has
come to see you. [Quickly gets up and steps back, slowly pushes her son to the foreground.]
Chou: [Kneels on the low bench and takes his grandmothers hand gently] I am home grandma.
Grandmother: [Tries hard to speak; voice is breaking, and she is catching her breath while speaking] Shio
An Erh, I thought I wouldn’t see you again. You took a very long time to come home my dear. [Clasps
Shio An Erh/ Chou’s hand]
[Grandmother sleeps again with Chou’s hand on hers.]
[N: Chou Nan-an patiently kept his kneeling position to not disturb her grandmother’s sleep. He loves his
grandmother more dearly than his parents. During his childhood, his mother was always too busy with
housework to play with him. While his father had always treated him in the traditional way, he was a
strict disciplinarian. His grandmother however had all the leisure and fun for him. She plays with him and
made him feel cherished and love. So, he promised to love her grandmother always when he was just a
child.]
[Chou Nan-an combs his grandmother’s hair with his hands gently as the narrator speaks]
Chou: [Smiles while looking at his grandmother] I’m so glad I came home grandma.
Grandma: [Frowns while sleeping, makes a frightened sound, grasps Chou’s hand hardly]
Chou: [Pats grandmothers hand with his free hand]
Grandma: [Opens her eyes abruptly and her sight roams around the room] [When she focuses on Chou
finally, she exhales loudly and smiles weakly.] I knew you would come home, I told them so.
[Chou nods at his grandmother’s statement and pats her hair]
[CHOU’S FATHER GETS INSIDE THE ROOM AND KNEELS ON THE LOW BENCH TO HAVE A
LOOK AT HIS MOTHER]
Father: [Looks at his mother for a while, stands up, and nods to Chou (a sign that he wants to talk with
him) before going out]
Mother: [Gives Chou worried glances]
Chou: [Hesitantly stands up, looks at his mother nervously, and then looks at his grandmother. Takes
small steps going out the room]
[SETTING: OUTSIDE HIS FATHER’S STUDY]
Chou: [Paces back and forth; talks to himself nervously] What if I cannot speak clearly in front of father?
What if words get stuck in my throat like the old days when father would shout at me? Our conversations
have always been bad. [Nervously combs his hair with his hand]
[N: However, in the years Chou had been away he had come to see his father in a different light. His
father was not, as he had thought, his tormentor, nor was his father so staunch a believer in the old
system. He did not oppose the new ways and the new people for what they were. He had not really had a
taste of the good old days under the rule of the emperor.]
[CHOU CONTINUES PACING BACK AND FORTH]
[N: The personal disappointment made him hostile to the new world and the new people of whom Chou
was one. It was a very tragic thing that happened to his father; the revolution had reduced him from a
young man with as big a future as he could make it to a man who spent his life taking care of the family
land. “A housekeeper,” his father often called himself. When he understood this, Chou was sorry for his
father and forgave him for the unfair treatment he had suffered at his hand.]
Chou: [Paces back and forth in front of his father’s study for a while. He finally enters after exhaling
deeply]
[SETTING: INSIDE THE STUDY]
(Dinner is set in the center of a long table.)
Father: [Removes his street robe, rolls up his sleeve above the elbows, washes his face and hands in a
basin, dries his face with a plain cotton cloth.] [He looks at Chou] Sit down.
Chou: [Frozen in his place]
Father: [Sits down and rolls down his sleeves; was about to reach the teapot but Chou hurried forward]
Chou: [Pours tea to his father respectfully.]
Father: [Takes the cup, his head bent a trifle] Sit down now.
[BOTH EATS SILENTLY, ONLY THE CLINKING CHINAWARE WAS EXAGGERATEDLY AND
UNCOMFORTABLY LOUD.]
[CHOU SITS UNCOMFORTABLY]
[FATHER LOOKS AT CHOU OCCASIONALLY]
[After dinner, Chou stands up and pours his father fresh tea nervously.]
