REFLECTIONS ON THE NON-REALISTIC DRAMA w i t h two o r i g i n a l p l a y s : WHERE THE and THE FABULOUS FOUNTAIN OF SINCE STRINDBERG HELL I S SHE? YOUTH by M i c h a e l M c G u i r e Bo A., S a n F r a n c i s c o S t a t e C o l l e g e , 1962 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF M* A* i n t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f E n g l i s h We a c c e p t t h i s t h e s i s as c o n f o r m i n g t o t h e r e q u i r e d s t a n d a r d THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH A p r i l , 1964 COLUMBIA In p r e s e n t i n g t h i s t h e s i s i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t of the requirements f o r an advanced degree at the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia, I agree that the L i b r a r y s h a l l make i t f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r reference and study* I f u r t h e r agree that per-m i s s i o n f o r extensive copying of t h i s t h e s i s f o r s c h o l a r l y purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or by h i s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . I t i s understood that, copying or p u b l i -c a t i o n of t h i s t h e s i s f o r f i n a n c i a l gain s h a l l not be allowed without my w r i t t e n permission* Department of The U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia, Vancouver 8, Canada i i ABSTRACT F o l l o w i n g are two one-act p l a y s i n the n o n - r e a l i s t i c t r a d i t i o n of modern t h e a t r e w i t h a c r i t i c a l i n t r o d u c t i o n about t h i s t r a d i t i o n s i n c e S , t r i n d b e r g * I t i s f i r s t seen t h a t non-r e a l i s m i s e x t r e m e l y d i f f i c u l t to d e f i n e - - t h e a t r i c a l performance always i n v o l v e s some n o n - r e a l i s t i c e l e m e n t s . I t i s found t h a t g e n e r a l l y t h o s e p l a y s which emphasize some element of drama o t h e r than c h a r a c t e r (e (g< song or dance) may be termed non-r e a l i s t i c * The t r a d i t i o n i s then t r a c e d through S t r i n d b e r g , Y e a t s , E l i o t , I o n e s c o , S a r t r e , Genet, and B e c k e t t , The d i s s o l u t i o n of c h a r a c t e r b e f o r e o t h e r elements of the drama i s o b s e r v e d i n S t r i n d b e r g T s Miss J u l i e , The p o e t i c drama of E l i o t , and more e s p e c i a l l y of Y e a t s , i s shown to emphasize language ( A r i s t o t l e , s c a t e g o r y of d i c t i o n ) , at the expense of normal c h a r a c t e r d e v e l o p -ment and i n t e r a c t i o n , Huis C l o s , S a r t r e ' s t o u r de f o r c e , i l l u s -t r a t e s the i m p o s s i b i l i t y of a r i g i d c l a s s i f i c a t i o n of p l a y s i n t o the c a t e g o r i e s of r e a l i s t i c and n o n - r e a l i s t i c , f o r , though S a r t r e has c r e a t e d a p u r e l y h y p o t h e t i c a l w o r l d , or h e l l , h i s c h a r a c t e r s behave and act upon one another i n a t h o r o u g h l y b e l i e v a b l e and c o n s i s t e n t l y m o t i v a t e d manner, Ionesco's c h a r a c t e r s are shown t o c a n c e l t h e i r own e x i s t e n c e by t h e i r a b s u r d b e h a v i o r i n an i n s o l i t e w o r l d where a n y t h i n g can happen. A g a i n language, o r the a t t a c k upon language (and through l a n g u a g e - t h o u g h t ) i s shown to be the p r i m a r y element i n t h i s n o n - r e a l i s t i c t h e a t r e . Genet's c h a r a c t e r s are merely r e f l e c t i o n s i i i o f s o c i a l r o l e s . They b e h a v e , n o t as i n d i v i d u a l s , b u t as s o c i o - e c o n o m i c t y p e s i n a w o r l d o f a b s t r a c t i o n s ! , Le B a l c o n , e s p e c i a l l y t h e f i r s t f o u r s c e n e s , i s s e e n t o r e l y more on s t a g e a c t i v i t y ( g e s t u r e and v i s u a l f a c t o r s ) t h a n on c h a r a c t e r t o c o n v e y d r a m a t i c a c t i o n . The c h a r a c t e r s o f S a m u e l B e c k e t t a r e n o t w h o l e c h a r a c t e r s ; t h e y a r e m e r e l y p a r t s o f c h a r a c t e r s . I n b o t h W a i t i n g f o r Godot and Endgame one c h a r a c t e r i s p r i m a r i l y e m o t i o n a l ; t h e o t h e r i n t e l l e c t u a l . O n l y t o g e t h e r c a n t h e y f o r m a w h o l e c h a r a c t e r . B e c k e t t ' s p l a y s a r e c o n c e r n e d w i t h r e v e a l i n g a s t a t e o f b e i n g , n o t w i t h p o r t r a y i n g an e v e n t . I n o r d e r t o do t h i s , t h e y r e l y p r i m a r i l y on t h o u g h t ( c o n v e y e d t h r o u g h r h y t h m i c a l d i c t i o n ) r a t h e r t h a n c h a r a c t e r — t h e most n e c e s s a r y e l e m e n t i n a s t r o n g p l o t . Happy Days f o l l o w s t h e same l i n e s as t h e two e a r l i e r p l a y s , b u t h e r e l a n g u a g e i t s e l f h a s become t h e o b j e c t o f e x a m i n a t i o n , as i n t h e I o n e s c o p l a y s . F i n a l l y , o u r c o n c e p t i o n o f n o n - r e a l i s t i c drama h a v i n g been c l a r i f i e d , and o u r a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h i t s t r a d i t i o n r e n e w e d , we can see how t h e a u t h o r ' s tvio p l a y s . Where t h e H e l l i s S h e ? and The F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h , f u n c t i o n and how t h e y f i t i n t o t h e n o n - r e a l i s t i c t r a d i t i o n o f modern t h e a t r e . I V TABLE OF CONTENTS REFLECTIONS ON THE NON-REALISTIC DRAMA SINCE STRINDBERG . . . . . • • • • • • • « • • • • • • 1 BIBLIOGRAPHY . « . . . » . . . . . . . . 27 WHERE THE H E L L IS SHE? 28 THE FABULOUS. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9 REFLECTIONS ON THE NON-REALISTIC TRADITION SINCE S.TRINDBERG The n o n - r e a l i s t i c t r a d i t i o n , i n w h i c h I w r i t e , i s n o t c l e a r c u t . R e a l i s t i c p l a y s l i k e D e a t h o f a S a l e s m a n and The  C a u c a s i a n C h a l k C i r c l e i n c l u d e n o n - r e a l i s t i c e l e m e n t s ( g h o s t , c h o r u s ) , a n d n o n - r e a l i s t i c p l a y s l i k e No E x i t and Endgame come c l o s e t o c r e a t i n g r e a l i s t i c c h a r a c t e r s . T o d a y , one o f t h e b e s t A b s u r d p l a y w r i g h t s , H a r o l d P i n t e r , i s t e n d i n g t o w a r d r e a l i s m as one o f t h e b e s t r e a l i s t i c p l a y w r i g h t s o f o u r t i m e , B e r t o l t B r e c h t , t e n d e d t o w a r d n o n - r e a l i s m . I n s u b j e c t m a t t e r most s i g n i f i c a n t p l a y s a r e , i n some s e n s e , r e a l i s t i c , w h i l e i n t e c h -n i q u e a l l drama r e q u i r e s some n o n - r e a l i s m . P e r h a p s we m i g h t t e r m t h e s e p l a y s w h i c h e m p h a s i z e some e l e m e n t o f t h e drama o t h e r t h a n c h a r a c t e r " n o n - r e a l i s t i c , " We can o b s e r v e t h i s phenomenon i n S t r i n d b e r g i n whom, a c c o r d i n g t o Bentley''", c a n be f o u n d t h e modern o r i g i n s o f b o t h r e a l i s m ( a s l e a d i n g t o B r e c h t ) and n o n - r e a l i s m (as l e a d i n g t o S a r t r e ) , I n M i s s J u l i e c h a r a c t e r h a s f a l l e n t o b i t s . The b r o k e n p i e c e s a r e i n o u r h a n d s . I n s t e a d o f a k i n d o f M i d d l e - c l a s s t r a g e d y we h a v e a b i t t e r j e s t a g a i n s t a l l t r a g e d y . I n s t e a d o f a d o p t i n g t h e I b s e n i t e a r c h i t e c t o n i c S t r i n d b e r g p r i d e s h i m -s e l f on t h e r e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e m o n o l o g u e , t h e p a n t o m i n e , a n d t h e dance,2 B e n t l e y , E r i c , The P l a y w r i g h t as T h i n k e r . (New Y o r k , 1946). 2 B e n t l e y , p . I83. 2 I n iL Dre am P1 ay and The G h o s t S o n a t a we f i n d t h e new s u b j e c t m a t t e r t h a t becomes a v a i l a b l e t o t h e d r a m a t i s t who w o u l d f r e e h i m s e l f o f a l i t e r a l c o n c e p t i o n o f c h a r a c t e r * D i a l o g u e o c c a s i o n -a l l y comes f r e e f r o m p l o t e n a b l i n g i t t o f o l l o w a l i n e o f t h o u g h t f u r t h e r t h a n w o u l d o t h e r w i s e be p o s s i b l e s S u p e r f i c i a l " u n i t y " i s s a c r i f i c e d i n o r d e r t h a t t h e a r c h e t y p i c a l human e x p e r i e n c e m i g h t be s u g g e s t e d . P o s s i b i l i t y and p r o b a b i l i t y h e r e become e n t i r e l y s u b j e c t t o t h e d r a m a t i s t ' s c o n t r o l b e c a u s e a n y t h i n g can h a p p e n . T h i s i s t h e s e l f - c r e a t e d b a s i s f o r d r a m a t i c f r e e d o m . The b a s i s o f n o n - r e a l i s m i n Y e a t s and E l i o t f o l l o w s f r o m t h e i r e m p h a s i s on l a n g u a g e , and t h e i r d e s i r e t o g i v e f r e e r e i n t o t h e m i n d as r e a l i z e d i n l a n g u a g e t h a t i s n o t e n t i r e l y s u b j e c t t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f c h a r a c t e r . G e n e r a l l y s p e a k i n g , r e a l i s t i c drama was n o t made f o r e l o q u e n t c h a r a c t e r s . I t p r e f e r s t h e un-a t t r a c t i v e , u n i n t e l l i g e n t v i c t i m o f c i r c u m s t a n c e . The p l a y w r i g h t s who can f u l l y r e a l i z e t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f b o t h c h a r a c t e r (as s u b j e c t t o p l o t ) and l a n g u a g e a r e f e w and f a r - b e t w e e n . S h o u l d p o e t s be d e n i e d t h e s t a g e ? . Or s h o u l d t h e y be f o r c e d t o w r i t e a drama w h e r e i n t h e i r own s p e c i a l i t y i s s u b o r d i n a t e d t o a n o t h e r a s p e c t o f t h e drama? I t was i n e v i t a b l e t h a t p o e t s s h o u l d r e -c o n c e i v e t h e d r a m a . They w a n t e d s o m e t h i n g t h a t was more t h a n a p o e t r y r e a d i n g , y e t l e s s t h a n p u r e t h e a t e r . Y e a t s and E l i o t managed t o do t h i s i n a c h i e v i n g a p o e t r y o f t h e s t a g e , a p o e t r y w h i c h i s v i s u a l as w e l l as audial« I n Y e a t s e s p e c i a l l y , we f i n d t h e p o e t i c image t h a t can be SEEN. N a t u r a l l y , i n s u c h drama, t a b l e a u x , d a n c e . 3 s o n g , and mon o l o g u e r e a l i z e t h e i r f u l l p o s s i b i l i t i e s . T h i s i s no t t h e o n l y k i n d o f t h e a t e r t h a t s h o u l d be a l l o w e d i n o u r c e n t u r y — o r any o t h e r - - b u t i t i s a k i n d o f t h e a t e r t h a t must n e v e r be l o s t u n l e s s we a r e w i l l i n g t o e x p e r i e n c e t h e s u b s e q u e n t i m p o v e r i s h m e n t o f t h e more p o p u l a r f o r m s , Y e a t s has a t t e m p t e d t o c r e a t e t h e i l l u s i o n t h a t a c h a r a c t e r I S more t h a n he d o e s . T h i s i s , o f c o u r s e , an i m p o s s i b i l i t y i n a t B r e a l i s t i c s* p l a y where A L L t h a t we know o f a c h a r a c t e r comes f r o m what he d o e s , what o t h e r c h a r a c t e r s s a y a b o u t hira--how t h e y r e a c t t o h i m , and what he s a y s o f h i m s e l f . But i n P u r g a t o r y , t h e unnamed c h a r a c t e r s r e p r e s e n t , n o t p a r t i c u l a r i n d i v i d u a l s , b u t a r c h e t y p i c a l human e x p e r i e n c e . T hese c h a r a c t e r s f i n d t h e i r m o t i v a t i o n i n t h e human c o n d i t i o n more t h a n t h e y f i n d i t w i t h i n t h e t o l d o r p r e s e n t a c t i o n o f t h e p l a y . I n r e v e a l i n g t h e e s s e n c e o f one c h a r a c t e r , t h e O l d Man, Y e a t s h a s i m p l i e d t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e p a s t t h a t p o l l u t e d h i m , and t h e f u t u r e t h a t i s s t o p p e d i n h i m , Y e a t s does n o t w a s t e e n e r g y a t t e m p t i n g t o m a i n t a i n a s u s -p e n s i o n o f d i s b e l i e f i n t h e a u d i e n c e . Nor does he e n c o u r a g e d i s b e l i e f as B r e c h t d o e s . He c r e a t e s h i s f r e e d o m t o be p o e t i c and u s e s i t . I t i s n o t t h e a c t i o n i t s e l f , b u t t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e a c t i o n t h a t i n t e r e s t s Y e a t s , as i t d i d S t r i n d b e r g , As t h e D a u g h t e r s a i d i n A Dream P l a y : wWhat you s a y i s c o r r e c t . But yo u h a v e n o t u n d e r s t o o d it,«^ So w i t h Y e a t s ; i t i s t h e u n d e r -S t r i n d b e r g , A u g u s t , t sA Dream P l a y " , r e p r i n t e d i n S i x P l a y s  o f S t r i n d b e r g , (New Y o r k , 1955), P. 254» 4 s t a n d i n g t h a t c o u n t s . I n t h e p o e t i c p l a y P l o t l o s e s i t s a l l -i m p o r t a n t r o l e . The O l d Man t e l l s us r e p e a t e d l y t o u n d e r s t a n d : " S t u d y t h a t h o u s e ; " "And t h a t * s s y m b o l i c a l ; s t u d y t h a t t r e e . What i s i t l i k e ? " ^ " S u c h s t a t e m e n t s a l s o i l l u s t r a t e t h e s e l f -c o n s c i o u s n e s s t h a t i s p o s s i b l e i n modern n o n - r e a l i s t i c p l a y s f r o m Y e a t s t o B e c k e t t and I o n e s c o , M u r d e r i n t h e C a t h e d r a l , w i t h i t s i n t r o d u c t i o n o f a c h o r u s , f r e e s i t s e l f e v e n f u r t h e r f r o m t h e s u b j e c t i o n o f D i c t i o n t o P l o t , W i t h i n t h e c h o r u s a l l p e r s o n a l i t y i s e l i m i n a t e d , and l a n g u a g e and m e a n i n g e x i s t i n t h e i r own r i g h t . A l t h o u g h n o t many p l a y -w r i g h t s w i l l s u c c e s s f u l l y i m i t a t e Y e a t s o r E l i o t , t h e i r t y p e o f t h e a t e r i s c o n t r i b u t i v e t o t h e m a i n s t r e a m o f drama i n t h a t i t i n f o r m s t h e c o n t e m p o r a r y t h e a t e r w i t h a c e r t a i n v i t a l i t y o f l a n g u a g e . I m i t a t o r s l i k e W i l d e r and M a c L e i s h f a i l t o w r i t e g r e a t drama b e c a u s e t h e y a r e n o t g r e a t p o e t s , I am c o n v i n c e d o n l y g r e a t p o e t s c a n w r i t e p o e t i c drama b e c a u s e i n t h e t h e a t e r t h e p o e t i c l i n e i s t e s t e d i n t h e d r a m a t i c l i n e , A f u r t h e r q u a l i -f i c a t i o n : t h e y must be c a p a b l e o f d r a m a t i c p o e t r y l i k e "Sweeny A g o n i s t e s " , o r "A D i a l o g u e o f S e l f and Soul»" But does n o n - r e a l i s m a l w a y s s p r i n g f r o m a p o e t i c i m p u l s e ? The a n s w e r i s n o , b u t t h e n o n - r e a l i s t t h e a t e r i s o f t e n a t h e a t e r o f l a n g u a g e . One o f t h e c e n t r a l c o n c e r n s o f t h e modern " s u b j e c -t i v e " p l a y w r i g h t s ( as o p p o s e d t o t h e " o b j e c t i v e " p l a y w r i g h t s l i k e Adamov o r B r e c h t ) i s t h e q u e s t i o n o f i d e n t i t y . The human image h a d t o be r e v i s e d i n E u r o p e a f t e r t h e G o y a e s q u e e x p e r i e n c e o f ^ Y e a t s , W, B,, " P u r g a t o r y " , r e p r i n t e d i n The Modern T h e a t r e , e d , E r i c B e n t l e y , (New Y o r k , 1955)-5 t h e w a r . ( i n A m e r i c a o p t i m i s m and humanism r e m a i n e d u n t a r n i s h e d f o r some t i m e s I n Commonwealth c o u n t r i e s t h e p r e - e v o l u t i o n a r y image c o n t i n u e s as a q u a i n t c u l t u r a l l a g . ) The q u e s t i o n f o r t h e a r t i s t who does n o t s e e k t h e a n s w e r i n s o c i a l r e - o r g a n i z a t i o n i s "Who am I ? 1 * T h i s q u e s t i o n i s p o s e d by b o t h B e c k e t t and I o n e s c o and i n b a s i c a l l y s i m i l a r w ays, t h e common d e n o m i n a t o r b e i n g t h e r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t t h e most b a s i c c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f man i s t h e way he t a l k s a b o u t h i m s e l f and t h e w o r l d . A n t i - r e a l i s m i n t h e t h e a t e r o f t h e A b s u r d becomes a n t i - d r a m a b e c a u s e l a n g u a g e no l o n g e r e x i s t s as a medium o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n , b u t h a s become i t s e l f t h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n . The q u e s t i o n "Who am I ? " i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e s e l f - c o n s c i o u s c o n c e r n o f modern drama: "What i s a p l a y ? " H e r e i t i s n o t t h e a t t e m p t t o be r e a l i s t i c t h a t t h r e a t e n s t h e t h e a t e r as s u c h , b u t s e l f - c o n s c i o u s and o v e r t ( l i k e f u n c t i o n a l a r c h i t e c t u r e w i t h w i r e s , p i p e s , and a i r d u c t s on d i s -p l a y ) e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h a t w h i c h makes t h e a t e r p o s s i b l e : l a n g u a g e . As V a n n i e r s a y s o f t h e T h e a t e r o f t h e A b s u r d : T h e i r o r i g i n a l i t y t h i s t i m e no l o n g e r l i e s i n t h e i r c h o i c e o f a new l a n g u a g e , b u t i n t h e i r s e t t i n g up a d r a m a t u r g y o f human r e l a t i o n s a t t h e l e v e l o f l a n g u a g e i t s e l f . T h e i r o r i g i n a l i t y a p p e a r s q u i t e c l e a r l y i f we compare t h i s d r a m a t u r g y w i t h t h a t o f t h e t r a d i t i o n a l t h e a t r e . I n t h e l a t t e r , human r e l a t i o n s a r e n e v e r v e r b a l r e l a t i o n s , b u t " p s y -c h o l o g i c a l " r e l a t i o n s h i p s w h i c h l a n g u a g e o n l y t r a n s l a t e s • • • When l a n g u a g e becomes t h e o b j e c t o f a t h e a t r i c a l p r o b l e m , n o t h i n g i s any l o n g e r a m a t t e r o f c o u r s e : t h e d o o r s a r e open t o a c r i t i c i s m o f i t s v a l u e , and t h a t i s why t h e d e s t r u c t i o n o f l a n g u a g e i s one o f t h e m a j o r d i r e c t i o n s o f t h i s a v a n t - g a r d e c u r r e n t . The drama o f words w i l l t h e r e -f o r e be o n l y a drama o f a b s u r d i t y , and t h e t h e a t r e o f l a n g u a g e , by d e s t r o y i n g i t s o b j e c t , w i l l become 6 an a n t i - t h e a t r e : a d i a l e c t i c whose c o n s e q u e n c e s we can o b s e r v e i n t h e t h e a t r e o f I o n e s c o * ^ I t i s p r e c i s e l y t h i s c o n c e r n w i t h l a n g u a g e , c o m b i n e d w i t h t h e r e s u l t a n t f o r m a l e x p e r i m e n t a l i s m , t h a t c a r r i e s t h e a b s u r d -i s t s b e y o n d S a r t r e and Camus. F o r i n H u i s C l o s and C a l i g u l a we f i n d t h e t r a d i t i o n a l v i e w o f r a t i o n a l man t h r e a t e n e d by new f o r c e s , b u t we do n o t f i n d t h e a t t a c k on l a n g u a g e t h a t i t s e l f t h r e a t e n s man's v i e w o f h i m s e l f . I n o t h e r w o r d s , i n a b s u r d drama t h e r e a r e two c o n c e r n s t h a t r e f l e c t t h e p r o b l e m o f i d e n t i t y : t h e a t t a c k oh c o n v e n t i o n a l l a n -guage ( c l i c h e s , e t c . ) , and t h e c r e a t i o n o f a t h e a t r i c a l w o r l d where a n y t h i n g c a n h a p p e n . Why a t t a c k l a n g u a g e ? How does t h i s a t t a c k r e f l e c t t h e modern c o n c e r n w i t h i d e n t i t y ? " L a n g u a g e most shows a man; s p e a k t h a t I may s e e y o u . " - - B e n J o n s o n . The words we u s e and o u r manner o f a r r a n g i n g them a r e i n v o l v e d w i t h o u r own s e n s e o f i d e n t i t y . I f we s p e a k l a r g e l y i n c l i c h e s we t h i n k i n c l i c h e s a n d o u r s e n s e o f i d e n t i t y p r o b a b l y comes f r o m an e a s y i d e n t i f i c a -t i o n w i t h o u r s o c i a l r o l e as an e n t i t y we v e r b a l i z e t o o u r s e l v e s : " I AM a l a w y e r . " Or, i f we l a c k a s e n s e o f i d e n t i t y , o u r s e a r c h f o r i t may be e a s i l y c h a n n e l e d by admen's v e r b a l c o n c e p t s . T h e r e -f o r e , t o show t h e a b s u r d i t y o f o u r l a n g u a g e i s t o show t h e a b s u r d i t y o f o u r e x i s t e n c e , e x i s t e n c e w i t h o u t b e i n g . I n s h o r t , i f o u r l a n g u a g e i s i n n o c u o u s and v a c u o u s , what r i g h t h a v e we t o a s e n s e o f s e l f ? 5 V a n n i e r , J e a n , "A T h e a t r e o f L a n g u a g e " , p r i n t e d i n T u l a n e  Drama R e v i e w , ed« R i c h a r d S c h e c h n e r , (New O r l e a n s , S p r i n g , I963), p . 1 8 2 . 7 H o w i s t h e a t t a c k o n l a n g u a g e o n e o f t h e b a s i c i r o n i e s o f I o n e s c o ' s t h e a t e r ? T o b e g i n w i t h , h i s t h e a t e r r e s t s , a s S c h e c h n e r s a y s , ^ o n t h e c o n t r a s t , o r d r a m a t i c t e n s i o n , b e t w e e n t h e i n n e r a n d o u t e r w o r l d s . T h e o u t e r w o r l d i s t h e s e t t i n g a n d t h e i n n e r w o r l d i s t h e a c t i o n . T h e s e a r e n e v e r i n h a r m o n y , a n d t h e g r e a t e r t h e c o n t r a s t b e t w e e n t h e m t h e g r e a t e r t h e c o m i c e f f e c t . T h i s d i s h a r m o n y a l s o f u n c t i o n s b e t w e e n l a n g u a g e a n d s i t u a t i o n . F o r e x a m p l e , i n T h e B a l d S o p r a n o we h a v e a n o n s e n s e d i s t o r t i o n o f a F r e n c h p r o v e r b . T h e d i s t o r t i o n : " J ' a i m e r n i e u x p o n d r e u n ce u f q u e v o l e r u n b o e u f . u S c h e c h n e r o b s e r v e s : " I t l o o k s a n d a n d s o u n d s l i k e a s e n t e n c e ; i t s r h y m e s c h e m e d i s g u i s e s i t a s a p r o v e r b ; i t h a s a l l t h e g r a m m a t i c a l n e c e s s i t i e s o f a s e n t e n c e . B u t i t l a c k s t h e i n t e n t i o n o f a s e n t e n c e . " N o w t h e p o i n t I w a n t t o m a k e i s t h a t l a n g u a g e t h a t c o n t a i n s n o p o s s i b i l i t y o f c o m m u n i c a -t i o n u n d e r c u t s n o t o n l y t h e v a l i d i t y o f l e n g u a g e , b u t t h e v a l u e o f t h e e f f o r t i t s e l f a n d , b y e x t e n s i o n , t h e e x i s t e n c e o f t h e s p e a k e r o r l i s t e n e r . T a k e , f o r e x a m p l e , o n e o f t h e P r o f e s s o r ' s s p e e c h e s i n L a L e c o n : T h a t w h i c h d i s t i n g u i s h e s t h e n e o - S p a n i s h l a n g u a g e s a n d t h e i r i d i o m s f r o m o t h e r l i n g u i s t i c g r o u p s , s u c h a s t h e g r o u p o f l a n g u a g e s c a l l e d A u s t r i a n a n d n e o - A u s t r i a n o r H a p s b u r g i a n , a s w e l l a s t h e E s p e r a n t o , H e l v e t i a n , M o n a c a n , S w i s s , A n d o r r a n , B a s q u e , a n d j a i a l a i g r o u p s , a n d a l s o t h e g r o u p s o f d i p l o m a t i c a n d t e c h n i c a l l a n g u a g e s — t h a t w h i c h d i s t i n g u i s h e s t h e m , I r e p e a t , i s t h e i r s t r i k i n g r e s e m b l a n c e w h i c h m a k e s i t s o h a r d t o d i s t i n g u i s h t h e m f r o m e a c h o t h e r . I'm s p e a k i n g o f t h e n e o - S p a n i s h l a n g u a g e s w h i c h o n e i s a b l e t o d i s t i n g u i s h f r o m e a c h o t h e r , h o w e v e r , o n l y t h a n k s t o t h e i r d i s t i n c t i v e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , S c h e c h n e r , R i c h a r d , " T h e I n n e r a n d t h e O u t e r R e a l i t y " , p r i n t e d i n T u l a n e D r a m a R e v i e w . 