The Complete Dramatic Works (49 page)

W1:
Poor creature. Poor creatures.

[
Spot
from 
W
1
to
M
.]

M:
Never woke together, on a May morning, the first to wake to wake the other two. Then
in a little dinghy–

[
Spot
from
M
to
W
1.]

W1:
Penitence, yes, at a pinch, atonement, one was resigned, but no, that does not seem
to be the point either.

[
Spot
from 
W
1
to
W
2.]

W2:
I say, Am I not perhaps a little unhinged already? [
Hope
fully
.
]
Just a little? [
Pause.
] I doubt it.

[
Spot
from 
W
2
to 
M
.]

M:
A little dinghy–

[
Spot
from
M
to 
W
1.]

W1:
Silence and darkness were all I craved. Well, I get a certain amount of both. They
being one. Perhaps it is more wickedness to pray for more.

[
Spot
from 
W
1
to
M
.]

M:
A little dinghy, on the river, I resting on my oars, they lolling on air-pillows
in the stern … sheets. Drifting. Such fantasies.

[
Spot
from 
M
to
W
1.]

W1:
Hellish half-light.

[
Spot
from 
W
1
to
W
2.]

W2:
A shade gone. In the head. Just a shade. I doubt it.

[
Spot
from
W
2
to
M
.]

M:
We were not civilized.

[
Spot
from
M
to
W
1.]

W1:
Dying for dark–and the darker the worse. Strange.

[
Spot
from 
W
1
to 
M
.]

M:
Such fantasies. Then. And now–

[
Spot
from 
M
to 
W
2.]

W2:
I
doubt it.

[
Pause.
Peal
of
wild
low
laughter
from 
W
2
cut
short
as
spot
from
her
to 
W
1.]

W1:
Yes, and the whole thing there, all there, staring you in the face. You’ll see it.
Get off me. Or weary.

[
Spot
from 
W
1
to 
M
.]

M:
And now, that you are … mere eye. Just looking. At my face. On and off.

[
Spot
from 
M
to 
W
1.]

W1:
Weary of playing with me. Get off me. Yes.

[
Spot
from 
W
1
to 
M
.]

M:
Looking for something. In my face. Some truth. In my eyes. Not even.

[
Spot
from
M
to
W
2
.
Laugh
as
before
from 
W
2
cut
short
as
spot
from
her
to
 
M
.]

M:
Mere eye. No mind. Opening and shutting on me. Am I as much–

[
Spot
off
 
M
.
Blackout.
Three
seconds.
Spot
on
 
M
.]

Am I as much as … being seen?

[
Spot
off
 
M
.
Blackout.
Five
seconds.
Faint
spots 
simul
taneously
on
three
faces.
Three
seconds.
Voices
faint,
largely
unintelligible.
]

[
Repeat
play.
]

M:
[
Closing
repeat.
] Am I as much as … being seen?

[
Spot
off
 
M
.
Blackout.
Five
seconds.
Strong
spots
simul
taneously
on
three
faces.
Three
seconds.
Voices
normal
strength.
]

[
Spots
off.
Blackout.
Five
seconds.
Spot
on 
M
.]

M:
We were not long together–

[
Spot
off 
M
.
Blackout.
Five
seconds.
]

CURTAIN

The source of light is single and must not be situated outside the ideal space (stage)
occupied by its victims.

The optimum position for the spot is at the centre of the footlights, the faces being
thus lit at close quarters and from below.

When exceptionally three spots are required to light the three faces simultaneously,
they should be as a single spot branching into three.

Apart from these moments a single mobile spot should be used, swivelling at maximum
speed from one face to another as required.

The method consisting in assigning to each face a separate fixed spot is unsatisfactory
in that it is less expressive of a unique inquisitor than the single mobile spot.

In order for the urns to be only one yard high, it is necessary either that traps
be used, enabling the actors to stand below stage level, or that they kneel throughout
play, the urns being open at the back.

Should traps be not available, and the kneeling posture found impracticable, the actors
should stand, the urns be enlarged to full length and moved back from front to mid-stage,
the tallest actor setting the height, the broadest the breadth, to which the three
urns should conform.

The sitting posture results in urns of unacceptable bulk and is not to be considered.

The repeat may be an exact replica of first statement or it may present an element
of variation.

In other words, the light may operate the second time exactly as it did the first
(exact replica) or it may try a different method (variation).

