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Samuel Beckett
Happy Days

Oh les beaux jours / Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (1961)

Translation from English by L. Bespalov

Characters

Winnie a woman in her fifties

Willie- a man in his sixties

Act one

In the middle of the stage is a low hill covered with scorched grass. Smooth slopes to the hall, to the right and to the left. Behind a steep cliff to the platform. Ultimate simplicity and symmetry. Blinding light. The extremely pompous realistic backdrop depicts the uncultivated plain and the sky converging on the horizon. In the very middle of the mound chest-deep in the ground is Winnie. About fifty, well-preserved, preferably blonde, body, arms and shoulders bare, low neckline, full breasts, string of pearls. She sleeps with her hands on the ground in front of her, her head in her hands. To her left on the ground is a roomy black utility bag, to the right is a folding umbrella, a handle bent by a beak protrudes from its folds. To the right of her, Willy is sleeping, stretched out on the ground, he is not visible because of the hillock. Long pause. The bell rings piercingly, for, say, ten seconds, and stops. She doesn't move. Pause. The bell rings even more piercingly, for, say, five seconds. She wakes up. The call is silent. She raises her head, looks into the room. Long pause. He stretches, rests his hands on the ground, throws back his head, looks at the sky. Long pause.

Winnie(looks at the sky). And again the day will be outstanding. (Pause. Lowers her head, looks out into the audience, pause. Folds her arms, raises her to her chest, closes her eyes. Her lips move in an inaudible prayer for, say, ten seconds. They stop moving. Her hands are still at her chest. In a whisper.) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen! (Opens her eyes, lowers her hands, puts them on the hillock. Pause. Brings her hands to her chest again, closes her eyes, and again her lips move in inaudible prayer for, say, five seconds. In a whisper.) Forever and ever amen! (Opens his eyes, puts his hands on the hillock again. Pause.) Go ahead Vinnie. (Pause.) Start your day, Vinnie. (Pause. Turns to the bag without moving it, rummages in it, takes out a toothbrush, rummages again, takes out a flat tube of toothpaste, turns his head to the audience again, unscrews the cap, puts the cap on the ground, with difficulty squeezes a drop of toothpaste onto brush, holding a tube in one hand, brushing her teeth with the other. Shamefully turns away, spits back over a hillock. Her gaze lingers on Willy. She spits. She leans back even more. Loudly.) Hey! (Pause. Even louder.) Hey! (With a gentle smile, he turns back to the audience, puts down the brush.) Poor Willie - (looks at the tube, smiles gone)- ends - (looks for a cap)- anyway - (finds a cap)- do not write anything - (screw cap on)- things get old, they come to an end - (puts tube down)- here she came - (turns to bag)- it's nothing you can do - (digging in bag)- can't help you - (takes out a mirror, turns to the audience)- Well, yes - (looks at teeth in mirror)- Poor Willy - (feels upper teeth with finger, unintelligible)- God! - (pulls up upper lip, looks at gums, also unintelligible)- My God! - (turns lip away to one side, mouth open, exactly the same)- anyway - (on the other hand, exactly the same)- no worse - (releases his lip, in a normal voice)- no worse and no better - (puts down the mirror)- no change - (wipes fingers on grass)- without pain - (looks for a brush)- you can say almost without - (takes a brush)- what a miracle - (looks at brush handle)– what could be better – – real… what? - (pause)- What? - (puts down brush)- Well, yes - (turns to bag)- Poor Willy - (digging in bag)- has no taste - (digs)- to nothing - (pulls out glasses in case)- Not interesting - (turns back to the room)- to life - (takes glasses out of case) my poor Willie (puts down case)- sleeps forever - (pulls back temples)- amazing ability - (puts on glasses)- nothing could be better - (looks for a brush)- In my opinion - (takes a brush)- always thought so - (looks at brush handle)- I would like that - (looks at pen, reads)- real ... no fake ... what? - (puts down brush)- and there you go completely blind - (takes off glasses)- anyway - (sets aside glasses)- and so many - (climbs into the cutout for a scarf)- saw - (takes out a folded handkerchief)- in my time - (shakes handkerchief)- marvelous lines, how is it there? - (wipes one eye). When my time has passed (wipes another)- and that one - my rolled up there ... - (looking for glasses)- that's it - (takes glasses)- what happened, it happened, I wouldn’t refuse anything - (wipes glasses, breathes on glasses)- Or maybe she refused? - (wipes)- pure light - (wipes)- emerge from the darkness - (wipes)- underground baked light. (Stops wiping his glasses, raises his face to the sky, pause, lowers his head, starts wiping his glasses again, stops wiping, bends back and to the right.) Hey! (Pause. With a gentle smile, he turns to the audience and again begins to wipe his glasses. The smile is gone.) The amazing ability (stops wiping, puts glasses away)- I would like that - (folds handkerchief)- anyway - (puts handkerchief in neckline)- a sin to complain - (looking for glasses)- that's not it - (takes glasses)- no need to complain (brings glasses to his eyes, looks into one glass)– you have to be grateful: there are so many good things – (looks into another glass)- without pain - (puts on glasses)- one might say, almost without - (looks for a toothbrush)- what a miracle - (takes a brush)– what could be better – (looks at brush handle)- except that the head sometimes aches - (looks at pen, reads)- real ... no fake, natural ... what? - (brings brush closer to eyes)- real, not fake - (Pulls out a handkerchief from behind the neckline.)- Well, yes - (shakes handkerchief)- sometimes, a mild migraine pesters - (wipes brush handle)- will take - (wipes)- let go - (wipes automatically)- Well, yes - (wipes)- great mercy to me - (wipes)- truly great - (stops rubbing, stopped, distant look, in a dead voice)- and prayers may not be in vain - (pause, exactly the same)- in the morning - (pause, same)- for the coming dream - (lowers his head, starts wiping his spectacles again, stops wiping, raises his head, calms down, wipes his eyes, folds his handkerchief, puts it back behind the neckline, peers into the handle of the brush, reads)- real, without fake ... natural - (brings closer to eyes)– natural… (takes off glasses, puts away glasses and brush, looks straight ahead). Things get old. (Pause.) Eyes age. (Long pause.) Come on Vinnie. (She looks around, her eyes fall on the umbrella, she examines it for a long time, picks it up, pulls out the handle from the folds of incredible length. Holding the tip of the umbrella with her right hand, bends back and to the right, leans over Willy.) Hey! (Pause.) Willy! (Pause.) Remarkable ability. (Strikes him with the handle of an umbrella.) I would like that. (Strikes again.)

The umbrella slips from her hand, falls behind a hillock. Willy's invisible hand immediately brings him back.

Thank you, little one. (Puts umbrella in left hand, turns to the audience, examines the right palm.) Wet. (He takes the umbrella again in his right hand, examines his left palm.) Well, okay, well, at least not worse. (Throws her head, joyfully.) No worse, no better, no change. (Pause. Exactly the same.) Without pain. (He leans back to look at Willy, as before, holding the tip of the umbrella.) Please don't fall asleep, honey, I might need you. (Pause.) Nothing in a hurry, just don't curl up like you have in the factory. (Turns towards the hall, puts down the umbrella, examines both palms at once, wipes them on the grass.) And yet the view is not the same. (He turns to the bag, rummages in it, takes out a revolver, raises it to his lips, kisses it briefly, puts it back in the bag, rummages, takes out an almost empty bottle of red potion, turns to the hall, looks for glasses, lifts, reads the label.) Loss of spirit... loss of interest in life... loss of appetite... newborns... children... adults... six tablespoons... daily - (throws head, smile) (smile as if never happened, lowers his head, reads.)“Daily…before and after…meals…gives instant… (brings closer to eyes)… improvement". (Takes off, puts glasses away, moves hand with bottle to see how much is left in it, unscrews cork, throws head back, empties, tosses cork and bottle away over the hill towards Willy.)

The sound of broken glass.

So it's better! (He turns to the bag, rummages in it, takes out lipstick, turns to the audience, examines the lipstick.) Ends. (Looks for glasses.) Anyway. (Puts on glasses, looks for a mirror.) There is no need to complain. (Takes a mirror, paints her lips.) Wonderful line, how is it there? (beautiful) If copper, ta-ta ta-ta and the sea do not stand when their time comes (paints) that can survive, arguing with death. (Paints. Willie's fuss tears her off.)

He sits down. She lowers her lipstick, mirror, leans back to look at him. Pause. The bald back of Willy's head, through which blood flows, rises above the slope and freezes. Winnie raises his glasses to his forehead. Pause. Willie's hand sticks out with a handkerchief, covers his bald head with a handkerchief, disappears. Pause. A hand sticks out - in it is a boater with a club tape - daringly pushes the boater on its side, disappears. Pause. Winnie leans back a little more.

Put on your underpants, honey, you'll burn yourself. (Pause.) Won't you wear it? (Pause.) Look, you've still got some of that muffin left. (Pause.) Get it right, little one. (Pause.) And now another. (Pause. She turns to the audience, looks straight ahead. Happy expression.) What a happy day today will be! (Pause. The happy expression is gone. He puts his glasses down on his nose, paints his lips.)

Willy opens the newspaper, his hands are not visible. Yellowed newspaper pages frame Willie's head. Winnie stops painting her lips, slightly moving the mirror aside, looking at them.

Victory red banner.

Willie turns the page. Winnie puts down her lipstick and mirror and turns to her bag.

Not like before - a dull white flag.

Willie turns the page. Vinnie rummages through the bag. takes out a smart meningitis hat with a crumpled feather, turns to the audience, preens the hat, smoothes the feather, raises the hat to his head, but freezes with the hat in his hand while Willie reads.

