MS. Pages: | frontcover - 04r | 05r - backcover |

6|78 PARIS
ALL PC: 4YH+


for
Calvin &
Joann
Sam. Beckett
[0001] May (M), dishevelled grey hair, worn grey wrap hiding feet, trailing.
[0002] Woman's voice (V) from dark upstage.
[0003] Strip: downstage, parallel with front, length nine steps, width one metre, a little off centre audience right.
DIAGRAM 1[0004] Pacing: starting with right foot (r) from audience right (R) to left (L), with left foot (l) from L to R.
[0005] Turn: rightabout at L, leftabout at R.
[0006] Steps: clearly audible rhythmic tread.
[0007] Lighting: dim, strongest at floor level, less on body, least on head.
[0008] Voices: both low & slow throughout.
[0009] Curtain. [0010] Stage in darkness.
[0011] Faint single chime. [0012] Pause as echoes die.
[0013] Fade up to dim on strip. [0014] Rest in darkness.
[0015] M discovered pacing towards L. [0016] Turns at L, paces three more lengths, halts facing front at R.
[0017] Pause.
M |
[0018] Mother. [0019] (Pause. [0020] No louder.) [0021] Mother. |
[0022] Pause.
V |
[0023] Yes, May. |
M |
[0024] Were you asleep? |
V |
[0025] Deep asleep. [0026] (Pause.) [0027] I heard you in my deep sleep. [0028] (Pause.) [0029] There is no sleep so deep I would not hear you there. [0030] (Pause. [0031] M resumes pacing. [0032] Four lengths. [0033] After first length, synchronous with steps.) [0034] One two three four five six seven eight nine wheel one two three four five six seven eight nine wheel. [0035] (Free.) [0036] Will you not try to snatch a little sleep? |
[0037] M halts facing front at R. [0038] Pause.
M |
[0039] Would you like me to inject you again? |
V |
[0040] Yes, but it is too soon. |


[0041] Pause.
M |
[0042] Would you like me to change your position? |
V |
[0043] Yes, but it is too soon. |
[0044] Pause.
M |
[0045] Straighten your pillows? [0046] (Pause.) [0047] Change your drawsheet? [0048] (Pause.) [0049] Pass you the bedpan? [0050] (Pause.) [0051] The warming-pan? [0052] (Pause.) [0053] Dress your sores? [0054] (Pause.) [0055] Sponge you down? [0056] (Pause.) [0057] Moisten your poor lips? [0058] (Pause.) [0059] Pray with you? [0060] (Pause.) [0061] For you? |
[0062] Pause.
V |
[0063] Yes, but it is too soon. |
[0064|001] M resumes pacing, [0064|002] after one length halts facing front at L. [0064|003] Pause.
M |
[0065] What age am I now? |
V |
[0066] And I? [0067] (Pause. [0068] No louder.) [0069] And I? |
M |
[0070] Ninety. |
V |
[0071] So much? |
M |
[0072] Eighty-nine, ninety. |
V |
[0073] I had you late. [0074] (Pause.) [0075] In life. [0076] (Pause.) [0077] Forgive me again. [0078] (Pause. [0079] No louder.) [0080] Forgive me again. |
[0081] Pause.
M |
[0082] What age am I now? |
V |
[0083] In your forties. |
M |
[0084] So little? |
V |
[0085] I'm afraid so. [0086] (Pause. [0087] M resumes pacing. [0088] After first turn at R.) [0089] May. [0090] (Pause. [0091] No louder.) [0092] May. |
M |
V |
[0095] Will you never have done? [0096] (Pause.) [0097] Will you never have done...revolving it all? |
M |
V |
[0100] It all. [0101] (Pause.) [0102] In your poor mind. [0103] (Pause.) [0104] It all. [0105] (Pause.) [0106] It all. |
[0107] M resumes pacing. [0108] [0109] Fade out on strip. [0110] All in darkness. [0111] Steps cease.
[0112] Pause.
[0113] Chime a little fainter. [0114] Pause for echoes.
[0115] Fade up to a little less on strip. [0116] Rest in darkness.
[0117] M discovered facing front at R.
[0118] Pause.


V |
[0119] I walk here now. [0120] (Pause.) [0121] Rather I come and stand. [0122] (Pause.) [0123] At nightfall. [0124] (Pause.) [0125] [0126] (Pause.) [0127] She fancies she is alone. [0128] (Pause.) [0129] See how still she stands, how stark, with her face to the wall. [0130] (Pause.) [0131] How outwardly unmoved. [0132] (Pause.) [0133] She has not been out since girlhood. [0134] (Pause.) [0135] [0136] (Pause.) [0137] Not out since girlhood. [0138] (Pause.) [0139] Where is she, it may be asked. [0140] (Pause.) [0141] In the old home, the same where she - . [0142] (Pause.) [0143] The same where she began. [0144] (Pause.) [0145] Where it began. [0146] (Pause.) [0147] It all began. [0148] (Pause.) [0149] But this, this, when did this begin? [0150] (Pause.) [0151] When other girls of her age were out at...lacrosse she was already here. [0152] (Pause.) [0153] At this. [0154] (Pause.) [0155] The floor here, now bare, once was - . [0156] (M begins pacing. [0157] Steps a little slower.) [0158] But let us watch her move, in silence. [0159] (M paces. [0160]Towards end of second length.) [0161] Watch how feat she wheels. [0162] (M turns, paces. [0163] Synchronous with steps third length.) [0164] [⁁] 7 8 9 wheel. [0165] (M turns at L, paces one more length, halts facing front at R.) [0166] I say the floor here, now bare, [⁁]this strip of floor,[⁁] once was carpeted, a deep pile. [0167] Till one night, while still little more than a child, she called her mother and said, Mother, this is not enough. [0168] The mother: Not enough? [0169] May - the child's given name - May: Not enough. [0170] The mother: What do you mean, May, not enough, what can you possibly mean, May, not enough? [0171] May: I mean, Mother, that I must hear the feet, however faint they fall. [0172] The mother: The motion alone is not enough? [0173] May: No, Mother, the motion alone is not enough, I must hear the feet, however faint they fall. [0174] (Pause. [0175] M resumes pacing. [0176] With pacing.) [0177] Does she still sleep, it may be asked. [0178] Yes, some nights she does, in snatches. Bows her poor head against the wall and snatches a little sleep. [0179] (Pause.) [0180] Still speak? [0181] Yes, some nights she does, when she fancies none can hear. [0182] (Pause.) [0183] Tells how it was. [0184] (Pause.) [0185] Tries to tell how it was. [0186] (Pause.) [0187] It all. [0188] (Pause.) [0189] It all. |
[0190] M continues pacing. [0191] [0192] Fade out on strip. [0193] All in darkness. [0194] Steps cease.
[0195] Pause.
[0196] Chime a little fainter still. [0197] Pause for echoes.
[0198] Fade up to a little less still on strip. [0199] Rest in darkness.
[0200] M discovered facing front at R.
[0201] Pause.


M |
[0202] Sequel. [0203] A little later, when she was quite forgotten,
she began to - . [0204] (Pause.) [0205] A little later, when as
though she had never been, it never been, she began
to walk. [0206] (Pause.) [0207] At nightfall. [0208] (Pause.) [0209] Slip out
at nightfall and into the little church by the north
door, always locked at that hour, and walk, up and
down, up and down, his poor arm. [0210] (Pause.) [0211] Some nights
[0211] she would halt, as one frozen by some shudder of the
mind, and stand stark still till she could move again[₰] |
MS. Pages: | frontcover - 04r | 05r - backcover |