Father: So? what did your school teach you in the last three years? [Sips tea]
Chou: English, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Math –
Father: [Waves his hand for Chou to stop] I mean, what have you learned? What knowledge is taught in
the modern school? [Sarcastic and irritated tone]
Chou: Well, it is a bit complicated to explain. But in the modern school, knowledge is broader –
Father: [Bursts out] COMPLICATED AND BROADER! Hah! What can be more complicated than to
live the life of a man?
Chou: [Looks down]
Father: In case YOUR school did not tell you this, let me tell you that the old-fashioned Chinese
education teaches one to be a man! WE were taught our duties! DUTIES to the emperor and duties to our
parents. AND WE LIVE BY THEM. [Stresses every word in the last sentence] How about you?
[Chou remains silent]
Father: [Shouts] What do you have to say for yourself!?
Chou: Things are… Things are gradually changing father… Things change for the better. [In a low voice]
Father: Changing? For the better!? What is changing and who is doing the change? There are no changes!
In spring we plant, in fall we harvest. There is rent collecting, paying taxes, feeding the family – nothing
is changing!
Chou: [Stays silent]
Father: [In a mocking voice] You were gone for three years. Three years Chou Nan-an, and yet you come
home without learning a thing? [Paces back and forth] Good money was wasted to buy you knowledge
and common sense, did you know that? Now I will teach you on my own.
Chou: [Looks confused and stares at his father]
Father: The first duty you OWE to me, and to the old woman lying there, (points to the direction of his
grandmother’s room) DYING, WAITING FOR YOU, is to get yourself MARRIED!
Chou: Father –
Father: [Cuts Chou’s statement] I do not want to remind you of the humiliation you have inflicted upon
YOUR FIANCEE and her family because you do not understand. No, you never had any understanding!
Chou: Father, I cannot –
Father: I know! I know you cannot do a single good thing! You cannot do anything!
Chou: [Closes his fist]
Father: But you do not need to worry. I have taken care of everything. The day after tomorrow is your
wedding.
Chou: Father!
Father: I only hope your grandmother can last that long to see you getting married.
[Chou was about to say something, but his father dismisses him with a wave of his hand.]
[Chou exits the room.]
[THE NEXT MORNING, CHOU’S SISTER CAME TO SEE HIM]
[Setting: Chou’s Room]
Sister: Shio An Erh! Shio An Erh! [Puts a tissue-wrapped gift on his desk]
Chou: Yes sister?
Sister: [Overly excited voice] I bet your wedding will be the wedding of the year! We have prepared
everything for you, since it was also grandmother’s wish that you get married as soon as you arrive.
Chou: [Annoyed] What?
Sister: But dear brother, there would be no wedding party for now, it would follow of course if
grandmother gets well or on the 100th day of the funeral.
Chou: [Raises voice] What are you saying!?
Sister: Have you seen it? The east wing chambers were decorated as bridal suite! See that? (Points at the
east wing) The windows were done up with red papers over there! (Sounds very happy and excited)
Chou: Why are you so excited about all this?
Sister: Because! Your bride to be is very nice, she is! I’m telling the truth! I can have someone to talk to
and we can sew together. That’s why! [Sounds happy still]
Chou: How did you know that? You hardly even had the chance to see her. You know the fiancée and the
family members shouldn’t have any contact with the bride until the wedding.
Sister: Well… I do know her well.
Chou: [Looks abruptly at his sister]
Sister: We have been going to the same school since last year!
Chou: [Looks shocked] SCHOOL!? What for?
Sister: [Frowns at his question] What does everyone do when they go to school? Oh. [Remembers
something. Points the tissue-wrapped package on his desk] She wants me to give you this.
Chou: [Accepts the gift, but only looks at it] I CANNOT MARRY HER. [Sighs] Can’t anyone understand
that it is why I have not come home in three years?
Sister: [Gasps] What should she do then!?
Chou: It is not my concern!
Sister: She is YOUR fiancée!
Chou: What? You too? You are siding with them!
Sister: No, I am not on anyone’s side brother.
Chou: You clearly are!
Sister: No! I just grew up and understood things better. She is your fiancée, you have responsibilities to
her. [Persuading voice]
Chou: [In an angry voice] Responsibilities! That is all I have been hearing! I’ve had enough of those! I
have a great sense of responsibility but that is only for myself, to become a better individual!
