CUHK Series:The Other Shore: Plays by Gao Xingjian

by Xingjian Gao

  You gave me a real scare…(Chokes and cries.)

  I’m sorry, I was only kidding. We said we’d play a game, didn’t we? It’s just a special effect to make it more fun…It’s all right, come on, stop crying—(Approaches to embrace her.)

  (Backing off.) Don’t!

  It’s just a game, don’t take it so seriously.

  No, it’s not a game. You killed me.

  What are you talking about?

  You wanted to kill me!

  It’s not for real, it’s just for fun, okay?

  No, I can’t live with you any longer!

  Are you sure? Are you kidding me or something?

  I can’t go on with you like this!

  Right, an ageing bastard whose days are numbered…

  Please stop your play-acting, I can’t stand it any more! I just can’t! You understand?

  I understand, I understand everything. That’s it! You want to be with him, if this old guy can still think straight.

  I don’t know. Anyway, I can’t go on living with you.

  As you wish, it’s not that you haven’t left me before. For you, this here is always a port you can come back to, as long as this old dock still exists. (Tosses the pistol away and walks off.)

  What a nightmare. (Covers her face with her hands.)

  Bernard (Opens another door.)

  Strange, how come it’s snowing?

  (Daniel turns around, embraces Anne behind Bernard and kisses her as he did before.)

  Bernard (Still looking outside the door.)

  It flew away.

  Anne (Pushes Daniel away as she did before.)

  What flew away?

  Bernard, Anne

  (Without looking at them.) Look! There—

  What did you say?

  It’s gone.

  What’s gone?

  It was right there, now it’s not there any more.

  You’re seeing things!

  Look, over there!

  What did you say?

  (Turns around and smiles.) Now there’s absolutely nothing.

  Daniel, Bernard

  Are you fooling me?

  Just for the fun of it.

  You’re fooling me.

  It’s only a joke, nothing more.

  You’re fooling me!

  My dear friend, you don’t have any sense of humuor, do you? You know why I don’t like to read the stuff you’ve written? It’s exactly because they’re so heavy.

  You’ve invited me here just to make a fool out of me, haven’t you? What’ll you do if you can’t let off your steam?

  What are you talking about? This is my house and you’re here as my guest. It’s true that I invited you, as a rule I only invite people I consider worthy. But my house is not a fun park, not a pub, and I hope people won’t mistake my house for a pub or some place where they can do anything they want. Don’t I have the right to have some fun in my own house? If you don’t have any respect for me, please take your leave! (Daniel walks away.) What did I say? (Shakes his head and walks out of the door. Anne covers her face with her hands as she did before.)

  Cecile, Daniel

  Daniel!

  (Turns around.) Right here.

  Don’t touch me.

  Why?

  ‘Cause you’re a shadow!

  What are you talking about?

  Well, I just had this dream. I tried to call you but you didn’t answer. You were lying on the sofa in the house and I tried to touch you with my hand, but there was nothing, there was just a shadow. You gave me a real scare.

  Anne (Drops her hands.)

  He’s dying.

  Daniel, Anne

  Who’s dying?

  Him. Just now he walked past me and went out…

  (The three of them look outside the door.)