8 a b s o l u t e l y i n d i s p u t a b l e p r o o f s o f t h e i r e x t r a -o r d i n a r y r e s e m b l a n c e , w h i c h r e n d e r s i n d i s p u t a b l e t h e i r common o r i g i n , and w h i c h , a t t h e same t i m e , d i f f e r e n t i a t e s them p r o f o u n d l y — t h r o u g h t h e c o n -t i n u a t i o n o f t h e d i s t i n c t i v e t r a i t s w h i c h I ' v e j u s t cited«7 T h i s i s so c l o s e t o r e a s o n t h a t we a r e l e d t o t a k e h i m s e r i o u s l y , and t h e n t h e j o k e i s on u s . Our l a n g u a g e and o u r e x i s t e n c e a r e r e a l l y t h r e a t e n e d * We have i n t h e P r o f e s s o r ' s s p e e c h an a b s u r d b a l a n c e b e t ween h i s s c h o l a r l y t o n e and t h e n e a r l y c o m p l e t e a b s e n c e o f s u b j e c t m a t t e r . But t h i s i s o n l y one o f t h e many d i a l e c t i c a l c o n t r a s t s o f t h e p l a y . I n t h e b e g i n n i n g we h a v e h i s e x t r e m e p a t i e n c e ttfhich i s a b s u r d i n l i g h t o f t h e i n a n i t y o f h i s p u p i l ' s r e s p o n s e s . And t h i s p a t i e n c e i s a l l t h e more e f f e c t i v e b e c a u s e o f o u r r i s i n g s e n s e o f d r e a d . But t h e r e a l comedy s p r i n g s f r o m t h e i n a p p r o p r i a t e n e s s o f h i s p a t i e n c e t o h e r s t u p i d r e s p o n s e s . And l a t e r i n t h e p l a y when o u r s y m p a t h y h a s s h i f t e d t o h e r when h i s r a p i d l y g r o w i n g s e x u a l l y v i o l e n t r e a c t i o n t o h e r t o o t h a c h e has a l i e n a t e d u s , t h e d r a m a t i c a c t i o n h i n g e s on t h e i n a p p r o p r i a t e n e s s o f h e r i n c r e a s i n g p r o v o c a t i v e n e s s ( i n t h e p r o d u c t i o n I saw at t h e T h e a t r e de l a H u c h e t t e t h e p u p i l o p e n e d h e r l e g s f u r t h e r w i t h e a c h o f h i s v e r b a l o n s l a u g h t s ) t o h e r i n c r e a s i n g d a n g e r . I n t h e w o r l d o f I o n e s c o ' s drama e v e r y t h i n g c a n c e l s s o m e t h i n g e l s e o u t . L a n g u a g e , s e t t i n g , and a c t i o n a r e at war w i t h t h e m s e l v e s and w i t h e a c h o t h e r . The o r d i n a r y a p p e a r a n c e o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s c o n t r a d i c t s t h e i r e x t r a o r d i n a r y a c t i o n s . S c h e c h n e r , p , 189 9 S c h e c h n e r f e e l s t h a t i t i s t h i s d i a l e c t i c a l t e n s i o n b e t ween t h e c o - e x i s t e n t c r i m e s and o u t e r r e a l i t i e s t h a t r e p l a c e s p l o t i n an I o n e s c o p l a y and r e s u l t s i n a t h e a t e r o f t h e m o n s t r o u s l a c k i n g o r d i n a r y m o t i v a t i o n and t h e r e f o r e a b s t r a c t by r e a s o n o f i t s v e r y a b s u r d i t y . To c r e a t e c h a r a c t e r s c a p a b l e o f g r a t u i t o u s a c t s ( i . e . a c t s w i t h o u t m o t i v a t i o n ) i s t o u n d e r c u t a l l b a s i s f o r " r e a l i s m . " The I o n e s c o c h a r a c t e r h a s no r e a l e x i s t e n c e : I o n e s c o has d e s t r o y e d i t by e x p o s i n g t h e i n h e r e n t s e l f - c a n c e l l i n g c o n t r a d i c t i o n s o f t h e c h a r a c t e r ' s l i f e , e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e a t t a c k upon h i s l a n g u a g e . L a c k i n g i d e n t i t y h i s c h a r a c t e r s " s u b s t i t u t e s p e e d f o r s u b s t a n c e , a c t i v i t y f o r a c t . " ; They t r y t o f i n d t h e m s e l v e s and f a i l a t an i n c r e a s i n g p a c e . They f a i l t o r e s o l v e t h i s d i a l e c t i c b e t w e e n t h e r e a l i t y t h e y l a c k and t h e p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f THINGS i n s p a c e ( e . g . a s t a g e f u l l o f f u r n i t u r e ) . The gap b e t w e e n t h e i n n e r and o u t e r r e a l i t y — t h a t gap w h i c h i n f o r m s I o n e s c o ' s e n t i r e t e c h n i q u e - -l a y s b a r e t h e a l i e n a t i o n o f h i s h e r o e s f r o m them-s e l v e s and f r o m t h e w o r l d . The I o n e s c o h e r o can n e i t h e r r e a c h and u n d e r s t a n d h i m s e l f n o r g r a s p t h e t h i n g s o f t h e w o r l d . Yet t h e s e t h i n g s - - h i s a p a r t -ment, h i s w i f e , h i s c o f f e e c u p s , h i s t a b l e and c h a i r s — a r e h i s ; t h e y a r e h i s o n l y c o n n e c t i o n t o t h e f l o w o f l i f e , t o t h e abundance o f l i f e , and as t h e h e r o becomes c o n s c i o u s o f h i s s e p a r a t i o n f r o m t h e s e t h i n g s he t r i e s e v e r more d e s p e r a t e l y t o u n i t e h i m s e l f t o what i s h i s . 9 B e c a u s e t h e s e c h a r a c t e r s do n o t e x i s t t h e r e i s a l w a y s t h e d a n g e r t h a t t h e f u l l w o r l d o f t h e s t a g e does n o t e x i s t e i t h e r . D o u b r o v s k y : , "The comedy o f p r o l i f e r a t i o n on t h e l e v e l o f t h i n g s , i s c o m p l e m e n t a r y t o t h e 8 S c h e c h n e r , p . 1 9 2 . 9 7 S c h e c h n e r , p . 1 9 2 . 10 comedy o f c i r c u l a r i t y on t h e human l e v e l . The c h a i r s i n The C h a i r s , t h e cups i n V i c t i m s  o f D u t y , t h e p i e c e s o f f u r n i t u r e i n The New  T e n a n t , o r t h e eggs i n The F u t u r e ' i s i n Eggs a r e m u l t i p l i e d u n t i l t h e y c r o w d and ch o k e t h e s t a g e , t h e c o r p s e and mushrooms i n Amede;e k e e p g r o w i n g u n t i l t h e r e i s no more room f o r t h e c h a r a c t e r s • , • The e t e r n a l r e t u r n i s n o t an e t e r n a l a s s e r t i o n o f t h e s e l f , as i t was f o r N i e t z s c h e , b u t i t s p e r p e t u a l n e g a t i o n . M o r e o v e r , t o man's a b s e n c e c o r r e s p o n d s t h e a l l - p e r v a d i n g p r e s e n c e o f t h i n g s . I n t h e same way as S a r t r e ' s R o u q u e n t i n e x p e r i e n c e d n a u s e a i n f r o n t o f a p e b b l e o r a r o o t , t h e s p e c t a t o r e x p e r i e n c e s t h e e s s e n t i a l e m p t i n e s s o f man b e -f o r e t h e m o n s t r o u s k i n g d o m o f o b j e c t s , t 810 And i f t h e r e i s no t h e a t r i c i d e n t i t y how can t h e r e be t e c h -n i c a l r e a l i s m ? R e a l i s t i c t e c h n i q u e s must h a v e some s u b s t a n c e t o r e p r e s e n t . I f a p l a y w r i g h t i s c o g n i z a n t o f t h e r e a l d o u b t s c o n -c e r n i n g man's i d e n t i t y i n t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y , i t i s o n l y n a t u r a l t h a t t h i s c o g n i z a n c e s h o u l d be r e f l e c t e d i n n o n - r e a l i s t i c t e c h n i q u e s . And i f he f e e l s , as I o n e s c o and Genet do, t h a t p e o p l e l a c k i d e n t i t y w i t h o u t r e a l i z i n g i t , he may w e l l c h o o s e n o n -r e a l i s t i c t e c h n i q u e s as t h e b a s i s o f h i s a t t a c k upon t h e i r ( n o n -s u b s t a n t i a l ) d e n s i t y . T h i s l e a d s us t o t h e s e c o n d t e c h n i q u e o f a b s u r d drama t h a t r e f l e c t s t h e p r o b l e m o f i d e n t i t y ( o r o n t o l o g i c a l i n s e c u r i t y ) . The c r e a t i o n o f a ^ t h e a t r i c a l w o r l d where a n y t h i n g can h a p p e n i s q u i t e t h e o p p o s i t e o f a w o r l d where a c t i o n s a r e t h e n a t u r a l e x -p r e s s i o n s o f c o n c r e t e p e r s o n a l i t i e s , I o n e s c o r e f e r s t o h i s w o r l d as i n s o l i t e , I n s o l i t e i s one o f I o n e s c o ' s f a v o r i t e w o r d s ; i t i s d i f f i c u l t t o t r a n s l a t e . An i n s o l i t e w o r l d i s S c h e c h n e r , p , 1 9 8 , 11 one i n w h i c h a n y t h i n g may h a p p e n , w i t h o u t c a u s e , a t any t i m e ; i t i s a w o r l d o f s i m u l t a n e o u s l y h i l a r i o u s and h o r r e n d o u s c a p r i c e . The i n s o l i t e l u r k s i n t h e most e v e r y d a y e x p e r i e n c e s ; i t s u r -p r i s e s u s , s o m e t i m e s c o m i c a l l y , s o m e t i m e s t r a g i c a l l y , s o m e t i m e s i n b o t h ways at o n c e . The P r o f e s s o r ' s r a p e - m u r d e r o f t h e P u p i l i s i n s o l i t e . as i s M r s . M a r t i n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f a man t y i n g h i s s h o e l a c e . But t h e i n s o l i t e i s n o t l i m i t e d t o p h e n o m e n a — i t p e r v a d e s t h e e n t i r e s t r u c t u r e o f t h e p l a y s . The s u d d e n c h a n g e s i n c h a r a c t e r , t h e e l e c t r i c i n t r o -d u c t i o n o f s t a r t l i n g i m a g e s , and t h e v i o l e n t w r e n c h e s i n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e a c t i o n - - t h e s e a r e a l l i n s o l i t e . I n s h o r t , t h e i n s o l i t e i s an a t t i -t u d e , a way o f l o o k i n g a t t h e world. 1-'-As s p e e d i s a s u b s t i t u t e f o r b e i n g , so n o i s e i s a s u b s t i t u t e f o r l a n g u a g e w i t h i d e a t i o n a l c o n t e n t . . » • t h i s t e n s i o n b e t ween e v a n e s c e n c e and p r e s e n c e — b e t w e e n t h e o v e r - f u l l and t h e u t t e r l y e m p t y — f o r m s t h e c o r e o f h i s e a r l y w o r k . I n t h i s r e s p e c t we must remember t h a t I o n e s c o s e e s l a n g u a g e — w o r d s — a s f u l l y a n a l o g o u s t o t h i n g s . A s t a g e f u l l o f empty y e t " h e a v y 1 9 ( t a n g i b l e ) n o i s e i s c e r t a i n l y f u l l , i n t h e l i t e r a l s e n s e o f t h e w o r d . - ^ I o n e s c o ' s c h a r a c t e r s d e s t r o y t h e m s e l v e s t h r o u g h i n a n i t y o r t h e y a r e c a n c e l l e d o u t i n i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h t h e s e t t i n g ^ But t h e s e c h a r a c t e r s l i v e on a f t e r d e a t h , o r do n o t l e a v e t h e s t a g e when d e a d . The c h a r a c t e r s i n The B a l d S o p r a n o a r e d e a d b e f o r e t h e c u r -t a i n r i s e s . The e v i d e n c e o f t h i s i s t h e i r d e a d l a n g u a g e . O t h e r s , l i k e t h e P r o f e s s o r i n L a L e c o n , s e e k t h e i r own e x i s t e n c e i n t h e r e p e t i t i v e p a t t e r n s o f l a n g u a g e w h i c h a p p e a r t o h a v e s u b s t a n c e . The s e a r c h i s i t s e l f e v i d e n c e o f n o n - b e i n g , o r o n t o l o g i c a l i n -s e c u r i t y . A n d , as t h e c h a r a c t e r becomes c o n s c i o u s o f t h e f a c t t h a t he does n o t know who he i s , t h e w h o l e w o r l d becomes i n s o l i t e , i n h i s p e r c e p t i o n . T h i s i s when he b e g i n s t o p i l e up p o s s e s s i o n s as a s u b s t i t u t e f o r a s e n s e o f i d e n t i t y * S c h e c h n e r , p# 195« Schechner, pp*» 196-197. 12 B e y o n d I o n e s c o i n t e c h n i c a l i n n o v a t i o n and p r o g r e s s i o n o f t h o u g h t i s S a m u e l B e c k e t t . Now G e net c l a i m s t h a t s o c i e t y i s d e c e i v e d by i t s own i m a g e s (Le B a l c o n ) , and I o n e s c o h a s shown how s o c i e t y i s c a u g h t up i n i t s own l a n g u a g e ; but i t c o u l d be a r g u e d t h a t i t i s Genet t h a t h a s been d e c e i v e d by h i s own image and t h a t i t i s I o n e s c o h i m s e l f who i s c a u g h t up i n l a n g u a g e . But B e c k e t t , who h a s d e v e l o p e d b o t h o f t h e s e t h e m e s , i s n o t s u b j e c t t o e i t h e r c r i t i c i s m . He h a s w r i t t e n h i s m a j o r p l a y s i n F r e n c h r a t h e r t h a n h i s n a t i v e E n g l i s h t o a v o i d t h e k i n d o f s e l f -i n d u l g e n t - w r i t e r ' s w r i t i n g t h a t w o u l d be a v a i l a b l e t o h i m i n h i s own l a n g u a g e . And he h a s more d i s t a n c e f r o m and c o n t r o l o v e r h i s p r o f o u n d s t a g e i m a g e s t h a n any o t h e r l i v i n g p l a y w r i g h t . G e n e t ' s t h e a t e r i s one o f r e f l e c t i o n s where t h e o n l y i d e n t i t y b e h i n d t h e r e f l e c t i o n s i s h i s own. T h i s i s t h e p h i l o -s o p h i c a l b a s i s f o r h i s own r e a l i s m . N e v e r t h e l e s s h i s s t a g e i m a g e s a r e s e c o n d o n l y t o B e c k e t t ' s i n d e p t h o f c o m p l i c a t i o n . I n t h e f i r s t f o u r s c e n e s o f Le B a l c o n he s e e s t h e s t a g e as a s p a c e t o be f i l l e d a n d he f i l l s i t . G e s t u r e and v i s u a l f a c t o r s i n c r e a s e i n i m p o r t a n c e as d r a m a t i c a c t i o n i s c o n v e y e d ( n o t r e -p l a c e d ) by s t a g e a c t i v i t y . I t i s i n t h e more v e r b a l s e c t i o n s o f Le B a l c o n t h a t G e net t e n d s t o be o v e r - e x p l i c i t , t h u s r e d u c i n g d r a m a t i c e f f e c t , e . g . t h e s i x t h s c e n e w h i c h ca n e a s i l y be c u t — t h e a c t i o n c o u l d be a d v a n c e d s i m i l a r l y by a b e t t e r h a n d l i n g o f R o g e r a t Madame I r m a ' s - - a n d t h e n i n t h s c e n e w h i c h i s t o o l o n g and bends o v e r b a c k w a r d t o e x p l a i n t h e p r e c e d i n g a c t i o n . I r m a and Carmen's d i a l o g u e i n s c e n e f i v e p o i n t s o u t t h e b a s i c c o n c e i t o f Le B a l c o n much 1 t o o o b v i o u s l y : 13 IRMA: • » • M a i s d i s - t o i que G e n e r a l , Eveque e t J u g e s o n t dans l a v i e » • « CARMEN: D e s q u e l s p a r l e z - v o u s ? IRMA: Des v r a i s . CARMEN: L e s q u e l s s o n t v r a i s ? Ceux de c h e z n o u s ? IRMA: L e s a u t r e s * I l s s o n t dans l a v i e s u p p o r t s d'une p a r a d e q u ' i l s d o i v e n t t r a i n e r dans l a boue du r e e l e t du q u o t i d i e n . I c i l a Co m e d i e , l ' A p p a r e n c e se g a r d e n t p u r e s , l a F e t e i n t a c t e . G e n e t i s a t t a c k i n g h i s a u d i e n c e by s u g g e s t i n g i n Le B a l c o n t h a t , by d e a l i n g i n i l l u s i o n c o n s c i o u s l y , t h e p l a y i s c l o s e r t o t h e r e a l t h a n t h e y a r e . As t h e C h i e f o f P o l i c e s a y s i n s c e n e f i v e : " J e f a i s comme e u x , j e p e n e t r e d'emblee dans l a r e a l i t e que l e j e u nous p r o p o s e , e t comme j * a i l e beau r o l e , j e l e s m a t e . " O r , as t h e E n v o y s a y s o f t h e " q u e e n 1 8 : " C ' e s t une image v r a i e , nee d'un s p e c t a c l e f a u x , " The a p p a r e n t l y q u i t e r a t i o n a l m o r a l o f Le B a l c o n i s t h a t i d e n t i f i c a t i o n e q u a l s d e a t h , n o t i d e n t i t y . O b s e r v e I r m a as queen i n t h e l a s t s c e n e , LA R E I N E : J e ne s e r a i done j a m a i s q u i j e s u i s ? L'ENVOYE: J a m a i s p l u s * LA R E INE: (comme e f f r a y e e ) : J a m a i s p l u s ? J a m a i s p l u s r a p p o r t e r a a ma s e u l e p e r s o n n e ? J a m a i s p l u s r i e n q u i me c o n c e r n e ne p o u r r a a r r i v e r aux a u t r e s ? L'ENVOYE: ( s e c ) : O u i , 14 LA S E I N E : Chaque evenement de ma v i e : mon s a n g q u i p e r l e s i j e m ' e g r a t i n e L'ENVOYE: Q u i , madame; chaque evenement s ' e c r i r i a a v e c une m a j u s c u l e * E t m a i n t e n a n t a LA K E I N E : M a i s c ' e s t l a M o r t ? L'ENVOYE : C ' e s t E l l e . To r e t u r n t o B e c k e t t : I f we were t o compare Endgame w i t h W a i t i n g f o r Godot we w o u l d o b s e r v e t h a t , w h e r e a s t h e l a t t e r i s s e t i n an open w a s t e l a n d , t h e f o r m e r i s s e t i n .a w o r l d so c l o s e d t h a t i t s u g g e s t s t h e i n t e r i o r o f a madman's s k u l l . H o w e v e r , t h e f a c t o f t h e k i t c h e n e f f e c t i v e l y d e s t r o y s t h e n o t i o n t h a t Endgame i s i n t e n d e d t o be a monodrama. We w o u l d n o t e t h a t e ach p l a y has two m a j o r and two m i n o r c h a r a c t e r s , and t h a t t h e two m a j o r c h a r a c -t e r s i n e a c h a r e i n n a t e l y o p p o s e d t o one a n o t h e r . I n Endgame Hamm i s t h e m a s t e r ; he i s u n t i d y , s e n s u o u s , and s e l f - p i t y i n g . C l o v , on t h e o t h e r h a n d , i s t h e s e r v a n t ; he i s n e a t , s e x l e s s , a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l . I n Godot one t h i n k s , one f e e l s . I n b o t h t h e c h a r a c t e r s s u g g e s t a s p e c t s o f human b e i n g s r a t h e r t h a n c o m p l e t e c h a r a c t e r s . T h e r e i s a g e n e r a l i n c r e a s e o f d i s a b i l i t y f r o m Godot t o Endgame. I n t h e f o r m e r , L u c k y i s n e a r l y dumb; P o z z o i s b l i n d . I n t h e l a t t e r , Hamm c a n n o t s t a n d o r s e e , C l o v c a n n o t s i t , and Hamm's a c c u r s e d p r o g e n i t o r s h a v e l o s t t h e i r s h a n k s . We m i g h t go on t o n o t e t h a t w h e r e a s Godot i s q u i c k l y p a c e d , Endgame moves w i t h an e x c r u c i a t i n g s l o w n e s s . I n Godot l i t t l e i s remembered; i n Endgame n o t h i n g i s f o r g o t t e n : i t i s even r e - l i v e d . The theme o f Godot a p p e a r s t o be an e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e n a t u r e o f 15 t i m e , more s p e c i f i c a l l y , o f w a i t i n g . The theme o f Endgame i s t h a t t i m e must h a v e a s t o p . We see t h e l a s t human b e i n g s . T h e i r s u p p l i e s a r e r u n n i n g o u t . The t i d e h a s s t o p p e d . " S o m e t h i n g i s t a k i n g i t s c o u r s e . " C l o v ' s movements and p o s t u r e a r e an i n d i c a -t i o n t h a t t h i n g s a r e s l o w l y g r i n d i n g t o a h a l t . As f a r as p l o t g o e s ( b o t h p l a y s d e a l w i t h s i t u a t i o n s r a t h e r t h a n e v e n t s ) , t h e q u e s t i o n i n Godot i s - - w i l l Godot come?; i n Endqame--wi11 C l o v l e a v e ? The l a t t e r i s a l i t t l e l i k e Mann's Hans C a s t o r p i n t h e s a n a t o r i u m o f c o n t e m p o r a r y e x i s t e n c e . H a v i n g u n c o n s c i o u s l y a r r i v e d , a g r e e d t o s t a y s i m p l y by t h e f a c t o f i n e r t i a , C l o v f i n a l l y becomes c o n s c i o u s t h a t t h e r e i s no p l a c e e l s e f o r h i m t o g o , ( I n t h i s he i s n o t u n l i k e t h e modern g r a d u a t e s t u d e n t i n t h e s a n a t o r i u m o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y . ) C l o v ' s p r o b l e m i s t o r e -d i s c o v e r m o b i l i t y . But i t i s t h i s q u e s t i o n o f t h e p l o t l e s s p l a y a l o n g w i t h t h e n a t u r e o f B e c k e t t ' s c o n c e p t o f d r a m a t i c a c t i o n t h a t I w i s h t o d e v e l o p s p e c i f i c a l l y i n r e f e r e n c e t o Endgame» The r h y t h m o f t h e p l a y i s t o be f o u n d i n t h e r e t a r d a t i o n o f m o t i o n . T h i s i s o b v i o u s f r o m C l o v ' s o p e n i n g movements. H i s a c t i v i t y comes c l o s e t o b e i n g s e l f - d e f e a t i n g — a s does t h e l a t e r d i a l o g u e . The c o n s t a n t p a u s e s g i v e t h e a u d i e n c e t i m e t o t h i n k . The p l o t e x i s t s o n l y i n an i r o n i c s e n s e . Endgame p l a y s w i t h t h e a u d i e n c e e x p e c t a t i o n o f s o m e t h i n g t o be d o n e , o f a move t o be made. (The p l a y i s e x t r e m e l y c o n s c i o u s o f t h e a u d i e n c e and o f i t s e l f as p l a y . N o t e Hamm: "An a s i d e , a p e j D i d you n e v e r h e a r an a s i d e b e f o r e ? " ; C l o v : " T h i s i s what we c a l l m a k i n g an e x i t . " 16 And Hamm's s t a t e m e n t "We're g e t t i n g on„ The t h i n g i s i m p o s s i b l e * Don't we l a u g h ? " ) . The f i r s t l i n e s p l a y w i t h t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f p l o t . " F i n i s h e d , i t ' s f i n i s h e d , n e a r l y f i n i s h e d , i t must be n e a r l y f i n i s h e d . " S u s p e n s e i s c r e a t e d . What i s f i n i s h e d ? I s t h e "m u s t " i n t h e above l i n e a s t a t e m e n t o f f a c t o r a f e r v e n t w i s h ? P e r h a p s C l o v i s t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e game t h e y a r e p l a y i n g . P e r -h a p s he i s t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e dog he i s m a k i n g t h a t s t i l l l a c k s a l e g . I n e i t h e r c a s e t h e l i n e s c r e a t e an i n c a n t a t o r y r h y t h m a r o u n d a c o n c e p t i o n o f v i s c e r a l i m p u l s e t h a t i s n o t u n l i k e t h e t e c h n i q u e o f H e n r y J a m e s . Hamm f u n c t i o n s as a d i r e c t o r . H i s f i r s t l i n e "Me--(he y a w n s ) — t o p l a y . " s u g g e s t s a p a s s i o n p l a y where a c t i o n i s s u f f e r i n g ; s u f f e r i n g a c t i o n . As C l o v s a y s o f Nagg: "He's c r y i n g . " And as Hamm a n s w e r s : "Then h e ' s l i v i n g . " (See a l s o C l o v ' s l o n g p a r a g r a p h , p . 8 0 . ) But t h i s i d e a t o o i s m i s l e a d i n g , o r i r o n i c , b e c a u s e t h e p l a y comes c l o s e t o e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e i m a g e , as N e l l p u t s i t : " N o t h i n g i s f u n n i e r t h a n u n h a p p i n e s s . " "Can t h e r e be m i s e r y - - ( h e y a w n s ) - - l o f t i e r t h a n m i n e ? " Hamm r a i s e s t h e q u e s t i o n o f h i s own h e r o i s m o r t r a g e d y . But i t i s a n o t h e r f a l s e l e a d f o r t h e a n x i o u s a u d i e n c e . "No d o u b t . " u n d e r -c u t s i t . " F o r m e r l y . " q u a l i f i e s t h e u n d e r c u t t i n g . " B u t now?" r a i s e s t h e q u e s t i o n a g a i n . I t i s a d e l a y i n t e n d e d t o pay on a u d i e n c e e x p e c t a t i o n s . The d r a m a t i c a c t i o n o f Endgame seems t o be b a s e d on t h e a s k i n g a n d a n s w e r i n g o f q u e s t i o n s i n s u c h a way t h a t e a c h l i n e 17 c a n c e l s t h e p r e c e d i n g l i n e . And o f t e n , as i n B r e c h t , b a n a l s t a g e a c t i v i t y u n d e r c u t s t h e v e r b a l action--i»e, when i t i s n o t u n d e r c u t t i n g i t s e l f . An e x a m p l e : "No, a l l i s a - - ( h e y a w n s ) - -b s o l u t e " c r a c k s t h e a b s o l u t e . Hamm c o n t i n u e s t o m i s l e a d u s : "And y e t I h e s i t a t e t o « » * t o e n d . 1 8 I s he t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e game i t s e l f , o r t h e s t o r y he i s w r i t i n g ? C l o v ' s " I h a v e t h i n g s t o d o , " f u n c t i o n s s i m i l a r l y . Does he h a v e t o work on t h e dog o r t e n d h i s g a r d e n ? ( N o t e how C l o v ' s dog and g a r d e n , Hamm's v e r b a l c o m p o s i t i o n , and Nagg's s t o r y a b o u t t h e t a i l o r a r e c r e a t i o n i m a g es t h a t f u n c t i o n i n o p p o s i t i o n t o t h e g e n e r a l i m p r e s s i o n t h a t t i m e i s c o m i n g t o a s t o p , ) Hamm, t h e d i r e c t o r , g e t s t h i n g s g o i n g a g a i n w i t h " D i d y o u e v e r s e e my e y e s ? " C l o v knows what Hamm i s up t o , b u t he must a n s w e r b e c a u s e h i s i d e n t i t y d e p ends on t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f t h e game, C l o v : "What i s t h e r e t o keep me h e r e ? " Hamm: "The d i a -l o g u e , " They a r e g o i n g t h r o u g h an o l d b u r l e s q u e r o u t i n e , and t h e i r c h a r a c t e r comes f r o m t h e r h y t h m s , Nagg and N e l l r e p r e s e n t a f u r t h e r d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e theme o f i m m o b i l i t y . Hamm i s a l s o p r e o c c u p i e d w i t h t h i s theme» T h a t i s why he i s so f a s c i n a t e d by t h e C a r t e s i a n b i c y c l e w h e e l s . As Hamm's "We're g e t t i n g o n " , t h i s p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h m o t i o n f u n c t i o n s i r o n i c a l l y i n a p l a y t h a t i s n ' t g o i n g anywhere — a s d r a m a t i c a c t i o n i s u s u a l l y u n d e r s t o o d . The q u e s t i o n o f t h e p a i n k i l l e r c r e a t e s a f a l s e s u s p e n s e t h a t i s d e m o l i s h e d w i t h t h e d i s c o v e r y t h a t t h e r e i s no more. But i t a l s o f i t s i n w i t h t h e r e a l a c t i o n o f t h e p l a y i n r e i n f o r c i n g t h e theme t h a t t h e r e i s no c u r e f o r . b e i n g on e a r t h . L e t us see 18 how t h e p l a y c o n s c i o u s l y r e t a r d s i t s own m o t i o n , n e v e r t h e l e s s c o n t i n u e s , and p r o g r e s s e s by a s e r i e s o f c a n c e l l a t i o n s . HAMM: . . . ( P a u s e . ) Don't we l a u g h ? CLOV ( a f t e r r e f l e c t i o n ) : r e t a r d s I d o n ' t f e e l l i k e i t . HAMM ( a f t e r r e f l e c t i o n ) : r e t a r d s Nor I , ( P a u s e . ) r e t a r d s C l o v . CLOV: Y e s . HAMM: N a t u r e h a s f o r g o t t e n u s . Hamm c o n t i n u e s by s e t t i n g up a new c e n t r a l c o n -c e p t i o n . He knows what move C l o v w i l l make. CLOV: T h e r e ' s no more n a t u r e . c a n c e l s p r e c e d i n g l i n e . HAMM: No more n a t u r e l You e x a g g e r a t e , - - q u a l i f i e s i n i t i a l a s s e r t i o n , CLOV: I n t h e v i c i n i t y . c a n c e l s q u a l i f i e d a s s e r t i o n . HAMM: But we b r e a t h e , we c h a n g e l We l o s e o u r h a i r , o u r t e e t h . Our b l o o m j Our i d e a l s ! CLOV: Then she h a s n ' t f o r g o t t e n u s . — i n d i f f e r e n t l y u n d e r c u t s v a l u e o f w h o l e a r g u -m ent. HAMM: But y o u s a y t h e r e i s n o n e . e s t a b l i s h e s i m p a s s e . CLOV: No one t h a t e v e r l i v e d e v e r t h o u g h t so c r o o k e d as we. 19 T h i s l i t t l e i n t e r c h a n g e i s p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t i n g b e -c a u s e i t s u g g e s t s i n t h e l a s t l i n e a p o s s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e a c t i o n . P e r h a p s by i n d i r e c t i o n t h e y w i l l f i n d d i r e c t i o n o u t . Or, p e r h a p s t h e i r n i h i l i s m h a s t u r n e d t h e p i c t u r e o f t h e w o r l d t o t h e w a l l . Then i t w o u l d n ' t be t h e w o r l d t h a t was d y i n g , b u t o n l y a c e r t a i n s e n s i b i l i t y . As Hamm s a y s : I o n c e knew a madman who t h o u g h t t h e e n d o f t h e w o r l d h a d come. He was a p a i n t e r - - a n d e n g r a v e r . I h a d a g r e a t f o n d n e s s f o r h i m . I u s e d t o go and see h i m , i n t h e a s y l u m . I ' d t a k e h i m by t h e h a n d and d r a g h i m t o t h e window. Look!" T h e r e l A l l t h a t r i s i n g c o r n . And t h e r e l L o o k l The s a i l s o f t h e h e r r i n g f l e e t . A l l t h a t . l o v e l i n e s s ! ( P a u s e . ) He'd s n a t c h away h i s h a n d and go b a c k i n t o h i s c o r n e r . A p p a l l e d . A l l he h a d s e e n was a s h e s . ( P a u s e . ) He a l o n e h a d been s p a r e d . ( P a u s e . ) F o r g o t t e n . ( P a u s e . ) I t a p p e a r s t h e c a s e i s • • . was n o t so . . . so unus ual.13 But i t i s o n l y a p o s s i b i l i t y . More l i k e l y t h e s e n s i b i l i t y t h a t can s e e t h e p o s s i b l e l i m i t a t i o n s o f i t s p e r s p e c t i v e and n e v e r t h e l e s s makes a n i h i l i s t i c s t a t e m e n t h a s more e f f e c t i v e l y damned t h e w o r l d t h a n c o u l d a l e s s e r m i n d . The p l a y ends w i t h t h e q u e s t i o n o f m o t i o n and what t h e w o r l d i s REALLY l i k e u n r e s o l v e d . 