I
1. Fade up to general view from A. 10 seconds.
2. V: Good evening. Mine is a faint voice. Kindly tune accordingly. [Pause.] Good evening. Mine is a faint voice. Kindly tune accordingly. [Pause.] It will not be raised, nor lowered, whatever happens. [Pause.] Look. [Long pause.] The familiar chamber. [Pause.] At the far end a window. [Pause.] On the right the indispensable door. [Pause.] On the left, against the wall, some kind of pallet. [Pause.] The light: faint, omnipresent. No visible source. As if all luminous. Faintly luminous. No shadow. [Pause.] No shadow. Colour: none. All grey. Shades of grey. [Pause.] The colour grey if you wish, shades of the colour grey. [Pause.] Forgive my stating the obvious. [Pause.] Keep that sound down. [Pause.] Now look closer. [Pause.] Floor.
3. Cut to close-up of floor. Smooth grey rectangle 0.70 m. x 1.50 m. 5 seconds.
4. V: Dust. [Pause.] Having seen that specimen of floor you have seen it all. Wall.
5. Cut to close-up of wall. Smooth grey rectangle 0.70 m. x 1.50 m. 5 seconds.
6. V: Dust. [Pause.] Knowing this, the kind of wall–
7. Close-up of wall continued. 5 seconds.
8. V: The kind of floor–
9. Cut to close-up of floor. 5 seconds.
10. V: Look again.
11. Cut to general view from A. 5 seconds.
12. V: Door.
13. Cut to close-up of whole door. Smooth grey rectangle 0.70 m. x 2 m. Imperceptibly ajar. No knob. Faint music. 5 seconds.
14. V: Window.
15. Cut to close-up of whole window. Opaque sheet of glass 0.70 m. x 1.50 m. Imperceptibly ajar. No knob. 5 seconds.
16. V: Pallet.
17. Cut to close-up from above of whole pallet. 0.70 x 2 m. Grey sheet. Grey rectangular pillow at window end. 5 seconds.
18. V: Knowing all this, the kind of pallet–
19. Close-up of whole pallet continued. 5 seconds.
20. V: The kind of window–
21. Cut to close-up of whole window. 5 seconds.
22. V: The kind of door–
23. Cut to close-up of whole door. Faint music. 5 seconds.
24. V: The kind of wall–
25. Cut to close-up of wall as before. 5 seconds.
26. V: The kind of floor.
27. Cut to close-up of floor as before. 5 seconds.
28. V: Look again.
29. Cut to general view. 5 seconds.
30. V: Sole sign of life a seated figure.
31. Move in slowly from A to B whence medium shot of F and door. F is seated on a stool, bowed forward, face hidden, clutching with both hands a small cassette not identifiable as such at this range. Faint music. 5 seconds.
32. Move in from B to C whence near shot of F and door. Cassette now identifiable. Music slightly louder, 5 seconds.
33. Move in from C to close-up of head, hands, cassette. Clutching hands, head bowed, face hidden. Music slightly louder. 5 seconds.
