Brian Friel Plays 2 (17 page)

Arkady Nikolayevich Kirsanov
Ralph Fiennes

Yevgeny Vassilyich Bazarov
Robert Glenister

Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov
Alec McCowen

Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov
Richard Pasco

Vassily Ivanyich Bazarov
Robin Bailey

Arina Vlassyevna Bazarov
Barbara Jefford

Fenichka Fedosya Nikolayevna
Lesley Sharp

Anna Sergeyevna Odintsov
Meg Davies

Katya Sergeyevna
Robin McCaffrey

Princess Olga
Joyce Grant

Dunyasha
Hazel Ellerby

Prokofyich
Antony Brown

Piotr
Jay Villiers

Timofeich
Peter Halliday

Fedka
Jim Millea

Directed
by
Michael Rudman
Designed
by
Carl Toms
Music
Matthew Scott

Dunyasha
Oh my God, this heat has me destroyed. How do you stick it?

Fenichka
You should have something on your head.

Dunyasha
I met the new estate-manager over there at the clothes-line. Do you know him?

Fenichka
Only to see.

Dunyasha
He is just so beautiful – isn’t he? I could spend my days just gazing at him, with that glossy black moustache and those sleepy brown eyes. Did you notice that beautiful black ’tash?

Fenichka
Dunyasha!

Dunyasha
flops
down
beside
her,
Fenichka
begins
knitting
again.

Dunyasha
Honestly. All he’d have to do is raise his little finger and I’d kiss his feet. Anyhow he looked at me and he said, ‘Are you going to faint, little one?’ All the same that was nice, wasn’t it? – ‘little one’. And I said, ‘What d’you mean – am I going to faint?’ ‘Oh,’ he said, ‘your face is all bloated and red.’

Fenichka
(
laughing
)
He did not. That’s another of your stories.

Dunyasha
Cross my heart, (
into
pram
)
Hello, Mitya. How are you today, my little darling? Are you well? (
She
spreads
out
under
the
sun.
)
Beautiful. This must be the hottest May ever. (
eyes
closed
)
Is that the big fiddle he’s playing?

Fenichka
You know very well it’s called a cello.

Dunyasha
Sort of nice, isn’t it? Bit lonely – like himself.

Fenichka
Is he lonely?

Dunyasha
You should know. Not much good for dancing.

Fenichka
I heard you were dancing last night.

Dunyasha
Five this morning. Oh, that heat’s lovely.

Fenichka
Any good?

Dunyasha
You mean did I click? (
She
sits
up
.)
Tell me this, Fenichka: remember all those young fellows used to be at the dances when you and I went together – all that laughing and all that fun – remember?

Fenichka
Yes.

Dunyasha
Well, where in God’s name have they gone to, those boys? Or haven’t they young brothers? All you see now are half-drunk louts that say things like, ‘My God, girl, but you’re a powerful armful of meat.’

Fenichka
laughs.

It’s true. That’s what a big clodhopper said to me last night. And if it’s not the clodhoppers it’s the usual old lechers with their eyes half-closed and their hands groping your bum.

She
sees
Pavel
entering
left
with
a
book
under
his
arm.
She
gets
quickly
to
her
feet.
Pavel
is
the
typical
‘Europeanized’
Russian
of
the
nineteenth
century
–
wears
English
clothes,
speaks
French.
His
manner
is
jaded
but
his
emotions
function
fully
and
astutely.

Jesus, here comes the Tailor’s Dummy! He must have spotted you.

Fenichka
Don’t go, Dunyasha. Stay with me.

Dunyasha
You’re well fit to handle that old goat. And Dunyasha’s place is in the kitchen.

Fenichka
Please.

Dunyasha
You’re too gentle. Tell him straight out to bugger off.

She
rises,
makes
a
curtsy
to
Pavel
and
exits
quickly
left,
leaving
her
basket
behind
her.

The
relationship
between
Pavel
and
Fenichka
is
uneasy.
He
looks
into
the
pram
and
then
at
Fenichka.

Pavel
Am I intruding?

Fenichka
No. Not at all.

Pavel
Will you be sending into town for groceries today?

Fenichka
Yes.

Pavel
Would you order something for me?

Fenichka
What do you want?

Pavel
Tea. Green tea. If you would.

Fenichka
Of course.

Pavel
Half a pound would suffice.

Fenichka
I’ll see to that.

Pavel
Merci
bien.
(
into
pram
)
Hello-hello-hello-hello. He has very strong fingers. Maybe he’ll be a cellist like his father. How do you like your new bedroom, Fenichka?

Fenichka
I love it. It gets the sun in the early morning.

Pavel
I see your light on very often in the middle of the night.

She
rises
and
gathers
her
things.

Fenichka
That’s his lordship – cutting a new tooth. Aren’t you cutting a new tooth, you rascal, and keeping your mother awake at night?

Pavel
Tu
es
très
belle.

