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.)

Dana Palade

Cousin Shakespeare
Tragedy in Five Acts
1987-1988

CHARACTERS

SHAKESPEARE -- a playwright and an actor
HAMLET -- Prince of Denmark
DARK LADY -- Shakespeare’s lover
ANNE HATHAWAY SHAKESPEARE -- Shakespeare’s wife
BEN JONSON -- a playwright
SORESCU -- a Dane
IDES of MARCH
CAMELIA -- Ophelia’s sister
HOLD-HORSE -- a boy
SPINNING tTOP, LUMP -- jesters
SIR JOHN DOWNTOWN, a.k.a. OUTSKIRTS, THOMAS BLUR, PORCIUS BLISTER -- writers, Shakespeare's rivals
RICHARD ZERO, FLY, HEIFER -- actors, Shakespeare's rivals
GHOST
EXECUTIONER
THE SHIP MASTER -- an American seaman
BIRMINGHAM, NOTTINGHAM, BRISTOL - nobles
ARIEL - a sprite
WITCH
Actors, jesters, envoys, merchants, vendors, people

PROLOGUE

(Enter Prologue, wearing a toga, a mask and cothurnae)

The Prologue:
If space be curved like a ball, which thrown
Against a wall, bounces back at you - and thus
Searching for others, you discover yourself...
Then the captive time inside the ball
Unchagend remains for ages, long millenia and days,
And your fliting life the very yeast of genesis adjoins.
At arm’s reach, behind the fence, the centuries do lie
And breathing in like air, like visions visit you.
Staggering, it seems, we all are, in the same play
That we never stop rewriting
Yet those long gone our lines they filch
And cheat us out of them
The wind that for eternity will spin the earth
Spirits our spirits away... and mixes them together.

(Enters Spinning top)

Spinning Top (turns a few somersaults):
You, chip with syncopated forms
Lenthening the prologue, you take time from our play!
Like a top everything will soon be spinning
Watch and see... I turn another somersault.
(He does so)
Prologue:
Beware, Top, having mocked the Prologue’s mystery,
Your epilogue unfortunate will be!
Spinning Top:
Has the Prologue a mystery? I shall reveal it.
(He tears away the Prologue's mask. A woman's face is revealed.)
Who are you, woman?
You could knock me down with a feather
And my speech is on its last leg...
Prologue:
Foul saying! The devil take you!
I am the Ides of March.
Spinning Top:
Oh, my legs fail me!
Why did you play the prologue?
The Ides:
Not enough players.
This is where the prologue ends. Take the mask,
You might have use for it at solemn funerals.
Yours will be like Yorik’s.
And call me by my name: The Ides of March...
Spinning Top:
I... adieu... am leaving... honest evil-boder!
(Aside)
The less I see of you, the higher you grow in my regard.
(Loudly, taking the mask)
I leave this way... Don’t follow me!
If space is curved, I measure it in somersaults.
Great responsibilities await us, await.
(He leaves, turning an unsuccessful and frightened somersault.)