Fosse: Plays Six (3 page)

Today

HE

Today

SHE

Rambuku shall

HE

Rambuku shall

SHE

open up

HE

open up

SHE

Say all of it

HE

Today Rambuku shall

SHE

open up

Yes

Pause

Today’s the day

when Rambuku shall remove

these years

this life

and transform it to nothing

quite short pause

transform it to a memory

which disappears

like the landscape when it darkens

fades away

quite short pause

and grows black

quite short pause

and then Rambuku shall stand forth

quite short pause

in all its light

quite short pause

in all its

luminescent

transparent

being

quite short pause, as if she is reflecting

it

quite short pause

Rambuku

should come today

quite short pause

so why doesn’t Rambuku come

it must come

And it comes

and then it’s over

then it’s finished

Then this is finished

Pause

Then it’s finished

say it

Say

Then it’s finished

HE

Then it’s finished

SHE

Then it’s finished

Pause

Do you understand that

that it’s finished

quite short pause

no

no you don’t understand that

not here

for here it’s not possible

quite short pause

to understand anything

here you just stand

and look and look

and say nothing

and understand nothing

and that’s how it is here

But in Rambuku it’s not like that

say it

say after me

say

In Rambuku it’s not like that

HE

In Rambuku

Short pause

SHE

Yes

Say

Quite short pause

It’s not like that

HE

It’s not like that

SHE

In Rambuku

it’s not like that

short pause

in Rambuku

quite short pause

you become beautiful

quite short pause

for no one was more beautiful than you

quite short pause

I could’ve had anyone I wanted

yes

I could

yes it’s true

and in Rambuku

I shall have you back

short pause

for you

yes

quite short pause

yes you looked like Rambuku

quite short pause

and I chose you

of course

for you were

like Rambuku

long pause, she smiles to herself

it was these

reflects

yes these beautiful tosses

of thoughts

they were sudden

you thought just like they think

in Rambuku

and your voice

the strange arcs that formed

suddenly

quite short pause

and the clouds disappeared

and the sky turned blue

and shimmering

across our life

quite short pause

such were the tosses

of your thoughts

you had Rambuku

in you

quite short pause

and your voice surged

like the waves on the sea

waves

there in Rambuku

quite short pause

that’s how you were

short pause

I say something beautiful about you

and you just stand there

stand there

and say nothing

just stand there

and stare and stare

straight up and down

you stand there

quite short pause

can’t you say something

I tell you

looks at him, in a clear voice

there were beautiful tosses in your thoughts

I tell you that

quite short pause

and you just stand there

and say nothing

quite short pause

why don’t you say something

quite short pause

say something

at least you can answer

when I talk to you

say something

answer

answer me

say something

She sighs. Pause

Well read it then

She takes a pad and a pencil from her bag and writes, tears off the sheet, hands it to him, and he stands and fumbles with the sheet

Read it then

Read

Read what I’ve written

quite short pause

oh well

don’t do it then

just leave it then

just leave reading it

quite short pause

or

yes read it

read it at once

now

read

Read

Pause

HE

reads

Rambuku

SHE

Thank you

thank you so much

quite short pause

it was

quite short pause

yes so beautiful to hear you say

Rambuku

Short pause

Why don’t you read it one more time

Yes

yes

yes you must do that

Read

read it one more time

Pause

HE

reads

Rambuku

SHE

And yet one more time

please

Pause

HE

reads

Rambuku

SHE

Thank you

thank you so much

He stands with the note in his hand and she walks over and takes
it from his hand, she puts the pad, the pencil and the note in her bag. Pause

