Fosse: Plays Six (9 page)

I think there’s something here

YOUNG MAN

But there’s no one here

Only we are here

So why are you scared

No one’s here

No one can see us

You

just you and I

are here

Come here

Come here to me

THE SHADOW

I am here

YOUNG WOMAN

I

quite short pause

I think maybe

yes

quite short pause

yes that

quite short pause

yes that

breaks off, quite short pause

no I don’t know

I’m just scared

YOUNG MAN

You are here

I am here

We are here

It’s just the two of us here

so come now

He goes to her, stretches his hand out to her

come to me now

YOUNG WOMAN

But I am scared

It’s true

YOUNG MAN

You mustn’t be scared

I am here

You are here

There’s nothing

to be scared of

YOUNG WOMAN

But

quite short pause

yes

yes it feels in a way

yes

in a way

quite short pause

it doesn’t feel

as if it’s right

quite short pause

that we’re here

quite short pause

and there’s something here

YOUNG MAN

Not right

YOUNG WOMAN

No

quite short pause

no because

the land threatens

in a way

with its mountains

quite short pause

but you can’t say things like that

quite short pause

the land threatens

with its mould

YOUNG MAN

Don’t be silly

The mould threatens

THE SHADOW

I am here

I am here always

FIRST VOICE

I am here

SECOND VOICE

I am

here

always

YOUNG MAN

Everything’s fine

We’re here

You’re here

I’m here

It’s just the two of us here

THE SHADOW

I am here

And I shall always be here

I follow everything

I am part of everything

YOUNG WOMAN

But something’s here

Something’s looking at us

YOUNG MAN

No

quite short pause

no just you and I

are here

come to me now

She remains where she is

Alright then

Do you want me to go

I can go if you like

Pause

YOUNG WOMAN

No don’t go

I don’t mean it like that

You mustn’t go

It’s not like that

YOUNG MAN

But come then

Short pause

No

You don’t want to

YOUNG WOMAN

Yes

He goes and takes her hand. Short pause

YOUNG MAN

Don’t be so silly

Always us

you know that

from now on

always us

right

YOUNG WOMAN

Yes

YOUNG MAN

Always us

YOUNG WOMAN

Always you and me

YOUNG MAN

You and me

YOUNG WOMAN

Always you and me

Pause. He pulls her tightly against him, and she puts her arms around him and they kiss each other. Pause. She pulls away from him. Pause