13 ^ B e c k e t t , S a m u e l , Endgame, (New Y o r k , 1958), P» 44* 20 Happy Days can p e r h a p s b e s t be v i e w e d as an e x p a n s i o n o f t h e N a g g - N e l l r e l a t i o n s h i p o f Endgame. A g a i n t h e names W i n n i e and W i l l i e s u g g e s t h o r s e s — c r e a t u r e s once u s e d f o r t r a n s p o r t a -t i o n . A n d one o f t h e b a s i c e l e m e n t s o f t h e s i t u a t i o n i s l a c k o f l o c o m o t i o n o r , more s p e c i f i c a l l y , l o s s o f t h e use o f one's l e g s - -t h e u p r i g h t p o s i t i o n b e i n g t h a t w h i c h d i s t i n g u i s h e s man f r o m o t h e r a n i m a l s . A g a i n t h e y a r e c o n f i n e d t o a s m a l l s a n d - c o v e r e d a r e a , and t h i s t i m e one i s b u r i e d i n s a n d . The s i t u a t i o n s d i f f e r i n t h e r e m o v a l o f an o b j e c t i v e w i l l (Hamm's) t h a t c o n t r o l l e d t h e i r s . W i n n i e and W i l l i e h a v e l e g s and f r e e d o m f r o m c o e r c i o n , b u t c h o o s e n o t t o move. "What a c u r s e , m o b i l i t y ! " The s t a g e a c t i v i t y o f t h e f i n a l s c e n e comes as a s h o c k a f t e r t h e p r e c e d i n g , s e e m i n g l y t h e a t r i c a l l y i m p o s s i b l e , i m m o b i l i t y . When t h e r e i s n o t h i n g m o v i n g on s t a g e b u t W i n n i e ' s h e a d , we must c o n s i d e r t h e human f a c e more c l o s e l y t h a n i n any o t h e r p l a y ( s e e B l a k e ) . They a r e a l s o more h i g h l y d e v e l o p e d t h a n Nagg o r N e l l i n t h a t t h e i r s e n s e s a r e f u l l y f u n c t i o n i n g . T hey can l i s t e n t o and w a t c h e a c h o t h e r — w h e n t h e y c h o o s e t o : n o t e t h e e n d . One m i g h t a l m o s t s a y t h a t t h e y h a v e d e v e o p e d o u t o f Nagg and N e l l i n t h e same way t h a t Hamm and C l o v d e v e l o p e d o u t o f E s t r a g o n and V l a d i m i r . I n ea c h c a s e , t h e more d e v e l o p e d c h a r a c t e r s l i s t e n i n t e n t l y and n e v e r f o r g e t where D i d i and Gogo c o u l d n o t remember each o t h e r ' s names and Nagg t h o u g h t o n l y o f h i s s u g a r p l u m w h i l e Hamm composed h i s i n i m i t a b l e t a l e . The c e n t r a l c o n c e r n o f Happy Days as I s e e i t i s t h e p o s s i -b i l i t y , ' o r i m p o s s i b i l i t y , o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n . T h i s i s one o f B e c k e t t ' s b a s i c t h e m e s . L a n g u a g e i t s e l f i s a t t a c k e d . 21 N i c k l a u s G e s s n e r h a s t a b u l a t e d t e n d i f f e r e n t modes o f d i s i n t e g r a t i o n o f l a n g u a g e o b s e r v a b l e i n W a i t i n g f o r G o d o t . They r a n g e f r o m s i m p l e m i s u n d e r -s t a n d i n g s and d o u b l e - e n t e n d r e s t o m o n o l o g u e s ( a s s i g n s o f i n a b i l i t y t o c o m m u n i c a t e ) , c l i c h e s , r e p e t i -t i o n s o f synonyms, i n a b i l i t y t o f i n d t h e r i g h t w o r d s , and " t e l e g r a p h i c s t y l e " ( l o s s o f g r a m m a t i c a l s t r u c -t u r e , c o m m u n i c a t i o n by s h o u t e d commands) t o L u c k y ' s f a r r a g o o f c h a o t i c n o n s e n s e and t h e d r o p p i n g o f p u n c t u a -t i o n m a r k s , s u c h as q u e s t i o n m a r k s , as an i n d i c a t i o n t h a t l a n g u a g e h a s l o s t i t s f u n c t i o n as a means f o r c o m m u n i c a t i o n , t h a t q u e s t i o n s h a v e t u r n e d i n t o s t a t e -ments n o t r e a l l y r e q u i r i n g an a n s w e r , ( E s s l i n , p . 45.) T h i s i s , o f c o u r s e , I o n e s c o ' s m a j o r i n t e r e s t . S t a t e m e n t s and q u e s t i o n s c a n c e l p r e c e d i n g s t a t e m e n t s and q u e s t i o n s i n t h e wo r k s o f b o t h p l a y w r i g h t s , b u t w i t h B e c k e t t a l o n e do we f e e l t h a t more t h a n o u r l o g i c h a s been a t t a c k e d . Our m e t a p h y s i c s a r e u n d e r c u t by h i s v e r b a l games and we f e e l w i t h C l o v : " B e t t e r t h a n n o t h i n g l I s i t p o s s i b l e ? " To s p e a k i n t h e " o l d s t y l e " i s t o s p e a k as i f words h a d not l o s t t h e i r m e a n i n g . The sweet o l d s t y l e i s made up o f o l d t h i n g s , o l d e y e s , and o l d j o k e s ("How can one b e t t e r m a g n i f y t h e A l m i g h t y t h a n by s n i g g e r i n g w i t h h i m at h i s l i t t l e j o k e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e p o o r e r o n e s ? " ) , a n d, l a s t b u t n o t l e a s t , W i n n i e ' s o l d s o n g . I n f a c t , Happy Days s e t s up an o p p o s i t i o n b e t w e e n s i l e n c e and s o n g w i t h words and s o u n d s i n b e t w e e n . Hamm, we remember, l o v e d t h e o l d q u e s t i o n s : "Ah, t h e o l d q u e s t i o n s , t h e o l d a n s w e r s , t h e r e ' s n o t h i n g l i k e t h e m l " But C l o v d i d n o t f e e l q u i t e t h e same way: "You've a s k e d me t h e s e q u e s t i o n s m i l l i o n s o f t i m e s . " But i f C l o v d i d n o t a p p r e c i a t e t h e p i t t e r p a t t e r o f l i t t l e l i n e s , what d i d he w a n t ? " I want t o s i n g , " he 22 s a y s , and t h e o p p o s i t i o n b e tween s p e e c h and s o n g i s e s t a b l i s h e d . W i n n i e f s b a g , b e i n g t h e a l t e r n a t i v e t o a s u s t a i n e d e f f o r t a t c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h W i l l i e , and y e t f a l l i n g s h o r t o f i n d i v i d u a l e x p r e s s i o n , r e p r e s e n t s s p e e c h t e n d i n g t o w a r d s s i l e n c e r a t h e r t h a n s o n g . W i n n i e f i r s t f i n d s t h e o l d s t y l e on a m e d i c i n e b o t t l e i n h e r bag f o r " L o s s o f s p i r i t s . . . l a c k o f k e e n n e s s . . . want o f a p p e t i t e • . «" --words w h i c h assume t h a t t h e r e i s a c u r e f o r b e i n g on e a r t h . Whenever she becomes c o n s c i o u s o f t h e f u t i l i t y o f h e r e f f o r t s : a t c o m m u n i c a t i o n , she p l a y s w i t h t h e c o n t e n t s o f h e r b a g . Words f a i l , t h e r e a r e t i m e s when even t h e y f a i l . ( T u r n i n g a l i t t l e t o w a r d s W I L L I E . ) I s t h a t n o t s o , W i l l i e ? ( P a u s e . T u r n i n g a l i t t l e f u r t h e r . ) I s t h a t n o t s o , W i l l i e , t h a t e v e n w o r d s f a i l , a t t i m e s ? ( P a u s e . Back f r o n t . ) What i s one t o do t h e n , u n t i l t h e y come a g a i n ? B r u s h and comb t h e h a i r , i f i t has n o t been d o n e , o r i f t h e r e i s some d o u b t , t r i m t h e n a i l s i f t h e y a r e i n n e e d o f t r i m m i n g , t h e s e t h i n g s t i d e one o v e r . ( P a u s e . ) T h a t i s what I mean. ( P a u s e . ) T h a t i s a l l I mean. ( P a u s e . ) T h a t i s what I f i n d so w o n d e r f u l , t h a t n o t a day goes b y - - ( s m i l e ) - - t o s p e a k i n t h e o l d s t y l e - - ( s m i l e o f f ) w i t h o u t some b l e s s i n g - - ( W I L L I E c o l l a p s e s b e h i n d s l o p e , h i s h e a d d i s a p p e a r s , WINNIE t u r n s t o w a r d e v e n t ) — i n d i s g u i s e . I t s h o u l d be o b v i o u s h e r e t h a t t h e bag r e p r e s e n t s i n a f i n e s t a g e image t h a t w h i c h i s s u g g e s t e d by t h e p a t t e r i n g e v e r y d a y s p e e c h o f I o n e s c o ' s c h a r a c t e r s — t h e s u b s t i t u t i o n o f r o u t i n e f o r human c o n t a c t . I t i s a t t h a t moment b e t w e e n t h e f a i l i n g o f words and t h e i n i t i a t i o n o f d i s t r a c t i o n t h a t c o n t a c t i s p o s s i b l e . A t t h a t moment, I i m a g i n e , W i l l i e s t r a i n s t o w a r d h e r , b e f o r e she r e t u r n s t o t h e o l d s t y l e , and he c o l l a p s e s . 23 We a r e i n a k i n d o f w a s t e l a n d where t h e n e a r l y human ( " l a s t human k i n d — t o s t r a y t h i s way") v i s i t o f Mr* and M r s . S h o w e r , o r C o o k e r , i s n e a r l y f o r g o t t e n . A s i d e f r o m t h e p o s s i -b i l i t y o f r e l a t i o n b e t w e e n W i n n i e and W i l l i e , t h e r e i s o n l y t h e c h a n c e o f c o n t a c t w i t h man-made p r o d u c t s ; n e w s p a p e r , comb, m i r r o r , l i p s t i c k , g u n , e t c . : t h e f u l l y g u a r a n t e e d g e n u i n e p u r e m a n u f a c t u r e s o f s e x l e s s p i g s who h a v e r e p r o d u c e d t h i n g s i n s t e a d o f p e o p l e . Were i t n o t f o r t h e b a g , t o t a l i s o l a t i o n w o u l d come w i t h t h e s i l e n c e t h a t f o l l o w s t h e f a i l i n g o f w o r d s . Oh no d o u b t t h e t i m e w i l l come when b e f o r e I can . u t t e r a w o r d I must make s u r e y o u h e a r d t h e one t h a t went b e f o r e and t h e n no d o u b t a n o t h e r come a n o t h e r t i m e when I must l e a r n t o t a l k t o m y s e l f a t h i n g I c o u l d n e v e r b e a r t o do s u c h w i l d e r n e s s * ( P a u s e . ) Or g a z e b e f o r e me w i t h c o m p r e s s e d l i p s . (She does s o . ) A l l day l o n g . (Gaze a nd l i p s a g a i n . ) No, ( S m i l e . ) No, n o . ( S m i l e o f f . ) T h e r e i s o f c o u r s e t h e b a g . ( T u r n s t o w a r d s i t . ) T h e r e w i l l a l w a y s be t h e b a g , ( B a c k f r o n t . ) Y e s , I s u p p o s e s o . ( P a u s e . ) E v e n when y o u a r e g o n e , W i l l i e . A n d l a t e r : The day i s now w e l l a d v a n c e d . ( S m i l e . ) To s p e a k i n t h e o l d s t y l e , ( S m i l e o f f . ) And y e t i t i s p e r -h a p s a l i t t l e s o o n f o r my s o n g . ( P a u s e . ) To s i n g t o o s o o n i s a g r e a t m i s t a k e , I f i n d , ( T u r n i n g t o -w a r d s b a g , ) T h e r e i s o f c o u r s e t h e bag * ( L o o k i n g at b a g , ) The b a g , ( B a c k f r o n t , ) C o u l d I enumer-a t e i t s c o n t e n t s ? ( P a u s e . ) No, ( P a u s e , ) C o u l d I , i f some k i n d p e r s o n were t o come a l o n g and a s k . What a l l h a v e y o u g o t i n t h a t b i g b l a c k b a g , W i n n i e ? g i v e an e x h a u s t i v e a n s w e r ? ( P a u s e . ) No. ( P a u s e . ) The d e p t h s i n p a r t i c u l a r , who knows what t r e a s u r e s . ( P a u s e , ) What c o m f o r t s , ( T u r n s t o l o o k a t bag.) Y e s , t h e r e i s t h e b a g , ( B a c k f r o n t . ) But s o m e t h i n g t e l l s me. Do n o t o v e r d o t h e b a g , W i n n i e , make use o f i t o f c o u r s e , l e t i t h e l p y o u , • • a l o n g , when s t u c k , by a l l means, b u t c a s t y o u r m i n d f o r w a r d , W i n n i e , t o t h e t i m e when words must f a i l - - ( s h e c l o s e s e y e s , p a u s e , o p e n s e y e s ) — a n d do n o t o v e r d o t h e b a g . 24 W i n n i e , l i k e C l o v , who c o n t i n u a l l y a n n o u n c e s h i s r e t u r n ("I'm b a c k a g a i n . " ) , s u f f e r s f r o m an o n t o l o g i c a l i n s e c u r i t y . H e r s e a r c h f o r i d e n t i t y l e a d s t o c o m p u l s i v e t a l k i n g i n t h e hope she w i l l be h e a r d - - o r s e e n . To be s e e n , t h e a l m o s t i n e v i t a b l e c o n t a c t , t h e p r o o f o f e x i s t e n c e — i t i s t o a v o i d t h i s t h a t so many B e c k e t t c h a r a c t e r s a r e b l i n d . To be s e e n i s one o f W i n n i e ' s p a s s i o n s - - t h a t i s why she makes h e r s e l f up so o f t e n . H owever, h e r make-up w i l l be l o n g gone when she f i n a l l y i s s e e n . F o r Winnie., t o be s e e n i s t o BE, w i t h a l l i t s q u a s i - r e l i g i o u s i m p l i -c a t i o n s . Oh I know i t does n o t f o l l o w when two a r e g a t h e r e d t o g e t h e r - - ( f a l t e r i n g ) - - i n t h i s way--( n o r m a l ) - - t h a t b e c a u s e one s e e s t h e o t h e r t h e o t h e r s e e s t h e o n e , l i f e h a s t a u g h t me t h a t . . . t o o . ( P a u s e * ) Y e s , l i f e I s u p p o s e , t h e r e i s no o t h e r w o r d . (She t u r n s a l i t t l e t o w a r d s h i m . ) C o u l d y o u s e e me, W i l l i e , do y o u t h i n k , f r o m where y o u a r e , i f ' y o u were t o r a i s e y o u r e y e s i n my d i r e c t i o n ? ( T u r n s a l i t t l e f u r t h e r . ) L i f t up y o u r e y e s t o me, W i l l i e , and t e l l me can y o u s e e me, do t h a t f o r me, I ' l l l e a n b a c k as f a r as I c a n . H e r r e q u e s t i s t r a g i c b e c a u s e i t i s a r e q u e s t f o r e v e r y -t h i n g , f o r l i f e , and y e t i t i s l i k e a s k i n g f o r t h e moon i n a w o r l d where c o m m u n i c a t i o n does n o t seem w o r t h t h e e f f o r t , t h o u g h " i t w o u l d seem h a r d l y p o s s i b l e - - ( v o i c e b r e a k s , f a l l s t o a m u r m u r ) — t o a s k l e s s — o f a f e l l o w - c r e a t u r e — t o p u t i t m i l d l y . . a ." A t t h e b e g i n n i n g o f A c t I I she a g a i n e x p r e s s e s t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f b e i n g s e e n : "Someone i s l o o k i n g a t me s t i l l . ( P a u s e . ) C a r i n g f o r me s t i l l . ( P a u s e . ) T h a t i s what I f i n d so w o n d e r f u l . ( P a u s e . ) Eyes on my e y e s . " 25 I n t h e f i n a l s c e n e W i n n i e knows she I S b e c a u s e W i l l i e s e e s h e r . I t i s a happy day f o r h e r - - g i v e n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s . I t r e a l l y i s . A n d , where W i l l i e ' s e a r l i e r s o n g was i n c o m p r e h e n -s i b l e ( l i k e L u c k y ' s ) - - t h o u g h a s i g n i f i c a n t e f f o r t , W i n n i e ' s s o n g f i n d s w.ords f o r t h e i m p u l s e t o w a r d s c o m m u n i c a t i o n : " E v e r y t o u c h o f f i n g e r s t e l l s me what I know." And t h o u g h we may r e a l i z e t h a t she h a s n o t been t o u c h e d , we a r e r e m i n d e d o f C l o v ' s "We s h o u l d l i c k e a c h o t h e r . " The f i n a l t a b l e a u i s t h e s a d n e s s a f t e r s o n g . " I t does n o t l a s t o f c o u r s e . " I w r i t e b e c a u s e I must a t t e m p t t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e human w o r l d and t h e a n a l y s i s and c r e a t i o n o f b r i g h t - - o r d a r k - - l i t t l e c e n t e r s o f m o t i v a t i o n and t h e i r i n t e r a c t i o n s i s t h e b e s t way I know t o do t h i s . I w r i t e d r a m a — a t once t h e most o b j e c t i v e and s u b j e c t i v e o f l i t e r a r y f o r m s — b e c a u s e I must make a m a n y - s i d e d a p p r o a c h t o a w o r l d t h a t i s c o m i n g a t me f r o m a l l s i d e s . Drama i s o b j e c t i v e b e c a u s e i t i n v o l v e s t h e c o n f l i c t s o f t h e s e v e r a l p o i n t s o f v i e w o f s e v e r a l c h a r a c t e r s and b e c a u s e i t o f t e n d e a l s w i t h t h e r e a l p r o b l e m s o f t h e r e a l w o r l d . I t i s s u b j e c t i v e i n t h a t t h e d r a m a t i c w o r l d , f o r a l l i t s c o m p l e x i t y , i s s t i l l an i n t e r n a l o n e — t h e p l a y w r i g h t h i m s e l f c o n t a i n s a l l t h e p o s s i -b i l i t i e s o f h i s c h a r a c t e r s — a n d i n i t s a b i l i t y t o c a p t u r e f r o m t h e i n s i d e more p e r f e c t l y t h a n t h e n o v e l o r even p o e t r y t h e u n g o d l y f e e l i n g o f a w o r l d t h a t h a s no e t h i c a l f r a m e w o r k f o r a c t i o n o r any c o n t e x t w h a t s o e v e r . Where t h e H e l l i s She e x a m i n e s t h e r o l e o f i n s t i t u t i o n s ( m a r r i a g e , w a r , e t c * ) i n t h e l i v e s o f men who h a v e l o s t s i g h t 26 o f w h a t e v e r d i v i n i t y t h e r e may b e . T h e i r s t r u g g l e s a r e r e l a t e d t o t h e s i g n i f i c a n t i d e a by e x t e n s i o n : m a s o c h i s m and s a d i s m a r e i n s t i t u t i o n a l e m o t i o n s — t h e y can o n l y f i l l a w o r l d w h e r e i n i n s t i t u t i o n s and t h e p a r t s t h e y a s s i g n h a v e become ends i n them-s e l v e s . The F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h a s s e r t s t h a t t h e r e i s no e s c a p e f r o m t h e o r g a n i z e d , p o w e r - c e n t e r e d modern w o r l d , t h a t t h e o n l y s o l u t i o n i s t o i n v o l v e o u r s e l v e s i n i t as we f i n d i t — w i t h a d i f f e r e n c e . Where L o u i s w i t h d r e w , f r o m t h e p l a y and f r o m t h e t h e a t e r , P o n c e r e t u r n s , t o b o t h . I t i s n o t a p l a y o f s o c i a l r e c o n c i l i a t i o n ; i t e s t a b l i s h e s t h e g r o u n d s f o r a d i r e c t a t t a c k . I f t h e h o r r o r o f modern s o c i e t y i s n o t r e a l i z e d i n t h e swamp i t i s b e c a u s e t h e l a t t e r i s t o o n a t u r a l . I f i n d i t h a r d t o h a t e a n i m a l s . I n s p i t e o f i n s e c t i c i d e s , p r i v a t e p o w e r , and t h e W e y e r h a u e s e r i n t e r e s t s , t h e i r w o r l d i s r e l a t i v e l y f r e e f r o m p o l l u t i o n . I w r i t e i n t h e a n t i - r e a l i s t i c t r a d i t i o n o f A b s u r d t h e a t e r . I c a n n o t o v e r e m p h a s i z e t h e f a c t t h a t a n o n - r e a l i s t i c t h e a t e r i s n o t n e c e s s a r i l y s o c i a l l y u n c o n s c i o u s . I hope t o a c h i e v e a u n i o n o f r e a l i s t i c and n o n - r e a l i s t i c t e c h n i q u e s , as d i d B r e c h t , o n l y f r o m t h e o t h e r s i d e . 2 7 BIBLIOGRAPHY B e c k e t t , S a m u e l , Endgame, (New Y o r k , 1958). B e n t l e y , E r i c , The P l a y w r i g h t as T h i n k e r , (New Y o r k , 1946). S c h e c h n e r , R i c h a r d , "The I n n e r and t h e O u t e r R e a l i t y " , p r i n t e d i n T u l a n e Drama R e v i e w . S t r i n d b e r g , A u g u s t , "A Dream P l a y " , r e p r i n t e d i n S i x P l a y s o f S t r i n d b e r g , (New Y o r k , 1955)• V a n n i e r , J e a n , "A T h e a t r e o f L a n g u a g e " , p r i n t e d i n T u l a n e Drama R e v i e w , e d . R i c h a r d S c h e c h n e r , (New O r l e a n s , S p r i n g , 1963). Y e a t s , W. B., " P u r g a t o r y " , r e p r i n t e d i n The Modern T h e a t r e , e d . E r i c B e n t l e y , (New Y o r k , 1955). 28 WHERE THE H E L L I S SHE? (A d u l l r o a r b e g i n s b e f o r e t h e c u r t a i n r i s e s and i n c r e a s e s i n volume t o a w e i r d s c r e a m o f unknown m a c h i n e r y . I t s t o p s , A c r o w d i s h e a r d r u n n i n g a c r o s s t h e s t a g e . A f t e r a s h o r t s i l e n c e , a woman i s h e a r d r u n n i n g i n h i g h h e e l s . The c u r t a i n i s y a n k e d open v i o l e n t l y . The s t a g e i s empty e x c e p t f o r a b e n c h i n t h e c e n t e r , ) W ILLIAM MADISON, a w e l l - d r e s s e d man o f s i x t y w i t h a r a p i d , i n c o n c l u s i v e manner o f s p e a k i n g , (He w h i s t l e s as one c a l l i n g a d o g . T h e r e i s no r e s p o n s e t o h i s w h i s t l e ; he c a l l s , ) M a r y , H e r e , M a r y , Come a l o n g , M a r y , Be a g o o d g i r l now. You know an I r i s h S e t t e r i s n ' t an o r d i n a r y dog* M a r y y y y l I t ' s a s p e c i a l d o g , Ohh, Ohh, M a r y , Come h e r e t h i s m i n u t e l Those b i g brown e y e s f u l l o f t e a r s , MaryJ, How I l o v e t h o s e l o n g r e d h a i r s , (He s i t s on edge o f s t a g e and removes h i s s h o e s , ) I hope y o u ' r e c o m i n g t o d a y , M a r y , T h e r e ' s g o i n g t o be a s u r p r i s e , (He l o o k s a r o u n d s u s p i c i o u s l y , / ) I t ' s b e t t e r t h a n c h a s i n g s t i c k s , y o u know, (He g i g g l e s , ) M a r y , I won't l o o k i f y o u ' r e n o t - r e a d y , R e a l l y l (He c o v e r s h i s e y e s w i t h h i s h a n d s , ) JOHNNY MURPHY, s e v e n t y y e a r s o l d , d r e s s e d i n a g r a y s h i n y s u i t and a p u r p l e s h i r t . He s p e a k s w i t h a u t h o r i t y . He l o o k s o u t f r o m b e h i n d t h e b e n c h and g r i n s m o n s t r o u s l y , A f e w s t r a i n s o f "A T i s k e t , a T a s k e t , a G r e e n and Y e l l o w B a s k e t " a r e h e a r d . He 29 s t a r t s t o l a u g h , b u t c o v e r s h i s mouth w i t h h i s h a n d , and d a r t s b a c k b e h i n d t h e b e n c h . MADISON ( C o v e r i n g h i s e a r s . ) Who Ts t h a t I h e a r l a u g h i n g ? ( S p e a k s r a p i d l y . ) I t i s n ' t e v e r y g i r l t h a t ' l l wash y o u r f e e t j u s t so t h e y f e e l • . « f e e l g o o d • « • good a l l o v e r . My f e e t h a v e a l w a y s f e l t g o o d . I t ' s b e c a u s e she w a s hed them. I n be-t w e e n t h e t o e s . . . w i t h s o a p and w a t e r . T h e y ' r e c l e a n , c l e a n . (He s t i c k s one i n t h e f a c e s o f t h e f r o n t roxtf.) S h e h a s n ' t w a s hed them f o r t h r e e y e a r s . (He s l o w l y and m e t i c u l o u s l y removes h i s s o c k s . ) Where I S s h e ? A f t e r a l l . T h r e e y e a r s . She was l o v e l y . She h a d l o n g r e d h a i r s . . . t h a t f o l l o w e d h e r e v e r y w h e r e . . . (He t r a i l s h i s r e d s o c k s i n t h e a i r . ) • . . she w e n t . (He d r o p s h i s s o c k s i n f r o n t o f t h e s t a g e . ) ( S c r e a m s . ) SHE LOVED ME I' And y o u w o u l d t o o i f y o u knew me, r e a l l y knew me, knew me w e l l , t h a t i s . I CAN'T STAND COLD FEET. You know what i t i s t o be warm, r e a l l y warm, warm a l l o v e r ? (Rubs h i s f e e t . N e x t l i n e s a d d r e s s e d d i r e c t l y t o member o f t h e a u d i e n c e c h o s e n by a c t o r . ) . You t h e r e l You know. I know yo u know. We a l l know you know. You know what a warm l i t t l e o f f i c e i s l i k e , what a b i g warm h o u s e i s l i k e . Oh y e s , i t ' s o b v i o u s . You've made i t . Y o u ' r e where I want t o b e . T e l l me, w h a t ' s i t l i k e ? A l l t h a t w armth. A l l t h a t l o v e and r e s p e c t . Come o n . Wasn't i t w o r t h w h i l e c u t t i n g a f e w c o r n e r s h e r e and t h e r e ? You u n d e r s t a n d . Y o u ' r e my f r i e n d . 