Fosse: Plays Six (15 page)

I remember the sky

FIRST WOMAN

That’s what I thought

yes that it was you

quite short pause

and now

now I’m sure

quite short pause

yes that

yes that it was you

Do you remember the rain

Do you remember how blue

the sea was

The Other Man begins to leave

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

short pause

yes I remember us

you and I

there in the rain

there by the blue sea

And do you remember

how blue the sky was

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

yes I remember

I remember the rain

I remember the sea

I remember the sky

Quite short pause

You and I

Always you and I

SECOND WOMAN

Always us

FIRST WOMAN

But look

Your husband

Look there

SECOND WOMAN

No don’t leave

You must wait for me

Why are you leaving

I get so scared

You mustn’t leave

I’m so scared

I’m always scared

You must wait for me

You must hold my hand

I am here

You mustn’t leave me

Wait

quite short pause

we came here together

The Second Man exits

we’re together

you

you and I

and we must be together

Pause

FIRST WOMAN

He just left

He too

just left

he just disappeared

he just vanished

SECOND WOMAN

Yes

Almost in tears

He just left me

disappeared

vanished

he didn’t even say goodbye

He just left

Pause

FIRST WOMAN

Why do they just leave

Why do they just disappear

Did you say something to him

yes to my husband

did you tell him that he should go

SECOND WOMAN

No

No of course not

FIRST WOMAN

Are you sure

SECOND WOMAN

Yes of course

you were here yourself

you heard what I said

I didn’t say anything to him

to your husband

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

yes you did

now I know

now I understand

Now I know

SECOND WOMAN

No

FIRST WOMAN

Because earlier

quite short pause

didn’t you touch him

didn’t you stand there holding him

holding him tight

holding him

for a long time

didn’t you talk to him

didn’t you whisper something

to him

didn’t you ask him to leave

SECOND WOMAN

No not like that

FIRST WOMAN

Yes

yes I know it

yes now I understand it

SECOND WOMAN

No it’s not like that

pause

and now at least

he is

gone

FIRST WOMAN

He just left

SECOND WOMAN

And they left

FIRST WOMAN

continues

following her

SECOND WOMAN

They followed her

that’s how it is

Pause

And now we should

quite short pause

yes we can’t just

stay here

FIRST WOMAN

No

SECOND WOMAN

We should

breaks off. Pause

LONELY MAN

by himself

A girl in a yellow raincoat

Pause
.
The First Woman walks over to The Lonely Man and stands next to him

FIRST WOMAN

questioningly

Did she look a little worn out

that girl

LONELY MAN

Yes

yes she looked a little worn out

FIRST WOMAN

And she just stood there

LONELY MAN

Yes

Pause
.
The Second Woman goes and stands next to The Lonely Man, but on the other side. The Lonely Man turns to The Second Woman

