(Beat.)
TILTON: Wait, I think I jumped. It’s what? Is it: “Knock, knock”? Or “Knock, knock, knock”? Which is the first, the two or the three knocks? (Beat) Please, which is the first?!
PROMPTER (Off): It’s the three “knocks” first.
TILTON: Really? (Beat) Thank you. (Beat) Sorry. (Goes back to his position, then suddenly breaks it) Now let me get this straight. It’s the three “knocks,” then the two “knocks,” right? And then it’s the three again, am I correct? And then it’s the two again?
PROMPTER: That is correct.
TILTON: So it’s three “knocks” and the “devil’s name” line. Then two “knocks” and the “Beelzebub.”
PROMPTER (Off): The three “knocks” are with the “Beelzebub” and the two are with the “devil’s name.”
TILTON: What?
PROMPTER (Off): And it’s the “devil’s name” line that comes first. (Beat) After the three “knocks.”
(Tilton stares in disbelief.)
Then the third one—also after three “knocks”—is the “English tailor” bit. Then comes “too cold for hell.” (Beat) After three more “knocks.” (Beat) I’m sorry, after two more “knocks.” (Beat) Yes, that’s right, it is two more “knocks” for the last one. Is that clear?
(Short pause. Tilton tries to shake off confusion.)
TILTON (Rubbing his eyes): Let me start again. (As he exits) I’m sorry to hold everyone up.
(He leaves. Pounding. He hurries on.)
PORTER: Here’s a knocking indeed! (Stops himself)
TILTON: I don’t have the slightest idea what I’m saying now. All I’m thinking about is how many goddamn “knocks” I have!
(Short pause. Forrest enters with others in the company.)
Sorry, Ned.
FORREST: Take your time.
TILTON: I’m fine. I knew it. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you I knew it perfect. (Beat) I was just a little uncertain of the “knocks.” (Awkward pause) Would you mind if I . . . just for now, if I said as many “knocks” as I want. As come out. That’s what’s . . .
FORREST: Say what you want. I mean it. (To others) Ready? Let’s continue. (Leaves with the others)
TILTON (As he exits, to the Prompter, off): Hear that? I can say as many “knocks” as I damn well want! (Exits)
Astor Place Opera House, Act II.ii
Mrs. Pope (Lady Macbeth) stands to one side as Macready (Macbeth) plays both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
MACREADY (Knocking with his foot, as Macbeth):
Whence is that knocking?—
How is’t with me when every noise appals me?
What hands are here! Ha, They pluck out mine eyes.
Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather
The multitudinous seas incarnadine,
Making the green one red.
(He hurries to a side and enters now as Lady Macbeth. As Lady Macbeth:)
My hands are of your color.
And blah-blah-blah. Whatever the lines. More knocking. (Knocks with his foot) Something about retiring to the bedroom. I take you by the hand. Like this. Come here.
(Mrs. Pope goes to him, he takes her hand.)
MACBETH:
To know my deed, ’twere best not know myself.
(He knocks with his foot.)
Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst.
MACREADY: Head on my shoulder. And look down. Down.
(Beat. As they exit.)
And I look out as we leave.
(They exit.)
Broadway Theatre, Act II.iii
Porter (Tilton) is alone on stage. Pause.
TILTON: I’ve dried. I’ve never dried.
FORREST (Entering): What’s the line? Give him the line.
TILTON: I don’t remember anything. What’s my character? What’s the name of the play? (Laughs) I’m kidding. (Laughs) I’m sorry everyone. My apologies to all of you. It’s one of those days. (Laughs)
FORREST: Just say your last line and we’ll keep going. (Turns to go)
TILTON: What’s my last line?
PROMPTER (Off): “I pray you remember the porter.”
(Pause. Tilton is alone on stage.)
TILTON: Ready?
(He sighs, then:)
PORTER (Unaware of the mistake he is making): I pray the porter remember.
(Macduff [Ryder] enters.)
MACDUFF:
Was it so late, friend, ere you went to bed
That you do lie so late?
TILTON: I don’t know those lines. We cut those lines. I wasn’t supposed to know them.