And now

short pause

Now this is soon finished

now we won’t stand here any longer

you and I

now we won’t be here any longer

you and I

now we’re going

quite short pause

to where everything opens wide

like a vista

over everything that exists

that’s where we’re going

you and I

quite short pause

yes it ended up being the two of us

and you had such a big and beautiful power

you were as beautiful as Rambuku

yes you had a power

hesitates

yes a power as headstrong

as Rambuku

quite short pause

you were this power

this headstrong power

quite short pause

this power

which showed itself most of all

in your sudden tosses

from one thought

to another

reflects a little

just like Rambuku

yes

you were

yes exactly

quite short pause

yes you were

as beautiful

as Rambuku

quite short pause

your smile

the way you tossed your head

I think I can say

quite short pause

yes that I understand myself

quite short pause

yes that I chose you

quite short pause

and do I regret it

quite short pause

no

no I don’t think I regret it

or

quite short pause

yes I regret it

quite fast

I regret as much as it’s possible to regret

I always feel regret

all the time

every time I see you

every time I hear you voice

I feel regret

I keep regretting it

I feel nothing but regret

quite short pause

and then

quite short pause

and then I keep saying

quite short pause

yes that I don’t regret it

quite short pause

how stupid can you be

quite short pause

no

quite short pause

no not that

no regret

just

breaks off

but

quite short pause

but now

quite short pause

yes

quite short pause

yes won’t Rambuku come soon

he should come today

quite short pause

and then he doesn’t come

Why doesn’t Rambuku come

quite short pause

yes he’s coming

he’s coming soon

quite short pause

and then it’s over

then this is over

then it’s finished

quite short pause. Quite loudly

He’s coming

Rambuku’s coming today

do you know that

Short pause

I’m talking to you

why don’t you answer me

don’t just stand there

you must answer

quite short pause

do you hear me

I’m talking to you

Short pause

Are you looking forward to Rambuku coming

quite short pause

to getting away

from here

not having to

stand here any longer

to being in

Rambuku

Quite short pause

Answer me then

say something

You must answer me

You’re looking forward to it

Pause

But I feel so sad

short pause

that I almost begin to cry

quite short pause

for you

quite short pause

for you

for you standing there

good old you

you were always

yes so obstinately persevering

so

quite short pause

yes

quite short pause

but that’s a long time ago

quite short pause

a very long time ago

quite short pause

it doesn’t exist anymore

so why think about it

quite short pause

but this

no

pause

no I

breaks off

no I

breaks off

I suppose I must

I

breaks off

I

breaks off

I

I must

breaks off

I

breaks off, short pause

and you

standing there

quite short pause

I must

breaks off, short pause

No it’s too awful

Short pause

It’s too awful

Quite short pause

I must be the one I was

quite short pause

I can’t

breaks off
,
quite short pause

I must be

quite short pause

the one I am

and the one I shall be

quite short pause

and I am beautiful

I’ve dressed up

today I’m beautiful

for today

is a big day

a day for decisions

today is Rambuku’s day

quite short pause

I know that

short pause

but you

quite short pause

you

quite short pause

standing there

good old you

you’re good

you with your hands

with your fingers

with your movements

quite short pause

you

quite short pause

you stand there

and I stand here

you and I

are here

quite short pause

the two of us

quite short pause

just you and I

no one else

just you and I are here

just the two of us

short pause
,
almost whispering

you and I stand here

ready

everything’s ready

for Rambuku coming

quite short pause

to you and me

quite short pause

to the two of us

quite short pause

and in Rambuku everything becomes a song

short pause

a song from seas and stars

where everything is large

and everything disappears

quite short pause

and just the two of us

are left

and everything fades

into something which is and lasts

there in Rambuku

quite short pause

and not even the memories

are left

of the two of us

there

there in Rambuku

they are gone

they are gone

like the sea in the darkness

short pause

so don’t just stand there

quite short pause

and look and look

you

say something

tell me something about Rambuku

Tell me what you know

about Rambuku

Short pause

No

no don’t say anything

quite short pause

just stand there

A little questioningly

Good

Short pause

Say it’s good

She walks over to him, looks him in the face

Say yes

HE

Yes

SHE

Okay

She holds his chin

But say it one more time

say it

She pulls his chin up and down