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Associate Editors Erica Faccioli Donato Santeramo Academy of Fine Arts of Venezia Queen!s University, Kingston (CANADA) Stefania Frezzoti Ol’ga Kupcova National Gallery of Modern Art (GNAM), Rome State Institute of Art Studies (SIAS), Mosca (RUSSIA) Fabrizio Grifasi Fondazione Romaeuropa, Rome Consulting Editor Vladislav Ivanov Marie-Christine Autant-Mathieu State Institute of Art Studies (SIAS), Mosca (RUSSIA) EUR!ORBEM, CNRS, Paris-Sorbonne (FRNCE) Lucie Kempf Delphine Pinasa Université de Lorraine (FRNCE ) Centre National du Costume de Scène et de la Scénographie (CNCS) Claudia Pieralli (FRNCE) University of Florence Dmitrij Rodionov Gabriel Poole A. A. Bakhrushin State Central Teatre Museum (RUSSIA) University of Cassino and Southern Lazio Elena Randi Advisory Board University of Padua Gabriella Elina Imposti Daria Rybakova University of Bologna St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts (RUSSIA) Andrei Malaev-Babel Elena Servito Florida State University/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training (USA) INDA (National Institute of Ancient Drama) Foundation of Syracuse Lorenzo Mango Margaret Shewring University of Naples ‘L!Orientale! University of Warwick (ENGLAND) Mariateresa Pizza Artem Smolin Archive ‘Dario Fo-Franca Rame! St. Petersburg State University of Information Technologies, Mechanica Roger Salas and Optics (RUSSIA) ‘El Pais!, Madrid (SPAIN) Leila Zammar Riku Roihankorpi Loyola University of Chicago JFRC University of Tampere (FINLAND) Fabio Massimo Zanzoto University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata! Editorial Board Leoneta Bentivoglio Editorial Assistants ‘La Repubblica!, Rome Elisa Anzelloti, University of Viterbo “La Tuscia” Michaela Böhmig Annamaria Corea, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza! Member of the International Dance Council CID - UNESCO Anna Isaeva, Université Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle (FRNCE ) Manuela Canali Irina Marchesini, University of Bologna National Academy of Dance, Rome Alice Pieroni, University of Florence Silvia Carandini Marianna Zannoni, University of Venice University of Rome ‘La Sapienza! Alexander Chepurov Staf Russian State Institute of Performing Arts Marco Argentina, University of Padua, Giulia Cara, University of Marieta Chikhladze Rome ‘Tor Vergata#, Gioia Cecchi, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza#, Tbilisi State University (GEORGIA) Marco Damigella, University of Roma Tre, Davide Di Bella, Univer- Enrica Dal Zio sity of Florence, Alessandro Maria Egito, University of Rome ‘Tor ‘Michael Chekhov Association MICHA!, New York (USA) Vergata#, Valeria Gaveglia, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata#, Silvia Lo- Dominique Dolmieu reti, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata#, Manuel Onorati, University of Maison d!Europe et d!Orient - Eurodram (FRNCE ) Rome ‘Tor Vergata#, Valeria Paraninf, University of Rome ‘Tor Verga- ta#, Ilaria Recchi, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata#, Andrea Vanacore, University of Roma Tre

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Perspectives on Contemporary Teatre in Canada I edited by Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker

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Donatella Gavrilovich 5 EJ
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7FSHBUBw Preface Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker 4

Guthrie, the Stratford Festival and Canadian Teatre Liza Gifen 10

Of Research and Dramaturgs: Nightswimming Teatre’s ‘Pure Research’ Project Davide Ciofrese 19

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FOCUS______

In memoriam Roberto Tessari Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker 139

Per Roberto: storie di fratelli Paolo Puppa 141 Maeve Beaty as Katherine in Te Last Wife, 2015; Photographer: David Hou copyright the Stratford Festival, Courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives Editorial Donatella Gavrilovich

Il quinto numero di “Arti dello Spetacolo / Perfor- Te ffh issue of Arti dello Spetacolo / Performing Arts, ming Arts”, Perspectives on Contemporary Teatre in entitled “Perspectives on Contemporary Teatre in Canada I, presenta un contenuto originale rispeto Canada I”, presents an original approach compared to ai numeri precedenti della rivista. I due curatori, Do- the previous issues of the journal. Te two guest editors, nato Santeramo e Craig Walker, ci accompagnano Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker, accompany us, con entusiasmo alla scoperta delle diverse realtà che enthusiastically, to discover the diferent realities that compongono quel meraviglioso caleidoscopio di make up that wonderful kaleidoscope of experiences, esperienze, ancora così poco note, del teatro in Ca- still so litle known, of theatre practice in Canada. In this nada. Gli elaborati propriamente accademici sono frst volume, the strictly academic papers have been re- stati ridoti al minimo nel tentativo di far aforare duced to a minimum in an atempt to bring out, through mediante schede biografche, interviste, proclami, the publication of interviews, proclamations, projects, progeti, manifesti e drammi, alcuni dei quali ine- manifestos and plays, a record of some contemporary diti, la storia dei “protagonisti” della East Cost: dai “protagonists” of English, Francophone and Indigenous drammaturghi di lingua inglese, francese e indigena theatre practitioners and companies. Tis ensemble alle compagnie teatrali, impegnate in diverse forme represents diferent forms of research and experimen- di ricerca e sperimentazione dagli anni Setanta alla tation from the early 1970s to today, including those contemporaneità, fno a quelle formate da profes- sionisti per gli spetacoli messi in scena presso il pre- staged at the prestigious Stratford Festival. stigioso Stratford Festival. L#esplorazione sul teatro in Te exploration of the theatre in Canada, generously Canada, generosamente condota dai due curatori, conducted by the two editors, will not end with this non si conclude con la presente pubblicazione. Stia- number. We are already planning the next issue that mo già progetando un prossimo numero che pre- will present an overview of more dramaturgical, perfor- senti una panoramica sulle forme drammaturgiche, mance and theatrical stagings, especially from Quebec perfomative e di messinscena teatrale del Quebec e la West Cost. and the West Coast. Per quanto riguarda il FOCUS che, di solito, pre- As for the journal’s FOCUS section, where contents senta contenuti non necessariamente collegati con il usually are not necessarily connected with the maters tema del numero, esso è dedicato a Roberto Tessari, discussed in the issue, it is dedicated to Roberto Tessari, studioso insegne di storia del teatro, recentemente a recently deceased renowned scholar of theatre history scomparso. and friend of many. *44/
 6

an theatre; still others document those Canadian practitioners who are expanding the very nature of what theatre can do, those who are “pushing the his issue and the next issue of “Arti dello envelope,” so to speak. Spetacolo / Performing Arts” is dedicated Of the well-established entities, perhaps none is to theatre in Canada. We are honoured to more central nor more authoritative within Cana- Tserve as the guest editors of these two special is- dian theatre as a whole than the Stratford Festival sues. In choosing the materials for these issues, we of Canada. First, the Festival’s paramount mandate had two readerships in mind. Our frst consider- is to present the works of William Shakespeare, the ation was the non-Canadian reader for whom we writer who is most central to the canon of English have endeavoured to provide a glimpse of the cur- literature, even literature as a whole. Second, since rent state of Canadian theatre. We decided that the it opened in 1953, the Festival has been probably best way to achieve this was not just to present a the most infuential single venue in the advance of set of relatively uniform academic articles, but also professionalism in Canadian theatre as a whole. As to provide space for the practitioners themselves Liza Gifen, Director of Archives at the Stratford to be heard, in interviews and in examples of their Festival, aptly puts it in the opening essay of this is- work. We hope that by doing so we have been able sue, “Guthrie, the Stratford Festival and Canadian to convey a litle more of the distinctive favour of Teatre,” Stratford is “a keystone of the Canadian Canadian theatre than a purely academic efort theatre ecology.” could have achieved. Our second consideration Of the Canadian theatre companies who are ex- was the Canadian reader. We did not want to waste panding our understanding of what theatre can do, the opportunity to present unfamiliar material that none is more explicitly dedicated to this purpose would be of interest to Canadians working in the- than Nightswimming Teatre, a company led by atre studies, so much of the work we are presenting dramaturge Brian Quirt. Nightswimming eschews here is being published for the frst time. the creation of full productions in favour of the de- Accordingly, it quickly will become obvious that velopment of new work and new ideas. Te com- some of the contributions to this issue are here to missioning and dramaturging of new plays which provide an account of some well-established areas they themselves do not produce is, we may say, of Canadian theatre; others look at highly interest- at least within sight of most conventional theatre ing, albeit somewhat neglected corners of Canadi- practice. However, Nightswimming’s commit- *44/
 7 Preface

Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker

ment to innovation goes further than such vague- in some of his large-scale work to serve a smaller scale, ly familiar territory. Te most striking example in particular, Elsinore, Lepage’s mesmerizing solo show of their dedication to exploring new ideas is their created out of a radical re-working of Shakespeare’s Pure Research project, which is discussed exten- Hamlet. sively by Davide Ciofrese in his article. Pure Re- Te Stratford Festival produces new work alongside search is theatrical work that is done not only not the classics, and they are particularly interested in new in the service of any particular production, but of- work that encourages a new approach to classic litera- ten with no certain application, following a model ture. An example of how this emphasis has led to the for the generation of knowledge that is more usu- production of strong writing is Jordi Mand’s Brontë: ally associated with university research projects Te World Without, performed at Stratford in 2018, in that are conducted disinterestedly, without pri- which Mand reimagines the lives of three sister Brontë vate sector sponsorship. Te work produced by writers, Charlote, Emily and Anne. Te play is pub- Nightswimming’s Pure Research project can be lished in its entirety here, along with an interview of gratifyingly weird and eye-opening. Mand that explores her opus and aesthetic. Two pref- Naturally, there are a number of artists who bridge atory notes to her play included by Mand deserve spe- the canonical and the “envelope pushers” and cial mention as an indication of how Canadian theatre perhaps the foremost of these is Canada’s most currently atempts to keep its colonial patrimony at famous theatre director, Robert Lepage. Lepage a distance while still being conscious of its infuence. recently created his frst production for the Strat- She writes: “Tough this play is set in England, the di- ford Festival of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus.1 Te alogue is writen to be played without English accents” production was seen frst at the Stratford Festival and “Diversity in casting is strongly encouraged.” At an in 2018 before, in January 2019, being remount- earlier stage in Canadian theatre history, it is likely that ed in French as Coriolan at Téâtre du Nouveau neither of these conventions called for by Mand would Monde in Montreal (Canada’s oldest continuously have been observed. A British accent was common- operating French-language theatre), and in August ly heard in most English-language theatre, including 2019, released as a flm of the Stratford produc- not merely plays with a British seting, but almost all tion. However, in his essay on Lepage, Vincenzo productions of Shakespeare’s work; that has not been Sansone focuses on quite diferent encounters be- the case for a few decades now. Likewise, there was tween Lepage and Shakespeare. He examines how a widespread conviction that, ideally, all actors should the director has used devices similar to those seen be of the same race as the characters they were por- *44/
 8 traying, and that the default would be white actors. Canadian Encyclopedia noted, it began to seem Tat now seems not only unimportant to most that Indigenous Teatre had “gone mainstream.” Canadians, but contrary to an important aspect of We may be looking now a third plateau in the rise how theatre makes meaning: by roughly represent- of Indigenous theatre in Canada, this one founded ing the community in which the theatre-goers live; on a creative response to what was undoubtedly a in most Canadian cities that community is ethni- distressing provocation. From 2008 to 2015, the cally diverse. Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada It is an ofen repeated truism that, excepting the (TRC) was active. Te Commission was tasked Indigenous population, which is just under 5% of with documenting the legacy of the Residential the total, Canada is a nation of immigrants. Tat Schools system in Canada, which was perhaps the fact obviously makes a major contribution to the most thoroughly organized tactic of a general co- community diversity alluded to in the previous lonialist atempt to obliterate Indigenous culture, paragraph. It also makes for a continual renewal of an atempt that began with the arrival of the frst ideas about Canadian theatre, as immigrant theatre European setlers. Since the release of the TRC artists take up residence in the country and intro- reports in 2015, there has been a much clearer duce new practices. A prime example of the ro- and more widespread understanding of devasta- bust contribution made by that immigrant theatre tion created by colonialism in Canada, and this artists is Dopolavoro Teatrale, a Toronto-based has resulted in an invigorated interest in theatre touring company that creates “audience specif- by and about Indigenous people. One of the most ic theatre.” We invited Daniele Bartolini, Artistic impressive outcomes has been the launch in 2019 Director of Dopolavoro Teatrale to write about his of an Indigenous Teatre Company, joining the life and work, and the result is a sort of miniature pre-existing English Teatre and French Teatre My Life in Art, blending the personal with the pro- Companies in the National Arts Centre (NAC) in fessional. We are also presenting one of his “sce- Otawa. Tis is an immense accomplishment, and nario’s” which ofen constitute the animus of his the frst season is unfolding as we prepare this issue productions. for publication. Daniel David Moses,(a Delaware Another signifcant transformation of Canadian from the Six Nations lands on the Grand River theatre ecology over the last ffy years has been in Brandon), one of Canada’s most distinguished caused by the introduction of work created by playwrights and poets, had already been associat- Indigenous artists. For too much of Canada’s co- ed with the NAC, and in 2008 had writen a short lonial history, the art works of Indigenous people play, Still September, for the educational outreach were ignored and deprecated. Tat was particular- team to include in some materials on Indigenous ly true of theatre, which, as an ensemble art form, culture that they were distributing to schools. Te normally requires the support of a community for play is published for the frst time here, along with it to fourish. Te opportunity for Indigenous the- Daniel’s answers to a few questions posed to him to atre artists to become more visible began in the help provide context for this short work. late 1960s and 1970s with the inclusion of Indig- When French-language theatre within Canada is enous actors in plays by white setler playwrights considered, both Canadians and non-Canadians such as George Ryga and James Reaney. But a new tend naturally to think frst of work located in Que- plateau was atained in the 1980s and 1990s. First bec, which is the second largest province in Can- some infuential Indigenous theatre companies ada and has a Francophone majority population. were founded, notably Native Earth in Toronto in Robert Lepage, whom we have already discussed, 1982 and, in 1984 on Manitoulin Island in North- is currently the internationally best-known Que- ern Ontario, De-Ba-Jeh-Mu-Jig, which remains the bec-based theatre artist. However, there is some only professional theatre company located on a fascinating lesser-known French-language theatre First Nations reserve. Tis, in turn, helped bring elsewhere in Canada, including that produced by more atention and praise to new work by some a number of Franco-Ontarian artists. Te work outstanding Indigenous playwrights, such as Tom- of several of these is represented here. In partic- son Highway, Daniel David Moses, Maria Camp- ular, we have ofered glimpses of an ambitious bell, Ian Ross, Drew Hayden Taylor, Monique Mo- project known as Contes Urbains (Urban Tales), jica and others. Tis was the point at which, as Te a series of works set in Sudbury and Otawa, that *44/
 9 Labonté compares to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. An example of one of the theatrical texts produced through this project is Montreal-based writer Gas- ton Tremblay’s monologue, Aimé le mal-Aimé (Te Unloved Loved One), for which we have both the text and an interview with Tremblay. As mentioned in the opening paragraph, this is the frst of two issues dedicated to theatre in Canada by “Arti dello Spetacolo / Performing Arts”. We hope that this frst look at theatre practice in Canada will ofer, from a particular perspective, a glimpse into the workings of theatre in Canada.