30 Y o u ' r e g o i n g t o l i s t e n v e r y c l o s e l y , I know you w i l l . S a y , bye t h e b y e , I'm, w e l l , l o o k i n g f o r somebody. I f y o u ' v e s e e n h e r . . . Oh, I hope i t ' s n o t t o o l a t e . MURPHY ( L e a p i n g o u t f r o m b e h i n d b e n c h . P o o r o l d MADISON f a l l s s t a r t l e d i n t o f r o n t row.) I t ' s n e v e r t o o l a t e . L i v e now, d i e l a t e r . Buy w h i l e y o u c a n . E a t i f y o u w a n t , a s h t r a y s , t o o t h -p a s t e , l a d i e s ' l u n c h e o n s , p r o p h y l a c t i c s , c h e r r y s u n d a e s , d i a m o n d r i n g s , d o l l a r d i n n e r s , a u t o m a t i c t o a s t e r s , and a c r e s o f s h i t t y c a n d y . S n e a k r i g h t up, s o n n y , and t a k e a p e e k a t t h e s i g h t s . You've come a t a g o o d t i m e . M i d n i g h t on t h e g r e a t w h i t e way. Now's when t h e g i r l s g e t g o i n ' down by t h e H e r s h e y ' s f a c t o r y w h ere t h e n i g g e r s a r e t h i c k as f l i e s , and now's when, i f y o u go w a l k i n ' o u t p a s t t h e e l e v a t e d t r a c k s , i f y o u t a k e a t u r n down M a x w e l l s t r e e t , i f y o u make a h o l l o w s o u n d on a b l a c k s i d e w a l k , why y o u can h a v e t h e f l e s h o f y o u r c h o i c e , a l l p a i n t e d up a g a i n s t t h e c o l d , on a s m e l l y l i t t l e m a t t r e s s f u l l o f l i f e . J u s t p i s s o u t t h e window, s o n n y , and l o o k f o r b l o t c h e s w i t h a m a t c h . ( P u l l i n g MADISON on s t a g e and s p e a k i n g c o n f i d e n t i a l l y , ) S n e a k r i g h t up, s o n . I know a p r e t t y l i t t l e t h i n g j u s t up t h e t r a c k s a p i e c e t h a t makes l o v e h a n d o v e r f i s t a t t h e d r o p o f a p a i r o f p a n t s . S h e ' s n o t an o r d i n a r y g i r l . Oh, n o j S h e ' s a s p e c i a l g i r l . She c a l l s me h e r b i g J o h n n y . MADISON ( C a r r y i n g h i s s h o e s and s o c k s . ) How do y o u do? I'm W i l l i a m M a d i s o n . I ' v e l i v e d a l o n g t i m e . I l i k e dogs and a p p l e s and . . . and f o o t b a l l . R i g h t now, w e l l , I'm j u s t k i n d o f l o o k i n g f o r someone. 31 MURPHY I'm J o h n n y Murphy, by God, and i t ' s q u i t e a l i f e I ' v e l e d . R i g h t now I'm s p i n n i n g t h e w o r l d and m a k i n g s u r e nobody f a l l s o f f a t t h e same time« I t ' s a b i g j o b . MADISON Y e s , I s h o u l d t h i n k i t w o u l d b e . Y e s . MURPHY When I h a v e a l i t t l e t i m e l e f t o v e r , I b r e a t h e l i f e i n t o t h e h a l f - d e a d and h e l p t h e h o m e l e s s f i n d t h e i r M a r y s . MADISON Do y o u ? You do« F i n d t h e i r . » • s a y , « , p e r h a p s yo u c a n h e l p me? MURPHY No d o u b t a b o u t i t . Now you j u s t l i e down h e r e . (He d i r e c t s MADISON'S: a c t i o n s . ) MADISON L i e down? MURPHY ( S o f t l y . ) Y e s , j u s t l i e down. J u s t l e t g o, s o n . J u s t r e l a x . R e l a x . (Rubs h i s arms a b i t , p u s h i n g h i m t o w a r d b e n c h . ) MADISON W e l l • . . MURPHY T h a t ' s i t . T h a t ' s i t . W e ' l l j u s t s i t down as a f i r s t s t e p . And t h e n w e ' l l t u r n and p u t o u r f e e t u p , (MURPHY l i f t s them.) A nd now w e ' l l j u s t s t r a i g h t e n o u t . And b e f o r e we know i t we're l y i n g down, MADISON ( F l a t on h i s b a c k , ) W e l l , a l l r i g h t . (MURPHY t a k e s a n e w s p a p e r o u t o f h i s h i p p o c k e t , s h a k e s i t l i k e a m a g i c i a n ' s h a n d k e r c h i e f , and s p r e a d s i t o v e r MADISON,) (LOUIS w a l k s a c r o s s t h e s t a g e p u s h i n g a broom, MURPHY t u r n s t o w a t c h h i m , MADISON pops up,) MADISON L e t me s e e , I want t o w a t c h , MURPHY ( P u s h i n g h i m down,) Don't g e t a n x i o u s , I ' l l t e l l y o u e v e r y t h i n g I s e e . 32 MADISON What d i d y o u s e e ? MURPHY N o t h i n g , MADISON My f e e t a r e c o l d . MURPHY W i g g l e y o u r t o e s a b i t . MADISON ( W i g g l i n g h i s t o e s . ) A h h , t h a t ' s b e t t e r . MURPHY I knew i t w o u l d b e . A r e y o u f a l l i n g a s l e e p ? MADISON I t h i n k s o . W i l l t h e r e be g i f t s f o r me when I wake up? MURPHY But y e s J A p i c t u r e o f m o t h e r c o v e r e d w i t h d u s t , B u t y e l l o w and c r a c k e d i t s t a n d s . By a p h o t o o f f a t h e r g r i n n i n g w i t h l u s t . W i t h h i s w a l l e t i n h i s h a n d s . MADISON I s t h a t a l l ? MURPHY But n o ! T h e r e ' s a l i t t l e w h i t e c h u r c h w i t h t h e c r o s s b r o k e n o f f . A n d t h e r e ' s a p e p p e r m i n t s t i c k f o r M a r y ' s c a n d y b a g , A n d t h e r e ' r e t h r e e o l d men on c a m e l s who l o s t t h e i r way. And t h e r e ' r e some s t i c k y p o p c o r n b a l l s a l l s t u c k t o g e t h e r . MADISON I'm s l e e p i n g . MURPHY L i a r . MADISON I am n o t l y i n g . I'm a s l e e p . ( LOUIS, f i f t y y e a r s o l d , m a t t e r - o f - f a c t v o i c e , e n t e r s i n t h e o t h e r d i r e c t i o n p u s h i n g a broom.) LOUIS Be q u i e t and l i s t e n t o t h e b i r d s . MURPHY ( W h e e l i n g a r o u n d . ) The w h a t ? LOUIS The r o b i n s and t h e s p a r r o w s . ( S t o p s . ) MADISON ( S i t t i n g up.) What n o n s e n s e . T h e r e a r e n ' t b i r d s any more; t h e r e h a v e n ' t been any b i r d s f o r t h r e e y e a r s . I c a n ' t e ven remember what t h e y l o o k l i k e , y o u know. 33 MURPHY P e r h a p s he meant b a t s . MADISON No. He s a i d b i r d s , and I won't h a v e i t . B i r d s . T h e r e a r e NO b i r d s ! LOUIS B i r d s h ave b e a k s , d o n ' t t h e y ? MURPHY Of c o u r s e , LOUIS A n d t h e y f l y ? MURPHY Y e s . Y e s . LOUIS F l y t o t r e e s ? MADISON Y e s . Y e s , Y e s . LOUIS A n d when t h e y * r e n o t f l y i n g t h e y s i t i n t h e t r e e s and s i n g . MURPHY So w h a t ? LOUIS So be q u i e t and l i s t e n t o them. MURPHY I d o n ' t h e a r a n y t h i n g . MADISON J o h n n y ? MURPHY What? LOUIS He's g o t c o l d f e e t . MADISON You s h u t up, y o u . MURPHY S i l e n c e , b o t h o f y o u . L e t ' s t r y and make a l i t t l e s e n s e o u t o f t h i s . MADISON J o h n n y ? MURPHY What? MADISON Come s i t on my b e d . MURPHY Why? MADISON I want y o u t o t e l l me a s t o r y . MURPHY What do I g e t i f I do? MADISON I ' l l t e l l y o u a s t o r y t o o . 34 MURPHY Th a t s h o u l d be f u n . Y o u r s t o r i e s a r e so a d u l t , (To LOUIS'.) C o m i n g ? LOUIS ( L e a n i n g h i s h e a d a g a i n s t h i s broom.) I f l l j u s t s t a n d h e r e and l i s t e n t o t h e b i r d s i f y o u d o n ' t m i n d . MURPHY ( S i t t i n g on a c o r n e r o f MADISON»s n e w s p a p e r . ) T h e r e now. MADISON I'm g l a d y o u d i d n ' t b r i n g h i m w i t h y o u , J o h n n y . MURPHY Why? MADISON I d o n ' t l i k e h i m . MURPHY Don't o v e r s i m p l i f y . MADISON W e l l , I mean, h e ' s a l w a y s g o i n g o f f by h i m s e l f . He d o e s n ' t want t o l e a r n , I d o n ' t t h i n k * He d o e s n ' t do what h e ' s t o l d . He d o e s n ' t t e l l a n y b o d y what t o do. P e r h a p s he d o e s n ' t l i k e me» What a f u n n y f a c e he h a s . MURPHY You d o n ' t l i k e h i m , do y o u , B i l l y ? MADISON Y e s , t h a t must be i t ; one day I f o l l o w e d h i m t o t h e woods. I t was t h e m i d d l e o f t h e w i n t e r , b u t he d i d n ' t come o u t f o r an h o u r . A nd when he d i d he l o o k e d as h a p p y as a l a r k . MURPHY I s t h a t t h e s t o r y y o u w a n t e d t o t e l l me? MADISON No, You h a v e t o t e l l me one f i r s t . You h a v e t o . MURPHY A l l r i g h t , B i l l y , Now l a y b a c k l i k e a g o o d b o y . Go o n . T h e r e . T h a t ' s t h e way. Now, onc e t h e r e was a l i t t l e b o y , MADISON Once upon a t i m e t h e r e was a l i t t l e b o y . MURPHY Q u i t e r i g h t , B i l l y . Once upon a t i m e t h e r e was a l i t t l e b o y . He p l a y e d f o o t b a l l . By God, t h a t boy c o u l d r u n . T h e r e he g o e s f u l l s p e e d a r o u n d l e f t e n d . I t was t h e homecoming game. H i s m o t h e r was i n t h e c r o w d d r o p p i n g b a c k t o p a s s t h e b u c k . A nd 35 h i s f a t h e r was r u n n i n g i n t e r f e r e n c e a l o n g t h e s i d e l i n e s l i k e a b l i n d r h i n o . T h e r e goes o u r l i t t l e b o y. Bac k , b a c k goes t h e q u a r t e r b a c k . Our l i t t l e boy i s r u n n i n g away f r o m e v e r y b o d y . And t h e r e ' s t h e p a s s . Our l i t t l e s t r e a k o f y e l l o w i s i n t h e end z o n e . H i s arms a r e o p e n . L o o k J He's s m i l i n g . I t ' s a s a f e t h i n g . T h e r e ' s t h e b a l l . R i g h t i n t h e goddam f a c e , w a s n ' t i t , B i l l y ? MADISON I ' d f o r g o t t e n a b o u t t h a t . I n e v e r remembered t h a t b e f o r e . We h a d a f r e e a f t e r n o o n . The a u t h o r i t i e s were s m i l i n g and d r i n k i n g c o f f e e w i t h mom and d a d . But where were y o u ? Where were y o u ? J u s t w a t c h i n g ? LOUIS He t h r e w t h e b a l l . MADISON D i d y o u r d e a d b i r d s t e l l y o u t h a t ? ( S i t t i n g up,) (To MURPHY.) T h a t w a s n ' t n i c e o f y o u t o t e l l me t h a t s t o r y , J o h n n y , T e l l me a n o t h e r . T e l l me a g o o d o n e , MURPHY No, I t ' s y o u r t u r n t o t e l l me o n e , (MADISON g e t s up, MURPHY t a k e s h i s p l a c e on t h e bench and MADISON t u c k s h i m i n . ) MADISON ( S o f t l y . ) J u s t l i e down. MURPHY Damn i t . J I know how t o l i e down, MADISON Y e s , Y e s , Of c o u r s e y o u d o , MURPHY You were s a y i n g , . . ? MADISON ( P u t t i n g on h i s s h o e s , ) Oh, I know a s t o r y o r two, o r t h r e e . W e l l , o n c e t h e r e was a g r o u p , • • MURPHY Once upon a t i m e t h e r e was a g r o u p , MADISON Y e s , Y e s . Thank y o u , J o h n n y , Once upon a t i m e t h e r e 36 was a group- o f b o y s . They were f i n e b o y s , y o u know; t h e k i n d y o u s ee on p o s t e r s . They s t o l e t h e p a n t s o f f o t h e r b o y s . The boy who s t o l e t h e most p a n t s , and s a v e d them, e v e r y b o d y s a i d , w o u l d l e a d t h e o t h e r s a l l t h r o u g h l i f e . W e l l , one day t h e y s t o l e my p a n t s . T h e r e t h e y were f l y i n g f r o m t h e f l a g p o l e . ( E v e r y b o d y l o o k s up.) But a l o n g came t h e g o o d Mr. S m i t h . ( E v e r y b o d y l o o k s l e f t . ) MURPHY My h e r o I LOUIS ( S o f t , m a t t e r - o f - f a c t t o n e . ) The go o d Mr. S m i t h . T h i r t y . U n m a r r i e d , A b i t p u d g y , e s p e c i a l l y u n d e r t h e e y e s . He's t h e t a i l o r a r o u n d t h e s e p a r t s ; p a r t i c i p a t e s i n a l l t h e s c h o o l a c t i v i t i e s , l i k e s h i s t e a a t t h r e e w i t h t h e w i d o w s , MADISON A n d t h e w h o l e g r o u p was c a u g h t , c a u g h t i n t h e a c t ; a l l e x c e p t t h e l e a d e r who r a n away. But he was c a u g h t t o o , i n t h e a c t o f b o r i n g a h o l e i n h i s c l o s e t w a l l t o xvatch M r s . S m i t h u n d r e s s , LOUIS ( S o f t , m a t t e r - o f - f a c t t o n e . ) T h a t ' s Mr. S m i t h ' s m o t h e r . MURPHY L i a r J ( L e a p i n g up,) LOUIS No, T h e r e was n e v e r any d o u b t a b o u t Mr, S m i t h ' s p a r e n t a g e , MURPHY T h e r e ' s NEVER been a d i v o r c e i n my f a m i l y ! LOUIS Wrong l i n e , MADISON (To h i m s e l f . ) Boy, I can s u r e t e l l 'em, c a n ' t I ? MURPHY I n e v e r u s e d t h e w r o n g l i n e i n my l i f e , ( G e t t i n g b a c k u n d e r t h e n e w s p a p e r by MADISON,) Nobody can s i d e t r a c k me. 37 ( L a y i n g down h i s h e a d t h e n r a i s i n g i t s u d d e n l y t o LOUIS.) Don't y o u know any s t o r i e s ? LOUIS Mot when I'm l e f t o u t i n t h e c o l d . MADISON I saw h e r y e s t e r d a y . She was s w i n g i n g i n h e r s w i n g and s m i l i n g a t me w i t h h e r b r i g h t e y e s and h e r l o n g h a i r was f l y i n g i n t h e w i n d . (He t a k e s one o f t h e n e w s p a p e r s o f f MURPHY and waves i t a r o u n d h i m . MURPHY s n a t c h e s i t bac k and c o v e r s h i m s e l f w i t h i t . ) LOUIS I saw a c a r d i n a l t h i s m o r n i n g . A m a l e . MADISON How do y o u know? LOUIS, The m a l e s a r e b r i g h t e r t h a n t h e f e m a l e s . T e l l us abou t f e m a l e c a r d i n a l s . M u r p h y . MURPHY ( W a k i n g h i m s e l f w i t h an e f f o r t . ) So y o u want t o h e a r a s t o r y , do y o u ? LOUIS Y e s . MURPHY O.K. Once upon a t i m e t h e r e were two c a r d i n a l s t h a t l i v e d i n a t r e e . One was a male and one was a f e m a l e , by God. One day somebody u g l y c l i m b e d t h e t r e e . (To LOUIS.) He l o o k e d l i k e y o u . The f e m a l e f o u g h t t o s a v e h e r home. Somebody u g l y h i t h e r w i t h a s t i c k . The male f l e w away t o l o o k f o r a n o t h e r f e m a l e . LOUIS (To MURPHY.) You were c a u g h t up t h e t r e e J YOUI ( P o i n t i n g . ) MURPHY Oh, I was? LOUIS Y e s , y o u w e r e . MADISON Oh, he was? 33 LOUIS Y e s , he was. W i t h a k n i f e . . . MURPHY W i t h a k n i f e ? LOUIS Y e s , You t r i e d t o k i l l h e r ! You t r i e d t o k i l l h e r , MADISON W i t h a k n i f e ? LOUIS Gut t h e s t r i n g s o f h e r s w i n g h a l f t h r o u g h . B u t she d i d n ' t s w i n g t h a t d a y . Oh, no. I t was l i t t l e B i l l y a l m o s t b r o k e h i s n e c k w a s n ' t i t ? MADISON Oh, i t was. LOUIS (To MURPHY.) T r i e d t o k i l l h e r . ( P o i n t i n g a t MURPHY.) MURPHY T r i e d ? LOUIS T r i e d and f a i l e d . MURPHY Maybe i t was y o u r s t r i n g s I w a n t e d t o c u t . LOUIS ( T a k i n g a s t e p t o w a r d MURPHY.) T h a t ' s why y o u h a t e M ary, i s n ' t i t ? B e c a u s e she means t h e w o r l d t o y o u ; b e c a u s e she can d a n c e ; b e c a u s e e v e r y m u s c l e i n h e r body moves. Y o u ' r e a l l ' t a n g l e d up i n y o u r own s t r i n g s t r y i n g t o p u l l them y o u r s e l f , MURPHY ( L e a p i n g up, r u n n i n g b e h i n d b e n c h , MADISON k n o c k e d on f l o o r , b e g i n s t o w h i m p e r , ) Get up. Time t o g e t u p . Time t o make o u r b e d s . LOUIS When y o u t r y t o dance y o u o n l y t w i t c h . But y o u ' r e g o i n g t o c h a n g e a l l t h a t , a r e n ' t y o u ? Y o u ' r e g o i n g t o make h e r l o v e b e i n g l e d by a man who can o n l y t w i t c h . Y o u ' l l l e a d h e r m a r c h i n g r i g h t o v e r my d e a d body when I t r y t o c u t h e r l o o s e , (He a d v a n c e s t o w a r d MURPHY, who s t r u t s a r o u n d d e f i a n t l y k e e p i n g t h e b e n c h b e t w e e n h i m and LOUIS.) 39 One, two, t h r e e , f o u r . Who a r e we f o r ? M u r p h y ! M u r p h y J The w o n d e r f u l w o r l d o f ME! MADISON ( G e t t i n g up and b e g i n n i n g t o f o l d n e w s p a p e r s on b e n c h . ) I t h i n k i t ' s t i m e we made o u r b e d s , b o y s . I t ' s t i m e . MURPHY N e v e r m i n d ! I ' l l make i t l a t e r . MADISON Oh, I ' l l do i t . ( P i c k s up s h e e t o f n e w s p a p e r , b e g i n s t o f o l d i t l i k e s h e e t , d i s c o v e r s s o m e t h i n g u n d e r n e a t h . ) Oh, J o h n n y Murphy. J o h n n y Murphy. ( M o c k i n g v o i c e , p o i n t i n g a t b e n c h * ) You've been a BAD b o y . ( S h a k i n g f i n g e r . ) BAD b o y . BAD b o y . (LOUIS b e g i n s t o l a u g h h a r d e r and h a r d e r . MADISON d a n c e s a r o u n d p o i n t i n g a t MURPHY.) MURPHY I ' l l b r e a k y o u . I ' l l b r e a k y o u b o t h . I f i t ' s t h e l a s t t h i n g I do, I ' l l b r e a k y o u , ( R e c o v e r i n g h i m s e l f he s t a n d s on b e n c h , i n m i d d l e , arms c r o s s e d , l e g s b r a c e d w i d e a p a r t . MADISON c o n t i n u e s t o da n c e and p o i n t . ) MADISON ( C h a n t i n g . ) J o h n n y M u r p h y . J o h n n y M u r p h y , (LOUIS c o n t i n u e s t o l a u g h h e a r t i l y . ) MURPHY ( T h i s t i m e when he s p e a k s , o r d e r i s r e - e s t a b l i s h e d . ) T h a t ' s e n o u g h . S t o p r i g h t t h e r e . Back t o b e d , my b a b i e s , (He s t e p s o f f b e n c h , w a l k s t o edge o f s t a g e , t u r n s h i s b a c k t o a u d i e n c e , arms c r o s s e d , l e g s b r a c e d w i d e . MADISON h o b b l e s o b e d i e n t l y t o t h e b e n c h , w i p e s t h e m i d d l e s e a t w i t h a p a r t o f t h e n e w s p a p e r , w h i c h he t h e n t h r o w s d a i n t i l y i n t h e a u d i e n c e , and l i e s down, c o v e r i n g h i m s e l f w i t h a p a r t o f t h e n e w s p a p e r . ) 40 MURPHY Good b o y . Good. (LOUIS s u l k s t o w a r d b e n c h , t h e n t u r n s s u d d e n l y : t o w a r d MURPHY,) MURPHY B a c k . B a c k . (LOUIS t u r n s b a c k t o w a r d b e n c h , c r a w l s u n w i l l i n g l y u n d e r i t . ) MURPHY F i n e . F i n e . W a i t j u s t a m i n u t e . (MURPHY s e a t s h i m s e l f c r o s s l e g g e d , e r e c t , arms s t i l l c r o s s e d , b a c k s t i l l t o a u d i e n c e . ) MURPHY R e a d y ! (He w a i t s a m i n u t e , t h e n adds i n a l o u d w h i m p e r . ) I T m r e a d y ! LOUIS (From u n d e r b e n c h . ) Mr. Murphy? (MURPHY, i n somewhat b e t t e r s p i r i t s , does n o t d e i g n t o r e p l y . ) Mr. M u r p h y ? MURPHY Y e s . What i s i t ? LOUIS I t ' s a b o u t a j o b , s i r . MURPHY S p e a k up. What a b o u t a j o b ? LOUIS I'm l o o k i n g f o r a j o b , s i r . I h a v e a f a m i l y . . . MURPHY Y e s . Y e s . What can y o u do? LOUIS ( C r a w l i n g o u t f r o m u n d e r b e n c h , r e m a i n i n g on hands and k n e e s . ) A n y t h i n g y o u s a y , s i r . I ' d l i k e t o work f o r y o u , s i r . I c o u l d b e l i e v e i n y o u . MURPHY ( S a t i s f i e d w h i s p e r . ) T h a t ' s t h e l i n e . LOUIS (On k n e e s , h a n d s l o o s e l y a t s i d e s . ) I ' d do t h i n g s w e l l f o r y o u , s i r . I l i k e y o u r g r e e n t r u c k s . I t h i n k t h e y ' r e p r e t t y . A n d t h e s h o p p i n g bags w i t h y o u r i n i t i a l s . I l i k e t o see them f u l l . T h e r e ' s a l i t t l e b i t o f me i n e v e r y o n e . 41 MURPHY Can y o u sweep? LOUIS Can I sweep? MURPHY Y e s . LOUIS I ' v e been s w e e p i n g a l l ray l i f e . F i r s t I p u t t h e s a w d u s t on t h e f l o o r . Then I t a k e ray b i g broom, and w i t h l o n g g e n t l e p u s h e s I w a l k a r o u n d t h e s t o r e i n t h e n i g h t . N e v e r t o o f a s t . N e v e r t o o s l o w . A n d t h e n I c l i m b t h e s t a i r s and do t h e s e c o n d f l o o r , and t h e t h i r d . A n d j u s t when I g e t t o t h e f o u r t h , and I'm t h i n k i n g , now we're r e a d y f o r a n o t h e r d a y , t h e sun comes up o v e r t h e l a k e , r e d l i k e o u r a w n i n g s , and b r i g h t l i k e o u r w i n -dows, and I'm g l a d t o be a p a r t o f i t a l l . MURPHY Take t h e broom and p u t t h e p l a c e i n o r d e r . (LOUIS r i s e s , n o t t o o q u i c k l y , n o t t o o s l o w l y , t a k e s t h e broom and , s o w i n g s a w d u s t f r o m h i s p o c k e t as he g o e s , g oes a r o u n d t h e s t a g e i n l o n g g e n t l e p u s h e s ? MADISON p e e k s o u t f r o m u n d e r h i s n e w s p a p e r . ) MADISON Mr. Mur p h y , s i r ? MURPHY I s u p p o s e y o u want a j o b t o o ? MADISON ( L e a p i n g up and r u n n i n g e a g e r l y b e f o r e MURPHY where he jumps up and down a b i t . ) Oh, y e s , y e s , s i r . I t ' s a j o b I w a n t . Y e s . MURPHY Y o u r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s ? MADISON I ' v e been t o s c h o o l , s i r . Y e s . I p l a y e d f o o t b a l l . A n d I'm p r e t t y g o o d w i t h d o g s , MURPHY I ' v e a l r e a d y g i v e n t h a t man t h e r e a j o b . Why s h o u l d I g i v e y o u on e ? 42 MADISON W e l l , I h a t e t o s a y a n y t h i n g , s i r . BUT, t h a t man j u s t h a s n ' t g o t h i s h e a r t i n i t , y o u know. He t a l k s , y e s . Y e s , b u t l o o k how he w a l k s . MURPHY How w o u l d y o u w a l k ? MADISON ( D o i n g a q u i c k d a i n t y s t e p . ) L i k e an e m p l o y e e o f " J o n a t h a n M u r p h y ' s . " MURPHY Good b o y ! Take h i s broom away. (MADISON t r i e s t o do s o . ) LOUIS Hey. I'm d o i n g my j o b . MADISON You d o n ' t b e l o n g h e r e , m i s t e r . N o w - g i v e - m e - t h a t - b r o o m . (He t u g s w i t h i n c r e a s i n g v i o l e n c e on t h e broom t h a t LOUIS r e f u s e s t o s u r r e n d e r u n t i l MURPHY l e a p s up t o r e s t o r e o r d e r . ) MURPHY B i l l y , l e a v e t h a t dog a l o n e ! LOUIS ( R e l e a s i n g h i s e nd o f broom j u s t when MADISON g i v e s a m i g h t y t u g and f a l l s on t h e f l o o r , ) Wrong l i n e . MURPHY Oh, y e s . DamnI MADISON (On f l o o r , h o l d i n g broom u p r i g h t . ) T h a t ' s a s h o r t one. LOUIS A r e y o u s u r e we d i d t h e w h o l e t h i n g ? MURPHY He's g o t t h e broom, h a s n ' t h e ? MADISON What w i l l we do now? What w i l l we e v e r do? MURPHY ( S e a t i n g h i m s e l f i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e b e n c h , s p r e a d i n g n e w s p a p e r a c r o s s h i s l a p . ) Come u n t o me, B i l l y M a d i s o n , and b r i n g y o u r f r i e n d t h e r e . What h a v e you .got f o r me t o l i s t e n t o ? (To LOUIS, MADISON and LOUIS k n e e l on e i t h e r s i d e o f MURPHY;) You t h e r e . T e l l me a g o o d o n e . LOUIS When I was a c h i l d I went o u t i n t h e woods. I t was w i n t e r . The b l a c k o a k s were c o v e r e d w i t h i c e . The b r a n c h e s 43 c l i c k e d and c l a c k e d when t h e w i n d b l e i v , and i t was a l w a y s b l o w i n g . I saw some t r a c k s i n t h e snow, I f o l l o w e d them t o a h o l l o w t h a t was s h e l t e r e d f r o m t h e w i n d . T h e r e was a g i r l s i t t i n g b e f o r e a f i r e . E v e r y t h i n g was b l a c k and w h i t e . T h e r e was a g i r l s i t t i n g b e f o r e a f i r e . E v e r y t h i n g was b l a c k and w h i t e , I was a f r a i d . T h e r e was a dog by t h e f i r e . MADISON ( E a g e r l y . ) What h a p p e n e d ? T e l l us q u i c k . MURPHY You s t a y o u t o f t h i s . LOUIS She s m i l e d and I went down by t h e f i r e . I t o l d h e r my name. She t o l d me hers,'- I t was Ma r y . MURPHY I f o r b i d y o u t o .mention h e r . MADISON What d i d y o u do? D i d y o u t o u c h h e r ? D i d y o u . . . ? MURPHY Not a n o t h e r w o r d , MADISON Q u i c k , t e l l us a b o u t s o m e t h i n g e l s e t h e n . MURPHY Dammit, y o u s t a y o u t o f t h i s , LOUIS: I gr e w u p . I h a d a f a m i l y when e v e r y o n e was h u n g r y . Once I h a d a j o b , b u t I l o s t i t . MURPHY, F o r g i v e n . S a y a h u n d r e d " H a i l » . » ,» F o r g e t i t . MADISON I c a n ' t . MURPHY Damn I What h a v e YOU do n e ? LOUIS He p l a y e d f o o t b a l l . MURPHY I ' v e h e a r d t h a t o n e . MADISON Oh, l i s t e n . L i s t e n . MURPHY I'm l i s t e n i n g . Go t o i t , MADISON I ' v e g o t s o m e t h i n g t o t e l l , LOUIS T e l l i t . I t ' s s t u f f y h e r e . 44 MADISON C a n ' t y o u l o o k a t me when I'm t a l k i n g ? MURPHY I'm a l l e y e s . MADISON Hhmph» B a s e b a l l was my game. I p l a y e d r i g h t f i e l d . Y e s . I l e d t h e b a t t i n g o r d e r i f y o u want t o know. A r e y o u l i s t e n i n g ? MURPHY I'm a l l e a r s . MADISON I h e l d my b a t l i k e G o l i a t h . I swung a t t h e f i r s t p i t c h . I m i s s e d , b u t y o u c o u l d h e a r t h e w i n d w h i s t l i n g a r o u n d t h e b a s e s and e c h o i n g o f f t h e b u i l d i n g s . The s e c o n d p i t c h w a s n ' t my meat. I l e t i t p a s s . I t was a s t r i k e . The t h i r d p i t c h h i t me r i g h t i n t h e f a c e and s h a t t e r e d my g l a s s e s a l l o v e r t h e p l a c e . T h a t e c h o e d o f f t h e b u i l d i n g s t o o . LOUIS ( L a u g h i n g . ) J e s u s , t h a t ' s g o o d . MURPHY Some o t h e r t i m e , i f y o u d o n ' t m i n d . C o n t i n u e , Mr. M a d i s o n . MADISON I grew up and went t o w o r k . I h a d a j o b I was p r o u d o f when most p e o p l e were t o o l a z y t o w o r k . I h e l d i t u n t i l t h e wa r . MURPHY D i d y o u s a y w a r ? MADISON ( S h o u t i n g . ) L i s t e n t o me. I ha v e a way w i t h a n i m a l s . I was o n l y b i t t e n o n c e . (He s t a n d s on one l e g t o show them t h e c a l f o f t h e o t h e r . ) That was a d o g l He b e l o n g e d t o t h i s g i r l ; y e s , and y o u see • * • MURPHY S k i p i U MADISON But I m a r r i e d h e r and l i v e d h a p p i l y e v e r a f t e r , LOUIS T h a t ' s g o o d . 