Willie. His Reverend Father in Bose, Carolus Colt, rested in a basin.

Pause.

Winnie(turns to the audience - hat in hand - recalls with fervor). Charlie Colt! (Pause.) As soon as I close my eyes (takes off glasses, closes eyes, hat in one hand, glasses in the other).

Willie turns the page.

- and again I sit on his lap in the back garden of the house in Paulden Hills, under the horse beech. (Pause. She opens her eyes, lifts her spectacles, fiddles with her hat.) What a happy time!

Pause. She raises her hat to her head, but when she hears Willie's voice, she freezes with her hat in her hand.

Willie(is reading). We offer a variety of hats.

Pause. She raises her hat to her head, but still freezes with a hat in her hand, takes off her glasses, looks into the hall, hat in one hand, glasses in the other.

Winnie. My first score! (Long pause.) My second score! (Long pause. Closes eyes.) My first kiss!

Pause. Willie turns the page.

(Opens eyes.) Some Mr. not the Rim, not the Trunk. With bushy moustaches, quite red. (Tremblingly.) Just not fire. (Pause.) In a barn, but whose, for the life of me, I don’t remember. We didn't have a shed, and he didn't have one, that's for sure. (Closes eyes.) As now I see piles of pots. (Pause.) Boxes of apples. (Pause.) Shadows thicken between the beams.

Pause. She opens her eyes, puts on her glasses, raises her hat to her head, hearing Willy's voice, freezes with a hat in her hand.

Willie(is reading). We buy linden.

Pause. Winnie hastily puts on his hat, looking for his glasses. Willie turns the page. Winnie takes the mirror, examines the hat, puts the mirror away, turns to the bag. The newspaper disappears. Winnie rummages in his bag, takes out a magnifying glass, turns to the audience, looking for a toothbrush. The newspaper comes out again, this time folded, fanning Willy's face, his hand is not visible. Winnie takes the brush, peers through the magnifying glass into the handle.

Winnie. Real, not fake...

natural…

(He brings the brush closer to his eyes, reads.) Real, not fake...

Willie stops fanning himself.

natural…

Pause. Willy starts fanning himself again.

(Puts down the magnifier and brush, pulls out the handkerchief from behind the cutout, takes off the glasses, wipes the glasses, lifts up the glasses, looks for the magnifying glass, takes the magnifying glass, wipes it, puts down the magnifying glass, looks for the brush, takes the brush, wipes its handle, puts down the brush, puts the handkerchief back in cut, looks for a magnifying glass, takes a magnifying glass, looks for a brush, takes a brush, peers through a magnifying glass into a pen.) Real, not fake...

Willie stops fanning himself.

…natural…

Pause. Willy starts fanning himself again…. pork… Willy stops fanning himself, pause.

…bristle. (Pause. Puts down magnifying glass and brush, newspaper disappears. Takes off glasses, puts them down, looks into the room.) Pig bristle. (Pause.) After all, it's just a miracle what is - days - (smile)- by old standards - (smile gone)- literally a day does not go by that some fact does not enrich your mental baggage, even if it is insignificant, in the sense, the fact is insignificant if you make an effort.

Willie's hand sticks out again with a postcard, he brings it closer to his eyes, looks at it.

Well, if for some reason you can't make an effort, well, then just - just close your eyes - (does so)- and wait, the day will come - (opens eyes)- so hot that the body melts, and there is no end to the moonlit night - so many hours it lasts - another happy day! (Pause.) When you become discouraged and envy every creature, it is a miracle how it consoles. (Turns to Willie.) I hope you don't miss my words. (He sees the postcard, bends even lower.) What do you have there, Willy, let me see. (Holds out his hand.)

Willie hands her a card: a hairy hand sticks out from behind the slope, hands the card back, and freezes until it is returned. Winnie turns to the audience, examines the postcard.

No, what have you come to! (Looks for glasses, puts them on, peers at the postcard.) Yes, this is the real most that neither is natural indecency! (Looks at the postcard.) What an abomination - just turns back from the soul!

Willie twiddles his fingers impatiently. Winnie looks for a magnifying glass, takes it, examines the card through a magnifying glass. Long pause.

And that third one, what is he doing? (Brings the card closer to her eyes.) Oh no, it can't be!

Willie twiddles his fingers impatiently. Long last look.

(Puts down the magnifying glass, takes the card by the edge with the forefinger and thumb of the right hand, turns away, pinches his nose with the forefinger and thumb of the left.) Ugh! (Drops the postcard.) Take her away!

Willie's hand disappears. And then it sticks out again - there is a postcard in it. Winnie takes off his glasses, puts them down, looks ahead. In the future, Willy enjoys the card, turning it this way and that, now bringing it closer, then moving it away.

Pig bristle, yes, pig bristle. (Puzzled face.) Pig, pig, what is it? (Pause. Same expression.) I remember what a boar is, I remember a boar, but what a pig is ... (There is no confusion.) Well, okay, it doesn’t matter, what else can I say, everything is eventually remembered - well, isn’t it a miracle: everything - everything is remembered. (Pause.) All? (Pause.) No, not all. (Smile.) Here it is not. (The smile is gone.) Not everyone. (Pause.) Yes, something. (Pause.) One fine day, yes, and it will pop up in my memory. (Pause.) Well, isn't it a miracle? (Pause. She turns to her bag.)

Both the hand and the postcard disappear.

(She reaches for her bag, but freezes with her hand outstretched.) No. (Turns to the audience. Smile.) Here it is not. (The smile is gone.) Don't rush, Vinnie. (Looks into the hall.)

Willie's hand sticks out again, takes off his hat, disappears with the hat.

The hand sticks out again, removes the handkerchief from the bald spot, disappears along with the handkerchief.

(Sharply, as if addressing an inattentive interlocutor.) Winnie!

Willie's head goes down, out of sight.

Is there any other way out? (Pause.) Is there another...

Willy blows his nose for a long time, neither his head nor his hands are visible. Winnie turns, looks at him. Pause. His head sticks out again. Pause. A hand with a handkerchief sticks out again, covers his bald head with it, disappears. Pause. Again the boater's hand sticks out, daringly pulls it on its side, disappears. Pause.

Yes, sleep as much as you want. (Turns to face the audience. Absently pulls at the blades of grass.)

The head - to give her words more expressiveness - goes up and down.

Except I can't stand being alone, I mean, I can't stand talking alone when no one is listening to me. (Pause.) No, no, Willie, I don't flatter myself that you hear everything. God forbid! (Pause.) It is possible that there are days when you hear nothing. (Pause.) But there are also those when you answer me. (Pause.) In a word, we can say that always, even when you don’t answer anything, and it’s possible that you don’t hear anything, you don’t hear everything, and I don’t just talk to myself, just like in the desert - I always endure this could not - could not endure for a long time. (Pause.) That's what gives me strength, strength to talk, that is. (Pause.) Well, what if you were to die? (smile)- if you approach with old standards - (smile gone)- or left me for another, what would I do then, what would I do with myself all day, from call to call, in the sense, from getting up to going to bed? (Pause.) I would look at one point, closing my mouth - what else? (He does so. Long pause. Stops pulling grass.) And she wouldn’t say a word more until her last breath, she wouldn’t break the local silence in any way. (Pause.) Is that sometimes, occasionally, would sigh in front of the mirror. (Pause.) Or… she would snort if something made me laugh, as she used to. (Pause. Breaks into a smile, it seems that the smile is about to turn into laughter, but suddenly it is replaced by an expression of alarm.) Hair! (Pause.) Did I forget to comb my hair? (Pause.) Most likely I haven't forgotten. (Pause.) Usually I don't forget. (Pause.) And how to forget - there is not much to do. (Pause.) So you do everything you can. (Pause.) All that is possible. (Pause.) Because you can't. (Pause.) Such is human nature. (Looks around the hillock, raises his eyes.) Such is human weakness. (Looks around the hillock again, looks up.) natural weakness. (Looks around the hillock again.) The comb has gone missing somewhere. (Looks around the hillock again.) And a brush. (He looks up. His face is bewildered. He turns to the bag and rummages through it.) The comb is here. (Facing the audience. Perplexity. Facing the bag. Rummages.) And the brush is here. (Facing the audience. Perplexity.) Apparently, I combed my hair and put them in place. (Pause. Same expression.) But after all, as a rule, I don’t put anything in the bag afterwards - no, on the contrary, I scatter things at random and put them in the bag only at the end of the day. (Smile.) By old standards. (Pause.) By good old standards. (The smile is gone.) And yet ... it seems to be ... I remember ... (With unexpected recklessness.) Well, okay, it doesn’t matter, what else can you say, I’ll take it and scratch myself later, there’s no hurry ... (Pause. Puzzled.) Scratch? (Pause.) Or will I brush my hair? Will I take it and brush it? (Pause.) Something is wrong here. (Pause. Half turns to Willy.) How would you say Willie? (Pause. Turns even more to Willy.) How would you say, Willy, if it was about hair, scratch it or brush it? (Pause.) I mean, the hair on your head. (Pause. Turns even more towards Willy.) So, how would you say, Willy, in this case - scratch or comb your hair?

Long pause.

Willie. I'll comb my hair.