Sister: You have an outmost responsibility in this family Shio An Erh!
Chou: My OUTMOST responsibility is to destroy YOUR TYPE of responsibility!
Sister: BUT WHY DESTROY HER?
Chou: I am not destroying her! She wanted this “wedding” didn’t she? [Mocking voice]
Sister: We both know that is not true!
Chou: Then she should find her own way out!
Sister: That is impossible brother. This is our tradition, you know that.
Chou: [Chuckles] It is not impossible.
Sister: Really? How?
Chou: She can be free if she wanted to be free. She could start by freeing herself from this feudalistic
culture, and by insisting her individual rights.
Sister: You are out of your mind! Individual rights? There’s no such thing. Tell me how is she going to
fight for her rights when she can’t even set a foot outside their house without her parents’ permission?
Chou: [Looks pitifully at his sister] This court have done a lot of harm to you. You have learned to
compromise! Tsk. When I leave this time, you shall come with me.
Sister: What!? No!
Chou: You should come with me. I shall introduce you to new friends who will consolidate your
thinking!
Sister: No! Their feet are not like mine. [Shows her lotus feet]
Chou: The mind is more important than physical appearance. Do not let those feet prevent you from
living life. [Attempts to leave the room but got pulled back by his sister]
Sister: Brother, you should marry her.
Chou: Stop insisting! She is not the type of woman that I would marry. [Voice raising] I do not like
women who consider the task of “pleasing” their husbands as the uppermost task.
Sister: But you can teach her new ideas! She is just like me, smart and willing to learn!
Chou: I would like to help her, IF – at the same time I could preserve my independence, freedom and
integrity.
Sister: I used to think that new ways and new people with new ideas are better. [Sobs] But now, I am
grateful that my fiancée does not care about my bound feet and wants to marry me! [Exits the room
crying]
Chou: [Looks at her sister as she gets out of the room] [Shakes his head, also goes out of the room only to
find a servant posted outside his room]
Servant: Master. [Bows] [Gives him a silk robe] Your father wishes you to wear it.
Chou: [Accepts the robe and removes his student cotton suit]
[Setting: Veranda]
[Goes to the veranda where his grandmother used to stay]
Chou: Oh grandmother, how I wish you are strong enough to bend my parents’ orders for me. [Touches
the worn arm of the chair] [Sits down on her chair and looks at the big courtyard before his eyes]
[Chou spends time for a while, thinking about what’s happening]
Mother: [Enters the veranda] Your grandmother is taking a nap. You have done her good Shio An Erh,
the doctor said that her pulse is stronger this morning.
Chou: [In a delighted voice…] That’s great! Then we do not have to rush this marriage.
Mother: [Frowns] No, everything will resume. Your wedding will be tomorrow. Your grandmother and
father agreed.
Chou: But mother, we are clearly rushing!
Mother: It is not “rushing” son. Your fiancée is going to be an old maid. She is eighteen years old, yet she
stays at home and braids her hair! Besides, think about your sister. You are postponing her wedding too.
You know she cannot marry unless you go first. Her fiancée’s family is very anxious to have a daughter-
in-law. [Pats his shoulders]
Chou: [Removes his mother’s hand from his shoulders] No one wants to listen to me! [Looks away and
shakes his head] I cannot marry this girl –
Mother: Of course, you can!
Chou: NO! I cannot! I cannot marry this girl because I AM ALREADY MARRIED!
Mother: What?
Chou: Yes, I’m already married. Now do you understand?
Mother: Married? You mean YOU HAVE TAKEN A WOMAN. [Smirks] You know a marriage which
was not arranged by the family is NOT A MARRIAGE. And that girl you married will never be
respectable because she entered an unrecognizable marriage.
Chou: I said I am MARRIED. I married a girl who goes to the same college with me.
Mother: Oh, a modern girl. She could beg, and humbly ask us for recognition as your second wife.
[Smirks] [Stays silent for a while] Do not tell your father… [pause] until this is over. [Looks at the
surroundings]
[CHOU walks away angrily from his mother.]
