Act One
Almost sunset. Some chairs.
Simeon and Marcia enter.
Simeon
Why do you always wear black?
Masha
I’m in mourning for my life. I’m happy.
Simeon
I don’t get it. Your life’s not so bad. You’re young,
you’re healthy. Your dad might not be the richest man
in the world but he’s doing pretty well for himself. Look
at my life. Do you know how much money I make a
month?
Marcia
I have no idea.
Simeon
Not very much is how much. Not very much at all. But I
don’t walking around moping.
Marcia
I’m not moping.
Simeon
And most of it’s taxed.
Marcia
There’s more to life than money, you know.
Simeon
Oh really? On my wages I have to support my mother,
my two sisters, and my little brother. And how do I do
it? By giving up everything in life that gives me any kind
of happiness.
Marcia looks at him. Then away again. She looks at the stage.
Marcia
The play’ll be starting soon.
Simeon
Yes. Nina’s acting in it, isn’t she? Konstantin’s new play.
They’re madly in love with each other and tonight their
souls will fuse in the joint ecstasy of artistic creation.
But my soul and yours have a much harder time getting
together. I love you, I’m so obsessed with you. I can’t
stay at home, so every day I walk four miles here and
four miles back, and all I get from you is complete
indifference. I don’t blame you. I get it. I mean, what
could I possibly offer you? And with my family, I’m not
exactly an exciting prospect.
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Marcia
It’s not that. (She rolls a cigarette.) It’s sweet that you
love me so much. The one major hurdle is I just don’t
love you at all. You want some?
Simeon
Umm, no thanks.
Marcia
It’s so humid. I reckon it’ll storm tonight. – Is being
poor the worst thing you can imagine? There are worse
things, believe me. I’d rather be homeless, begging on
the streets than . . .
Simeon
What?
Marcia
It doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t understand.
Serena and Konstantin enter.
Serena
I’ve never clogged myself with the praises of the
pastoral life. Clouds get enough attention as it is. I can’t
even enjoy a blade of grass unless I know there’s a
wine bar handy – some sign that people don’t totally
regret life. I went to bed at dawn and woke up mid
afternoon with my brain glued to my skull. (Laughs.)
Then I accidentally fell asleep again and now I’m a
wreck. It’s like being permanently jet-lagged.
Konstantin
You’d be much better off living on the mainland. (He
sees Simeon and Marcia.) What are you two doing here?
We’re not ready to start yet. I’ll let you know when.
Serena
Masha, sweetie, would you be so kind as to tell your
father to let his bloody dog off the lead in the evenings?
It howled again the whole night. My sister didn’t get any
sleep at all. And nor did I.
Marcia
One, I’m not your sweetie. Two, if you’ve got something
you want to say to my father, say it yourself. (To
Simeon.) Come on.
Simeon
Yes. Okay. (To Konstantin.) You’ll give us plenty of
notice before the play starts, won’t you?
Konstantin
Of course.
Simeon and Marcia leave. The distant sound of a dog barking.
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Serena
So that bloody dog’ll be howling all night again.
Guaranteed. (She laughs.) I was always relieved to get
away from this place. Now I’m retired, but there’s
nowhere else for me to go. Like it or not, I’m marooned
here.
Konstantin
We’re starting in ten minutes. The play has to begin at
precisely twenty-seven minutes past eight. That’s the
exact moment when the moon will rise over the trees.
Serena
Marvellous.
Konstantin
The timing is crucial so if Nina’s late the whole thing will
be ruined. She should be here by now. Her father and
stepmother never let her out of their sight. It’s a prison
break just to get her here. Jesus, you look a mess.
When did you last see a hairdresser?
Serena tries to tidy her hair.
Serena
She sits down.
My hair has been the bane of my life. Even when I was
young I looked like an old drunk. It’s true. Caused
terrible problems with men. They never liked me.
Why is your mother in such a foul mood?
Konstantin
She’s just bored. And she’s jealous. She’s angry with
me. She’s angry about tonight. She hates my play and
she hates that she’s not in my play and Nina is. She
hasn’t even read it, but she still hates it.
Serena
You’re a funny one. Do you really think that?
Konstantin
It drives her insane that even here, on this little stage
on an island in the middle of nowhere, Nina will be the
centre of attention and not her. Textbook diva, my
mother. She’s a fascinating case study. She’s talented.
No arguing about that, and she’s kind. She’s so loving
to the poor and the sick. But just you try and
compliment another actor. My God! She’s the only one
who gets the compliments! Nobody else! She’s the only
one we can write about. She’s the only one we can talk
about! We must never forget her St Joan, her
Cleopatra. Her Hedda Gabler. She’s addicted to the
adulation. But she comes here, to visit her son on this
remote island, and she can’t get her hit. So she gets
bored and angry and of course it’s all our fault. And the
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older she gets the meaner she gets. I know for a fact
she’s got zillions stashed away – somewhere! – but ask
her for a loan and she has a nervous breakdown.
Serena
You don’t know that she won’t like your play. This is just
a sort of … performance anxiety. Your mother adores
you.
He picks a nearby flower. He starts picking off the petals.
Konstantin
She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me. She
loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not. You see!
My own mother doesn’t love me! And why should she?
She wants to live! She wants to love! She's desperate to
believe she's still the same woman she was a decade
ago – the star of her day! But suddenly I’m twenty-five
and I’m a constant reminder to her that she’s not. She’s
thirty when I’m not around, but when I am, she’s joined
the over-fifty club and she hates me for it. She’s furious
with me because she knows I think theatre’s dead. It’s
a middle-class mausoleum that she’s devoted her life
to. It means everything to her, but to me it’s so safe
and tame, conventional and boring. She still believes in
it, of course. She loves it, even imagines that she’s
fulfilling some sacred duty in the temple of art. She
can't see that it's a dead form that people only cling to
because they’re afraid to let go of it. It's got nothing to
do with reality, with what it means to be alive now, in
this moment. All we ever get is the same sentimental,
self-congratulatory shit masquerading as reality. When I
see actors on stage pretending to be real, pretending to
eat, drink, walk, talk, love – wear jackets! – I want to
scream: Stop. Stop trying to make me feel your fake
feelings. Stop trying to trick me. Stop treating me like a
child. Your reality is not my reality. I don’t live there.
Your dead world is not my world. When I see the same
clichés – the same rehashed lies over and over – it
makes me want to run away screaming.
Serena
But we have to have theatre!
Konstantin
If we do, then we have to start again. We have to learn
to speak again, and learn to speak a radical new
language. Or say nothing at all. (He looks at his watch
again.) I love my mother. I love her very much. But her
whole life is meaningless. She’s always splashed across
some gossip magazine with that novelist of hers
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dripping off her arm. I’m just – I’m so tired of it.
Sometimes it’s just my ego. I know that. I understand
that. Sometimes it makes me so angry that my mother
is this famous actress. I just wish, sometimes, that she
could just be an ordinary woman. Aunt Serena, can you
think of a situation more desperate, more stupid than
this: she used to have these, these soirées she called
them. She would invite every celebrity she could think
of – actors, artists, singers and writers. And me. She’d
wheel me out, a complete nobody, to stand amongst
them. They only spoke to me because I was her son. I’d
been expelled from university because of – quote,
“suspected criminal behaviour”, unquote – what a joke
– I was protesting against the criminal hike in student
fees – that’s the real crime! – and consequently I’m
unemployable and broke. Who the hell am I? What the
hell do I matter? I’m a penniless, talentless nonentity. I
could feel them all, the writers and the artists, I could
feel them judging me. I could read their minds as they
tried to assess just how insignificant I really was. Am. It
was so humiliating.
Serena
This novelist friend of hers, what do you make of him?
He doesn’t say much.
Konstantin
Oh. He’s alright. Friendly enough. Bit reserved. But he’s
hugely successful. He’s got it all – looks, talent. And his
work’s fine. It’s readable. It is. It is. But once you’ve
read Tolstoy, you don’t need to waste your time reading
Boris Trigorin.
Serena
I love writers. Did you know I once wanted to be one? I
desperately wanted two things: to get married and to
write. Spoiler alert: I achieved neither.
Konstantin signals for Serena to stop talking.
Konstantin
Is that her? (He listens some more.) I can’t live without
her. Even the sound of her footsteps drives me insane.
I’m so happy!
Nina enters.
He runs to her. Holds her.
My darling! My dream!
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Nina
I’m not late! I told you I wouldn’t be and I’m not.
Konstantin kisses her hands.
Konstantin
You’re not late.
Nina
I’ve been so nervous all day, terrified my father
wouldn’t let me out. But he went out with my
stepmother. They took so long getting ready. By the
time they were leaving the sun was setting and the
moon was getting ready to rise. (She laughs.) But I
made it in time. I’m so happy. (She squeezes Serena’s
hand.)
Serena
You’ve got tears in your eyes. That’s not good, is it?
Nina
It’s nothing really. I’m just out of breath. Look at me.
I’m in a state. We’ve got to be quick. I have to go in
half an hour. I can’t be late. I can’t, God! I really, I
can’t. Dad doesn’t know I’m here.
Konstantin
Don’t panic. Please. I’ll get everyone together and we’ll
start.
Serena
I’ll round ‘em up.
She heads off, humming to herself, enjoying the drama. Then stops.
Turns to Nina.
A friend said to me once – he was a lawyer, a public
prosecutor – ‘You have a powerful voice, Serena. A very
loud singing voice. What a shame it’s so bloody awful.’
She chuckles and leaves.
Nina
My father would be furious if he knew I was here. He
says you’re all bohemians. My stepmother said the
same thing. She said ‘You can’t trust those artistic
people’. They’re already worried I’m going to run away
from home and be an actress. But I can’t not come
here. I’m drawn to this place, to this lake, like a seagull.
And I’m drawn to you. You fill my heart.
She looks around.
Konstantin
There’s nobody here. We’re all alone.
Nina
I thought I heard somebody.
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Konstantin
He kisses her.
No, no you didn’t.
Don’t run away after the play. Please. Not tonight. Stay.
Nina
I can’t.
Konstantin
I love you.
Nina
Sshhh.
Konstantin
You go get ready. Are you nervous?
Nina
Yes! Not of performing in front of your mother but Boris
Trigorin is here! I’m petrified. Acting in front of him – a
famous writer. Is he young?
Konstantin
Ish.
Nina
I love his stories so much.
Konstantin
I wouldn’t know. Never read them.
Nina
I mean, I love your play. I do. It’s just. It’s hard acting
in it because they’re not real people.
Konstantin
Real people? What does that even mean? The point of
theatre isn’t to show ‘real people’. It’s not to show some
simple idea of what life is actually like. And it’s not to,
to, to offer some crude solution to what life might be
either. The work of theatre is to create a dreamspace.
Nina
But nothing happens in your play either. There’s just a
lot of words.
Konstantin
It’s in our dreams that we understand the truth about
our lives. The theatre should be a place where we can
wake from our sleep into a new world.
Nina
Yes! But I like it when people fall in love in a play.
Konstantin looks at her. Then they both exit behind the stage.
Pauline and Hugo enter.
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Pauline
Hugo
Pauline
The ground’s wet. You should get some proper clothes
on. Get a coat for goodness sake.
I’m hot.
Why won’t you take proper care of yourself? You’re
incredibly stubborn. You’re a doctor for crying out loud.
You know perfectly well that damp air is bad for you but
you enjoy seeing me suffer. Like last night you
deliberately stayed outside even though it was cold –
He sings a bar or two of ‘Blue Moon’ to her.