Winnie(turns to the audience, joyfully). You will talk to me today - what a happy day it will be! (Pause. Joy is gone.) Another happy day! (Pause.) Oh yes, where did I stop, on the hair, but oh well, then, I will do a prayer of thanks later. (Pause.) I put on - (puts hands on hat)- of course, wearing a hat - (drops hands)- but you can't take it off. (Pause.) Just think: after all, it happens that you are not able to take off your hat, for the life of you. Sometimes you can't put it on, and sometimes you can't take it off. (Pause.) How many times have I said to myself: put on your hat, Winnie, there’s nothing left for you, and now take off your hat, Vinnie, don’t be stubborn, you yourself will be better - and I couldn’t. (Pause.) There was no strength. (Pause. He raises his hand, releases a strand of hair from under his hat, brings it to his eyes, squints his eyes, throws a strand, lowers his hand.) You called them golden on the day when the last guest finally left - (hand flies up like a glass in it)- let's drink to your golden ones ... let them never ... (crackling voice)... let them never ... (Lowers hands. Lowers head. Pause. In a whisper.) In that day. (Pause. Exactly the same.) What day? (Pause. Raises her head. In her normal voice.) And then what? (Pause.) I can’t find the words, it also happens that you won’t find the words either. (He half turns to Willie.) Right, Willy? (Pause. Turns even more towards him.) Isn't it true, Willie, that it sometimes happens that you can't find the words either? (Pause. Turns to the audience.) What to do until you find the words? Combing your hair if you haven’t combed it yet, well, if you don’t remember exactly, filing your nails if they need to be filed, all this helps to stay afloat. (Pause.) Here's what I wanted to say. (Pause.) That's all I wanted to say. (Pause.) Well, isn't it a miracle - not a day goes by - (smile)- by old standards - (smile gone)- so as not to repeat: there would be no happiness -

Willie falls, his head disappearing behind the slope.

(Turns to see what happened to him)- Yes, misfortune helped. (Bends down.) Climb back into your hole, Willie, it's not good to lie naked for so long. (Pause.) Look, Willie, stop lying in the sun and get back into your hole. (Pause.) Come on, Willie.

Invisible Willy crawls to the left towards the pit.

Well done! (Without taking his eyes off, he follows his progress towards the pit.) No, no, fools, first the legs, then the head, you won't turn around there. (Pause.) So, so… turned… now… we back away. (Pause.) I know, I know, dear, it's hard to crawl backwards, but it's worth it. (Pause.) You forgot the vaseline. (Watches him crawl out of the pit for Vaseline.) Lid! (Watches him crawling back towards the hole. Annoyed.) How many times do I have to tell you - first the legs, then the head. (Pause.) Take right. (Pause.) You've been told to the right. (Pause. Annoyed.) And ass, you hear, don't lift your ass! (Pause.) And once! (Pause.) Whoops! (All instructions were given in a loud voice. Now - still turning towards him - in a normal voice.) Can you hear me? (Pause.) Willie, I beg you, just say yes or no, you hear, just yes or don't say anything.

Pause.

Willie. Yes.

Winnie(turns to the audience, in the same voice). And now? Willie (irritated). Yes. Winnie (quiet). And now? Willie (even more annoyed). Yes.

Winnie(even quieter). And now? (A little louder.) And now? Willie (furious). Yes!

Winnie(Also). My soul is dark! (Pause.) Did you hear what I said? Willie (irritated). Yes! Winnie (Also). What? (Pause.) What? Willie (even more annoyed). My soul.

Pause.

Winnie(Also). What? (Pause.) What is your soul?

Willie(ferociously). My soul!

Winnie(in a normal voice, blurts out in one breath). God bless you for your kindness, Willie, I know what it's worth to you, but now rest, I won't bother you anymore, except at the very least, I mean, unless I go to the edge and don't find it at all what to do, and I hope it won’t come to that, to know that you hear me at least theoretically, even if you don’t actually hear me, to know that you are nearby and supposedly on the alert - I don’t need anything else, I won’t say anything like that, what you don’t like, I won’t blurt out for a sweet soul everything that tears my soul, otherwise I don’t know - you hear, you don’t hear - but I want to ease my soul. (Pause. She catches her breath.) The soul is out of place. (He searches for a heart with his index and middle fingers, moves his fingers back and forth, finally finds it.) Whether here. (Moves fingers.) Whether not. (Retracts his hand.) I feel that there will come a time when, before speaking a word, I will have to make sure that you have heard the previous one, and I feel that another time will come, yes - yes, quite another, when I will have to learn to talk to myself, and this I can’t stand it at all – it’s the same as in the desert. (Pause.) Or look ahead with your mouth closed. (It does so.) All day long. (Same expression.) No. (Smile.) Here it is not. (The smile is gone.) (Turns to her.) There is and will be. (Facing the hall.) I hope it will. (Pause.) Even when you're gone, Willy. (Half turns to him.) You'll be gone soon, Willie, right? (Pause. Louder.) You really won't be around very soon, Willie, right? (Pause. Louder.) Willy! (Pause. She leans back to look at him.) You, I see, took off the boater and did the right thing. (Pause.) You can’t say anything, it seems that you are so very comfortable - you rest your chin on your hands and stare at me from the darkness with your blue eyes. (Pause.) Can you see me from there - that's what I think, I always think. (Pause.) Can't you see? (Facing the hall.) I know - how not to know: when two people are connected - (crackling voice)- so closely - (in normal voice)- and one sees the other, it does not follow at all that the other also sees him, life has taught me this ... and this. (Pause.) That's exactly what life is, you can't say more precisely. (Half turns to him.) Willie, could you see me, what do you think, if you looked in my direction? (More turns to him.) Turn your eyes in my direction, Willie, and tell me if you see me, well, do it for me, and I will try to lean over. (He does so. Pause.) Will not say? (Pause.) No problem. (He turns to the hall with difficulty.) The earth somehow squeezed me today like a vise - I got fat, or something, but no, it seems not. (Pause. Absently, eyes lowered.) Nothing but the heat. (Slaps, strokes the ground.) Everything you take expands. One more. (Pause. Pats, strokes.) Another is less. (Pause. Same gestures.) I understand, it’s impossible not to understand what you’re thinking about: listening to her is utterly tired, and then there’s something else - if you please, look at her, but you can’t refuse. (Pause. Same gestures.) It seems to be asking for such a small thing, it seems, - (voice fades to a whisper)- you can’t ask for less - from your neighbor - at least - but in fact - you can’t help but understand - if you look into your soul - into your neighbor’s soul - what he wants - peace - to be left alone - and then how you can't understand better - that all this time - the moon - the moon from the sky, that's what you asked for. (Pause. The hand that was stroking the ground suddenly freezes. Lively.) Oh what is it? (Bends his head to the ground, stunned.) A living creature, she - she! (Looks for glasses, puts them on, bends even lower. Pause.) Ant! (She recoils. Shrieks.) Willie, the ant, the live ant! (Seizes the magnifying glass, again bends down to the ground, looks through the magnifying glass.) Where does he go? (Looks.) Here he is! (Follows the progress of the ant through a magnifying glass.) Dragging some little white spool! (Follows the progress of the ant. Hands do not move. Pause.) Crawls on the grass. (Continuously looks at the ground through a magnifying glass, slowly straightens up, puts down the magnifying glass, takes off his glasses, looks straight ahead, glasses in his hand. Summing up.) Crawled away. (Long pause. He reaches out to put his glasses on.)

Willie. By ant.

Winnie(hand with glasses freezes). What-oh?

Pause.

Willie. By ant.

Pause. She reaches over to put her glasses on.

An ant crawls on the grass.

Winnie(hand with glasses hangs in the air). What-oh?

Pause.

Willie. An ant crawls on the grass.

Pause. She puts down her glasses, looks ahead.

Winnie(persuasively, in a whisper). God.

Pause. Willie laughs softly. After a while, she joins him. They laugh softly together. Willie breaks out laughing. She laughs alone for a minute. Willie joins her. They laugh together. She breaks out laughing. Willie laughs alone for another minute. She breaks out laughing. Pause.

(normal voice.) Still, Willy, I can't tell you how happy I am to hear you laugh again, I thought I wouldn't laugh again, and neither would you. (Pause.) Perhaps some will consider our laughter blasphemous, but I do not like such accusations. (Pause.) No better way to magnify the Lord than to laugh heartily at his petty jokes, especially flat ones. (Pause.) I think, Willie, you will agree with me on this. (Pause.) What if we weren't laughing at the same thing? (Pause.) And all the same, it doesn’t matter, what else can you say, as long as ... yes, you remember ... marvelous lines, how is it there? (Pause.) And then what? (Long pause.) Willy, could I ever like you? (Pause.) Could I ever like? (Pause.) Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking if you liked me, everything is clear to us here, I'm asking you if I could have liked me at all - once? (Pause.) No. (Pause.) Can't answer? (Pause.) I admit it's not an easy question. You already did everything in your power today, lie down, rest, I won’t bother you, unless it becomes very unbearable, just to know that you are there and, in theory, almost always ready ... this is ... uh- uh ... already heavenly bliss. (Pause.) The day is fading into evening. (Pause.) By old standards. (The smile is gone.) Still, it's too early to sing the resenka. (Pause.) You should never sing a song too early, I think. (Turns to the bag.) At worst, I have a bag. (Looks at the bag.) Here she is. (Facing the hall.) I wonder if I could list everything that is in it? (Pause.) No. (Pause.) Let's say I could, if a kind soul happened to be here and she asked me: Winnie, what is that in your big black bag? - to give an exhaustive answer? (Pause.) No. (Pause.) And as for what is at the bottom, and even more so, who knows what treasures are there. (Pause.) And what a help! (Turns to look at bag.) Yes, yes, I have a bag. (Facing the hall.) But something tells me, don't rely too much on your bag Vinnie, sure, use it, let it help you... hold on when you hit a dead end, for God's sake, but look beyond your nose, Vinnie, and remember what comes next. the time when you can't find the words, (closes eyes, pause, opens eyes)- and don't rely too much on the bag. (Pause. Turns to look at the bag.) Unless to poke around once in a hurry. (He turns to face the audience, closes his eyes, reaches out with his left hand to the bag, takes out a revolver. Disgust.) You were just missing. (Opens his eyes, holds the revolver in front of him, looks at it. He weighs it in his palm.) So heavy - it would seem that he belongs at the bottom ... along with the last cartridges. So no. No matter how. Forever "in sight, exactly - exactly like a Browning. (Pause.) Our Brownie... (He half turns to Willie.) Remember him, Willy? (Pause.) Do you remember how you did not give me life, demanded that I put it away? "Take him away, Vinnie, take him away, there is no more strength to endure my torment!" (Facing the audience. Contemptuously.) Your anguish! (To the revolver.) Perhaps it’s even comforting to know that you are here, but you hurt my eyes - that’s it! (Pause.) I'll evict you outside - that's how I'll deal with you! (Puts the revolver on the ground to his right.) You will live here from today! (Smile.) By old standards! (The smile is gone.) And then what? (Long pause.) Do you think, Willy, is gravity still active? In my opinion, no. (Pause.) I have such a feeling, and every day it is getting stronger, that if I were not chained - (gesture)- like this, I would just - simply fly away into the sky. (Pause.) And that one fine day the earth will part and let me go - it pulls me so high, yes, yes, it will part and let me go. (Pause.) Don't you ever feel like you're being carried away, Willie? (Pause.) Willie, don't you ever feel the urge to cling to something? (Pause. Half turns to him.) Willy.