Craig Walker Director, Te Dan School of Drama & Music, Queen#s University, Kingston (Canada)

Notes 1 Te production of Romeo and/et Juliete, co-directed by Robert Lepage and Gordon McCall, which was presented for a short run at the Stratford Festival in 1990, was actually a re- Donato Santeramo mount of a production from Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan. Head of the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, Queen#s University, Kingston (Canada) *44/
 10 Guthrie, the Stratford Festival and Canadian Teatre Liza Gifen

soon afer. His frst and most important task was to crea- te a company: he located actors in Montreal, Toronto and Otawa with the help of Rupert Caplan, then a young thea- he Stratford Festival is today the tre professional just back from New York (and later one of pre-eminent repertory theatre com- CBC#s major radio-drama producers), but found that most pany in North America. Te quality of the professional stage actors he met were unsuitable for Tof its work, from the classics to musicals and radio work. Tis proved to be a signifcant discovery for new plays, is acknowledged around the world Guthrie. It may at frst seem unrelated to his later work at – and was from the start. Te Stratford Festi- Stratford, but it is in fact key to what would soon become val, from unlikely beginnings, became a touch a distinctive part of the Canadian festival. As he explained, paper for and a founding part of a new type of U.S. and British-trained stage actors of the time declaimed theatre, as well as a keystone of the Canadian – across the divide between actor and audience imposed by theatre ecology more generally. the proscenium stage; it was extremely difcult to ‘untrain# When Tyrone Guthrie visited Stratford in them and then guide them towards a new subtle, nuanced July 1952 at the behest of journalist Tom style of acting necessary for the radio or – as he also later Paterson, he was one of the most signifcant wished – on stage. It was simpler to take on talented ama- directors working in the international theatre. teurs, without preconceptions, and this Guthrie did, in efect His previous work ranged from early begin- running a radio-acting school in Montreal that created a very nings at the Oxford Playhouse, to experience diferent style of performer from those across the Atlantic. as broadcaster and producer at the BBC, to Guthrie is clear in his notes on his radio work of the time being a core director for the Scotish Natio- that the impressions of a radio play «are more intimate than nal Players, directing opera in New York and those of the stage», because both the writing and acting are plays at the Old Vic in London, England. But directed at an audience close to the radio receiver and not Guthrie, in fact, also knew Canada well, and at the audience of a typical contemporary theatre, who are his theatre work had been deeply infuenced distanced from the action by the proscenium arch and or- by his time there. chestra pit (Fink, 1981). Consequently, rather than his Bri- Guthrie#s frst visit was to produce and direct tish theatre infuences guiding his Canadian experiences, it the Romance of Canada documentary drama seems clear that his Canadian radio experiences deeply in- series for the CN Radio Department in 1931. fuenced his British theatre work and, ultimately, his frustra- In the depth of the Great Depression, the tion with British theatres and the style of acting that their company wanted to sell its Radio Department architecture imposed. (the only continent-wide Canadian radio Tis desire for a new intimacy between stage and house was network) to the federal government. As an en- only reinforced by his more well-known practical experien- couragement, the Director of the Radio De- ces with temporary thrust stages. A rain-disrupted al fesco partment, Austin Weir, came up with the idea performance of Hamlet at Elsinore in 1937 was not a pro- of a weekly series of new Canadian historical blem for him, but actually a major step forward in the de- plays, to be called the Romance of Canada and velopment of this thinking. Te storm led to an impromptu to be writen by Merrill Denison. Guthrie was and radical re-staging of the play that had found great suc- invited to take part and took over production cess on the Old Vic proscenium stage. Tat night, *44/
 11 [the audience] sat, densely packed, round three sides of a small As a result of our boom [wrote Paterson], clear space on the ballroom foor, on which most of the action pas- bread and buter come fairly easily (althou- sed, with the steps and litle stage for occasional scenes. Te efect gh expensive) and we, as a nation, are casting aimed at was [to have] the audience in the most informal and the closest possible contact with the actors. (Guthrie 1937: 246) around to fnd what it is we are missing.

Guthrie realized then the fundamental principle of all his I think we have found it. When a ballet comes to Toronto, it is impossible to obtain seats afer about future thinking: «intimacy between the actors and the two days of ticket sales; the Metropolitan Opera players is the frst essential» (ibidem). Tis nascent thrust played to its largest crowd in its history last month stage concept was elaborated in his production of Ane Sa- in Toronto (an average of 11,500 per night); Mrs tyre of the Trie Estaitis in the Church of Scotland#s General Mavor Moore#s production of Spring Taw played to Assembly Hall at the second Edinburgh Festival in 1948: nearly 100,000 people in a fve-week run just con- Guthrie, the Stratford Festival and Canadian T eatre cluded (Tom Pat erson to Tyrone Guthrie 1952). Te Moderator#s chair and the table before it, in the centre of the hall, were enclosed under a platform atainable from each of three When Guthrie made the journey to southwe- sides by steps. Behind and above on the fourth side, a gallery was at- stern Ontario, he was rapidly convinced of tained by two fights of stairs. Te space under the gallery could be the fact that the social, logistical and econo- closed or exposed at will by drawing curtains. (Guthrie 1959: 309). mic infrastructure was in place to make a fe- stival viable. He would write in 1954 Te desire to create a permanent thrust stage was not to be satisfed in the U.K., however: a post-war country in However carefully the Festival might have been or- the process of rebuilding its ruined cities and replaying its ganized, however brilliant the performances might wartime borrowings from its major ally, America, was not have been, it would have availed nothing if there had not been a public hungry and eager for the kind thinking frst and foremost of building new theatres in for- of fare that was ofered. (Guthrie 1954b: 53) ms untried for 400 years. Instead, it took him back to the country where his thinking on audience/actor connection In an essay on the start of the Festival that has was frst seeded: Canada. ofen been quoted, Guthrie wrote the noto- Guthrie was frst approached by Tom Paterson, of Stra- rious phrase, «Canada is a very dull place to tford, Ontario, in 1952 about founding a Canadian theatre live», which has sometimes been fung at the festival. Paterson was blunt about his own lack of knowle- director to denounce him as having a colonia- dge of the theatre and that of fellow Stratfordites. He wrote list agenda. In fact, this phrase was carefully in a leter to Guthrie, contextualized by Guthrie, who went on, to say that Canadian are equipped with money, as far as the actual production is concerned, I think I probably know as much about the theatre as anyone else [in Stratford] – leisure, and an awareness of ‘culture# for whi- which is nothing. (Tom Paterson to Tyrone Guthrie 1952) ch there is therefore a large demand, but still a very small supply and describes the coun- and it seems likely that it was this very innocence that at- try as “at the present moment, […] a ‘sellers# tracted the director. As Paterson continued, as a group with market# for culture: the demand is greater no preconceptions of how to stage plays professionally, than the supply” (Guthrie 1954b: 53). Tis combination of factors provided Guthrie with we are therefore are more than willing to give you a completely the right blank canvas – Stratford – on which free hand […]. Tere is absolutely nothing to start with so that to start his work. And what he proposed was whoever does produce the festival will have no traditions to over- extraordinary. come. […] we do sincerely want to ofer you the chance at a “fresh Te frst tent seating plan of 1953 give a sen- advance”. (Ibidem) se of the most important and revolutionary Moreover, Paterson did have enough awareness of the aspect of the stage: the changed relationship current situation to be convinced that, at this stage, there between audience and actors. His Edinburgh was enough of a public audience for the arts in Ontario to Festival experience had taught him: make such a festival worthwhile. One of the most pleasing efects of the perfor- mance was the physical relation of the audience to

*44/
 12 the stage. Te audience did not look at the actors front area of the auditorium and entrances at the back and against a background of pictorial and illusory sce- sides of the stage created fuid, fast paterns of movement nery. Seated around three sides of the stage, they based on diagonals as actors entered, crossed and exited focused on the actors in the brightly lit acting area, but the background was of the dimly lit rows of pe- from multiple directions, as can be seen from the prompt ople similarly focused on the actors. All the time, books for Richard III and the inaugural season#s other pro- but unemphatically and by inference, each mem- duction, All!s Well Tat Ends Well. ber of the audience was being ceaselessly remin- ded that he was not lost in an illusion, was not at the court of King Humanitie in sixteenth century Scotland, but was in fact a member of a large au- dience, taking part, “assisting,” as the French very properly express it, in a performance, a participa- tion in a ritual. (Guthrie 1954a: 331)

Te impact of the confguration was confr- med on the Festival stage in 1953: the com- munion-like efect of actor/audience inte- raction was widely remarked on, reinforcing the fact

that Shakespearean plays gain enormously in im- Plan of auditorium of the Stratford Festival Teatre, 1953; pact by relating actors to audience as nearly as pos- copyright the Stratford Festival, sible […] [Equally signifcantly] the actors were so courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives near their audience that they could speak really low and still be heard; so near their audience that small shades of expression, subtle efects, could make their point. An audience large enough to make adequate productions pay their way can only be as near as this to the actors if the amphitheatre plan be adopted. (Guthrie 1954a: 147) en f Gi Liza Te lessons of 1931#s radio work had blosso- med into a new theatre architecture, then un- paralleled anywhere else in the world. Tis transformation of theatre space would profoundly change acting styles – creating a new and unique language of performance combining technique and naturalism that marks Stratford performances to this day. From reading contemporary reviews of the inaugural production, Richard III, we know that the revolutionary connection between actor and audience was immediately created as Alec Guinness, as Richard, surveyed the au- ditorium, one leg dangling over the balcony, directly addressing the audience while stab- bing the ledge with a dagger. A lone actor on a bare stage, speaking sofly, held an audience of 2,200. Te intimacy also allowed Guinness to tease out the comic elements in the role while Prompt books from Richard III and All"s Well Tat Ends Well, evading caricature. 1953; courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives Other elements of the new confguration also transformed the staging of plays: the in- Tis allowed for speed in performance – an efect enhanced troduction of “voms” or vomitoria from the further by the thrust stage necessitating the abandonment *44/
 13 of illusionistic backdrop décor. As every prop piece needed if any theatres in a position to employ specia- to be taken on and of stage in full view of the audience list crafspeople on a permanent basis, begin- during the performance, less was more in Festival stage ners in the feld had had no opportunity to ap- design – and an almost bare stage allowed scenes to run prentice with experts. As a result, Ray Difen more swifly into each other without the need for time for was brought in from the U.K. to head up the set changes. Te earliest prompt books – which look very Wardrobe department alongside Jacqueline simple compared to today#s versions, as a language of stage Cundall, head of props. With this skills infra- management was developing, and lighting and sound were structure in place, relatively uncomplicated – clearly show that greater fexibi- lity in movement and grouping was possible on this stage [….] Cundall is established in a workshop at Stra- than on a proscenium stage. For instance, actors could be tford, with a staf mostly recruited from the School Guthrie, the Stratford Festival and Canadian T eatre placed in a more natural conversational arrangement than of Art in Toronto and the Universities in Toronto and Montreal […]. (Guthrie 1954b: 15) the more or less side-by-side blocking forced on actors by the proscenium structure. On the thrust stage, surroun- Many of whom would continue to work for ded on three sides by the audience, actors are less likely to the Festival for years ahead and go on to tea- mask each other when facing each other and so can address ch the next generation of crafspeople across each other in a more “natural” manner. At the same time, Canada. circular movement was encouraged by the confguration: Guthrie considered seriously the question of then, as now, actors moved around the basically bare stage, non-Canadian participants in the Festival. In turning to change the angles at which they appeared to dif- 1954 he mused: ferent sections of the audience. Over the years, the 1953 stage would undergo various chan- [H]ow much should the Festival Company rely on ges and adjustments. As Guthrie wrote at the time imported assistance? Last year, out of a company of eighty, there were four imported actors: numeri- I do not think that we have found the complete solution. I think the cally, a tiny proportion, but they carried a great deal principle is right and that details of what we have done will be ref- of the weight. Tere was also an imported director ned and improved on, that we were practicing something which all and designer, and the technical departments were the practitioners felt had to be done. We just happened to be fortu- headed by people from the British stage. nate and a litle persistent in geting the opportunity. (Kitchin 1960: In my opinion, such outside assistance should gra- 198). dually be relied on less and less. At the same time, simply because in the past there has been so litle With the stage in place, a company had to be built around opportunity for indigenous talent to develop, so very litle opportunity not merely to learn techni- it. Tis would be one of the most mythologized and mi- que, but to compare standards and to learn how to sremembered elements of the Stratford Festival story. Te criticize one#s own and other people#s work […] legend is that a range of British actors were brought across – for these reasons it will be necessary to rely on to grace the new Canadian stage with their presence with a certain amount of importation at the top. At pre- a scatering of Canadians to make up the numbers. In fact, sent there are several Canadian actors who could only a tiny number of British actors were involved in the frst play leading roles with credit by any standard […]. But there are not, in my view, any actors working season; the rest of the cast were Canadian and included such in Canada whose mere names on the bills provi- names as William Hut, William Needles, Timothy Findley, des for the public some guarantee of success [….]. Don Harron and Douglas Rain. Guthrie was clear from the Tis is, again, simply because in Canada at present start that a uniquely Canadian festival was what he had in one does not have the chance to acquire that sort mind. From his initial discussions with the town#s Festival of status and prestige. In even so short a time as fve Commitee members onwards, he stated that years, this may be diferent. […] Gradually, in a few years, it will be possible to do without the importation of artists from abroad, but the project must be demonstrably a Canadian one, carried out not I greatly hope the process will not be speeded up merely by Canadian initiative, and also with Canadian fnance, but by chauvinistic pressure. I hope rather, that a Fe- by Canadian actors. But we also agreed that this need not preclude stival will develop which is perceptibly, but indef- the Commitee from seeking the assistance of a limited number of nably, Canadian; which is able to manage without people from Britain and elsewhere. (Guthrie 1954b: 7) assistance but which, nevertheless, considers that Tis was also true for backstage work: because of the lack some outsiders, not from Britain exclusively, give of opportunities to learn theatre crafs in Canada, with few richness and colour and variety to a company whi- *44/
 14 ch has no need to fear that its Canadian-ness is so enterprise was consuming his days. First, he introduced thin and weak as to be ruined by a litle dilution. the topic of the Irish theatre#s distinctiveness in the form (Guthrie 1954a: 30) of the Abbey Teatre and consequently its national impor- tance for Ireland: What was this ‘Canadian-ness# to consist of in artistic terms? Guthrie never claimed to have Te Abbey was enabled to establish itself [...] because there was an answer to that. His objective was to create a building of the right type and size, which enabled the company art – but also to create a living laboratory in to evolve a distinctive style of acting and production, and to play which something new could emerge outside to full houses while yet drawing on quite a limited section of the of his own career. public Scotland. (Guthrie 1953: 13)

To command the service of the most serious and For Guthrie, the physical theatre and the distinctiveness talented of the Canadian actors for a few weeks of the actual stage form the actor and consequently create in the summer is about the most useful thing that the potential for the development of a distinct acting style Stratford can do for them, for itself and for the Ca- that makes the uniqueness of a national theatre. So when nadian public. It is important that there should be Tyrone Guthrie was writing this intro to the history of the some occasion when these people can be brought Scotish National Players, it was signifcant that he stated: together and work to some common end that is a litle more signifcant than each individual#s own Our main achievement, as I see it, was that we provided a valuable career […]. (Guthrie 1954a: 30) training ground for talent: the best in Scotland, and one of the best in Britain, and, more important, that we were one of the links in By working together and creating together, so- the chain that will ultimately result in some form of indigenous mething greater than the sum of its parts – so- drama in Scotland. (Guthrie 1953: 13) mething ‘new# – would be created and this, he believed, would be signifcant for the country. When Guthrie is speaking of ‘indigenous drama#, he is not referring simply to the writing of play texts as constituting I think it is only out of this that there will evolve a national theatre – more importantly to him, he is refer- a distinctive style of Canadian theatre. People may ring to the distinctive staging and playing of a nation that go on writing realistic comedies of Canadian life; will, in time, lead to a canon of its own. It is this that is key but these, I believe, will remain mere copies of a na-

en f Gi Liza turalistic theatre which is essentially the product of to him in 1953 as he began rehearsals for Richard III and nineteenth century culture in Europe, and is alrea- All!s Well Tat Ends Well: the distinct performance style dy bygone. Any distinctive national style, whether comes before the ‘national# plays and informs their subse- of acting, producing, writing or criticizing plays quent creation. Canadian artists, he stated, will be founded on the study of the classics. It will only be, in my view, by evolving a distinctively Ca- if they are to thrive, must express what the Canadian climate, the nadian comment on the classics that any satisfactory Canadian soil and their fellow Canadians have made of them. It is native dramatic style will be achieved. Such com- vital for their health as artists; and it is no less vital for the health of ment will occur not only in criticism but in perfor- the community that those with artistic talents should contribute mance, since all performance is a comment upon, as to its life, instead of taking the frst opportunity to escape to places well as a recreation of, the work performed. (Guthrie where their gifs are welcomed, understood, respected and even 1954b: 28) [my emphasis] rewarded with money […] It is important […] that Canadians should be able to express their own environment, not only for the For Guthrie, a Canadian theatre – and the artists themselves, not only for the community now, but for posterity. key role of the Stratford Festival – lay in the And I think that something of Canada can be expressed even in terms development of a new ‘style# of performance, of classical drama, the roots of which can be far removed in time and pace. Tese works can, I think, be interpreted into a Canadian idiom, rather than an immediate leap into creating given a Canadian style. (Guthrie 1954a: 171-172) new texts. It seems to be signifcant that in 1953, in the midst of preparations for the start Before the frst season began, it was not initially clear that of Stratford, Guthrie was also writing an in- there would be a second. It was only afer opening and the troduction to history of the Scotish National sale of 97% of tickets over the weeks that it became evident Players, for whom he had directed in 1926- that the Stratford Festival was a sustainable phenomenon. 1929. His memories of his early career, at this Afer the initial playbill of Richard III and All!s Well Tat time, draw together some signifcant themes Ends Well, the number of plays presented – and performan- in one place at the same time, as the Canadian ces – increased year by year. *44/
 15 Guthrie, the Stratford Festival and Canadian T eatre

Maggie Smith as Masha, Martha Henry as Olga and Marti Maraden as Irina in Te Tree Sisters (1976), Alec Guiness as Richard III in Richard III, Stratford Festival Photographer Robert C Ragsdale, copyright the 1953, photographer Peter Smith, copyright the Stratford Festival, Stratford Festival, Courtesy of the Stratford Festival Courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives. Archives.