45 MURPHY T h e r e ' s NEVER been a d i v o r c e i n my f a m i l y . LOUIS Or any m a r r i a g e s e i t h e r . MADISON Oh. W e l l done. LOUIS I ' v e been s a v i n g i t . MURPHY T h a t ' s i m p o r t a n t . I ' v e a l w a y s s a v e d . I h a d a c o l l e c -t i o n o f p a n t s when I was a c h i l d . ( P r o u d p a u s e . ) A r e you l i s t e n i n g ? LOUIS. AMD MADISON Y e s , f a t h e r . MURPHY T h e r e was t h i s g i r l w i t h l o n g r e d h a i r s . . . MADISON ( Y a n k i n g n e w s p a p e r o f f MURPHY'S l a p and t r a i l i n g i t i n a i r . ) . . . t h a t f o l l o w e d h e r e v e r y w h e r e . . . (He r e p l a c e s n e w s p a p e r i n h i s l a p . ) *•. • she w e n t . MURPHY She wore p a n t s . LOUIS. Don't t e l l u_s y o u r p r o b l e m s . MURPHY T h a t g i r l c o u l d d a n c e , MADISON She s u r e c o u l d . She c o u l d . MURPHY I t h o u g h t she l o v e d me. LOUIS Of c o u r s e she d i d . MURPHY But t h a t damn dog w o u l d n ' t l e t me n e a r h e r . MADISON I c o u l d h a v e t o l d y o u t h a t , y o u know. MURPHY . . . u n t i l one d a y . LOUIS ( S h o u t i n g , p o i n t i n g . ) M u r d e r e r l MURPHY ( L e a p i n g up on b e n c h and s h a k i n g h i s f i s t . ) By God, t h a t was a w e d d i n g . MADISON ( D a n c i n g and s i n g i n g t o t h e t u n e o f A TI S K E T , A TASKET, A GREEN AND YELLOW BASKET.) My w e d d i n g . My w e d d i n g . We're g o i n g t o do my w e d d i n g . 46 MURPHY All right. All right. Where the hell is the altar? LOUIS (Turning bench on end.) Here. MURPHY You two were over there. (They stand stiffly together on one side, he walks solemnly behind the bench where he cannot be seen.) Ready! LOUIS Set the scene first, MURPHY (Flowing out from behind bench in skirt of newspapers with arms spread wide.) After puberty, my children, one begins to think . .* . MADISON (Stamping his legs rapidly.) Oh, Johnny, not like THATI MURPHY (Stopping, turning toward MADISON.) Something more informal? MADISON You know. Like we do it when we're alone, huh? (He looks proudly at LOUIS,) MURPHY Quite right, son, (He continues his advance until he settles himself on the edge of the stage,) MURPHY Well, it all happened the other day on the way to the altar, I was wearing my new herringbone suit. I seated myself just behind a nearly naked statue of Our Lord where the heat from the candles made me sweat like a pig, So I moved nearer the aisle. But it was so cold there that I had to find another seat just behind the organ. By this time nearly everyone had realized that I was the best dressed man in the church. (Gets up.) MADISON It was MY wedding, Johnny,, I stuck my chest out and 47 met e v e r y o n e i n t o w n , (He s t u m b l e s a r o u n d , s m i l i n g n e r v o u s l y , s h a k i n g h a n d s w i t h MURPHY, t h e n LOUIS.) LOUIS ( L o o k i n g a t h i s h a n d . ) I t was l i k e h a v i n g a d e a d b i r d f a l l i n t o y o u r h a n d , MADISON H u r r y . H u r r y . I c a n ' t w a i t , y o u know. MURPHY L e t ' s g e t t h e b a l l r o l l i n g . B r i d e and groom t o t h e a l t a r . MADISON ( R u n n i n g t o MURPHY,) H e r e I am. L e t ' s g o . MURPHY W e l l . Where i s s h e ? MADISON ( S h a m e f a c e d l y . ) S h e ' s n o t c o m i n g t o d a y , I d o n ' t t h i n k . MURPHY I'm a f r a i d I c a n ' t m a r r y y o u t h e n . MADISON P e r h a p s a n o t h e r c h u r c h . . . MURPHY No. No c h u r c h on t h i s e a r t h . You c a n ' t h a v e a w e d d i n g w i t h o u t a b r i d e . T h e y ' r e n o t l i k e g r o o m s . MADISON ( R u n n i n g t o LOUIS and l e a d i n g h i m t o t h e a l t a r . ) Oh, L o u i s , won't YOU p l a y h e r p a r t ? LOUIS I ' d l o v e t o , I s i t a n y t h i n g l i k e M u s i c a l C h a i r s ? ( S a t i r i c a l t o n e . ) MADISON ( T a k i n g LOUIS' arm i n h i s . ) READY! MURPHY (Who h a s been a r r a n g i n g h i s s k i r t s , a b s e n t m i n d e d l y . ) I h a d been a d m i r i n g my r i c h r e d r o b e s . I l o o k e d up j u s t i n ' t i m e t o see t h a t t h e b r i d e h a d n o t s h a v e d h e r l e g s . MADISON ( I m p a t i e n t l y . ) We're r e a d y ! MURPHY B e h o l d ! You a r e on t h e t h r e s h o l d o f t h e c i t y o f God. H e a r t h e h e a v e n l y c h o i r . See t h e t h o u s a n d c a n d l e s . F l y i n o u r d o o r s w i t h a m i l l i o n h a p p y s o u l s . E a t i f y o u w a n t , a s h t r a y s , 48 t o o t h p a s t e , l a d i e s ' l u n c h e o n s . R i d e t h e s i l v e r s t a i r s u p w a r d t h r o u g h t h e r e d and g r e e n chambers t o t h e g o l d e n t h r o n e room, ( S i t s down,) LOUIS We're r e a d y I MURPHY What's h i s name? LOUIS B i l l y M a d i s o n , MURPHY Come h e r e , B i l l y M a d i s o n , (MADISON s i t s on MURPHY'S k n e e , ) MADISON H i ! MURPHY H i d . Now what do y o u w a n t , y o u n g f e l l o w ? MADISON W e l l * • * MURPHY I s i t g e n e r a t i o n , so t o s p e a k ? MADISON W e l l , I want a p i c t u r e o f m o t h e r and f a t h e r , and a l i t t l e w h i t e c h u r c h , and a p e p p e r m i n t s t i c k , and t h r e e o l d . men on c a m e l s who l o s t t h e i r way, and a SWING! Y e s , t h a t ' s what I want most o f a l l , a s w i n g ! A n d I want t o s w i n g i n my s w i n g . But I d o n ' t want t o be a l o n e i n my s w i n g , MURPHY Whom do you want t o s w i n g w i t h ? MADISON MARY! MURPHY And where i s M a r y ? MADISON ( P o i n t i n g . ) T h a t ' s Mary o v e r t h e r e ! MURPHY A r e y o u M a r y ? LOUIS More o r l e s s . MURPHY A l l r i g h t , M a r y , Come h e r e . (LOUIS s i t s on MURPHY'S o t h e r knee f a c i n g MADISON.) LOUIS H i ! 49 MURPHY H i I A nd what do y o u want , h o n e y ? LOUIS I want B i l l y . MURPHY T h a t ' s t h e s p i r i t . T h e r e d o e s n ' t seem t o be any p r o b l e m h e r e . J u s t l e t me g e t i n v o i c e . Y e a . Humph. V e r i l y l Humph. V e r i l y I s a y u n t o y o u : You ha v e been a l o n e and o u t c a s t , y o u hav e s o u g h t b u t y o u h a v e n o t f o u n d , y o u ha v e o p e n e d y o u r e y e s bu t y o u h a v e n o t s e e n , y o u have l i s t e n e d b u t y o u ha v e n o t h e a r d , yo u h a v e f o l l o w e d b u t y o u ha v e n o t f o l l o w e d f a r e n o u g h . You h a v e s a i d " y e s ' 8 , b u t i n a w h i s p e r . Now, c h i l d r e n , t h e t i m e h a s come t o s a y " y e s " f o r a l l t h e w o r l d t o h e a r . A n d now, B i l l y , do y o u t a k e Mary t o be y o u r l a w f u l wedded w i f e , t o h a v e and t o h o l d , i n s i c k n e s s and i n h e a l t h , e t c e t e r a ? MADISON Y e s , s i r . ( A s i d e . ) Oh, i t w i l l s o o n be m i n e . MURPHY Humph. And do y o u , Mary, t a k e B i l l y t o be y o u r l a w f u l wedded h u s b a n d , t o l o v e and o b e y , f o r r i c h e r o r p o o r e r , e t c e t e r a ? LOUIS Y e s , s i r . (To MADISON,) I t ' s a l l y o u r s now. MURPHY Okay, k i d d i e s , I p r o n o u n c e y o u man and w i f e , (He l e a p s u p , s p i l l i n g MADISON and LOUIS.) M u s i c l V i o l e n t m u s i c ! S m i l e s and t e a r s . S h a k e t h e c o l o r e d g l a s s b e t w e e n us and t h e M a r c h s k y . T e a r t h e l o i n c l o t h f r o m Our L o r d . S h u t t h e window. P u l l t h e s h a d e . S t r i p ! P u l l t h e c o v e r s o v e r y o u r h e a d s and become as l i t t l e c h i l d r e n . Touch and w h i s p e r and t r y t o s m i l e . I t ' s a s a f e t h i n g now. S c r e a m yo u b i t c h , i f you t h i n k n o b o dy can h e a r . A n d g e t t h e h e l l o u t o f h e r e l I ' v e g o t an o r g a n i z a t i o n o f my own. (MADISON and LOUIS w a l k b e a m i n g , arm i n arm, t o t h e b a c k o f t h e t h e a t e r , w h i l e MURPHY s i n g s t h e w e d d i n g m a r c h . ) 50 Some day y o u ' l l come t o me, s i s t e r , and x i re'll see what h a p p e n s . But t a k e n o t t h o u g h t f o r t h e morrow, J o h n n y b o y . Now I s t a n d i n t h e l i f e b e t w e e n l i v e s l o o k i n g up and down t h e t r a c k , b u t n o t h i n g comes. F i v e y e a r s I w a i t f o r s o m e t h i n g t o h a p p e n . F i v e y e a r s r e p e a t i n g t i l l my p o c k e t s a r e f u l l t o b u r s t i n g and my s t o m a c h s l i d e s o v e r my b e l t . T h e n , t h a n k God, i t was a l l o v e r , ( L i g h t s b e g i n t o f l i c k e r , a d u l l r o a r i s h e a r d , ) Who's t h a t I h e a r l a u g h i n g ? ( C a l l i n g t o b a c k o f t h e a t e r , ) Get i n l i n e t h e r e , men. Q u i c k m a r c h , (MADISON m a r c h e s down c e n t e r a i s l e w i t h e v i d e n t p r i d e i n h i s u n i f o r m , n o t i n t h e l e a s t r e g r e t t i n g t h e s h o r t n e s s o f h i s h o n e y -moon, LOUIS s t r a g g l e s b e h i n d , s p e a k i n g c o n d e s c e n d i n g l y t o mem-b e r s o f a u d i e n c e , ) LOUIS T h e r e now. Don't be a f r a i d . Don't g e t u p . J u s t w a t c h . Y o u ' r e n o t i n c o n d i t i o n anyway. S a y , a r e n ' t y o u a r e l a t i o n o f , , • (He p o i n t s a t MADISON.) S o r r y , I t h o u g h t I knew y o u . (MADISON and LOUIS march t o MURPHY'S o r d e r s . ) MURPHY ( R e m o v i n g h i s n e w s p a p e r s and r o l l i n g them i n t o a r i f l e , s h a k i n g h a n d s , ) I t ' s g o o d t o be t o g e t h e r a g a i n , b o y s . J u s t l i k e o l d t i m e s . Got y o u r cap p i s t o l s ? MADISON and LOUIS Y e a h h h . MURPHY An d p l e n t y o f c a p s ? MADISON and LOUIS Y e a h h h . MURPHY Remember, draw f a s t , s h o o t f o r t h e b a l l s , b l o w t h e smoke o u t o f t h e b a r r e l s , and w a l k away s l o w l y , MADISON and LOUIS Y e a h h h , 51 MURPHY Got t h e f l a g s ? MADISON and LOUIS Y e a h h h . MURPHY W i t h p l e n t y o f s t a r s and s t r i p e s ? MADISON and LOUIS Y e a h h h . MADISON J o h n n y , s i r ? MURPHY Yeahhh? MADISON Who we f i g h t i n ' t h i s t i m e , s i r ? MURPHY The enemy, s o l d i e r . Get i n l i n e t h e r e . (MURPHY m a r c h e s i n p l a c e w i t h r i f l e o v e r s h o u l d e r , k n e e - h i g h l i k e c h i l d r e n p l a y m a r c h . MADISON and LOUIS m a r c h up and down s t a g e w i t h i n c r e a s i n g v i o l e n c e . ) MURPHY Remember t h e g i r l i n S t a l i n g r a d , H e r h u n g r y l a d , h e r a g i n g d a d . T h e r e w a s n ' t a man t h a t h e a r d them y e l l When we b l e w them a l l t o h e l l . MADISON and LOUIS Y e s , we b l e w them a l l t o h e l l . We b l e w them a l l t o h e l l . And no one h e a r d them y e l l l MURPHY Remember t h e g i r l i n o l d New Y o r k Who c o u l d n ' t e a t and w o u l d n ' t w o r k . She l o s t h e r s k i n . She l o s t h e r h a i r . And so we l o s t o u r m a i d e n f a i r . MADISON F i n g e r s and e y e s and c h i l d r e n ' s t o e s A o n e - e y e d s o l d i e r w i t h o u t any^ n o s e P r e g n a n t c o r p s e s and b i t s o f b r i c k A l l m i x e d up t o make y o u s i c k . LOUIS N o t h i n g t o e a t . N o t h i n g t o d r i n k . M o t h e r ' s body i s s t a r t i n g t o s t i n k . S i s t e r was l a i d and nobody p a i d . Daddy's m a r c h i n g i n a b i g p a r a d e . A L L THREE Y e s , we b l e w them a l l t o h e l l . We b l e w them a l l t o h e l l . A n d no one h e a r d them y e l l j 52 ( L i g h t s f l i c k e r i n t i m e w i t h m u s i c . R o a r becomes d e a f e n i n g . ) MURPHY E a t i f you w a n t , a s h t r a y s , t o o t h p a s t e , l a d i e s ' l u n c h e o n p r o p h y l a c t i c s , c h e r r y s u n d a e s , d i a m o n d r i n g s , d o l l a r d i n n e r s . Somebody's h a i r and somebody's n o s e , A d e a d g i r l b l o o m i n g l i k e a b e a u t y r o s e , B r o k e n g l a s s and r o t t e n b o o k s , A n d p e o p l e c r a p p i n g when nobody l o o k s , P r e g n a n t c o r p s e s and b i t s o f b r i c k , A l l m i x e d up t o make you s i c k . MADISON ( S t u m b l i n g , f a l l i n g . ) Mommy, M o t h e r o f God. Touch me. T a l k t o me. LOUIS ( F a l s e t t o s c r e a m . ) P l a y , B i l l y , P l a y , p l a y , p l a y , B i l l y won't p l a y , c a n ' t p l a y , w o u l d p l a y i f he c o u l d , b u t he c a n ' t , c a n ' t p l a y , c a n ' t p l a y t h e game. ( S i t s down on edge o f s t a g e w i t h h e a d i n h a n d s . ) MURPHY C h r i s t , t h a t was f u n . W e ' l l h a v e a n o t h e r war s o o n . But r i g h t now I b e l i e v e I ' l l t a k e a l i t t l e n a p , MADISON Me t o o . I'm t i r e d . (They l i e down i n m i d d l e o f s t a g e and draw n e w s p a p e r s o v e r them MURPHY Good n i g h t . MADISON Good n i g h t , LOUIS ( W a l k i n g a r o u n d . ) H e r e I am. Home a g a i n . T h i s i s my f a m i l y . I ' d l i k e y o u t o meet somebody d i s g u s t i n g . (He g e s t u r e a t t h e s l e e p i n g p a i r . ) Where a r e y o u , b a b y ? A r e y o u w a l k i n g t h r o u g h t h e woods i n t h e w i n t e r ? A r e y o u l a u g h i n g at me w i t h y o u r b r i g h t brown e y e s ? No. T h a t was y o u r d o g . KISS HER OR K ICK HER TEETH I N , BUT DON'T STAND AT ARMS' LENGTH WISHING HER WELL! 53 MURPHY ( R a i s i n g h i m s e l f on one e l b o w . ) B i l l y ? MADISON ( O p e n i n g h i s e y e s . ) What? MURPHY I was j u s t t h i n k i n g . Some p e o p l e l i k e , t o g i v e o r d e r s . T h a t ' s me. And some p e o p l e l i k e t o t a k e them. T h a t ' s y o u . MADISON Maybe y o u ' r e r i g h t . MURPHY Of c o u r s e I'm r i g h t . ( L o w e r i n g h e a d . ) G o o d n i g h t , B i l l y . MADISON G o o d n i g h t , J o h n n y . ( C l o s e s e y e s . ) LOUIS ( S e a t i n g h i m s e l f on edge o f s t a g e . ) Ahh, t h e r e ' s some-t h i n g m a r r i e d a b o u t t h a t b o y . He's one o f t h o s e f e l l o w s who'd be m a r r i e d w h e t h e r o r n o t t h e r e were any women a v a i l a b l e . Mary w a n t e d a man who was l i k e J o h n n y on t h e o u t s i d e , l i k e B i l l y on t h e i n s i d e , and l i k e me i n t h e woods . » • The b i t c h . MURPHY B i l l y ? MADISON What? MURPHY Come h e r e . MADISON Why? MURPHY We m i g h t p l a y a b i t . MADISON What w o u l d we p l a y ? MURPHY A game. You can t h i n k o f a name f o r i t . MADISON Oh, Goody. I l i k e games. But y o u make t h e r u l e s . P r o m i se ? MURPHY I p r o m i s e . LOUIS J o h n n y ? MURPHY What? LOUIS Come h e r e . MURPHY Why? 54 LOUIS I want t o p l a y w i t h y o u . MURPHY T h i s i s r a t h e r a c h a n g e . I d o n ' t want , . . You d o ? LOUIS Y e s . MURPHY Oh, a l l r i g h t . (Goes t o w a r d LOUIS.) S h a l l we p l a y h o u s e ? I ' l l make t h e b e d s . LOUIS A nd I ' l l f e e d t h e b i r d s . MADISON Oh, J o h n n y ! Don't t r u s t h i m . He's u g l y ! MURPHY N o t a l t o g e t h e r . LOUIS Not i n my s o u l , y o u b a s t a r d . (He g r a b s MURPHY, t o s s e s h i m o v e r h i s knee and b e g i n s t o sp a n k h e l l o u t o f h i m . N e w s p a p e r s f a l l a l l o v e r a u d i e n c e . ) MURPHY S t o p ! You c a n ' t do t h i s . Go g e t y o u r broom. LOUIS ( S p a n k i n g h i m h a r d e r and h a r d e r . ) Do y o u r e a l l y want me t o ? You BAD b o y . Now y o u ' r e n o t g o i n g t o p e e k a t M r s . S m i t h any l o n g e r , a r e y o u ? MURPHY ( D e s p e r a t e . ) No. No! LOUIS And y o u ' r e g o i n g t o l e t t h e l i t t l e b o y s keep t h e i r p a n t s on? MURPHY Yes* Y e s . LOUIS A nd y o u won't p i c k on B i l l y any l o n g e r ? MURPHY No! No! LOUIS And y o u ' l l n e v e r s ee Mary a g a i n ? MURPHY N e v e r ! LOUIS ( V i o l e n t l y . ) And so o n y o u w i l l t a k e one o f t h o s e l i t t l e r o p e s y o u ' r e h a n g i n g f r o m and wrap i t a r o u n d y o u r n e c k , won't y o u ? 55 MURPHY Y e s . MADISON Make h i m c r y j Make h i m c r y l LOUIS C r y , J o h n n y ! C r y l C r y ! MURPHY ( C h o k i n g . ) I c a n ' t , MADISON Make h i m s c r e a m t h e n ! LOUIS S c r e a m , J o h n n y ! S c r e a m ! MURPHY ( S c r e a m i n g . ) M a r y ! (LOUIS s t o p s , l o o k s a r o u n d , MURPHY s c r a m b l e s away.) LOUIS (To h i m s e l f . ) M a r y , MADISON ( L o u d w h i s p e r . ) P s s s t . ( D u r i n g MADISON'S t a l k MURPHY l i e s down on b e n c h and c o v e r s h i m s e l f u p. LOUIS t u r n s . ) I f a n y t h i n g h a p p e n s t o J o h n n y , I want you t o be my f r i e n d . (MADISON c l o s e s h i s e y e s w i t h k n o w i n g s m i l e . ) LOUIS C h i c k e n s h i t . I saw y o u r l i p s t w i t c h when y o u gave t h e a d d r e s s t o t h e t a x i d r i v e r . I h e a r d h e r s a y "g o o d m o r n i n g " so she d i d n ' t h a v e t o s a y " I t ' s y o u a g a i n . Why h a v e y o u come b a c k ? " I saw t h e h a n d w i t h t h e c i g a r e t t e s h a k e and h e a r d t h e c o f f e e cup r a t t l e i n t h e s a u c e r . ( W h e e l i n g t o w a r d MADISON, l o u d v o i c e . ) Y o u r f r i e n d , B i l l y ? I ' d r a t h e r h a v e a p e t p o o d l e w i t h d i a r r h e a . I c o u l d m a r r y i t o f f t o a m o t h e r l y b i t c h w i t h a r a g . (MADISON s i t s down, s t u n n e d . ) MURPHY ( L e a p i n g up.) M a r y l M a r y ! I s t h a t y o u ? LOUIS ( T u r n i n g t o w a r d MURPHY, i m i t a t i n g M a r y ' s v o i c e . N o t e : he i s 50,) " Y e s . Y e s , i t ' s me. But J o h n , i s t h a t y o u ? Y o u ' r e p a l e . H a v e n ' t y o u s e e n t h e sun f o r y e a r s and y e a r s ? Why a r e you l o o k i n g i n my e y e s l i k e t h a t ? Do y o u see a l i t t l e p u p p e t s t r a n g l i n g i n h i s s t r i n g s ? Go s i t down, J o h n . " (He s i t s . ) 56 MURPHY ( D a z e d , b u t g r a d u a l l y r e c o v e r i n g h i m s e l f . ) My l i t t l e g i r l d i d n ' t t a l k l i k e t h a t . I can h e a r h e r now. (He i m i t a t e s h e r . ) " J o h n n y . Where HAVE y o u b e e n ? Come o v e r h e r e t h i s m i n u t e and l e t me l o o k a t y o u . S u c h d r a b c o l o r s , J o h n n y . W h a t e v e r h a p p e n e d t o t h a t r i c h r e d t i e you wore at o u r w e d d i n g ? I t made y o u l o o k l i k e a b a n k e r . I was so p r o u d o f h a v i n g y o u f o r a f r i e n d . E v e r y o n e a s k e d me a f t e r w a r d who t h a t handsome man was, w a l k i n g a r o u n d t h e c h u r c h . And I s a i d , ' T h a t ' s my f r i e n d J o h n n y M u r p h y , J o h n n y Murphy h i m s e l f ' . " LOUIS ( C o n t i n u i n g i m i t a t i o n . ) " I s t h a t my B i l l y ? B i l l y b oy, I l o v e y o u . Come t e l l me y o u l o v e me." MADISON ( G e t t i n g up and g o i n g t o LOUIS w i t h a h a n g d o g e x p r e s -s i o n , r u b b i n g e y e s . ) Oh. I t ' s M a ry. Oh M a r y , I l o v e y o u . LOUIS "Thank y o u . B i l l . Y o u ' r e l o o k i n g g o o d . I'm so g l a d y o u h a v e n ' t g o t t h o s e u g l y d o g h a i r s a l l o v e r y o u r p a n t s . And I see yo u f i n a l l y c l e a n e d t h e g l a s s o u t o f y o u r e y e s . " MADISON Y e s . LOUIS "Have you been k i n d t o J o h n n y , B i l l y ? You know, he o n l y r u n s t h e w o r l d so i t won't h u r t h i m . He's r e a l l y a v e r y l i t t l e man, no b i g g e r t h a n t h e image i n my e y e . " MADISON Oh M a r y , d o n ' t s a y s u c h t h i n g s a b o u t J o h n n y . M a r y . Why, M a r y . ( S n a p p i n g o u t o f i l l u s i o n t h a t i t i s Mary t a l k i n g t o h i m . ) What b i g e y e s y o u h a v e ! ( B e g i n n i n g t o i m i t a t e M a r y . ) "Oooh. T h e r e ' s my b e s t man. H i b i r d b r a i n l " LOUIS Who's c a l l i n g me b i r d b r a i n ? 57 MADISON " I t ' s me. M a r y . C a n ' t y o u s a y " h i " , s t u p i d ? " LOUIS I . . « u h . . . ( S u c c u m b i n g t o i l l u s i o n . ) H i J MADISON " I saw a r e d - h e a d e d wren on a w i r e f e n c e t h a t l o o k e d j u s t l i k e y o u . I t made me t h i n k o f t h a t w i n t e r t i m e i n t h e woods when we s a t by t h e f i r e and l o o k e d at e a c h o t h e r . You know, y o u c o u l d do w i t h y o u r e y e s what no man e v e r d i d t o me w i t h w o r d s ; make me f e e l l i k e c a r r i o n l Y o u ' r e c o l d , man, c o l d , c o l d , c o l d . A n d how y o u l o v e d t o f l y by n i g h t . " MURPHY ( S i t t i n g d a z e d , m a k i n g p a p e r a i r p l a n e s o u t o f news-p a p e r , t h r o w i n g one a t a u d i e n c e . ) I h e a r y o u , M a r y . I h e a r y o u . MADISON "My h u s b a n d was bu s y s w e e p i n g , s w e e p i n g , s w e e p i n g up on t h e o l d f o u r t h f l o o r . But y o u ' d l o s t y o u r j o b , l a z y . And y o u came and s a t on t h e f e n c e o u t s i d e my k i t c h e n window and s a n g t h e p r e t t i e s t s o n g s u n t i l t h e war came and y o u h a d t o t a k e o r d e r s l i k e e v e r y b o d y e l s e . Do y o u s t i l l c r o w a t dawn, b a b y ? " LOUIS Crow a t dawn? ( R e a l i z i n g d e l u s i o n . ) I h a v e n ' t s e e n t h e dawn f o r y e a r s . S a y , Ma r y , what a weak s i s t e r y o u ' v e become. MURPHY Don't s t o p , M a r y . Don't s t o p . T e l l us more a b o u t t h e w r e n . What c o l o r was i t ? D i d i t f l y w e l l , r e a l l y w e l l ? And t h e dawn, was i t r e d ? Was i t r e d l i k e o u r a w n i n g s and b r i g h t l i k e o u r vundows? And was t h e r e a f a c e i n t h e dawn? A f a c e w i t h a g e n t l e s m i l e and s o f t words l i k e t h e m o r n i n g w i n d . A l l w i l l be w e l l , s a i d t h e s m i l e . And l i f e i s g o o d , s a i d t h e v o i c e . I w i l l b u i l d me a monument t o y o u r s m i l e , and t o y o u r v o i c e , and t o y o u r c h i l d . 