The London production (and in a lesser degree the Paris
production
) opted for the variation with following deviations from first statement:

1. Introduction of an abridged chorus, cut short on laugh of
W
2, to open fragment of second repeat.

2. Light less strong in repeat and voices correspondingly lower, giving the following
schema, where
A
is the highest level of light and voice and
E
the lowest:

3. Breathless quality in voices from beginning of Repeat 1 and increasing to end of
play.

4. Changed order of speeches in repeat as far as this is compatible with unchanged
continuity for actors. E.g. the order of interrogation
W
1,
W
2,
M
,
W
2,
W
1,
M
at opening of 1 becomes
W
2,
W
1,
M
, 
W
2,
M
,
W
1 at opening of repeat, and so on if and as desired.

Throughout first two parts all perception is E’s. E is the camera. But in third part
there is O’s perception of room and contents and at the same time E’s continued perception
of O. This poses a problem of images which I cannot solve without technical help.
See below, note 8.

The film is divided into three parts. 1. The street (about eight minutes). 2. The
stairs (about five minutes). 3. The room (about seventeen minutes).

The film is entirely silent except for the ‘sssh!’ in part one.

Climate of film comic and unreal. O should invite laughter throughout by his way of
moving. Unreality of street scene (see notes to this section).

Esse
est
per
ci
pi.

All extraneous perception suppressed, animal, human, divine, self-perception maintains
in being.

Search of non-being in flight from extraneous perception breaking down in inescapability
of self-perception.

No truth value attaches to above, regarded as of merely structural and dramatic convenience.

In order to be figured in this situation the protagonist is sundered into object (O)
and eye (E), the former in flight, the latter in pursuit.

It will not be clear until end of film that pursuing perceiver is not extraneous,
but self.

Until end of film O is perceived by E from behind and at an angle not exceeding 45°.
Convention: O enters
percipi
=
experiences
anguish of perceivedness, only when this angle is exceeded.

E is therefore at pains, throughout pursuit, to keep within this ‘angle of immunity’
and only exceeds it (1) inadvertently at beginning of part one when he first sights
O (2) inadvertently at beginning of part two when he follows O into vestibule and
(3) deliberately at end of part three when O is cornered. In first two cases he hastily
reduces angle.

1. The street
Dead straight. No sidestreets or intersections. Period: about 1929. Early summer morning.
Small factory district. Moderate animation of workers going unhurriedly to work. All
going in same direction and all in couples. No automobiles. Two bicycles ridden by
men with girl passengers (on crossbar). One cab, cantering nag, driver standing brandishing
whip. All persons in opening scene to be shown in some way perceiving–one another,
an object, a shop window, a poster, etc., i.e. all contentedly in
percipere
and
per
cipi.
First view of above is by E motionless and searching with his eyes for O. He may
be supposed at street edge of wide (4 yards) sidewalk. O finally comes into view hastening
blindly along sidewalk, hugging the wall on his left, in opposite direction to all
the others. Long dark overcoat (whereas all others in light summer dress) with collar
up, hat pulled down over eyes, briefcase in left hand, right hand
shielding
exposed side of face. He storms along in comic foundered precipitancy. E’s searching
eye, turning left from street to
sidewalk
, picks him up at an angle exceeding that of immunity (O’s unperceivedness according
to convention) (1). O, entering
perceivedness
,
reacts (after just sufficient onward movement for his gait to be established) by halting
and cringing aside towards wall. E immediately draws back to close the angle (2) and
O, released from perceivedness, hurries on. E lets him get about 10 yards ahead and
then starts after him (3). Street elements from now on incidental (except for episode
of couple) in the sense that only registered in so far as they happen to enter field
of pursuing eye fixed on O.