  Bernard

  It’s a wide stretch of snowiness, so white and dazzling that it blinds his eyes, but it doesn’t feel cold, it only makes him dizzy. All around him is dead silence, he wants to make sure if it’s a dream. In the distance, the dark blue forest and the greyish brown tree trunks are all covered with layers of snow, so solid and so heavy that the branches are all arching downwards. There’s a whisk of sound wafting along the lead-grey sky, it’s long, it’s here and there, it’s piercing like the cold, there seems to be a feeling of sharp pain in his ear drums. Along the edge of the forest a few black dots are moving, they could be birds, he seemed to have seen them from inside the door, he tries to make out what colour they are, they’re not entirely black, not like the crows. He keeps on going forward, hoping to find out whether those bouncing dots are birds or something else. They look as if they’re searching for food, but then they stop moving. They also look like pieces of stones not totally covered by the snow. He can’t help feeling a bit puzzled. It is all so quiet, so clear, just the birds, or the few pieces of stones, they are moving in the haziness, but when he looks again they have stopped all their movements, all this make him feel disoriented. He must find out once and for all whether they are birds or stones. If they are birds, are they crows? He stares at them, trying to concentrate his thoughts, and the few black dots become increasingly blurred. Is he too old to see things clearly? (He closes his eyes and rests for a while, then he strains his eyes to take a closer look.) The world has not been this clear before, the dividing line between the sky and the snow accumulated on the tree tops, the few dots of bright green leaves half buried under the snow, the greyish brown tree trunks standing there in a row, all the outlines are very well-defined, so sharp and clear that they stun his senses. The shadows have been obliterated, probably because the reflection of the snow is so bright, the depth of field has disappeared too, all is motionless, there’s not a breath of wind. When he tries to look at the birds or the stones once more, the dividing line between the sky and the snow accumulated on the tree tops, and the bright green leaves and the greyish brown tree trunks is beginning to disappear all of a sudden and unstoppably. The more he opens his eyes, the more quickly the colours are fading, and the more the outlines are becoming blurred. So he just stands there facing what is set before him, the ashen sky, the greyish black forest and the pure white snow. He stares at the birds or the stones, the only possible signs of movement around. They’re still there, they have become more blurred, more intangible, but he must find out whether they are birds or stones. And if they’re birds, are they crows? (Step by step he approaches quietly.) The pristine white and snowy ground suddenly splits and reveals a crack, gradually separating him from the crows or whatever birds or stones in front of him…(He turns around.) Surprisingly he sees no footprints behind him. He’s not afraid, just a bit alarmed, striving hard to remember from which way he came. While he is deep in thoughts, a crack also appears in the snowy ground behind him, he watches it widening rapidly, then he sees a pool of darkish water under his feet. (He holds his breath and stands still.) He’s not afraid and he’s no longer alarmed, he has no thoughts of any kind, he is just eyeing this fault slowly expanding and creating new faults, expanding…He is feeling unsteady, maybe it’s because he’s standing on a piece of floating ice, he allows himself to drift away, he feels relaxed, and he is losing his weight, he no longer cares whether those dots are birds or crows or stones on the snowy ground, he just watches the darkish water under his feet extending further and further. He is sinking slowly, he can’t stop it, there’s no need to. Oh, he’s still holding a hat in his hand, an old hat he hasn’t worn for a long time. He’s cold and wet all over, he’s worried that he might catch a cold, he’d better put the hat on…

  (Music)

  Anne, Cecile

  You look as if you’re very happy.

  Why not? You’re happy too, aren’t you?

  Look, a blue sky.

  Everything is so clear now, isn’t it? (Smiles.) He told me everything.

  Who? What did he tell you?

  Don’t you know? What’s happened between you and him.

  Can’t you find something else to talk
about?

  He volunteered to tell me, we’re playing a game, you know.

  I just don’t know what to do with you.

  You two certainly know how to play games.

  What games?

  Everybody knows.

  You’re acting like a little whore.

  But men like it that way!

  That’s the main thing, I suppose.

  You don’t smoke?

  I quit a long time ago. It’s not good for your skin.

  I don’t care, I still have lots of time.

  But sooner or later you’ll find out, and when that happens it’ll be too late. You want some sour milk?

  Thanks, I’ll get it myself. Do you people fool around like this all the time?

  Surely you jest!

  I didn’t say that.

  Are you through or not?

  He told me you said it.

  He was lying through his teeth. Don’t listen to him!

  I don’t believe in anybody. (Opens her mouth and laughs.)

  Are you going to leave soon?

  I’m free to stay. Go ask him.

  Bernard, Anne

  It’s a beautiful day. Oh, I beg your pardon, the sunshine is gorgeous!

  Go away!

  Just kidding. Her nerves are always on an edge.

  You’re the one who’s got something wrong with your nerves, not me.

  Bernard, Cecile

  Why don’t you stay for two more days?

  And be a model again?

  No, just as a guest. Anne likes you very much, really.

  Anne (Rising.)

  He’s afraid of being lonely. (Walks away.)

  Cecile, Bernard

  I like it here too. I’ll come again for sure. I’m a good cook, you know.

  That’s terrific, I like gourmet food.

  I can make pastries as well, I’m very good at making cherry cookies.

  An excellent idea. Next time you come I’ll pick some cherries and you can bake the cookies.

  Daniel! Where are you?

  Daniel

  Can’t you see I’m coming?

  Bernard, Cecile

  That’s it, babe, let’s make it a date!

  Where’s Anne?

  Daniel, Bernard

  She’s outside watching the sky.

  It doesn’t look like it’s going to rain. Pity, you haven’t taken a walk in the forest. You still have time to go there for a while, you know.

  I can’t. I’m going to meet my publisher. I’ll have to be there this afternoon.

  It’s an opportunity not to be missed. That novel you’re writing, would you consider it a good novel?

  It’s more like a laughable and meaningless yawn.

  It doesn’t matter. Sign the contract first!

  Only if they accept it.

  And if they don’t? For instance, they might want you to cater to this or that kind of readership. When people spend money to buy books, they certainly don’t want to read page after page of troubles. Of course you know perfectly well what those booksellers want from their books.

  If they tag on any extra conditions, they can just forget about the whole thing.

  My friend, this is exactly what I like about you, not your books. You know, I have given up reading books. Babe, do you read his books?

  Cecile, Bernard

  I just look at him. That’s enough, isn’t it?

  Bravo! You’ve written a book even a girl wouldn’t read. Your contract’s definitely going down the drain!

