An excerpt from

Tatarin by Nick Joaquin

HUM 014
JTEDUARTE
Characters:
Paeng and Lupe Moreta, a well-to-do couple of Paco, Manila
Juanito, their eldest son
Toti and Nonoy, their younger boys
Kikay and Rosa, their housemaids
Entoy and Amada, husband and wife; family driver and cook respectively
Micaela and Maggie, mother and daughter; expatriates on a visit over
Guido, a young cousin of the Moretas, also lately arrived from abroad
Men and women for crowd scenes

TIME: The action takes place within a single day, June 24, St. Johns day. The
period is circa mid 1920s.

SCENE: The veranda and front yard of the Moreta house in Paco, an old
borough of Manila.
The veranda extends from left downstage to almost center
upstage, thus forming a slant across the stage. The space in
front is the yard, which is enclosed at rear and towards right
by a wall, with gate at right. The gates are solid panels, not
grilles. Between the rear end of the veranda and the wall is a
passage leading to the back of the house.

The wooden veranda is two or three steps up from the

ground; is balustraded in the old style; and is furnished with
rattan chairs. At center of veranda, facing steps, is the front
door of the house flanked by windows.

At center of yard is a thick old balite tree, its gnarled boughs

overspreading the yard.
ACT ONE
Curtain opens on empty set and total silence, during which we note that a
small candle is burning at the foot of the balite tree, round which flowers
are strewn. It is about eight oclock in the morning.

Suddenly the silence is rent by a womans scream, weird and prolonged,

exultant and orgasmic, possibly histerical.

A screaming dies away, from rear of house, running, come Rosa; and a
front door appears Kikay, who crosses veranda and stands at top of steps,
at the foot of which Rosa comes to a halt. Both are looking towards the
open gate. The two housemaids wear aprons (but not uniforms) and are
barefooted. Kikay is senior to Rosa.
KIKAY: (in mock portentous tones) The cry of the tatarin!
ROSA: (giggling) Naku, that Amada- really going out of her head.
KIKAY: Yes, our fine Amada hot as hot again. And who will do the cooking
today?
ROSA: Abah, abah, Kikay, that is something we need not worry about. Is it
our job?
KIKAY: (shrugging) Oh, they have probably ordered some bistek from La
Palma de Mallorca and some lengua from El Refugio.
ROSA: (mock-daintily) And some tuyo for us from inchik bejo at the corner.
KIKAY: (suddenly pointing towards balite tree) Rosa, look!
ROSA: (looking around) Susmariosep! Who put that there

The two girls run to the tree and gape at candle and flowers.
KIKAY: A candle and flowers! Rosa! These were not there when I swept the
yard, right after they left for church.
ROSA: Flowers! And a candle! Kikay! These were certainly not here when I
went out to buy bread.
KIKAY: What do you think, Rosa should we.. Should we remove them?
ROSA: (glancing around) A curse may fall upon us Remember, today is the
day of St. John.
KIKAY: And this old tree is supposed to be sacred to him.
ROSA: And sacred to the moon and sun Who would have placed these
offerings here?
KIKAY: (in her mock-portentous tone, gesticulation like a seeress) Some girl
playing for a lover, or praying that a faithless lover will come back to
her. Or some wife who is barren and desires to have a child. Or some
ageing woman in despair because her beauty is fading and her
husband is turning away. Or some old bitch plotting evil against an
enemy and bribing the Apo of this tree to be her ally On this day
are the spirits most powerful when they say that the sun itself
(sound of the childrens voices offstage) Naku, here they come!