Drama Club HUNGARY

Introduction

My name is Beáta Mák and I am history, hungarian language teacher and a theatre pedagogist. I work in Békéscsabai Szakképzési Centrum Zwack József Technikum és Szakképző iskola.

In 2021 we had a memorial of the 200th anniversary of Zwack József’s birth. For this event I wrote the act that was presented in the Erasmus K2 program.

Zwack József was famous for donating money for the ones in need so we created this little act to commemorate the goodhearted Zwack József.

In memory of Zwack József

Act: Café

Actors:

• Zwack József
• 2 needy children
• a waiters
• the narrator
• 1 table with guests
• 1 empty table with a bread basket
• on every desk, there are bread baskets
• guests drinking coffee
• Zwack József sitting at one of the tables, reading the paper. Coffee on the table
• quiet contemporary music in the background

Narrator: Dead Guests. There are a lot of stories around about the good-hearted and humane Zwack József. In our scene, we would like to commemorate this with a fictional story. 

The waiter is talking in the background while 2 needy kids sneak in and look around. One of them sneaks to the empty table and steals a slice of bread from the basket. The waiter notices him.

1. waiter: Catch that boy! He is a thief!
2. waiter: Thief! Call the police! Call the police!

They grab and twist out the arm of the boy. The waiter of pins down him and confiscates the bread. 

The first kid won’t let go of the bread while they try to get it from him. Crumbles are falling from his fingers as he grips the bread. 

The second kid leans against the wall in terror and starts to cry.

• Zwack József ( outraged ) : What is going on here? What is this madness?
• 1. waiter: Sir. This vagabond ( HIÁNYZIK) stole bread from us.
• 1. waiter: There is the other one leaning against the wall. I’m calling the police.
• Zwack József: Let him go. Bring them to me. 
• The waiters let go of the boy. The first waiter escorts the boy to Zwack József. The boy[ crying and terrified ] approaches Zwack Jozsef’s table.The waiter goes to the boy and pushes him:
  • Come on!

  Zwack József:

  • There is no need to push them. They are on their way

  2nd boy approaches the table [ crying and terrified]

  Zwack József ( observes the shabby-looking boys and stringently asks them): Why did you steal the bread?

  1st boy:

  • We are hungry my lord.

  Zwack József:

  • And who is this other boy?

  1st boy:

  • My brother my lord. 

  Zwack József:

  • What are your names?

  1st boy

  • I am Kiss Pál my lord.

  2nd boy

  • I am Kiss József my lord.

  Zwack József:

  • Do you have parents?

  2nd boy ( Silently)

  • Our father is gone.

  1st boy

  – Our mother is a laundress but she has no job now.

  Zwack József? 

  • What about you? Do you boys work?

  1st boy:

  • Sometimes. We carry firewood and coal and we sometimes sell newspapers. But now we don’t.

  Zwack József:

  • Do you go to school?

  1st and 2nd boy together

  • Yes my lord!

  Zwack József: What kind of students are you?

  1st and 2nd boy together

  • We are excellent students. 

  2nd boy:

  • We love going to school. Our teacher is very kind and we can learn a lot from him and in Winter it is warm inside. 

  Zwack József ( With a much warmer tone):

  What is your favorite subject in school?

  1st bogy:

  • Geography, history but I love everything.

  2nd boy:

  • Calculation and biology but I love everything too.

  Zwack József:

  • What would you like to be when you grow up?

  1st boy: Professor of Geography

  2nd boy: I would like to be a doctor.

  Zwack József stares at the boys for a brief minute then he frowns and says:

  Zwack József:

  • You are good lads but you should never steal anyways. What if we call the police?

  The two boys start to cry again with their heads bowed. A small pause. Zwack József( in a much wamer tone)

  Zwack József:

  • We will not call the police now. You are free to leave.

  (The boys start to run but the voice of ZJ reaches them)

  Zwack József:

  • BUT you will have lunch with me first. You are my guests. 

  The boys stop and glance back at ZJ in total confusion.

  Zwack József: Sit down at the empty table. The waiter will serve you some food. Because you do so well in school I want you to become honest and good men. From now on you will bring your final result and show them to me. If you finish your elementary studies excellently, I will pay all your further tuition. Until then both of you can work in the café as a handyman. You can sweep the floor and do the dishes. For this, you will get some money and lunch. You can bring some home to your mum as well. 

  1st and 2nd boy together:

  • Thank you, my lord.

  They sit down at a table and the waiters serve the food.

  Narrator: After this, the boys worked hard in the café and they managed to finish their studies excellently. Zwack József kept his words. He supported the boys after elementary school. One of the boys became a professor of geography. The other became a doctor. 

  Music.
  

  Test

  1. What did the two boy stole
  1. Meat
  2. Bread
  3. Spoon
  4. Scone
  1. Under what conditions did he forgive the two little thieves?
  1. he beat them
  2. he made them pay for the bread
  3. to work in the restaurant and to study well
  4. to join the police
  1. What was the profession of the boy’s mother?
  1. actress
  2. laundrette
  3. teacher
  4. cleaner
  1. What was the reaction of the waiter when he caught the boys?
  1. smiling and forgave
  2. wanted to call the police
  3. he wanted them to work for the bread
  4. he beat them
  1. What professions did the boys choose?
  1. chimney sweep and lumberjack
  2. teacher and lawyer
  3. teacher and professor of geography 
  4. police officer and soldier