In 1954 (and again in 1955), Shakespeare was joined on Expansion into more experimental and com- the program by Sophocles in a groundbreaking production missioned works in the late 1960s led to the created as an experiment in staging of ancient texts using opening of the Tird Stage (later the Tom masks and Greek practice; by 1956, Molière had become Paterson Teatre) in 1971 – frst as an in-the- a standard author; by 1960, musicals and new Canadian round theatre. plays had been included in the repertoire.

Phyllis Mailing as Ariadne in Patria II: Requiem for the Party Girl, 1972; Photographer Robert C Ragsdale, copyright the Stratford Festival, Courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives

For instance, the staging of Gilbert and Sul- livan#s HMS Pinafore at the start of the 1960s necessitated the use of a proscenium – and Douglas Campbell as Oedipus in Oedipus Te King, 1955 the Avon Teatre became a key location, for photographer Peter Smith, copyright the Stratford Festival, both nineteenth-century plays such as those of Courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives Chechov (i.e. Hirsch#s legendary 1976 Tree Si- sters and later as a long thrust stage, which even- Tese changes necessitated an expansion of the stage time tually evolved into a key space for production available – and it also meant that other stages were needed. of Shakespearean and classical texts, such as the exquisite Love!s Labour!s Lost of 1983. *44/
 16

Shelagh McLeod as Moth and John Neville as Don Armado in Love"s Labour"s Lost, 1983. Photograph by Robert C. Ragsdale, copyright the Stratford Festival, Courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives

Te most recent creation of a new theatre to accommodate the evolving repertoire (until the 2020 launch of the rebuilt Tom Paterson Teatre) was in 2002, when the Studio Te- atre was opened as a venue for the staging of experimental works and new Canadian plays, this time with a small thrust stage, designed to act as a smaller version of the Festival Stage.

Jakob Ehman as Eitan in Birds of a Kind, 2019; photography by David Hou, copyright the Stratford Festival, Courtesy of the

en f Gi Liza Stratford Festival Archives

Te expansion of the Festival had not only artistic rami- fcations but economic ones for the town itself. Tyrone Guthrie was a man of the theatre and, as such, practical. He was aware that the highest artistic standards were going to be crucial for Stratford#s success but also that the right hard logistics were necessary for the success of the enter- prise built on a festival model. As a consequence, he was clear about the need to create an environment that would support it.

A Festival should ofer, as Salzburg, Edinburgh and Stratford, En- Maeve Beaty as Katherine in Te Last Wife, 2015; gland, do, opportunities to absorb great works of art in an appro- Photographer: David Hou copyright the Stratford priate atmosphere, with other people of similar taste bent on the Festival, Courtesy of the Stratford Festival Archives same errand. For this reason, small, countrifed towns, where life is comparatively calm, make the best Festival cities. Salzburg is in this Tis stage has been a crucible for experimen- respect beter than Edinburgh, where too much is going on and a ts by playwrights from Peter Hinton to Kate hectic atmosphere is generated. For this reason, London or New York Henning whose Stratford- commissioned or Pitsburgh or Toronto can never be suitable Festival Cities. Tey are too big, too busy. No Festival can ever hope to be the central event Queenmaker Trilogy has been one of the of even one day, let alone the peak of the year. (Guthrie 1954b: 32) most successful series of Canadian plays of the past decade and Wajdi Mouawad. One of the things that had atracted him to the city was its specifc physical environment: one that Maclean!s magazine *44/
 17 described in 1953 as having a park system unique in North [F]undamentally, the idea behind the program- America. Te parks had been cared for the city from the early me of music was one of making the Festival 1900s, but had been threatened with destruction early in the more of a “resting point” than it had been hi- therto. Dr Guthrie wanted to make Canadians century when the Canadian Pacifc Railway (which at one more “Festival minded,” to persuade them to stage employed half the workforce of the city, which was alre- stay and browse around Stratford, absorbing the ady known as a railway town because of its engine manufactu- atmosphere, instead of rushing down to see a ring) asked for permission to lay two railway tracks through play and then rushing home again immediately them and along the side of the Avon River. Te failure of that aferwards. Tere would always, of course, be plan let the city retain a green space and bucolic situation that the “special excursion” by train or by bus […] but a Festival demands a more specialized type could eventually become an available and beautiful seting of audience if it is to fulfl itself completely. One for the Festival tent (and later, theatre), giving the Festival of its major delights should be the discussion, at Guthrie, the Stratford Festival and Canadian T eatre much of its unique character (and infnite publicity material). some neighbouring café, of the evening#s perfor- Other elements were, however, initially less ideal. In a town mance, with simultaneous speculation on the hitherto based on engine and furniture manufacturing, key delights in store on subsequent evenings. Tis elements of tourism infrastructure were as yet undeveloped. is impossible with the “there and back” method of Festival going. It was thought that a frst class As a result, nowhere near enough hotel rooms or restaurants Music Festival, running concurrently with the existed in the city to deal with the infux of patrons in the ini- plays might help to induce people to stay over tial days of the Festival, making it necessary for the basement and sample both. (Neel 1955: 95) of a church to be called into use by local women#s groups to serve meals and townspeople opening their homes to guests Te result of all these developments was that the (and ofen actors) in search of a place to sleep. Adopting the Stratford Festival met with signifcant success Festival model meant that it was imperative from the start from the start and took on a greater meaning that the city – both administratively and on a personal level than simple artistic or monetary success. – supported the enterprise. And the city did, in these ways and more, with enormous gusto. From improvised beginnin- Te success of the frst Festival was greater, in my gs quickly sprang a thriving bed and breakfast sector which opinion, than could have been achieved anywhere else in the world. It was regarded as a National Event; still exists today and (eventually) a range of places to eat and the Governor General atended both plays and was at drink – which, incidentally also helped lead to the end of Per- pains to emphasize that the occasion was signifcant; th County (and Stratford#s) existence as a “dry” or temperan- in terms of newspaper coverage, it was given far more ce location in 1959. space in the American press than any Canadian event But now that the visitors were in the town, once they had ea- if its kind had ever before received; in the Canadian ten, walked and enjoyed the sights of the small town, it was press it was far more fully covered than for example, the Edinburgh Festival by the press in Great Britain. quickly realized that more was needed to keep them in town (Guthrie 1954b: 26) for the next performance. Tis would become increasingly important over the years as the number of plays on the play- Such a model would also, of course, beneft the bill expanded, from two in the frst year to three in 1954 and local community far more fnancially – for good four in 1956. As a result, other performances were program- or ill. Guthrie was alive to the dangers that lur- med to ‘fll in# the time potentially lef in their schedule. Tese ked along this path. ‘fll-in# performances were not well atended, Boyd Neel later commenting that In connection with Stratford, there are just two things I dread. First, that the Festival may be abused by prof- these concerts sufered somewhat from being the poor relation of the teers. Even last year there was a tendency for bed and Festival […] they had litle publicity, and were swamped by the food breakfast to cost substantially more at the end of the of glamour which […] descended on the plays. (Neel 1955) Festival than at its start. Second, a refnement of the same thing, that there will be an outbreak of Ye Olde. Tose who did atend sometimes found themselves in the I heard a rumour that two ladies had bought land and proposed to erect an imitation of Anne Hathaway#s situation of listening to a very young Glenn Gould playing in cotage in which they would brew Daintye Teas. competition with the rain on the tent roof or of being in an (Guthrie 1954b: 32-33) audience outnumbered by the musicians on stage. Financial- ly, the concerts were not a success. But, as Neel explained: But he knew that the Festival had been initially evolved in Tom Paterson#s mind not simply as *44/
 18 an artistic endeavour but to save the town eco- Commitee of Stratford, or any other Festival, to aim at quality and not nomically, as its two main manufacturing sectors quantity in their tourists; to concentrate on keeping their program at disappeared. Te idea of the Stratford Festival the very highest level of artistic integrity. Tis is, in all conscience, dif- fcult on solely artistic grounds. Te difculty is more than doubled had been supported by the city from the start, when those responsible have a duty to the community, which, habi- from an economic point of view: in fact, one of tuated to judge by quantitive rather than qualitative standards, will the key players in establishing support was the inevitably press for concessions […]. (Guthrie 1954b: 33) local Chamber of Commerce. By 1954, the city of Stratford was marketing itself as «where indu- It is indeed a dilemma – and the same one that faces the Stra- stry and the arts combine». tford Festival today. But this is only one of the striking continu- ities that link its earliest days under Guthrie, across the interve- ning decades, to the present season. Te relation between city and theatre remain close and entangled. Te musical festival aimed at encouraging visitors to remain between multiple performances and deepen their enjoyment is continued in the Forum events that allow patrons to deepen their under- standing of the issues around the playbill and enter into di- scussions with thinkers, artists and their fellow theatre-goers. Even the work of allowing Canadian artists and crafspeople to learn from the best, bring that to their work on the Stratford stage and then pass their learning on to the next generation is perpetuated in the Birmingham Conservatory. Likewise, the City of Stratford publicity materials c1953-4, courtesy of Festival Lab acts as the same kind of crucible that Guthrie ho- Stratford Festival Archives ped would «evolve a distinctive style of Canadian theatre» – with a sense of perpetual experiment that will take the Festival into its eighth decade.

Bibliography en f Gi Liza Fink, H., Beyond Naturalism: Tyrone Guthrie’s Radio Theatre and The Stage Production of Shakespeare, «Theatre Research in Canada / Recherches théâtrales Au Canada », vol. 2, n. 1, 1981. Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/TRIC/article/view/7519 (last accessed 10/10/2019). Guthrie, T., Hamlet at Elsinore, «London Mercury», n. 213, July 1937. Guthrie, T., “Introduction”, Scottish National Theatre Venture Its Birth, History, Work, and Influence, 1921-1948, Glasgow, Scottish National Players, Glasgow 1953: 1-20. Guthrie, T., “A Long View of the Stratford Festival”, Twice Have the Trumpets Sounded, Clarke Irwin, Toronto 1954a. Guthrie, T., “First Shakespeare Festival at Stratford, Ontario”, Renown A significant number of the first Board were major at Stratford A Record of the Shakespeare Festival in Canada, Clarke, local businessmen and bankers and included the Unwin & Company Ltd., Toronto, 1954b. head of the Chamber of Commerce; to this day, Guthrie, T. A Life in the Theatre, McGraw-Hill, New York 1959. under current bylaws, the Mayor of the City be- Kitchin, L., Mid-Century Drama, Faber & Faber, London 1960. comes automatically an ex-officio board member. Langham, M., “Introduction: Twelve Years at Stratford”, The Stratford Guthrie felt – as many did – that from the start the Scene 1958-1968, Clarke, Irwin & Company Limited, Toronto/ town#s economy and the theatre were inextricably Vancouver 1968: 6-12. linked – and that this was the nature of festivals as Letter from Tom Patterson to Tyrone Guthrie (1952), Stratford Archives. opposed to theatres alone. Neel, B., “Music at the Festival”, Thrice The Brindled Cat Has Mew!d: A Record of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Canada, Clarke, It#s a dilemma. Festivals bring Tourists, Tourists bring Irwin, Toronto 1955: 93-110. Vultures. Te best plan, I respectfully suggest is for the *44/
 19 Of Research and Dramaturgs: Nightswimming Teatre’s ‘Pure Research’ Project David Ciofrese