Episode of couple (4). In his blind haste O jostles an elderly couple of shabby genteel
aspect, standing on sidewalk, peering together at a newspaper. They should be discovered
by E a few yards before collision. The woman is holding a pet monkey under her left
arm. E follows O an instant as he hastens blindly on, then registers couple recovering
from shock, comes up with them, passes them slightly and halts to observe them (5).
Having recovered they turn and look after O, the woman raising a lorgnon to her eyes,
the man taking off his pince-nez fastened to his coat by a ribbon. They then look
at each other, she lowering her lorgnon, he resuming his pince-nez. He opens his mouth
to vituperate. She checks him with a gesture and soft ‘sssh!’ He turns again, taking
off his pince-nez, to look after O. She feels the gaze of E upon them and turns, raising
her lorgnon, to look at him. She nudges her companion who turns back towards her,
resuming his pince-nez, follows direction of her gaze and, taking off his pince-nez,
looks at E. As they both stare at E the expression gradually comes over their faces
which will be that of the flower-woman in the stairs scene and that of O at the end
of film, an expression only to be described as corresponding to an agony of perceivedness.
Indifference of monkey, looking up into face of its mistress. They close their eyes,
she lowering her lorgnon, and hasten away in direction of all the others, i.e. that
opposed to O and E (6).

E turns back towards O by now far ahead and out of sight. Immediate acceleration of
E in pursuit (blurred transit of encountered elements). O comes into view, grows rapidly
larger until E settles down behind him at same angle and remove as before. O disappears
suddenly through open housedoor on his left. Immediate acceleration of E who comes
up with O in vestibule at foot of stairs.

2. Stairs
Vestibule about 4 yards square with stairs at inner righthand angle. Relation of streetdoor
to stairs such that E’s first
perception
of O (E near door, O motionless at foot of stairs, right hand on banister, body shaken
by panting) is from an angle a little exceeding that of immunity. O, entering perceivedness
(according to convention), transfers right hand from banister to exposed side of face
and cringes aside towards wall on his left. E immediately draws back to close the
angle and O, released, resumes his pose at foot of stairs, hand on banister. O mounts
a few steps (E remaining near door), raises head, listens, redescends hastily backwards
and crouches down in angle of stairs and wall on his right, invisible to one descending
(7). E registers him there, then transfers to stairs. A frail old woman appears on
bottom landing. She carries a tray of flowers slung from her neck by a strap. She
descends slowly, with fumbling feet, one hand steadying the tray, the other holding
the banister. Absorbed by difficulty of descent she does not become aware of E until
she is quite down and making for the door. She halts and looks full at E. Gradually
same expression as that of couple in street. She closes her eyes, then sinks to the
ground and lies with face in scattered flowers. E lingers on this a moment, then transfers
to where O last registered. He is no longer there, but hastening up the stairs. E
transfers to stairs and picks up O as he reaches first landing. Bound forwards and
up of E who overtakes O on second flight and is literally at his heels when he reaches
second landing and opens with key door of room. They enter room together, E turning
with O as he turns to lock the door behind him.

3. The room
Here we assume problem of dual perception solved and enter O’s perception (8). E must
so manoeuvre throughout what follows, until investment proper, that O is always seen
from behind, at most convenient remove, and from an angle never exceeding that of
immunity, i.e. preserved from perceivedness.

Small barely furnished room (9). Side by side on floor a large cat and small dog.
Unreal quality. Motionless till ejected. Cat bigger than dog. On a table against wall
a parrot in a cage
and a goldfish in a bowl. This room sequence falls into three parts.

1. Preparation of room (occlusion of window and mirror, ejection of dog and cat, destruction
of God’s image, occlusion of parrot and goldfish).

2. Period in rocking-chair. Inspection and destruction of photographs.

3. Final investment of O by E and dénouement.

1. O stands near door with case in hand and takes in room. Succession of images: dog
and cat, side by side, staring at him; mirror; window; couch with rug; dog and cat
staring at him; parrot and goldfish, parrot staring at him; rocking-chair; dog and
cat staring at him. He sets down case, approaches window from side and draws curtain.
He turns towards dog and cat, still staring at him, then goes to couch and takes up
rug. He turns towards dog and cat, still staring at him. Holding rug before him he
approaches mirror from side and covers it with rug. He turns towards parrot and goldfish,
parrot still staring at him. He goes to rocking-chair, inspects it from front.
Insistent
image of curiously carved headrest (10). He turns towards dog and cat still staring
at him. He puts them out of room (11). He takes up case and is moving towards chair
when rug falls from mirror. He drops briefcase, hastens to wall between couch and
mirror, follows walls past window, approaches mirror from side, picks up rug and,
holding it before him, covers mirror with it again. He returns to briefcase, picks
it up, goes to chair, sits down and is opening case when disturbed by print, pinned
to wall before him, of the face of God the Father, the eyes
staring at him severely. He sets down case on floor to his left, gets up and inspects
print. Insistent image of wall, paper hanging off in strips (10). He tears print from
wall, tears it in four, throws down the pieces and grinds them underfoot. He turns
back to chair, image again of its curious headrest, sits down, image again of tattered
wall-paper, takes case on his knees, takes out a folder, sets down case on floor to
his left and is opening folder when disturbed by parrot’s eye. He lays folder on case,
gets up, takes off overcoat, goes to parrot, close up of parrot’s eye, covers cage
with coat, goes back to chair, image again of
headrest
, sits down, image again of tattered wall-paper, takes up
folder and is opening it when disturbed by fish’s eye. He lays folder on case, gets
up, goes to fish, close-up of fish’s eye, extends coat to cover bowl as well as cage,
goes back to chair, image again of headrest, sits down, image again of wall, takes
up folder, takes off hat and lays it on case to his left. Scant hair or bald to facilitate
identification of narrow black elastic encircling head.