You were so wrapped up in your little conversation with
the great actress that you probably didn’t even notice
how cold it was getting. Ha! I’m right, aren’t I? You’re
infatuated with her.
Hugo
I’m fifty five.
Pauline
Rubbish. Fifty five is a perfectly good age for a man to
develop an infatuation. Besides, you’re beautifully
preserved. Lots of women still find you attractive.
Hugo
And what do you suggest I do about it?
Pauline
All men are the same – you see a beautiful woman – a
famous actress no less – you drop to your knees with
your tongues hanging out. And women drool over you
all the time, you know they do!
Hugo
They love a good doctor. You can hardly blame them.
Up until about fifteen years ago I was the only halfdecent specialist on this island. And besides, I’m always
honest.
Paulina
I know.
Hugo
Women respect honesty.
She reaches for his hand.
Paulina
We do.
Enter Irina, Boris, Serena, Simeon and Marcia.
Konstantin enters from backstage.
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Irina
Sweetheart, when are you starting this thing?
Konstantin
In a minute. Be patient.
Irina
(from Hamlet)
‘Oh, Hamlet, my son, speak no more! Thou turns’t mine
eyes into my very soul
And there I see such black and grainèd spots
As will not leave their tinct.’
Konstantin
(from Hamlet)
‘Nay but to live
In the rank sweat of an enseamèd bed,
Stewed in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty…’ –
Please, ladies and gentlemen. My friends. Take your
seats/ We shall begin.
He claps his hands twice above his head.
Oh you spirits, you shadows, hovering above this lake.
Drug us to sleep and let us dream of life two hundred
thousand years from now.
Serena
There’ll be nothing left. Not at the rate we’re going.
Konstantin
Then let me show you that nothing.
Irina
Yes. Lovely. Right. Come on! Put us to sleep. We’re all
asleep.
The curtain rises. The view of the lake opens up: the moon on the horizon
and its reflection in the water. Nina, alone on stage, all in white.
Nina
The earth is dead. All living things are dead. We killed
them. We the dead killed them. Humans dead, lions
dead, eagles and lizards dead, antlered deer and polar
bears dead, starfish, seahorses, carp, dead dead dead.
Every animal, every plant, every species is dead. We
breathe ash. Walking, there is dust. Nothing grows.
Nothing swims in the lake. Water thick as mercury now.
Sunsets, stars, waves, flowers. Dead dead dead dead.
Above the polluted shore, the moon is a cataract. My
mouth is a mass grave. My grey teeth rot. I am COLD,
COLD, COLD. People are gone. And the lions are gone.
And the eagles. The partridges and the deer are all
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gone. The geese, spiders and the silent fish of the
waters. The starfish and those animals too small to be
seen by our eyes. All things. All living things have
completed their cycle on this earth. All things have died.
For thousands of years this rock, this earth, has not had
a single creature alive upon it. The moon is made of
paper. It lights in vain. No cranes wake to cry in the
morning air. No May beetles in the lime groves. A cold,
cold ground. An empty sky. A frightening place. The
corpses have dissolved to dust. They have become
carbon. They are stone. They are water. They are
clouds. All of the souls of all of the dead have turned to
one. There is one soul. There is only one soul. It is I. I
am all souls. I am Alexander the Great and I am
Caesar, I am Shakespeare and I am Napoleon. I am the
cockroach and the leech. I am every conscious soul. I
am instinct. I am animal. I know all that has been
known. Everything. I know it. I see it. Every life. Inside
myself.
The phosphorescent light from the marshes begins to glow.
Irina (whispering) It’s very symbolic. It’s symbolism.
Konstantin (pleading to her) Mother.
Nina
I am alone. There is a moment, one moment every
century when I open my mouth to speak. My voice sings
its sad, sorry song out into the void. But nobody hears.
In the entire universe only one thing remains. The soul.
I am a prisoner. I am smashed at the bottom of the
deepest well. I am lost. I am beyond time. All I know is
this fight with the devil. I will vanquish him. I am
destined to defeat him. And when I do, the body will
merge with the soul and all will be beauty. All shall be
harmony. And the time for the free soul to lead the
world will begin. It will take years. Thousands of years.
The moon will turn to dust. The earth will turn to dust.
But until that moment there will be nothing but horror.
Just horror … horror … horror …
Two red spots appear above the lake.
Irina
He approaches. My enemy. My devil. I can see his eyes.
His terrible, terrible eyes.
I can smell sulphur.
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Konstantin
You’re meant to.
Irina
Oh I see. A special effect.
Konstantin
Mum!
Nina
He is bored without humanity. He misses you all.
Pauline (to Hugo) Why have you taken your hat off? Put it back on or
you’ll catch a cold.
Konstantin loses his temper.
Konstantin
Right! That’s it! The show’s over! We’re finished. Turn
the lights back on!
Irina
What’s the matter with you?
Konstantin
I said that’s enough! It’s my fault. Sorry. Mea culpa.
Mea MAXIMA culpa. I forgot that writing plays can only
be done by a select few. The elite. How could I have
been so arrogant? How could I have been so stupid? I’m
just a – just a –
He glares at his mother. At everybody. He storms off.
Irina
Well that escalated quickly.
Serena
Irina. He’s young. Don’t be so mean.
Irina
I didn’t say anything!
Serena
You hurt his feelings.
Irina
He told me himself it was an experiment. So that’s what
I was treating it as. An experiment.
Serena
Even so.
Irina
Turns out he’s written a masterpiece! I didn’t realise
that the clouds of sulphuric acid he was gassing us with
were actually part of some kind of “provocation”! He
was teaching us something! He was teaching us how
we’re meant to write, how we’re meant to act. I’m just
– I’m just tired of it. All these endless jabs and jibes
and barbed sneering jokes about me. They would test
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anybody’s patience. Don’t look at me like that. I’m
right. He’s a moody, arrogant little boy.
Serena
He was trying to make you happy.
Irina
Was he? Was he really? Well why didn’t he just write a
bloody play? Instead of making us listen to his
pretentious waffling ramble. It’s not the dawning of a
new era. It’s not an artistic revolution. It’s a tantrum
disguised as theatre.
Boris
All anybody can ever do is write the plays they want to
write as well as they can.
Irina
Fine. He can write whatever he wants. Just don’t inflict
it on me.
Hugo
Ah, “come not between the dragon and her wrath”!
Irina
I’m not a dragon, I’m a woman. I’m just a woman who’s
a bit bloody irritated that my son should spend his life in
such a tedious and predictable and self-important way. I
didn’t mean to upset him.
Simeon
(to Boris.) You know what somebody should write
about? I’d love to see a play about a teacher. How a
teacher really lives. It’s not easy. I’ll tell you that for
nothing.
Irina
Let’s not talk about plays anymore. It’s such a gorgeous
evening. Listen. Is that singing?
She listens.
It’s lovely.
Pauline
It’s coming from the other side of the lake.
They listen for some time.
Irina
Oh, how beautiful. About ten, fifteen years ago, there
would be music here all the time. Every evening, on the
lake. There were six houses on this side. I remember
the sounds of people laughing, shots being fired, and
people falling in love. All the time people falling in love.
And do you know who the real heart throb was? The
real leading man? Dr Hugo Dorn himself. Dorn Juan we
used to call him. He’s gorgeous now. Of course he is.
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But then! He would stop your heart. And that famous
bedside manner. Or was it infamous?
Oh. I feel bad now. I feel guilty. Why was I so mean to
my little boy? I feel awful.
She calls.
Konstantin! Tino! Sweetheart!
Marcia
I’ll go and look for him.
Irina
Thank you, darling.
Marcia
Konstantin! Where are you?!? Konstantin! (She leaves.)
Nina comes out from behind the stage.
Nina
We’re not going on, are we?
Irina
Well the author’s run off so I don’t think so.
She goes to Pauline and Irina and kisses them in greeting.
Serena
Oh well done, my dear. Congratulations!
Irina
Brava! Brava! Bravissima! I really enjoyed your
performance. We all did. You’re hypnotic. And so
beautiful. And that voice! My dear Nina, with your voice
and your beauty it would be a sin, no not a sin, a crime,
to lock yourself away on this island. You have the most
extraordinary talent. Listen to me, it is your duty, to all
of us, to become a professional actress.
Nina
Oh but that’s all I want. I don’t think it’s likely to
happen though.
Irina
You don’t know that. You can never know that. Please.
Darling. Let me introduce you to Boris Trigorin.
Nina
Oh. I’m so pleased to meet you. I’m a huge fan of your
work. I think I’ve read everything you’ve ever written.
I’m so embarrassed.
Irina
Here. Sit down. You mustn’t be embarrassed. He might
be a celebrity but he’s a simple man with a simple
heart. Look – you’ve made him blush. Oh that’s
adorable!
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Nina
It’s a strange play, isn’t it?
Boris
I didn’t understand a single word of it. Not a word. But
you know what? I enjoyed watching it immensely. Your
acting very truthful. Very committed. And the setting’s
beautiful. – Can I ask you something?
Nina
Yes.
Boris
Are there fish in this lake?
Nina
Fish. Yes. There are.
Boris
I love fishing. Nothing in the world makes me happier
than sitting down on the edge of a river as night falls.
With my rods and my bait. Watching the surface of the
water. Waiting for a bite.
Nina
It can’t be as beautiful as writing. Surely nothing can
compete with the joy of pure creativity.
Irina
Oh don’t be too nice to him. You’ll embarrass him if
you’re not careful.
Nina
I really have to go now. I have to. Goodbye.
Irina
But why must you? Where do you have to be? We won’t
let you leave, you know.
Nina
My father’s waiting for me.
Irina
Is he really? He’s quite the one your father, isn’t he?
Really.
Irina kisses Nina farewell.
Well. There’s nothing you can do. It’s such a shame you
have to go.
Nina
You have no idea how hard it is for me to leave.
Irina
Somebody should walk you home.
Nina
Oh no! No! There’s no need.
Serena
Please stay.
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Nina
I can’t.
Serena
One more hour and then we’ll see you home safe and
sound.
Nina
Oh I want to so much. But I can’t.
She squeezes Serena’s hand. And then leaves.
Irina
Hugo
Poor thing. Everybody says that her mother was a
wealthy woman. And her father has given everything
she left to his second wife, so Nina has nothing, It’s
awful.
Yes. Her dear, dear father is a complete shit.
Serena
Come on. We should all go. It’s getting damp. My legs
are killing me.
Irina
Look at the state of you. Stiff as a board. You’re frozen.
Come on. Hold my arm.
Serena
That bloody dog. Can you hear it? Why can’t they let it
off its bloody lead?
All leave except Hugo.
Konstantin enters.
Konstantin
Everybody’s gone.
Hugo
I’m here.
Konstantin
Masha’s been all round the lake looking for me. She’s
insufferable.
Hugo
Konstantin. Can I tell you? I enjoyed your play very
much. It is rather strange and I didn’t get to hear how it
ended but it really affected me. It did. You’re a talented
man. You must keep going. Really.
He hugs him.
You’re shaking. What is it? What are you so frightened
about? You’re crying. What am I trying to say to say?
You took something abstract and turned it into
something more concrete. I think that’s what art should
do. Art should try to give form to the biggest ideas we
can reach for. You’ll never make anything great unless
you dare to try. And you tried.
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Konstantin
So are you saying I should keep going?
Hugo
Yes. But only write about what touches you, about
what’s important and eternal. I’ve had a rich and varied
life, I don't mind admitting that. I'm a happy man. I
am. But if I'd had the opportunity, the chance to
experience the joy, the elevation that an artist must feel
when they imagine something and then bring it into
existence - Well, I would have given everything to have
had experienced that.
