Fosse: Plays Six (14 page)

To The Other Man

Oh look

quite short pause

look what she’s doing

SECOND MAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

And you think it’s fine

for her to do that kind of thing

quite short pause

but can’t you see

quite short pause

can’t you see

she and my husband

there

look

look there

look at what’s happening

quite short pause

don’t stand there without taking any notice

pay attention

you

yes you there

SECOND MAN

Yes

yes I see it

FIRST WOMAN

Is that fine with you

SECOND MAN

Fine and fine

FIRST WOMAN

It’s not fine with me

quite short pause

but you don’t pay attention to anything

you just stood there

and looked down

yes as usual

quite short pause

you don’t see anything

She goes and takes The Other Woman’s arm, she pulls her away and The Other Woman lets go of The First Man

SECOND WOMAN

But what on

breaks off

FIRST WOMAN

And you can say that

what are you doing

standing like that

he’s my husband

To The First Man

And you

quite short pause

you only have to clap eyes on someone

and

breaks off
.
Pause

SECOND WOMAN

What’s wrong with you

FIRST WOMAN

What’s wrong with me

SECOND WOMAN

Yes what’s wrong with you

quite short pause

coming here

pulling me

yes

yes as if I was

yes just anyone

FIRST WOMAN

But he’s my husband

SECOND WOMAN

Your husband

FIRST WOMAN

Yes he is my husband

Short pause

SECOND WOMAN

What are you doing here

FIRST WOMAN

What am I doing here

SECOND WOMAN

Yes what do you want

FIRST WOMAN

And you ask me that

What makes you ask me that

What gives you permission to ask me that

Quite short pause

Do you know yourself

do you know what you’re doing here

SECOND WOMAN

Of course I know

FIRST WOMAN

He is my husband

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

SECOND WOMAN

Well how can anyone

how can anyone

become like you

FIRST WOMAN

Like you

like you yourself

you mean

Short pause

To The First Man

But come

then

don’t just stand there

The First Man looks at The Second Man, they nod to each other

SECOND WOMAN

Oh stop it

FIRST WOMAN

Oh yes

I see

SECOND WOMAN

You

how can anyone

become like you

FIRST MAN

to The Second Man

So you’re here

quite short pause

too

yes

SECOND MAN

Well yes

I am

FIRST MAN

And we’ll just have to

be here don’t we

SECOND MAN

There’s nothing else we can do

FIRST MAN

No we don’t have

a choice do we

SECOND MAN

No

quite short pause

not strictly speaking

quite short pause

we’ll just have to

breaks off

SECOND MAN

Yes

that’s how it is

Pause

SECOND WOMAN

to The First Woman

And you

breaks off

FIRST WOMAN

We

breaks off
.
Pause
.
The Second Man goes and stands in front of The Lonely Woman, but quite close to her

FIRST WOMAN

to The Second Woman

But

quite short pause

once

yes a long time ago

do you remember

SECOND WOMAN

What should I remember

FIRST WOMAN

You don’t remember anything

SECOND WOMAN

No

Short pause

SECOND MAN

to The Lonely Woman

And you’re well

LONELY WOMAN

Yes as well I can be

SECOND MAN

That’s good to hear

Quite short pause

LONELY WOMAN

Yes

yes everything’s fine

SECOND MAN

And you’re alone

LONELY WOMAN

Yes it seems that’s how it turned out

I’m alone it seems

quite short pause

but

quite short pause

but I’m fine

on my own

yes

The Other Man turns away from her. Short pause. The First Man walks over to him

SECOND MAN

To The First Man

Yes

quite long pause

all we can do is

keep going

FIRST MAN

Yes

Pause. The Lonely Woman begins to walk away and he watches her. Pause

But she’s just leaving

that woman

Short pause

Did you know her

SECOND MAN

No

Or perhaps

Quite short pause

And she’s just leaving

FIRST MAN

Yes

quite short pause

she’s just disappearing

she’s just leaving

SECOND MAN

Yes

yes she is

Short pause

FIRST MAN

Yes

quite short pause

yes she’s just leaving

quite short pause

she’s just vanishing

quite short pause

she’s just disappearing

SECOND MAN

That was sad

short pause

yes that she was just leaving

Pause
.
The Lonely Woman exits

FIRST MAN

Yes

SECOND MAN

She didn’t want to be here anymore

FIRST MAN

And why did she just leave

quite short pause

just disappear

Quite long pause. The First Man begins to leave
.

