Drama - Year B - Advent 3

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Drama - Year B - Advent 3

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DRAMA—THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, YEAR B

Bible reference: John 1:23

 

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO CHRISTMAS DINNER

 

CHARACTERS: Julie, Peter, Trev and Paula. Three children, Stacey, Holly and Chris.

 

PROPS:        Lounge room furniture with at least enough seats for the adults, list, pen.

 

(Peter, Julie, Stacey and Chris are sitting at home, when there is a knock at the door)

 

JULIE:

Oh! That’ll be Paula and Trev, Peter. I forgot I invited them over to talk about Christmas dinner.

 

PETER:

(Getting up reluctantly) I suppose I better let them in then. (Trev, Paula and        Holly enter)

 

TREV:        Don’t bother, we’re already in.

 

PETER:

Gidday, Trev. Howdy, Sis. Hello, Holly. Come and sit down. (All sit down, making room for the newcomers. The kids sit on the floor) Trev, you look like you’ve got a thick tongue, how about a beer?

 

JULIE:       (Annoyed) Do you always have to shove a beer in his face the minute he        arrives here, Peter? Why don’t you offer both of them a coffee?

 

TREV:        That’s alright, we just had a hot drink before we left home. I’m fine, Pete.

 

PAULA:       (Anxious to get started) I’m sorry, we haven’t got long, Julie. Do you think we        can get into this Christmas dinner list ASAP?

 

PETER:        Why not? It won’t take long...there’ll just be us.

 

JULIE:       (Picking up list and pen) Now I want you to try and be sensible. This is        serious...I’d like to have all the family around this year.

 

PETER:

Well, you know half of them won’t come, and the half that do are freeloaders, out to sponge off us.

 

STACEY:        Oh, come on Dad, I’d like to see all my cousins for a change!

 

JULIE:        Now what about Bill and Sue?

 

TREV:        You can count me out if Bill’s coming.

 

PAULA:        Oh Trevor, don’t be so silly...

 

TREV:

(Interrupting) Silly nothing! That bloke gypped me. If he pokes his nose in here Christmas day, I’ll plaster it back across his face!

 

JULIE:        What’s this all about? He’s your brother.

 

TREV:        So?

 

PAULA:        He’s mad because Bill backed the Melbourne Cup winner and never told him.

 

TREV:

Too right I’m mad. For ten years we’ve been having a bet together on the Cup, and this year he gets a hot tip, forgets about me, and goes down and backs it on his own. I won’t stay in the same house as him!

 

JULIE:        Well...I guess we can come back to them. Kate and Kim?

 

PETER:

(Bitterly) Kate! That sister of mine hasn’t said hullo to me for over five years. Got mixed up with that lawyer husband of hers. Lives up on snob hill. She’s too good for us now.

 

PAULA:        Maybe it’s a good time to invite them, show we don’t hold it against them.

 

PETER:

Ho, ho, ho, listen to my do-gooder sister! Remember, she hasn’t spoken to you, either.

 

HOLLY:        Where’s snob hill, Mum?

 

PAULA:

It’s nowhere really, Holly. Your Uncle Peter’s just being silly. (To Peter) It’s true, she hasn’t spoken to me, but I’d like to give her another chance. We were close as kids, I miss her and I feel guilty. I think we should invite them.

 

JULIE:

(Consults list) Now...I’ve got down here Aunty Mary and Uncle George... (Peter and Trev break into simultaneous laughter)

 

STACEY:        What are they laughing at? I like Aunty Mary!

 

TREV:        Aunty Mary... What are we having, a funeral?

 

PETER:        That woman is a bundle of laughs, she doesn’t even drink!

 

JULIE:

Everyone doesn’t have to drink to have a good time. Uncle George has just        had a big operation, they don’t have a lot of family, and it will be nice to show them we care. Have you guys forgotten what Christmas is all about?

 

CHRIS:        It’s about Jesus and...

 

TREV:       (Not even hearing Chris) It’s about having fun, which you can’t when she’s        around.

 

STACEY: Well, I happen to think they’re both nice, Dad, and I think we should invite them.

 

PETER:        We might as well have Christmas dinner in the morgue!

 

JULIE:        That brings us to Mum and Dad...

 

PETER:       (Angry) I told you my father doesn’t set foot in this place again.

 

PAULA:        You’re not still angry over the money Dad lent Kate and Kym, are you?

 

JULIE:        Yes, he is...I wish you could learn to forgive more, Peter.

 

CHRIS:        Jesus said that we...

 

PETER:

(Cutting him off) You’ll find out it ain’t quite that easy when you get older,        Chris, (To Paula) and you’re damn right I’m still angry. Dad didn’t give me a cracker!

 

JULIE:        But we didn’t need it!

 

STACEY:        What’s so important about stupid old money?

 

PETER:        That’s not the point. Dad should’ve learnt by now, you treat your kids        equally.

 

TREV:        I agree, we didn’t get any money either!

 

PAULA:        Trev, you know Kym needed the money to set up his new law practice. Why        can’t you guys learn to forgive and forget?

 

CHRIS:        That’s why Jesus came...

 

PETER:       (Ignoring him) He’s not coming here for Christmas dinner, and that’s final!

 

HOLLY:        Do you realise, Dad and Uncle Peter, that if you keep on going like this, we’ll        be the only ones here for Christmas dinner?

 

TREV:        That’s exactly what Pete said when we started.

 

PETER:        And that’s the way I like it!

 

JULIE:        Well I think your attitude stinks! It’s about time you guys lifted your game.        Christmas is a time for caring and forgiving.

 

CHRIS:        It’s a time to remember how Jesus...

 

PAULA:       (Cutting him off) I’m with Julie. Let’s invite everyone you suggested.

 

STACEY:        Yeah! And if Dad and Uncle Trev don’t like it, we won’t invite them!

 

HOLLY:        Yeah!

 

JULIE:        Now, let’s not be disrespectful, kids. But I must say I do feel the same way!

 

PETER:        But these people haven’t done the right thing by us...I can’t just forgive and        forget!

 

CHRIS:

Why not just forgive, Dad, and see if you can forget later. (Great silence at such a profound statement)

 

JULIE:

That boy shows wisdom beyond his years, and it tends to show you up, Peter. (Tense silence)

 

PETER:       (Changing the subject) Um...who else have you got on that list to invite?

 

CHRIS:        What about Jesus? (All stare at him, then exit)

 

 

© Peter Jaensch 1992

 

Permission is given for the owner of this disk to make sufficient copies of this script for their group or congregation, for rehearsal and performance purposes only.