Konstantin
Where’s Nina?
Hugo
And one more thing. You must understand why you’re
making something. Why you’re writing. Otherwise,
when you set out, you’ll lose your way.
Konstantin
Have you seen Nina?
Hugo
She’s gone home.
Konstantin
Has she? Oh God. What am I going to do? I need to see
her. I have to.
Marcia enters.
Hugo
Konstantin. Calm down.
Marcia
Go home, Konstantin. Your mother’s waiting for you.
She’s worried. She feels really guilty.
Konstantin
Tell her I’ve gone out. And please. Can you give me a
bit of peace? Leave me alone. Stop following me
around! It’s like you’re hunting me.
Hugo
Konstantin, you can’t go.
Konstantin
Goodbye, doctor. Thank you. For what you said. And –
Thank you.
He leaves.
Hugo
Marcia
Kids these days.
Is that the best you can come up with? People always
say that when they’ve run out of anything worth saying.
‘Kids these days.’
16
She rolls a cigarette.
Hugo
Filthy habit. I think they’re playing poker in the house. I
might go –
Marcia
Wait a moment.
Hugo
What?
Marcia
There’s something I want to say. I just want – I can’t
really talk to my father, because I don’t like him. In my
heart I belong here. With you. It’s like my soul belongs
here. Help me. If you don’t help me I’ll do something
stupid. I’ll ruin everything. I can’t carry on like this. I
can’t –
Hugo
Help you how?
Marcia
I’m in so much pain. Nobody understands.
She goes to him. He holds her. She leans her head on his chest.
I love Konstantin so much. I do.
Hugo
God you’re all so dramatic/oversensitive. You get
yourselves so agitated and wound up. It must be the
moon. Or the lake. It bewitches you. And all this love.
What good does it do you? And what can I do about it?
What? What?
End of Act One.
17
Act Two
A lawn between a house and a lake. It is midday. It is hot. The sun
dazzling off the lake.
Irina, Hugo and Marcia are sitting on a bench. Hugo has a book open on
his lap.
Irina
Stand up. Come here. Stand next to me.
They stand side by side.
So you’re twenty three?
Marcia
Twenty two.
Irina
Even better. You’re twenty two. I’m nearly twice as old
as you. Doctor, which one of us looks younger?
Hugo
You do, of course.
Irina
See? You see! And do you know why that is? Because I
work. I am constantly alert, constantly on the go. You
know what your problem is? You never go anywhere.
You’re stuck here all the time. And another thing. My
rule. Do you want to know what my rule is? Never worry
about the future. I never think about getting old. I
never think about dying. There’s nothing you can do
about death. You can’t avoid it, so point worrying about
it.
Marcia
Did you never have the feeling that you were born
hundreds of years ago? – Never mind. I drag my life
behind me; it’s like I’m wearing a dress with an endless
train. Sometimes I just can’t see the point of carrying
on. Don’t worry – I’m not going to do anything. It’s a
phase. It’ll pass.
Hugo starts humming.
Irina
Image matters. Performance matters. Dress for
success. Do I ever leave the house in a pair of sweats?
Never. And that’s another of my rules. The clothes must
be immaculate and the hair and makeup always comme
18
il faut. The reason I look as good as I do is because I
take care of my appearance. It’s very, very simple.
Look.
She stretches her arms. Dances a little.
See what I mean? Light as a feather. I could play a
fifteen-year-old girl.
Hugo
Of course you could, my dear. – Now. Should I read on?
We stopped at the analogy about writers being like rats.
Irina
Ah yes, the rats. Read on. Actually, give it to me, it’s
my turn. I’ll read.
She scans the book for the right place.
‘For people of the world to flatter writers and try to win
their company is as dangerous as for a corn merchant
to allow rats to breed in his barns. And yet they do.
When, for example, a woman has chosen a writer whom
she wishes to conquer, she besieges him with
compliments, favours, and flattery . . .’ Well, Monsieur
Maupassant. The French might do that but we don’t. In
this country, before a woman sets out to entrap a
writer, she’s already head over heels in love with him.
Just look at me and Trigorin.
Serena enters. She is walking with a stick. Nina is with her. Simeon
pushes an empty wheelchair behind them.
Serena
So are we happy, little one?
Nina
We are.
Serena
Today at least?
Nina
I’m very happy.
Serena (to Irina) We’re happy.
Nina
Extremely happy.
Serena
We are. Father and the wicked stepmother have gone
away for the weekend. We have three days of complete
freedom.
19
Nina
I’m all yours.
Serena sits in her wheelchair.
Serena
Isn’t she a beautiful thing?
Irina
Very.
Serena
In this light?
Irina
What a beautiful dress. (She kisses her.) But don’t
praise her too much. Too many compliments bring bad
luck. That’s true, you know. Where’s Boris?
Nina
He’s at the lake. He’s fishing.
Irina
Fishing. He never gets tired of fishing. Staggering
really, isn’t it?
Nina
What are you reading?
Irina
Maupassant. (She reads to herself.) His ‘Afloat’. (She
reads some more.) Well, the rest of it’s neither
interesting nor true. (She closes the book. Looks at
Nina.) Something’s bothering me. Can I ask you?
What’s the matter with my son? Why is he so unhappy
all the time? He’s so angry. He spends all his time
wandering round the lake. I never see him.
Marcia
He’s unhappy. (To Nina.) Nina. Please, could you give
us a speech from his play?
Nina
I mean, I will if you want me to. It’s all a bit dull.
Marcia
When he reads it himself, his eyes burn and his face
goes pale. He has this beautiful sad voice and the look
of a poet.
Serena starts snoring.
Hugo
Nighty night!
Irina
Serena!
Serena
Hm?
Irina
Are you asleep?
20
Serena
No, of course not.
Irina
Are you taking your medicine, darling? You have to take
your medicine. It’s important.
Serena
Well I would, but the good doctor won’t give me any.
Hugo
My dear woman. You don’t need any medicine. You’re
just old.
Serena
Even at sixty, I still want to live. Just because I’m old
doesn’t mean I don’t want to live!
Hugo
Take a Panadol. You’ll be fine.
Simeon
You should give up smoking and drinking.
Hugo
He’s right.
Simeon
I should have been a doctor. I bet you’re on good
money.
Serena
My problem is I never lived. I worked in the Law Courts
for twenty eight years. But in all that time I never really
lived. I would like to. Very much. You have. You’re
satisfied with your life. You’ve had your fill. You don’t
really care either way nowadays. But I want to live. I
want to drink the richest wine and eat the finest food
and smoke the best cigars. And that’s what I’m going to
do. And there’s nothing anybody can do to stop me.
Hugo
To start popping pills at your age and regretting a
misspent youth is pretty pointless now, if you don’t
mind me saying. You make passionate speeches about
your need for a wonderful life and then cry for medicine
like a silly child.
Marcia
(standing up.) Lunch!
She walks out. She’s limping.
Bloody leg’s gone to sleep.
She leaves.
Hugo
She’s going for a liquid lunch.
21
Serena
Poor thing. She’s so unhappy.
Hugo
She’s not unhappy at all.
Serena
You know your problem, Doctor? You talk like a man
who’s had everything in life.
Hugo
That, your honour, is utter nonsense.
Irina
Oh this is all so boring. Oh how do you bear it, Serena?
It’s so hot and you sit around talking about God knows
what. No one else about, nothing going on, I have to
practically row out on to the lake to get a decent phone
signal. I mean I’m glad to be with you all but given the
choice I would much rather be in a hotel room learning
lines.
Nina
It sounds incredible. It really does. I can only imagine
what it must be like.
Serena
Well you’re right about one thing. Being on the
mainland is much better. Everything is wonderful there.
Hugo starts humming again.
Pauline enters.
Paulina
Good morning. (To Irina.) I’ve heard you’re heading to
the mainland for a little excursion. Is that right?
Irina
It is. We are.
Paulina
How are you going to get there?
Irina
By ferry of course.
Paulina
But how will you get to the ferry?
Irina
Well you can drive us.
Paulina
Forgive me, Irina. The last thing I would ever want to
be is rude to you. You know how much respect I have
for you, and your talent. I admire your talent so deeply.
I’d do anything for you. I’d give you years of my life. I’d
give you anything you asked for. But I can’t drive you to
22
the ferry because my husband’s using the Land Rover
for work today. He’s got the sheep crutching.
Irina
Oh not this again! I am leaving for the mainland. Today.
Find me some mode of transportation to take me to the
ferry or I’ll bloody walk. And I’ll swim to the mainland if
I have to. Your husband is like this every year. I’m over
it. I’m leaving and I’m never coming back to this
godforsaken island ever again!
She leaves.
Nina
I can’t believe your husband won’t help her. Does he
even know who she is? You have to say an actress who
has achieved the things that she has achieved is more
important than farming.
Pauline
Really?
Nina
I can’t believe it. I really can’t.
Pauline
Well what can I do?
Serena
We’ll go and find her. We’ll beg her not to leave.
Nina
Don’t get up. We’ll push you.
She and Simeon push the chair away.
Oh this is just awful. Awful.
Serena
It really is. It is. I am going to speak to your husband.
Right now, this second.
They leave.
Only Hugo and Pauline remain.
Hugo
Aren’t people boring?/Human beings.
Pauline
Yes.
Hugo
They’re so predictable. Your husband should have been
sacked years ago. But you watch. That old woman
Serena and her sister will be begging him to forgive
them in no time at all.
23
Pauline
My husband’s always like this. Every day it’s exactly the
same. If you knew how upset I get about it. It makes
me feel sick. Look. I’m shaking. Hugo. I need to be with
you. Please. I can’t take being apart from you anymore.
Look at us. We’re getting old. We’re old now. Surely
now, at the end of our lives, we can stop pretending.
Stop hiding things all the time. Stop lying.
Pause.
Hugo
I’m fifty five. It’s a little late for some big upheaval.
Pauline
You can’t have them all, you know.
Hugo
What??
Pauline
Don’t think I don’t know you because I do. – I’m sorry.
I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. You must
be so tired of me.
Hugo
It’s not that.
Pauline
I just get jealous. For God’s sake, you’re a
gynaecologist, it’s not like you can avoid women, is it?
Nina approaches. Hugo addresses her.
Hugo
Do you have an update for us?
Nina
Irina’s crying. And Serena’s having an asthma attack.
Hugo
I should go and check on them. I’ll give Serena some
tablets. She’ll love that.
Nina
(giving him the flowers) These are for you.
Hugo
Merci bien.
He sets off towards the house.
Pauline
Gorgeous flowers! Can I see? Give them to me.
She tears them to pieces and throws them to the ground.
Hugo and Pauline leave.
Nina is alone.
24
Nina
People are weird. It’s so strange to see a famous
actress crying, especially over something so trivial. And
Boris – a famous writer, idolised by his public, written
about in all the papers, his writing translated into so
many foreign languages, and he spends all day fishing!
He gets so excited about it! I always thought famous
people were arrogant and aloof, standing above us all,
sneering down on us. I never for one second thought
they would even talk to a nobody like me. Let alone
behave like that. Yet here they are. Crying. Fishing.
Playing cards. Getting angry over the silliest little thing.
They’re just like everybody else.
Konstantin enters. He is holding a rifle and a dead seagull in a sack.
Konstantin
Are you alone?
Nina
Yes.
He lays the bag at her feet.
What’s that?
