Marin Sorescu: Varul Shakespeare

Tragedie in cinci acte
1987-l988

PERSONAJELE

SHAKESPEARE — dramaturg si actor
HAMLET — printul Danemarcei
DOAMNA BRUNA — iubita lui Shakespeare
ANNE HATHAWAY SHAKESPEARE — sotia lui Shakespeare
BEN JONSON — dramaturg
SORESCU — un danez
IDELE LUI MARTE
CAMELIA — sora Ofeliei
TINE-CAL — un copil
TITIREZ, GILMA - mascarici
SIR JOHN DOWNTOWN zis PERIFERIE, THOMAS BLUR, PORCIUS BLISTER – scriitori, rivalii lui Shakespeare
RICHARD ZERO, FLY, HEIFER - actori, rivalii lui Shakespeare
FANTOMA
CALAUL
VOICEA — personajul care nu incape in Shakespeare
CORABIERUL — un corabier american
BIRMINGHAM, NOTTINGHAM, BRISTOL - nobili
ARIEL — spiridus
MARY (VALY) — gemene
VRAJITOAREA
Actori, mascarici, soli, negustori, tarabagii, lume.

PROLOGUL (intra imbracat in toga, cu masca si pe coturni):
De-i spatiul curb ca mingea, ce in perete
Dac-o izbesti, iti sare-n piept — si astfel
Tot cautind pe altii, dai de tine...
Atunci si 'timpu-nehis in minge-aicelasi
Ramine secole, milenii lungi
Si zile, chiar din drojdia genezei,
Se-nvecineaza cu-ale tale clipe...
Stau secolele dupa gard, cu mina
Le atingi si respirind acelasi aer,
Aceleasi viziuni ai...
Toti de-a valma
Ne-mpleticiim parca-n aceeasi piasa,
Pe care inicercam s-o tot rescriem,
Dar replicile ni-s mereu suflate
Si tra'se-n pie-pit de-apuse generatii
Si vintul ce roteste-n veci pamintuil
Ne sufla sufletele... si le-ncurca...

(Intra Titirez.)

TITIREZ (facind citeva tumbe) :
Tu, aschie cu forme sincopate,
Lungind prologul, ne maninci din piesa!
Ca titirezul itotu-o sa se-nvirta,
Degraba veti vedea... Mai fac o tumba
(Mai face.)
PROLOGUL:
Ia seama, Titirez, batjocorind
Taina Prologului, greu epilpg avea-vei!
TITIREZ:
Prologul are-o taina ? S-o destainui.
(Isi smulge masca. Apare un chip de femeie.)
Femeie, cine esti, ca de uimire
Imi cade nasu-n gura... si-mi miroase
Vorbirea a coliva...
PROLOGUL:
Spurcata vorba! Te duhneasca dracii!
Sint Idele lui Marte...
TITIREZ :
Vai, ma clatin!
De ce-ai jucat prologul ?
IDELE:
Nu sint oameni.
De-acum prologu-i gata. Tine malsca,
Ti-o trebui la-nmormintari solelmne.
A ta va fi ia fel ca a lui Yorik.
Si zi-mi pe nume : Idele lui Marte...
TITIREZ:
Eu...sarut mina...plec…cinstita cobe!
(Aparte:)
De nu te-as mai vedea, ai creste-n ochii-mi.
(Tare, luind masca:)
Eu ies pe-aici... Sa nu vii dupa mine!
De-i spatiul curb, eu il masor cu tumbe.
Raspunderi mari incumbe-ne, incumbe.
(Iese, facind o tumba nereusita si speriata.)

Alina Petrescu

Cousin Shakespeare
Tragedy in Five Acts
1987-1988


PERSONAE

SHAKESPEARE –playwright and actor
HAMLET – prince of Denmark
THE DARK LADY – Shakespeare’s mistress
ANNE HATHAWAY SHAKESPEARE – Shakespeare’s wife
BEN JOHNSON – playwright
SORESCU – a Dane
THE IDES OF MARCH
CAMELIA – Ophelia’s sister
KEEP-HORSE – a child
TOP, LUMP – fools
SIR JOHN DOWNTOWN, a.k.a. OUTSKIRTS, THOMAS BLUR, PORCIUS BLISTER
– writers, Shakespeare’s rivals
RICHARD ZERO, FLY, HEIFER – actors, Shakespeare’s rivals
THE GHOST
THE HANGMAN
THE VOICE – the character that cannot be contained in Shakespeare
THE SAILOR – an American sailor
BIRMINGHAM, NOTTINGHAM, BRISTOL - noblemen
ARIEL – spirit
MARY (VALY) – twins
Actors, fools, messengers, merchants, stallholders, people.

Prologue

THE PROLOGUE (enter wearing a toga, a mask on his face and buskins):
Should space be as round as a ball
That comes back to your breast when hit against the wall
and in your search of other people,
you bump against yourself again and again…
So is time captured into this ball the same
For centuries, long millennia and days,
From the very dawn of creation
Neighbouring your own time in nature…
The centuries stay behind the fence,
You just reach out and touch them;
Breathe in the same air, have the same visions.
We stumble all in a heap as if in the same play
That we try to write again and again
But our lines are always prompted
And breathed in by past generations
And the ever globe-spinning wind
Blows out our souls… and entangles them…

(Enter Spinning Top.)

SPINNING TOP (turning somersaults):
You, splinter with syncopated forms,
By making the prologue longer, you eat up our play!
But you’ll see pretty soon that
Everything will spin like a top… Another somersault.
(He turns.)
THE PROLOGUE:
Take heed, Spinning Top, by mocking
The Prologue’s mystery, fear a fierce epilogue!
SPINNING TOP:
Is there a mystery to the Prologue? Not any longer.
(Takes off his mask.)
(A woman’s face appears.) Woman, who are you?
Wonder has my nose fall into my mouth…
And my speech smells of burial food…
THE PROLOGUE:
What a foul word! May the devils blast you!
I’m the Ides of March…
SPINNING TOP:
Alas, I’m quivering…
Why have you ever played the prologue?
THE IDES:
Not enough actors.
So much for the prologue. Here, take the mask
You might need it for solemn burials,
Yours will resemble Yorik’s.
And you can call me by my name: the Ides of March.
SPINNING TOP:
Er… I’m off… My compliments… most honourable jinx!
(Aside)
Should I not see you, I’d look up to you.
(Aloud, taking the mask.)
I’m leaving this way… don’t follow me!
Should space be round, I’d measure it by somersaults.
Important duties may be charged to us, not faults.
(Exit SPINNING TOP, with a failed somersault, for fear.)