Fosse: Plays Six (12 page)

Yes

Short pause

But don’t just stand there

then

why don’t you come

SECOND MAN

I’ll come

He remains where he is

SECOND WOMAN

So come then

SECOND MAN

I’ll come

He remains where he is

SECOND WOMAN

So come then

quite short pause

you

you must come

because

quite short pause

yes it gets so lonely

yes

being here

on my own

quite short pause

come

quite short pause

won’t you

won’t you come to me

quite short pause

because

quite short pause

yes you and I

we

yes

we belong together

quite short pause

and it has been you and I

for so long

quite short pause

us

quite short pause

us two

quite short pause

you and I

quite short pause

so come

why don’t you come

SECOND MAN

Yes

quite short pause

but I

breaks off

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

SECOND MAN

No it was nothing

SECOND WOMAN

Don’t think about

that girl anymore

quite short pause

about the girl you saw today

quite short pause

about the girl in a yellow raincoat

Quite long pause. The Second Man goes and stands next to The Second Woman

And it’s nice here

quite short pause

it’s snug

isn’t it

SECOND MAN

Yes

yes it is

SECOND WOMAN

And nice

SECOND MAN

Yes

Yes it’s nice here

SECOND WOMAN

Nice and light

SECOND MAN

questioningly

Light

SECOND WOMAN

Yes don’t you think

SECOND MAN

Perhaps

SECOND WOMAN

I think

yes

yes that it’s nice and light here

It is isn’t it

SECOND MAN

Perhaps

SECOND WOMAN

It is

Pause

SECOND MAN

Yes

Short pause

SECOND WOMAN

But why don’t you

short pause

yes touch me

touch me a little

hold me

hold my hand

quite short pause

hold my hand a little

quite short pause

why don’t you

quite short pause

why don’t you want to

quite short pause

you must do it

quite short pause

no

no alright

The Second Man takes her hand

Thank you

quite short pause

thank you that feels good

Thank you

quite short pause

thank you my friend

thank you so much

Long pause
.
The Lonely Woman enters, she looks at The First Man and he nods to her and then she goes and stands straight. Long pause