SECOND WOMAN

Did her hair hang straight down

LONELY MAN

Yes

yes it hung straight down

SECOND WOMAN

Were there people around her

LONELY MAN

Yes there were many people there

SECOND WOMAN

Was she pale

LONELY MAN

A little pale

and her eyes were a little scared

The Lonely Man begins to leave. Pause

SECOND WOMAN

Do you know that girl

quite short pause

the one in the yellow raincoat

FIRST WOMAN

No

no I don’t think so

SECOND WOMAN

Me neither

FIRST WOMAN

But perhaps it was you

SECOND WOMAN

Or you

FIRST WOMAN

Perhaps it is me

Pause
.
The Lonely Man exits

SECOND WOMAN

Am I a girl

in a yellow raincoat

FIRST WOMAN

Am I a girl

in a yellow raincoat

who stands next to

a man

with grey work gloves

SECOND WOMAN

And there are many people around me

quite short pause

and now darkness is falling

it’s soon evening

quite short pause

and it’s a bit cold

and it’s raining

and I’m a bit cold

and I’m wearing a yellow raincoat

and I’m scared

quite short pause

a bit scared

a bit grown-up

quite short pause

and this

it’s just something I’m thinking

this

it’s just something I’m imagining

for this

breaks off

FIRST WOMAN

And it mustn’t become dark

not now

quite short pause

because I mustn’t just stand there

in a yellow raincoat

quite short pause

and it mustn’t

become cold

Pause

And it’s soon evening

It’s raining

But he should come back soon

quite short pause

yes of course

of course he will

and the girl who stood there

quite short pause

a little scared

a little grown-up

and brave

and saw herself

as someone else

quite short pause

and as someone who is different

to the others

SECOND WOMAN

And then

breaks off

And he

breaks off

and the girl

breaks off

And then

quite short pause

yes and then

breaks off

and this

it’s

breaks off

and the girl

the one who was here

she too just left

She turns and sees The First Woman starting to leave

and she was here

quite short pause

and then she just left

just disappeared

quite short pause

just left

vanished

quite short pause

and now

quite short pause

I’m alone

And it’s dark

And I am a girl

in a yellow raincoat

I’m alone

Short pause

And now

now

quite short pause

no

no

quite short pause

but I’m sure it’s right

I’m sure that’s how it

should be

I just came here

I’m just here

Quite short pause

And I am

still

somewhere else

quite short pause

and that’s the way it is

quite short pause

everything’s the way it is

short pause

and cannot be changed

and that’s the way it is

night

day

light

dark

Quite short pause

And it has to be the way it is

Quite short pause

And it has neither colour nor smell

And it’s soon evening

It’s raining

And it’s nothing

Long pause. The First Woman exits

But it

breaks off

And then in

breaks off

And where it goes

breaks off

but then

yes

quite short pause

yes

yes and then

quite short pause

and then I suppose it was

yes

quite short pause

yes I suppose there’s

no one else here

or

quite short pause

is there someone here

quite short pause

are there many here

quite short pause

perhaps there are

many here

quite short pause

and then something quite different

quite short pause

or

quite short pause

just something different

Quite short pause

I am here

It is raining

And I suppose I am

somewhere else

quite short pause

or

Lights down

CHRISTMAS TREE SONG

A man enters with a Christmas tree, more a bush than a tree, and a Christmas tree stand

So

quite short pause

so there we were

quite short pause

we

I

I

we

were there

quite short pause

I

I yes

so we were

yes I

breaks off

and so

quite short pause

yes

quite short pause

yes

yes it is

breaks off

it’s chr

chr

chr

he puts the tree down

chr

chr

chr

and he puts the stand down a little distance from the tree

chri

chri

chri

he walks away from the tree and looks at it

Christm

short pause

Christma

quite short pause

Christmas

Christmas E

quite short pause

Christmas Eve

quite long pause

and I have a Christmas tree

I shall have a Christmas tree

and I have a Christmas tree

I have a Christmas tree

I celebrate

as I shall

even if I’m alone

because I really want to

so I have a Christmas tree

he lifts up the tree

and it’s a fine tree

look just look

quite short pause

look at the branches

look at the green

the brown

quite short pause

look

yes

yes look

look at the green

and at the brown

quite short pause

yes look at my Christmas tree

it’s a fine tree

it’s my tree

it’s my Christmas tree

short pause

well

quite short pause

yes I think it’s a fine Christmas tree

yes a fine tree

the way a Christmas tree should be

and that’s a fine thing

isn’t it

quite short pause

for I have got myself

a Christmas tree

short pause

and there

looks at it

there’s the Christmas tree stand

quite short pause

my Christmas tree stand

quite short pause

there’s the Christmas tree stand

for my Christmas tree

quite short pause

and the Christmas tree goes into the Christmas tree stand

quite short pause

because of course the Christmas tree

must have a Christmas tree stand

He begins to position the tree into the stand

A Christmas tree in a Christmas tree stand

Quite short pause

A Christmas tree and a Christmas tree stand

and now it’s time to celebrate

with a Christmas tree

in a Christmas tree stand

and the Christmas tree must be decorated

short pause

and all mothers

and all children

shall be happy

around my Christmas tree

quite short pause

for a Saviour is born to you

A Saviour is born to you

short pause

but

short pause

I can imagine

that is if I’ll be able to

that maybe

quite short pause

yes that you

you my Christmas tree

he looks at the tree

yes would have been better off

there in your soil

short pause

in your soil

in your mould

in your light

in your weather

and in whatever it is

you were in

quite short pause