Konstantin
It’s a seagull. I shot it this morning. I lay it at your feet.
Nina
What’s wrong with you?
She picks it up and looks at it.
Konstantin
I’m going to kill myself soon. Same method.
Nina
Are you all right, Konstantin?
Konstantin
Am I alright?
Nina
You’ve changed.
Konstantin
Yes I have.
Nina
I don’t even know who you are anymore.
Konstantin
You changed me.
Nina
What? That’s – You’re so angry all the time.
Konstantin
It’s because you’ve grown so cold.
25
Nina
And you never say anything anymore unless it’s in some
kind of weird metaphor that nobody actually
understands.
Konstantin
I’m so sorry. That must be mortifying for you. Even
being in the same place as me must be horrible.
Nina
Like this bird. It’s obviously some kind of a symbol,
right? But, I’m sorry, Konstantin, I just don’t have a
clue what it’s a symbol for. I’m too stupid.
Konstantin
It started the night of my play.
Nina
What did?
Konstantin
It was such a pathetic failure. It must have been awful
for you. Women never forgive failure, do they? I burnt
it. The play. Every page. Every copy. If you only knew
how unhappy I am. Every day you get colder and
colder. It’s started to scare me. You’re wrong, you
know. About people not being able to understand me.
That’s not the problem. The problem is that there’s
nothing about me for people to understand. Everybody
hated my play. Even you. I thought you were my
inspiration. But you think I’m ridiculous. I mean,
obviously. I’m insignificant to you. I mean nothing. Do
you know what I am to you? I’m ordinary. Yeah I
understand alright! I do! I get it. It’s like a nail
hammered into my brain, damn it, and damn my
bloodsucking pride sucking away at me like a snake. DO
YOU GET IT NOW?
Boris enters. He is reading a notebook.
Oh, here comes the real genius, walking and reading
like Hamlet. ‘Words, words, words...’ He doesn’t even
know you’re here but look at you. The sun hasn’t even
reached you and you’re already smiling, you’re melting
in its rays. Don’t worry. I won’t get in your way.
He goes off quickly.
Boris writes something in his notebook.
26
Boris
Rolls a cigarette in one hand. Drinks vodka shots before
lunch. Wears black all the time. There is a teacher. He is
infatuated with her.
Nina
Hello.
Boris
Oh.
Nina
Morning
Boris
Yes. Yes morning. I hear we are leaving, apparently. A
new turn of events.
Nina
Really?
Boris
I don’t suppose we’ll meet again.
Nina
No.
Boris
It’s been very nice. Not often I meet interesting young
women.
Nina
Oh I’m sure that’s not true.
Boris
I can’t remember what it was like to be your age, I
never seem to get it quite right in my, in my…
Nina
Books?
Boris
Yes. In my books. They never sound quite right.
Especially the women. Wish I could be you for just an
hour.
Nina
Well I wish I could be you.
Boris
Oh? Why’s that?
Nina
To be a writer. A celebrated writer. Famous. What does
it feel like to be famous?
Boris
Oh. Well. It doesn’t …it doesn’t really feel like
anything. Either that or I’m not really very famous.
Nina
But what’s it feel like to read about yourself?
Boris
When they’re nice it’s nice. When they’re not, it’s not.
27
Nina
Wow.
Boris
Not really.
Nina
No, no God I’m, I’m fascinated. How different it is. How
different everyone’s lives are from one another.
Boris
Yes.
Nina
Well everyone’s lives are so dull, but then
one in a million are like you and have a, a brilliant life.
You’re so lucky.
Boris
Am I?
Nina
Yes.
Boris
I know you don’t mean anything by it, I know you’re
trying to be nice but I don’t think I have the brilliant,
interesting life you wish I had.
Nina
Oh you do.
Boris
Well I fail to notice it then. I should, I should do some
writing now.
Nina
Oh sorry.
Boris
If we are leaving soon, you see.
Nina
No I’ll leave you to…
Boris
Yes I…
Nina
I’ll…
NINA has almost left, BORIS regrets this.
Boris
You see you’ve um, you’ve hit the…the…the… it’s one
of my little things I…
Nina
What?
Boris
My pet, my pet hate I suppose. That’s it. Sore point. ‘My
brilliant life’.
Nina
Oh.
28
Boris
Famous and everything but it’s, it’s an obsession.
You know the man who can think of nothing but the
moon, it’s like that, it’s kind of, kind of like that, only
not. Here I am going I must write. I must write! I have
to get this story out, then another, then another then
another. So fast, they have to come out, have to get
them to the page quickly. As soon as I’ve finished one
here comes another. Like. Like. Like vomiting again
and again. What’s so brilliant about that? I’m here with
you but my head’s going, my mind’s going there’s a
cloud shaped like a grand piano, must remember that,
must use that somehow. Can’t just see it, can’t just see
it and that’s it. I have to remember that, log that, use
that. I can smell heliotropes, you know, you know
heliotropes? The flowers? And I’m going ‘sweet sickly
smell’, use that. Use that. Use that when describing a
summer evening. Everything you say, every little
phrase. Goes up there. (To his head.) To be used. I
can’t go to the theatre or fish or anything, do anything
without there being something already there, something
new. Something driving me back to the desk. It’s as if
I’m eating my own life. Do you know what I mean?
Does that make sense? And everyone going ‘what’s
next?’ ‘What are you working on now?’ And sometimes,
sometimes you know, Nina. It is Nina, right?
Nina
Yes.
Boris
Sometimes Nina I think they’re all just humouring me.
I’m just a madman they’re going to pounce on and
section. (NINA laughs.) They are, they are! It’s like
when you’re sick and everyone says ‘you’re fine you’re
fine’ and everyone is saying to me ‘you’re wonderful,
you’re wonderful’ but…but…
Nina
You are.
Boris
(Pointing at her, as if he’s caught her.) Ah. Ah. You
know when I was younger, it was different. You hang
around all these creative people, unrecognised, uncared
about, trying not to make eye contact, it’s like being a
gambler but you’ve got no money, does that make
sense? It was horrible. And I never met my readers.
Back then. Never. I was terrified of them. Because in
my head, they were all sceptical and hostile. If I saw
someone with one of my books it was… if they had dark
hair they hated it and if they were blonde they were
29
never going to bother finishing it, leave it, leave it in a
taxi or something. I saw that once.
Nina
But, but surely the actual, the actual writing when you
are actually making something, that’s, that’s –
Boris
Oh that’s fine. That’s nice. Even proofs are nice but, but
then. Then it has to be published. And the moment, the
moment it’s off the press I hate it. I hate it all. It was a
mistake. I should have done it differently, maybe not at
all. And everyone reads it and says ‘yes’. Yes it’s good,
not as good as that or that, but it’s good. Everyone says
oh Trigorin he’s good, he’s talented, he’s charming but
he’s not brilliant. The day I die people will still be saying
‘Trigorin good, but not as good as Tolstoy’.
Nina
You are just spoilt.
Boris
Am I?
Nina
Spoilt by your success.
Boris
Spoilt by my success?
Nina
Yes.
Boris
What success?
Nina
Oh my god!
Boris
No, no ’cause I haven’t succeeded, Nina. I don’t like my
own writing.
Nina
What!
Boris
I wouldn’t want to read it. I, well I don’t really like
myself as a person, actually. And I like myself less as a
writer. So surely that’s not succeeding. I am not
succeeding. And the worst thing is I know what the
problem is, the problem is I don’t know what I’m meant
to write about. I mean I know what I’d like to write
about. I’d like to write about nature, I like nature, I
always have. But I’m a citizen. I should write about the
world, the troubles of the world and I should write
about politics and society. No maybe not, maybe I
should write about science. No I should write about
morality. I should write, I should write something
30
important. It’s my duty as a writer to write something
important. And I’m chased like a, a, a fox by dogs as I
make everyone angry with all these things I’m saying
that I don’t really mean because I should be just writing
about nature. Does that, does that…? Because in
everything else I’m just a fraud. I’m fake.
Nina
You work too hard. You don’t realise how wonderful you
are. You may not feel important but you are, you are,
people love you. You are a very important writer. An
extraordinary writer.
Boris
Am I?
Nina
And you know to have that feeling of being a writer or,
or being an actress I’d put up with it all, all this, this
stuff you’re talking about. Worse! The world could turn
against me, I’d be poor, I’d take blow after blow, I’d,
I’d, I’d live off cat food! I’d have all your self-doubt,
happily. I’d suffer it all happily. I’d just demand fame in
return. Fame like you have. Real, real…glory.
Boris
(amused) Cat food?
Nina
Any day.
Irina calls from off ‘Boris! Boris!’
Boris
They’re looking for me. I should probably go and pack. I
don’t want to go.
He looks at the lake.
It’s so beautiful. It’s so wonderful, all this.
Nina
You see that house on the other side of the lake?
Boris
Yes.
Nina
That’s my mother’s estate. I was born there. I’ve spent
my whole life here beside this lake. I know every inch of
it.
Boris
Well, you…you live in a magical place.
Irina
Boris!
31
Boris
What’s in the bag?
Nina
The…?
Boris
The bag.
Nina
Oh. A seagull.
Boris
What?
Nina
Konstantin shot it.
Boris looks curiously at her, she makes a gesture indicating ‘who
knows why’. He smiles, then points at her again as if he has something to
say to her but starts to write in his notebook.
Nina
What are you writing?
Boris
Just a note. An idea. An idea for a story: a young girl
lives beside a lake. She’s lived there all her life. Like
you. She loves the lake, she loves it like a seagull. And
she’s happy and free as a seagull. But then one day a
man comes along, sees her, and for want of anything
better to do, he destroys her, just like this seagull here.
There is some time. They look at each other.
Irina calls.
Irina
Boris! Where are you?
Boris
Coming! (He looks deeply into Nina but calls to Irina.)
What is it?
Irina
(off) We’re not leaving. We’re staying.
Boris looks to Irina. Turns. Leaves.
Nina alone.
Nina
Is this a dream? It must be a dream!
End of Act Two.
Interval
32
33
Act Three
The dining room in Serena’s house. Doors lead to rooms offstage. A
sideboard. A medicine cabinet. A table. Cases and boxes and a trunk,
ready for departure. Boris is having breakfast. Marcia is with him.
Marcia
I’m telling you all this because you’re a writer. You can
use it if you like.
Boris
Use it?
Marcia
In your work.
Boris
Right.
Marcia
Everything I’ve told you is true.
Boris
I believe you.
Marcia
Writers value the truth, don’t they? If he’d seriously
hurt himself I think it would have killed me. But he
didn’t. So it didn’t. I’m braver than people might think. I
made a decision. I thought you might want to know. I
will grab the love in my heart and tear it out at the
roots.
Boris
Really. How are you going to do that?
Marcia
I’m going to marry Simeon.
Boris
The teacher?
Marcia
Mm-hm.
Boris
For god’s sake, why?
Marcia
I’ve lived my whole life loving somebody who never
loved me back. Just waiting for the slightest sign that
he might. I’ve had enough of that. I think the best thing
about getting married is that all that love will disappear.
When you’re married, who has time for love? There will
be so many other things to worry about. And anyway.
It’ll make … a change, won’t it? You want another one?
Boris
I think I’ve had enough.
34
Marcia
Oh don’t look at me like that. It’s not that early. Women
drink in the daytime too, when they want to, men don’t
have the monopoly on that and all, anyway I can take
my liquor. I’m drinking whisky, women drink whisky
too. (Takes a gulp.) Shocking. I’m sorry to see you go
Boris
Well I don’t really want to.