icas (LMDA) organization, for which he has also acted as President in the past (Nightswimming website, Brian Quirt; LMDA website, LMDA Board and Executive Commitee). ‘Pure Research$: Nightswimming$s Take on Free Teatre Experimentation Ever since its inception, Nightswimming has also distingui- shed itself for its peculiar focus on long-term, process-led stablished in 1995 and active to this day, productions: visiting artists are accorded special care and Nightswimming Teatre is one of Can- adequate resources to help them shape their work as best as ada’s foremost theatre establishments. they can. It is a space that encourages research and innova- EBased in Toronto, the company was co-found- tion, and which strives to prevent its guests from falling back ed by Brian Quirt and Naomi Campbell, who on trite ways of theatre-making. Tere is no shortage of time, remain as its artistic director and producer, re- afer all; no pressing deadline threatening the creative work spectively. from high above. Nightswimming is careful to defne itself, frst Indeed, time is no issue at all: there are no deadlines. and foremost, as a dramaturgical company: Each and every creative process is tailor-made to accomoda- «[…] a non-producing, commissioning» the- te the specifc visitor#s needs; granting them, in Nightswim- atre group which has «dramaturgy at the heart ming#s intentions, the exact amount of time needed to come of its mission», according to Quirt’s words up with an efective, artistically-mature and possibly succe- (Quirt 2014: 74, 26). Dramaturgs are a vital sful production (Trencsényi 2015: 72-74). part of Nightswimming, which also counts sev- 1 eral intern dramaturgs among its collaborators . Taking these two aspects – Nightswimming#s focus on re- Indeed, its focus on dramaturgical practice is search and its dramaturgical heart – into consideration, it evident in its relationship with the Graduate comes to no surprise that Quirt#s company would go on Centre for Study of Drama at the University to pursue the Pure Research project, inheriting it from the of Toronto (Canadian Teatre Encyclopedia, Teatre Centre, a fellow Torontonian institution. It seems, if Nightswimming Teatre Company entry), anything, perfectly natural. true to the steadily increasing association of What would become Pure Research was born in 1997 as an dramaturgy and academia; especially in the experiment stemming from a casual conversation between English-speaking world (Gianakaris 2000). Quirt and David Duclos, back then the Teatre Centre#s ar- Nightswimming itself, afer all, was founded tistic director. Te Centre, at that time, had a Research and and is currently led by a dramaturg. A highly Development program. Te issue with it, as argued by Quirt, appreciated one, at that. Quirt is the recipient was that it focused too much on the later, while neglecting of the 2009 Elliot Hayes Award, which rec- the former. ognizes dramaturgical excellence as displayed on a specifc project (the work on Ned Dick- […] the title was inaccurate. We did a lot of development, but did ens’ majestic, Oedipean City of Wine, in his not really do any research; product was the goal of every process. I case. Orr 2009: 3; Quirt 2009: 5). In addi- asked how the program could accommodate the sort of research, for tion, Quirt is the current Board Chair of the example, that a high-tech company conducts, which may or may not result in a new item on the shelves. What would a program dedicat- Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Amer- ed solely to theatre research look like? (Quirt 2004: 1) *44/
 20 Quirt’s question led to two years of research at the Te- lects the ones fting Pure Research#s spirit atre Centre (1998-1999), but such program failed to take beter. Te chosen proposals are then experi- hold. Fascinated by the idea, Quirt proceeded to fnd a new mented on during Fall thanks to specifc wor- home for it. Come 2003 (Quirt 2004: 2), he managed to kshops, each lasting several days2. welcome the project to his own theatre, and had it renamed Having previously flled a list with their ne- Pure Research. Nightswimming, true to its ethos, is prone eds, participants are granted space, funds, to largely remove ‘expectation’ from the creative process personnel and proper gear to fully experiment (Trencsényi 2015: 76), granting visiting artists room to ex- with their idea. Most important, according to periment and come up with new ideas. Once such creative Quirt, is that Pure Research provides them work is done, however, a productive outlook is restored: with time: time to explore possibilities which the company entrusts the fnished play to someone else’s they would have neglected under the threat of production, ensuring that it can hit the stage proper (ibi- pressing productive concerns. It is a moment dem: 78). Pure Research goes further than that. It removes of respite, a productive pause. «Research invi- product entirely. gorates and inspires», claims Quirt, who has In a theatre world where concepts are frst conceived as also declared his personal interest in Pure Re- marketable for the audience and then flled in artistically by search to be eminently dramaturgical in na- the company, the program chose not to conform, to defy ture. As a dramaturg, he prizes the opportu- the «abherration» that such ruthless productive routine nity to interact with skilled artists – whether represents (Van Kerkhoven 2009: 8). Pure Research ex- through active cooperation or sheer observa- pects nothing from its visitors, other than to pursue their tion – «as they gnaw on an issue of their choi- wildest ideas as imaginatively as they can. Production is no ce». (Quirt 2004: 2) longer a concern; indeed, it is not even a question. From its inception, the program has been a depository of theatre knowledge, know-how and experience, bent on doing the- Working in the Background: Dramaturgi- atre exclusively for theatre itself. A Pure Research project cal Infuences on Pure Research"s Projects might fail spectacularly in its purpose, emerging as some- thing impossible to stage or totally inefective in gaining Defning the Field: Specifc Dramaturgies the audience’s consensus: the research itself would have and Dramaturgs at Work still been worthy. «Te opportunity to fail was built into f rese Cio Davide the program, as it must be in any research-driven process», Actor Andy Massingham, who had his re- says Quirt in reference to the project; to its frst incarna- search on slapsticks and pratfalls as move- tion at the Teatre Centre, no less. Stageable, commercial ment phases hosted by Pure Research several results cannot be expected, when proper research is in- years ago, came up with the perfect term to de- volved: they would detract from the experimental focus, scribe the project’s work, especially in drama- imposing tethers upon it and ultimately causing its spark to turgical terms. He referred to Pure Research’s ‘succumb’ to compromise. Indeed, the lack of any produc- sessions as ‘researchals’: a portmanteau of tive intent is, according to Quirt, what defnes the project’s research and rehearsal, meant to highlight the work as ‘pure’. project’s double focus, split between careful It is a unique take on theatre, made more notable by feld research and eminently performed, Nightswimming’s own reputation as a stable and well-es- repetitive action (Quirt 2004: 3). Such term tablished company. A group willing, quite peculiarly, to bet is, at the same time, an excellent synthesis of its resources on projects which are assured not to bring any two of several diferents tasks entrusted to a income and which, from an outside perspective, might just dramaturg. Te dramaturg does the research, as well be fruitless artistically. It is something well worth he delves into knowledge collateral to the the ‘risk’, however: for it «might, occasionally, reveal some- play and tries to face the issue at hand from thing wonderful» (Quirt 2004: 1). as many angles as he can (Cardullo 1995: 4). Te dramaturg, however, is also a priceless Each year, the program calls out for submissions in Winter, addition to rehearsals. A discreet, diligent ob- catering to a wide audience of theatre practitioners willing server, who helps out performers, if they so to experiment and try their hand at unusual endeavours. wish, by submiting them to the opinion of an Once the call ends, Quirt examines the proposals and se- ‘outsider’ (Trencsényi 2015: 19). *44/
 It is my belief that dramaturgical practice per- sometimes have specialized dramaturgy professionals re- 21 meates most of Pure Research#s individual ferred to as ‘literary managers# (Trencsényi 2015: 14-17). workshops, and that specifc dramaturgical Tat can no longer be the case with Pure Research, with

tasks are at work – and are recognizable – in its a project focused on workshop-led writing processes and ResearchOf and Dramaturgs: Nightswimming T eatre’s ‘Pure Research’ Project writen documentation: available, in amounts ofentimes literature-free experiments. Most projects tend varying from project to project, on Pure Re- to refrain from ‘conventional# theatre sources, and rarely search#s online archive, established in 2016 ever list dramaturgs as text mediators. It is also worth no- (Quirt 2017: 14). Troughout the present ting that, having no literary sources to rely on, the Pure essay, I will rely on these documents to try Research dramaturg can no longer be called upon to act and trace the program#s dramaturgical activi- as a playwright#s ‘protector#, as the one in charge of pre- ty through several pojects which I fnd to be serving the play from the ‘interpretative subjectivism# – as more signifcant and relevant to the theme. late Italian scholar Claudio Meldolesi would have had it To start of, such range of dramaturgy-related (Meldolesi, Molinari 2007: 45) – of an overly cumber- qualities can be helpfully narrowed down and some director: ‘text# itself is no longer an issue, let alone made more precise by taking Pure Research#s ‘author#. Te very reliance on a writen source in projects unique formula into consideration. like Pure Research, afer all, becomes less prominent the Te lack of a productive output is the main more postdramatic theatre takes hold as a perfectly viable aspect to consider, when it comes to dealing alternative to text-based theatre; even for the dramaturg#s with the ‘conventional# activities of a drama- craf. Te «focus on elements other than language (or the turg. Indeed, this aspect alone is responsible script)» (Barnete 2017: 62) has the potential to be no less for impacting and removing the need for most dramaturgical than the critical adherence to the source or dramaturg-specifc tasks. All professionals in- script itself. And, if Pure Research does involve writing, it volved in the project are deprived of any pro- is much more likely to be ‘scenic#, born from workshops ductive concern, and focused exclusively on and ‘co-writen# through the contributions of all partici- the process. Tis, most notably, frees drama- pants (Mango 2003). turgs from any relationship with the ‘outside#. First of, the workshop-led outlook prevents Te main dramaturgical tasks lef to Pure Research dra- them from having anything to do with the maturgs, then, are the ones specifcally related to Massin- audience, from acting as cultural mediators to gham#s expressly-coined defnition. Te ones related to the public. If anything, they are the ones lef ‘researchals#: to a combination of (handling) research and as each endeavor#s only, informed spectators. (atending) rehearsals. Secondly, Pure Research#s outward focus con- As far as the frst aspect goes, Pure Research dramaturgs are curs with its wealth and diversity of interests most defnitely involved in workshops. Teir job, in such to remove the need for a ‘house dramaturg#: instances, is to interact with the proponents – whether ac- one tasked with establishing and preserving tors, performers or directors – in order to stimulate their the institution#s artistic guidelines and ove- work and help it grow; a purpose for which encourage- rarching interests, keeping them true and re- ment and challenge can be equally efective. In several ca- levant (Teatro Aperto 2004: 44). Being based ses (with Pure Research itself quite remarkably counting around external professionals and open to all a fair share of them) they might be seen as ‘critical chro- kinds of suggestions, there is no specifc desi- niclers# of sort: entrusted with carefully keeping track of gn to be enforced. What#s more, the previou- the work, its process and its results; if there are indeed any. sly mentioned lack of proper audience leaves Whereas dramaturgs in ‘mainstream# productions are no- participants free to bend artistic guidelines to ted for having a deep involvement with the play#s director, ft the individual needs of each project. Pure Research instead has them interact with proponen- Lastly, even the one characteristic most clo- ts: individuals whose professional backgrounds can range sely associated to the dramaturg#s work – at wildly from director to actor, performer and singer. Italian least in the public eye – is ‘sacrifced# on Pure critic and theatre expert Mario Raimondo once referred to Research#s altar: that of the dramaturg as a the dramaturg as the director#s «mirror», as somone tru- text mediator, responsible for innovating the sted and close, but perfectly willing to let their peer know play while keeping it faithful to the spirit of when they are going ‘of track# (Teatro Aperto 2004: 51). its source. English-speaking customs would Teir image is not a complacent one: if anything, they can *44/
 22 be a ‘distorting# mirror. And a chance to refect the image of a professional other than a director is assured to be an Explicit Dramaturgs: Manifest Professionals interesting one. and Practitioners Coming to the second aspect, the short amount of time spanned by each project makes ‘preliminary# research a Explicit references to dramaturgy most ofen more tenuous possibility. Most of the investigation, when come in the form of neutral statements: dra- dealing with the program#s uniqueness, is likely to stem maturgs – or individuals openly identifed as from a ‘surplus# of previous knowledge (defnition coined such – are noted to be present at the rehears- in ibidem: 36) and experience on several topics, rather als, and might already be found invested with than from accurate, project-specifc investigation. While specifc tasks. Such is the case with projects 5, the waiting period between the proposals and their actual 6, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. All of them realization might grant some leeway for information gathe- start of by merely acknowledging the pres- ring, afording dramaturgs space for ‘proper# research, such ence of one or more dramaturgs. Others go window of time is scarcely documented; if at all. further than that, highlighting specifc drama- turgical contributions to their work. For the Having identifed the most recurring types of dramaturgic sake of relevance to the issue at hand, I will skills and tasks visible throughout Pure Research#s activity, only refer to the more noteworthy instances. I fnd it only fting to clarify the main types of dramaturgs 17. Experiencing Sprechgesang, Teatre’s For- which I believe can be found among those involved in the goten Instrument counted two dramaturgs in program. Pure Research, from my point of view, seems to its ranks: Quirt and his long-time collabora- count two main types of dramaturgy professionals in its tor, DD Kugler. A dramaturg and a director, ranks: ‘explicit dramaturgs# and ‘implicit dramaturgs#. Such Kugler has also served as Associate Professor formulas, while perhaps too blatant in form, serve to di- in the Teatre Area of School for the Con- stinguish those who are ofcially referred to as dramaturgs temporary Arts at Vancouver’s Simon Fraser from those who, to varying degrees, took on a dramaturgi- University (Canadian Teatre Encyclopedia, cal role for Pure Research, but otherwise aren#t known to Kugler’s profle). And, while both of them are customarily practice dramaturgy as a profession. Te for- explicitly referred to as the project’s drama- mer category will try and fnd validation of its statements turgs, Kugler gets more atention. He is de- through either direct acknowledgements on the program#s scribed as having «dramaturged» the work f rese Cio Davide materials or professional profles available elsewhere. In both prior and during its creative process, as addition, explicit dramaturgs ought to be further divided well as having been the one responsible for in two sub-categories. Dramaturgy professionals aten- securing space and resources. Tere’s more: he ding workshops as members of Nightswimming Teatre took notes throughout it, documenting each or Pure Research will be counted among ‘external explicit day’s activity. A similar task, however, also dramaturgs#; professionals who took part in the program fell on Leora Morris, back then a dramaturg as visitors for a given workshop (or indeed, as the work- intern at Nightswimming3. Project 17 was ef- shop#s very proponents) will instead be considered ‘inter- fectively followed by three dramaturgs; two nal explicit dramaturgs#. Furthemore, under the category of them actively documenting its process (17. of implicit dramaturgs I will also be including references Report: 1)4. Tis very same team was also ac- to peculiar instances of non-individual dramaturgy; two of tive on the following project, 18. Physicality which I believe can be found throughout the most relevant and Text (18. Report: 1). Kugler was, again, projects. responsible for both resources and documen- A note should be immediately made about Pure Resear- tation. Te project report, this time, went out ch#s director. For all intents and purposes, Quirt ought to of its way to include his notes, afectionately always be considered the leading explicit dramaturg. He referred to as writen in a «Kugler-code», is virtually a constant; quite possibly providing the enti- and considered highly useful to the work itself rety of the program#s work with a dramaturgical observer, (ibidem: 8-11)5. by default. However, his role as Pure Research#s director, 19. Life Abstracted, too, takes place under unless specifcally stated or demonstrated, might belie his Quirt and Kuggler’s eyes. Te two, in this presence as an active dramaturg, which ought to be ascer- case, were also credited evenly by proponent tained through mention or facts. Nita Bowerman, who went on to grateful- *44/
 ly thank them «for providing the resources gs themselves. It is the territory of internal explicit drama- 23 and space to explore her curiosity, for their turgs, unafliated with Nightswimming or Pure Research guidance before and during the research pe- itself.

