From
SWEET TALK
by Michael Abbensetts
Sweet Talk by Michael Abbensetts was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre, Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in London on 31 July 1973, directed by Stephen Frears, with the following cast; Allister Bain (Tony), Mona Hammond (Rita), Don Warrington (Dennis), Sally Watts (Sandra), Joan-Ann Maynard (Yvonne) and Lee Davis (Oscar).
Michael is renowned for giving a voice to Caribbeans by writing about the Black Caribbean experience and Sweet Talk is no exception. The play is set in a small bedsit occupied by a married couple, Tony and Rita, and their five-year-old child Binkie. Their cramped living conditions are a constant annoyance to lead character Tony, who dreams of living in a bigger centrally heated house. When his wife is hospitalised after having complications with her pregnancy, Tony’s gambling addiction gets out of control. Things go from bad to worse when his wife returns home to discover that Tony has gambled all her life savings.
About the Playwright
Michael Abbensetts was born in Guyana, and came to England in the 1960s. Michael set out to be an author, first writing short stories, but after watching Look Back in Anger, he decided to pursue playwriting. Abbensetts began his playwriting career with his first play, Sweet Talk. He won the George Devine Award for Sweet Talk in 1973. Sweet Talk is his most performed play – in London and internationally. Abbensetts’ other plays includes; Alterations, In the Mood and El Dorado.
Summary (Extract)
Exasperated by their poor living conditions, lead character TONY, a 26 year old West-Indian man, talks to his wife Rita about his plans to achieve a better standard of living.
TONY is a very raffish looking young man. He is wearing a dark suit and an overcoat but no tie. He has been in England longer than his wife has so has less of a West Indian accent than she has.
(A cry.) It’s not a dream, Loopy Loo...! (Pause.) As an accountant I could make fifteen, maybe twenty thousan’ a year. Twenty thousan’, Loopy Loo! Wit’ that kind of money we could buy a little house, ‘invest in a property’. A place where we could have room to invite frien’s. Not like this – storeroom. (Pause.) You couldn’t even invite the Thin Man here. Even if he went on a diet. (Pause.) Girl, we could really start to live, if only we had our own place. No more goin’ out in a cold, cold passage jus’ to do toilet. We’ll have a toilet nex’ to the bedroom. A centrally heated toilet! Gorgeous! The whole place could be centrally heated. Ow, Loops...! Happiness is a house with central heatin’ – from top to bottom! (Pause.) Think of it, once we could afford it, we need never freeze in Englan’ again. This country would be a different place all-together! Imagine it – imagine bein’ so warm you gotta turn down the heat. BEAU-TI-FUL! (Pause.) Twenty thousan’. It’s not like wantin’ a million. There are guys who pay that much in TAX! (Pause.) Some women spend more than that on a neck-liss. One neck-liss. Then they leave it lying aroun’ so any and everybody could steal it! (Pause. Bitter laugh.) You gotta laugh. The whole pattern is so unfair, it’s almost funny. Man. (Pause.) Ole God, eh, Sweet Pea. He really got it in fo’ black people. No doubt about it. He rather see all of us freezin’ in a room in Shepherd’s Bush – wrap up in a overcoat like a cocoon – than see us wrap up in central heatin’, warm as a butterfly. (Pause.) No lie, Rita. There just gotta be a God. (Another private laugh.) I mean the black man been put down fo’ so long – that can’t be jus’ coincidence. (His jaundiced laughter trails away. Pause.) They even talk to you diff’rent when you makin’ that kinduh money. White people. You done have to take as much crap from them. If only ’cos they know with that money you can afford a good lawyer! An’ in any white court havin’ a good lawyer is better than being innocent! (He laughs, boyishly. Pause.) Four, five years. That’s all it’ll take to be a Certified Accountant. Four, maybe five years. (Dismissing even the thought of failure with a wave of his hand.) I should do that easy. Easy, easy. It’s simply a matteruh retaining the right facts. Anybody could do it. Once they apply themselves. (Pause.) Then after I get m’degree I’m in business. Loopy Loo! I’m laughin’! (Pause.) I’ll only work fo’ Jews. An’ they got to be rich Jews or I’ll practise anti-semitism. (Laughs a he he he laugh. Pause. Then.) Jews an’ nobody else! I got respect fo’ Jews. Jews know. An’ what they know is how to survive. Copy the Jews. That’s all I gotta say to West Indians. (Pause.) Strictly fo’ Jews. No Wasps. You got to draw the line somewhere, Loopy. (He gives another soft, jaundiced laugh. Pause.) Twenty thousan’. Nothin’ fantastic. (Pause.) A little house with nice central heatin’ ...Binkie could have his own room...you could buy y’self some good clothes, Rita. (Pause.) Twenty thousan’. Compared to what some people want from life that’s sweet F.A. It would do me, though. (Snickering.) I’d make do with twenty thousan’ a year any day.