At the heart of the play is a monologue of a not too young woman about the meaninglessness of human life, and the only, but very serious feature of the "mise-en-scene" is that at first the heroine of Vera Alentova is buried up to her waist in the sand, and then almost with her head.

A play by the Irishman Samuel Beckett Happy Days„ was written in 1961 and rightly considered one of the banners of absurdism. It is based on a monologue of a not too young woman about the meaninglessness of human life, and the only, but very serious feature of the “mise-en-scene” is that at first the heroine named Winnie is buried in the sand up to her waist, and then almost with her head. Beckett, author of several novels and laureate Nobel Prize in literature, known mainly as a playwright. And when the theater suddenly bursts into fashion for his “Waiting for Godot” or “Macbeth”, it becomes clear that the directors are not only still haunted by misanthropic philosophy, but also seem to have a promising field for activity. Not in vain.

In the play by Mikhail Bychkov (the Moscow debut of the well-known director of the Voronezh Chamber Theater, who came to Moscow for the "Masks" and the New Drama festival), this field was cultivated by the St. Petersburg artist Emil Kapelyush. On the tiny stage of the branch of the Pushkin Theater, he created a miniature apocalypse: the ocher coastline is studded with sedge, bent by the wind, wire rails are stretched from above, along which metal helicopters ride smoothly and quickly, like lifts in the mountains. In the middle of this red desert there is a deep rift, from which one can see half the torso of Vinnie - Vera Alentova ("Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears"), the main and practically the only living soul in Beckett's airless space.

With an impeccable staged move, the director turned the endless monologue of a woman (who keeps repeating: “What a happy day it could have been!” and is clearly preparing for death) into the final text of the last person who survived after an atomic catastrophe, without gender and without psychology. Of course, in the Russian theater without sex, and even more so without psychology, there is nowhere. And therefore, the heroine of a very good and, as they say in such cases, cultural performance of Bychkov is a lady sorting out trinkets from her purse and occasionally throwing to her husband who is always absent or sick: “Willie, where are you ?!”. The lady tries (and it turns out, I must say, not bad - the merit of Alentova's concentrated and sharp game) not to portray the character and, God forbid, the difficult female fate. And therefore, when in the second act, covered with sand (by Beckett) and lowered into a rift (by Bychkov and Kapelyush), Winnie hardly moves her tongue and feels sorry for her, you drive these most sympathetic emotions away from yourself. The classics of the avant-garde does not involve sensitivity.

CHARACTERS:

VINNIE, a woman in her fifties
WILLY, a man in his sixties

STEP 1

A field covered with burnt-out grass, the center of which rises as a low hill. The front and side slopes are gentle. Rear - cuts off abruptly to stage level. Maximum simplicity and symmetry.

Dazzling light.

A very unpretentious backdrop depicts the boundless plain and the sky, merging in the distance.

In the very center of the hill is WINNIE, who has grown into it just above the waist. She is in her fifties, well-preserved, preferably blonde, plump, arms and shoulders bare, low bodice, voluminous bust, string of pearls. She sleeps with her hands under her head. To her left on the ground is a capacious black bag, like a shopping bag, to the right is a closed folding umbrella, a hooked handle sticks out of the case.

Behind her, on the right, hidden by the hill, WILLY sleeps on the ground.

Long pause. The bell rattles piercingly - for, say, ten seconds, it stops. WINNIE doesn't move. The ringing becomes more and more piercing, for, say, five seconds. She wakes up. The call is silent. She lifts her head, looks ahead. Long pause. He straightens up, puts his hands flat on the ground, throws back his head and looks straight up.

Long pause.

WINNIE (looking up): Today is another great day. (Pause. Lowers her head, looks into the audience, pause. Folds her arms over her chest, closes her eyes. Her lips move, she prays inaudibly for, say, ten seconds. Her lips fall silent. Her hands are still clenched. In the name of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen. (Opens his eyes, unclenches his hands, lowers them to the hill. Pause. Folds his arms over his chest again, closes his eyes, lips moving inaudibly again for, say, five seconds. Quietly.) Eternal peace. Amen. (Opens eyes, unclenches his hands, returns them to the ground. Pause.) Go ahead, Vinnie. (Pause) Start your day, Vinnie. (Pause. Turns to the bag, rummages without moving it, takes out a toothbrush, rummages again, takes out a flattened tube of paste, turns to the audience, unscrews the cap, puts it on the ground, squeezes some paste onto the brush with some difficulty; one one hand holding a tube, the other brushing her teeth. Slowly turns back to the right to spit. In this position, her eyes rest on WILLIE. She spits. She tries to look further away. Loudly.) Hey-hey! (Pause. Louder.) Hey! (Pause. With a gentle smile, turns to the audience, puts down the brush) Poor Willie - (examines the tube, the smile disappears) - is about to run out - (looks for the cap) - okay - (finds the cap) - there's nothing to be done - (screws the cap on ) - old rubbish - (puts down the tube) - and this is also rubbish - (turns to the bag) - no medicines will help here - (rummages in the bag) - no medicines. - (takes out a mirror, turns to the audience) - oh, yes - (examines his teeth in the mirror) - poor old Willy - (he tries his upper front teeth with his thumb, indistinctly) - My God! - (pulls back his upper lip to examine the gums, just as indistinctly) - Lord! - (pulling back the corner of the mouth, mouth open, equally indistinct) - okay - (another angle, equally indistinct) - no deterioration - (leaves examination, in normal voice) - no improvement, no deterioration - (puts down the mirror) - no change - (wipes fingers on grass) - no suffering - (looks for brush) - almost - (takes it) - great thing - (examines brush handle) - irreplaceable - (examines handle, reads) - clean... what? - (pause) - what? - (puts brush down) - oh, yes - (turns to bag) - poor Willy - (rummages in bag) - no taste - (rummages) - nothing - (takes out glasses in case) - no interest - (turns to audience) ) - to life - (takes glasses out of case) - poor old Willie - (puts down case) - sleeps all the time - (opens glasses) - wonderful gift - (puts glasses on) - no need to touch it - (looks for a brush) - in my opinion - (takes a brush) - she always said this - (examines the handle of the brush) - I would like this - (examines the handle, reads) - natural. .. clean... what? - (puts down the brush) - soon I’ll be completely blind - (takes off his glasses) - okay - (puts down his glasses) - enough, I’ve seen enough - (looks for a handkerchief in the neckline) - it seems - (takes out a folded handkerchief) - in his lifetime - (shakes the handkerchief) - where these wonderful lines come from - (wipes one eye) - woe to me, woe! - (wipes another) - to see what I saw - (looks for glasses) - oh, yes - (takes glasses) - and I won't even notice - (starts to wipe glasses, breathes on them) - or will I notice? - (rubs) - the light of God - (wipes) - lights in the darkness - (wipes) - terrible flashes. (Finishes wiping, raises face to sky, pause, lowers head, wiping again, finishes wiping, arches back to right) Hey! (Pause. With a gentle smile, she turns into the hall and wipes again. Stops smiling) - A wonderful gift - (she finishes wiping, puts her glasses on) - that's how I would - (folds the handkerchief) - okay - (removes the handkerchief in the neckline) - I can’t complain - (looking for glasses) - no, no, - (takes glasses) - it's a sin to complain - (raises glasses, looks through the lens) - there is something to say thank you for - (looks through another lens) - no suffering - (puts on glasses) - almost - (looking for a brush) - a great thing - (takes a brush) - irreplaceable - (examines the handle of the brush) - sometimes my head hurts - (examines the handle, reads) - a guarantee ... natural ... clean ... what? - (looks more carefully) - natural clean ... - (takes out a handkerchief from the neckline) - oh yes - (shakes the handkerchief) - only occasionally a slight migraine - (starts rubbing the handle of the brush) - hurts - (rubs) - and stops - (mechanically wiping) - oh yes - (wiping) - so much happiness - (wiping) - real happiness - (finishes wiping, with a fixed, lost look, abruptly) - maybe prayers are not in vain - (pause, just as abruptly) - so - ( pause, just as abruptly) - that's all - (lowers his head, wipes again, finishes wiping, raises his head, calmly wipes his eyes, folds his handkerchief, puts it away in the neckline, examines the handle of the brush, reads) - full guarantee ... natural pure ... - (looks more carefully) - natural pure ... (Takes off his glasses, puts them and the brush aside, looks in front of him). Old trash. (Pause) Old eyes. (Long pause) Wake up, Vinnie. (Looks around, notices the umbrella, looks at it for a long time, picks it up and pulls the handle of an incredible length from the case. Taking the umbrella in his right hand, leans back to the right and hangs over WILLY). Hey hey! (Pause) Willie! (Pause) A wonderful gift. (She pushes him with the tip of her umbrella) I wish I could. (He pushes again. The umbrella slips out of his hands and falls over the hill. WILLY's invisible hand immediately returns it) Thank you, honey. (He grabs the umbrella with his left hand, turns into the hall and examines his right palm) Wet. (He again takes the umbrella in his right hand, examines his left palm). No deterioration. (Understood head, cheerfully) No improvement, no deterioration, no change. (Pause. Just as cheerfully.) No suffering. (He leans back to look at WILLY, umbrella still holding the handle.) Kindly, honey, don't leave me, please, I might need you. (Pause). Don't rush, don't rush, don't make faces. (Turns forward, puts down umbrella, examines both palms, wipes them on the grass) The paint still seems to be fading. (Turns to the bag, rummages in it, takes out the revolver, picks it up, kisses it hastily, puts it in the bag, rummages, takes out an almost empty bottle of red medicine, turns forward, looks for glasses, puts them on, reads the label. (Lost spirit ... lethargy... lack of appetite... infants... adolescents... adults... regularly six... tablespoons a day - (raises head, smiling) - as in the old days! - (smile disappears, lowers his head, reads) - on the day ... before and after ... meals ... instant ... (looks more carefully) ... improvement. how much is in it, unscrews the cap, throwing his head back, swallows in one gulp, throws the cap with the vial in the direction of WILLIE. The sound of breaking glass) That's better! (looks for glasses) Oh yes (puts on glasses, looks for a mirror) It's a sin to complain. (Paints lips) Oh, transient joy - (paints lips) - Oh, ta-ta-ta, eternal sadness. (Makes her lips. WILLY stirs to distract her. She sits up. She lowers her lipstick and mirror and arches to look at him. Pause. WILLY's bald head appears and freezes from behind the slope, bleeding in a trickle. WINNIE pushes his glasses up on his forehead. Pause (WILLY's hand appears, covers his head with a handkerchief, disappears. Pause. A hand appears and smartly on one side puts a boater with club tape on his head, disappears. Pause. WINNIE arches even more.) Honey, pull on your underpants before you get burned. (Pause) No? (Pause) Ah, I see, you still have that ointment. (Pause) Give it a good rub, honey. (Pause) Now on the other side. (Pause. She turns forward, fixes her gaze in front of her. With a happy expression) It seems that today will again be a glorious day! (Pause. The look of happiness fades. She lowers her glasses and starts painting her lips again. WILLY unfolds the newspaper, his hands are not visible. Yellow edges of the newspaper appear on both sides of his head. WINNIE finishes painting his lips, examines them in the mirror, slightly pushing back aside.) Raspberry. (WILLY turns the page. WINNIE puts down lipstick and mirror, turns to bag). Light. (WILLY turns the page. WINNIE rummages in his bag, pulls out a fussy brimless hat with a wrinkled feather, turns around, straightens the hat, smoothes the feather, raises the hat to his head, but the moment WILLY reads, he freezes.