riod, and for challenging me to refne and 8. Te Invitation was one of the workshops which directly ResearchOf and Dramaturgs: Nightswimming T eatre’s ‘Pure Research’ Project articulate her core research questions» (19. involved Quirt in its process: by having him dress up in a Report: 2). Tey procured the resources, frst full Victorian garb, that is. Tis time, he was merely a par- and foremost, and then went on to ‘drama- ticipant among many; all of them subsequently asked for turg’ the process as it went on. Last but not their personal opinions on the experience through specifc least, they provided a litle challenge. Tey questionairres. Sagacious and precise as they were, his ob- challenged Bowerman to improve, to put her- servations were still given as a participant (8. Report: 1-3). self to the test, and to formulate the question It is worth noting, however, that someone else on site was she really ought to have been asking: all the there to provide a ‘foreign# perspective. Moynan King, one beter to fnd the right answer. To challenge of Te Invitation#s own proponents, has worked as a drama- the actor and the director both, to put them in turg for the Toronto Women#s Caucus of the Playwrights# an uncomfortable or unusual position in or- Guild of Canada (8. Biographies: 2). Perhaps unsurprisin- der to stimulate their creativity, is yet another gly, one of the more strictly audience-focused projects in dramaturgical task; one dearest to those who Pure Research#s roster was proposed by someone with a are directly involved in rehearsals. Te threat dramaturgical background. of habit, of sterile and repetitive ossifcation, Te next project relying on its own professional, 11. Te looms heavily over both theatre professionals. Choral Revolution, was eminently musical in nature. It re- Te dramaturg, then, is the one responsible quired its «dramaturge» (as this and other projects# spel- for ‘shaking things up’, disrupting balance, in ling would have it) to keep the subject chorus expressive order to create something which is new in and theatrical. Te role of dramaturg thus fell to an outsi- form, but true to the play’s spirit. Always the der well-versed in the musical craf: Nick Carpenter, a sta- mediator, in this case the dramaturg can also ge composer and musician who also has several experien- act as a ‘reactivator’; one capable of afecting ces as dramaturg under his belt. And indeed, as far as Te both text and stage (Teatro Aperto 2004: 55). Choral Revolution goes, Carpenter was employed as dra- Project 22, Acting for Teatre and Camera, is maturgy professional, and granted a small fee for his work also remarkable. While somewhat lacking in such feld (11. Research Proposal: 1-2; Carpenter#s pro- in proper references, the project notes have fle is available on his own website). Quirt commended for a quality which, else- 10. Te Box, lastly, comes with a «wish list» of theatre pro- where (Quirt 2009: 4), he himself went on to fessionals not included in the starting budget; a group whi- describe as necessary for a good dramaturg: ch would atend the experiment as audience, and whose patience. His «wisdom and gentle sense of hu- desired members have their multiple specializations spe- mor» were benefcial to the project, too, and cifed. No less than four of them are listed as dramaturges likely no less dramaturgical (22. Report: 15). (10. Budget: 1). Following the approval of the project and Te last project in Pure Research’s archive, a preliminary skimming, two dramaturges remain. Both of 24. Discovering Physical Narrative in Unusual them, now, are referred to as «artistic advisors» (10. Ap- Source Material, is by far the most connected plication Leter: 2). An interesting defnition: one which, to dramaturgy. As such, it will be the object of in established and product-led theatres, tends to refer to a a proper, in-depth dissertation in the last sec- prominent, frequently dramaturgical role (Teatro Aperto: tion of the present essay. 83). Quirt, of course, is also present. Tis time, however, he is involved in a diferent capacity than usual. As was the Quirt#s role as a famed dramaturg and the case with project 8, Quirt participates as a performer, di- abundancy of similar professionals at Night- rectly involved in the ‘game# which focuses on the epony- swimming seems to have minimized the re- mous, cubical ‘box#: the self-made, man-sized tool whose quest for an external dramaturg, as far as most scenic potential proponents are trying to gauge (10. Re- proponents were concerned. However, some port: 1-5). of them still felt the need to have dramaturgy Te presence of diferent dramaturgs in two of the main practitioners join them from outside; this, ob- works which went on to involve Quirt as a participant, in viously, if the proponents were not dramatur- my opinion, goes a long way to highlighting the importan- *44/
 24 ce of dramaturgs in Pure Research. When the privileged Te penultimate session of the project was an observer is busy participating in the project, someone ne- open one, ofering a short performance to a eds to make his perspective their own, to keep an objective voluntary audience. By carefully observing the grip on the work. spectators# reaction (and most likely by direct- ly interacting with some of them), the propo- Implicit Dramaturgs: an Alleged Professional and Two nent was able to come up with accurate obser- ‘Dramaturgized" Audiences vations regarding the response of foreign eyes to his exploit (1. Report: 4-5). Julien put him- Indirect references to a surmised dramaturgical practice in self to the test, striving to improve what might Pure Research projects, on the other hand, require a dif- become his actual performance through the ferent, more cautious kind of investigation. It seems legit, help of a foreign perspective. What he created then, to look for more subtle clues of dramaturgical activi- by interacting with an impromptu audience ty: hints pointing towards the alleged presence of a drama- and submiting to their judgement, in a sense, turg or a dramaturg-like role, where institution and career might be counted as an impersonal, drama- would ofcially have none. turgical outlook. A proper dramaturg was not Tree main projects spring to mind, when dealing with this openly credited, but, even when dealing with a elusive category of dramaturgy. Project 12 all but declares process-led experiment, the need for external one of its participants to have acted as its dramaturg, despi- feedback was felt deeply6. te never having directly worked as one: the subject#s back- ground as a college professor, however, fts the academic Project 13 follows a similar outline, but adopts undertone of the profession. I believe projects 1 and 13, diferent methods. It is, unsurprisingly, Moy- on the other hand, to be unique, and uniquely concerned nan King#s doing: she is the proponent for the with an unconventional, collective form of dramaturgy. appropriately titled Te Unsuspecting Audience, Tey shall be discussed in a moment. considered a direct continuation to her work While 12. Kinesthetic Transference in Performance refrains on Te Invitation (13. Report: 1). Once again from even listing Quirt among those involved, its reports dealing with costuming as a form of interaction bring atention to another professional: Suzanne Jaeger, with the public (and this time involving, among a college professor and professional dancer currently em- other outfts, a white, fufy bear costume; ibi- ployed as the research ofcer for the Faculty of Fine Arts dem: 2), project 13 took another approach to f rese Cio Davide at York University (profle on Te Dance Current websi- the ‘dramaturgical professionalization# of the te). While never actively employed as a dramaturg, Jae- audience: King invited a number of spectators ger#s activity throughout the work was indeed ripe with to atend Te Unsuspecting Audience#s proces- dramaturgical elements: what she provided, according to ses, performed in urban spaces, under the eyes Erika Batdorf, was «a quiet and completely trustworthy, of the entire population of Toronto, and docu- non-judgmental [sic] and yet critical eye» (12. Report: ment what they saw. 5). Elsewhere, such description could have easily and quite thoroughly illustrated the perspective required of a full-fe- We would like to invite you to come by these va- dged dramaturg. In addition, much like Kugler did for other rious locations where we will be performing, and projects, Jaeger was busy taking notes the entire time. She act as subtle witnesses; to observe and document whatever interests or excites you, it may or may not was a proper «observer», and «for one full day», conclu- be us. And we would love to have a record of your des Batdorf (ibidem: 1). A most satisfed assessment that, impressions (a photo or audio from your cell pho- paired with her previous statements, could point to Jaeger ne, a writen response). as some sort of ‘para-dramaturg# for the work. (13. Invitation to Observe: 1)

Te frst documented Pure Research project, 1. Voice, Mu- Tis time, they were the ones taking notes. Te sic and Narrative, makes no mention whatsoever of drama- rest of the audience might have been ‘unsus- turgy. None at all. Even Quirt#s name is only dropped once, pecting’, but they were anything but. To will- in the application leter, as the program#s coordinator (1. ingly show up at the public ‘rehearsals’ and to Application Leter: 1). However, Martin Julien#s work on provide specifc, individual feedback on them the dramatic value of music is careful to take a dramaturgi- is, quite likely, the more openly dramaturgical cal aspect and make it its own: a foreign viewer#s response. task one could hope to aford the audience. *44/
 King, afer all, was busy doing something else: However, their role is merely to fank another couple, one of 25 strolling around Toronto in a business suit, on internal dramaturgs: Garfnkel and Schneck themselves are a date with a polar bear (actually Sherri Hay, dramaturgy professionals, with several jobs on their backs.

her fellow proponent for both Te Invitation Teir application has the former referred to as «director- ResearchOf and Dramaturgs: Nightswimming T eatre’s ‘Pure Research’ Project and Te Unsuspecting Audience; 13. Report: 6). dramaturg/creator», whereas the later is a «choreogra- Te very act of performing the workshop pher-dramaturg/creator» (24. Application Leter: 2). Each in public, aside from making it an anomaly of them is skilled in multiple felds, but dramaturgy is their among the usually reserved Pure Research en- common ground of expertise. deavors (even more so than project 1 and 8), ended up efectively creating a fssure between Four dramaturgs, then, are found working on a project whose the observers: dividing those who were specif- stated goal is to «discover new dramaturgical potentials ically invited to observe and document from by approaching non-poetic texts through physically those who were, quite simply, ‘subjected’ to demanding movement styles, found items, performance vision. People around Toronto, busy in their theory and rules» (ibidem: 1): «non-poetic texts» being, everyday life, happened upon Te Unsuspect- in their case, pamphlets. Garfnkel and Schneck spent a gen- ing Audience, which was bent on probing their erous amount of time collecting pamphlets from various reaction as the main goal of its research. Te locations around Vancouver (24. Report: 2), and went on project, for all intents and purposes, could be to base their Pure Research project on this modest writen related to the practice of ‘social experiments’. source. Tey employed it as their source, and as their stan- Even as a ‘mere’ theatre experiment, however, dard: the theatre form they were aiming for was meant to the work is a breakthrough among those pre- be «as direct and immediate as a pamphlet, and as transac- sented by Pure Research: it not only split the tional with the physical exchange of information» (ibidem). audience, but capitalized on a selected part of it Working with their chosen performers under the watch- for dramaturg-like feedback. ful eye of the external dramaturgs, the proponents sought to create physical choreography related to the content of Case Study: Discovering Physical Narrative pamphlets, and capable of instinctively conveying it to the in Unusual Source Material audience. Something as minor and common as pamphlets, to build the foundations of meaningful and engaged actions Closing the list of projects detailed on Pure and movements. To build «taches»: gestures informed Research’s archive as the twenty-fourth work, by the point of view of specifc pamphlets, and manifestly Discovering Physical Narrative in Unusual Source incorporating it in their structure (24. Report: 3-7). Garf- Material was proposed by Joanna Garfnkel inkel and Schneck share a populist, non-elitist approach to and Natalie Schneck. Submited in January art; while intellectual in nature, their work is frst and fore- 2013 for Pure Research Vancouver (24. Ap- most meant to be emotionally impactful and accessible, ft plication Leter), it took place during three to «resonate» with a wide spectrum of difering audiences days, between May 30th and June 1st, at the (24. Clarifying our Pure Research approach). Woodward Centre of Simon Fraser University What#s more, the project was to be useful to others. Te in Vancouver, away from the program’s usual proponents hoped to create a dramaturgical template which Torontonian abode (24. Project home on Pure could be employed by other artists, across diferent felds, to Research Archive). Project 24 is, by all means, approach similarly non-narrative «found materials». It was the most interesting work recorded on Pure meant to beneft other creators and, more specifcally, other Research’s website, as far as dramaturgical anal- dramaturgs: a template, in Garfnkel and Schneck#s opinion, yses go. Its very intent is a dramaturgical one, serves to establish the dramaturg as a «collaborative peer», and openly referred to as such on multiple oc- rather than a «judge». It deconstructs the threat of a «hie- casions by its proponents. rarchical outside eye», preventing the dramaturg from be- Te work is, frst and foremost, notable for ex- coming a «shaper-afer-the-fact» and ensuring that, on the pressly housing both types of ‘explicit drama- contrary, they can act as a «co-builder» for the project at turgs’ treated in previous sections. Quirt and hand (ibidem). Kugler – as is the case with all Vancouver proj- ects – are present and involved, acting as the work’s external dramaturgs (24. Report: 1; 3). *44/
 26 Discovering Physical Narrative in Unusual Source Material collection», concerned with unusual languag- thus presents itself as an inherently dramaturgical project, es, phrases and imagery. However, they were and yet one that, appearance-wise, is largely unrelated to tra- also careful to retain semblances befting in- ditional dramaturgy. Te source is too artistically incidental formation-seekers. Still unconcerned, at this to require a ‘standard’ mediator to transpose it on-stage in stage, with the «artistic or social remove of an efective and true way; research has no specifc context to an outsider»: an atitude which, while sincere involve and actively scrutinize in search of clues and stimuli. in approach and respectful, also led them to It is my opinion, however, that these very traits are the ones a dangerous, if brief, altercation with several rendering a dramaturg necessary. Necessary to make sense young men (24. Report: 2). of the colorful, ofentimes bland source material, usually One Pure Research document, Selected Pam- lost on the public eye and rapidly disposed of as trash. Con- phlet Contexts, is especially helpful in defn- temporary men are overexposed to pamphlets, cheap ways ing the duo’s preliminary work as a research through which the world around them tries to draw their at- process, rather than a mere search. It is spe- tention to a myriad of difering topics; one which is too large cifcally devoted to the establishments where to be made sense of, let alone understood. It takes critical the writen material came from. Te paper thinking to look beyond the veil of banality and apparent lists seven distinct locations and reports im- irrelevance inborn to advertising material, to fnd meaning pressions on several nondescript others; only in something that presents itself as having none. As Garfn- a part of Garfnkel and Schneck’s massive, kel and Schneck did, I dare say, by pointing out how pam- months-long search is covered. Quite telling- phlets all share a common subtext, being inherently borne ly, and in the majority of instances, interest for of «crisis»: bred by observing a distressful situation, and the source and productive context of the pam- trying to ofer simple, immediate hints on how to contain or phlet trumps the pamphlet itself: impressions escape it. Teir «planned immediacy» is either meant as a and details are given about places and people, precautionary warning or as an invitation to steer away from rather than writen text. Pamphlets, if anything, a wrong path while there is still time (24. Report: 2). Tey are perceived as some sort of ideal extension of are, if anything, ‘literature of distress’; alarm signals spelled their respective production sites, molded in out in fat, unambiguous ways. their image. Te best example is most likely St. Garfnkel and Schneck were confronted with one of the most Michael’s Senior Hospice: reported as being common texts in contemporary society, one which people only inhabited, to the perception of witness- f rese Cio Davide usually fail to acknowledge as such, but they relized its frivo- es, by «sof and respectful» individuals (both lous semblance and desensitizing overabundance concealed nurses and seniors themselves), and thus prone a deeply-felt message. Having come to this realization, they to produce «almost painfully unobtrusive» proceeded to fnd a form of theatre ft to transpose such un- pamhplets. Indeed, several locations are men- derrated, immediate communication to the stage. Physical tioned despite not having provided Garfnkel action devoid of words, then, must have sprung to their at- and Schneck with any pamphlet (24. Selected tention as the optimal solution: one gifed with immediacy Pamphlet Contexts: 1-2): even so, they lef and efectiveness, and unburdened by excessive or misinter- enough on an impression on the duo to earn a pretable complexity. In the end, the two of them lived up to mention. And I am prone to assume even such their role as mediators, discovering the perfect form to trans- passing interactions, though lacking a writen pose their source into performance, while upholding the reference, became part of the cauldron of expe- original’s spirit and general context. Tey were also careful to riences which helped shape the project’s use of defne what they perceived to be each pamphlet’s individual pamphlets. Tey all fowed into the collective subtext during the initial phase of the work: showing up at ‘surplus knowledge’ which informed Discover- workshops with distinct, well-defned ‘souls’ for their source ing Physical Narrative in Unusual Source Materi- material (24. Categories of Pamphlets). al’s work about its unassuming writen source, making it a promising endeavor in postdramat- Te search for pamphlets was no less engaging than the work ic, dramaturgy-led theatre. on them: indeed, it might be considered actual research. Te Te most tangible fruit of Garfnkel and duo went around Vancouver collecting the pamphlets, but Schneck’s endeavor is, quite ftingly, a pam- their greatest care went to where pamphlets were found. phlet: one assembled during the workshops by Teir investigation had the two employ a «curatorial eye of taking all source material into consideration, *44/
 and which led research and experimentation cas (LMDA) 27 during its last phases (24. Assembled Research htps://lmda.org/, web (last accessed 30/07/19) Text page). Te most concrete, immediate tes- National Teatre School of Canada