34. Move slowly back to A via C and B (no stops). Music progressively fainter till at level of B it ceases to be heard.
35. General view from A. 5 seconds.
II
All from A except 26-29
1. V: He will now think he hears her.
2. F raises head sharply, turns still crouched to door, fleeting face, tense pose. 5 seconds.
3. V: No one.
4. F relapses into opening pose, bowed over cassette. 5 seconds.
5. V: Again.
6. Same as 2.
7. V: Now to door.
8. F gets up, lays cassette on stool, goes to door, listens with right ear against door, back to camera. 5 seconds.
9. V: No one. [Pause 5 seconds.] Open.
10. With right hand F pushes door open half-way clockwise, looks out, back to camera. 2 seconds.
11. V: No one.
12. F removes hand from door which closes slowly of itself, stands irresolute, back to camera. 2 seconds.
13. V: Now to window.
14. F goes to window, stands irresolute, back to camera. 5 seconds.
15. V: Open.
16. With right hand F pushes window open half-way clockwise, looks out, back to camera. 5 seconds.
17. V: No one.
18. F removes hand from window which closes slowly of itself, stands irresolute, back to camera. 2 seconds.
19. V: Now to pallet.
20. F goes to head of pallet (window end), stands looking down at it. 5 seconds.
21. F turns to wall at head of pallet, goes to wall, looks at his face in mirror hanging on wall, invisible from A.
22. V: [Surprised.] Ah!
23. After 5 seconds F bows his head, stands before mirror with bowed head. 2 seconds.
24. V: Now to door.
25. F goes to stool, takes up cassette, sits, settles into opening pose, bowed over cassette. 2 seconds.
26. Same as I.31.
27. Same as I.32.
28. Same as I.33.
29. Same as I.34.
30. Same as I.35.
31. V: He will now again think he hears her.
32. Same as II.2.
33. F gets up, lays cassette on stool, goes to door, opens it as before, looks out, stoops forward. 10 seconds.
34. F straightens up, releases door which closes slowly of itself, stands irresolute, goes to stool, takes up cassette, sits irresolute, settles finally into opening pose, bowed over cassette. 5 seconds.
35. Faint music audible for first time at A. It grows louder. 5 seconds.
36. V: Stop.
37. Music stops. General view from A. 5 seconds.
38. V: Repeat.
III
1. Immediately after ‘Repeat’ cut to near shot from C of F and door. Music audible. 5 seconds.
2. Move in to close-up of head, hands, cassette. Music slightly louder. 5 seconds.
3. Music stops. Action II.2. 5 seconds.
4. Action II.4. Music resumes. 5 seconds.
5. Move back to near shot from C of F and door. Music audible. 5 seconds.
6. Music stops. Action II.2. Near shot from C of F and door. 5 seconds.
7. Action II.8. Near shot from C of stool, cassette, F with right ear to door. 5 seconds.
8. Action II. 10. Crescendo creak of door opening. Near shot from C of stool, cassette, F with right hand holding door open. 5 seconds.
9. Cut to view of corridor seen from door. Long narrow (0.70 m.) grey rectangle between grey walls, empty, far end in darkness. 5 seconds.
10. Cut back to near shot from C of stool, cassette, F holding door open. 5 seconds.
11. Action II.12. Decrescendo creak of door slowly closing. Near shot from C of stool, cassette, F standing irresolute, door. 5 seconds.
12. Cut to close-up from above of cassette on stool, small grey rectangle on larger rectangle of seat. 5 seconds.
13. Cut back to near shot of stool, cassette, F standing irresolute, door. 5 seconds.
14. Action II.14 seen from C. Near shot from C of F and window. 5 seconds.
15. Action II.16 seen from C. Crescendo creak of window opening. Faint sound of rain. Near shot from C of F with right hand holding window open. 5 seconds.
16. Cut to view from window. Night. Rain falling in dim light. Sound of rain slightly louder. 5 seconds.
17. Cut back to near shot from C of F with right hand holding window open. Faint sound of rain. 5 seconds.
18. Action II.18 seen from C. Decrescendo creak of window slowly closing. Near shot from C of F and window. 5 seconds.
19. Action II.20 seen from C. Near shot from C of F, mirror, head of pallet.
20. Cut to close-up from above of whole pallet.
21. Move down to tighter close-up of pallet moving slowly from pillow to foot and back to pillow. 5 seconds on pillow.
22. Move back to close-up from above of whole pallet. 5 seconds.
23. Cut back to near shot from C of F, mirror, head of pallet. 5 seconds.
24. Cut to close-up of mirror reflecting nothing. Small grey rectangle
(same dimensions as cassette) against larger rectangle of wall. 5 seconds.
25. Cut back to near shot from C of F, mirror, head of pallet. 5 seconds.
26. Action II.21 seen from C. Near shot from C of F and mirror. 5 seconds.
27. Cut to close-up of F’s face in mirror. 5 seconds. Eyes close. 5 seconds. Eyes open. 5 seconds. Head bows. Top of head in mirror. 5 seconds.
28. Cut back to near shot from C of F with bowed head, mirror, head of pallet. 5 seconds.
29. Action II.25 seen from C. Near shot from C of F settling into opening pose. Music audible once settled. 10 seconds.
30. Music stops. Action II.2 seen from C. Faint sound of steps approaching. They stop. Faint sound of knock on door. 5 seconds. Second knock, no louder. 5 seconds.