FIRST WOMAN

But listen

FIRST MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

No it was nothing

FIRST MAN

No

FIRST WOMAN

I am not here

somehow

quite short pause

even if I am here

FIRST MAN

You’re somewhere else

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

quite short pause

yes in a way

FIRST MAN

But you’ve been here

for so long

quite short pause

we’ve been here

for so long

FIRST WOMAN

hesitates

Yes

short pause

but that girl

she

FIRST MAN

Who do you mean

FIRST WOMAN

The girl

FIRST MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

Her

FIRST MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

The one who came alone

FIRST MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

Did you know her

FIRST MAN

No

FIRST WOMAN

You didn’t

FIRST MAN

No

Pause

FIRST WOMAN

But then

quite short pause

yes

yes why did you nod

to her then

FIRST MAN

I didn’t nod to her

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

yes you did

FIRST MAN

No

I don’t think I nodded

to her

FIRST WOMAN

You know her

She kept looking at you

FIRST MAN

Who

FIRST WOMAN

That girl

her

the one who came alone

FIRST MAN

No

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

FIRST MAN

No I didn’t know her

FIRST WOMAN

So you say

FIRST MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

But I saw it

of course

quite short pause

yes

yes that you know her

I could see it on her

FIRST MAN

How could you see it

Because I don’t know her

FIRST WOMAN

You just see things like that

Quite short pause

I saw it in the way

she looked at you

And of course you nodded to her

FIRST MAN

No

FIRST WOMAN

No

Why do you say no

FIRST MAN

Because I didn’t know her

FIRST WOMAN

Why do you say that

FIRST MAN

Why I say that

FIRST WOMAN

I could see it on her

yes in her eyes

that she knew you

FIRST MAN

You could see it

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

FIRST MAN

How can you see

things like that

FIRST WOMAN

I just did

You just do

Quite short pause

And you didn’t nod

to her

FIRST MAN

No

no I didn’t

I don’t think

I nodded to her

FIRST WOMAN

How do you know her

FIRST MAN

I don’t know her

Short pause

You mustn’t be so scared

You don’t need to be scared

FIRST WOMAN

No

And you

breaks off
.
Pause

SECOND WOMAN

But

quite short pause

SECOND MAN

Yes

SECOND WOMAN

continues

but

quite short pause

yes why

SECOND MAN

continues, a bit flippantly

why are we standing here

holding hands

SECOND WOMAN

Don’t you want to

hold my hand

SECOND MAN

Yes

yes I want to

yes of course

SECOND WOMAN

Why did you say that then

SECOND MAN

I just said it

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

Short pause
.
The Second Man lets go of her hand. Long pause

FIRST MAN

I wonder

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

FIRST MAN

Yes

Yes if this could be wrong

yes if something isn’t

what it should be

It suddenly struck me

FIRST WOMAN

That something is wrong

FIRST MAN

Yes

Short pause

FIRST WOMAN

I too think

something is wrong

FIRST MAN

I don’t know

But something is wrong

somehow

yes

quite short pause

yes something is not quite right

quite short pause

I shouldn’t be here

somehow

quite short pause

and it’s

breaks off

FIRST WOMAN

You think that

FIRST MAN

Yes

Short pause

FIRST WOMAN

We are here

We live here

We’ve been here a long time

FIRST MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

And I suppose it’s

yes neither

right nor wrong

FIRST MAN

No

FIRST WOMAN

And then it’s wrong

all the same

FIRST MAN

Perhaps

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

Pause
.
The Lonely Man turns to The First Man

LONELY MAN

Well once

breaks off

FIRST MAN

Yes

Pause

But

yes

quite short pause

yes do you know

yes by the way

yes if this is right

LONELY MAN

questioningly

If this is right

FIRST MAN

Yes

LONELY MAN

No

No I cannot know that

FIRST MAN

No

LONELY MAN

That’s just

how it is

FIRST MAN

Yes

yes of course

LONELY MAN

Of course

yes

FIRST WOMAN

So that’s how it is

LONELY MAN

Yes

Pause

FIRST WOMAN

And you

why are you standing there

why are you here

LONELY MAN

I’m just here

FIRST WOMAN

You’re just here

somehow

LONELY MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

And why are you tricking us

LONELY MAN

I’m not tricking you

FIRST WOMAN

Yes you’re tricking us

LONELY MAN

No

no I’m not tricking anyone

FIRST WOMAN

No

You’re just standing there

quite short pause

you were just standing there

quite short pause

you’re just standing there

yes

somehow

quite short pause

yes to trick us

LONELY MAN

To trick you

quite short pause

no

no not at all

FIRST WOMAN

You trick people

do you

LONELY MAN

No

no of course not

FIRST WOMAN

For if that’s how you are

breaks off

LONELY MAN

No

no not at all

Why are you saying that

yes

yes that I’ve tricked you

FIRST WOMAN

Is that how you are

LONELY MAN

No of course not

quite short pause

why should I want to do that

why would I wish for it to be like that

why want it

to be like that

FIRST WOMAN

No I don’t know

I don’t know why people are like that

why you are like that

LONELY MAN

Of course not

FIRST WOMAN

And that you are like that

LONELY MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

I don’t understand it

Quite short pause

Because I’ve always tried to do

what I should do

that’s what I’ve always done

quite short pause

I just want to be

yes with the others

LONELY MAN

I suppose that’s how we are

quite short pause

that’s how everyone is

Short pause
.
The Lonely Man turns away

FIRST WOMAN

And then you just turn away

Listen

I’m talking to you

I’m standing here talking to you

and you just turn away

you turn away from me

Short pause
.
The First Woman turns to The Second Man

Excuse me

But

The Second Man nods to her

yes

yes isn’t it awful how terrible

people can be

to each other

SECOND MAN

Yes it’s