tament of what dramaturgy can achieve, even htps://ent-nts.ca/en, web (last accessed 30/07/19) ResearchOf and Dramaturgs: Nightswimming T eatre’s ‘Pure Research’ Project when only gifed the humblest of sources. Nick Carpenter htps://nickcarpenter.ca/home, web (last accessed 30/07/19) Nightswimming Teatre Bibliography htp://nightswimmingtheatre.com/, web (last accessed 30/07/19) Barnete, J., Adapturgy. Te Dramaturg!s Art and Pure Research Archive Teatrical Adaptation, Southern Illinois University htp://pureresearch.ca/, web (last accessed 30/07/19) Press, Carbondale (Illinois) 2017. Quirt, Brian, Pure Research, «Canadian Teatre Review», n. Cardullo, B., What is Dramaturgy?, Peter Lang Pub- lishing, New York 2000. 119, Summer 2004, Gianakaris, C. J., “Te American View: Te Future http://nightswimmingtheatre.com/temp/wp-content/ for Dramaturgs on U.S. Campuses”, What is Dra- uploads/2011/09/Pure-Research.pdf, online (last accessed maturgy?, Peter Lang Publishing, New York 2000. 30/07/19) Mango, L., La scritura scenica. Un codice e le sue pra- Te Dance Current. Canada#s Dance Magazine tiche nel teatro del Novecento, Bulzoni, Roma 2003. htps://www.thedancecurrent.com/, online (last accessed Meldolesi, C. – Molinari, R., Il lavoro del drama- 30/07/19) turg. Nel teatro dei testi con le ruote, Ubulibri, Milano Toronto Teatre Database 2007. htps://tdb.ca/, web (last accessed 30/07/19) Orr, S., Recognition for the City of Wine project, «Te Journal of Dramaturgy», v. 19, n. 2, Summer 2009: 3. Notes Quirt, B., Brian Quirt’s Elliot Hayes Award Accep- tance Speech, «Te Journal of Dramaturgy», v. 19, 1 References to individual interns are presented further into the essay. n. 2, Summer 2009: 4-6. 2 Tis is not the case with Pure Research Vancouver, a branch of Quirt, B., “Contemporary new play dramaturgy in the project set in the eponymous town, which tends to call out for Canada”, Te Routledge Companion to Dramaturgy, submissions beforehand in order to stage its workshops during Routledge 2016: 25-29. Summer (Pure Research Archive, Nightswimming’s Documents, Quirt, B., Work Quickly but Tink Slowly, «Canadi- Call for Submissions). an Teatre Review», n. 172, Fall 2017: 14-17. 3 Several other projects, while not strictly necessary to the present dissertation, were atended by other intern dramaturgs: Andrea Teatro Aperto (ed.), Il dramaturg: ati del convegno Romaldi, Marie Barlizo (5. Report: 1; professional profles avail- Walkie-Talkie 2003, Il principe costante, Pozzuolo able, respectively, on the sites of the National Teatre School of del Friuli 2004. Canada and Imago Teatre) and Rachel Steinberg (21. Report: 2; Trencsényi, K ., Dramaturgy in the Making: A professional profle on the Toronto Teatre Database). User!s Guide for Teatre Practitioners, Bloomsbury 4 Mentions of specifc documents of Pure Research’s archive will Methuen Drama, Great Britain 2015. henceforth be made by listing the document itself preceded by the number associated to its dedicated project (stemming from the Van Kerkhoven, M., European Dramaturgy in the order in which the works are listed in the archive). 21th Century. A constant movement, «Performance 5 Quirt and Kugler are also noted to be always present for projects Research», v. 14, n. 3, September 2009: 7-11. explored in Pure Research’s Vancouver branch, distinct from the main Toronto ‘hub’ (Call for Submissions). 6 It’s worth noting that the initial application was much more spe- Sitography cifc in this regard: the last of its requirements was that for «At least part-time availability of Nightswimming ‘staf’ to act as experimen- tal ‘receptors’ and givers of feedback» (1. Application: 4). However, Canadian Teatre Encyclopedia no dramaturgs are mentioned in the following documents. http://www.canadiantheatre.com/dict. pl?action=index, web (last accessed 30/07/19) Imago Teatre htps://www.imagotheatre.ca/home-2/, web (last accessed 30/07/19) Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Ameri- *44/
 28 Nuovi dispositivi scenici per vecchie drammaturgie: gli Amleto di Robert Lepage Vincenzo Sansone

tra culture diferenti come in La Trilogie des dragons in cui la Cina si incontra col Canada. Le drammaturgie dei suoi Robert Lepage’s theatrical practise has two pecu- spetacoli sono spesso scrite da lui stesso, mentre altre vol- liarities: the use of devices that recall ancient stage te sono fruto di un lavoro di scritura colletiva. Oltre alla machinery together with new technologies and the recovery of a previous show to build a new one with stesura di nuove drammaturgie, Lepage non rifuta il con- new devices. Tis can be seen especially in his visions fronto con i testi classici e nelle sue produzioni si ritrovano of Hamlet. In Elsinore (1995) a revolving machine molte opere shakespeariane. Accanto alle proprie creazio- and an electronic video, Hamlet›s mirror, gives life ni, Lepage realizza anche lavori su commissione, come il to all the characters with a single actor who speaks to the image of himself. In Hamlet|Collage (2013), the wagneriano Der Ring des Nibelungen per il Metropolitan di ‘re-staging’ of Elsinore, the same result is achieved New York (2010-2012), che però assumono i trati stilisti- thanks to a rotating suspended cube and to a video ci ed estetici del suo operato1. projection mapping (here there is also a mirror for Osservando i lavori di Lepage inoltre, si può notare una the only actor who plays all the characters). Tis sus- delle sue carateristiche fondamentali e allo stesso tempo pended cube is the same that Lepage used in 2013 in Les aiguilles et opium, a revival of the 1991 show. più evidenti: l#impiego di dispositivi che, nella loro fun- Te analysis of these Hamlets and the comparison be- zione scenica, traggono ispirazione o sono riproposizioni tween the two, demonstrates that the use of the same di antiche macchine scenotecniche migliorate dall#appor- machines allows for an understanding of this particu- to delle contemporanee tecnologie, anche se spesso sono lar working process in contemporary theatre. utilizzate come nell#antichità, mosse dalla mano dell#uomo che gli imprime carateri di indeterminatezza e di imperfe- zione tanto cari al regista, una combinazione tra automa- Per un"introduzione. Brevi accenni sul- zione e manualità. Un esempio in tal senso è Jeux de cartes la modalità creativa di Robert Lepage (2012-2013), la cui scena è composta da una piataforma circolare che può muoversi e che presenta diverse buche a pratica artistica del regista canadese che la connetono a una sorta di sotopalco da cui dei tec- Robert Lepage può essere considerata nici di scena controllano gli oggeti che devono andare per certi versi inusuale e per altri un sulla scena. Assieme alle macchine propriamente teatrali, Lunicum nel panorama teatrale internazionale. Lepage ricorre spesso ai dispositivi otici che grande for- Originario del Quebec, dopo gli studi iniziali tuna e sviluppo ebbero nel XIX secolo, come in Andersen di arte drammatica, Lepage approfondisce la Project (2005), in cui utilizza un panorama per proietare sua formazione a Parigi e, una volta ritornato contenuti visivi, collegato a un sistema pneumatico che nel paese natale, inizia la sua atività professio- gonfa la stofa che lo ricopre, deformando le immagini. La nale. Nel 1985, con lo spetacolo La Trilogie sua operazione artistica però non si esaurisce nella ripro- des dragons, otiene i primi riconoscimenti in- posizione di antichi espedienti scenici, poiché tuti questi ternazionali e da allora i suoi spetacoli sono dispositivi si connetono sempre all#uso delle nuove tecno- ospitati in tuto il mondo. Temi ricorrenti ma logie in scena che assumono una funzione drammaturgica. non esclusivi del suo teatro sono la memo- Quest#aspeto, tra i tanti esempi, è perfetamente visibile in ria, sia personale sia colletiva, come in 887 Der Ring des Nibelungen, messo in scena ricorrendo a un#u- (2015) dove vicende della sua vita si incontra- nica e imponente macchina formata da assi che accolgono no con eventi storici del Quebec, e il dialogo proiezioni video, un connubio di ingegneria meccanica, *44/
 idraulica, di forza manuale e di video digitale Gli Amleto a confronto: diferenti macchine sceniche 29 che permete di raccontare tuta la tetralogia per uno stesso racconto drammaturgico (Bergamasco 2018).