  Daniel, Bernard

  Then I’ll write a play.

  What if no one’s going to perform it?

  Then don’t.

  Isn’t that suicide? You’re not like me, I’ve already got one foot in the grave, you still have lots of time left.

  Who knows whether it’s suicide or not? I’ll just have to wait and see, I’ll cross that river when I come to it, and I wouldn’t mind getting my feet wet either.

  Okay, how about a play about suicide?

  Why kill yourself when you’re alive and well? Might as well write a play about the big Finish.

  What Finish?

  Everything is finished, finito.

  What a wonderful subject to write about! Hey, babe, what do you think?

  Cecile, Bernard

  Believe it or not, I want to finish myself off!

  Oh no, you’re so young. Don’t imitate this old fellow, just try to live long and well!

  This is the life, isn’t it? (Puffs a ring of cigarette smoke.)

  This isn’t exactly a happy play. Who’ll perform in it? Huh?

  Daniel, Cecile, Bernard, Anne

  The four of us. It’ll be just right, eh?

  I don’t want to do it. I’ve had enough.

  What are we going to do if the women refuse to play the parts? Anne, you probably didn’t hear him, he was talking about a play.

  What play?

  Taborsky’s father is called Taborsky.

  Very funny.

  Exactly, anything else?

  There’s an island in the Pacific Ocean, it never sinks no matter what happens. (Plays some music.) Don’t you want to dance?

  Cecile

  Sure, why not? Gentlemen, let’s dance!

  Daniel, Cecile, Bernard, Anne (Dancing the waltz.)

  Taborsky’s father

  He is called Taborsky

  He eats breakfast every morning

  Roosters never lay eggs

  An island in the Pacific Ocean

  It never sinks no matter what

  He lays a trap

  And he traps himself

  One day the war breaks out

  Nobody is alive

  And this house exists no more

  The sun still shines over the lawn

  Mozart is dead

  Some people still play the quartet

  It would not be so sad

  There’s no sugar in the coffee

  Tea is always bitter

  Some teas are sweet

  A left-handed person

  A fable that is a parable but not speakable

  One day he lays a trap

  And this house exists no more

  Taborsky’s son

  He is called Taborsky

  He eats breakfast every morning

  There’s no sugar in the coffee

  The sun still shines over the lawn

  It would not be so sad

  An island in the Pacific Ocean

  Some people still play the quartet

  A left-handed person

  It never sinks no matter what

  When the war breaks out

  Tea is always bitter

  Mozart is not dead

  Some teas are sweet

  A fable that’s a parable but not speakable

  Roosters never lay eggs

  Speakable but not a parable

  A parable but not speakable

  The end

  10 January 1995, France.

  (This play was commissioned by the Bibliotheque Municipale de Joué-Lès-Tours and sponsored by Le Centre National du Livre de France.)

  Some Suggestions on Producing Weekend Quartet

  1. The play can be used as a recitation text, a radio drama or a stage performance. The text, combining drama, poetry, and narrative, can easily be accompanied by music.

  2. During the performance the four characters are on stage at all times except during the breaks; it is as if they are members of a quartet playing at a concert.

  3. Each character has his or her own point of view. As there are four characters, there will be four points of view. In case of the same incident being enacted in different scenes, the director should alter the angle of vision, change the positioning of the characters, or rearrange them in a contrasting manner.

  4. The same character should distinguish between the first, second, or third person point of view while he is engaged in a monologue, dialogue or in a conversation involving three or four speakers. This aw
areness provides the performance with new possibilities. The actor could choose to play the role (when speaking in the first person) or not play the role (when speaking in the third person), or he could also take on the image of his character in the eyes of other characters. There are many options, and the overall design may require the coordination on the part of the director.

  5. When an actor has mastered the three different points of view in the dialogues, he will not find it difficult to clearly define his own character and the characters of others and play his part among them. When the dialogue is in the second person, the actor adopts the identity of a neutral actor, and he can address the character he is playing or address the audience directly. When the dialogue is in the third person (“he” or “She”), the actor, taking on the identity of a neutral actor, can explain the character he is playing to the audience or to his addressee in the play.

  6. The play has appropriated some structural elements of musical composition, thus logical development and chronological sequence of the plot elements are not its major concerns. Changes in mood are more important than the unfolding of the story. It is essential, more so than any other stage techniques, that the different scenes should be accorded corresponding time span and tempo during the performance.

  7. A realistic stage design should be avoided because there are many shifts between reality and imagination, memory and dream, and thought and narration in the play. As for set design and spatial arrangement, it is advisable to use only a few movable doors, chairs, and tables in different combinations. This can be coordinated with changes in lighting or by switching the lights on and off. The actors’ costumes and props can be changed behind the doors; there is no need for exits. In this way the tempo of the performance is quickened and the structure tightened.

  The above suggestions are for reference only.