58 LOUIS I t was my k i d , J o h n n y , and h e r s . More t h a n M a r y , i t was t h e r e a l t h i n g . I t was l i v i n g , J o h n , and p l a y i n g w i t h a l e a f when we l e f t i t i n t h e woods. And a t t h e end o f t h e summer I went b a c k and t h e r e i t was, k i n d o f c r u m p l e d i n t o i t s e l f . A s s end u p . I t l o o k e d l i k e g r e e n j e l l o f u l l o f c o t t a g e c h e e s e . A n d i n t h e w i n t e r t h e r e was n o t h i n g . E v e r y -t h i n g was b l a c k and w h i t e and I was a f r a i d . But you h a d t h e w o r l d i n y o u r w a l l e t , J o h n , and B i l l y was a s o l d i e r , and I was w a l k i n g a l l n i g h t w i t h my broom. T h e r e ' s no hope h e r e . (He l e a v e s s t a g e and w a l k s up c e n t e r a i s l e , ) MURPHY L o u i s l LOUIS ( T u r n i n g , s t o p p i n g , ) What? MURPHY L e t ' s h a v e a b i t o f a g o o d b y e . LOUIS Goodbye, J o h n . (He t u r n s , ) MURPHY Goodbye. MADISON L o u i s . LOUIS Y e s , ( T u r n s , ) MADISON We d i d n ' t f i n d h e r , d i d we? LOUIS No. (He l e a v e s . ) MADISON ( W h i s t l e s as f o r a d o g , w a i t s , and t h e n c a l l s , s n a p p i n g h i s f i n g e r s . ) M a r y . H e r e , M a r y . Come a l o n g , M a r y . Be a go o d g i r l now. (He w a n d e r s o f f s t a g e r i g h t , s t i l l s e a r c h i n g and c a l l i n g . ) MURPHY ( W a i t s a m i n u t e , g r i n s m o n s t r o u s l y , and d a n c e s b e h i n d h i s b e n c h . A m i n u t e l a t e r t h e c u r t a i n f a l l s t o t h e t u n e o f "A T i s k e t , a T a s k e t , a G r e e n and Y e l l o w B a s k e t . " ) 59 THE FABULOUS FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH A d a r k r a i n f o r e s t w i t h c l i n g i n g v i n e s , swamp n o i s e s , e t c . The QUEEN, y o u n g and b e a u t i f u l , c l a d i n swamp a t t i r e and c a r r y i n g a g r e a t s t i c k , w a l k s o u t o f t h e swamp ( b a c k s t a g e ) i n an e a s y , c e r t a i n m a n n e r , QUEEN T h i s ( s w e e p i n g g e s t u r e ) i s t h e swamp, my swamp, I'm t h e Queen, T h a t ( t h e t h e a t e r ) i s t h e G r e a t R i v e r o f F e a r w h i c h no one h a s e v e r t h o u g h t o f c r o s s i n g , T h i s i s my h a t e s t i c k . When anyone i n t h e swamp m i s b e h a v e s — p o w . O v e r t h e r e ( b e h i n d a u d i e n c e ) i s t h e b o t t o m l e s s q u i c k s a n d where t h e w o r l d e n d s . T h e r e t h e g r e a t h a t e b i r d w h e e l s l a u g h i n g t h r o u g h t h e f o g , and s o r r o w b e a t s t h e w a t e r w i t h h e r b r o k e n w i n g s . But we f o l k s i n t h e swamp d o n ' t m i n d . C u r i o s i t y i s f r o w n e d upon h e r e . J u s t l e a v e r e a l i t y a l o n e and i t won't b o t h e r y o u . We're q u i t e com-f o r t a b l e . I t g e t s a l i t t l e h o t and muggy s o m e t i m e s , and t h e i n s e c t s do h a v e a way o f g e t t i n g i n where you d o n ' t want them. B u t , a l l i n a l l , t h i n g s a r e good enough i n t h e swamp t h a t we d o n ' t want t o go o f f on any w i l d g o o s e c h a s e s . B e s i d e s , t h e e x a c t b o r d e r s a r e n ' t known, and many o f us s u s p e c t t h a t t h e r e i s no e n d t o t h e swamp, A l i t t l e k n o w l e d g e i s a bad t h i n g — a s we s a y h e r e i n t h e swamp — and a l o t o f k n o w l e d g e i s w o r s e . So we've s e t t l e d r i g h t down h e r e , p a i r e d o f f , b u i l t t r e e h u t s — t h e w o r k s . A n d b e i n g c o m f o r t a b l e t a k e s so much t i m e t h a t we r e a l l y h a v e n ' t g o t any l e f t f o r c r a c k p o t s c h e m e s . But e v e r y o nce i n a w h i l e a s t r a n g e r s t u m b l e s i n t o o u r m i d s t — f r o m a n o t h e r 60 p a r t o f t h e swamp, we assume. A n d , o f t e n as n o t , t h e f e l l o w i s an e x p l o r e r , and y o u know what t h e y ' r e l i k e — a l w a y s t h i n k i n g t h i n g s a r e d i f f e r e n t somewhere e l s e . W e l l , t h e s e c r a n k s — w e c a l l them f u z z y - m i n d e d i d e a l i s t s h e r e — a r e r e a l t r o u b l e m a k e r s . The l a s t one l e d s e v e r a l h u n d r e d o t h e r w i s e sane and r e s p e c t a b l e swamp d w e l l e r s o f f i n t o t h e q u i c k s a n d and t h e y were n e v e r h e a r d f r o m a g a i n . You c a n see why we t r y t o s t o p t h e s e f e l l o w s b e-f o r e t h e y g e t s t a r t e d . The r e a s o n I s a y a l l t h i s i s b e c a u s e one h a s been s i g h t e d b u m b l i n g a l o n g i n t h e d i s t a n c e o f t h e swamp and, l i k e l y as n o t , h e ' l l s t u m b l e t h i s w a y — a n d I w o u l d n ' t want anyone t o j u d g e t h e r e s t o f t h e swamp by h i s b e h a v i o r . I t h i n k I can a l r e a d y h e a r h i m c r a s h i n g t h r o u g h t h e u n d e r g r o w t h . (She g l i d e s b a c k i n t o t h e swamp 0) (PONCE, a r e l a t i v e l y y o u n g man i n c o l o r f u l c o a t and p a n t s , s w a s h -b u c k l e r ' s b o o t s , a r e d h a t w i t h a huge g r e e n f e a t h e r , c a r r y i n g a r a p i e r . He s t u m b l e s a c r o s s s t a g e u n t a n g l i n g h i m s e l f f r o m v i n e s . ) PONCE Damn swamp. ( U n t a n g l e d , he s t r u t s . ) T h e r e . I'm g e t t i n g a d j u s t e d . (QUEEN makes a swamp n o i s e ; he j u m p s . ) Wupwupwupwupl (He t u r n s , d r a w s , t h r u s t s . ) T h e r e l Take t h a t . And t h a t . ( P a u s e . ) T h a t s i l e n c e d them. (Movement i n b u s h . H i s k n e e s s h a k e , h i s r a p i e r w a v e r s . ) Draw, y o u b e a s t . Out and f i g h t l i k e a man. ( H i s h a n d s h a k e s b a d l y . ) I f y o u d o n ' t o u t , I ' l l i n , and h e l l t o p a y l (A s m a l l r a b b i t h o p s o u t o f t h e b u s h . They s t a r e a t , w a l k , hop a r o u n d e a c h o t h e r . ) L o o k s l i k e a r a b b i t . H e l l o t h e r e , l i t t l e r a b b i t . L o s t ? ( A s i d e . ) P r o b a b l y knows h i s way a r o u n d t h i s swamp a h e l l o f a l o t b e t t e r t h a n I do. (To RABBIT.) 61 I d o n ' t s u p p o s e y o u c o u l d g i v e me some d i r e c t i o n s * (RABBIT t h i n k s " R a b b i t s c a n ' t t a l k , s t u p i d . " ) W e l l , I r e a l l y must be on my way. Say h e l l o t o y o u r ( vague g e s t u r e ) and g o o d day t o y o u , l i t t l e r a b b i t , (He t a k e s a s t e p , h e a r s a h o p , t a k e s a s t e p , h e a r s a h o p, s t o p s , ) W e l l , r a b b i t , on t h e same r o a d , a r e y o u ? T h a t ' s l i f e . T r a i l s come t o g e t h e r f o r a w h i l e , t h e n p a r t , and t h a t ' s t h e way o f i t . So l e t us , . , ( A s i d e ) I t h i n k I'm g e t t i n g a l i t t l e v ague f o r h i m . S t i c k t o t h e c o n c r e t e . T h a t ' s t h e way t o t a l k t o a n i m a l s , (RABBIT w i g g l e s e a r s f u r i o u s l y . ) What's t h a t ? (RABBIT c r o s s e s e a r s , ) You h a v e s o m e t h i n g t o s a y t o me? (RABBIT n o d s , ) W e l l ? (RABBIT waves h i m o v e r , PONCE k n e e l s b e s i d e h i m . RABBIT l o o k s a r o u n d c a u t i o u s l y , removes l a r g e f o l d e d y e l l o w p a p e r f r o m p o c k e t and hands i t t o PONCE,) What's t h i s ? N o l An o l d S p a n i s h map? (RABBIT n o d s . ) Why, i t c o v e r s t h e w h o l e swamp and b e y o n d , I j u s t c r o s s t h e G r e a t R i v e r and f o l l o w t h e d o t t e d l i n e t o t h e b i g X* (RABBIT n o d s . ) What c o u l d be s i m p l e r ? (RABBIT a g r e e s . ) ( R e a d i n g . ) A nd t h e r e , a c r o s s t h e R i v e r o f • • • F e a r , i n t h e m i d d l e o f a b r i g h t l a n d f u l l o f r e d and y e l l o w b i r d s and g o l d e n c a t t l e i s L a f a b u l o s a f u e n t e de l a j u e n t r i d . . . The F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h , ! ( L e a p s up*) E t e r n a l y o u t h ! A l a n d r u l e d by l i f e i n s t e a d o f d e a t h . Why t h e n e v e r y t h i n g w o u l d be p o s s i b l e : h a p p i n e s s , k i n d -n e s s . • o i f o n l y I can f i n d t h e d o t t e d l i n e . The swamp may h a v e r e c l a i m e d i t . B ut f i r s t I must c r o s s t h e R i v e r o f . , • F e a r . T h a n k s a m i l l i o n , r a b b i t . G o o d b y e . ( E x i t , n e a r l y s k i p p i n g , RABBIT w a v e s , t h e n s e e s QUEEN c o m i n g and h u r r i e s 6 2 o f f . ) QUEEN What d i d I t e l l y o u — a p e r f e c t n u t . A n d j u d g i n g f r o m t h a t i n s a n e g l e a m i n h i s e y e — a t o u g h one t o c r a c k . But t h e swamp a l w a y s w i n s . ( S m i l e s . ) H i s da y s a r e numbered. ( L o o k i n g o f f s t a g e , ) What's t h i s ? Oh no! Two m o r e l T h i n g s j u s t a r e n ' t what t h e y u s e d t o b e . Damn f o r e i g n e r s g e t t i n g i n e v e r y w h e r e ! ( G l i d e s b a c k i n t o swamp.) (DIRECTOR OF PRISONS and POSTMASTER GENERAL s t a g g e r o n , m i d d l e -a g e d , o u t o f b r e a t h , and c l o t h e d i n t h e r u i n s o f o f f i c e . ) POSTMASTER ( R u n n i n g up b e h i n d . ) D i d y o u h e a r t h a t ? Some h o r r i b l e b e a s t i s t r a c k i n g u s . DIRECTOR ( B r u s h i n g h i m o f f . ) O n l y y o u , my d e a r P o s t m a s t e r -G e n e r a l , p l a g u e t h i s e x p e d i t i o n . POSTMASTER Why, D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s , I d i d n ' t know y o u f e l t l i k e t h a t . A r e f o r t y y e a r s i n t h e C i v i l S e r v i c e as n o t h i n g t o y o u ? DIRECTOR R a t h e r f o u r d a y s and n i g h t s i n t h i s f o u l swamp a r e as e v e r y t h i n g t o me, ( S i t s . ) POSTMASTER ( S i t t i n g . ) A h, b u t remember t h e w o n d e r f u l t e a s we've h a d . • « t h e G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a l ' s w o n d e r f u l t e a s . DIRECTOR T h o s e t e a s were p u r e h e l l ! I f o n l y I h a d been G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a l . POSTMASTER I f o n l y , , . DIRECTOR I f i t h a d n ' t been f o r h i s w i f e I n e v e r c o u l d have s t u c k t h i s n a t i v e - i n f e s t e d w i l d e r n e s s f o r f o r t y y e a r s . POSTMASTER She was a r e a l d o l l a l l r i g h t . , , at l e a s t f o r t h e f i r s t t w e n t y . 63 DIRECTOR Oh, d o n ' t r e m i n d me, ( P a u s e , ) Remember t h e day t h e G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a l d i e d ? POSTMASTER T h a t WAS a c o r k e r ! R i g h t a t t h e most i m p o r t a n t t e a o f t h e y e a r ! DIRECTOR ( P u m p i n g l e g s r a p i d l y . ) T h a t damn l i t t l e cup was d a n c i n g on my k n e e s , I n e a r l y s q u e e z e d my c u p c a k e i n t o g r u e l ! S t i l l , a d y i n g e p i l e p t i c a t t h e C o l o n i a l Day T e a — n o l a u g h i n g m a t t e r , POSTMASTER E s p e c i a l l y i f i t h a p p e n s t o be t h e G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a l , (They r o a r . ) DIRECTOR ( R e f l e c t i v e l y . ) T h a t t a k e s t h e c a k e a l l r i g h t . POSTMASTER ( E n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y . ) And when he p u l l e d t h e t a b l e -c l o t h a f t e r h i m . DIRECTOR The l a d i e s d i d n ' t n o t i c e a t h i n g u n t i l t h e pun c h b o w l s t a r t e d s l i d i n g away, POSTMASTER " W e l l ! " she s a i d . DIRECTOR " T h i s i s a b i t u n u s u a l . " POSTMASTER " I s a y , S u s a n , t h e p u n c h b o w l ; i t seems t o be . . ." DIRECTOR "Why, L i l l y , i t c e r t a i n l y d o e s . " POSTMASTER " S u s a n , w i l l y ou l o o k a t t h e G o v e r n o r - G e n e r a l ! " DIRECTOR " C e r t a i n l y i s k i c k i n g up a f u s s , i s n ' t h e ? " POSTMASTER " S p o i l i n g o u r t e a . " DIRECTOR "Oh, L i l l y , t h e p u n c h b o w l , i t ' s g o i n g t o . » . ,» ( L a u g h s m a d l y . ) POSTMASTER ( R o a r i n g . ) "Oh, S u s a n . . . S p f s s s . . , i t f e l l on h i s . . , ." ( S l a p s k n e e . ) 64 DIRECTOR ( C r a c k i n g up,) », . „ on . h i s h e a d , L i l l y , on h i s h e a d * * POSTMASTER ( L o s i n g a l l c o n t r o l , ) " h e e h a a h e e h a a h e e h a a . , DIRECTOR ( E l o q u e n t l y s e r i o u s , ) Oh, M e l i n d a , c o u l d n ' t we make a go o f i t ? I s a i d , POSTMASTER S o r r y , d e a r ; y o u ' r e j u s t t o o o l d , she s a i d , (They e m b r a c e , s o b b i n g . ) QUEEN ( B e h i n d them.) T e l l i n g s t o r i e s ? DIRECTOR ( H o l d i n g POSTMASTER t i g h t l y . ) S t o r i e s , s t o r i e s ; a r e t h e y o n l y s t o r i e s ? QUEEN ( C o m i n g d o w n s t a g e , ) I f e a r y o u g e n t l e m e n h a v e been t o o l o n g i n t h e swamp, POSTMASTER L o o k , D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s , a n a t i v e ! DIRECTOR ( F o c u s i n g . ) Why y e s , so i t i s . ( S t a n d i n g . ) I . . , w h i t e man . , . come i n f r i e n d s h i p . . . ( E l b o w s POSTMASTER.) Get t h e b e a d s , s t u p i d ! (POSTMASTER s e a r c h e s f r a n t i c a l l y . To QUEEN.) G r e e t i n g s f r o m b i g f o r t , , . g a r r i s o n . . . T a l l a h a s s e e . , . (QUEEN m e r e l y s m i l e s . ) (To POSTMASTER.) Don't know t h e names o f t h e i r own s e t t l e m e n t s . » . (To QUEEN,) . . . P e a c e . • . QUEEN ( B a d t a s t e . ) Ugh! POSTMASTER I c a n ' t f i n d them! DIRECTOR N e v e r m i n d , she l o o k s s t u p i d . ( B e s t manner.) H e l l o t h e r e , l i t t l e n a t i v e g i r l . I'm t h e ( c o u g h ) D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s a t t h e T a l l a h a s s e e G a r r i s o n . I'm v i s i t i n g y o u r f a i r swamp b e -c a u s e I ' v e l o s t my ( c h o k e ) . . . e x c u s e me, I g e t a l l c h o k e d up . . . my y o u t h , and maybe y o u can h e l p me f i n d i t a g a i n . 65 F o r e x a m p l e (Adds s i g n l a n g u a g e ) , y o u w o u l d n ' t h a v e a n i c e t r e e h u t we c o u l d l e a p i n and c a t c h a l i t t l e , w o u l d y o u ? My i n t e n -t i o n s a r e r e a l l y up and up. (He s t a g g e r s f o r w a r d , l e e r i n g . ) Of c o u r s e I w i l l s p e a k t o y o u r f a t h e r . . . POSTMASTER ( S t i l l s i t t i n g . ) S a y h e l l o f o r me. DIRECTOR C e r t a i n l y . (To QUEEN.) I o n l y d e s i r e a l i t t l e r e s t b e f o r e I come t o t h e end o f t h e t r a i l . ( A d v a n c i n g e l o q u e n t l y . ) J u s t a mat on t h e n a t i v e f l o o r . . . POSTMASTER Have f u n . D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s . DIRECTOR I w i l l , t h a n k y o u , P o s t m a s t e r G e n e r a l . (To QUEEN.) J u s t a moment o f r e s p i t e , a n e a t f e a t t o b e a t t h e h e a t . . . POSTMASTER N i c e l i n e . DIRECTOR ( A f f e c t e d by h e a t . ) T h a t ' s q u i t e enough f r o m y o u j (To QUEEN.) A n n , my l o v e . . . u f , y o u n g l a d y , t o l i e p l e a s a n t l y e n s c o n c e d on t h e c o o l l e a v e s . . . POSTMASTER G i v e h e r a t u r n o f t h e key f o r me. DIRECTOR You d e a d l e t t e r . (To QUEEN.) Now, l o v e b u t t s . . . uh, l i t t l e n a t i v e g i r l , n a k e d i n t h e shade o f t h e c o c o a n u t p a l m s • • • POSTMASTER ( S i n g i n g . ) L o c k h e r up And k n o c k h e r up » » • DIRECTOR You o b s c e n e . . . QUEEN ( S i n g i n g . ) L o c k h e r up And k n o c k h e r up « • • QUEEN and POSTMASTER My f a i r p r i s o n e r l DIRECTOR ( T u r n i n g , t u r n i n g . ) My k e y s , I've l o s t my k e y s ! QUEEN ( K i c k i n g h i m . ) T h e r e t h e y a r e ! (She l a u g h s . He f a l l s . ) 66 POSTMASTER ( C a t c h i n g h i m , ) You s h o u l d n ' t h a v e done t h a t ! He's an o l d man, QUEEN I w o u l d n ' t h a v e done i t o t h e r w i s e , POSTMASTER Now we've g o t t o f i n d t h e f o u n t a i n ! QUEEN What f o u n t a i n ? POSTMASTER Why, t h e F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h ! QUEEN ( A s i d e . ) I t must be h o t t e r t h a n u s u a l . (To POSTMASTER.) And what makes y o u t h i n k t h i s f o u n t a i n i s i n my swamp? POSTMASTER We met t h i s r a b b i t w i t h a map . , • QUEEN ( A s i d e . ) R a b b i t s j u s t d o n ' t f i t , do t h e y ? POSTMASTER . • , and we're l o o k i n g f o r a p l a c e t o c r o s s t h e G r e a t R i v e r , QUEEN But y o u . . . DIRECTOR ( M u m b l i n g . ) . . . so s a d . • • a l l t h o s e y e a r s . . . a l l t h o s e p e o p l e I ' l l n e v e r see a g a i n . They seem so r e a l . A r e t h e i r l i v e s t o o . . . s l i p p i n g away? QUEEN B e t t e r g i v e h i m some c o c o a n u t m i l k . POSTMASTER Y e s . QUEEN A n d t h e n , g e t o u t o f my swamp! DIRECTOR ( L o o k i n g up.) Oh! C o u l d n ' t we s t a y ? POSTMASTER We've g o t no p l a c e t o g o . DIRECTOR We've b u r n e d o u r c a n o e s . POSTMASTER A n d h e r e we a r e ! QUEEN I ' l l b e t y o u c o u l d do w o n d e r s f o r my a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ! DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER We c e r t a i n l y c o u l d ! QUEEN Then j u s t hop on t h a t c r o c o d i l e o v e r t h e r e . H e ' l l t a k e yo u t o t h e R o y a l C l e a r i n g , 6 7 POSTMASTER ( S c u r r y i n g . ) The R o y a l C l e a r i n g ! ( E x i t . ) DIRECTOR ( H u r r y i n g . ) T h i s IS an h o n o r ! ( S t o p p i n g . ) A r e y o u s u r e h e ' s s a f e ? QUEEN A r e a l v e g e t a b l e . (DIRECTOR h a l f - s m i l e s . ) The m i n d o f a f r o g and t h e s o u l o f a l o g . (DIRECTOR e x i t s t r y i n g t o c o n -v i n c e h i m s e l f . ) QUEEN I s e v e r y b o d y h a p p y ? DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER ( O f f s t a g e . ) Y e s ! QUEEN L e t me h e a r i t ! ! DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER Yes 11 QUEEN Then h a p p y t r a v e l i n g l (She waves.) DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER ( S i n g i n g o f f s t a g e w h i l e QUEEN d a n c e s ) : THE CROCODILE SONG A - r o v i n g we w i l l go T h r o u g h t h e i c e and snow. W e ' l l f e a r n o r w i n d , n o r s l e e t , n o r h a i l , N o r t h e b e l l y o f t h e w h a l e . N o r t h e h a t e b i r d f l y i n g h i g h - -Who wants us t o want t o d i e - -N o r t h e i c e b e a r i n h i s c a v e . N o r t h e d e a t h s h a r k on t h e wave; F o r we're t r a v e l i n g i n f i n e s t y l e On t h e b a c k o f a c r o c o d i l e ! QUEEN ( S t o p p i n g ) Whe'wl What a s t r a i n k e e p i n g t h e o l d swamp s p i r i t u p. But i t makes f o r good c i t i z e n s h i p . Now I must r u s h t o t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e swamp on my w o n d e r f u l h a t e b i r d — w h o i s a l w a y s w a i t i n g j u s t o u t o f s i g h t - - a n d q u e l l a p i c n i c some h a p p y - g o - l u c k y s p a r r o w s h a v e begun. ( E x i t i n t o swamp.) PONCE ( E n t e r s s c r a t c h i n g , s i t s down t o r e s t . ) Damn m o s q u i t o e s , f l e a s , l i c e . « » what n e x t ? T h i n g s w i l l be d i f f e r e n t at t h e F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n , T h e r e t h e t e m p e r a t u r e i s a l w a y s r i g h t , and 68 none o f t h e c r e a t u r e s b i t e e a c h o t h e r . T h i s swamp j u s t d o e s n ' t l i k e me. (He s e n s e s movement b e h i n d h i m , t u r n s , n e a r l y d r a w s , b u t d o e s n »t.) W i l l y o u l o o k a t t h a t . What a b e a u t i f u l , b e a u t i -f u l b u t t e r f l y a I ' v e n e v e r s e e n s u c h a b e a u t i f u l b u t t e r f l y ! (BUTTER f l u t t e r s h e r w i n g s , moves c l o s e r t o PONCE, a l m o s t b o w i n g . ) I wonder i f b u t t e r f l i e s t a l k . R a b b i t s d o n ' t . I'know t h a t f o r a f a c t . Y o u ' r e so l o v e l y l (BUTTER m e l t s . ) P r e t t y l i t t l e b u t t e r b u t t e r f l y . . . h e l l o . BUTTER H e l l o , PONCE ( L e a p i n g up, r u n n i n g a r o u n d . ) She s p o k e l She s p o k e l A b u t t e r f l y s p o k e t o me! ( A s i d e . ) Boy, am I i n t u n e w i t h n a t u r e . (To BUTTER.) But I d o n ' t s u p p o s e a l l b u t t e r f l i e s s p e a k . O t h e r b u t t e r f l i e s a r e n ' t l i k e y o u , a r e t h e y ? (She s h a k e s h e r h e a d . ) T h e y ' r e s m a l l e r . (She hangs h e r h e a d . ) Oh, I'm s o r r y . I l i k e b i g b u t t e r f l i e s . Do y o u l i k e p e o p l e ? (She s h r u g s . ) I'm P o n c e , t h e famous e x p l o r e r , (No r e a c t i o n . ) You can c a l l me Po n c e • • , What s h a l l I c a l l y o u ? BUTTER B u t t e r . PONCE B u t t e r l T h a t ' s a w o n d e r f u l namel ( B e n d i n g , ) I t ' s as p r e t t y as you' a r e . B u t t e r , may I ask y o u a q u e s t i o n ? (She n o d s , ) . What do y o u do h e r e i n t h e swamp? BUTTER I f l y a r o u n d . PONCE And l a n d on f l o w e r s ? (She n o d s . ) And . . . y o u l i k e t o d a r t a b o u t i n t h e s u n ? (She nods e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y , ) T e l l me s o m e t h i n g , when y o u ' r e j u s t s i t t i n g , why do y o u open and c l o s e y o u r w i n g s ? 69 BUTTER I t f e e l s g o o d . PONCE I knew i t J I knew i t I But oh. B u t t e r , y o u ' r e n o t g o i n g t o . . « t h i s i s n ' t y o u r o n l y d a y , i s i t ? (She nods s l o w l y . ) Oh, i t i s n ' t f a i r . I w i s h y o u c o u l d s t a y h e r e and l i v e w i t h me. BUTTER I do t o o . PONCE B u t , y o u know, t h e r e ' s a f a b u l o u s f o u n t a i n , and maybe y o u c o u l d f l y t h e r e , and become y o u n g a g a i n , and . . . BUTTER You w o u l d n ' t l i k e me. PONCE Why n o t ? BUTTER I was d i f f e r e n t . PONCE Oh. ( P a u s e . ) B u t t e r . . . w i l l y o u s h a r e y o u r day w i t h me? (She n o d s . They j u s t k i s s . H e r w i n g s q u i v e r . H i s arms move a l i t t l e l i k e w i n g s . They l o o k at e a c h o t h e r . She f l i e s away.) PONCE ( T r y i n g t o f l y and n o t d o i n g t o o w e l l . ) B u t t e r , w a i t f o r me. W a i t . QUEEN ( E m e r g i n g f r o m swamp, where BUTTER, l e f t . ) F e e l i n g t h e h e a t ? PONCE (Dumbfounded.) Who a r e y o u ? QUEEN I'm t h e Queen o f t h e swamp. PONCE I d i d n ' t know swamps h a d q u e e n s . QUEEN T h i s one d o e s , and I'm no mere f i g u r e h e a d e i t h e r . PONCE More power t o y o u . QUEEN ( S t a m p i n g s t i c k . ) The more t h e m e r r i e r . PONCE ( S i t t i n g . ) When y o u g e t a l l y o u w a n t , w o u l d y o u m i n d c o o l i n g t h e swamp o f f a b i t , and g e t t i n g r i d o f t h e f l e a s ? 7 0 QUEEN S t a n d up I PONCE ( S t a n d i n g . ) A n d t h e n b r i n g B u t t e r b a c k t o me. QUEEN S h e ' s a l r e a d y d e a d . PONCE What? QUEEN Time f l i e s . ( S i t s . ) You may s i t . PONCE ( S i t t i n g . ) I hope she t h o u g h t o f me when . . . QUEEN B u t t e r f l i e s h a v e s h o r t m e m o r i e s . PONCE She d i d n ' t h a v e much p a i n . . . QUEEN A l i z a r d g o t h e r . A b i g swamp l i z a r d . L i f e i s bad i n t h e swamp. PONCE P o o r B u t t e r . QUEEN No use c r y i n g o v e r s p i l t l i v e s . PONCE I f o n l y we c o u l d have h a d t h e one d a y . QUEEN What d i f f e r e n c e w o u l d t h a t make? I t ' s a l l c a n c e l l e d i n t h e e n d . PONCE ( T h o u g h t f u l l y . ) Y e s , t h a t ' s t r u e h e r e . I'm l o o k i n g f o r a p l a c e where i t i s n ' t . QUEEN Y o u ' r e w a s t i n g y o u r t i m e . The swamp i s e v e r y w h e r e . PONCE But y o u h a v e n ' t s e e n t h e map w i t h t h e d o t t e d l i n e . QUEEN And t h e b i g X t h e S p a n i a r d s c r a t c h e d i n t h e mud two h u n d r e d y e a r s ago? PONCE T h a t ' s t h e o n e . QUEEN Don't be r i d i c u l o u s l Grown men d o n ' t b e l i e v e i n o l d S p a n i s h maps and f a b u l o u s f o u n t a i n s . PONCE They d o n ' t ? QUEEN No, They f i n d n i c e n a t i v e g i r l s , b u i l d t r e e h u t s , and 71 work t h e i r way up i n t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n , PONCE Then t h e y c o u l d n ' t b e l i e v e i n t h e f o u n t a i n , QUEEN Of c o u r s e n o t . T h e y ' r e s u r e t h e r e i s n ' t o n e. So t h e y s e t t l e down t o a l i f e f r e e f r o m f a l s e h o p e s , PONCE I d o n ' t t h i n k I ' d . l i k e t h a t . QUEEN Why n o t ? PONCE These p e o p l e y o u t e l l me abo u t a r e c o n v i n c e d l i f e i s b a d . QUEEN They do t h e i r b e s t t o f o r g e t i t . PONCE I won't b e l i e v e i t ' s b a d u n t i l I see as much o f i t as p o s s i b l e . QUEEN Y o u r l i f e w i l l be w o r s e t h a n t h e i r s . They d o n ' t c o n c e r n t h e m s e l v e s w i t h t h e t r u t h . But you w i l l h a v e t o f a c e a g a i n and a g a i n t h e f a c t t h a t l i f e i s b a d . PONCE U n l e s s , o f c o u r s e . Y o u r M a j e s t y , i t i s n ' t . QUEEN You d o n ' t r e a l l y b e l i e v e t h a t ! PONCE Why n o t ? QUEEN Y o u ' r e n o t s e r i o u s ! No one b e l i e v e s t h a t ! PONCE L i f e i s n ' t n e c e s s a r i l y b a d . QUEEN Y o u ' r e k i d d i n g ! You c a n ' t f o o l me, y o u know. I ' v e been a r o u n d t h i s swamp, PONCE I'm n o t t r y i n g t o f o o l y o u . The r a b b i t gave me a wonder-f u l map. QUEEN Damn r o d e n t . N e v e r c o n t e n t w i t h h i s l o t , PONCE J u s t t h i n k , i f I do f i n d t h e f o u n t a i n , o u r l i v e s w i l l be c h a n g e d . . . QUEEN They c a n ' t be c h a n g e d . 