Lepage dunque annienta la distanza tempora- Perché Elsinore è la personale visione di Lepage piutosto Nuovi dispositivi scenici per vecchie drammaturgie: gli Amleto di Robert Lepage le e la distinzione tra mezzi teatrali tradiziona- che la messa in scena del dramma di Shakespeare? Il regi- li e nuove tecnologie, che diventano disposi- sta crea Elsinore come un solo-show, con un unico atore tivi funzionali, come quelli del passato, utili a che interpreta tuti i ruoli. Questo fa sì che la trama subisca realizzare le sue produzioni. L#impiego di tuti una riduzione e che le atmosfere create dalla presenza con- questi apparati, infati, non assume solo carat- temporanea dei vari personaggi non possano essere create tere scenografco ma le macchine sono parte anche perché non volute. Seppur Lepage rispeti il testo, della drammaturgia e permetono e determi- scava dentro i cinque ati di Shakespeare per estrapolare il nano il suo sviluppo nella messa in scena. nucleo fondante del dramma e farlo emergere chiaramen- Il particolare lavoro di sintesi tra vecchi e nuo- te: l#opposizione tra Amleto e la corte di Elsinore. Tale vi elementi scenotecnici è applicato dal regi- operazione è delicata innanzituto proprio per l#intervento sta anche alla stessa drammaturgia che a vol- massiccio operato sulla drammaturgia di Shakespeare ma te rimete in scena a distanza di anni ma con anche perché nel 1995, nel periodo di realizzazione della nuovi dispositivi tecnologicamente avanzati. performance, altri due grandi protagonisti della scena tea- Anna Maria Monteverdi (2018a), a propo- trale contemporanea, Robert Wilson con Hamlet: a mono- sito di questo particolare aspeto, analizzan- logue e Peter Brook con Qui est là, creano le proprie visioni do lo spetacolo Les Aiguilles et l!opium nelle di Amleto. Proprio a questa strana congiunzione lo studio- sue versioni del 1991 e del 2013, parla ironi- so Andy Lavender dedica un suo scrito, analizzando i tre camente, in tempi di continuo ‘upgrade#, di spetacoli, con l#intento di comprendere come il testo di aggiornamento del sofware per riferirsi alla Shakespeare sia stato interpretato dai tre registi: nuova macchina dell#ultima edizione, ‘aggior- nata# rispeto all#edizione precedente. None of them treated the play in any-thing like an orthodox man- Sempre in quest#otica Lepage crea nel 2013, ner. Lepage and Wilson both ‘starred# in their own one-man shows per il Teatre of Nations di Mosca, la perfor- (Lepage wasn#t quite solo, since he worked with a double). Wilson#s monologue was the more spare, relying on striking stage imagery mance Hamlet|Collage che, seppur cambi ti- and a sophisticated sound design. Lepage#s show was a feat of tech- tolo rispeto a quanto accade per Les Aiguilles nical bravado, using revolving screens, slide and video projections et l!opium, sembra una nuova messa in scena, and live computerised treatments of voice and image. Brook#s pro- con nuovi dispositivi, di un precedente spet- duction was a glimpse of possible stagings of Hamlet within an au- tacolo, la sua personale visione dell#Amleto dacious framework: the performers discussed the play in the light of di Shakespeare, Elsinore del 1995. Proprio lo the theatrical approaches of fve eminent European directors (Craig, Stanislavskij, Meyerhold, Artaud and Brecht) and a thirteenth-cen- spetacolo del 2013 ha una streta relazione tury Noh master named Zeami. (Lavender 2001: 3-4) con la nuova edizione di Les Aiguilles et l!o- pium, poiché, in entrambe le creazioni, Le- Monteverdi, a tal proposito, fa notare la diversità dei tre page impiega lo stesso dispositivo scenico. spetacoli: «Si trata, in realtà, di lavori molto distanti: Quest#ultimo fato rivela un#ulteriore peculia- Lepage allestisce una scena tecnologica-modernista, Wil- rità dell#operato di Lepage che, oltre a recupe- son sintetizza e accentua il dramma nel ricercato contrasto rare un precedente spetacolo per costruirne bianco e nero delle luci di scena, Brook guarda alla tradi- uno nuovo con nuovi dispositivi, impiega zione del teatro» (Monteverdi 2004: 124). in casi come questo lo stesso dispositivo ma Proprio in questa scena tecnologica sta la chiave per osser- per metere in scena drammaturgie comple- vare la visione di Amleto secondo Lepage. Come, infati, tamente diferenti tra di loro. L#analisi degli aferma Ric Knowles: ‘Amleto# di Robert Lepage e un confronto dei dispositivi scenici della versione del 2013 e de Publishing or reading Elsinore, “writen and directed by Robert Les Aiguilles et l!opium del 2013 permeteran- Lepage,” according to the show#s program, seems misguided. Te no di evidenziare nel concreto quanto fnora play#s claim to fame is its inventive computer-controlled hydraulic deto sui trati unici e peculiari del regista ca- staging rather than its text, afer all, and not a word of the script is in fact “writen” by Robert Lepage - at least not as writing is con- nadese. ventionally understood. (Knowles 2002: 87) *44/
 30 L#operazione di Lepage, infati, non è stretamente connes- suoi disegni del 1907 e citando, proprio in sa con la drammaturgia intesa in senso streto, che rimane, quest#occasione, l#esperienza non proprio for- come già anticipato, fedele al testo shakespeariano, seppur tunata avuta con l#Hamlet di Mosca: ridota, ma piutosto la sua operazione di ‘scritura# è quel- la che compie sulla scena da cui scaturisce anche l#adata- Questa scena minore, Le Mille scene in Una, l#ho mento del testo teatrale originale. È il dispositivo scenico adoperata una volta in un teatro a Mosca per rap- utilizzato che permete di adatare il testo all#unico atore presentare l#Amleto […]. Sebbene in totale sia stata adoperata per cinquecento spetacoli circa, che interpreta tuti i ruoli, poiché i suoi vari movimenti e suppongo non è mai stata adoperata secondo i le sue varie articolazioni fsiche nello spazio consentono miei desideri, tranne che per due grandi palcosce- sia lo svolgimento delle singole scene, sia il passaggio tra nici-modello che ho costruito a Firenze. Su questi le scene e sia i cambiamenti che l#atore deve compiere per palcoscenici le ho dato modo di vivere, e si è com- passare da un personaggio all#altro. portata bene. A Mosca o a Dublino invece non è La macchina di Elsinore, progetata da Carl Fillon, uno dei stata davvero libera di essere se stessa, e non pos- so credere che sia andata bene. […] La chiamo la fedeli collaboratori di Lepage, è una piataforma di allumi- quinta scena perché va incontro alle esigenze dello nio che si muove e ruota per tuto il tempo dell#azione: spirito moderno: lo spirito dell#incessante muta- mento. Gli scenari che abbiamo usato in teatro per Un enorme pianale metallico quadrato può alzarsi in verticale a secoli erano soltanto i vecchi statici scenari fati per 180°, sollevarsi parallelamente al palco, diventando indistintamen- essere cambiati. Tut#altra cosa quindi da una scena te muro, softo o parete. Il dispositivo (che lo stesso Lepage chia- che per sua natura sia mobile. Tale scena ha inoltre ma “the machine”) contiene, invisibile, un disco circolare, che per- un volto (io lo chiamo così), un volto espressivo. mete, solidale con la parete o autonomamente, ulteriori rotazioni, La sua superfcie riceve la luce, e, a seconda che la lente o veloci; quest#ultimo dispositivo circolare ricorda l#enkyk- luce cambi posizione, compia altri mutamenti, e la lema, la piataforma rotante che nel teatro greco veniva usata per scena stessa vari le sue posizioni – la luce e la scena mostrare quanto avveniva all#interno di un ambiente. Esatamente si muovono di concerto come in un dueto, ed ese- collocato al centro del disco, un varco retangolare usato come una guono delle fgurazioni come in una danza – il suo porta, fnestra o tomba. (Monteverdi 2004: 130) volto esprime ogni emozione che io desidero farle esprimere. […] Non è necessario abbassare il si- Come osserva la studiosa, la macchina di Elsinore si rifà pario durante lo spetacolo per passare dalla prima all#enkyklema greca, ma mentre quest#ultima ruotava sem- scena alla seconda, poi alla terza fno a raggiungere plicemente per mostrare i risultati di un evento eferato la sedicesima. (Craig 2016: 187-188) avvenuto fuori scena, nella macchina di Lepage la rotazio- È Vincenzo Sansone Vincenzo evidente come con un unico apparato scenico ne serve anche per raccontare, poiché il movimento non Craig voglia metere in scena un dramma, è solo un espediente che permete all#atore di cambiare eliminando i cambi obbligatori e di servizio ruolo ma è parte dell’ambiente che la macchina stessa costruisce e trasforma, diventando elemento della tra le scene che, con il suo apparato, diventano narrazione assieme all’attore. elemento drammaturgico, creando un unicum È evidente, come già da molti studiosi è stato fatto nel ritmo e nella tensione dello spetacolo. La notare tra cui la stessa Monteverdi, il legame, mobilità degli screens è pensata da un lato per l#atore, che può muoversi in forme diverse e soprattutto da un punto di vista scenotecnico, tra Elsi- anche cambiarle, secondo le necessità; dall#al- nore e il famoso e allo stesso tempo problematico Hamlet messo in scena nel 1912 al Teatro d#Arte di Mosca da Sta- tro, atraverso diverse confgurazioni, consen- nislavskij e Gordon Craig. In questo spetacolo, Craig ten- te di poter evocare qualsiasi tipo di ambienta- ta di applicare quel complesso sistema scenico che chiama zione. È l#unione dei due tipi di movimento che imprime la dinamicità fnale alla scena. screens, una delle grandi rivoluzioni ideate e progetate dal- la scena avanguardista del primo Novecento, che fonde in Altro riferimento per Lepage e per il suo sce- un unico conglomerato drammaturgico la macchina sulla nografo Fillon è senza dubbio il lavoro di Jo- scena, le luci che su di essa impatano e i movimenti che gli sef Svoboda, lo scenografo cecoslovacco che atori compiono, afnché tuti e tre gli elementi, nella loro rivoluziona, a partire dalla seconda metà del reciproca relazione e azione, possano raccontare la storia XX secolo, la scena teatrale con le sue sceno- senza che uno prevalga sugli altri. Nel 1910 Craig deposi- grafe minimali, composte da pochi elementi ta il breveto2 della sua invenzione e nel 1923, nello scrito architetonici mobili e combinati con l#uso di nuovi materiali e nuove tecniche, come sipari Scene, la descrive detagliatamente, avvalendosi di alcuni di luce, schermi multipli, specchi rifetenti, *44/
 31 laser, proietori, diapositive e materiale audio- nitor «sempre presenti in scena e utilizzati ripetutamente visivo. nell#ato di riprendere, non importa cosa» (ibidem: 164). Nelle scene che realizza per l#Hamlet del 1959 O ancora dello Squat Teatre, che aggiunge alle proprie presso il Teatro Nazionale di Praga, è ben evi- performance non solo apparecchi di registrazione ma an- Nuovi dispositivi scenici per vecchie drammaturgie: gli Amleto di Robert Lepage dente la sua poetica basata sulla luce, lo spazio che flmati e riprese in tempo reale, «con contemporanea e il movimento e anche un esplicito riferi- trasmissione di azioni che stanno avvenendo in quel mo- mento a Craig e al suo Hamlet. La scenografa mento, ma fuori dalla portata della vista di tuti gli spet- dell#Hamlet di Svoboda è realizzata mediante tatori» (ibidem). Un video dunque, in entrambi i casi, l#uso di specchi neri disposti su cinque fle. La utilizzato in tempo reale, che ‘guarda#, che scruta ovunque scena è inoltre basata su tre tipologie di luce, anche dove lo sguardo dello spetatore non può arrivare, una che la illumina totalmente, la seconda che divenendo una sua protesi in senso mcluhaniano, un#esten- illumina gli atori e la terza che produce una sione dei suoi sensi (McLuhan 2011). rifessione (Svoboda 2003: 43-44). Grazie Negli anni Otanta, l#uso di immagini e video sulla scena a queste luci e al movimento delle superfci entra nella sua fase matura. Si passa dall#immagine che specchio, Svoboda è in grado, con un conge- mostra la ripresa in tempo reale a un#immagine lavorata gno unitario, di realizzare ventiquatro cambi in post-produzione. Per quanto riguarda la performance, scena proprio come Craig tentava di fare con negli anni Otanta vengono recuperati quegli elementi che gli screens nel suo Hamlet e proprio come fa erano stati espulsi o erano diventati marginali, come la nar- Lepage con la sua macchina nell#Elsinore, che razione, il sistema dei personaggi, il testo verbale. Questi nelle sue varie evoluzioni rotanti, posizionan- due avvenimenti però non devono far pensare a una scis- dosi in orizzontale o in verticale e coprendo o sione neta e defnitiva tra performance e video. Come af- scoprendo l#atore, dà vita a vista e in maniera ferma Valentina Valentini: drammaturgica a tuti i cambi scena previsti nello spetacolo. Recuperare le matrici originarie, da parte degli artisti gravitanti nel Oltre al dispositivo scenico e in combinazio- territorio della performance, non porta a negare il video a favore di altri mezzi espressivi. Comporre delle opere in video è diventata una ne con esso, Lepage impiega anche delle im- scelta artistica, non più una scelta ideologica o un apriori estetico, magini proietate e il video, che possono esse- come era stato per gli artisti degli anni Setanta, quando la video-arte re considerati, assieme alla macchina girevole, costituiva una tendenza d#avanguardia, una zona contaminata e ibri- peculiarità delle sue regie in una contamina- da, alternativa ai territori artistici tradizionali. (Valentina 1987: 170) zione continua di linguaggi. Il video eletronico comincia a difondersi a Uno dei fenomeni che deriva proprio da questa possibilità partire dagli anni Sessanta, infuenzando le di scegliere il medium video per fni artistici è il videoteatro nuove sperimentazioni artistiche di quegli italiano degli anni Otanta. anni, rendendosi protagonista della rivoluzio- Un esempio che indica un particolare uso degli elementi ne culturale atraverso la video-arte e trovan- visivi in scena è Tango Glaciale (1982) di Falso Movimento do ben presto una connessione stabile con la direto da Mario Martone, una performance in cui l#azione performance. Il video permete, grazie alla ri- propriamente performativa si intreccia con diapositive pro- presa in tempo reale, di non costruire l#opera ietate, con l#intento di trasformare la tridimensionalità og- fnita ma di esaltare il processo di costruzione getiva della scena in una bidimensionalità ‘simulata#, creata e di svolgimento dell#opera stessa. Infati, nel- dalla sovrapposizione dell#elemento visivo alla scena. È un le sperimentazioni degli anni Setanta «la vi- obietivo complesso che Martone realizza solo quando lo deo-arte si è caraterizzata per la presenza del spetacolo si incontra pienamente con le tecnologie del vi- video come veicolo sotomesso agli eventi, deo. Il regista, infati, ricrea Tango Glaciale per la televisio- che rimanda ciò che avviene nel suo campo di ne italiana, una riscritura della performance pensata per il ripresa» (Valentini 1987: 168). linguaggio del video, in cui utilizza il chroma key per inseri- A partire dagli anni Setanta, l#inclusione re gli atori nelle varie ambientazioni. La tanto agognata bi- di immagini e video nel teatro diventa par- dimensionalità può essere raggiunta grazie all#innesto non te integrante della ricerca teatrale. È il caso del video sulla scena degli atori, ma degli atori dentro il dell#americano Richard Foreman, fondatore video volutamente bidimensionale. In questo esperimento dell#Ontological-Hysteric Teatre, che nelle si può intravedere un altro uso del materiale visivo in sce- sue performance inserisce telecamere e mo- na, elemento pre-registrato o appositamente creato che si *44/
 32 allontana però dal conceto di trasmissione in direta lar- Questo ingigantimento o sezionamento di gamente praticato nelle performance degli anni Setanta. Amleto, per mezzo del video, ricorda il fun- Altro esempio, che conduce a un particolare uso del video zionamento degli spetacoli di Studio Azzur- sulla scena, può essere rintracciato nelle operazioni degli ro e Corseti e allo stesso tempo la funzione anni Otanta condote dal gruppo milanese Studio Azzur- linguistica che il video ricopre: specchio del ro e Giorgio Barberio Corseti che, nella trilogia Prologo a performer reale che crea una situazione di in- diario segreto contrafato, Correva come un lungo un segno tercambiabilità tra performer in carne e ossa bianco, La camera astrata, portano sul palcoscenico i mo- e performer in video. Quest#aspeto, nella nitor CRT e uno studio televisivo non per emulare la te- messa in scena di Lepage, è particolarmen- levisione ma per forzare e liberare il medium. Il monitor, te evidente nella relazione che si instaura tra infati, perde il ruolo di raccontare storie e diventa spec- l#atore e i diversi personaggi che ricopre: «Il chio rifetente del corpo organico dell#atore grazie a quel video permete […] all#unico atore di agire procedimento che Studio Azzurro chiama «drammaturgia “solo but not alone”, di avere cioè interlocuto- della doppia scena». Lo spazio scenico è diviso in due par- ri maschili e femminili sempre in scena, mo- ti: una parte visibile agli spetatori, con i monitor e l#altra strati come suoi multipli, rifessi di sé, alterati nascosta con la regia che gestisce la direta tra telecamere solo nella voce grazie a un delay» (ibidem). E e monitor. I performer si muovono tra questi due spazi e ciò diventa ancora più evidente nella relazio- quando si trovano nella parte visibile si danno agli speta- ne tra Amleto e Orazio. «Orazio è efetiva- tori come corpo fsico e reale, quando si dirigono nella par- mente il suo doppio in scena, il suo rifesso in te nascosta, le loro azioni vengono captate dalle telecamere uno specchio: il video permete l#incontro, lo e trasmesse in tempo reale dai monitor. L#immagine elet- scambio e quasi il poetico trasformarsi delle tronica diventa dunque uno specchio che rifete ciò che si due persone l#una nell#altra che equivale, a un trova di fronte, il performer, diventando un suo doppio e altro livello, ad una simbiotica (e simbolica) agendo alla pari. convivenza della materia video con il linguag- Robert Lepage in Elsinore impiega il video in quest#ultima gio teatrale» (ibidem: 130-131). Ciò che si maniera. È specchio per il performer e in molti casi assu- crea è una vera ibridazione tra l#azione perfor- me il ruolo di suo doppio. Per capire quest#aspeto biso- mativa dell#atore reale e dell#atore in video, il gna partire nuovamente dal fato che Elsinore è un solo- tuto in tempo reale, per mezzo di una ripresa show, che sulla scena è presente un unico attore che in direta. Come, infati, aferma Lepage: ricopre i diversi personaggi della tragedia sia uomini, Vincenzo Sansone Vincenzo sia donne. I vari personaggi però «sono intimamente Quando Amleto parla con Orazio e gli confessa i correlati con Amleto, rifesso o specchio del suo stesso suoi sentimenti c#è una videocamera davanti a lui e io, parti vitali, sensi (la vista, la parola e l’udito) e nel un proietore di fronte. Non c#è magia, ma rappre- senta un punto di incontro tra un atore in carne ed loro insieme ne rendono complessa, sfaccetata e ambi- ossa e una sua immagine in video. L#atore non ha gua la personalità» (Monteverdi 2004: 127). La messa in niente a che fare con l#immagine video, è un per- scena è dunque un#esplorazione mentale di Amleto, qua- sonaggio diferente, anche se entrambi recitano, si una proiezione della sua mente all#esterno. Il video e le perché l#immagine video è bidimensionale, è più immagini contribuiscono a creare questa molteplicità di grande, è fata di eletricità e di luce, è un “essere” completamente diferente. Per me è il solo mo- personaggi sulla scena e allo stesso tempo diventano im- mento in questo spetacolo in cui sento che c#è un magine specchio di Amleto stesso. Infati, come osserva “perno” che unisce teatro e medium eletronico, Monteverdi: che questi due tipi di narrazione (=storytelling) possono davvero dialogare3. Alla strutura furono poi aggiunti due schermi laterali e un fondale. La scena, oltre alla strutura mobile, era così costituita da tre enor- Si trata appunto di una scena in cui la teleca- mi pareti modulari; quelle che afancano la scena furono ricoperte mera agisce sull#atore caturando la sua im- di spandex e servivano per proietare le immagini (in movimento e fsse) in direta, raddoppiando Amleto, ingigantendolo o sezionan- magine, moltiplicandola e rifetendola. È il done una porzione del volto, producendo l#efeto di una visione video che diventa specchio atraverso il quale stereoscopica (la visione contemporanea ma separata dei due oc- Amleto parla a Orazio ma in realtà parla con chi). (Monteverdi 2004: 130) se stesso. In modo similare si comporta il video in altre due scene, nell#incontro con Guildenstern e *44/
 Rosencrantz e nel duello con Laerte. Nel pri- Fillon, sospeso per aria grazie a un complesso sistema di 33 mo caso, l#atore, che in quel momento sta in- fli, in grado di ruotare e cambiare forma e in parte con- terpretando Amleto, sta al centro della scena trollato dalle azioni manuali che i tecnici compiono dietro e due microcamere caturano il suo volto, lo le quinte, proprio come una macchina dell#antichità. Sulle Nuovi dispositivi scenici per vecchie drammaturgie: gli Amleto di Robert Lepage ingigantiscono e lo proietano sui due scher- superfci vi sono delle aperture che consentono all#unico mi laterali. atore di entrare e di uscire, di apparire e di sparire, di rico- prire dunque, come in Elsinore, tuti i ruoli, mantenendo il Questo dialogo a tre, è reso possibile dal video che ritmo e l#energia del fusso drammaturgico. addiritura triplica il personaggio generando una Anche il video eletronico sparisce e al suo posto viene im- situazione di spiazzamento sia a causa delle pro- porzioni enormi dei dati corporei […] sia perché piegato il video projection mapping con i contenuti visi- non vengono mostrati gli interlocutori ma solo vi di Lionel Arnould. Tale tecnologia si diferenzia molto Amleto che assume diverse posizioni voltandosi a dall#uso del video eletronico proprio per la sua peculiarità guardare dove loro sono posizionati. In sostanza, fondante che risiede nella parola mapping. nella proiezione manca sempre il controcampo. Il video projection mapping è una tecnologia di realtà au- (Monteverdi 2004: 139) mentata, poiché ‘aumenta# la percezione e l#esperienza del- la realtà mediante l#inserimento sulla stessa di informazioni Il video in Elsinore dunque non accresce il digitali generate al computer, senza che l#utente fnale deb- senso della vista dello spetatore ma si com- ba utilizzare o indossare dei dispositivi per poterne usufru- porta come suo pari, poiché vede ciò che lo ire. Nello specifco, permete di proietare, per mezzo della spetatore stesso può vedere. luce, mediante videoproietori digitali, immagini e video Nel caso del duello di Amleto con Laerte, Le- su una superfcie, che può essere piana o tridimensionale, page pone delle microcamere sulle spade del- di forma regolare o irregolare. Tali contenuti vanno a con- lo scontro, che riprendono ciò che hanno da- vergere perfetamente con la superfcie mediante l#ausilio vanti e proietano l#immagine di uno dei due di tecniche digitali, come il warping (deformazione), che duellanti sullo schermo, al centro della scena. sfrutano diverse leggi della geometria, di modo che l#ap- Lo scontro dunque avviene tra l#atore reale e parenza della superfcie fsica sembri sparire. L#informazio- la sua stessa immagine caturata dalla micro- ne digitale, invece, proietata su quella stessa superfcie e camera e presente sullo schermo. in relazione a essa, a seguito della distorsione, assume una Questa impostazione drammatica e tecno- parvenza di reale, appare illusoriamente fsica, tangibile e logica di Elsinore si ripropone, seppur con imprime alla stessa superfcie una dimensione temporale, dispositivi diversi, nello spetacolo del 2013 creando una sensazione di dinamicità su un elemento sta- Hamlet|Collage, realizzato in Russia per il 4 tico . Teatre of Nations di Mosca e interpretato da Il video projection mapping dunque non proieta sempli- Evgenij Mironov. cemente su una superfcie che funge da schermo e che ac- Si trata di una sorta di ripresa di Elsinore che, coglie l#informazione, ma si fonde con la superfcie stessa, se della macchina della produzione origina- che contribuisce, insieme al video, alla costruzione della ria mantiene i riferimenti, sembra far sua la narrazione. Quest#aspeto è ben evidente in Hamlet|Colla- lezione delle varie macchine create nell#arco ge, in cui il video projection mapping ricopre totalmente di quasi vent#anni per diversi spetacoli. Le- le tre facce del cubo e si muove armonicamente con esso page, a distanza di anni, riprende una dram- senza che la congiunzione tra video e strutura fsica si per- maturgia già sperimentata ma non la rimete da. In tal senso, un#altra grande diferenza con il preceden- semplicemente in scena così come l#aveva te Elsinore risiede proprio nella sparizione delle ‘superfci concepita, piutosto costruisce una messa in schermo# che ospitavano le riprese video in tempo reale e scena completamente nuova, che sfruta le che adesso sono integrate dentro l#ambiente creato dalla nuove tecnologie del tempo pur mantenen- macchina, divenendo parte di esso. do la carica drammatica, il tono e l#atmosfera La macchina cubica, con le sue peculiarità di movimen- della produzione precedente, ricreandoli con to e con le sue diverse aperture e in simbiosi con il video strumenti totalmente diversi. projection mapping, si trasforma da un lato nelle diverse La macchina quadrangolare girevole col cer- ambientazioni necessarie alla drammaturgia; dall#altro as- chio inscrito al suo interno è sostituita da un sume le carateristiche di immagine specchio, moltiplican- enorme cubo aperto (tre facce angolari), pro- do e rifetendo l#immagine dell#unico atore che interpreta getato come la precedente macchina da Carl *44/
 34 tuti i personaggi così come accade in Elsinore. Anche in no utilizzate due proiezioni video del volto di questo caso, dunque, l#Amleto sulla scena si trova spesso a Amleto ripreso da due punti di vista diferenti interagire con la sua stessa immagine in proiezione. e proietate su due facce del cubo. Anche in Quest#aspeto è possibile perché, anche se le tecnologie in questo caso il dialogo si costruisce in assenza scena sono totalmente cambiate rispeto al 1995, il nucleo dei due interlocutori, perché i video caturano drammaturgico da cui Lepage fa scaturire la messa in scena i due diversi punti di osservazione di Amleto. è rimasto pressappoco lo stesso e le nuove tecnologie im- Nel caso del duello di Amleto con Laerte, an- piegate hanno la capacità di rimeterlo in scena. Rispeto a che qui si assiste a uno scontro tra un atore questa produzione, infati, Lepage aferma: reale e un atore digitale in video, però in que- sto caso l#atore digitale è integrato dentro il Hamlet#s main problem is that he thinks too much. He doesn#t fnd sistema di video projection mapping, quasi a solution to a task. He is a character who always uses his brain. fosse un ologramma, un#immagine dell#atore All in all, a skull serves as a powerful symbol of the theatre and reale caturata e mostrata con dei secondi di Hamlet. Tat#s why Shakespeare devised a big scene with a skull, which – afer all – is a human#s head. I surely don#t have answers ritardo. Amleto in carne e ossa dunque si tro- to my numerous questions. Tat#s why it was interesting to stage a va a schivare i suoi stessi colpi seppur inferti play with a single actor, with the actor#s head5. dall#atore digitale, suo doppio. A rendere tuto l#apparato tecnologico fnora Ed è evidente come nell#arco di circa vent#anni, Lepa- descrito un unicum e uno strumento teatra- ge non abbia trovato le risposte che cercava anche per la le comunicativo è l#azione di Mironov, che prima produzione e Amleto si trovi nuovamente da solo riesce a fondersi completamente con la mac- a confrontarsi con la corte, fantasmi della sua mente che china scenica come se fosse essa stessa parte si materializzano davanti ai suoi occhi. Se i due spetacoli del suo corpo, indossandola leteralmente. condividono il nodo drammaturgico, non si può dire che Infati, come aferma Monteverdi a proposito la produzione del 2013 sia un semplice riadatamento di del rapporto tra atore e macchina nel teatro quella del 1995 e non solo per la diferenza tecnologica, di Lepage che infuenza quasi nella totalità la resa drammaturgica, ma anche per alcuni snodi drammatici. Per esempio, Ham- L#atore trova un fondamentale supporto alla sua let|Collage comincia con Amleto rannicchiato in un angolo interpretazione nella scenografa mobile e mute- vole che, esatamente come una maschera, gli per- della strutura cubica e con le braccia legate da una camicia mete di incarnare molteplici stati d#animo, evocare

