The Pushcart Peddlers

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Data
Title: The Pushcart Peddlers
Original title: The Pushcart Peddlers
Genus: comedy
Original language: English
Author: Murray Schisgal
Publishing year: 1979
Place and time of the action: New York City towards the end of the 19th or beginning of the 20th century (officially: "Many years ago")
people
  • Elias Crapavarnishkes / Cornelius J. Hollingsworth III. (Immigrants and banana sellers)
  • Shimmel Shitzman / Samuel P. Stone (immigrant)
  • Maggie Cutwell (flower girl and singer)

The Pushcart Peddlers is a play by the American author Murray Schisgal . The approximately 50-minute long one-act play , which can be assigned to the style of absurd theater , was created in 1979. The core theme of the work is the so-called American Dream , which is revealed as a mere capitalist shell based on the encounter between two immigrants in the United States, as well as the Parody of the old prejudice of the resourceful, awkward Jewish merchant. The action period extends over a few hours on a single day - a Wednesday - and the action location is the port area of New York Cityas the main destination of the great wave of emigration from Europe.

content

The play begins with the encounter between Shimmel Shitzman, a former plumber and carpenter , and Cornelius J. Hollingsworth III. in front of a customs house on New York City harbor. Shitzman has just arrived on the ship, his interlocutor the day before. Hollingsworth, a former shoemaker , working with a handcart ( s .: pushcart) as a banana seller and are in the course of the play several times to be very stressed, because the business is going so well. In fact, he doesn't have a single customer. Both quickly discover that they come from the neighboring governorates of Kovno - Vilna (Shitzman) and Minsk - Pinsk (Hollingsworth). Apparently, their places of origin are Jewish shtetls in Eastern Europe.

As a first act in the United States, Hollingsworth recommends changing the name, as you have to get an American name in order not to be laughed at and ridiculed. His name was originally Elias Crapavarnishkes and now advises Shitzman to buy a name. He admires Hollingsworth for his obvious entrepreneurial talent and his success in just 24 hours and wants to emulate him, but refuses to give up his name in order to preserve the family honor. Instead, he buys it for 43.25 dollars (its assets) and a banana shrub ceded the trolley with goods against entering to his part in the banana business. However, problems arise when Hollingsworth immediately resumes work with an identical model right next door. Both enter into a brief screeching competition , but are aware of the consequences of their situation - the competition will force them to lower prices and potentially bankrupt - and eventually agree on a partnership. In this, Hollingsworth receives 60 percent of sales and Shitzman 40 because of his "experience lead".

“Do you know what they call a bunch of bananas in this country? Goldfingers. "

After the agreement is sealed, Maggie Cutwell turns up, a sideline flower seller who Hollingsworth initially claims to be blind ("All the flower girls are blind in this country"), but this soon turns out to be untrue. She herself is convinced of her singing talent and works as an actress, top and tap dancer and bar singer, albeit without great success. Shitzman is immediately fascinated by her and wants to give her a banana - bought on credit from Hollingsworth. Cutwell rejects this brusquely and appears extremely vulgar towards Shitzman; she also makes fun of his name. Hollingsworth, on the other hand, appears to her like a gentleman . She gratefully accepts the same banana presented to her and is fascinated by the ideas he has put forward to invest in shares in the near future and to get into show business, especially musical production. She asks him to take her person into account in his play. Hollingsworth agrees and sends her home first to move and prepare for an audition.

In the time of their absence, Hollingsworth asks Shitzman to keep the woman away from him, as he could not afford any more amorous connections due to a marriage, three children and an affair. In addition, the newcomer has now agreed to change his name and buys the name Samuel P. Stone from Hollingsworth in exchange for a $ 5 bond. A little later, Cutwell reappears and Hollingsworth introduces her to Stone as a completely new person. She sings and auditions, although her talent is not remarkable. Stone then takes the initiative and is overjoyed at the performance and promises Cutwell a great future at his side, whom he would like to become a producer in the near future, but speaks out against intimacy. He arranges to meet her in her apartment that evening to sign the contract.

After Cutwell's departure, Stone reveals that Hollingsworth has fallen in love with the flower girl. Hollingsworth is amazed at the change and the euphoria of his business partner, which he did not expect to this extent. The piece ends with both of them sitting on boxes reading the newspaper in front of the handcart, and with Hollingsworth's simple greeting to Stone: "Welcome to America."

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