Fenichka
Sorry?

Pavel
Look – he won’t let me go.

Fenichka
Let your uncle go, Mitya.

Pavel
Fenichka –

Fenichka
I think I’ll take him inside. This sun’s a bit hot for him.

Pavel
All I want to say is –

He
gets
no
further
because
Prokofyich
enters
left.
He
is
an
elderly
retainer,
excessively
dignified
and
formal
in
manner;
but
now
he
is
so
excited,
indeed
so
confused,
that
he
almost
runs
across
the
stage
and
proclaims
too
loudly
to
nobody
in
particular:

Prokofyich
The carriage has arrived! He’s back! Master Arkady is back!

Pavel
That’s early. They must have made good time.

Prokofyich
The carriage is here! He has arrived! He has arrived!

Pavel
A bit of life about the place.

Fenichka
Yes.

Pavel
Fenichka, forgive me if –

Prokofyich
Master Arkady is back! The carriage is here! Arkady’s home from Petersburg!

Prokofyich
is
now
on
the
veranda
and
calling
into
the
living-room.
Nikolai
emerges
with
the
cello-bow
in
his
hand.
He
walks
with
a
slight
limp.
He
is
a
kind,
decent,
generous-spirited
man,
vague
and
bumbling
at
times
but
always
fully
alert
to
what
is
happening
around
him.

The carriage is here! Arkady’s home! He’s back! He’s back!

Pavel
All right, Prokofyich, we hear you.

Nikolai
Did you hear the news?

Pavel
I think so, Nikolai.

Nikolai
Arkady has arrived from Petersburg. Wonderful! Where’s Piotr? Piotr! Somebody help him with the luggage. Go and meet him, Pavel, (
to
Fenichka
)
He’ll probably want something to eat, won’t he? Everything’s in such confusion. This is no welcome. Piotr! I’m really going to have to reprimand that young scamp.

General
confusion
and
excitement.
Prokofyich
rushes
off
left.
Dunyasha
rushes
on
and
picks
up
her
basket.

Dunyasha
(
privately
to
Fenichka
)
He has a friend with him! Get out your smelling-salts! O sweet Saviour!

Fenichka
Take the pram inside, Dunyasha, will you?

Dunyasha
Wait till you see
him
! A dark god! Jesus, could this be my lucky day?!

Pavel
Who is he bringing with him, Nikolai?

Nikolai
Dunyasha, tell Piotr I want him – immediately!

She
dashes
off
with
the
pram
and
basket.

Yes, he’s bringing a friend with him – a young man called – called – I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten, Pavel. I’m really going to sack that boy.

Arkady
enters.

Ah! There he is! Arkady! Arkady!

Arkady
Father! How are you!

Father
and
son
embrace
with
great
warmth.
Already
Arkady
is
beginning
to
resemble
his
father.
Prokofyich,
cases
in
his
hands,
stands
in
the
background
and
beams.

Nikolai
Welcome home! Welcome home, graduate!

Arkady
Thank you.

Nikolai
Let me look at you. You’re different. Have you lost weight? You’re altogether different. Have you eaten? You’re pale – that’s it – you’re very pale –

Arkady
All that study and all those exams. What I need is a long rest. Uncle Pavel!

Pavel
Welcome back, Arkady.

Arkady
It’s great to see you.

They
embrace
warmly.

And … Fenichka. It
is
Fenichka, isn’t it?

Fenichka
It is.

Nikolai
Of course it is.

Arkady
Indeed. Good to see you, Fenichka.

Fenichka
And you, Arkady.

They
shake
hands
and
she
leaves.

Nikolai
Prokofyich usually drives so slowly, we didn’t expect you until much later. Had you a good journey?

Arkady
It was all right. I’ve brought a friend with me, Father.

Nikolai
You mentioned that in your last letter. Great.

Arkady
His name is Bazarov.

Nikolai
Wonderful. We’ll have a full house again. And wait till you see your bedroom – we’ve had it all repapered. Pavel chose the colour scheme.

Pavel
That was a major row.

Nikolai
No, it wasn’t – was it?

Pavel
A minor row.

Arkady
His name is Bazarov – Yevgeny Vassilyich Bazarov. I would like you to make him very welcome.

Nikolai
Naturally we’ll make him very welcome. Won’t we, Pavel?

Arkady
Our friendship is very important to me.

Pavel
Did he graduate, too?

Arkady
Next year. He’s doing natural science and medicine. He’s probably the most brilliant man I’ve ever met.

Nikolai
Well, the brilliant Bazarov is every bit as welcome as you are … well, almost.

Arkady
Would you go and meet him, Uncle Pavel?

Pavel
(
to
Arkady
)
See? Still the message-boy.
Plus
ça
change
…

Pavel
goes
off
and
Prokofyich
is
about
to
follow
him.

Nikolai
And isn’t Prokofyich looking well?