Brian Friel Plays 2 (31 page)

Pavel
(
to
Katya
)
Did I hear you playing ‘Drink to me only’?

Katya
And Arkady was singing. Weren’t you?

Arkady
ignores
her.

Nikolai
That used to be my song … long ago … Shakespeare wrote the words – did you know that?

Pavel
No.

Nikolai
Yes, he did.

Pavel
Jonson.

Nikolai
What’s that, Pavel?

Pavel
A contemporary of Shakespeare.

Nikolai
Yes?

Pavel
Ben Jonson.

Nikolai
What about him?

Pavel
He wrote the words.

Nikolai
What words?

Pavel
Ben Jonson.

Nikolai
Who is this Ben Jonson, Pavel?

Pavel
Nothing – nothing – just that you said that Shakespeare wrote the words of –

Arkady
(
shouting
)
Who cares! (
controlled
)
Who cares who wrote the bloody words! Who gives a damn! Exactly four weeks ago today Bazarov died – and who cares about that? – who even remembers? Not even one of you! All you care about is stupid jackets and big harvests and stupid bloody songs! Well, I care. And I remember. And I will always remember. And in the coming years I’m going to devote my life to his beliefs and his philosophy – to our philosophy – to carrying out his revolution. That’s what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. And nothing in the world – absolutely nothing – is going to stop me! (
He
breaks
down
and
cries.
)

There
is
a
long,
embarrassed
silence.
Katya
pours
another
drink.
Nikolai,
unable
to
endure
the
silence,
begins
to
hum
but
tails
off
quickly.
Silence
again.

Then Fenichka goes to Nikolai and whispers in his ear.

Nikolai
Sorry? What’s that?

Fenichka
The books.

Nikolai
Books? What books? Oh the books! Of course! Piotr’ll get them for me. P –

He
is
about
to
shout
‘Piotr!’
–
and
miraculously
there
is
Piotr,
now
very
drunk,
at
his
elbow.

Ah. There you are, Piotr. Isn’t that remarkable?

Piotr
Sir.

Nikolai
I didn’t call you, did I?

Piotr
Yes, sir, you did.

Nikolai
Did I?

Piotr
With great clarity. Twice. And here I am.

Nikolai
Well, if you say so, Piotr. Splendid. Run up to my bedroom and on the table beside my bed you’ll find two books. Bring them here to me, will you?

Pause.

Piotr
C-h-r-y-s-

Nikolai
Sorry? What’s that?

Piotr
C-h-r-y-s-a-n-t-

Nikolai
What’s he saying?

Piotr
-r-y-s-a-n-t-m-t-m-r-s-y-

The
others
laugh.
Prokofyich,
stiff
and
stern,
enters.

Nikolai
You’re not intoxicated, Piotr, are you?

Piotr
I know it. I’m telling you I know it. Let me try again. C-h-r-s-y-

Prokofyich
leads
Piotr
off
left.

Prokofyich
Come on, boy. You’re for bed. (
to
all
)
Sorry about this. It won’t happen again. Come on. Move, boy. (
to
all
)
You know you are all cordially invited to the dance later on.

Nikolai
Thank you, Prokofyich. We’ll go for a short time.

Prokofyich
Very good. I’m sorry about this.

They
exit;
Piotr
still
trying
to
spell.

Katya
I’ll get those books, Nikolai.

Nikolai
Poor old Piotr. Poor boy must be suffering terribly.

Fenichka
He’s been at it since lunch-time.

Pavel
And it’s time I went and got some packing done. I hope the wedding – no, weddings – will be a great success. I’m sure they will. (
He
produces
a
tiny
box.
)
I have ordered a proper present – it’s due to arrive at the end of the week. In the meantime – it’s only a token. (
He
hands
the
box
to
Fenichka.
)

Fenichka
Thank you very much, Pavel.

Nikolai
What is this?

Fenichka
It’s a ring. It’s beautiful, Pavel, really beautiful. Thank you.

Nikolai
Let me see.

Fenichka
kisses
Pavel
on
the
cheek.

Pavel
Make it two dances.

Nikolai
Lovely, Pavel. Thank you very much. What’s engraved on the stone? Is it a sphinx?

Pavel
Is it? It’s only a token. No value whatever.