FORREST (Entering): You enter with me, Mr. Ryder. Each from different sides. (Calls off) What’s the line?
PROMPTER (Off): “Our knocking has awaken.”
FORREST: “Our knocking has awaken.” (Beat) From different sides.
RYDER: The rest is cut.
FORREST: I thought someone was giving Mr. Ryder the cuts?!
(They go. Tilton is alone.)
TILTON: From my last line? (Beat) What was my last line again?
PROMPTER (Off): It’s “I pray you remember the porter.” It’s not “I pray the porter remember.”
TILTON: “I pray the . . .”
PROMPTER: Which is what you said the last time.
TILTON: I said—? (Beat) I couldn’t have said . . . (Beat) I did? I heard—
FORREST (Off): Please, Tilton, begin!
(Short pause.)
TILTON (Does not know what to say): I . . . Uh.
Astor Place Opera House, Act IV.i
Thunder and lightning. Macbeth (Macready) and the Three Witches (Sefton, Bridges and Chippindale). The Witches sit on the ground.
MACBETH:
I conjure you, but that which you profess,
Howe’er you come to know it, answer me.
1ST WITCH: Speak.
2ND WITCH: Demand.
3RD WITCH:We’ll answer.
1ST WITCH:
Say if thou’dst rather hear it from our mouths
Or from our masters.
MACBETH:Call ’em—
(Macready stops himself. He goes to one of the Witches and pulls his dress down a little so less of his leg can be seen, then continues:)
Call ’em, let me see ’em.
(Thunder and an explosion.)
Broadway Theatre, Act IV.i
Macbeth (Forrest), the Three Witches (Misses Bass, Burton and Holland) and 1st Apparition.
1ST APPARITION:
Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, beware Macduff!
Beware the Thane of Fife. Dismiss me. Enough.
(1st Apparition leaves.)
MACBETH:
Whate’er thou art, for thy good caution thanks.
Thou hast harped my—
(Forrest stops himself. He goes to 1st Witch and pulls her dress up a little, so more of her attractive leg can be seen, then continues:)
Thou has harped my fear aright.
1ST WITCH:
Here’s another,
More potent than the first.
(Thunder and an explosion.)
Broadway Theatre, Act IV.iii
Macduff (Ryder) and Malcolm (Jones).
MACDUFF (With great passion): Fit to govern?
No, not to live! O nation miserable,
With an untitled tyrant bloody-sceptered,
When shalt thou see thy wholesome days again,
Since that the truest issue of thy throne
By his own interdiction stands accursed.
And does blaspheme his breed? O, my breast—
Thy hope ends here!
(Beat. They begin to walk off.)
JONES: Calm down, calm down. You’ve got the part.
(They exit.)
Astor Place Opera House, Act V.vii
Macbeth (Macready) enters.
MACBETH:
They have tied me to a stake. I cannot fly,
But bear-like I must fight the course. What’s he
That was not born of woman? Such a one
Am I to fear, or none.
(Enter Young Siward [Bridges].)
YOUNG SIWARD: What is thy name?
MACBETH: Thou’lt be afraid to hear it . . . My name’s Macbeth.
YOUNG SIWARD:
The devil himself could not pronounce a title
more hateful to mine ear.
(They fight. This should be a much stiffer battle than Forrest will fight. Young Siward is slain. Macbeth drags him off.)
Broadway Theatre, Act V.vii
Macbeth (Forrest) and Young Siward (Fisher) enter fighting. This should be a quite thrilling sword fight. Then Young Siward is slain.
MACBETH:Thou wast born of woman,
But swords I smile at, weapons laugh to scorn,
Brandished by man that’s of a woman born.
(He drags off the body.)
Astor Place Opera House, Act V.x
Continuation of previous scene. Macduff (Clark) enters, then Macbeth (Macready).
MACBETH:
Why should I play the Roman fool, and die
On mine own sword? Whiles I see lives, the gashes
Do better upon them.
MACDUFF:Turn, hell-hound, turn.
MACBETH:
Of all men else I have avoided thee.