Long pause

FIRST WOMAN

after The First Man

But why are you leaving

quite short pause

you must wait

you mustn’t leave me

I didn’t mean to say anything wrong

to you

I just talk

I just say things

I just do things

yes

yes you know me

I talk and talk

I don’t mean anything with it

I don’t mean to hurt anyone

you mustn’t leave

you must come back

you mustn’t leave me

quite short pause

wait

quite short pause

wait for me

The First Man exits

no

no don’t leave

don’t disappear

you mustn’t vanish

wait

I’m coming

I’m coming

please wait

Short pause

SECOND WOMAN

He left

he just left

quite short pause

he just disappeared

quite short pause

he just vanished

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

yes he just left

he just disappeared

Short pause

But imagine him just leaving

quite short pause

and I

quite short pause

I’m left here on my own

SECOND WOMAN

I’m so scared

FIRST WOMAN

He just left

Pause

LONELY MAN

turns to The Second Man

And once

breaks off

SECOND MAN

Once

Short pause

LONELY MAN

Yes once

breaks off
.
Short pause

SECOND MAN

Once

quite short pause

yes

yes today

I saw a girl

in a yellow raincoat

LONELY MAN

Yes

SECOND MAN

She stood close to a man

with grey work gloves

Short pause

FIRST WOMAN

And so I’m alone

because he

he just left

LONELY MAN

Yes

Short pause

And you

don’t understand why

SECOND MAN

No

Pause

FIRST WOMAN

He just left

he disappeared

LONELY MAN

A girl

in a yellow raincoat

SECOND MAN

Yes

LONELY MAN

She just stood there

SECOND MAN

Yes

quite short pause

alone

a bit lost

perhaps

quite short pause

and her hair

was hanging straight down

quite short pause

LONELY MAN

And she was pale

SECOND MAN

Yes

Pause

SECOND WOMAN

I must go to my husband

I’m so scared

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

SECOND WOMAN

My husband’s waiting for me

FIRST WOMAN

I’m sure he is

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

FIRST WOMAN

But I

quite short pause

I too want to go to my husband

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

But

I must go

breaks off

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

Pause

My husband’s waiting for me

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

yes I understand that

I too want to go to my husband

SECOND WOMAN

But can you do that

FIRST WOMAN

Why not

SECOND WOMAN

But where will you go

You can’t just go

Do you know where he is

where he went

quite short pause

he just left

quite short pause

he just disappeared

FIRST WOMAN

Perhaps

Short pause

But how do you know

yes that he just left

SECOND WOMAN

No one was calling him

FIRST WOMAN

No

no not that I heard

SECOND WOMAN

Or was there someone

FIRST WOMAN

Perhaps there was someone

calling him

SECOND WOMAN

And no one came to get him

FIRST WOMAN

No

quite short pause

no not that I could see

SECOND WOMAN

He just left

FIRST WOMAN

He just left me

SECOND WOMAN

But how did he know

where he was going

FIRST WOMAN

Well

how would I know

SECOND WOMAN

He was your husband

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

Pause

SECOND WOMAN

But my husband’s waiting

so I must go

FIRST WOMAN

Yes of course you must

SECOND WOMAN

He’s waiting for me

Pause

FIRST WOMAN

But

quite short pause

yes do you remember

because it was you

wasn’t it you

yes it must’ve been you

do you remember that time

perhaps it was you

do you remember

when we

that time

when we were little

there in the rain

when we were girls

when we were little girls

when we were together

when we were together

in the rain

quite short pause

when we were such close friends

when we always wanted to be together

when we were inseparable

when it was always

you and me

always us

when we were always together

do you remember

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

happily

yes it was you

and it was me

I remember

I remember everything

vividly

I remember the rain

I remember the sea