The Collected Shorter Plays (30 page)

Course 1: AC, CB, BA, AD, DB, BC, CD, DA

Course 2: BA, AD, DB, BC, CD, DA, AC, CB

Course 3: CD, DA, AC, CB, BA, AD, DB, BC

Course 4: DB, BC, CD, DA, AC, CB, BA, AD

1 enters at A, completes his course and is joined by 3. Together they complete their courses and are joined by 4. Together all three complete their courses and are joined by 2. Together all four complete their courses. Exit 1. 2, 3 and 4 continue and complete their courses. Exit 3. 2 and 4 continue and complete their courses. Exit 4. End of 1st series. 2 continues,
opening 2nd series, completes his course and is joined by 1. Etc. Unbroken movement.

Four possible solos all given.

Six possible duos all given (two twice).

Four possible trios all given twice.

Without interruption begin repeat and fade out on 1 pacing alone.

Light
(2)

Dim on area from above fading out into dark.

Four sources of differently coloured light clustered together.

Each player has his particular light, to be turned on when he enters, kept on while he paces, turned off when he exits.

Say 1 white, 2 yellow, 3 blue, 4 red. Then

1st series: white, white + blue, white + blue + red, white + blue + red + yellow, blue + red + yellow, red + yellow.

2nd series: yellow, yellow + white, yellow + white + red etc.

All possible light combinations given.

Percussion

Four types of percussion, say drum, gong, triangle, wood block.

Each player has his particular percussion, to sound when he enters, continue while he paces, cease when he exits.

Say 1 drum, 2 gong, 3 triangle, 4 wood block. Then

1st series: drum, drum + triangle, drum + triangle + wood block etc.

Same system as for light.

All possible percussion combinations given.

Percussion intermittent in all combinations to allow footsteps alone to be heard at intervals.

Pianissimo throughout.

Percussionists barely visible in shadow on raised podium at back of set.

Footsteps

Each player has his particular sound.

Costumes

Gowns reaching to ground, cowls hiding faces.

Each player has his particular colour corresponding to his light. 1 white, 2 yellow, 3 blue, 4 red.

All possible costume combinations given.

Players

As alike in build as possible. Short and slight for preference.

Some ballet training desirable. Adolescents a possibility. Sex indifferent.

Camera

Raised frontal. Fixed. Both players and percussionists in frame.

Time
(3)

On basis of one pace per second and allowing for time lost at angles and centre approximately 25 minutes.

Problem
(4)

Negotiation of E without rupture of rhythm when three or four players cross paths at this point. Or, if ruptures accepted, how best exploit?

1. This original scenario (
Quad I
) was followed in the Stuttgart production by a variation (
Quad II
)
. (5)

2. Abandoned as impracticable. Constant neutral light throughout.

3. Overestimated.
Quad I
, fast tempo. 15’ approx.
Quad II
, slow tempo, series 1 only, 5
’
approx.

4. E supposed a danger zone. Hence deviation. Manoeuvre established at outset by first solo at first diagonal (CB). E.g. series 1:

5. No colour, all four in identical white gowns, no percussion, footsteps only sound, slow tempo, series 1 only.

For Václav Havel

Director
(D).

His female assistant
(A).

Protagonist
(P).

Luke, in charge of the lighting, offstage
(L).

Rehearsal. Final touches to the last scene. Bare stage. A and L have just set the lighting. D has just arrived
.

D in an armchair downstairs audience left. Fur coat. Fur toque to match. Age and physique unimportant
.

A standing beside him. White overall. Bare head. Pencil on ear. Age and physique unimportant
.

P midstage standing on a black block 18 inches high. Black wide-brimmed hat. Black dressing-gown to ankles. Barefoot. Head bowed. Hands in pockets. Age and physique unimportant
.

D and A contemplate P. Long pause
.

A
[
finally
] Like the look of him?

D
So so. [
Pause
.] Why the plinth?

A
To let the stalls see the feet.
[
Pause
.]

D
Why the hat?

A
To help hide the face.
[
Pause
.]

D
Why the gown?

A
To have him all black.
[
Pause
.]

D
What has he on underneath? [
A moves towards P
.] Say it.
[
A halts
.]

A
His night attire.

D
Colour?

A
Ash.
[
D takes out a cigar
.]

D
Light. [
A returns, lights the cigar, stands still. D smokes
.]
How’s the skull?

A
You’ve seen it.

D
I forget. [
A moves towards P
.] Say it.
[
A halts
.]

A
Moulting. A few tufts.

D
Colour?

A
Ash.
[
Pause
.]

D
Why hands in pockets?

A
To help have him all black.

D
They mustn’t.

A
I make a note. [
She takes out a pad, takes pencil, notes
.]
Hands exposed.
[
She puts back pad and pencil
.]

D
How are they? [
A at a loss. Irritably
.] The hands, how are the hands?

A
You’ve seen them.

D
I forget.

A
Crippled. Fibrous degeneration.

D
Clawlike?

A
If you like.

D
Two claws?

A
Unless he clench his fists.

D
He mustn’t.