But get thee back. My soul is too much charged
With blood of thine already.
MACDUFF:
I have no words;
My voice is in my sword, thou bloodier villain
Than terms can give thee out!
(They fight.)
MACBETH:
. . . I bear a charmèd life, which must not yield
To one of woman born.
MACDUFF:Despair thy charm,
And let the angel whom thou still hast served,
Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s womb
Untimely ripped.
MACBETH:
Accursèd be that tongue that tells me so,
For it hath cowed my better part of man!
MACDUFF:
“Here may you see the tyrant.”
MACBETH:
Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
And damned be him that first cries, “Hold, enough!”
(They exit, fighting.
Act V.xi. Malcolm [Arnold], Siward [Wemyss] and others enter.
Macduff enters with the bloody head of Macbeth.)
MACDUFF:
. . . Hail, King of Scotland!
ALL:Hail, King of Scotland!
MALCOLM:
We shall not spend a large expense of time
Before we reckon with your several loves
And make us even with you. What’s more to do
Which could be planted newly with the time,
As calling home our exiled friends abroad,
That fled the snares of watchful tyranny,
Producing forth the cruel ministers
Of this dead butcher and his fiend-like queen—
So thanks to all at once, and to each one,
Whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone.
(Flourish. They exit. Then immediately some of the actors cross the stage, taking off costumes, etc., all a bit tired. As they exit:)
Broadway Theatre, Act V.vii
Macbeth (Forrest) and Macduff (Ryder) enter fighting.
FORREST: Watch it. There. That’s right. There.
(Then as Macbeth:)
MACBETH:Before my body
I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff,
And damned be him that first cries, “Hold, enough!”
(They fight on stage. Finally Macbeth is stabbed and falls. Macduff, with some hesitation, raises his sword and appears to cut off Macbeth’s head. A head falls on the ground. Macduff picks it up. Others enter.)
MACDUFF (With the head):
Hail, King of Scotland!
ALL:Hail, King of Scotland!
(Tableau. Blackout.)
SCENE 5
5 P.M.
The Broadway Theatre. Forrest’s dressing room. Table, a couple of chairs. Forrest sits, taking off his makeup. Throughout the scene he changes from his Macbeth costume to his normal clothes. Ryder, still in costume, stands.
FORREST: I don’t know how this is any of my business.
RYDER: I think— The basis for the threats—or so Mr. Macready believes—seems to be the fact that you are both performing the same play on the same—
FORREST: So are you, Mr. Ryder. (Beat) So are you.
(Beat.)
RYDER: On the same night. It’s a competition that these people— whoever they are—are trying to . . . I don’t know. Build up?
FORREST: According to Mr. Macready.
RYDER: According to Mr.—
FORREST: This is what he has concluded.
RYDER: That’s right. (Beat) I’m only passing it along. I’m the messenger. That’s all I am.
FORREST: I understand.
(Short pause.)
RYDER: Anyway, a competition. English version—
FORREST: You’re English.
RYDER: I’m not saying that it’s logical. (Beat) English versus American. There is still, I suppose, a certain lingering—passion? It’s uncorking this—these tempers that has Mr. Macready truly worried and why he believes there might be truth to the—
FORREST: Do the threats mention me?
(Beat.)
RYDER: No. Not the letter I saw.
FORREST: So the basis for the threats actually remains in some doubt.
RYDER: They do criticize him for being foreign.
FORREST: I have been criticized in England for being foreign! (Short pause) So they do not mention me. They do not mention that Mr. Forrest happens, by coincidence, to be performing the same—
RYDER: Mr. Macready believes—
FORREST: He has an opinion! (Beat) And if I were Macready and I held such an opinion, the obvious action to take would be to change my schedule and perform something else.
RYDER: He can’t.
FORREST: Too bad. (Short pause) Then cancel.
(Knock at the door. Door opens, Tilton peeks in.)
TILTON: Sorry about this afternoon, I . . .
FORREST (Continuing to Ryder): But this is Mr. Macready’s business and it has nothing to do with me. (Beat. To Tilton) Sorry about what? What happened? Did something happen?