Marcia
Then tell her to change her mind.
Boris
Oh, oh no. No, not after everything that’s happened.
With Konstantin trying to uh (mimes) and, and now
apparently he wants to fight me, fight me. There’s even
talk of a ‘duel’. Seems a bit excessive really. I seem to
annoy him, keeps going on about new art forms
whenever I’m around. I don’t really see the point. I
don’t really know why it has to be one or the other, but,
but there you go.
Marcia
He’s jealous of you. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s none
of my business.
Some time.
Nina enters.
She stands at the window, stares out.
Marcia
He’s not very clever. My teacher man. But he’s a good
soul. He’s completely broke and he completely adores
me. I feel very sorry for him. And I feel very sorry for
his poor old mother. Really sorry. Poor woman. So. Let
me say this. Good luck. I hope your life is full of the
best things that a life can be full of. Remember me.
She takes his hand.
You’re a good person. I like that you always seemed
genuinely interested in me and my life. Send me your
books, won’t you? Sign them for me. And don’t just
write ‘For Masha. All the best. Boris.’ Write ‘For Masha.
Who has no idea where she came from. And no idea
what she’s doing on this earth’. Bye.
She leaves abruptly. Nina turns to him. She tosses a coin.
Nina
Heads or tails?
35
Boris
Heads.
Nina sighs.
Nina
It was tails. I’m trying to decide whether to run away
and be an actor or not by tossing a coin. It’s not really
helping. Maybe I should just ask somebody instead.
Boris
Nobody else can make that decision for you.
She looks at him.
Nina
You’re going. We probably won’t see each other again.
Will you have this? As a present. I had your initials
engraved on one side. And on the other side the title of
your book. Days and Nights.
She gives him a silver medallion.
Boris
What a lovely thing to do. (He kisses it.) It’s a beautiful
present.
Nina
Think about me. Sometimes. Won’t you?
Boris
Of course I will. I’ll remember you in your summer
dress. By the side of the lake. The sun falling on your
hair. A dead bird at your feet.
Nina
Yes.
Some time. She looks at him.
Look. We don’t have much time. Before you go. Spend
some time with me. Just a few minutes. Find me.
Please.
She goes out.
Just as Irina enters with Serena. Dressed and ready to go.
Irina
To Boris.
Boris
I have no idea what you’re going out for. Swanning
round town in your state.
Who was that? Nina?
Yes.
36
Irina
Pardonnez moi. We interrupted you.
She sits down.
So. Everything’s packed. Everything’s ready. I’m
exhausted.
Boris reads the inscription on his medal.
Boris
‘Days and Nights.’ Page 121. Lines 11 and 12. What on
earth . . .?
To Irina.
Are there any of my books here?
Irina
I think Serena’s got some in her study.
Serena
In the corner cupboard.
Boris
Page 121 . . .
He leaves.
Irina
Don’t come all the way into town, you aren’t well
enough. Honestly, darling. You should stay at home.
Serena
It’ll only be for a few hours, I’m so bored here,
especially now that you’re going.
Irina
I have to go, don’t I? I have to get back to the city. But
what are you going to do in that town?
Serena
Nothing in particular, I would just like a couple of hours
away from here. Just like a couple of hours of madcap
insanity to punctuate my sad, stale existence. I need,
need some waking up, I feel like I’m half asleep all the
time here, like an old cigarette butt or something.
Irina
A cigarette butt? Serena, really! Please let us get going
and you stay, talk to my son I beg you.
Serena
Oh now.
Irina
He needs taking care of.
Pause.
Look at me. I’m running away. I’ll never understand
why my boy shot himself. I think he was jealous of
37
Boris. The sooner I take Boris away from here the
better.
Serena
Oh it wasn’t just that.
Irina
No?
Serena
Oh come on now. He’s a clever young man and he’s
stuck on this island with me, and no money and no
friends and nothing to do. It’s pride, he doesn’t want to
look like a…well, he doesn’t want to look like he’s a
freeloader, he wants to be impressive, he has…he has
pride.
Irina
I worry about him all the time. (She thinks.) Maybe if
he got a job, working for the government or joined the
army or something. Something with a real purpose to it.
Serena
Or you could give him some money.
Irina
(Affronted.) Oh.
She looks at her.
Serena
So he can buy some clothes. Dress like a normal human
being instead of a – Look at him. He’s been dragging
himself around for the last three years in the same
battered old jacket. He hasn’t even got a proper coat.
And it wouldn’t hurt the boy to get out of the house a
bit. He could go and travel. See the world. It wouldn’t
cost that much.
Irina
Well. I might be able to get him a new suit. But travel?
It’s out of the question. I can’t. I can’t even really
manage the suit at the moment. No. I just don’t have
the money.
Serena laughs at her.
I don’t.
Serena
I’m sure you don’t. I’m sorry, my love. Don’t be mad at
me. I know you’re a very generous, kind-hearted
woman.
Irina
I’m being as generous as I can afford to be.
38
Serena
I’d give it to him if I had it. But it all goes on this place
and the cows died and then the bees died and there’s
always some roof I’m told that needs repairing and I’m
left begging that awful man, Masha’s father, to let me
use my own car.
Irina
All right. Look. I do have some money. I do. I admit it.
But I have to think about my career. I have to pay for
my clothes. They’ve practically bankrupted me.
Serena
I know. You’re so kind.
She holds her head.
My head. I need to sit. I’m spinning. I feel awful.
She catches her weight on a table.
Irina
Serena! (She tries to help her, hold her up.) Serena!
Help me! Somebody! Help please!
Konstantin comes in, his head bandaged, with Simeon.
She’s not well, she’s feeling dizzy.
Serena
It’s alright. I’m alright. It’s gone. All gone. Everything’s
fine. All over now.
Konstantin
.
Serena
You should lie down
I will. Just a quick nap. But I’m still going into town.
She goes, walking with a stick. Simeon goes to help her.
Simeon
Here’s a riddle for you: on all fours in the morning, on
two at noon and three in the evening.
Serena
And flat on your back at night! – I know that one.
Oedipus Smoedipus – as long as he still loves his
mother!
Simeon leads Serena out.
Irina
God she gave me a scare.
Konstantin
It’s this island, living here does her no good at all. She
gets depressed. You know what you could do? Be
39
generous just once and give her some money so she
can live on the mainland.
Irina
I don’t have any money. I keep telling people. I’m an
actress, not a bloody bank.
Konstantin looks at her for a while.
Konstantin
Will you change my bandage for me? You’re the only
one that can do it right.
She looks at him.
Irina
Well of course I am. Sit down then.
She gets the First Aid kit from the cabinet.
Irina
The doctor’s late.
Konstantin
He said he would be here by ten. It’s gone twelve.
Irina
Sit down.
She starts taking the bandage off his head.
You look funny. Like you’re wearing a turban. Yesterday
a delivery man asked what religion you were.
Konstantin
Don’t.
Irina
It’s true. But it’s nearly healed. Just a few marks left.
Nothing really.
She kisses the top of his head.
Now. You. You’re not to go around playing bang-bang
games with guns after I’ve gone. You understand me?
Konstantin
I won’t. I promise. It was a moment of insanity. I was in
despair. I just couldn’t stop myself. I promise you I
won’t do it again.
He kisses her hand.
Your magic hands.
She starts wrapping a new bandage.
40
Can I tell you something? Over the past couple of days,
I have felt as close to you as I did when I was little.
When there was just the two of us. And you’re the only
one I’ve got now. There’s nobody else. Why do you let
that man walk all over you?
Irina
You don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t
know him at all. He is the kindest, most noble –
Konstantin
So noble in fact that when he is told that I am going to
challenge him to a duel he does the bravest thing
imaginable and runs away. The coward.
Irina
Calm down. You’re being ridiculous. I’m the one who’s
begging him to leave.
Konstantin
He’s so noble, in fact, so honourable and misunderstood
that while we’re arguing over him, he’ll be in the living
room or the garden laughing his head off at us and
broadening Nina’s very eager mind. He’s desperate to
show her the breadth of his extraordinary imagination.
Irina
You love being horrible to me, don’t you? Konstantin, I
respect him.
Konstantin
I don’t.
Irina
I respect him and I would ask you not to talk about him
like that when I’m around.
Konstantin
Respect? I don’t respect him in the least. His books
make me sick. You want me to worship at the altar of
his genius, but I’m sorry, I can’t. That’s your job, and
Nina’s.
Irina
You’re jealous of him.
Konstantin
Jealous?
Irina
It’s so obvious. You’re green with it. You have all these
ambitions and pretensions –
Konstantin
Thank you.
Irina
So what else can you do but sneer at real talent when
you have none yourself.
41
Konstantin
Real talent? If that’s real talent, if you two
represent real talent, then we’re doomed. I have more
talent than the lot of you. All of you doing the same
thing again and again and congratulating each other –
“Oh darling, you were marvellous!” – never letting
anything new in, anything –
Irina
You’re deluded!
He tears the bandage from his head.
Konstantin
It must be so lonely at the top.
Irina
It is, but you know what? It ain’t crowded! What else
can you do but sneer at real talent when you have none
yourself.
Konstantin
Real talent! Do you mean you and your boyfriend? If
you two represent real talent then we’re all doomed. I
have more talent than the lot of you. Go back to your
empty theatres and your pointless bland little plays.
Irina
I have never played in empty theatres!
Konstantin
You think you’re some kind of creative force but you
know what you are? A body for hire, a puppet, and
that’s it.
Irina
Leave me alone. You couldn’t even write a pantomime,
you pretentious little sponger.
Konstantin
Tight-arse!
Irina
Parasite!
Konstantin stops. He sits. He starts crying.
You’re nothing. You hear me? Nothing.
She starts pacing.
Irina
Sorry. Sorry. Oh come on now. I am sorry. Kostya I
didn’t mean it, sweetheart, I’m ever so sorry, you have
a horrible mean mother don’t you?
He hugs her.
Konstantin
You don’t understand.
42
Irina
What don’t I understand?
Konstantin
You just don’t understand.
Irina
What?
Konstantin
I can’t write anymore.
Irina
Well…
Konstantin
She doesn’t love me.
Irina
Oh no, no.
Konstantin
She doesn’t.
Irina
Don’t say that
Konstantin
She doesn’t.
Irina
Well…I’ll…I’m taking him away, aren’t I? She won’t see
him anymore, she’ll love you again. It’ll all be okay.
We’re going.
Konstantin takes a moment then nods.
Irina
And then there’s no need for you to have a fight with
him, yes? I mean we’ll leave.
Konstantin
Yes.
Irina
We’ve made up now?
Konstantin
Yes.
Irina
Yes?
Konstantin
Irina
Yes we have. I don’t want to see him though, I don’t
want…
I know.
Konstantin
Else I will…
Irina
No, okay.
Boris is coming, she is flustered by it.
43
Boris enters. Konstantin looks at his mother. She does nothing.
Konstantin
Right. I’m going. The doctor can sort my bandages out.
Boris is flicking through the pages of his book.
Boris
Page 121. Lines 11 and 12. Here. (He reads.) ‘If you
ever find you have need of my life. Take it.’
Konstantin collects the bandage from the floor. Leaves.
Irina checks the time.
Irina
What?
Boris gestures to his book.
Oh.
He continues to read the page.
Irina
We better get going. The ferry leaves at half past. (He
is absorbed in the book.) Let’s go back up to the… Are
you all packed?
Boris
(distracted) Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. (Lost in thought.) Why
can I feel such sadness in her? When she’s so pure. It
breaks my heart. ‘If you ever find you have need of my
life. Take it.’