72 PONCE E v e r y o n e w i l l h a v e t i m e t o f i n d o u t j u s t what t h e y do b e s t and t h e i r l i v e s won't be w a s t e d . E v e r y t h i n g t h e y do w i l l be s i g n i f i c a n t . QUEEN ( A s i d e . ) I t must be g e t t i n g h o t t e r . PONCE J u s t t h i n k what you c o u l d do, Y o u r M a j e s t y . You c o u l d make t h e swamp a n i c e p l a c e i n w h i c h t o l i v e . You c o u l d h e l p o l d e x p l o r e r s , and be k i n d t o l i t t l e a n i m a l s , and . . . QUEEN But as i t i s I can s e n d o l d e x p l o r e r s t o t h e l a n d o f n o - r e t u r n , and e a t l i t t l e a n i m a l s , and . . . PONCE W e l l , p e r h a p s y o u r p h i l o s o p h y i s a l l r i g h t f o r y o u , b u t t h e p e o p l e . . . QUEEN The p e o p l e l They d o n ' t c o u n t . PONCE But i f t h e y d i d . . . QUEEN You c e r t a i n l y t a k e t h e l o n g - r a n g e v i e w . PONCE T h a t ' s my s e c r e t . What's y o u r s ? QUEEN I j u s t s e e my p o i n t o f v i e w . PONCE But t h e r e ' s so much e l s e t o s e e . QUEEN W e l l , i f y o u j u s t want t o l o o k a t t h i n g s — b u t I want them f o r my own, and mine i s t h e way t o g e t them. I f t h e r e were a f o u n t a i n - - b i g enough f o r e v e r y b o d y - - I m i g h t t h i n k d i f f e r e n t l y . But t h e r e i s n ' t . B e l i e v e me, I'm n o t so y o u n g and b e a u t i f u l b e -c a u s e o f any s e c r e t f o u n t a i n — i t ' s n a t u r a l , PONCE I n e v e r d o u b t e d i t f o r a moment. QUEEN A n d d o n ' t t h i n k t h e f o u n t a i n c o u l d do a n y t h i n g f o r t h a t g a n g l y body o f y o u r s . PONCE I ' v e q u i t e a c c e p t e d my c o n d i t i o n . 73 QUEEN But n o t t h e swamp's? You know y o u w o u l d n ' t be b a d - l o o k i i f i t w e r e n ' t f o r t h a t i n s a n e g l e a m i n y o u r e y e . Why^ a r e y o u s u c h a c r a n k ? PONCE I d o n ' t know. QUEEN D i d anyone e v e r t e l l y o u t h a t y o u r l o w e r l i p q u i v e r s when y o u g e t e a r n e s t ? PONCE No. QUEEN Anyone w o u l d t h i n k y o u were d i r t y - m i n d e d . I ' l l b e t y o u ' r e r e a l l y l o o k i n g f o r a l a n d f u l l o f n a k e d v i r g i n s . PONCE I h a d n ' t t h o u g h t o f t h a t . QUEEN You h a d n ' t ? Had y o u t h o u g h t o f t h e f a c t t h a t when y o u f i n d y o u r f o u n t a i n — I s u s p e c t y o u ' r e l o o k i n g f o r s o m e t h i n g e l s e a l t o g e t h e r - - t h e r e ' 1 1 be n o t h i n g l e f t f o r y o u t o do b u t c h o o s e y o u r woman and s e t t l e down? J u s t l i k e h e r e — o n l y i t w i l l be f o r e v e r . A n d, l i k e l y as n o t , t h e f e m a l e s y o u ' l l f i n d i n t h e d i s t a n c e o f t h e s w a m p - - f a r f r o m t h e b a n a n a t r e e s - - w i l l be i n f e r i o r s p e c i m e n s . You c a n ' t i m a g i n e t h e d i f f e r e n c e . Why, l o o k h e r e at t h e R o y a l Body. S u c h l i n e s a r e unknown e l s e w h e r e i n t h e swamp. S u c h s p i r i t c a n ' t be f o u n d . Why I ' v e k i l l e d more men t h a n t h o s e l i t t l e swamp w h o r e s h a v e h a d ! See t h a t v e i n - - t h a t ' s b l u e b l o o d . I'm e v e r y i n c h a q u e e n . But t h e men a r o u n d h e r e b e l o n g o f f i n t h e s t i c k s . T h e r e ' s n o t one o f them f i t t o r u l e b e s i d e me. T h e y ' r e n o t h i n g b u t s a v a g e s . Not a d r o p o f g e n t l e m a n l y b l o o d i n t h e i r v e i n s . ( P a u s e . ) W e l l ? PONCE W e l l w h a t ? 7 4 QUEEN W e l l i t ' s a g o o d t h i n g I have my h a t e s t i c k t o keep them i n t h e i r p l a c e . W i t h o u t i t I ' d be j u s t a n o t h e r swamp b e a s t a t t h e m e r c y o f t h e l a r g e r a n i m a l s . What a r e y o u l o o k i n g at me w i t h t h a t i n s a n e g l e a m f o r ? I've g o t a g o o d m i n d t o g i v e y o u a wop w i t h my h a t e s t i c k . (RABBIT s t e a l s i t u n s e e n . ) W ould y o u l i k e a g o o d c r a c k , s t r a n g e r ? (Not f i n d i n g . ) OhJ My s t i c k . My h a t e s t i c k . My p o w e r ; i t ' s g o n e j PONCE ( C o n c e r n e d . ) T h e r e , t h e r e ; w e ' l l f i n d i t . I t c o u l d n ' t h a v e gone f a r . I t was h e r e j u s t a moment ago. QUEEN Somebody t o o k i t . Some p o w e r - h u n g r y s a v a g e . You see what l i f e i s l i k e ! ( C l o s e t o t e a r s . ) I want my p o w e r ! PONCE Now, now, I ' l l f i n d y o u r power f o r y o u . QUEEN ( L o o k i n g up,) You w i l l ? PONCE Y e s . I ' l l l o o k f o r i t w h i l e I'm t r y i n g t o f i n d a p l a c e t o c r o s s t h e r i v e r . You see t h e d o t t e d l i n e . . . QUEEN F o r g e t t h e d o t t e d l i n e . Whoever t o o k my power w o u l d go t o t h e i n t e r i o r where he c o u l d use i t . PONCE ( S t a n d i n g . ) Y o u r M a j e s t y , I ' l l do my b e s t t o f i n d i t , b u t I must l o o k where I'm g o i n g . QUEEN ( A n g r i l y . ) Then be c a r e f u l y o u d o n ' t drown i n t h e R i v e r o f F a r . Y o u ' l l l e a r n t h e h a r d way t h e swamp i s no goddamn p i c n i c , PONCE The h a r d way i s o f t e n t h e b e s t way, QUEEN ( S u m m a r i l y * ) G o o d b y e , PONCE G o o d b y e , ( E x i t i n q u e s t i n g p o s t u r e . ) QUEEN ( B i t t e r l y . ) Oh, l i t t l e r a b b i t . (RABBIT a p p e a r s , ) My h a t e s t i c k p l e a s e , (He h e s i t a t e s , ) T h a t ' s a R o y a l O r d e r , Bugs; 75 hop t o i11 (He does s o , ) Now come h e r e . (She t a k e s s t i c k . ) Don't be a f r a i d . (He s i t s . ) You c e r t a i n l y a r e a f r i e n d l y l i t t l e f e l l o w . Don't y o u e v e r g e t a f r a i d a l o n e i n t h e swamp a t n i g h t ? (RABBIT s h u d d e r s . ) H a v e n ' t you e v e r s a t u n d e r a l i t t l e b u sh when t h e swamp o w l s were h o o t i n g and t h e s n a k e s were d r o p p i n g f r o m t h e t r e e s ? (RABBIT b e g i n s t o s h a k e . ) Oh, d o n ' t g e t a f r a i d . I f y o u g e t a f r a i d y o u m i g h t r u n i n t o t h e q u i c k s a n d and s i n k t w i t c h i n g w h i l e s o m e t h i n g w a t c h e s f r o m t h e bank . . » o r r u n smash i n t o some b r a m b l y t h i n g s and g e t a l l t a n g l e d u p. Then you m i g h t h e a r s o m e t h i n g s n e a k i n g t o w a r d y o u and b r e a k y o u r l i t t l e l e g s t r y i n g t o g e t f r e e . (RABBIT i s s h a k i n g v i o l e n t l y . ) L i s t e n , r a b b i t , I'm t h e Queen a r o u n d h e r e , and I T m i n a p o s i t i o n t o t e l l y ou t h a t t h e swamp i s a v e r y bad p l a c e . I f y o u ' r e n o t c a r e f u l i t w i l l b r e a k y o u r l i t t l e b o n e s , o r h o l d you u n d e r i n t h e q u i c k s a n d , o r d i g e s t y o u i n t h e b e l l y o f a s n a k e . Now• y o u ' r e n o t g o i n g t o t e l l any more swamp s e c r e t s t o a n y b o d y , a r e y o u ? (RABBIT h e s i t a t e s , t h e n s h a k e s h e a d s l o w l y . ) T h a t ' s a go o d l i t t l e r a b b i t . Go f i n d y o u r s e l f a w i l d c a r r o t . (RABBIT e x i t s . ) (To a u d i e n c e . ) S e e ? The t a b l e s t u r n h e r e when I want them t o . A nd l i f e c o n t i n u e s i n t h e swamp j u s t t h e way I l i k e i t , ( S t a g e d a r k e n s . ) 76 SCENE I I The s e t t i n g i s t h e same b u t t h e c h a r a c t e r s h a v e aged somewhat. PONCE e n t e r s , h i s f e a t h e r b r o k e n , h i s b o o t s f a l l e n a r o u n d h i s a n k l e s , h i s r a p i e r r u s t e d . PONCE T h i s swamp must go on f o r e v e r . ( H e a r s s o m e t h i n g . ) What t h a t ? S o m e t h i n g i s t r a c k i n g me, I know i t . (He t r i e s t o draw R u s t e d . But I'm n o t b e a t e n y e t . (He a l m o s t g r o w l s , ) Swamp-b e a s t s d o n ' t s c a r e me, ( G e t t i n g down on a l l f o u r s . ) Come o n , b e a s t ; f i g h t me i f y o u d a r e • • , (RABBIT e n t e r s , m i s s i n g an e a r . ) R a b b i t I I s i t y o u ? (RABBIT n o d s . ) But what h a p p e n e d t o y o u r . . . (RABBIT t h i n k s " t h a t ' s l i f e . " ) ( S t a n d i n g . ) We seem t o be g e t t i n g b o g g e d down, l i t t l e f e l l o w . We h a d s u c h w o n d e r f u l p l a n s . We were g o i n g t o do so much more. Our l i v e s were g o i n g t o be so d i f f e r e n t . ( S i t t i n g . ) What's h a p p e n e d t o u s ? I was l o o k i n g f o r , , . (DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER e n t e r c a s u a l l y , a r r a y e d i n a l l t h e f i n e r y o f o f f i c e . ) DIRECTOR (To POSTMASTER.) „ , , and so I s a i d we r e a l l y must h a v e t h e c e l l s d r a i n e d . POSTMASTER Q u i t e , q u i t e . Oh l o o k . D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s , a l o i t e r e r . DIRECTOR (To PONCE,) I s a y , o l d f e l l o w , h a v e y o u g o t a swamp p e r m i t ? POSTMASTER We d o n ' t a l l o w l o i t e r i n g i n t h e swamp, PONCE ( S n a p p i n g awake.) I've g o t i t l The Queen's p o w e r , DIRECTOR You do? 7? POSTMASTER Good f o r y o u . PONCE You g e n t l e m e n h a v e n ' t s e e n t h e Queen's p o w e r ? DIRECTOR H a v e n ' t we? POSTMASTER What h a v e n ' t we s e e n ? DIRECTOR We h a v e n ' t s e e n h e r p a n t s . POSTMASTER Her f a b l e d p a n t s , r e d as r i p e t o m a t o e s . . . DIRECTOR S a y s who? POSTMASTER The M i n i s t e r o f T r a n s p o r t a t i o n and he s h o u l d know. DIRECTOR I n d e e d he s h o u l d . PONCE ( P a t i e n t l y . ) W e l l , h a v e y o u s e e n h e r p o w e r ? DIRECTOR We've s e e n i t k i l l s p a r r o w s . . • POSTMASTER . . . and t o r t u r e r a b b i t s . DIRECTOR I t a l l began when o u r c r o c o d i l e d i s a p p e a r e d i n t o t h e f i r s t c o o l bog . . . POSTMASTER . . . s a y i n g "Man, t h i s i s t h e l i f e . " DIRECTOR S i n c e t h e n we h a v e r i s e n t o p r o m i n e n c e i n t h e swamp. POSTMASTER A s c e n d e n c e . PONCE But where i s t h e Queen's p o w e r ? DIRECTOR I n my p o c k e t . POSTMASTER And m i n e . DIRECTOR But m o s t l y m i n e . I'm t h e D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s and t h i s i s t h e P o s t m a s t e r G e n e r a l . (They bow.) PONCE An h o n o r . And t h e Queen? DIRECTOR She h a s h e r h a t e s t i c k . POSTMASTER T h a t ' s a l l she w a n t s . PONCE ( P o l i t e l y . ) Have y o u h a d f u n w i t h t h e Queen's p o w e r ? 7 8 POSTMASTER Not l i k e we x^ould h a v e h a d w i t h h e r p a n t s . DIRECTOR No, we h a v e n ' t h a d much f u n a t a l l . POSTMASTER. ( S n i f f l i n g . ) I t ' s been t e r r i b l e . DIRECTOR P e t i t i o n s , p e t i t i o n s . . . POSTMASTER . . . and more p e t i t i o n s . DIRECTOR R e b e l l i o n i n t h e N o r t h . POSTMASTER F a m i n e i n t h e S o u t h . DIRECTOR F l o o d i n t h e E a s t . POSTMASTER F i r e i n t h e West. PONCE So l i f e i s b a d h e r e t o o . DIRECTOR What's t h a t ? POSTMASTER He s a i d l i f e i s b a d h e r e t o o . DIRECTOR N o n s e n s e , my b o y , l i f e i s good . . . POSTMASTER . . . g o o d , g o o d ! PONCE ( S t a n d i n g . ) T e l l t h e Queen you saw me and t h a t I'm o f f t o c r o s s t h e r i v e r . DIRECTOR The r i v e r . POSTMASTER The G r e a t R i v e r o f F e a r . DIRECTOR You c a n ' t do t h a t ! PONCE Why n o t ? DIRECTOR I'm s u r e i t ' s i l l e g a l . POSTMASTER I f n o t i m m o r a l . DIRECTOR ( T u r n i n g . ) We must c h e c k . POSTMASTER ( F o l l o w i n g . ) I m m e d i a t e l y . (They e x i t . ) , PONCE ( R e c a l l i n g . ) A c r o s s t h e R i v e r o f F e a r i n t h e m i d d l e o f a b r i g h t l a n d f u l l o f r e d and y e l l o w b i r d s a n d, and . . . i s 7 9 sue (RABBIT hops up and down.) • . , t h e F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h ! ( R A B B I T . c l a p s . ) Th e r e , I remembered. I t ' s a m a z i n g how you can g e t o u t o f t o u c h , ( S i t t i n g . ) e ven f o r g e t what you s t a r t e d o u t t o do. I t h i n k I was b e g i n n i n g t o r e p l a c e my v a l u e s xtfith swamp v a l u e s . T h a t w o u l d n e v e r d o . I ' d be j u s t a n o t h e r swampbeast a t t h e m e r c y o f t h e l a r g e r a n i m a l s . Where h a v e I h e a r d t h a t b e f o r e ? S>o q u i c k l y t h e o l d t i m e becomes a s w i r l i n g mess . . . j u s t y e a r s down t h e d r a i n . . . p e o p l e w a v i n g as t h e y g o . I f o n l y I c o u l d remember t h i n g s e x a c t l y as t h e y h a p p e n e d . T h e r e ' d be some k i n d o f r e d e m p t i o n i n t h a t . Why, I seem t o remember a b e a u t i f u l swamp queen s t a n d i n g i n a c l e a r i n g j u s t l i k e t h i s - - i t was one of t h o s e r a r e c o o l d a y s i n t h e s w a m p — t e l l i n g me I was t h e h a n d s o m e s t man s h e ' d e v e r l a i d e y e s o n . I can s t i l l h e a r h e r v o i c e . . . QUEEN ( S t a n d i n g b e h i n d h i m . ) Wrong, a l l w r o n g . Y o u r memory i s w a r p e d , P o n c e . PONCE My name I QUEEN N o t h i n g r e m a i n s t r u e t o f o r m . Y o u ' r e t h e t a l l t h i n man i n t h e c i r c u s m i r r o r . W h i l e y o u were l o o k i n g f o r l i f e i t w a l k e d r i g h t by y o u . A n d now y o u h a v e o n l y t h e m i r r o r . ( W h i s p e r e d . ) Take i t down f r o m t h e w a l l , P o n c e . P r e s s y o u r body up a g a i n s t i t and see how w e l l y o u f i t . ( N o r m a l l y . ) I s i t p o s s i b l e y o u ' v e e v e n l o s t y o u r s e l f ? L o o k ! I m a g i n e t h e r a p i e r s l i c i n g t h e a i r . (He t r i e s t o draw.) I m a g i n e a b u t t e r b u t t e r f l y k i s s i n g t h a t l Her w i n g s w o u l d f a l l o f f . She w o u l d d r y up and b l o w away — a s we s a y h e r e i n t h e swamp. (She d i s a p p e a r s . ) 80 PONCE Am I g r o w i n g o l d a l r e a d y ? Why t h e n I ' l l r u n d o w n h i l l l And when I'm d e a d I T 1 1 da n c e on my g r a v e • « » i f p o s s i b l e . Have I l o s t my s e l f ? N e x t I ' l l be h e a r i n g t h a t t h o s e two f o o l s h a v e f o u n d t h e i r s . ( S t a n d s and manages t o draw h i s r a p i e r . ) T h e r e , o l d b l a d e , r e a d y f o r a s l i c e o f l i f e ? R a b b i t l S h a l l we c o n t i n u e o u r q u e s t ? (RABBIT p r e s e n t s h i m w i t h a new f e a t h e r f o r h i s c a p . ) Why t h a n k s , o l d r o d e n t . Have o u r t r a i l s come t o -g e t h e r a g a i n ? (RABBIT n o d s . ) Then we're o f f l (They b e g i n gay e x i t . ) POSTMASTER (On t h e r u n . ) The D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s . . • ( L o u d s p l a s h ) , , , he j u s t f e l l i n t h e b o g ! PONCE ( S t o p p i n g . ) How d i d he do t h a t ? POSTMASTER W e l l , he was l e a n i n g o v e r i t b a c k w a r d s . . . Oh n e v e r m i n d , a r e n ' t y o u g o i n g t o s a v e h i m ? PONCE How l o n g do y o u t h i n k he can f l o a t ? POSTMASTER Not v e r y l o n g . H i s k e y s . , , PONCE I s e e . Y o u ' d b e t t e r d e c l a r e an e m e r g e n c y , POSTMASTER O n l y t h e Queen can do t h a t . Or maybe t h e D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s • , , PONCE S i n c e y o u know where t o f i n d h i m , . , POSTMASTER Oh, s a v e h i m l PONCE I c a n ' t s a v e h i m . VOICE OF CROCODILE I ' l l s a v e h i m , POSTMASTER Oh no, t h e c r o c o d i l e ! Do s o m e t h i n g ! PONCE J u s t a m i n u t e , f r i e n d . How come we h e a r d t h e o l d f e l l o w ' s s p l a s h a f t e r y o u a n n o u n c e d h i s f a l l ? ( A d v a n c i n g w i t h r a p i e r , ) T h e r e ' s f o u l p l a y h e r e . 81 POSTMASTER ( R e t r e a t i n g . ) Mo, n o . We were f r i e n d s . He k e p t t h e p r i s o n e r s , I k e p t t h e m a i l . PONCE Why d i d he f a l l ? POSTMASTER I d o n ' t know. I d o n ' t know. He was i l l - b a l a n c e d . A r e g u l a r l a r d - a s s . A man l i k e t h a t w a n t i n g t h e Queen f o r h i s o w n i K e p t c a l l i n g h e r M e l i n d a . He h a d no r i g h t . No r i g h t ! PONCE Go o n . POSTMASTER The Queen l o v e d me. She d i d h e r b e s t t o c o n c e a l i t , I d i d i t f o r h e r , I h a d t o , PONCE What d i d y o u do? POSTMASTER (On h i s k n e e s , ) I knew t h e D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s ' f a v o r i t e s p o t - - a h i g h bank w i t h g o o d f o o t i n g — a n d I went t h e r e i n t h e n i g h t , and I f o u n d h i s l i t t l e p i l e o f l e a v e s , and I w e i g h t e d them, and when he swung them o u t b e h i n d h i m he u p s e t t h a t d e l i c a t e b a l a n c e , and . , • PONCE So why come f o r h e l p ? POSTMASTER ( S n i f f l i n g . ) I was s o r r y . PONCE B e f o r e i t h a p p e n e d ? POSTMASTER ( C o l l a p s i n g i n t o t e a r s . ) I l o v e t h e Queen! PONCE (Ab o u t t o r u n h i m t h r o u g h . ) P e r h a p s l i f e w o u l d be b e t t e r a r o u n d h e r e w i t h o u t p e o p l e l i k e y o u , QUEEN ( E n t e r w a v i n g h a t e s t i c k , ) En g a r d e , y o u a s s a s s i n ! (They d u e l . ) You t r o u b l e m a k e r ! You d r e a m e r ! Take t h a t ! (He f o i l s h e r . ) A n d t h a t ! ( F o i l e d a g a i n , ) PONCE ( R e t r e a t i n g . ) Hey Queen! T h e r e Queen! Now Queen! Y o u r d i g n i t y , Y o u r i m a g e . 82 POSTMASTER ( j u m p i n g a r o u n d as i s RABBIT.) Oh, my Queen, my Queen. S h e ' s come t o s a v e me. Oh j o y ! Oh b l i s s d i v i n e ! Y o u r M a j e s t y , i f y o u w i n I ' l l m a r r y y o u . QUEEN ( C e a s i n g a t t a c k . ) He's y o u r s . POSTMASTER No, n o , n o ! (He r u n s smack i n t o t h e DIRECTOR. B o t h f a l l . ) DIRECTOR ( P o i n t i n g . ) He t r i e d t o ... « drown me! R o c k s on my l e a v e s . L o s t b a l a n c e . S p l a s h . S a b o t a g e . M u r d e r . I'm g o i n g t o l o c k h i m up. He c a n ' t d i r t y my s a s h ! ( G i v e s p u r s u i t . ) POSTMASTER H e l p , a madman! ( H i d e s b e h i n d QUEEN.) The m a i l s , what w i l l h a p p e n t o t h e m a i l s ? QUEEN (As DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER c i r c l e . ) P e o p l e d o n ' t seem t o w r i t e a n y more. PONCE I s n ' t t h a t t h e t r u t h ? QUEEN J u s t a d v e r t i s e m e n t s . PONCE T h a t ' s how i t i s . QUEEN Keeps t h e p o s t m e n b u s y . PONCE T h a t ' s a b o u t i t . POSTMASTER H e l p , h e l p , h e l p . . . ( E x i t . ) . . DIRECTOR You p o s t a g e - d u e s o n o f a b i t c h . . . ( E x i t i n h o t p u r s u i t . ) QUEEN R a b b i t , y o u ' d b e t t e r k e e p an eye on them. (RABBIT e x i t s . ) W e l l , P o n c e , t h e y e a r s h a v e been good t o y o u . PONCE Y o u ' r e l o o k i n g p r e t t y g o o d y o u r s e l f . (They s i t . ) So g o o d , i n f a c t , t h a t i t makes me a l i t t l e s u s p i c i o u s . QUEEN Oh r e a l l y , o f w h a t ? 8 3 PONCE Of y o u . Y o u r M a j e s t y , QUEEN Me? Oh P o n c e , why? PONCE What's i t l i k e a c r o s s t h e r i v e r ? QUEEN Oh, d o n ' t y o u know? PONCE No, QUEEN I t h o u g h t e v e r y b o d y knew, N o t h i n g b u t q u i c k s a n d . * , t h e h i g h l a u g h o f t h e h a t e b i r d w h e e l i n g t h r o u g h t h e f o g • , * t h e l a s t f l u t t e r o f s o r r o w b e a t i n g h e r b r o k e n w i n g s . PONCE T h a t ' s so s a d . How do y o u know? QUEEN ( L a u g h i n g , ) A l i t t l e b i r d t o l d me. PONCE And a f t e r w a r d s i t l a u g h e d . QUEEN No, She t r i e d t o f l y , but h e r w i n g s were b r o k e n , PONCE You've been t h e r e l QUEEN Y e s , I ' v e been t h e r e . Why do y o u t h i n k I s t a y h e r e ? PONCE I s i t so b a d t h e r e ? QUEEN The swamp i s e v e r y w h e r e . PONCE A r e y o u s u r e ? QUEEN You t h i n k I d o n ' t know my own swamp? PONCE But we're f o r g e t t i n g s o m e t h i n g — y o u ' r e so y o u n g and b e a u t i f u l , and we've been h e r e so l o n g . What's t h e s e c r e t ? QUEEN Why P o n c e , a l l t h e g i r l s ask me t h a t . PONCE They d o ? QUEEN Y e s , and I t e l l them i t ' s my p o s i t i v e o u t l o o k k e e p s y o u n g . PONCE No. QUEEN What h a s y o u r o u t l o o k done f o r y o u ? 8 4 PONCE I t ' s kept me a l i v e , QUEEN But what a l i f e - - o n the f r i n g e s o f t h e swamp l o o k i n g f o r t h e i m p o s s i b l e . You c o u l d have p a i r e d - o f f w i t h a n i c e n a t i v e g i r l » • • PONCE I've met some p r e t t y w o n d e r f u l a n i m s l , QUEEN But t h i n k o f a l l you've m i s s e d . I've h i t n e a r l y e v e r y -one i n t h e swamp w i t h my h a t e s t i c k , Powl PONCE A l m o s t h i t me o n c e . QUEEN I've h a d some g r e a t t i m e s . Once I s l a u g h t e r e d an e n t i r e v i l l a g e - - t h e y h a d r e f u s e d t o s a c r i f i c e t o t h e g r e a t h a t e b i r d -l a y i n g about me l e f t and r i g h t u n t i l n o t a p e r s o n was l e f t a l i v e ; e x c e p t a l i t t l e o n e - e y e d c h i l d I l e f t t o t e l l t h e s t o r y . PONCE To whom? QUEEN To s t r a n g e r s who don't know t h a t h a t e r u l e s t h e swamp, PONCE I know i t . T h a t ' s why I'm g o i n g to c r o s s t h e r i v e r . QUEEN Then you p r e f e r d e a t h . PONCE S t a y i n g h e r e i s o n l y w a i t i n g t o d i e , QUEEN Look a r o u n d y o u . T h i s i s t h e swamp as i t has always b e e n . And i t c o n t i n u e s . I t w o r k s . I t w i l l always be l i k e t h i s . Do you t h i n k i t would be any b e t t e r c r a w l i n g w i t h r e d and y e l l o w b i r d s , w i t h g o l d e n c a t t l e g e t t i n g s t u c k i n t h e bogs, w i t h happy p e o p l e bumping i n t o each o t h e r and f a l l i n g i n t o t h e r i v e r ? You must h a t e l i f e t o want t o change i t . Remember, t h e swamp d o e s n ' t l i k e p e o p l e who want t o change i t . I t w i l l change you f i r s t , Not much t i m e has p a s s e d from t h e swamp's p o i n t o f view, but you have w i t h e r e d l i k e a s u n f l o w e r i n t h e d a r k . 85 PONCE I know t h e swamp i s r e a l but I'm h e r e t o o . And I w o r k . And t h i s i s t h e way I am. My dreams a r e as r e a l as t h e mos-q u i t o e s . Maybe even t h e swamp h a s a dream. S o m e t i m e s I f e e l i t - - l i k e i t knows where i t ' s g o i n g . S o m e t h i n g i s h a p p e n i n g h e r e l i k e w a t e r s e e k i n g i t s l e v e l - - p a t i e n t l y f i n e x o r a b l y . . . QUEEN T h a t ' s d e a t h , P o n c e . Don't you f e e l i t i n y o u r b o n e s , r i s i n g a r o u n d them, s u c k i n g y o u down, down; and i n t h e d i s t a n c e a h i g h l a u g h ? Once I f e l t h i s i c y f i n g e r s c r a w l i n g up u n d e r my l e o p a r d s k i n . I gave h i m a g o o d c r a c k w i t h my h a t e s t i c k and I h a v e n ' t h a d any t r o u b l e w i t h h i m s i n c e . PONCE The dream i s l a r g e r t h a n d e a t h . A nd when I f e e l i t I know t h a t t h e f o u n t a i n i s somewhere n e a r . And so I l o o k , and l o o k i n g t o o f e e l s r i g h t . You c a n ' t b e a t t h a t f e e l i n g . Queen, any more t h a n y o u c a n h i t e v e r y g r e e n s h o o t i n t h e swamp w i t h y o u r h a t e s t i c k . QUEEN Who w a n t s t o ? I h a v e o n l y t o s t a n d by and w a t c h . The dream s h r i v e l s i n t h e h e a d and t h e w a t e r goes o u t o f t h e g r e e n s h o o t s ; t h e y t w i s t and c u r l and snap and r e t u r n t o t h e muck. PONCE But . . . QUEEN Don't move, P o n c e , I can h e a r y o u r bones c r e a k i n g . PONCE And I can h e a r y o u r h e a r t b e a t i n g . Can y o u ? QUEEN I h a v e no h e a r t . PONCE Why t h e n w e ' l l g i v e you o n e l L i s t e n ! T h a t ' s o u r b r e a t h i n g . Look a t u s . A r e n ' t we b e a u t i f u l ? QUEEN I may b e . You c e r t a i n l y a r e n ' t . PONCE But i s n ' t i t g o o d t o t a l k ? I m a g i n e . . . . r i g h t i n t h e m i d d l e o f t h e swampl 86 QUEEN T h e r e ' s .nowhere e l s e . P o n c e . ( P a u s e . ) I f I t a k e y o u a c r o s s t h e r i v e r and show y o u , w i l l y o u d r o p a l l t h i s n o n s e n s e ? PONCE I f i t i s n o n s e n s e . QUEEN ( S t a n d i n g . ) Then i f y o u ' l l e s c o r t me. PONCE ( S t a n d i n g , o f f e r i n g arm.) I t w i l l be a p l e a s u r e . QUEEN How I h a t e t o t r a v e l a l o n e . PONCE I t can g e t t i r i n g . QUEEN ( L i f t i n g a l e g . ) I f y o u ' l l j u s t h e l p me on my h a t e s t i c k . PONCE Why c e r t a i n l y , ( L i f t s h e r on.) How's t h a t ? -QUEEN J u s t f i n e . Now i f y o u ' d l i k e t o b o a r d . PONCE An h o n o r and a p r i v i l e g e . ( S t e p s g i n g e r l y o n . RABBIT e n t e r s e a g e r l y . ) Y o u r M a j e s t y , I have a f r i e n d . QUEEN ( S t a r t i n g h e r h a t e s t i c k . ) B r r f f g g h h . ( O v e r s h o u l d e r . ) What's t h a t ? PONCE ( S h o u t i n g . ) I h a v e a f r i e n d ! QUEEN Good f o r y o u . B r r f f g g h h . PONCE B u t , Y o u r M a j e s t y ! QUEEN B r r f f g g h h . What's t h a t ? PONCE He w a n t s t o come! QUEEN B r i n g h i m a l o n g t h e n . (RABBIT h o p s o n , QUEEN warms up, a l l s h a k e f u r i o u s l y . ) PONCE ( W a v i n g h a t . ) We're o f f ! We're o f f a c r o s s t h e r i v e r ! DIRECTOR ( E n t e r r u n n i n g . ) Hey! What's t h i s I h e a r a b o u t a F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h ? PONCE and QUEEN Oh n o ! (QUEEN a d j u s t s i d l e . ) 87 DIRECTOR Oh y e s . Y o u ' r e n o t g e t t i n g o f f w i t h o u t me I I ' v e g u a r d e d y o u r p r i s o n s , I ' v e c a r r i e d t h e b u r d e n o f o f f i c e , I came h e r e i n t h e f i r s t p l a c e l o o k i n g f o r y o u t h and I'm g o i n g t o f i n d i t , QUEEN ( P r e p a r i n g f o r f l i g h t . ) L e t ' s go, h a t e s t i c k . DIRECTOR ( G r a b b i n g end o f s t i c k , ) I'm n o t g o i n g t o l e t y o u . I want t o g o . I n e e d i t more t h a n y o u . I ha v e s e n i o r i t y ! B e s i d e s , t h e r e ' s M e l i n d a . ( G r a b b i n g PONCE.) I t o l d h e r a b o u t t h e f o u n t a i n and she s a i d s h e ' d w a i t . . . PONCE But n o t t o come b a c k u n t i l y o u ' d f o u n d i t ? DIRECTOR Why, y e s . QUEEN F o o l ! Get o n . (He does s o . She p u l l s t h r o t t l e . O v e r -l o a d e d , on a s h o r t s t r i p , t h e y a t t e m p t a w o b b l y t a k e - o f f , ) A L L ( E x c e p t RABBIT.) THE HATE S T I C K SONG H a t e s t i c k , h a t e s t i c k ; i n t h e a i r ! Make t h e h e a d s r o l l e v e r y w h e r e . H a t e s t i c k , h a t e s t i c k ; t a k e a c r a c k ! C a r r y us up on y o u r b a c k . H a t e s t i c k , h a t e s t i c k , r o u g h and t o u g h ; In t h e a i r - - a n d do y o u r s t u f f ! ! B r r f f g g h h h h ! ! POSTMASTER ( E n t e r r u n n i n g . ) Hey! W a i t f o r me! (He g r a b s DIRECTOR, who g r a b s RABBIT, e t c , A l l f a l l l o u d l y . ) QUEEN W a i t , h a t e s t i c k ! ( i t w a i t s . She c u t s i g n i t i o n , ) DIRECTOR (To POSTMASTER.) Now y o u ' v e done i t . I hope y o u ' r e h a p p y ! W e ' l l n e v e r f i n d t h e F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n . You s t a m p -l i c k ! How d i d y o u g e t o u t ? 