TILTON: I don’t know where my mind was. It suddenly went . . .
FORREST: I don’t know what you’re talking about, Tilton. Please. (Continues to undress. Beat)
TILTON: Thanks, Ned. Thank you. (Turns to go, bumping into Fisher on his way out) Sorry. (Leaves)
FISHER: You wanted to see me, Ned?
FORREST: Come in, Thomas, come in.
RYDER: Would you like me to—
FORREST: Sit down, please. Both of you. (Beat) I was just about to compliment Mr. Ryder on his performance. After our little misfortune last night, we seem to have landed on our feet. (Beat) Thanks to Mr. Ryder.
FISHER: Nice work.
FORREST (Turning to Ryder): You know I have seen you act before. In fact, I do believe I have seen you play this part before. Now where was it? (Beat) Could it have been in Edinburgh?
RYDER: I have played in—
FORREST: I recall sneaking in one wet night to catch Mr. Macready—
RYDER: Yes, I did play Macduff to Mr. Macready’s—
FORREST: But it was you whom I remember, Mr. Ryder. (Beat) I thought you were magnificent. The best Macduff I have ever seen.
RYDER (Smiling at Fisher; to Forrest): Thank you.
FORREST: You see, most Macduffs don’t realize that it is revenge that is driving the man. Passionate revenge. They don’t show this. (Beat) The part is not about Good triumphing. Who the hell knows if the man’s good or not? It is hate that drives him. (Beat) Ugly, sweaty hate. (Beat) I hardly even remember the perfo
rmance of the Macbeth.
RYDER: Mr. Macready—
FORREST: For that one night, the play should have been called Macduff.
(Beat.)
RYDER (Smiling): Mr. Forrest, I think you’re putting me on. To call the play—
FORREST: It would have been justified. By your performance. (Beat) By your energertic and dominating performance. (Short pause. To himself) Macduff! (Beat) Macbeth need hardly even appear. (Beat) What about a drink? The three of us? (Takes out a bottle and a few glasses)
RYDER: I don’t really think—
FORREST: I insist. Please. (Pause. Pours and hands out glasses) To you. And to our wonderful production which unfortunately we must call—Macbeth. (He drinks)
(Fisher laughs at the way Forrest is making his point with Ryder.) (Turning quickly to Fisher) Mr. Fisher, you know we are scheduled to play here for the next five weeks.
FISHER: Of course I do, yes. Why do you—?
FORREST: I ran into Mr. Hackett the other day. Actually I believe it was just this morning. He said something about having engaged actors already for a tour. Do you know anything about this?
FISHER: I’ve met Hackett maybe two or three times in my whole life.
FORREST: I thought you worked for him once. I thought this is what you told me when I hired you for here.
FISHER: I worked for him. I did. (Beat) But he wasn’t around much.
FORREST (To Ryder, smiling): It appears this tour is to be in— What was the exact date? I forget. But I do remember it was about three and a half weeks from today. (Beat) Or a week and a half before we finish our season here. (Beat) You haven’t talked to Mr. Hackett about joining this tour, have you?
FISHER: That wouldn’t be right, Ned.
(Pause.)
FORREST: I hear your brother hasn’t been well.
FISHER: What do you mean? I don’t have a—
FORREST: So I’m sure there are a few unanticipated expenses. (Beat) For the remainder of our season, I have decided to raise your pay by five dollars a performance. (Beat) Rather, let’s call it a bonus—to be collected at the end of our run.
(Short pause.)
FISHER: Thank you. I can use it. (Beat) Is there anything else, you . . .?
FORREST: No.
(Fisher nods, puts down his glass and goes. After he has closed the door:)
You son of a bitch! (To Ryder) He’s been in rehearsal for a week with Hackett. (Beat) He’s good though. Good with the sword.
(Miss Bass enters, still in costume. She does not knock. Throughout the rest of the scene, she undresses and changes into her normal clothes. Ryder takes notice of this, though for Forrest and Miss Bass it seems to be quite normal.)
Goodnight Children Everywhere and Other Plays Page 12