He turns to Irina.
We should stay. One more day.
She looks at him. Shakes her head.
Come on. Please.
Irina
Oh Boris. My love, I know why you want to stay. I do.
But get a grip. It’s like you’re drunk on her. You really
should sober up before you make a fool of yourself.
Boris
Irina. Please. I beg you. You’re my friend. My truest
friend. My best friend.
He takes her hand.
44
You can make one sacrifice. For me. Can’t you? Let me
go to her. Just tonight.
Irina shakes his hand off.
Irina
What has she done to you? You’re acting like a stupid
child.
Boris
I can’t stop thinking about her. I just need one time. I
think it could be, it could be good for both of us.
Irina
One sad little night with a country girl?
Boris
I’m sleep-talking. I’m here talking to you but in my
mind all I can think about is her.
Irina
Do you have any idea how stupid you sound?
Boris
It’s like I’m possessed. There’s only one way to shake
myself away from her spell.
Irina
No.
Boris
Please.
Irina
No.
Boris
Please, Irina.
Irina
No. No. No. I’m a human being, Boris.
Boris
You could be so much more.
Irina
You can’t treat me like this.
Boris
You could be extraordinary.
Irina
It’s like you’re torturing me.
Boris
She’s the only person I have ever known who has done
this to me. She’s the only person who has shown me
what love might be. Love can be so young. And
charming. And poetic. And transformative. She has
turned my world into a dream. I’ve never known
anything like it. I have spent my entire life hanging
around publishing houses and editors’ offices. Scraping
around for money. Desperate. Then, as if by magic, she
45
has come into my life and it feels like it’s what love is
meant to be. It’s calling me.
Irina
Have you lost your fucking mind?
Boris
If you think so, then leave me.
Irina
What is it with you all today? Has everybody got
together and agreed the best way to drive me insane?
She cries.
He stares at her. Incredulous.
Boris
She doesn’t get it. She doesn’t understand at all.
Irina
Is it me? It must be me, is it? Am I that old? Am I so
ugly that you can look straight at me and talk about a
stupid little girl like that and not think about how it’s
going to –
Boris
I’m…
Irina
I’d die if you left me.
Boris
Oh…
Irina
Mad for some silly little girl, come on. (Kisses him.)
You are the last page of my life.
Boris
Someone might come.
Irina
Let them.
He tries to extricate himself gently but she won’t let him.
Irina
No, no come on now. I won’t let you do this to yourself.
You’re mine. Yes? Remember. You’re mine. These are
my eyes, my nose, my mouth. You’re all mine.
Boris
Let’s just…um…um…
He has extracted himself, she makes a new attempt but doesn’t touch
him now.
Irina
You are the greatest writer this country has. By far.
You, you… (She feels like she is losing him.) your
46
characters are so alive, you have this sincerity and
integrity in your writing yet, yet it’s funny and fresh.
Everyone reads you, everyone knows your name, you’re
a writer and everyone knows your name. Who else has
that? Who could not love it, love you for it
She comes closer again.
Irina
You think I’m lying? No, look at me. Look at me, in my
eyes. Am I lying? Have I ever lied to you? Have I?
He shakes his head.
Irina
I understand you, I’m the only one who tells you the
truth, I know what I am talking about and I tell you the
truth, that you are, you are. Extraordinary. (Touching
him now.) You’ll stay with me yes? You won’t abandon
me? You need me.
Boris
I’ll do what you want.
Irina
Yes.
Boris
I’ve never had any will of my own.
Irina
Oh yes you do, you do.
Boris
How can you find that attractive. I’ll leave with you.
Irina
(to herself.) Got him. – Oh stay a bit longer if you like.
Boris
No.
Irina
If you want to.
Boris
No. No. No. We’ll go together.
Irina
Okay.
Boris
Please.
Irina
If that’s what you want. We’ll go together.
Boris takes out his notebook. He starts writing.
What are you writing?
47
Boris
I heard a phrase this morning. ‘The virgin’s forest’. I
thought I might use it. One day. You never know.
He stretches. Smiles at her.
So. Onwards.
Pauline comes in.
Pauline
I brought you some of the berries from the garden for
the journey.
Irina
Oh that’s so kind.
Pauline
I’m so sad to see you go.
Irina
Are you going to cry?
Pauline
No, no. Well maybe. Time passes so quickly. We’re
getting so old.
Irina
Well there’s nothing we can do about that.
Pauline
Goodbye, my dear. I hope everything was as you hoped
it would be. If it wasn’t then I hope you’ll forgive me.
Irina hugs her.
Irina
Everything was perfect. Everything was perfect.
Pauline
We must try to come and see you next time.
Irina
Oh how lovely.
Serena enters dressed for the town.
Serena
My dear sister. Let’s get this show on the road!
Otherwise we’ll miss the ferry.
She leaves. Simeon enters.
Simeon
I’ll find my own way to the ferry. And I’ll say goodbye
properly to you there. I should get going.
He heads out.
Irina
I will see you next summer. If we live that long!
48
Pauline
Keep in touch, Boris. Please. Tell us how you’re getting
on.
Irina
Where’s Konstantin? Tell him I’m leaving. I have to say
goodbye to him.
They have all left.
The stage is empty.
Boris returns, looking for something.
Nina enters.
Boris
It’s you.
Nina
I knew I’d see you one more time.
Boris
We’re going. Forgot my notebook.
Nina
I made up my mind! I’m going to act. I’m leaving
tomorrow. I’m leaving my home, I’m leaving my father,
I’m leaving everything. I’m starting a new life. I’m
going to move to the mainland. We’ll see each other
there.
Boris looks around him.
Boris
Head to the markets next to the train station. Stay at
the Slavyansky Bazar Hotel. Get a room there. Here.
He writes her a note.
Take this. You can contact me here and nobody will
know. I have to go now.
He looks at her.
Nina
Just one more minute…
Boris
You’re so beautiful. I can’t believe I’ll see you so soon.
Nina
You will.
She goes to him. She lays her head on his chest.
49
Boris
Those astonishing eyes. This smile. Like a miracle. This
face. My God. This angel face. My love.
A long, real kiss, the car horn goes again but they ignore it.
I will be seeing you soon.
NINA
Yes.
BORIS leaves, she stays.
NINA
Yes.
There are two years between the Third and Fourth Acts.
50
Act Four
A room in Serena’s house has been converted into a study for Konstantin.
Doors lead away from the room. A glass door leads out onto a terrace.
There is a writing table. A Turkish divan. A bookcase. There are books
everywhere. On the furniture. On the windowsills. On the floor. It is
evening. One lamp burns under a lampshade.
It is nearly dark. The wind blows through the trees. It is raining heavily.
Simeon and Marcia enter.
Marcia
Konstantin?
Simeon
No.
Marcia
Konstantin!
She looks around. There’s nobody here. Where is he?
I’m worse than his aunt Serena. It’s all she ever says.
‘Where’s Tino? Where’s Tino?’
Simeon
She’s scared of being alone.
He looks out into the garden.
Marcia
Especially in this weather. Did you see the lake? There
are these huge waves on it.
Simeon
I saw.
Marcia
Huge waves crashing all across it.
Simeon
I saw.
Marcia
Like a picture book or something, out there in the dark.
Simeon
They should get rid of that stage.
Marcia
What?
Simeon
The curtains make a hell of a racket with this wind.
Marcia
I don’t know when this weather will let up, it’s been like
this since yesterday.
51
Simeon
Should have taken it down years ago. Like some
skeleton from the past.
Marcia
I know.
Simeon
I swear I heard someone crying there when I passed by
yesterday.
Marcia
Did you really?
Simeon
Come on, let’s go home.
Marcia
What?
Simeon
Let’s go home. The baby will want you.
Marcia
No, I’m going to stay here tonight.
Simeon
Come on, don’t be silly.
Marcia
Your mother can deal with it.
Simeon
It?
Marcia
Him. He’s two. Your mother can deal with him.
Simeon
That’ll be three nights without you.
Marcia
When did you become so boring? You used to at least
talk philosophy. Now it’s just baby, home, baby, home.
That’s all I ever hear from you.
Simeon
Let’s go, Masha.
Marcia
You go.
Simeon
How?
Marcia
What?
Simeon
Your father’s not back.
Marcia
He will be soon then you can ask for the car and drive
that home, can’t you?
Simeon
I bet he won’t let me.
52
Marcia
Ask him from me.
Simeon
You’ll come home tomorrow?
Marcia
God. You never give up, do you? Okay. Tomorrow.
Konstantin and Pauline enter. Konstantin has brought pillows with him
and blankets.
They put them on the Turkish divan. Then Konstantin goes to sit at his
table and starts writing.
What’s going on?
Pauline
Serena asked us to make up a bed in here. She wants
to be nearer Konstantin.
Marcia
Let me do it.
Masha makes up the bed.
Pauline
She’s getting like a child, Serena. The older she gets.
Pauline goes to Konstantin’s desk and reads what he is writing.
Simeon
Well, I’ll be...
Nobody pays him the slightest bit of notice.
Goodbye, Masha.
He goes to kiss her. She doesn’t kiss him back.
Goodbye, Mother.
Pauline
God I thought you’d left hours ago.
Simeon
Bye, Konstantin.
Konstantin raises a hand to wave goodbye without saying anything.
Simeon leaves.
Pauline reads what Konstantin has been writing.
Pauline
Another one now is it Kostya, or is this a new draft of
the old one? Who’d have thought, Masha, hey? Kostya a
real writer. Who’d have thought you’d end up making a
53
little money from these plays of yours, I always thought
there was no money in theatre. Hey? (In the pretence
of this congratulation she says to him closely.) Be a
little kinder to my Masha, Kostya.
She runs her hand through his hair.
So handsome! Beautiful little Tino. I just wish you’d be
a little kinder to my poor Masha.
Marcia is making up the bed.
Marcia
Give it a rest, Mum.
Pauline
She’s so lovely.
Some time. He carries on writing
All a woman needs, Tino, is just somebody to be sweet
to her. Every now and then. Believe me. I know.
Konstantin gets up and walks out without saying a word. Marcia carries
on preparing Serena’s bed as she talks.
Marcia
Look what you’ve done. He’s angry now.
Pauline
I’m sorry.
Marcia
What did you do that for?
Pauline
I just feel so sorry for you.
Marcia
Well what good does you being sorry for me do?
Pauline
It breaks my heart. Watching you. I know what’s going
on, Mashenka. I understand.
Marcia
Don’t be ridiculous. There’s nothing to understand. It’s
all a joke anyway – love – a bloody joke. Stop waiting
all the time for something that’ll never happen. It’s not
worth it. Unrequited love? That’s just in trashy novels.
It’s bullshit. People should just get a grip. Once love has
dug its way into your heart, you just have to gouge it
out again. They’ve promised to transfer my husband to
a school in another town. On the other side of the
island. As soon as we move, I’ll forget all this. I’ll rip it
out by the roots.
54
In the distance the melancholy strains of a piano.
Pauline
Tino’s playing the piano again. It means he’s depressed.
Marcia starts dancing to the piano.
Marcia
I’ve just got to get away from him. Round here I see
him all the time. It does me no good. If they’d just
hurry up and get his transfer sorted out, I’d have
forgotten all about him within a month. It’s all so
ridiculous.
Hugo and Simeon enter, pushing Serena in her wheelchair.
Simeon
There are six of us I have to feed now. And now with
inflation, they’ve made it I impossible to keep up. The
cost of flour! And rice! And eggs! My God, the cost of
eggs!