Fenichka
I don’t believe that.

Nikolai
Put it on.

Fenichka
I love it. I’ll think of you every time I wear it.

Nikolai
It’s a beautiful memento, Pavel.

Pavel
Magnifique
!
That’s two occasions I’ll be recalled: whenever you wear that ring; and every time borzoi fanciers get together and Katya’s damned pup is discussed. (
to
Arkady
)
I’ve ordered something for you and Katya, too. I hope you’ll like it.

Arkady
Thank you – from both of us.

Katya
returns
with
two
books.

Katya
Here you are.

Nikolai
Thank you, Katya. And these are for you, Pavel. Something to read on your journeyings.

Pavel
What’s this?

Nikolai
Fenichka chose them. We hope you like them.

Pavel
Mrs Ann Ward Radcliffe! Never!
The
Romance
of
the
Forest
and
The
Mysteries
of
Udolpho.
Wonderful! Where did you get them? They’ve been out of print for years!

Fenichka
Piotr hunted them out when he was in Petersburg last month.

Pavel
Absolutely wonderful! You couldn’t have given me greater pleasure! Darling, innocent Mrs Ann Ward Radcliffe. And the two I’m missing. Can I bear so much intellectual stimulation?

General
laughter.
He
kisses
Fenichka
and
then
Nikolai.

Nikolai
Brother – brother Pavel.

Pavel
I’ll carry them with me wherever I go.
Merci.
Merci
beaucoup.

Nikolai
(
wiping
away
his
tears
)
Now. One final toast. Yes, I’m sorry, Arkady. I’m going to make a short speech – a very short speech.

Katya
I would like to hear a very long speech.

Nikolai
What I just want to say is that this house, this home, is about to suffer a permanent and irreparable loss. Pavel is leaving. We will miss him terribly. And I want him to know that wherever he goes, our love will accompany him always, everywhere. But there is a silver lining to – to – to every – We do have a compensation, indeed a very substantial compensation. Fenichka Fedosya has consented to be my wife and for that – that – that benediction I am profoundly grateful. And on the same day – this day two weeks, amn’t I correct? – and on this very lawn another marriage will be celebrated between Katya Sergeyevna and my son, Arkady. And by that union, too, I am profoundly gratified. Some people might think that there is something inappropriate about a father and a son getting married on the same day, some disorder in the proper ordering of things. But I know that for both of us it will be an occasion of great joy and great fulfilment. And who is to determine what is the proper ordering of things?

Bring
up
the
accordion
playing
‘Drink
to
me
only’.

Fenichka
Listen, Nikolai.

Nikolai
(
to
Katya
)
That clever musician – he picked it up from you.

They
all
listen
for
a
few
seconds.

That was our song, long ago. Maria and I. I sang the melody and she sang the seconds. Our party piece. Her
eyelids fluttered when she sang. Shakespeare wrote the words – did you know that?

He
begins
to
sing.
Fenichka
watches
him
with
a
strained
smile.
He
puts
his
arm
around
her
and
hugs
her.

Sing!

She
gives
him
an
uncertain
smile
but
does
not
sing.

Katya
moves
beside
Arkady.
She
catches
his
hand.
She
begins
to
sing
and
sings
the
words
directly
into
his
face.
He
does
not
sing.

Pavel
moves
across
to
Anna
who
is
sitting
away
from
the
others.
He
catches
her
hand.

Pavel
Do you sing?

Anna
Occasionally. When I’m alone.

Pavel
Yes.
Je
comprends
…

Nikolai and Katya

Hugh O’Neill,
Earl of Tyrone

Harry Hoveden,
O’Neill’s private secretary

Hugh O’Donnell,
Earl of Tyrconnell

Peter Lombard,
Titular Bishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland

Mabel,
Countess, O’Neill’s wife

Mary Bagenal,
Mabel’s sister

Hugh O’Neill
Stephen Rea

Harry Hoveden
Niall O’Brien

Archbishop Lombard
Niall Tiobin

Hugh O’Donnell
Peter Gowan

Mabel (Bagenal) O’Neill
Clare Holman

Mary Bagenal
Emma Dewhurst

Directed by
Simon Curtis
Set design by
Julian McGowan
Lighting by
Rory Dempster