WILLY: His Eminence The Holy Father Dr. Carolus Hunter has fallen asleep in the Bose.

Pause.

WINNIE (gazing ahead, hat in hand, in a tone of ardent remembrance): Charlie Hunter! (Pause) I close my eyes - (takes off glasses and closes eyes, hat in one hand, glasses in the other, WILLY turns page) - and I'm sitting on his lap again, in Borough Green's beech garden. (Pause. Opens his eyes, puts on his glasses, twirls his hat) Ah, wonderful memories! (Pause. She raises her hat to her head, but the moment WILLIE reads it, she freezes.)

WILLY. Graceful youth emerges.

Pause. She raises her hat to her head, but freezes, takes off her glasses, peers intently ahead, hat in one hand, glasses in the other.

WINNIE: My first ball! (Long pause) My second ball! (Long pause. Closes eyes.) My first kiss! (Pause. WILLY turns the page. WINNIE opens his eyes.) A certain Mr. Johnson, or Johnston, or perhaps it would be better to say Johnston. Lush mustache, yellow-yellow. (Respectfully) Almost red! (Pause) In the back shed, I don't know which one. We didn’t have a barn, and he probably didn’t either. (Closes eyes) I see piles of pots. (Pause) Bunches of bast. (Pause) Thick shadows under the beams.

Pause. She opens her eyes, puts on her glasses, raises her hat to her head, but at the moment when WILLY reads, she freezes.

WILLY: Quick little boy needed.

Pause. WINNIE hastily puts on his hat, looks for a mirror. WILLY turns the page. WINNIE picks up mirror, examines hat, puts mirror down, turns to bag. The newspaper disappears. WINNIE rummages through his bag, takes out a magnifying glass, turns forward, looking for a toothbrush. The newspaper reappears folded and starts fanning WILLIE's face, his hand is not visible. WINNIE picks up the brush and examines its handle through a magnifying glass.

WINNIE: Full guarantee... (WILLY stops fanning)... natural pure... (Pause. WILLY starts fanning himself with newspaper again. WINNIE peers more carefully, reads). Full guarantee... (WILLY stops fanning himself) ... natural clean... (Pause. WILLY waves newspaper again, WINNIE shifts glass and brush, removes handkerchief from neckline, removes and wipes glasses, puts on glasses, looks for glass, picks up and wipes the glass, puts the glass away, looks for the brush, picks up the brush and wipes the handle, puts down the brush, puts away the handkerchief in the neckline, looks for the glass, lifts the glass, looks for the brush, picks up the brush and examines the pen through the glass) Full guarantee... (WILLY stops fanning himself )... natural clean... (Pause. WILLY fanning himself again)... pork (WILLY stops fanning, pause)... stubble. (Pause. WINNIE puts down the glass and the brush, the newspaper disappears, WINNIE takes off his glasses, puts them down, stares ahead.) From the bristles of the boar. (Pause) This is exactly what, in my opinion, and it is wonderful that a day does not pass - (with a smile) - as they used to say in the old days - (smile away) - every day, something new is added to knowledge, let even the most trifling, if, of course, work hard. (WILLY's hand reappears with a card, which he examines, bringing it to his eyes). And if for some reason nothing can be done, then you just close your eyes - (closes your eyes) - wait until the day comes - (opens your eyes) - a joyful day when even the body melts at such a temperature, and the moonlit night is such that you cannot count the hours . (Pause) This, in my opinion, is very comforting when you lose heart and take envy for this beast. (Turning to WILLY) I hope you understand - (sees the card, leans down). What do you have there, Willy, let me see? (She holds out her hand and WILLY hands her the card. A hairy forearm appears over the slope, raised in a falling gesture, and remains in that position until the card returns. WINNIE turns forward and examines the card) God, what a come! (She looks for glasses, puts them on and examines the card) This is the most natural obscenity! (Looks at the card) Any decent person would be sick of this! (WILLY fingers impatiently. She looks for the glass, picks it up and examines the card through the glass. Long pause.) What, I wonder, is that creature in the background doing, in his opinion? (Looks closer) Oh, no, how can you! (Fingers show impatience. Last long breath. She lays down the glass, takes the card by the edge with the index finger and thumb of the right hand, turns her head away, pinches her nose with the index and thumb of the left hand) Fu! (Drops the card) Put it away! (WILLY's hand disappears. But then his brush appears, with a card. WINNIE takes off his glasses, puts them away, stares straight ahead. Throughout the rest, WILLY continues to enjoy the card, changing angles of view and distance). From the bristles of a boar. (With a puzzled expression). What is a hog specifically? (Pause. Still puzzled expression) Of course I know the pig, but the boar... (The puzzled expression disappears). Well, what's the difference, I've always said it, you'll remember it yourself, this, in my opinion, is wonderful, everything is remembered by itself. (Pause). Is that all? (Pause) No, not all of them. (with a smile) No, no. (Smile fades) Not really. (Pause) Just a part. (BEAT) Rising out of the blue one day. (Pause) That's what I think is great. (Pause. She turns to the bag. The hand holding the card disappears. She starts rummaging through the bag, but freezes) No. (She turns forward. Smiling) No, no. (Smile fades) Take it easy, Vinnie. (She stares ahead. WILLIE's hand reappears, takes off his hat and disappears with it) What then? (A hand reappears, removes the handkerchief from his head and disappears with it. Sharply, as if he does not notice it) Winnie! (WILLY tilts his head so that it is not visible). Where is the exit? (Pause) Where are you- (WILLY blows his nose loudly and long, no head or hands visible. She turns to look at him. The head reappears. Pause. The hand reappears, covers the head with a handkerchief, disappears. Pause. The hand reappears and puts a boater on his head dapperly, disappears (pause). I'd rather not wake you up. (She turns forward. To enliven the ensuing scene, she continually nibbles grass and jerks her head up and down.) Yes, if only I could bear the loneliness, that is, when you talk and talk and no one hears. (Pause). No, I do not flatter myself with the hope that you, Willy, hear a lot, no, God forbid. (Pause) There are days when you don't hear a thing. (Pause) But there are days when you answer. (Pause). So, I can always say, even when you don’t answer, and maybe you don’t even hear anything: someone still hears something, I don’t talk to myself, that is, into the void - I couldn’t bear it - even a little bit. (Pause) That, in my opinion, is what gives me the strength to continue, to continue talking, of course. (Pause) And if you died - (smile) - as they used to say - (smile fades) - left me forever, then what would I do, what would I be able to do, all day, I mean, from the morning call before evening? (Pause) I would just stare ahead with pursed lips. (Long pause while she does this. Leaves the grass alone.) And while I breathe, not a single word, nothing will break the local silence. (Pause) Maybe you'll just die from time to time on the mirror. (Pause) Or a short... burst of laughter if you happen to remember some old joke. (Pause. A smile appears, it widens and seems about to turn into laughter, when suddenly it is replaced by an expression of alarm). Hair! (Pause) Did I comb my hair today? (Pause) Quite likely. (Pause). After all, I usually comb my hair. (Pause) There's so little you can do. (Pause) You do everything. (Pause) Whatever you can. (Pause. That's the whole man. (Pause) Human nature. (She starts looking at the hill, looks up.) Human weakness. (She resumes looking at the hill, looks up.) Natural weakness. (She resumes looking at the hill). combs. (Looks around) No hairbrush. (Looks up. Concerned expression on her face. She turns to her bag, rummages in it.) Ah, here's the comb. and a brush. (Looks ahead, with a worried face) I must have put them back after using them. (Pause. With the same concern.) But I usually don't put things back, no, at the end of the day I clean everything together. (Smiling) As they used to say in the old days. (Pause) Good old time. (Smile fades) And yet... I kind of... remember... (With sudden nonchalance) Okay, what's the difference, I always said, I'll just comb them later, simple and neat, I have a whole ... (Pause. Puzzled) Comb? (Pause) Or comb? (Pause) Comb it? (Pause) Sounds weird. (Pause. Turning slightly to WILLY.) What do you say, Willie? (Pause. Turning around a little more) What do you say about your hair, Willy, comb it or comb it? (Pause) Head hair, of course. (Pause. Still turning around.) Head hair, Willie, what do you say about the hair on your head, comb it or comb it?