31. Action II.33 seen from C. Crescendo creak of door slowly opening. Near shot from C of stool, cassette, F holding door open, stooping forward. 10 seconds.
32. Cut to near shot of small boy full length in corridor before open door. Dressed in black oilskin with hood glistening with rain. White face raised to invisible F. 5 seconds. Boy shakes head faintly. Face still, raised. 5 seconds. Boy shakes head again. Face still, raised. 5 seconds. Boy turns and goes. Sound of receding steps. Register from the same position his slow recession till he vanishes in dark at end of corridor. 5 seconds on empty corridor.
33. Cut back to near shot from C of stool, cassette, F holding door open. 5 seconds.
34. Action II.34 seen from C. Decrescendo creak of door slowly closing. 5 seconds.
35. Cut to general view from A. 5 seconds.
36. Music audible at A. It grows. 10 seconds.
37. With growing music move in slowly to close-up of head bowed right down over cassette now held in arms and invisible. Hold till end of Largo.
38. Silence. F raises head. Face seen clearly for second time. 10 seconds.
39. Move slowly back to A.
40. General view from A. 5 seconds.
41. Fade out.
MUSIC
From Largo of Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Trio (The Ghost):
I.13 beginning bar 47
I.23 beginning bar 49
I.31-34 beginning bar 19
II.26-29 beginning bar 64
II.35-36 beginning bar 71
III.1-2, 4-5 beginning bar 26
III.29 beginning bar 64
III.36 to end beginning bar 82
… but the clouds …
A play for television
Written in English in October-November 1976. First televised on BBC2 on 17 April 1977. First published by Faber and Faber, London, in 1977.
M Near shot from behind of man sitting on invisible stool bowed over invisible table. Light grey robe and skullcap. Dark ground. Same shot throughout.
M1 M in set. Hat and greatcoat dark, robe and skullcap light.
W Close-up of woman’s face reduced as far as possible to eyes and mouth. Same shot throughout.
S Long shot of set empty or with M1. Same shot throughout.
V M’s voice.
Set: circular, about 5 m. diameter, surrounded by deep shadow.
Lighting: a gradual lightening from dark periphery to maximum light at centre.
1. West, roads.
2. North, sanctum.
3. East, closet.
4. Standing position.
5. Camera.
1. Dark. 5 seconds.
2. Fade up to M. 5 seconds.
3. V: When I thought of her it was always night. I came in–
4. Dissolve to S empty. 5 seconds. M1 in hat and greatcoat emerges from west shadow, advances five steps and stands facing east shadow. 2 seconds.
5. V: No–
6. Dissolve to M. 2 seconds.
7. V: No, that is not right. When she appeared it was always night. I came in–
8. Dissolve to S empty. 5 seconds. M1 in hat and greatcoat emerges from west shadow, advances five steps and stands facing east shadow. 5 seconds.
9. V: Right. Came in, having walked the roads since break of day, brought night home, stood listening [5 seconds.], finally went to closet–
10. M1 advances five steps to disappear in east shadow. 2 seconds.
11. V: Shed my hat and greatcoat, assumed robe and skull, reappeared–
12. M1 in robe and skullcap emerges from east shadow, advances five steps and stands facing west shadow. 5 seconds.
13. V: Reappeared and stood as before, only facing the other way, exhibiting the other outline [5 seconds.], finally turned and vanished–
14. M1 turns right and advances five steps to disappear in north shadow. 5 seconds.
15. V: Vanished within my little sanctum and crouched, where none could see me, in the dark.
16. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
17. V: Let us now make sure we have got it right.
18. Dissolve to S empty. 2 seconds. M1 in hat and greatcoat emerges from west shadow, advances five steps and stands facing east shadow. 2 seconds. He advances five steps to disappear in east shadow. 2 seconds. He emerges in robe and skullcap from east shadow, advances five steps and stands facing west shadow. 2 seconds. He turns right and advances five steps to disappear in north shadow. 2 seconds.
19. V: Right.
20. Dissolve to M. 2 seconds.
21. V: Then crouching there, in my little sanctum, in the dark, where none could see me, I began to beg, of her, to appear, to me. Such had long been my use and wont. No sound, a begging of the mind, to her, to appear, to me. Deep down into the dead of night, until I wearied, and ceased. Or of course until–
22. Dissolve to W. 2 seconds.
23. Dissolve to M. 2 seconds.
24. V: For had she never once appeared, all that time, would I have, could I have, gone on begging, all that time? Not just vanished within my little sanctum and busied myself with something else, or with nothing, busied myself with nothing? Until the time came, with break of day, to issue forth again, shed robe and skull, resume my hat and greatcoat, and issue forth again, to walk the roads.