Hugo
It’s just the way of the world, it’s not a conspiracy
against you.
Simeon
Yes. Well. It sure feels like one. What do you care?
You’re rolling in money.
Hugo
When I retired, do you know how much I managed to
save? 92 thousand. I went abroad for one trip. Blew the
lot. I’ve got nothing left. Not a bean.
Marcia
I thought you’d gone.
Simeon
I couldn’t. Your father wouldn’t give me the car.
Marcia
(under her breath) Jesus. I wish I’d never set eyes on
you.
Pauline, Marcia and Hugo sit by it. A broken Simeon moves to the side.
Hugo
So much has changed in here. The lounge has become
the study!
Marcia
It’s better for Konstantin, so when he’s writing he can
look out into the garden.
Serena
Where’s my sister?
55
Hugo
She’s gone to meet Boris at the ferry. She’ll be back
soon.
Serena
I must be seriously ill if you’ve summoned my sister.
She thinks.
Odd to be so seriously ill and as per usual you still won’t
give me any bloody medicine. It’s a disgrace.
Hugo
And what medicine would you like exactly?
Serena
Oh here we go! With the sarcasm, and the endless,
endless talking. It’s completely insufferable. Is that
made up for me?
Pauline
Yes, love, just the way you like it.
Serena
Thank you.
Hugo hums ‘Blue Moon’ to himself.
Serena
I have an idea for Tino. For one of his stories. It should
be called ‘The Woman Who Wanted.’ When I was a child
there was a time when I wanted to grow up to be a
writer. I never became one. I wanted a beautiful
speaking voice. I speak like a vomiting frog. (She does
an impression of a vomiting frog.) ‘And so it may be and
that is the way and so on and so on and so on and so
on.’ In court, my summing ups bored the pants off
everyone. Even I was bored by them. I wanted to get
married. I never did. I wanted to live in the city and
here I am. Dying in the country. With all of the joy that
the country can bring.
Hugo
I wanted to become a Judge in the Law Courts! And oh
look, I was one!
Serena
I never tried to do that. That just happened.
Hugo
You can’t complain about a life when you’ve lived as
long as you have. You’ve had a good run.
Serena
Don’t you get it? I want to live! You’re never ready to
die.
And yet we must. Every life has to end. And there’s
nothing we can do about it.
Hugo
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Serena
That’s easy for you to say. You’ve had such a
remarkable life that you don’t care anymore. Life
doesn’t really matter to you. But you wait. You think
death is nothing to be frightened of? When your time
comes, you’ll be screaming for your mother, just like
everyone else.
Konstantin enters. He sits at Serena’s feet. Marcia doesn’t take her eyes
off him, the whole time he is there.
Hugo
Fear of death is primal. It’s animalistic. You have to
contain it. The only people who should be scared of
death are those idiots who believe in eternal life and
worry about their immortal soul. That’s not a problem
for you, is it? And anyway, even if it was, you’d have
nothing to worry about. What sins have you committed?
None. As long as you don’t count twenty-five years in
the Law Courts.
Serena
Twenty seven.
Hugo
We’re stopping you from working.
Konstantin
No you’re not. It doesn’t matter anyway.
Beat.
Simeon
Now tell me doctor, on this great trip of yours, what
was the best place?
Hugo
Sorry?
Simeon
On this famous trip, best place you visited?
Hugo
Genoa.
Konstantin
Genoa?
Hugo
In Italy. The crowds are…something else. You go out
and are just carried along with them. You’re just at one
with them all, like like in your play, Konstantin, actually
Konstantin
Sorry?
Hugo
You remember, two years ago? I saw the stage is still
up in the garden there. You used that phrase, about
collectiveness, the universal, universal…soul, the
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universal soul. Made me think of that. Speaking of that,
where’s Nina these days? I think about her from time to
time. I wonder how she’s getting on.
Konstantin
I expect she’s all right.
Hugo
I was told she was living the most extraordinary life.
Konstantin
It’s a long story, Doctor.
Hugo
Well, give me the short version.
Konstantin
She ran away from home and had an affair with Boris
Trigorin. Was that the extraordinary life you heard
about?
Hugo
It was, I’m afraid.
Konstantin
She had a child. The child died. Boris fell out of love
with her and went back to his old love. Which always
happens. In fact, he never properly left her. His old
love. His very old love. Somehow he found a way of
keeping both of them on the go. Well when you don’t
have a spine you can bend both ways, can’t you? As far
as I can figure out, from what I’ve heard, Nina’s life was
never the same again.
Hugo
What about her acting?
Konstantin
That was even worse. She made her debut in some
summer rep season in some coastal town somewhere.
Then she went out into the sticks somewhere, touring
the provinces. I never forgot her. I followed her career.
And actually, for a while I used to follow her around.
She had lead roles but she acted them very badly. She
over-acted was the problem. Shouting. Wailing. Sawing
the air too much with her hands, thus: (Demonstrates.)
She threw her arms around like she was insane. She
had some good moments. But they were just moments,
really. She was good at screaming. And she was quite
good at dying.
Hugo
So she’s got some talent?
Konstantin
I don’t know. I could never tell. Maybe. I used to watch
her but I never wanted her to see me.
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Hugo
No?
Konstantin
She wouldn’t let me. Wherever she stayed she’d have
someone tell me she was out. I knew how she felt, so I
let it go.
Hugo
So no word from her all this time?
Konstantin
When I came back to the island she started sending me
letters. She never complained about her life. Never. But
I could tell she was unhappy. There wasn’t a single line
that wasn’t sad and anxious and sick and worried. And
her mind. Her imagination. She signed herself ‘Seagull’.
That’s how she talked about herself. She kept on
repeating it. And now she’s here.
Hugo
What do you mean she’s here?
Konstantin
She’s staying in town. In a room above the pub by the
station. She’s been there for five days. I’d go and see
her. Masha went. But she won’t see anyone. Simeon is
convinced he saw her in the fields behind the lake
yesterday.
Simeon
I did see her! She was heading towards town. I spoke to
her. I said hello. Asked her why she didn’t come and
visit us. She said she would.
Konstantin
She won’t. Her family have disowned her. They won’t
even let her near the house. It’s so easy to make sense
out of people in stories, Doctor. And so difficult to make
sense out of them in real life.
Serena
She was lovely.
Hugo
Sorry, Serena? What was that?
Serena
I said she was lovely.
Laughter can be heard from off stage.
Pauline
It sounds like they’re here.
Konstantin
Yes, that’s my mother’s voice.
Irina and Boris enter.
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Boris
Hello, Serena. What’s all this? Are you still ill? That’s not
good, is it? Masha!
Marcia
You remembered me.
He takes her hand. Spots her ring.
Boris
You’re married.
Marcia
Yes. I got married a long time ago.
Boris
Are you happy? (Beat.) Simeon. Konstantin. Irina tells
me that you’ve forgotten the past and that you’re not
angry with me anymore.
Konstantin looks at him then offers him his hand.
Irina
Boris bought the little magazine your story was in.
Konstantin
That was kind of you. Thank you.
Boris
Your fans send their greetings. Everywhere I go people
ask me about you. ‘What’s he like?’ ‘How old is he?’ ‘Is
he good looking?’ And because you write under a
pseudonym, no one knows your true identity. You’re like
the Man in the Iron Mask!
Konstantin
Are you staying long?
Boris
Only until tomorrow. I have to head back to the
mainland, to finish a story I’m working on. Then I
promised I would write something for an anthology. Just
a little thing. Same old story. It never stops, ever. I’m
flat out.
As they talk a card table is set up in the middle of the room and candles
are lit, chairs are arranged.
This weather’s brutal, isn’t it? The wind is vicious.
Tomorrow morning, if it calms down, I’m going to head
out to the lake and do some fishing. I want to go and
explore. Do you remember that play you wrote? I want
to see if I could find where the stage was. I’ve been
working on an idea for a new story I’m writing. I wanted
to check some details.
60
Marcia
Mum. Please. Will you let my husband borrow the car?
He really has to go home.
Pauline
But Masha, how will I get home?
Marcia
You’re impossible. You really are.
Simeon
Look, I’ll walk.
Pauline
In this weather? Are you mad? Get a taxi.
She sits at the card table.
Come on, everybody.
Simeon
It’s only a few miles away. Four miles at most.
Nobody tries to dissuade him.
Right. Goodbye, my love.
He kisses his wife.
Goodbye, Mother.
He kisses Pauline. She lets him, reluctantly.
It’s not too far, not too far. I used to walk every day up
here to see you didn’t I? Bye. Sorry, everyone, it’s just
the baby. Better get going. Have a good night. Bye.
He waves to everyone. Nobody quite knows how to react.
Bye.
Sheepishly, trying not to draw attention to himself, he leaves.
Marcia
He’ll be fine. Bit of a walk never killed anybody.
Pauline raps at the table.
Pauline
Please. Come on. It’ll be time for dinner soon.
Marcia and Hugo sit. Irina turns to Boris.
Irina
On long autumn evenings here, we play Lotto.
everybody settles down and plays cards. Look. We’ve
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had this set since I was a child. My mother used to play
with us. Come on. Let’s have a game before supper.
She sits at the table, deals three Lotto cards for each player.
It’s a boring game, but it’s not so bad once you get into
it.
Konstantin flicks
very battered.
Konstantin
through the magazine that Trigorin brought him. It’s
(to himself.) He’s read his own story but he hasn’t even
touched mine.
He puts the magazine down then heads for the door on the left. He goes
past Irina, who kisses him as he goes.
Irina
Aren’t you playing, Tino?
Konstantin
No. I don’t feel like it. I’m going out.
Irina
We’ll start the stakes at ten, I think. Can you spot me,
Doctor?
Hugo
It would be my pleasure.
Marcia
Has everybody put in ten? Here we go…
She pulls a token out of the box and calls out the number.
Irina
Yes!
Marcia continues to call the numbers.
Irina
You should have seen the response I got when I went
back home. I almost feel dizzy thinking about it.
The same piano piece as earlier plays from the room next door.
Irina
Those students from the acting school gave me such an
ovation. Three baskets of flowers, two bouquets, and
this. Look.
She takes off a brooch and places it on the table.
Pauline
Isn’t that something?
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The game continues.
Irina
I had this astonishing outfit. I looked radiant. You can
say what you like about me but I know how to dress.
Pauline
It’s Konstantin playing. Poor thing. He’s feeling
depressed.
Boris
He doesn’t get very good reviews in the newspapers.
Irina
I don’t read reviews.
Boris
It’s just not working for him, is it? He hasn’t found his
voice yet. There’s something weird and imprecise about
his writing. Sometimes it’s almost hallucinatory. It wafts
around like a dream. And not one single living
character.
Irina
Serena, are we boring you? She’s fast asleep.
Boris
If I lived on an island like this, beside a lake like yours,
the only writing I’d do would be two words on a sign –
‘Gone fishing.’
Hugo
Well I believe in Konstantin. I think he’s got something.
He has. Definitely! He thinks in images, his stories are
vivid and colourful. It’s just a shame that his work feels
like it has no direction. He produces an effect. But
nothing much more. And you can’t get far in writing just
through effect. Irina, doesn’t it make you proud that
you have a son who is a writer? A real, professional
writer!
Irina
Can you believe I’ve never read anything he’s ever
written? I’ve never had time.
Konstantin enters quietly and goes through to his room.
Pauline
We still have something here that belongs to you,
Boris.
Boris
What’s that, then?