88 POSTMASTER I p i c k e d t h e l o c k . I'm n o t s t u p i d , PONCE A p p a r e n t l y n o t . POSTMASTER And I l e t a l l t h e o t h e r p r i s o n e r s o u t t o o l So t h e r e ! DIRECTOR You d i d w h a t ? QUEEN He d i d ? PONCE L o o k s t h a t way. DIRECTOR (Up.) Our l i v e s a r e n ' t w o r t h a bog n i c k e l ! QUEEN (Up.) The swamp i s no l o n g e r s a f e ! POSTMASTER ( S t a y i n g p u t . ) I t i s f o r me. They l i k e me. PONCE (Up.) I s u g g e s t we c r o s s t h e r i v e r . QUEEN A f i n e i d e a , POSTMASTER (Up.) Oh, c o u l d we? DIRECTOR Some o f us c o u l d . P o s t m a s t e r G e n e r a l , i f i t w e r e n ' t f o r , , . (RABBIT s i g n a l s f u r i o u s l y w i t h r e m a i n i n g e a r . ) PONCE What's on y o u r m i n d . R a b b i t ? (RABBIT h o p s , p o i n t s . ) QUEEN He must know a p l a c e where we can jump o v e r . PONCE Y e s ! DIRECTOR Oh, w o n d e r f u l ! POSTMASTER Goody! ( A l l l i n e up b e h i n d RABBIT.) PONCE I s e v e r y b o d y h a p p y ? A L L Y e s ! QUEEN L e t me h e a r i t ! AL L ( H o p p i n g g a i l y a f t e r RABBIT,) Y e s ! ! DIRECTOR Don't p u l l ! POSTMASTER I'm n o t p u l l i n g j A L L ( E x c e p t RABBIT.) THE HOPPING SONG We're o f f and i t ' s t h e t r u t h F o r t h e F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h , A l l o v e r t h e p l a c e we w i l l hop T i l l we come t o a p l a c e where we s t o p . A nd t h e r e , we h e a r , we w i l l a l l d r i n k bee And g a i l y jump o v e r t h e R i v e r o f F e a r I n t o t h e F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h , We're o f f and i t ' s t h e t r u t h J J ( A l l e x i t h o p p i n g . S t a g e d a r k e n s , ) 90 SCENE I I I S t i l l t h e swamp. The c h a r a c t e r s a r e n o t i c e a b l y o l d e r , PONCE e n t e r s s l o w l y d r a g g i n g a c a r t w i t h DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER i n i t . The QUEEN p l o d s s e v e r a l p a c e s b e h i n d . They may d r a g them-s e l v e s once o r t w i c e a c r o s s t h e s t a g e , DIRECTOR (To POSTMASTER,) W e l l , we d i d n ' t l a n d smack-dab i n i t , d i d we? POSTMASTER Not smack-dab. No s i r e e . DIRECTOR ( B e h i n d h a n d , ) C o u l d s a y we m i s s e d a l t o g e t h e r , POSTMASTER ( C a c k l i n g . ) C o u l d . DIRECTOR L e t me s a y . P o s t m a s t e r G e n e r a l , t h a t i f t h i s e x p e d i -t i o n i s n o t a s u c c e s s , i t ' s been good t o h a v e a man l i k e y o u a l o n g , POSTMASTER ( W r i n g i n g h a n d s . ) Oh, i t ' s so n i c e o f y o u t o s a y s o , ( P a u s e . ) DIRECTOR I t ' s been an h o n o r t o s e r v e u n d e r me, h a s n ' t i t ? POSTMASTER Oh, y e s . I t ' s been an h o n o r t o s e r v e u n d e r y o u , s i r . DIRECTOR (Arm a r o u n d h i m . ) We've h a d some e x p e r i e n c e s ! POSTMASTER R e a l h u m d i n g e r s ! DIRECTOR Remember t h e day we c r o s s e d t h e R i v e r o f F e a r ? POSTMASTER , . , t h e r i v e r o f f e a r , t h e r i v e r o f f e a r . . . DIRECTOR Y e s , t h e m i g h t y R i v e r o f F e a r . POSTMASTER Oh, t h e R i v e r o f F e a r , DIRECTOR Y e s , t h a t ' s i t . 91 POSTMASTER Remember t h e t i m e we c r o s s e d i t ? DIRECTOR Y e s , y e s . I was j u s t . . « POSTMASTER T h a t was an e x p e r i e n c e ! DIRECTOR A r e a l j i m - d a n d y ! POSTMASTER I t was b o i l i n g w i t h t h e s p r i n g h a t e , DIRECTOR R a g i n g ! POSTMASTER We h a d j u s t f i n i s h e d t h e l a s t j a r o f p e a n u t b u t t e r . DIRECTOR The e s c a p e d p r i s o n e r s were c l o s i n g i n b e h i n d u s , POSTMASTER Swampbeasts t o t h e l e f t , DIRECTOR Q u i c k s a n d t o t h e r i g h t , POSTMASTER The d e a d l y p i r a n h a f i s h j u s t a h e a d , PONCE ( S t o p p i n g . ) W e l l , what h a p p e n e d ? POSTMASTER What a r e y o u — s t u p i d ? DIRECTOR E s c a p e a s i t u a t i o n l i k e t h a t ? POSTMASTER You t r y i t some t i m e ! (The QUEEN h a s c a u g h t up w i t h PONCE, who s e t s down c a r t . DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER d i s e m b a r k and s e t t l e down t o an i n t e n t game o f p i c k - u p - s t i c k s . ) QUEEN I see t h e y ' r e k e e p i n g t h e i r s p i r i t s u p, PONCE T h a t ' s l i f e . QUEEN ( S i t t i n g . ) How l o n g h a s i t b e e n ? PONCE ( S i t t i n g . ) Not so l o n g . . . QUEEN • , , f r o m t h e swamp's p o i n t o f v i e w . PONCE Y o u r M a j e s t y , any day now . » • QUEEN . , , I'm g o i n g t o h i t m y s e l f w i t h my h a t e s t i c k . PONCE Don't do t h a t ! 9 2 QUEEN Why n o t ? PONCE B e c a u s e t h e r e ' s a . . » f a b u l o u s f o u n t a i n . . « b i r d s . . . c a t t i e • « g QUEEN Y o u ' r e a s l o w l e a r n e r . PONCE I h a v e n ' t s e e n t h e q u i c k s a n d . QUEEN And when y o u do see i t ? PONCE ( T h o u g h t f u l l y . ) Maybe I ' l l b a c k t h e c a r t i n t o i t . QUEEN S p o k e n l i k e a k i n g j I d i d n ' t know y o u h a d i t i n y o u . PONCE But I d o n ' t b e l i e v e i n t h e q u i c k s a n d . QUEEN ( D i s g u s t e d . ) You h a v e a f i n e p h i l o s o p h y f o r p l o d d e r s . S t i c k w i t h you and I ' l l p a c e t h e swamp f r o m one end t o t h e o t h e r . Where's y o u r s p i r i t ? PONCE I'm j u s t b e i n g s a d f o r a moment. QUEEN ( C o n c e r n e d . ) Why? PONCE I m i s s R a b b i t . QUEEN What n o n s e n s e . PONCE Do r a b b i t s go t o . . . ? QUEEN Don't be r i d i c u l o u s l C h e e r up. I t was my f a u l t . He r e a l l y c o u l d n ' t b a l a n c e w i t h o n l y one e a r . PONCE I s u p p o s e n o t . W e l l , ( S t a n d i n g ) we're o f f . QUEEN I c a n ' t t a k e a n o t h e r s t e p . PONCE T r y . QUEEN I i t f o n ' t j PONCE But y o u ' v e g o t t o j QUEEN Why? PONCE To s t o p now w o u l d make t h e w h o l e t h i n g m e a n i n g l e s s . 93 QUEEN I t a l w a y s was. B e s i d e s , my f e e t h u r t . And my s o r e f e e t a r e more r e a l t h a n y o u r s t u p i d f o u n t a i n ! PONCE Then I go a l o n e . QUEEN ( S t a n d i n g . ) Dance w i t h me f i r s t , PONCE ( H e s i t a t i n g , ) What do y o u want t o d a n c e ? QUEEN J u s t a l i t t l e bog t r o t . PONCE W e l l , a l l r i g h t . (They dance one o f t h e s u b t l e r m a t i n g d a n c e s o f t h e swamp.) PONCE ( T e a r i n g h i m s e l f away.) I must go now. (QUEEN s i t s d e j e c t e d . ) G e n t l e m e n , t h e c a r r i a g e i s w a i t i n g , POSTMASTER D i d y o u h e a r t h a t , D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s ? The c a r r i a g e i s w a i t i n g . DIRECTOR ( I n t e n t . ) Y e s , I h e a r d i t . T e l l h i m t o h o l d h i s h o r s e s . I j u s t want t o g e t t h i s l i t t l e b l a c k b a s t a r d . POSTMASTER H o l d y o u r h o r s e s . He wants t o g e t t h a t l i t t l e b l a c k b a s t a r d , DIRECTOR S h i t I POSTMASTER Gee w h i z , y o u ' v e m e s s e d i t up a g a i n ! DIRECTOR M i n d y o u r own b u s i n e s s . P o s t m a s t e r G e n e r a l . POSTMASTER I t i s my b u s i n e s s . Who do you t h i n k y o u ' r e p l a y i n g ? (PONCE s i g h s . QUEEN l o o k s a t him,) DIRECTOR I n t h i s game one p l a y s a g a i n s t o n e s e l f . POSTMASTER So who w i n s when y o u l o s e ? PONCE G e n t l e m e n , y o u r c a r r i a g e . DIRECTOR Why, t h e r e ' s o u r c a r r i a g e now. S h a l l we? POSTMASTER A f t e r y o u , D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s . 94 DIRECTOR No, n o . A f t e r y o u , P o s t m a s t e r G e n e r a l . POSTMASTER ( E m b a r k i n g . ) Y o u ' r e t o o k i n d . DIRECTOR ( F o l l o w i n g . ) Not at a l l . PONCE A l l a b o a r d f o r y o u t h and h a p p i n e s s , QUEEN I l o s t my t i c k e t . PONCE T h a t d o e s n ' t m a t t e r , QUEEN Oh, b u t i t d o e s l PONCE Goodbye, Queen. QUEEN P o n c e i ( O f f e r i n g h a t e s t i c k . ) Take t h i s . PONCE I won't n e e d i t . QUEEN Then g o o d b y e . (PONCE p u l l s c a r t s l o w l y o f f s t a g e , ) DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER ( C h a n t i n g arm i n arm.) We a r e m a r c h i n g , m a r c h i n g , m a r c h i n g ; We a r e m a r c h i n g , m a r c h i n g , m a r c h i n g . QUEEN ( S o f t l y , ) THE SONG OF HATE W h e r e v e r y o u go i n t h e swamp, my l a d . C a r r y a s t i c k y o u m u s t , F o r t h e swampbeasts t h e y a r e b i g and b a d ; The n a t i v e s y o u c a n n o t t r u s t . The a n t s upon y o u r e y e s may s u p . The b e a s t upon y o u r bone, But t h e q u i c k s a n d s w a l l o w e d y o u r m o t h e r up And l e f t y o u a l l a l o n e . So l e a r n t o s l e e p , my l i t t l e l a d , W i t h one eye open w i d e . I t m a t t e r s n o t t h e swamp i s b a d W i t h t h e h a t e s t i c k a t y o u r s i d e . T h e r e he g o e s . The o n l y i d e a l i s t I e v e r met i n t h e swamp, A r a r e b i r d . I t ' s a r e a l shame t h e r e i s n ' t any f o u n t a i n . ( P a u s e . ) 95 I t ' s so q u i e t I c a n h e a r my h e a r t b e a t i n g , I ' v e been h i k i n g so l o n g I'm l o s i n g my g o o d s e n s e . You know I k e p t r u n n i n g i n t o m y s e l f c o m i n g o u t o f t h e swamp i n t h e o t h e r d i r e c t i o n . And I w o u l d n ' t g e t o u t o f my way, I j u s t k e p t c o m i n g r i g h t at me u n t i l I h a d t o s t o p and s t a r e m y s e l f i n t h e f a c e . Then I p r e s s e d m y s e l f a g a i n s t me t o see i f I f i t , b u t I p a s s e d r i g h t t h r o u g h me, and a g a i n I was t r e k k i n g i n t o t h e swamp. I f i t h a d h a p p e n e d j u s t o nce I c o u l d have f o r g o t t e n a b o u t i t , b u t i t h a p p e n e d d o z e n s o f t i m e s , p e r h a p s h u n d r e d s , I hope i t d o e s n ' t h a p p e n on t h e way b a c k . That c o u l d be c o n f u s i n g , ( S t a n d i n g , ) So l o n g . P o n c e , Don't l o o k f o r e v e r , ( E x i t , ) ( S t a g e p r o g r e s s i v e l y d a r k e n s t o end o f s c e n e , DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER s c r a m b l e w e a k l y a c r o s s s t a g e a f t e r QUEEN,) POSTMASTER ( F r a n t i c w h i s p e r , ' ) I s n ' t t h i s d e s e r t i o n ? DIRECTOR T h i s i s c a l l e d b e i n g p r a c t i c a l , POSTMASTER Oh, g o o d , I w o u l d n ' t want t o be a d e s e r t e r . ( E x i t . ) (PONCE b a c k s t h r o u g h t h e murky swamp, r a p i e r d r a w n . He i s a l o n e . ) PONCE Oh, I know y o u ' r e t h e r e . I knew i t a l l a l o n g . I saw y o u s t a l k i n g , w a i t i n g . . . I h e a r d t h e swamp s u c k up y o u r f o o t -p r i n t s as y o u p a s s e d t r a c k i n g , h u n t i n g . . , But y o u won't g e t me. No, I'm t o o s m a r t f o r y o u . Y o u ' l l s e e . You c a n ' t t r a p me. I'm on b o t h s i d e s o f y o u . You c a n ' t t o u c h me. You d o n ' t know where I am. Does t h a t come as a s u r p r i s e t o y o u ? I was c i r c l i n g you when you t h o u g h t y o u c i r c l e d me. You s e e , I b e l i e v e i n t h e f o u n t a i n and t h e h a p p y p e o p l e . And I h a v e them r i g h t h e r e ( h i t s c h e s t ) where y o u c a n ' t g e t y o u r paws on them. Oh 96 y e s , t h e y ' r e r e a l . As r e a l as y o u a r e . S e e ? I b e l i e v e i n y o u t o o * T h a t ' s why I ' l l g e t y o u - - I am g o i n g t o g e t y o u - - b e c a u s e y o u h a v e o n l y y o u r s e l f . You can o n l y be i n one p l a c e at o n c e . R i g h t t h e r e l A n d I'm c i r c l i n g r i g h t now, ( B a c k i n g . ) You c a n ' t g e t b e h i n d me, b e a s t . Would i t m a t t e r t o you t h a t p e o p l e d i e , t h a t l i f e s l i p s t h r o u g h t h e i r f i n g e r s and t h e y c a n ' t even f e e l i t g o i n g ? W ould y o u c a r e t o c o n v i n c e t h e Queen t h a t s h e ' s s t i l l somebody w i t h o u t h e r p o w e r , t h o s e f o o l s t h a t t h e y e x i s t w i t h o u t t h e i r o f f i c e s ? No, You w o u l d n ' t and y o u c o u l d n ' t . So you s t a y r i g h t t h e r e , b e a s t , I'm o u t t o w i n , b e a s t . And I mean t o t a k e my v i c t o r y f r o m y o u , b e a s t , S t a y l You c a n ' t c i r c l e me, I'm c i r c l i n g y o u , I know who y o u a r e . E v e r y t i m e e y e s d o n ' t meet, I s ee y o u . E v e r y t i m e e a r s d o n ' t l i s t e n , I h e a r y o u . You t h i n k I s t a n d f o r n o t h i n g ? O n l y a c o r p s e has one r e a l i t y , and t h a t ' s y o u , I s m e l l y o u now, I c o u l d t o u c h y o u . Damn y o u , d i s a p p e a r l H a v e n ' t I g o t y o u y e t ? I w i l l , y o u know, I ' v e g o t p o s s i b i l i t i e s . The f i r s t p r o o f i s I see y o u . You c a n ' t s n e a k up b e h i n d me. You c a n ' t k n o c k my l i f e o u t f r o m u n d e r me, I'm t h e one p e r s o n y o u c a n ' t do t h a t t o . Y e s , I ' v e g o t p o s s i b i l i t i e s . A n d I'm g o i n g t o g e t y o u . T e l l me a b o u t y o u r s e l f , b e a s t - - i s i t c o l d i n t h e swamp at n i g h t ? When y o u c r a w l o u t o f y o u r h o l e i n t h e m o r n i n g and s e e t h e b u b b l i n g q u i c k s a n d and t h e empty s k y , what do y o u t h i n k o f ? A n o t h e r b e a s t r e a l i t y b e s i d e you i n t h e d a r k ? I s t h a t i t ? You s e e , I'm l i s t e n i n g . And t h a t ' s t h e s e c o n d p r o o f I'm g o i n g t o g e t y o u . B e a s t , y o u a r e f o u l l N e v e r h a v e I se e n s u c h u g l i n e s s as y o u r s . E v e n y o u c o u l d n o t b e a r t o see s u c h 97 f i l t h . B ut I c a n . I can e v e n t o u c h y o u . And t h a t ' s t h e t h i r d a n d f i n a l p r o o f I'm g o i n g t o g e t y o u . See how f e a r l e s s I am? Oh, h e ' s g o i n g t o s a y s o m e t h i n g . What an i n t e l l i g e n t b e a s t ! What's t h a t ? You want t o a s k a q u e s t i o n ? Go a h e a d . A s k away. What? What do y o u mean " c a r e ? " Of c o u r s e I c a r e . T h a t ' s my t r a d e m a r k . L ook a r o u n d y o u ! How c o u l d anyone n o t c a r e ? What? Why y o u ' r e j u s t a b e a s t . But my own k i n d . T h a t ' s d i f f e r e n t . N a t u r a l l y . Who? Why e v e r y l a s t one o f them, e v e r y o n e. Y e s , o f c o u r s e . The g a r r i s o n a t T a l l a h a s s e e . The n a t i v e s . Of c o u r s e . Go o n . The e s c a p e d p r i s o n e r s . S u r e l y , T h e r e i s room i n my h e a r t . The D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s • « . He was a l l r i g h t . T h e r e i s room i n my h e a r t . The P o s t m a s t e r G e n e r a l . . . n o t r e a l l y my t y p e . But . , • t h e r e i s room i n my h e a r t . Y e s , y e s . Of c o u r s e , o f c o u r s e - - t h e QueenJ . . . so f u l l o f h a t e . . . so . . . y e t . . . e v e n so « „ , t h e r e i s room , , . l o t s o f room . . , What a r e y o u l a u g h i n g a t ? I'm no l a u g h i n g m a t t e r , I c a r e ! I r e a l l y c a r e t Don't f o r g e t B u t t e r , And R a b b i t ! What a b o u t R a b b i t ! And t h e F o u n t a i n ! You c a n ' t f o r g e t t h a t ! W a i t ! Don't go a w a y l The Queen j u s t s l i p p e d t h r o u g h my f i n g e r s . The o t h e r s r a n away, I c o u l d n ' t b r i n g t h e F o u n t a i n t o them! W a i t ! S t a y and f i g h t ! W a i t ! L i s t e n t o me! L i s t e n ! (He s t a n d s m i d - s t a g e as i t b l a c k s o u t . ) 98 SCENE I V Same swamp. Same c h a r a c t e r s , o l d e r t h a n e v e r . POSTMASTER and DIRECTOR dance o n . POSTMASTER ( P i r o u e t t i n g . ) Oh, i t ' s good t o be y o u n g a g a i n . DIRECTOR ( W a l k i n g on h a n d s . ) Y e s , y e s , y e s . ( R i g h t i n g h i m -s e l f . ) I was j u s t g i v i n g my new p r i s o n e r s a p e p t a l k . Men,, I s a i d , y o u ' r e o n l y y o u n g o n c e . POSTMASTER H e e h e e . DIRECTOR A n d , s e e i n g a s , I s a i d , you y o u n g men h a v e d e c i d e d t o p a s s y o u r y o u t h s h e r e a t my p r i s o n . . . we're g o i n g t o p r o v i d e y o u a l l w i t h games and h o b b i e s . POSTMASTER V e r y g o o d o f y o u , D i r e c t o r o f P r i s o n s , v e r y good . . . DIRECTOR Whereupon one o f them h a d t h e n e r v e t o ask t h a t I l e t h i s w i f e v i s i t h i m . POSTMASTER No! DIRECTOR Y e s I A nd i n t h e n i g h t . POSTMASTER No! The a n i m a l . DIRECTOR Y e s I T h a t ' s what I s a i d . Young man, do y o u t h i n k y o u ' r e a s w a m p b e a s t ? A b s t a i n , I s a i d ; y o u ' r e o n l y y o u n g o n c e . POSTMASTER T h a t ' s p u t t i n g y o u r f i n g e r on i t . DIRECTOR I p l a y e d a l o n e when I was yo u n g and t h e y w i l l t o o l POSTMASTER But p e r p e t u a l y o u t h i s d i f f e r e n t . DIRECTOR I t c e r t a i n l y i s . ( S l y l y . ) Have y o u s e e n t h e Queen's new p a n t s ? POSTMASTER ( H i g h w h i s p e r . ) New p a n t s ? 99 DIRECTOR Y e s . POSTMASTER How do y o u know? DIRECTOR The o t h e r day , , . i n t h e c o u n c i l chamber . . . she s l i p p e d on a b a n a n a p e e l . POSTMASTER I n t h e c o u n c i l c h a m b e r l DIRECTOR I was s t a n d i n g r i g h t i n f r o n t o f h e r h o l d i n g f o r t h on t h e r i g h t s o f p r i s o n e r s . . . POSTMASTER ( N e a r l y c h o k i n g . ) D i d you n o t i c e t h e c o l o r ? DIRECTOR They were a s u b t l e b e i g e . , POSTMASTER No! She must be g e t t i n g o l d . DIRECTOR They h a d f r i l l s . POSTMASTER They d i d ! ( G u l p , ) Y o u ' r e s u r e t h e y w e r e n ' t j u s t t h e o l d o n e s — f a d e d ? DIRECTOR ( T h u n d e r s t r u c k . ) I h a d n ' t t h o u g h t o f t h a t . POSTMASTER We'd b e t t e r l o o k f o r t h e o l d o n e s . DIRECTOR Y e s , b u t w h e r e ? POSTMASTER (He h a s i t . ) The R o y a l G a r b a g e ! DIRECTOR ( T h a t ' s i t . ) The R o y a l G a r b a g e ! TOGETHER ( S k i p p i n g arm i n arm.) THE ROYAL GARBAGE SONG We're s u r e t o do o u r b e s t ; We're o f f on a w o n d e r f u l q u e s t ! W e ' l l l o o k u n d e r e v e r y l e a f and p e e l ; A g l a n c e i n t h e R o y a l Bog w e ' l l s t e a l - -U n t i l i t ' s a l t o g e t h e r t r u e T h a t t h e Queen's new p a n t s a r e new! ( E x i t . ) (Swamp b i r d s b e g i n t o c a l l and s i n g . ) QUEEN ( E n t e r i n g m e r r i l y . To A u d i e n c e . ) L i s t e n e v e r y b o d y ! An e x p l o r e r h a s been s i g h t e d b u m b l i n g a l o n g i n t h e d i s t a n c e . Can 100 you g u e s s who i t i s ? W e l l , i t ' s P o n c e , and h e ' s b a c k , and we're g o i n g t o g i v e h i m a R o y a l Welcome! You owe h i m a l o t . He d i d what y o u n e v e r h a d t h e s p i r i t t o do. He went l o o k i n g f o r t h e F a b u l o u s F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h ! I m a g i n e t h a t - - a n d i n t h e swamp! We t h o u g h t t h e swamp w o u l d a l w a y s be t h e same. How w r o n g we w e r e ! We're n o t g o i n g t o be s t u c k i n t h e mud a l l o u r l i v e s . I n j u s t a m i n u t e we're g o i n g t o g e t up and l i v e f o r o u r s e l v e s . We're g o i n g t o l i s t e n t o o u r h e a r t s b e a t . We're g o i n g t o b r e a t h e , and w a l k a r o u n d , and r u n and . . . o h , i t ' s a l l g o i n g t o be so much f u n ! And we're g o i n g t o l o o k a t t h i n g s , i b u t most o f a l l a t p e o p l e . And we're g o i n g t o l i ' s t e n t o them. A n d . . . we're g o i n g t o t o u c h t hem! Oh, h e r e he comes! H i , P o n c e ! ( j u m p i n g up and down.) P o n c e , i t ' s me. The Queen! ( C l a p p i n g . ) Come on e v e r y b o d y ! Make h i m f e e l a t home! (Swamp a p p l a u s e . ) (PONCE comes w a l k i n g down a i s l e o f t h e a t e r . ) P o n c e ! T h a t ' s t h e G r e a t R i v e r o f F e a r ! You c a n ' t j u s t w a l k a c r o s s i t ! My, my; where d i d y o u l e a r n t h a t ? PONCE ( S t o p p i n g . ) A l i t t l e b i r d t a u g h t me. QUEEN Don't p u s h a g o o d t h i n g ; g e t o f f t h e w a t e r . (PONCE l e a p s on s t a g e , s t a n d s i n f r o n t o f QUEEN. P a u s e , The swamp i s s i l e n t . ) QUEEN W e l l , what d i d y o u s e e ? PONCE ( S i m p l y . ) I saw t h e g r e a t h a t e b i r d w h e e l i n g t h r o u g h t h e f o g . ( P a u s e . ) 101 QUEEN ( Q u i e t l y . ) You've g i v e n up y o u r q u e s t ? PONCE No. QUEEN Then what a r e y o u d o i n g h e r e ? PONCE T h i s i s where i t l e d me. QUEEN R i g h t h e r e ? PONCE R i g h t h e r e . QUEEN T h i s v e r y s p o t ? PONCE T h i s v e r y s p o t , QUEEN Then y o u ' r e g o i n g t o l i v e i n t h e swamp? PONCE Y e s . I g u e s s I ' l l h a v e t o l e a r n how t o use t h a t h a t e s t i c k . QUEEN Maybe, Maybe n o t . Oh, I a l m o s t f o r g o t . T h e r e ' s some-one h e r e t o g r e e t y o u , (Swamp b i r d s b e g i n a g a i n . DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER s k i p s i d e w a y s a c r o s s s t a g e , ) DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER ( S i n g i n g . ) We're s u r e t o do o u r b e s t ; We're o f f on a w o n d e r f u l q u e s t ! PONCE Not t h e m | QUEEN No. PONCE Then who? (QUEEN makes g r a n d g e s t u r e o f p r e s e n t a t i o n , RABBIT hops o n , s t o p s , opens arms w i d e , ) PONCE ( O p e n i n g arms.) R a b b i t J (They e m b r a c e . DIRECTOR and POSTMASTER s k i p b a c k . A l l dance h a n d i n h a n d i n c i r c l e . ) 102 THE SWAMP SONG We're h e r e and i t ' s t h e t r u t h : T h i s i s t h e F o u n t a i n o f Y o u t h ! So h e r e w e ' l l r u n and romp and stomp I n o u r f a b u l o u s , f a b u l o u s swamp!! CURTAIN