A
I make a note. [
She takes out pad, takes pencil, notes
.]
Hands limp.
[
She puts back pad and pencil
.]

D
Light. [
A returns, relights the cigar, stands still. D smokes
.]
Good. Now let’s have a look. [
A at a loss. Irritably
.] Get going. Lose that gown. [
He consults his chronometer
.] Step on it, I have a caucus.
[
A goes to P, takes off the gown. P submits, inert. A steps back, the gown over her arm. P in old grey pyjamas, head bowed, fists clenched. Pause
.]

A
Like him better without? [
Pause
.] He’s shivering.

D
Not all that. Hat.
[
A advances, takes off hat, steps back, hat in hand. Pause
.]

A
Like that cranium?

D
Needs whitening.

A
I make a note. [
She takes out pad, takes pencil, notes
.] Whiten cranium.
[
She puts back pad and pencil
.]

D
The hands. [
A at a loss. Irritably
.] The fists. Get going. [
A advances, unclenches fists, steps back
.] And whiten.

A
I make a note. [
She takes out pad, takes pencil, notes
.] Whiten hands.
[
She puts back pad and pencil. They contemplate P
.]

D
[
finally
] Something wrong. [
Distraught
.] What is it?

A
[
timidly
] What if we were . . . were to . . . join them?

D
No harm trying. [
A advances, joins the hands, steps back
.] Higher. [
A advances, raises waist-high the joined hands, steps back
.] A touch more. [
A advances, raises breast-high the joined hands
.] Stop! [A
steps back
.] Better. It’s coming. Light.
[
A returns, relights cigar, stands still. D smokes
.]

A
He’s shivering.

D
Bless his heart.
[
Pause
.]

A
[
timidly
] What about a little . . . a little . . . gag?

D
For God’s sake! This craze for explicitation! Every i dotted to death!
Little gag! For God’s sake!

A
Sure he won’t utter?

D
Not a squeak. [
He consults his chronometer
.] Just time. I’ll go and see how it looks from the house.
[
Exit D, not to appear again. A subsides in the armchair, springs to her feet no sooner seated, takes out a rag, wipes vigorously back and seat of chair, discards rag, sits again. Pause
.]

D
[
off, plaintive
] I can’t see the toes. [
Irritably
.] I’m sitting in the front row of the stalls and can’t see the toes.

A
[
rising
] I make a note. [
She takes out a pad, takes pencil, notes
.] Raise pedestal.

D
There’s a trace of face.

A
I make a note.
[
She takes out pad, takes pencil, makes to note
.]

D
Down the head. [
A at a loss. Irritably
.] Get going. Down his head. [
A puts back pad and pencil, goes to P, bows his head further, steps back
.] A shade more. [
A advances, bows the head further
.] Stop! [
A steps back
.] Fine. It’s coming. [
Pause
.] Could do with more nudity.

A
I make a note.
[
She takes out pad, makes to take her pencil
.]

D
Get going! Get going! [
A puts back the pad, goes to P, stands irresolute
.] Bare the neck. [
A undoes top buttons, parts the flaps, steps back
.] The legs. The shins. [
A advances, rolls up to below knee one trouser-leg, steps back
.] The other. [
Same for other leg, steps back
.] Higher. The knees. [
A advances, rolls up to above knees both trouser-legs, steps back
.] And whiten.

A
I make a note. [
She takes out pad, takes pencil, notes
.] Whiten all flesh.

D
It’s coming. Is Luke around?

A
[
calling
] Luke! [
Pause. Louder
.] Luke!

L
[
off, distant
] I hear you. [
Pause. Nearer
.] What’s the trouble now?

A
Luke’s around.

D
Blackout stage.

L
What?
[
A transmits in technical terms. Fade-out of general light. Light on P alone. A in shadow
.]

D
Just the head.

L
What?
[
A transmits in technical terms. Fade-out of light on P’s body. Light on head alone. Long pause
.]

D
Lovely.
[
Pause
.]

A
[
timidly
] What if he were to . . . were to . . . raise his head . . . an instant . . . show his face . . . just an instant.

D
For God’s sake! What next? Raise his head? Where do you think we are? In Patagonia? Raise his head? For God’s sake! [
Pause
.] Good. There’s our catastrophe. In the bag. Once more and I’m off.

A
[
to L
] Once more and he’s off.
[
Fade-up of light on P’s body. Pause. Fade-up of general light
.]

D
Stop! [
Pause
.] Now . . . let ’em have it. [
Fade-out of general light. Pause
.
Fade-out of light on body. Light on head alone. Long pause
.] Terrific! He’ll have them on their feet. I can hear it from here.
[
Pause. Distant storm of applause. P raises his head, fixes the audience. The applause falters, dies
.
Long pause
.
Fade-out of light on face
.]

Elements
.

Evening light.

Dreamer (A).

His dreamt self (B).

Dreamt hands R (right) and L (left).

Last 7 bars of Schubert’s lied “Nacht und Träume.”

1. Fade up on a dark empty room lit only by evening light from a window set high in back wall.