Chou: I really have been away for too long. I have forgotten the paradoxical aspects of my family’s
morality!
[EVENING; CHOU’S DINNER WITH HIS COUSINS]
[Setting: Dining Room]
Cousin 1: I brought wine for us all cousins!
Chou: I thought there would be no celebration. What is this?
Cousin 2: Nah, this is just dinner cousin. And besides, grandmother rejoices of your upcoming wedding
too!
[Chou and his cousins ate and drank, and went to their grandmother’s room after.]
[Setting: Grandmother’s room]
Grandmother: Come sit beside me dear. [Gestures Chou to sit on the edge of her bed]
Chou: [Holds his grandmother’s hand]
Grandmother: They say I have spoiled you… But I know you will make up for everything. [In a slow, and
weak voice] I will hang on… [Inhales slowly] I will hang on – till tomorrow…
Chou: Grandmother! Do not talk like that. You will live for many, many years more. You will watch my
kids grow, you will play with them and make them feel loved. You will still give my children sweets and
cookies… [Tears run down Chou’s cheek while talking]
Grandmother: Ssshhh. [Wipes Chou’s tears] No, I’m afraid not my dear. Not many years but… [Inhales
and exhales deeply] Until the last banquet, with all the friends and relatives to celebrate your wedding.
[CHOU ONLY NODDED WHILE CRYING]
[THE NEXT MORNING]
[Setting: Chou’s Room]
[CHOU wakes up from sleep and notices the gift from his fiancée. He opens the gift and also finds a
letter.]
[Fiancee’s letter: I know your unwillingness to marry me. Nevertheless, thank you for allowing me to
carry your last name. I know only of the traditional way of living. I shall be obedient to you as I am to my
parents. I shall not question the propriety of anything you do since I cannot question what I do not
understand. Your bride-to-be,]
Chou: [Puts the letter aside] What a cunning woman. Definitely not my type of woman. How could she
plea for my sympathy and affection and at the same time tell me that I am free?
[MEANWHILE, IN THE BRIDAL SUITE – everybody is so busy. Servants goes in and out]
[CHOU dresses up for the wedding; carried in a green sedan followed by the bride’s red sedan]
[A SIMPLE WEDDING CEREMONY WITHOUT MUSIC]
[CHOU, his new wife, his new wife’s family and his family gets inside his grandmother’s room.]
Grandmother: [Propped up on pillows, smiling weakly to the newlyweds] Thank you.
[Chou’s parents stand by the bed, the rest of the family behind them.]
[Chou and his new wife comes closer to grandmother. She holds Chou’s hands and his wife’s hands]
[DURING DINNER, CHOU DRINKS ROUNDS OF DRINKS WITH HIS COUSIN]
Cousin 3: To the newlyweds!
Cousins: To the newlyweds!
[Happily chattering, talking, laughing]
Cousin 4: Cousin Chou Nan-an, you should not drink another round. Tonight, is your wedding night.
Cousin 5: He is right cousin, allow us to take you to the bridal chamber.
[Takes Chou to the bridal chamber and sits on a chair]
SETTING: BRIDAL CHAMBER (Candles light up the night, oil lamps too. A red silk is spread on the
bed.)
Bride: [Sits on the edge of the bed, head bowed down a little]
[A SERVANT COMES IN TO BRING A STRONG TEA, GOOD FOR SOBERING UP. SERVANT
GOES OUT IMMEDIATELY]
Chou: [In a low voice] Go to sleep… This is the one thing you all cannot force me to do.
[CHOU CLOSES HIS EYES AND REMINSCES THE MEMORIES WITH HIS WIFE BY CHOICE,
YUNG-CHU]
[SETTING CHANGES AS CHOU CLOSES HIS EYES, AND TALKS TO HIMSELF]
[SETTING: City/school]
Chou: There was no other way for me to leave home and go back to the city except through this
compromise.
[Yung Chu enters the city scene. She appears at the back of Chou, hugging him from the back]
Yung Chu: One compromise will lead to another Chou Nan-an.
[Chou opens his eyes and unbelievably looks at Yung Chu]
Yung Chu: What’s wrong?