When O sits up and back his head is framed in headrest which is a narrower extension
of backrest. Throughout scene of
inspection
and destruction of photographs E may be supposed
immediately
behind chair looking down over O’s left shoulder (12).

2. O opens folder, takes from it a packet of photographs (13), lays folder on case
and begins to inspect photographs. He inspects them in order 1 to 7. When he has finished
with 1 he lays it on his knees, inspects 2, lays it on top of 1, and so on, so that
when he has finished inspecting them all 1 will be at the bottom of the pile and 7–or
rather 6, for he does not lay down 7–at the top. He gives about six seconds each to
1-4, about twice as long to 5 and 6 (trembling hands). Looking at 6 he touches with
forefinger little girl’s face. After six seconds of 7 he tears it in four and drops
pieces on floor on his left. He takes up 6 from top of pile on his knees, looks at
it again for about three seconds, tears it in four and drops pieces on floor to his
left. So on for the others, looking at each again for about three seconds before tearing
it up. 1 must be on tougher mount for he has difficulty in tearing it across. Straining
hands. He finally succeeds, drops pieces on floor and sits, rocking slightly, hands
holding armrests (14).

3. Investment proper. Perception from now on, if dual
perception
feasible, E’s alone, except perception of E by O at end. E moves a little back (image
of headrest from back), then starts circling to his left, approaches maximum angle
and halts. From this open angle, beyond which he will enter
percipi,
O can be seen beginning to doze off. His visible hand relaxes on armrest, his head
nods and falls forward, the rock approaches stillness. E advances, opening angle beyond
limit of immunity, his gaze pierces the light sleep and O starts awake. The start
revives the rock, immediately arrested by foot to floor. Tension of hand on armrest.
Turning his head to right, O cringes away from
perceivedness
.
E draws back to reduce the angle and after a moment, reassured, O turns back front
and resumes his pose. The rock resumes, dies down slowly as O dozes off again. E now
begins a much wider encirclement. Images of curtained window, walls and shrouded mirror
to indicate his path and that he is not yet looking at O. Then brief image of O seen
by E from well beyond the angle of immunity, i.e. from near the table with shrouded
bowl and cage. O is now seen to be fast asleep, his head sunk on his chest and his
hands, fallen from the armrests, limply dangling. E resumes his cautious approach.
Images of shrouded bowl and cage and tattered wall adjoining, with same indication
as before. Halt and brief image, not far short of
full-face
, of O still fast asleep. E advances last few yards along tattered wall and halts
directly in front of O. Long image of O, full-face, against ground of headrest, sleeping.
E’s gaze pierces the sleep, O starts awake, stares up at E. Patch over O’s left eye
now seen for the first time. Rock revived by start, stilled at once by foot to ground.
Hand clutches armrests. O half starts from chair, then stiffens, staring up at E.
Gradually that look. Cut to E, of whom this very first image (face only, against ground
of tattered wall). It is O’s face (with patch) but with very different expression,
impossible to describe, neither severity nor benignity, but rather acute
intentness.
A big nail is visible near left temple (patch side). Long image of the
unblinking
gaze. Cut back to O, still half risen, staring up, with that look. O closes his eyes
and falls back in chair, starting off rock. He covers his face with his hands. Image
of O rocking, his head in his hands but not yet bowed. Cut back to E. As before. Cut
back to O. He sits, bowed forward, his head in his hands, gently rocking. Hold it
as the rocking dies down.