The Best Child in the World
The Best Child in the World
For the complete story and an improved experience, we suggest you to view this on a computer screen.
Alina Șerban is a Romanian actress, writer and director. In November 2021, she worked on the autobiographical play “The Best Child in the World”, part of the 9G Programme of the Romanian National Theatre. Below you can see a collage of photographs taken during the weeks of rehearsals and pieces of text from the play.
I’m glad I wasn’t born during slavery. So the master can sell me and to end up far away from my mom.
I’m glad I wasn’t born during slavery. So the master can sell me and to end up far away from my mom.
Today the teacher told us “If you don’t be quiet, the gypsies will come, put you in a sack and steal you”.
Today the teacher told us “If you don’t be quiet, the gypsies will come, put you in a sack and steal you”.
Mom had a dress made for me and I want to be a queen or a snowflake, I learned a poem. I go in front of everybody. I see Daniel calling the children and I hear him telling them:
“She is not a Romanian, she is a gypsy”
Mom had a dress made for me and I want to be a queen or a snowflake, I learned a poem. I go in front of everybody. I see Daniel calling the children and I hear him telling them:
“She is not a Romanian, she is a gypsy”
But I’m not a gypsy,only my mom and dad are.
I am 11. This is my fourth school and my fourth house.
We’re going to the Tei neighbourhood. I am on Grigore Moisil Street and I’m frightened by all those very big and gray buildings.
We are moving to the house where my father’s family lives. I meet his sister. Veta. She lives in the first house. I have never heard this name before.
I only know that where I lived before everyone used to say “I swear on Veta’s life”. And now I find out that my aunt’s name is Veta. I don’t laugh, but I feel like it, in my head.
I am 11. This is my fourth school and my fourth house.
We’re going to the Tei neighborhood. I am on Grigore Moisil Street and I’m frightened by all those very big and gray buildings.
I am thinking about what I am going to wear the first day at school when I start in the new class. I put on the new chlothes. My mother cleaned four ladies’ houses to save enough money for them.
At school, Mircea, the fattest kid in the class, says:
“There’s a crow in our class.”
I walk home by myself. I keep looking behind me. People must not know that I now live in a mud house, next to trash heaps, dead things, bad smells and lice. People must not know that I have two stables in front of my door.
That we don’t even have a bed, a normal bed, this mattress is placed on some beer crates, and we don’t have a normal floor, it’s pieces of cardboard on the cold ground that my mom covered with carpets.
People must not know that it rains inside our house, that we don’t have fire wood, that I go with my mom to the Students’ Park, and we go through piles of trash and gather plastic bottles.
I walk home by myself. I keep looking behind me. People must not know that I now live in a mud house, next to trash heaps, dead things, bad smells and lice. People must not know that I have two stables in front of my door.
That we don’t even have a bed, a normal bed, this mattress is placed on some beer crates, and we don’t have a normal floor, it’s pieces of cardboard on the cold ground that my mom covered with carpets.
People must not know that it rains inside our house, that we don’t have fire wood, that I go with my mom to the Students’ Park, and we go through piles of trash and gather plastic bottles.
Mona is 100% not Roma, but she’s interested in everything that’s happening in my yard!
Mona became my best friend.
Happiness for me would be: it’s Saturday morning, I wash my hair, and I have a sofa, and I can lay on it, I can wait for my hair to dry, I watch cartoons, and I eat some cheese.
My mom works in five different places now. She comes back late at night when I am asleep. I wake up again to a huge fight between my mom and dad. I am used to it, since forever, but this time mom says that she can’t take it anymore and we must leave. That she found a woman to work for and she is taking me with her.
I walk into the apartment, I see mom is upset. “What happened?” “The old lady, she said she can’t stand gypsies, and she’s not giving me the money I lent her three days ago. We have to leave.”
I feel a claw in my stomach.
I go up to the old woman and I see she is dead. It’s as if everything has stopped. I feel my heart accelerating, but at the same time everything around me is moving very slowly. Mom is shaking. She realises that during their fight, the woman had a heart attack and she died. Is this a dream? I wanna wake up from it. Mom says we are going to separate.
“Alinusa, you have to keep going to school and be a good, well-behaved child. Promise me?”
“I promise. I promise I will be the best child in the world.” The best mother in the world deserves the best child in the world.
My mom works in five different places now. She comes back late at night when I am asleep. I wake up again to a huge fight between my mom and dad. I am used to it, since forever, but this time mom says that she can’t take it anymore and we must leave. That she found a woman to work for and she is taking me with her.
I walk into the apartment, I see mom is upset. “What happened?” “The old lady, she said she can’t stand gypsies, and she’s not giving me the money I lent her three days ago. We have to leave.”
I feel a claw in my stomach.
I go up to the old woman and I see she is dead. It’s as if everything has stopped. I feel my heart accelerating, but at the same time everything around me is moving very slowly. Mom is shaking. She realises that during their fight, the woman had a heart attack and she died. Is this a dream? I wanna wake up from it. Mom says we are going to separate.
“Alinusa, you have to keep going to school and be a good, well-behaved child. Promise me?”
“I promise. I promise I will be the best child in the world.” The best mother in the world deserves the best child in the world.
I’ve been in the child protection system for several months now.
My father died at the bus stop, he had a stroke.
I graduated from high school! And I got into two colleges!
I don’t have either my mother or my father to celebrate with me, there’s no uncle, aunt, or brother.
Wow, I really did it!
The supervisors and the girls from the center are happy for me.
Whew, I have a place to stay now, I secured a home for myself, they can’t kick me out of the protection system.
But I feel like doing something very stupid!
I give up, give up both colleges. I’m going to acting school. Something is pulling me that way.
I graduated from high school! And I was admitted to two colleges!
I don’t have either my mother or my father to celebrate with me, there’s no uncle, aunt, or brother.
Wow, I really did it!
The supervisors and the girls from the center are happy for me.
Whew, I have a place to stay now, I secured a home for myself, they can’t kick me out of the protection system.
But I feel like doing something very stupid!
I give up, give up both colleges. I’m going to acting school. Something is pulling me that way.
Mom!!!
Mom is back! I am 20. Almost 21.
She went to prison when I was 14.
I am happy, I have a mother and I also have a dog and we have a place to stay. Her name is Papusa (The Doll).
I am getting ready for school. School is important here. And Royal School of Dramatic Art is one of the best schools in the world. You can’t make mistakes here.
People are very serious here. They know what they want and they work hard for it. These people are disciplined. They have an impeccable grammar. No, they’re impeccable. All of them know exactly what they want. Yes, these people are prepared.
I will also be prepared.
I will be prepared, too!
After three one-woman-shows for a selected audience, the play has been included in the permanent programme of the Romanian National Theatre and it will be played starting January 2022.