long pause

WILLY: Comb it.

WINNIE (turning around in the hall, joyfully). So today you will talk to me, what a glorious day it will be! (Pause. No joy) Another glorious day. (Pause) Okay, so what am I talking about, hair, yes, later, and thank you for that. (Pause) - On me - (raises his hands to the hat) - yes, the hat is on me - (lowers his hands) - now I can’t take it off. (Pause) Come to think of it, sometimes you can't take off your hat, even if your whole life is at stake. You can't put it on, you can't take it off. (Pause). How many times did she say: Put on your hat now, Vinnie, it doesn’t cost you anything, or take off your hat, Vinnie, be smart, you’ll be better off, and did nothing. (Pause) I couldn't. (Pause. She understands her hand, releases a strand of hair from under her hat, brings it to her eye, looks askance at her, lets go, her hand falls). You called them golden on the day when the last guests left - (the hand is raised, as if there is a glass in it) - for your golden ... let it never ... (voice breaks) ... let it never ... ( The hand goes down. The head too. Pause. Quietly.) On that day. (Pause. Still quiet.) What day? (Pause. Raises his head. In a normal voice) Now what? (Pause) There are no words, it happens, even they are not, words. (Slightly turning to WILLY). Isn't that right, Willy? (Pause. Turning a little more.) Isn't that right, Willie, because sometimes there aren't even words? (Pause. Facing forward) what then to do until you find them, words? Combing your hair when it's not combed yet, or you're not sure about it, cutting your nails when they need to be cut - all this helps to survive. (Pause) That's the whole point. (Pause) Just this. (Pause) That's it, in my opinion, and it's wonderful that not a day goes by - (smiling) - as they used to say in the old days - (smile disappears) - so that nothing bad happens - (WILLY breaks over the hill, his head disappears, WINNIE turns around at the noise) - no good. (Tries to see what happened.) Willy, crawl into the hole, you've shown yourself enough. (Pause) Willie, do as they say, don't lie in that devilish sun, climb into the hole. (pause) Come on, Willy. (Invisible WILLY starts crawling to the left, towards the hole) Well done. (She follows his progress). Yes, not with your head, fool, how will you turn around? (Pause) So, so... that's right... around... so... now climb. (Pause) I know, honey, it's not easy to crawl backwards, but then it will be more comfortable. (Pause) You forgot the Vaseline. (She watches him crawl for Vaseline.) Lid! (Watches how he crawls back to the hole. With irritation) Yes, not with his head, they tell you! (Pause) More to the right. (Pause) To the right, I said. (Pause. Annoyed) Put your butt down, well! (Pause) Yes. (Pause) Finally! (All these instructions loudly. Now in a normal voice, still turning towards him) Do you hear me? (Pause) Willie, I'm begging you, just yes or no, you hear, just yes or don't say anything.

Pause

WILLY. Yes.

WINNIE (turning forward, in the same voice) Now?

WILLY (annoyed): Yes.

WINNIE (a little quieter): And now?

WILLY (more annoyed): Yes.

WINNIE (even quieter): And now? (Slightly louder) And now?

WILLY (violently): Yes!

WILLY (annoyed): Yes.

WILLY (more annoyed): Don't be afraid anymore.

Pause

WILLY (violently): Don't be afraid anymore!

WINNIE (normal voice, patter). The Lord is with you, Willy, I really feel your kindness, I know what kind of work it costs you, you now rest, I will not bother you until it is necessary, that is, until my resources run out, which is unlikely to happen , and even then only to know that you are supposed to hear me, even if you really don’t - that’s all I need, just to feel that you are here and, right, you’re not sleeping - that’s all I pray; I will not say anything unpleasant, nothing that can hurt you, I will not talk about an unknown hope that torments me somewhere here. (Pauses, sighs) It seems. (He puts his index and ring fingers to his heart, rotates them, stops) Here. (Moves them a little) Somewhere. (Removes hand) Surely there will come a time when, before I say a word, I will have to make sure that you have heard the previous one, and then, of course, there will come another, another time when I will have to learn to talk to myself - such an emptiness I never could endure. (Pause) Or, pursing your lips, looking ahead. (Pushes lips together, looks ahead) All day long. (Clutches his lips again and looks ahead) No. (smile) No, no. (Smile fades) There is, of course, a bag. (Turns to her) And there will always be a bag. (Facing forward) Yes, I'm pretty sure. (Pause) Even when you, Willie, are gone. (Turns slightly towards him) Willie, you're dying, aren't you? (Pause. Louder) Willie, you're going to die soon, aren't you? (Pause. A little louder) Willie! (Pause. Tries to look at him) So, you did take off your straw, you figured it out. (Pause) Yes, you settled in perfectly, I must say: leaning your chin on your hands, blue eyes like plates from the darkness. (Pause) I wonder if you can see me from there, huh? (Pause) No? (Facing forward) I understand, it's not at all necessary when two people gather - (stammering) - in this sense - (normal voice) - simply because one sees the other, and the other sees the first, life taught me that too ... too. (Pause) Yes, I think it's life, there's no other word for it. (Turns a little towards WILLY). Do you think, Willie, you could see me from your seat if you looked in my direction? (Turns around a little more.) Raise your eyes, Willy, say you see me, well, for my sake, do it, I'll lean as low as I can. (Leans down. Pause.) No? (Pause) Well, whatever. (Slowly turns forward.) Something the earth seems to be cramped today, maybe I've gained weight, although it's unlikely. (Pause. Absently, eyes downcast) Probably because of the heat. (Patting and stroking the ground) All bodies are expanding, some are larger. (Pause. Patting and stroking) Others are smaller. (Pause. Patting and stroking) Oh, I can perfectly imagine what's going on in your head: not only did you have to listen to this old woman, it also makes you look. (Pause. Tapping and stroking) Well, I understand. (Pause. Patting and stroking) I quite understand. (Pause. Patting and stroking) It seems that you ask a little, sometimes it seems impossible - (voice breaks, mutters) - ask for less - to put it mildly - whereas in reality - when you think about it - you look into your soul - and you see someone else - what does she need? - peace - would leave her alone - and also the moon - forever - wants the moon - (Pause. Stroking suddenly stops. Cheerfully) Oh, what do we have here? (Tilting his head to the ground, skeptical) It looks like someone is alive! (Looks for glasses, puts them on, bends down. Pause) Ant! (Instantly straightens up. Shrill) Willy, ant, live ant! (grabs magnifying glass, bends down again, examines with glass) Where did he go? (Looking for) Ah! (Follows his progress on the grass) He has some kind of small white ball in his paws. (Watches. The hand is motionless. Pause) Disappeared. (Looks through the glass for a while longer, then slowly straightens up, puts the glass aside, takes off his glasses, looks straight ahead, holding the glasses in his hand. Finally) Some small white ball.

Long pause. Wants to put away glasses.

WILLY: Eggs.

WINNIE (shuddering): What?

Pause.

WILLY: Eggs. (Pause. He wants to put his glasses away again) Goosebumps.

WINNIE (stops hand): What?

Pause.

WILLY: Goosebumps.

Pause. She puts her glasses down, stares straight ahead. Pause.