I’m not scared

now

not now

it’s true

truly

YOUNG MAN

You’re no longer scared

YOUNG WOMAN

No

no I’m calm now

quite short pause

because

for when you held me

when we kissed each other

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yes then I felt it

yes that I was no longer scared

quite short pause

and that here

here we can be

I felt it so clearly

I saw it so clearly

YOUNG MAN

Always us

YOUNG MAN

Always us

always you and me

Short pause

THE SHADOW

I am here

quite short pause

I am the blue movements

in the sky

quite short pause

the vanishing movements

I am here

I am the sky

I am the shimmering

deep down inside you

I am the ocean

FIRST VOICE

I am here

SECOND VOICE

Always am I here

quite short pause

and everything else

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comes

goes away

FIRST VOICE

Comes

Goes away

SECOND VOICE

Is there

Goes away

FIRST VOICE

But we shall always be here

SECOND VOICE

Here where it

quite short pause

comes

disappears

comes

goes away

THE SHADOW

You must always be here

YOUNG WOMAN

But

quite short pause

there’s something here

something that’ll make us

disappear

quite short pause

and it’s vast

THE SHADOW

I am the sky

I am the blue

disappearing

movements

in the sky

I am there always

I am the wind

Pause. The Young Man moves towards The Old Man

YOUNG MAN

There

looks at The Old Man, points

can you see

YOUNG WOMAN

Yes

Long pause

YOUNG MAN

Everything’s gone so fast

YOUNG WOMAN

Yes

quite short pause

yes where did those years go

Where have the years gone

YOUNG MAN

I don’t understand it

YOUNG WOMAN

And our children

Short pause

YOUNG MAN

continues

they’ve grown up already

they live their own lives

Short pause

But can’t you see

Look

YOUNG WOMAN

I can see

She walks towards The Old Woman

YOUNG MAN

Where are you going

you mustn’t leave me

you mustn’t go away

THE SHADOW

I am here

I am here always

FIRST VOICE

I’m always here

SECOND VOICE

I’m here

Short pause

YOUNG MAN

But

quite short pause

why are you leaving

She continues to walk towards The Old Woman

You can’t just leave me

You and I

we’ve been together for so long

And we’ve

loved each other

And we’ve been happy

Short pause

Haven’t we

We’ve been good to each other

you and I

haven’t we

we’ve looked after each other

our children

each other

Short pause

SECOND VOICE

It comes

and goes away

FIRST VOICE

But we are here

We are here always

SECOND VOICE

We must always be here

Short pause. The Young Man walks over to The Old Man

OLD MAN

Everything’s so long ago

Quite short pause

And everything’s

now

in a way

quite short pause

and she’s gone

quite short pause

and she’s here

in a way

still

no

no she’s gone

And only I am here

And I don’t want to

be here any longer

not now

I don’t want to be alone

quite short pause

She has to be here

she as well

as always

as always before

Quite short pause

Because we

because she and I

the two of us were here

not me

quite short pause

and now

quite short pause

now it’s me

quite short pause

just me

and as me

as just me

I’ve never

belonged here

Quite short pause

I came here

I was here

quite short pause

because she was here

I was here too

quite short pause

and now

breaks off

THE SHADOW

I am here

Always am I here

SECOND VOICE

I’m here

FIRST VOICE

I’m here

OLD MAN

continues

and everything’s

so long ago

quite short pause

and everything’s

just now

because we were always here

she and I

quite short pause

and then

breaks off

and then

she was gone

we were here

all those days

all those nights

all those years

FIRST VOICE

But why must we always

be here

SECOND VOICE

We must be here

OLD MAN

I’m just here

We were just here

And then it was just me

yes who was here

THE SHADOW

I am here

I am here always

SECOND VOICE

Everything comes

goes away

FIRST VOICE

But we’ll always be here

OLD MAN

And I don’t want to be here any longer

quite short pause

I can’t be here

not now

not alone

quite short pause

I don’t belong

quite short pause

yes here

in this

quite short pause

And why doesn’t she come

quite short pause

I can’t

breaks off

Where is she

Calls

Why don’t you come

come

please

where are you

FIRST VOICE

Was this the land

from our dream

SECOND VOICE

Perhaps this was

the land from our dream

FIRST VOICE

This was the land from our dream

OLD MAN

Why don’t you come

please come

Why are you gone

Why don’t you come

Quite short pause

No

Pause

No I don’t want to anymore

quite short pause

for now

quite short pause

yes now

yes I’ve been here

long enough

I’ve looked

long enough

quite short pause

resignedly

at this fjord

these shores

these islands

these mountains

Short pause

And why is she gone

why did she just go away

quite short pause

for ever gone

quite short pause

But is she gone

quite short pause

or

breaks off. Pause

and now she must come

why don’t you come

Pause. He looks at The Old Woman

But there you are

quite short pause

it’s so good to see you

quite short pause

I’m glad you’re here

I’m glad you came

OLD WOMAN

Of course I come

I always come

Quite short pause

Because I know

you don’t like to be alone

OLD MAN

Yes

OLD WOMAN

Yes

yes I know that

Pause

But now I’m here

Now I came

OLD MAN

Yes

thank you

Thank you for coming

Pause

OLD WOMAN

Are you hurting

quite short pause

are you in pain again today

OLD MAN

No

quite short pause

no it’s not that

Short pause

OLD WOMAN

No

Pause

OLD MAN

It’s good to see you again

OLD WOMAN

You too

Pause

They walk around a little

And here everything’s

yes the way it’s always

been

OLD MAN

I suppose it is

OLD WOMAN

And here you and I have been

quite short pause

yes for all those years

OLD MAN

Yes

quite short pause

yes we stayed here