25. Dissolve to S empty. 2 seconds. M1 in robe and skullcap emerges from north shadow, advances five steps and stands facing camera. 2 seconds. He turns left and advances five steps to disappear in east shadow. 2 seconds. He emerges in hat and greatcoat from east shadow, advances five steps and stands facing west shadow. 2 seconds. He advances five steps to disappear in west shadow. 2 seconds.
26. V: Right.
27. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
28. V: Let us now distinguish three cases. One: she appeared and–
29. Dissolve to W. 2 seconds.
30. Dissolve to M. 2 seconds.
31. V: In the same breath was gone. 2 seconds. Two: she appeared and–
32. Dissolve to W. 5 seconds.
33. V: Lingered. 5 seconds. With those unseeing eyes I so begged when alive to look at me. 5 seconds.
34. Dissolve to M. 2 seconds.
35. V: Three: she appeared and–
36. Dissolve to W. 5 seconds.
37. V: After a moment–
38. W’s lips move, uttering inaudibly: ‘… clouds … but the clouds … of the sky …’, V murmuring, synchronous with lips: ‘… but the clouds …’ Lips cease. 5 seconds.
39. V: Right.
40. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
41. V: Let us now run through it again.
42. Dissolve to S empty. 2 seconds, M1 in hat and greatcoat emerges from west shadow, advances five steps and stands facing east shadow. 2 seconds. He advances five steps to disappear in east shadow. 2 seconds. He emerges in robe and skullcap from east shadow, advances five steps and stands facing west shadow. 2 seconds. He turns right and advances five steps to disappear in north shadow. 2 seconds.
43. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
44. Dissolve to W. 2 seconds.
45. Dissolve to M. 2 seconds.
46. Dissolve to W. 5 seconds.
47. V: Look at me. 5 seconds.
48. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
49. Dissolve
to W. 2 seconds, W’s lips move, uttering inaudibly: ‘… clouds … but the clouds … of the sky …’, V murmuring, synchronous with lips: ‘… but the clouds …’ Lips cease. 5 seconds.
50. V: Speak to me. 5 seconds.
51. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
52. V: Right. There was of course a fourth case, or case nought, as I pleased to call it, by far the commonest, in the proportion say of nine hundred and ninety-nine to one, or nine hundred and ninety-eight to two, when I begged in vain, deep down into the dead of night, until I wearied, and ceased, and busied myself with something else, more … rewarding, such as … such as … cube roots, for example, or with nothing, busied myself with nothing, that MINE, until the time came, with break of day, to issue forth again, void my little sanctum, shed robe and skull, resume my hat and greatcoat, and issue forth again, to walk the roads. [Pause.] The back roads.
53. Dissolve to S empty. 2 seconds. M1 in robe and skullcap emerges from north shadow, advances five steps and stands facing camera. 2 seconds. He turns left and advances five steps to disappear in east shadow. 2 seconds. He emerges in hat and greatcoat from east shadow, advances five steps and stands facing west shadow. 2 seconds. He advances five steps to disappear in west shadow. 2 seconds.
54. V: Right.
55. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
56. Dissolve to W. 5 seconds.
57. V: ‘… but the clouds of the sky … when the horizon fades … or a bird’s sleepy cry … among the deepening shades …’ 5 seconds.
58. Dissolve to M. 5 seconds.
59. Fade out on M.
60. Dark. 5 seconds.
A Piece of Monologue
Written in English for actor David Warrilow in 1979 and performed by him in New York in 1980. First published by Kenyon Review in 1979.
Curtain.
Faint diffuse light.
Speaker stands well off centre downstage audience left.
White hair, white nightgown, white socks.
Two metres to his left, same level, same height, standard lamp, skull-sized white globe, faintly lit.
Just visible extreme right, same level, white foot of pallet bed. Ten seconds before speech begins.
The Complete Dramatic Works of Samuel Beckett Page 33