WINNIE (whispering): God. (Pause. WILLY laughs softly. She steps in almost immediately. Both laugh softly. WILLY stops. She continues to laugh alone for a moment. WILLY enters. They laugh together. She stops. WILLY laughs alone for a moment. He stops. Pause. In a normal voice) Ah, anyway, what a joy it is to hear you laugh again, Willy, I was sure that I would never hear it again, that you would never laugh again. (Pause) Someone will probably think that we are sacrilegious, but I am not. (Pause) What better way to flatter the Almighty than to chuckle along with him at his jokes, especially the worse ones? (Pause) You, Willy, I think you will support me in this. (Pause) Or maybe we were amused by completely different things? (Pause) However, it doesn't matter, I always said this, while one ... you understand ... where this amazing line came from ... laughing furiously ... ta-ta ta-ta laughing furiously in the midst of cruel misfortune. (Pause) And now? (Long pause) Willy, could I have been loved? (Pause) Ever? (Pause) Don't get me wrong, I'm not asking if you loved me, we both know all about it, I'm asking if you ever found me attractive. (Pause) No? (Pause) Are you silent? (Pause) I agree, it's a difficult question. You've already done more than enough, for now, now just lie back, relax, I won't bother you anymore unnecessarily: just knowing that you're here, listening to me and almost certainly not sleeping, is... uh. .. already happiness. (Pause) And the day did pretty well. (Smiling) As they used to say in the old days. (Smile fades) Still, it seems a bit early for my song. (Pause) In my opinion, singing too early is a serious mistake. (Turning to the bag) Of course there is a bag. (Looking at the bag) The bag. (Facing forward) Could I list its contents? (Pause) No. (Pause) And if someone came and asked: "Vinnie, what's in that huge black bag?" Would I be able to give a comprehensive answer? (Pause) No. (Pause) Who knows what treasures are there, especially in the depths. (Pause) What delights. (Turns to look at the bag.) Yes, there is a bag. (Facing forward) But something tells me: Vinnie, do not abuse the bag, use it, of course, let it be your assistant ... when it presses, by itself, but think about the future, something tells me: think about future, Winnie, when the words run out - (Closes eyes, pause, opens eyes) - and, be kind, do not abuse the bag. (Pause. Turns to look at the bag.) Here is just one quick dive at random. (She turns around into the hall, closes her eyes, throws out her left hand, puts it in her bag and takes out a revolver. Disgusted) You again! (Opens his eyes, puts the revolver in front of him and looks at it appraisingly. He weighs it in his palm) It always seemed that in terms of weight this thing should be at ... the very bottom. But no. Always on top like Browning (Pause) Brownie... (turning slightly towards WILLY). Remember Brownie, Willie? (Pause) Remember how you kept making me take that thing away from you? Put it away, Vinnie, put it away before I'm done with my troubles at once. (Back into the hall) Your troubles! (to Revolver) It's nice to know you're in there, but I'm tired of you. (Pause) Leave you outside - that's what I'll do. (Puts the revolver on the ground to his right) That's it, from now on your place is here. (Smiling) Good old time! (smile fades) And now? (Long pause) Earth's gravity is the same, but I don't think so, Willie. (Pause) Yeah, it feels like if I had nothing to hold me - (points with his hand) - in this way, I would just soar into the blue. (Pause) And that maybe one day the earth will move and let me go, I really want this, yes, it will crack in a circle and let me go. (Pause) Have you ever felt like you were being sucked in, Willie? (Pause) What do you have to hang on to, Willie? (Pause. She turns a little towards him) Willie.

Oh les beaux jours / Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (1961)

Translation from English by L. Bespalov

Characters

Winnie- a woman in her fifties

Willie- a man in his sixties

In the middle of the stage is a low hill covered with scorched grass. Smooth slopes to the hall, to the right and to the left. Behind a steep cliff to the platform. Ultimate simplicity and symmetry. Blinding light. The extremely pompous realistic backdrop depicts the uncultivated plain and the sky converging on the horizon. In the very middle of the mound up to the chest in the ground is Winnie. About fifty, well-preserved, preferably blonde, body, arms and shoulders bare, low neckline, full breasts, string of pearls. She sleeps with her hands on the ground in front of her, her head in her hands. To her left on the ground is a roomy black utility bag, to the right is a folding umbrella, a handle bent by a beak protrudes from its folds. To the right of her, Willy is sleeping, stretched out on the ground, he is not visible because of the hillock. Long pause. The bell rings piercingly, for, say, ten seconds, and stops. She doesn't move. Pause. The bell rings even more piercingly, for, say, five seconds. She wakes up. The call is silent. She raises her head, looks into the room. Long pause. He stretches, rests his hands on the ground, throws back his head, looks at the sky. Long pause.

Winnie (looks at the sky). And again the day will be outstanding. (Pause. Lowers her head, looks out into the audience, pause. Folds her arms, raises her to her chest, closes her eyes. Her lips move in an inaudible prayer for, say, ten seconds. They stop moving. Her hands are still at her chest. In a whisper.) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen! (Opens her eyes, lowers her hands, puts them on the hillock. Pause. Brings her hands to her chest again, closes her eyes, and again her lips move in inaudible prayer for, say, five seconds. In a whisper.) Forever and ever amen! (Opens his eyes, puts his hands on the hillock again. Pause.) Go ahead Vinnie. (Pause.) Start your day, Vinnie. (Pause. Turns to the bag without moving it, rummages in it, takes out a toothbrush, rummages again, takes out a flat tube of toothpaste, turns his head to the audience again, unscrews the cap, puts the cap on the ground, with difficulty squeezes a drop of toothpaste onto brush, holding a tube in one hand, brushing her teeth with the other. Shamefully turns away, spits back over a hillock. Her gaze lingers on Willy. She spits. She leans back even more. Loudly.) Hey! (Pause. Even louder.) Hey! (With a gentle smile, he turns back to the audience, puts down the brush.) Poor Willy - (looks at the tube, smiles gone)- ends - (looks for a cap)- anyway - (finds a cap)- do not write anything - (screw cap on)- things grow old, they come to an end - (puts tube down)- here she came - (turns to bag)- it's nothing you can do - (digging in bag)- can't help you - (takes out a mirror, turns to the audience)- Well, yes - (looks at teeth in mirror)- poor Willy - (feels upper teeth with finger, unintelligible)- God! - (pulls up upper lip, looks at gums, also unintelligible)- My God! - (turns lip away to one side, mouth open, exactly the same)- anyway - (on the other hand, exactly the same)- no worse - (releases his lip, in a normal voice)- no worse and no better - (puts down the mirror)- no change - (wipes fingers on grass)- without pain - (looks for a brush)- you can say almost without - (takes a brush)- what a miracle - (looks at brush handle)- what could be better - - Real… what? - (pause)- What? - (puts down brush)- Well, yes - (turns to bag)- poor Willy - (digging in bag)- it has no taste - (digs)- to nothing - (pulls out glasses in case)- Not interesting - (turns back to the room)- to life - (takes glasses out of case)- my poor Willy - (puts down case)- sleeps forever - (pulls back temples)- amazing ability - (puts on glasses)- nothing could be better - (looks for a brush)- In my opinion - (takes a brush)- always thought so - (looks at brush handle)- I would like that - (looks at pen, reads)- real ... no fake ... what? - (puts down brush)- and there you go completely blind - (takes off glasses)- anyway - (sets aside glasses)- and so many - (climbs into the cutout for a scarf)- saw - (takes out a folded handkerchief)- in my time - (shakes handkerchief)- marvelous lines, how is it there? - (wipes one eye). When my time has passed (wipes another)- and that one - my rolled up there ... - (looking for glasses)- that's it - (takes glasses)- what happened, it happened, I wouldn’t refuse anything - (wipes glasses, breathes on glasses)- maybe she refused? - (wipes)- pure light - (wipes)- emerge from the darkness - (wipes)- underground baked light. (Stops wiping his glasses, raises his face to the sky, pause, lowers his head, starts wiping his glasses again, stops wiping, bends back and to the right.) Hey! (Pause. With a gentle smile, he turns to the audience and again begins to wipe his glasses. The smile is gone.) Amazing ability - (stops wiping, puts glasses away)- I would like that - (folds handkerchief)- anyway - (puts handkerchief in neckline)- a sin to complain - (looking for glasses)- that's not, - (takes glasses)- no need to complain (brings glasses to his eyes, looks into one glass)- you have to be grateful: so many good things - (looks into another glass)- without pain - (puts on glasses)- one might say, almost without - (looks for a toothbrush)- what a miracle - (takes a brush)- what could be better - (looks at brush handle)- except that the head sometimes aches - (looks at pen, reads)- real ... no fake, natural ... what? - (brings brush closer to eyes)- real, not fake - (Pulls out a handkerchief from behind the neckline.)- Well, yes - (shakes handkerchief)- sometimes, a mild migraine pesters - (wipes brush handle)- grab - (wipes)- let go - (wipes automatically)- Well, yes - (wipes)- great mercy to me - (wipes)- truly great - (stops rubbing, stopped, distant look, in a dead voice)- and prayers may not be in vain - (pause, exactly the same)- in the morning - (pause, same)- for the coming dream - (lowers his head, starts wiping his spectacles again, stops wiping, raises his head, calms down, wipes his eyes, folds his handkerchief, puts it back behind the neckline, peers into the handle of the brush, reads)- real, not fake ... natural - (brings closer to eyes)- natural... (takes off glasses, puts away glasses and brush, looks straight ahead). Things get old. (Pause.) Eyes age. (Long pause.) Come on Vinnie. (She looks around, her eyes fall on the umbrella, she examines it for a long time, picks it up, pulls out the handle from the folds of incredible length. Holding the tip of the umbrella with her right hand, bends back and to the right, leans over Willy.) Hey! (Pause.) Willy! (Pause.) Remarkable ability. (Strikes him with the handle of an umbrella.) I would like that. (Strikes again.)