Pauline
Do you remember when Konstantin shot that seagull
and you asked my husband to get it stuffed?
Boris
No. I don’t think so. (He thinks.) No. No memory of
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that at all.
Konstantin opens the windows out into the garden. He stands and listens.
Konstantin
It’s so dark. I feel very strange. I feel nervous. Why do
feel like this?
Irina
Shut the door, Tino. You’re letting the cold in.
Konstantin shuts the door.
She stands up.
Now. Let’s go and have something to eat. Our
celebrated literary hero hasn’t eaten all day. We can
play again after supper. Leave your work, Tino. We’re
going to eat.
Konstantin
I’m not hungry.
Irina
Please yourself. (She wakes Serena.) Serena. Supper.
Pauline puts the candles out on the table. Then she and Hugo push the
wheelchair out of the room.
I must tell you about my reception in Kharkov. The
whole theatre was stamping their feet, shouting bravo,
bravo! Can you believe it?
Only Konstantin is left.
He sits at his desk. He reads over what he has written.
Konstantin
I always wanted to invent new forms – a radical new
language – but now I just sound the same as everyone
else. “The faded poster on the fence trumpeted…” “A
pale face framed by dark hair…” Trumpeted. Framed.
Worn-out words. Cliches. (He crosses them out.) I’ll
start from where he’s woken up by the sound of the rain
and cut all the rest. The description of the moonlit
evening is long and far too elaborate. Trigorin’s worked
out his own style, it comes easily to him now… He gives
you the neck of a broken bottle glittering by the weir
and the dark shadow of the mill-wheel – and there’s
your ready-made moonlit night, whereas I have the
trembling light, the shimmering silence of the stars and
the faraway strains of a distant piano, decaying on the
breeze. Pathetic.
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Maybe it’s not about old and new forms, Konstantin?
What are you talking about, Konstantin? Well maybe,
Konstantin, you shouldn’t waste so much of your time
thinking about form and instead just write something
from your fucking heart. For once in your sorry, shitty
life.
Nina comes into the room.
Nina.
Oh Nina. Oh Nina.
She leans her head on his chest. Sobbing, trying to control her breathing.
My Nina. It’s you. It’s you. It’s you. I knew you’d come.
I could sense it. My heart’s been aching.
He takes off her wet clothes.
My angel. My sweetheart. She’s come back for me.
Don’t cry. Come on. We mustn’t cry.
Nina
I can hear someone coming.
Konstantin
There’s nobody there.
Nina
Lock the doors. Someone will come in.
Konstantin
Nobody is going to come in.
Nina
Your mother’s here. I know she is. Lock the doors.
Konstantin
This one doesn’t lock anymore. I’ll put a chair against it.
(He does.) Don’t be scared, no one’s going to come in.
Nina
Let me look at you.
She looks into his face. Then around the room.
It’s warm in here. It’s nice. Have I changed a lot?
Konstantin
You have. You’re thinner. Your eyes are bigger. It’s so
strange being here with you. Why wouldn’t you let me
see you?
Nina
I thought you hated me.
Konstantin
I followed you everywhere. Why didn’t you let me see
65
you? Why didn’t you come sooner?
Nina
I was so scared.
Konstantin
I’ve been to your place every day. I stand outside your
window every night. Like a lunatic.
Nina
I had dreams about you. Every night I dreamed you
were in my room looking at me and that you didn’t
recognise me. God if only you knew! From the second I
arrived I’ve been coming to the lake. I walked from
town. I’ve been outside your house so many times but I
couldn’t come in. Can we sit down?
They sit down.
Let’s sit down and talk for a while, just talk. It’s so
lovely in here. It’s so warm. Listen to the wind. “Poor
naked wretches, wheresoe’er you are, that bide the
pelting of this pitiless storm…” I am a seagull. No,
sorry. What was I saying? Oh, yes – the storm – “How
shall your houseless heads and unfed sides defend you
from seasons such as these…” Doesn’t matter.
She starts crying.
Konstantin
Oh Nina. Don’t cry.
Nina
No, it’s good. I haven’t cried for two years. Not until
last night. Quite late yesterday evening I came
to look at the garden. I came to see if our theatre was
still here. And it is! It’s been here all this time. I couldn’t
help myself. I started crying for the first time in two
years. It felt good. Things became clearer. Everything
suddenly made a lot of sense to me, in my heart. Look.
I’ve stopped now. Not crying anymore.
She holds his hand.
And you. Look at you. You’re a writer now. And I’m an
actress. We both fell into the same quicksand. I used to
be so happy. I was like a child. I’d wake up in the
morning and start singing. I loved you so much. I
dreamed of being famous one day. And now?
Konstantin
I hated you. I swear I hated you so much. I tore u
your letters. I tore up your photographs. And all the
time I knew I was lying to myself. I couldn’t stop loving
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you. I’ve always known that my soul is tied to yours,
for all eternity. When you left, when my work started
to be published, my whole life became unbearable to
me. It’s as though all my energy was ripped out of me.
I felt like I’ve been walking the earth for a hundred
years. I’m so unhappy. I just wander around. And
sometimes when nobody can see me I call out your
name. I go to places where I know you’ve walked and I
kiss the ground. Everywhere I go I see your face. I see
your smile. The way you smiled at me. When I was
happy.
Nina
Why is he saying all this? Why is he saying all this?
Konstantin
I’m so alone, Nina, and afraid. I have nothing. I have
nobody. I am completely on my own. Everything I write
is empty and dead and pointless. Stay. Nina. Please.
Stay with me. Stay here. Or let me go with you. Please.
Please. Please.
Nina gets her coat and her things and quickly gets ready to leave.
Nina, no. What are you doing? No. Please God. Nina.
She looks at him.
Nina
Don’t say goodbye to me. Don’t come out and see me
off. I’m much better on my own. (She tries to stop
herself from crying.) Can I have some water?
He fetches her a glass of water.
Konstantin
Where are you going?
Nina
I don’t know...
Why is your mother here? She’s here, isn’t she?
Konstantin
Yes. My aunt got very ill. We contacted her and
asked her to come.
Nina
Why did you say that you kissed the ground that I
walked on? That was a stupid thing to say! I don’t
deserve that. I deserve to be killed. Really. That’s what
I deserve. (She climbs onto the table.) I’m so tired. I
am completely exhausted. If I could just sleep. Just
sleep. I am a seagull. No. That’s not it. I am an actress.
That’s what I am!
67
She hears Irina and Boris laughing in the room next door. She runs to the
door she hears the laughter from. She peers through the keyhole.
Ah, so he’s here too!
She backs away from the door. Goes to Konstantin.
Ah, well. Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter. It’s true.
He didn’t believe in the theatre. He used to laugh at me,
at my ambitions and my dreams, all the time. And bit
by bit, after a while, I stopped believing in myself too. I
lost my faith. And then the worries start with being in
love and the jealousy starts and the constant anxieties
about my little boy. I became small-minded and cruel,
and I couldn’t act anymore. I didn’t know what to do
with my hands, I couldn’t remember where to stand on
stage, I lost control my voice. You have no idea what
it’s like when you know you’re acting so badly. I am . . .
the seagull. No. That’s wrong. That’s not it. Do you
remember you shot that bird? A man comes along one
day, he sees her, and for want of anything better to do.
he destroys her. Subject for a short story. That’s not it.
That’s not right. What was I saying? I was talking about
acting. I’m not like that anymore. I am a real actress. I
love it so much. It makes me so happy. There are
moments when I am on stage and I know, in my soul,
that I am beautiful. And this week, since I’ve been back
here, I walk all day. I walk and I walk and I walk and I
think and I can feel, every day I can feel how my soul is
growing and getting better. I know now, Kostia. I
understand that in our work – doesn’t matter whether
it’s acting or writing – what’s important isn’t fame or
success. It’s none of the things that I used to dream
about. It’s the ability to endure. To be able to bear your
cross and keep the faith. I have faith now, I do. I have
my faith back. And when I think of my vocation, I’m not
afraid.
Konstantin
That’s good.
Nina
It doesn’t hurt anymore.
Konstantin
I’m glad for you.
Nina
Not like it did.
Konstantin
You know where you’re going. You know what you want.
68
Nina
When I think that I am doing what I am meant to be
doing then I’m not afraid anymore.
Konstantin
I don’t have that. I’m still caught up in my own private
chaotic mess of dreams and images and I don’t know
what the images are or what they mean or who they’re
for. I don’t have any faith. I don’t know what I’m
meant to be doing.
Nina (listening)
Sshhh. I have to go. I’m going. When I become a great
success, come and watch me, won’t you? Do you
promise?
She hugs him quickly.
It’s late. I’m so tired I can hardly stand up. And I’m so
hungry.
Konstantin
Stay. I’ll make you something to eat.
Nina
No. No. No. Don’t come out with me. I’ll go on my own.
So. She brought him with her, did she? So what? It
doesn’t matter. When you see Trigorin don’t say
anything. I love him. I love him even more than I used
to. An idea for a short story! I love him completely. It
burns inside me. It destroys me. Do you remember
what it was like before, Konstantin? It was good, wasn’t
it? Our lives were so bright and warm and full of joy.
Do you remember? And we felt everything so deeply.
And so delicately. Our feelings were like tender, fragile
flowers. Do you remember? (Reciting.) “The earth is
dead. All living things are dead. We killed them. We the
dead killed them. We breathe ash. Nothing grows.
Nothing can live in the lake. The water is thick as
mercury now. The moon is a cataract. My mouth is a
mass grave. My grey teeth rot. I am COLD,
COLD, COLD.”
She embraces him impulsively and kisses his cheek. She runs out into the
garden.
Konstantin
It would be awful if somebody bumped into her in the
garden and then told my mother. It would upset her so
much.
He goes to his desk. He picks up his writing. He tears it all to pieces. Two
minutes of this. He leaves.
69
After some time, Hugo tries to get in through the blocked door.
Hugo
Bloody thing won’t open.
He pushes it.
Obstacle course!
Irina enters with Pauline and some bottles of wine and beer and Marcia,
then Boris.
Irina
The beer can go in the fridge and open the wine. Come
on everybody. We can play and drink at the same time.
Sit down. Sit down.
Pauline lights candles. They sit at the card table and get ready to play
Lotto again.
Pauline takes Boris to a cupboard.
Pauline
Here’s that thing that I was telling you about. You asked
my husband to make it. You did. You commissioned
him!
She takes the stuffed seagull from out of the cupboard. Boris examines it.
Boris
Honestly. I don’t remember.
There is a gunshot offstage. Everybody stops. Everybody is scared.
Irina
(frightened) What was that?
Hugo
It’s nothing. Something burst in my medicine bag. Don’t
worry.
He goes out by the same exit as Konstantin left. They tidy the table and
start playing again. He returns after half a minute.
Yes. As I said. A bottle of ether exploded.
He sings ‘Blue Moon’ to himself.
‘You saw me standing alone. Without a dream in my heart.
Without a love of my own.’
Irina sits at the table.
Irina
God. It scared me to death. It reminded me of –
70
She covers her face with her hands.
It made me feel dizzy. Just for a moment. Just –
Hugo picks up the magazine that has both Konstantin and Boris' stories in
it. He turns to Boris.
Hugo
About two months ago in the weekend magazine there was
this article about America's involvement in – and I wanted to
ask you about it…
He’s leading Boris right to the front of the stage, an arm around his waist.
Because it’s something that interests me very much and –
He lowers his voice.
Get Irina away from here.
Boris
What?
Hugo
Get her out of here. Konstantin just killed himself.
End.
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