The Roses of Sir Kenyapesacus

By K. W. Wamitila

Kenyapesa, an elected leader of his people, finds himself confronted with a new reality. On one side, he has to face people  who feel betrayed. On the other side, there is his old classmate, now a doctor, who is determined to diagnose what ails the society. Will Kenyapesa manage to overcome the challenges he faces? And what diagnosis will the doctor come up with?

The Roses of Sir Kenyapesacus is an exciting play that employs language play, allusion and doses of humour in an interesting way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: K. W. Wamitila
• Release date: May 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201881856

Book preview

Cast

Kenyapesa:    Leader of the people

Jose:    Kenyapesa’s assistant

Miranda:    Kenyapesa’s wife and Dr. Tomno’s assistant/nurse

Maria & Peter:  Kenyapesa and Miranda’s children

Tomno:    A doctor

Demas:    Chairperson of The Council of Elders

Daniso:    Dr. Tomno’s assistant/environmentalist

Agent:    Kenyapesa’s friend

Teacher:    Kenyapesa and Tomno’s former teacher

Woman I & Woman II: Citizens

Guard:   An employee at Kenyapesa’s flower farm

Jimi/Cassandra:  Journalists

Person I &  Person II: Citizens

Crowd:    Citizens

Two People

PLACE:    The State of Alkebulan

Time:    Contemporary

Act 1

The Problem

Scene I

(Kenyapesa, a well-dressed middle-aged man, is swaying lightly in a rocking chair. His arms are crossed behind his head. He stares right ahead and appears to be in deep thought. Enter Jose with newspapers in his hands, looking somewhat confused. His entry startles Kenyapesa, who almost jumps up from his seat)

Jose:  Good morning...Sir!

Kenyapesa:  Morning...(Surprised) Yes...?

(Pause)

Don’t  just stand there like a statue. Say something.

Jose:  Something?

Kenyapesa:  (Anxiously) Yes, say something for heaven’s sake!

Jose:  Something like what, Sir?

Kenyapesa:  (Pointing at the newspaper) For example, what is the news this time round?

Jose:  (Hesitating) Ne...ws?

Kenyapesa:  What you have there; aren’t those newspapers?

Jose:  (Looking at them as if he hadn’t noticed them) They indeed are!

Kenyapesa:  What do they say?

Jose: (Sighs) Mmm...not much, Sir!

Kenyapesa:  Not much?

Jose:  (Aside) How do I say this? Which words should I use? (Turning to Kenyapesa) Maybe, except... (Shakes his head) No...Never mind, Sir.

Kenyapesa:  What do you mean ‘except...No...Never mind’?

Jose:  Sir, if I were you I would ignore this.

Kenyapesa:  Well, fortunately, you are not.

(Pause)

So tell me what is written in the papers. And remember I have employed you precisely for this. (Prodding him) What do they say?

Jose:  (Sighs) Many things.

Kenyapesa:  Of course, newspapers have many things.

Jose:  Little gossips here and there.

Kenyapesa:  And..?

Jose:  A rumour here and there.

Kenyapesa:  (Excitedly) Oh, you don’t say! These journalists  wallow in rumours; they do it all the time. (Aside) What do they imbibe in order to regurgitate rumours; maybe tall tales? (Gesturing) They dive head first into the pools of unconfirmed stories. And what else do they have?

Jose:  And peccadilloes here and there.

Kenyapesa:  Small lies...no! Maybe big lies...Is there something like megadilloes?

Jose:  Now that you have said it...it must be there.

Kenyapesa:  Tell me one of those.

Jose:  ‘Megadilloes’?

Kenyapesa:  The peccadilloes or...

Jose:  A gossip?

Kenyapesa:  Maybe a rumour! (Pauses) No.

Jose:  No?

Kenyapesa:  A peccadillo.

Jose:  A peccadillo?

Kenyapesa: Precisely! That is what I have just said!

Jose:  (Opens a newspaper) They say...

Kenyapesa:  What do they say?

Jose:  You...

Kenyapesa:  (Gesturing) By ‘You’,  do you mean ‘Me’?

Jose:  (Politely) I am afraid so, Sir!

Kenyapesa:  So what about me?

Jose:  You have...

Kenyapesa:  What do I have? Vision? Foresight? Money? Power? And incidentally money and power are what make the world. Say, what do I have?

Jose:  A...!

Kenyapesa:  A...what? Attained...Appealed...Affirmed...Appeased...

Jose:  Abused...

Kenyapesa:  Me? Who? What?

(Silence)

Jose:  Yes Sir, it is you, I am afraid!

Kenyapesa:  Abused who?

Jose:  People’s trust!

Kenyapesa:  (Surprised) What? Which trust are you talking about?

Jose:  The trust they gave you...!

Kenyapesa:  Which one?  (Laughing) Oh...no! These journalists peddle lies...loads of them! (Frowning). Didn’t they learn when I sued them last time for libel and the court awarded me a generous and handsome compensation? (Pause. Then calmly) I will sue them again. All of them. They will pay up to their last coin. I will sue their a...never mind... I will sue them. Them and their pitiful garments... They will never do this again. They will know who I am.

Jose:  Will you sue them?

Kenyapesa:  You bet I will....

Jose:  But you need them!

Kenyapesa:  Who says I do?  (Pause) You?

Jose:  They elected you!

Kenyapesa:  (Excited) And you have just said it! Elected! How will I need them? Is there an election for ‘the elected’? (Pause) Let me teach you some very basic grammar. The word ‘elected’ is in the past tense. It is completed! Done! Finished! You understand? (Jose nods) It is not continuous...In short, it is gone! It is not there. We are not prisoners of time. It is bygone, and as they say, let bygones be bygones!

Jose:  Sir, there is tomorrow, remember!

Kenyapesa:  Let’s forget about tomorrow for now. We must deal with today!

Jose:  If you say so.

Kenyapesa:  Of course I do!

Jose:  Today has the rumour...!

Kenyapesa:  A rumour?

Jose:  Yes, a rumour!

(Pause)

Kenyapesa:  And you forgot to add, ‘a malicious’ one!

Jose:  If you say so.

Kenyapesa:  If I say so? What do you mean?

Jose:  Well...I meant...mm!

Kenyapesa:  You meant nothing!

Jose:  If you say so....

Kenyapesa:  What is wrong with you today?

Jose:  Nothing, Sir!

Kenyapesa:  You look confused!

Jose:  If you say so!

Kenyapesa:  Strange! (Pause) You are muddled up.

Jose:  Am I?

Kenyapesa:  At sixes and sevens!

Jose:  If you say so....

Kenyapesa:  What do you mean?

Jose:  I mean if you see me at sixes and sevens, then I sure am.

Kenyapesa:  Of course you