The umbrella slips from her hand, falls behind a hillock. Willy's invisible hand immediately brings him back.

Thank you, little one. (She shifts the umbrella to her left hand, turns to the audience, examines her right palm.) Wet. (He takes the umbrella again in his right hand, examines his left palm.) Well, okay, well, at least not worse. (Throws her head, joyfully.) No worse, no better, no change. (Pause. Exactly the same.) Without pain. (He leans back to look at Willy, as before, holding the tip of the umbrella.) Please don't fall asleep, honey, I might need you. (Pause.) Nothing in a hurry, just don't curl up like you have in the factory. (Turns towards the hall, puts down the umbrella, examines both palms at once, wipes them on the grass.) And yet the view is not the same. (He turns to the bag, rummages in it, takes out a revolver, raises it to his lips, kisses it briefly, puts it back in the bag, rummages, takes out an almost empty bottle of red potion, turns to the hall, looks for glasses, lifts, reads the label.) Loss of spirit... loss of interest in life... loss of appetite... newborns... children... adults... six tablespoons... daily - (throws head, smile)- if you approach with old standards - (smile as if never happened, lowers his head, reads.)“Daily…before and after…meals…gives instant… (brings closer to eyes)… improvement". (Takes off, puts glasses away, moves hand with bottle to see how much is left in it, unscrews cork, throws head back, empties, tosses cork and bottle away over the hill towards Willy.)

Samuel Beckett

Happy Days

Oh les beaux jours / Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (1961)

Translation from English by L. Bespalov

Characters

Winnie- a woman in her fifties

Willie- a man in his sixties

Act one

In the middle of the stage is a low hill covered with scorched grass. Smooth slopes to the hall, to the right and to the left. Behind a steep cliff to the platform. Ultimate simplicity and symmetry. Blinding light. The extremely pompous realistic backdrop depicts the uncultivated plain and the sky converging on the horizon. In the very middle of the mound up to the chest in the ground is Winnie. About fifty, well-preserved, preferably blonde, body, arms and shoulders bare, low neckline, full breasts, string of pearls. She sleeps with her hands on the ground in front of her, her head in her hands. To her left on the ground is a roomy black utility bag, to the right is a folding umbrella, a handle bent by a beak protrudes from its folds. To the right of her, Willy is sleeping, stretched out on the ground, he is not visible because of the hillock. Long pause. The bell rings piercingly, for, say, ten seconds, and stops. She doesn't move. Pause. The bell rings even more piercingly, for, say, five seconds. She wakes up. The call is silent. She raises her head, looks into the room. Long pause. He stretches, rests his hands on the ground, throws back his head, looks at the sky. Long pause.

Winnie (looks at the sky). And again the day will be outstanding. (Pause. Lowers her head, looks out into the audience, pause. Folds her arms, raises her to her chest, closes her eyes. Her lips move in an inaudible prayer for, say, ten seconds. They stop moving. Her hands are still at her chest. In a whisper.) In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, amen! (Opens her eyes, lowers her hands, puts them on the hillock. Pause. Brings her hands to her chest again, closes her eyes, and again her lips move in inaudible prayer for, say, five seconds. In a whisper.) Forever and ever amen! (Opens his eyes, puts his hands on the hillock again. Pause.) Go ahead Vinnie. (Pause.) Start your day, Vinnie. (Pause. Turns to the bag without moving it, rummages in it, takes out a toothbrush, rummages again, takes out a flat tube of toothpaste, turns his head to the audience again, unscrews the cap, puts the cap on the ground, with difficulty squeezes a drop of toothpaste onto brush, holding a tube in one hand, brushing her teeth with the other. Shamefully turns away, spits back over a hillock. Her gaze lingers on Willy. She spits. She leans back even more. Loudly.) Hey! (Pause. Even louder.) Hey! (With a gentle smile, he turns back to the audience, puts down the brush.) Poor Willy - (looks at the tube, smiles gone)- ends - (looks for a cap)- anyway - (finds a cap)- do not write anything - (screw cap on)- things grow old, they come to an end - (puts tube down)- here she came - (turns to bag)- it's nothing you can do - (digging in bag)- can't help you - (takes out a mirror, turns to the audience)- Well, yes - (looks at teeth in mirror)- poor Willy - (feels upper teeth with finger, unintelligible)- God! - (pulls up upper lip, looks at gums, also unintelligible)- My God! - (turns lip away to one side, mouth open, exactly the same)- anyway - (on the other hand, exactly the same)- no worse - (releases his lip, in a normal voice)- no worse and no better - (puts down the mirror)- no change - (wipes fingers on grass)- without pain - (looks for a brush)- you can say almost without - (takes a brush)- what a miracle - (looks at brush handle)- what could be better - - Real… what? - (pause)- What? - (puts down brush)- Well, yes - (turns to bag)- poor Willy - (digging in bag)- it has no taste - (digs)- to nothing - (pulls out glasses in case)- Not interesting - (turns back to the room)- to life - (takes glasses out of case)- my poor Willy - (puts down case)- sleeps forever - (pulls back temples)- amazing ability - (puts on glasses)- nothing could be better - (looks for a brush)- In my opinion - (takes a brush)- always thought so - (looks at brush handle)- I would like that - (looks at pen, reads)- real ... no fake ... what? - (puts down brush)- and there you go completely blind - (takes off glasses)- anyway - (sets aside glasses)- and so many - (climbs into the cutout for a scarf)- saw - (takes out a folded handkerchief)- in my time - (shakes handkerchief)- marvelous lines, how is it there? - (wipes one eye). When my time has passed (wipes another)- and that one - my rolled up there ... - (looking for glasses)- that's it - (takes glasses)- what happened, it happened, I wouldn’t refuse anything - (wipes glasses, breathes on glasses)- maybe she refused? - (wipes)- pure light - (wipes)- emerge from the darkness - (wipes)- underground baked light. (Stops wiping his glasses, raises his face to the sky, pause, lowers his head, starts wiping his glasses again, stops wiping, bends back and to the right.) Hey! (Pause. With a gentle smile, he turns to the audience and again begins to wipe his glasses. The smile is gone.) Amazing ability - (stops wiping, puts glasses away)- I would like that - (folds handkerchief)- anyway - (puts handkerchief in neckline)- a sin to complain - (looking for glasses)- that's not, - (takes glasses)- no need to complain (brings glasses to his eyes, looks into one glass)- you have to be grateful: so many good things - (looks into another glass)- without pain - (puts on glasses)- one might say, almost without - (looks for a toothbrush)- what a miracle - (takes a brush)- what could be better - (looks at brush handle)- except that the head sometimes aches - (looks at pen, reads)- real ... no fake, natural ... what? - (brings brush closer to eyes)- real, not fake - (Pulls out a handkerchief from behind the neckline.)- Well, yes - (shakes handkerchief)- sometimes, a mild migraine pesters - (wipes brush handle)- grab - (wipes)- let go - (wipes automatically)- Well, yes - (wipes)- great mercy to me - (wipes)- truly great - (stops rubbing, stopped, distant look, in a dead voice)- and prayers may not be in vain - (pause, exactly the same)- in the morning - (pause, same)- for the coming dream - (lowers his head, starts wiping his spectacles again, stops wiping, raises his head, calms down, wipes his eyes, folds his handkerchief, puts it back behind the neckline, peers into the handle of the brush, reads)- real, not fake ... natural - (brings closer to eyes)- natural... (takes off glasses, puts away glasses and brush, looks straight ahead). Things get old. (Pause.) Eyes age. (Long pause.) Come on Vinnie. (She looks around, her eyes fall on the umbrella, she examines it for a long time, picks it up, pulls out the handle from the folds of incredible length. Holding the tip of the umbrella with her right hand, bends back and to the right, leans over Willy.) Hey! (Pause.) Willy! (Pause.) Remarkable ability. (Strikes him with the handle of an umbrella.) I would like that. (Strikes again.)

The umbrella slips from her hand, falls behind a hillock. Willy's invisible hand immediately brings him back.

Thank you, little one. (She shifts the umbrella to her left hand, turns to the audience, examines her right palm.) Wet. (He takes the umbrella again in his right hand, examines his left palm.) Well, okay, well, at least not worse. (Throws her head, joyfully.) No worse, no better, no change. (Pause. Exactly the same.) Without pain. (He leans back to look at Willy, as before, holding the tip of the umbrella.) Please don't fall asleep, honey, I might need you. (Pause.) Nothing in a hurry, just don't curl up like you have in the factory. (Turns towards the hall, puts down the umbrella, examines both palms at once, wipes them on the grass.) And yet the view is not the same. (He turns to the bag, rummages in it, takes out a revolver, raises it to his lips, kisses it briefly, puts it back in the bag, rummages, takes out an almost empty bottle of red potion, turns to the hall, looks for glasses, lifts, reads the label.) Loss of spirit... loss of interest in life... loss of appetite... newborns... children... adults... six tablespoons... daily - (throws head, smile)- if you approach with old standards - (smile as if never happened, lowers his head, reads.)“Daily…before and after…meals…gives instant… (brings closer to eyes)… improvement". (Takes off, puts glasses away, moves hand with bottle to see how much is left in it, unscrews cork, throws head back, empties, tosses cork and bottle away over the hill towards Willy.)