Chou: Nothing.
Yung Chu: I’m serious with what I said. We can just live together. The society here won’t give a fuss
about us. The traditional Chinese families, like ours are nothing but remnants of a bankrupt society. By
the way, a postman delivered this. [Gives a letter to Chou with just a passive look]
Chou: Where did it came from? [Asks without accepting the letter]
Yung Chu: I don’t know.
Chou: Why didn’t you check it?
Yung Chu: [Raises one eyebrow and shrugs her shoulders] It’s not my letter. It’s yours to check.
Chou: [Finally accepts the letter]
Yung Chu: [Turns her back to Chou and looks out the window]
[N: Chou understood and approved of his wife’s attitude but at the same time he could not pretend that he
was not hurt by it nor could he pretend that it was easy to live with a woman who constantly imposed
upon themselves such unprecedented views. Their visions of live conveyed him to a state in which he
believed that life as it ought to be was within their reach, were the ones to live this good life, although in
reality his life with Yung-Chu vas very painful.]
Chou: My grandmother is very sick. That’s what the letter says.
Yung Chu: [Does not look at him but nods her head] Ahh.
Chou: [Stands up and shows Yung Chu the telegram but she merely looks at it]
[N: When they were not talking about ideas, they seemed to be lost. They did not know how to do the
least little thing without getting into a serious argument with each other. She refused to be addressed as
Mrs. Chou, using only her own name, Lu Yung-Chu, if she had to assume a family name, and as a result
involved themselves in needless and endless explanations to the conventional. She did the cooking and
cleaning one week and he did it the next.]
Yung Chu: You must deal with it yourself. It is your own affair. We have our own lives Chou Nan-an.
[CHOU STARES AT THE WOMAN IN FRONT OF HIM]
[N: But all in all, she was the woman he loved and valued, and he had admitted that these conventional
male prerogatives were much at fault for the difficulties in his life with a woman like Yung-Chu. There
was no doubt in his mind that she was the woman he wanted to go back to and the life with her was what
he had chosen through his own free will.]
[SCENE CHANGES AS THE NARRATOR SPEAKS. CHOU GOES BACK TO THE CHAIR AND
CLOSES HIS EYES]
[CHOU turns his chair away from his wife as soon as he opens his eyes]
[CHOU sees Yung Chu as she turns away from his new wife.]
Yung Chu: Sympathy? No, it is not sympathy Chou Nan-an! It’s called cowardice! Considering the
feelings of a dying woman? Sympathy? [Laughs sarcastically] You are one pathetic coward Chou Nan-an.
Ignore it. Destroy and deny your feelings. It will do you no good!
[CHOU TURNS AROUND TO HIS WIFE AGAIN]
[YUNG CHOU VANISHES IN THE SCENE]
[The new wife still sits at the edge of the bed, head bowed down a little]
Chou: [In a low voice] Go to sleep…
New Wife: [Does not move even just a little bit]
Chou: It wasn’t just my name that you wanted huh? You want me to lift that headdress of yours and
exercise my rights as your husband? I SAID GO TO SLEEP! [Chou shouts angrily]
New Wife: [Trembles but makes no move, she starts shaking]
[Chou stares at his trembling wife and slowly comes closer to her]
[The new wife weeps quietly, tears are streams down her cheeks]
Chou: [Slowly takes off the jeweled headdress] You look beautiful.
[The new wife slowly stops crying]
[Chou shakes his head and walks away from her]
Chou: I know you are worrying about the next morning… The elders will check evidence of pre-marital
chastity… But – [Massages his temple] I just can’t… [Turns back and looks at his new wife again]
[CHOU slowly walks closer to her and takes off all of her jeweled headdress, holds her chin, and makes
her look at him in the eyes]
Chou: Look at me. Look at me, wife.
New Wife: [Slowly looks at Chou’s eyes]
[CHOU caresses her cheek, touches her hair and pulls the pins, her hair falls loose and hangs down her
back.]
[The new wife looks at Chou intently, gently touching his hair also. She closes her eyes as Chou’s face
comes closer to hers.]
[CURTAINS CLOSE]
END OF PLAY.