| MS. Pages: | frontcover - 04r | 05r - backcover |
[p. frontcover]
[p. 01r]
by
Samuel Beckett
Royal Court Theatre,
Sloane Square,
London, S.W.1.
Tel: 01-730 5174
[p. 02r]
[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 seven steps, width one metre,
a little off centre audience right.
DIAGRAM 1
[0004] Pacing: starting with right foot (r) from 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 pad.
[0007] Lighting: dim, strongest at floor level, less on body, least on head.
[0008] Voices: both low throughout.
[0009] CURTAIN. [0010] Stage in darkness.
[0011] Faint gong. [0012] Pause as echoes die.
[0013] FADE UP to dim on strip. [0014] Rest in darkness.
[0015] M discovered pacing approaching 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 |
[p. 03r]
|
V: |
[0029] 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 wheel one two three four
five six seven wheel. [0035] (Free) [0036] Willyou |
[0037] (M halts facing front at R. 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] Rearrange your pillows? [0046] (Pause) [0047] Change your drawsheet? [0048] (Pause) [0049] Pass you the warming-pan? [0050] (Pause) [0051] The bedpan? [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] (Pause)
|
M: |
[0065] What age am I now? |
|
V: |
[0066] And I? |
|
M: |
[0070] Upward of ninety? |
|
V: |
[0071] So much? |
|
M: |
[0072] Eighty-nine, ninety. |
|
V: |
[0073] I had you late. [0076] (Pause) [0077] Forgive me again. [0078] (Pause. [0079] No louder) [0080] Forgive me again. |
[0081] (Pause)
|
M: |
[0082] Well? |
[p. 04r]
|
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 L.) [0089] May. [0090] (Pause. [0091] No louder) [0092] May. |
|
M: |
|
V: |
[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 continues pacing. . [0108] Five seconds. [0109] Fade out on strip. [0110] All in darkness. [0111] Steps silent.
[0112] Long pause.
[0113] Gong 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] My voice is in her mind. [0126] (Pause) [0127] She fancies she is alone. [0128] (Pause) [0129] See how still she stands, how firm, 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] She hears in her poor mind. She has not been out since girlhood. [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, 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, was once - [0156] (M begins pacing) [0158] But let us watch her move, in silence. [0159] (M paces. [0160] Towards end of second length) |
| MS. Pages: | frontcover - 04r | 05r - backcover |