Princess and the Hustler (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE English Literature): Exam Questions

[The stage opens like a big box – as though opening the front of a doll’s house.]

[PRINCESS, eyes closed, stands in the cupboard room. She is wearing a swimming costume and a sash around her. She raises her hands in the air and places a crown made of cardboard and tinsel on her head.]

VOICE-OVER: Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the winner of the year’s Weston‑super‑Mare Beauties of the West Contest – [Voice booming] Princess James.

[PRINCESS’s eyes open wide.

The cupboard room explodes into a world of pageantry – scenes of people jumping into a swimming pool, Union Jacks, music and fireworks – fill the stage. PRINCESS approaches a microphone.]

PRINCESS: My name is Phyllis Princess James. I will wear this crown every day. I will never take it off even when I am asleep. 

I want to thank my mummy, my friends, Margot and Junior …

Even though he is so annoying!

I will use all this money to help the poor ... 

After I have bought my mummy a new coat and ... 

I might buy a new bicycle for me and ...

[MAVIS’s voice can be heard shouting above the noise –]

MAVIS: Princess James did you hear what I said?

Princess!

If I have to carry on with this hollering at you then the next thing you hear will be my hand against your backside.

You hear me chile?

Phyllis!

[PRINCESS steps into the front room –

PRINCESS stands, crown on, sash falling off, dejected –]

PRINCESS: Mummy!

MAVIS: Don’t you ‘Mummy’ me! Been calling you for the last ten minutes. Sometimes I do wonder where your head is at /

PRINCESS: Beauties of the West /

MAVIS: What you say?

PRINCESS: Nothing Mummy /

MAVIS: Good. Now go wash your hands and come help me with the beans. Not going to be eating until five o’clock if you children don’t fix up.

Where’s your brother?

Junior. Come here now.

Wendell Junior!

PRINCESS: I heard the door go this morning.

Or maybe I only think I hear it.

MAVIS: What you think you’re saying? You two thick as thieves in the night /

PRINCESS: I think I hear something …

[The sound of footsteps heavy, climbing stairs –

WENDELL JUNIOR enters.

A camera swings around his neck –

He casually walks across his mother and sister towards another door –

He places his hand on the door handle –]

MAVIS: You turn the handle of that door and it will be the last thing you do on this God-given earth.

[WENDELL JUNIOR release his grip on the door handle –

Beat.]

[from Act 1, Scene 1]

PRINCESS: Come out! Come out!

[Beat.]

You want me to help you?

[The door opens —]

[WENDELL appears — he is wearing make-up and has a skirt over his trousers — a shawl around his shoulders, and a makeshift headdress/turban —]

PRINCESS: [claps excitedly.] Daddy! Daddy you really look like a real woman...

[PRINCESS circles WENDELL, admiring her handiwork —]

WENDELL: Yuh better not tell any body ’bout dis. Yuh hear?

[WENDELL catches a glimpse of himself in a mirror —]

Lord! Give mi strength!

[PRINCESS pulls WENDELL by the arm —]

PRINCESS: Come on then.

Let’s go.

[PRINCESS points to the door of the cupboard room —]

WENDELL: In dere?

Okay.

[PRINCESS and WENDELL walk into the cupboard hand in hand — The cupboard room is now bigger than it ever looked. The pageantry starts slowly.

WENDELL stands speechless —]

PRINCESS: I told you Daddy. I told you it was just like a pageant.

WENDELL:  Yes yuh did.

Yuh do dis?

Mi never in mi life see any ting like dis Princess...

[WENDELL looks up — around him —]

So what do wi do now?

PRINCESS: You have to crown me the winner.

First you have to put the crown on my head...

WENDELL:  I see. Every princess need to be crowned far true.

[PRINCESS jumps with joy —

She searches a box until she pulls out the crown of the most wonderful sparkles —]

PRINCESS: Then you have to say it like this… ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the winner of the year’s Weston-super-Mare Beauties of the West Contest, Miss Princess James.’

WENDELL: Juss like dat?

[WENDELL gently places the crown on PRINCESS’s head —]

PRINCESS:  And now watch everything beautiful in the world come alive… 

[The room explodes into a world of pageantry — scenes of people jumping into a swimming pool, Union Jacks, music and fireworks — fill the room — and as PRINCESS watches her world come to life, for the first time she imagines a pageant where all the beauty queens look like her.]

(from Act 3, Scene 6)