Vincenzo Sansone Vincenzo di forza, rappresentazione di un individuo con problemi spazi e tempi diversi, incarnando un#identità ibrida mentali, che dunque instilla i dubbi che tuto quello che che ha trasceso l#efmero ed è diventata memoria. si verifcherà di lì a poco sia in realtà un processo alluci- (2018b: 35) natorio della mente instabile del personaggio e che il di- spositivo scenico e le immagini siano solo fruto della sua È per tale ragione che qui, come accadeva in schizofrenia. Quasi a conferma di questo, infati, alla fne Elsinore, Mironov/Amleto, al cambio dello dello spetacolo Amleto ritroverà le maniche della camicia spazio scenico cambia egli stesso, trasforman- di forza. dosi negli altri personaggi. Il video projection mapping, che si estende sulle tre fac- La caraterizzazione vera e propria dei perso- ce della strutura cubica, spesso in congiunzione con del- naggi però rappresenta in alcuni casi un punto le videocamere, sostituisce in quest#occasione il medium di discontinuità tra i due spetacoli. In Elsinore eletronico ricoprendo due funzioni: ambientazione e im- sono utilizzati diversi espedienti che evocano magine speculare dell#atore. Da un lato diventa di volta in i vari personaggi sul corpo dello stesso ato- volta una cella, una biblioteca, un palazzo, un giardino, un re piutosto che mostrarli in modo esplicito. centro di sorveglianza, una stanza afrescata, una tomba. Per esempio, per i personaggi di Claudio e Dall#altro si fa personaggio, atraverso le videoproiezioni di Gertrude, Lepage utilizza l#immaginario del- Claudio e Gertrude o negli espedienti per mostrare Rosen- le carte da gioco francesi. In una scena in cui crantz e Guildenstern e Laerte durante il duello. In questi compaiono i due coniugi, la macchina com- due ultimi episodi in particolare, la forma drammaturgica pie un movimento, diventando un fondale è la stessa utilizzata nel 1995 ma impiegando la fsicità della con un varco al centro dove sta seduto l#ato- strutura cubica e la proiezione digitale del video projection re. Alle sue spalle viene proietata la carta da mapping. Nel caso di Rosencrantz e Guildenstern vengo- gioco K a semi di picche. L#atore dunque in *44/
 quel momento è diventato il re Claudio e par- Conclusioni: la trasversalità della macchina scenotec- 35 la a Rosencrantz e Guildenstern. Al termine nica del discorso, tre cambiamenti portano alla metamorfosi di un personaggio in un altro. Elsinore e Hamlet|Collage sono dunque due produzioni si- Nuovi dispositivi scenici per vecchie drammaturgie: gli Amleto di Robert Lepage Una dissolvenza trasforma la carta K di pic- mili seppur nella loro diversità. Per esempio, l#adatamento che nella carta Q di cuori, l#atore cambia la del testo nelle due versioni è diferente, il secondo è molto sua postura fsica e la sua voce, già modifcata più lungo del primo; alcune caraterizzazioni delle scene per Claudio, subisce una nuova alterazione sono diferenti, poiché relazionate ai contesti di produzio- che la diversifca dalla precedente: è diventato ne, come per Polonio che nello spetacolo del 2013 diventa Gertrude. In Hamlet|Collage, invece, manca- un burocrate sovietico; le macchine scenotecniche appun- no questi espedienti scenici e il tuto è risol- to sono diferenti. to in maniera più elementare, forse ingenua Il vero punto di similitudine è nel desiderio di voler rap- e anche tradizionale. Parrucche e barbe con- presentare un Amleto che si scaglia contro tuti, un Amleto sentono, infati, la trasformazione dell#atore solo che, più che dialogare con gli altri, dialoga con se stes- Amleto in Claudio (rappresentato in maniera so. Se l#apparato scenotecnico è diverso dunque, ciò che più tradizionale con barba e corona) e Ger- fa sparire la diversità e apparire chiaramente questo nodo trude (un personaggio più surreale, con oc- drammaturgico è il come Lepage impiega le due macchine chiali da sole e una lunga chioma nera cinta da sulla scena. Infati, il regista canadese rifugge da quella che una fascia sulla fronte). Questo avviene anche potrebbe essere un#esposizione di gadget e tecnologie alla per il personaggio di Ofelia, che indossa una moda e nonostante impieghi le tecnologie più innovative, parrucca bionda, un#aggiunta posticcia che di- le sotrae alla loro funzione esclusivamente tecnica e nella scosta questa caraterizzazione da quella dello maggior parte dei casi al loro uso commerciale, per con- stesso personaggio in Elsinore, in cui l#atore, ferirgli caratere drammaturgico. Anche per quest#aspeto, indossando una larga camicia da note o un oltre che per quello tecnico prima visto, Lepage può essere abito di pizzo che altro non è che la macchina considerato l#erede di Josef Svoboda, il quale, ascoltando i stessa che lo ricopre e lo veste o un velo nella pareri contrastanti e spesso negativi rispeto all#uso delle scena in cui morirà, non nasconde i suoi trati nuove tecnologie a teatro e alle conseguenti sperimenta- maschili «e mostra il lato ‘femminile# di Am- zioni che ne derivavano, osservava: leto» (Monteverdi 2004: 140). Ciononostante, la forza di Hamlet|Collage, In teatro […] tute queste novità erano guardate con difdenza, come per la produzione precedente, risiede, come se gli elementi tecnici potessero infciare quelli artistici. […] Da che cosa dipendono opinioni tanto antitetiche rispeto alla come già anticipato, nel rapporto tra l#atore tecnica e alla sua funzionalità nel teatro? Probabilmente si trata e la macchina scenica. Proprio l#episodio del- di una errata interpretazione del conceto di “tecnica”, vista solo la morte di Ofelia rappresenta l#esempio più come meccanismo. Anch#io, per un certo periodo, sono caduto in emblematico. Infati, grazie a questa relazione questo equivoco. Ma la tecnica teatrale è nella sua sostanza ativa, profonda con il dispositivo, l#atore può an- capace di azione drammatica, anche quando non è meccanica. negare nelle vesti di Ofelia nei meandri della (Sboboda 2003: 179-180) macchina scenica, quasi nello stesso modo È quanto accade per Lepage. Nelle sue produzioni, i dispo- in cui la tragedia si consumava in Elsinore, ma sitivi oltrepassano il conceto di meccanismo, divenendo stavolta risucchiato dall#acqua digitale pro- elementi capaci di azione drammatica. Quest#aspeto è ben ietata, che ricopre per intero il suo corpo. visibile anche nella trasversalità con cui Lepage impiega i In questo sprofondamento/annegamento, suoi dispositivi, che gli permetono di metere in scena l#atore diventa esso stesso ingranaggio costi- drammaturgie diferenti. Il sistema scenico di Hamlet|Col- tutivo del dispositivo e difati, dopo un movi- lage è lo stesso usato sempre nel 2013 per metere in scena mento della macchina, il suo corpo riappare Les aiguilles et l!opium, la nuova messa in scena dello stes- soto#acqua, annegato ma sospeso, organo di so spetacolo del 1991. Come aferma Anna Maria Mon- quel corpo vivente che è la macchina scenica. teverdi a proposito della nuova versione di Les aiguilles et l!opium: *44/
 36 Il movimento del dispositivo di scena è la chiave di letura della Svoboda, J., I segreti dello spazio teatrale (1992), nuova versione e va interpretato come un aggiornamento del vec- Ubulibri, Milano 2003. chio dispositivo, assai modesto tecnologicamente parlando, quasi Valentini, V., Teatro in immagine, vol. 1, Bulzoni, arcaico, della prima versione: in questo nuovo macchinario pra- ticabile a forma di cubo con due lati aperti e rotanti, gli atori si Roma 1987. muovono come acrobati ed entrano e escono da aperture laterali, restando in bilico legati a un cavo, recitando a testa in giù mentre il dispositivo ruota; le proiezioni in videomapping seguono tale mo- Sitografa vimento ricreando di volta in volta, l#ambientazione richiesta. […] Gli oggeti vengono fati entrare in scena atraverso botole diret- Craig, Edward Gordon, Stage-scenery, brevet- tamente da tecnici posizionati esatamente dietro il cubo e pronti ad allestire e disallestire il dispositivo. […] Questa modalità […] to, 1912, htps://docs.google.com/viewer?ur- crea una vera dissolvenza incrociata, in cui ogni episodio lascia il l=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/ posto a quello successivo, distante spazialmente e temporalmente, US1022020.pdf (ultimo accesso 24/06/2019). senza soluzione di continuità. (Monteverdi 2018: 86-88) Hamlet|Collage, Te Teatre of Nations htps:// theatreofnations.ru/performances/gamlet-kol- È evidente dunque che in Les aiguilles et l!opium le bo- lazh (ultimo accesso 01/07/2019). tole che permetono l#ingresso degli oggeti e la rotazio- Biografa di Robert Lepage, htp://lacaserne.net/ ne del cubo servono perfetamente per metere in scena index2.php/robertlepage/, web (ultimo accesso le diferenti storie che compongono il dramma. Si trata 14/10/2019). di quelle stesse botole e di quello stesso movimento che permetono a Mironov, invece, di passare tra una scena di Shakespeare e l#altra, ricoprendo di volta in volta i diversi Notes ruoli come se fossero tanti fashback della sua memoria che 1 Per una biografa detagliata di Robert Lepage si ri- diventano ciak sulla scena. L#atore si fonde fsicamente e manda al suo sito web: htp://lacaserne.net/index2. mentalmente con la macchina, che diventa il suo partner. php/robertlepage/ Elsinore e Hamlet|Collage dunque sono dei solo-show se si 2 Il breveto di Gordon Craig, denominato considera che sono interpretati da un solo atore. In realtà Stage-scenery (1912), è disponibile in htps:// le due performance sono un dialogo perfetamente equi- docs.google.com/viewer?url=patentimages.storage. googleapis.com/pdfs/US1022020.pdf. librato tra la macchina scenica che assume trati umani e 3 Le parole di Lepage, trate da In conversation with l#atore che assume i carateri della macchina. R. Eyre, sono citate in Monteverdi 2004: 131. 4 Tale defnizione è una rielaborazione realizzata Vincenzo Sansone Vincenzo dall#autore e trata dalla propria tesi di dotorato Bibliografa basata sul rapporto tra arti performative e video pro- jection mapping. Titolo della tesi dotorale: Video projection mapping e arti performative. Una nuova Bergamasco, M., “La strutura cinematica del Ring”, Memoria, macchina scenotecnica della visione per generare maschera e macchina nel teatro di Robert Lepage, Ed. nuovi spazi aumentati. Università degli studi di Knowles, R., Reading Elsinore. Te Ghost and the Machine, Palermo. Tutor: prof. Simone Arcagni. «Candadian Teatre Review», n. 111, 2002: 87-88. 5 Si trata delle parole di Robert Lepage utilizzate Lavender, A., Hamlet in pieces. Shakespeare reworked by P. Brook, per il programma di sala dello spetacolo e dispo- R. Lepage, R. Wilson, Continuum, New York 2001. nibili sulla pagina web della produzione: htps:// theatreofnations.ru/performances/gamlet-kollazh. McLuhan, M., Capire i media (1964), Il Saggiatore, Milano 2011. Monteverdi, A. M., “Les Aiguilles et l!opium di Robert Lepage: dall#edizione del 1991 a quella del 2013 (aggiornando il sofwa- re)”, Teatro e immaginari digitali, Ed. Alfonso Amendola, Vincen- zo Del Gaudio, Gechi Edizioni, Milano 2018a: 65-89. Monteverdi, A. M., Meltemi, Milano 2018: 339-343. Craig, Edward Gordon, L!arte del teatro. Il mio teatro (1971), Ed. Ferruccio Maroti, Cue Press, Imola 2016. Monteverdi, A. M., Il teatro di Robert Lepage, BFS, Pisa 2004. Monteverdi, A. M., Memoria, maschera e macchina nel teatro di Robert Lepage, Meltemi, Milano 2018b. *44/
 37 Jordi Mand A short biography Allison Townsend

stories for others and developing the path of each of the characters she was to create, was what she wanted to do. ometimes your passion turns out not to be quite what you thought it would be. Mand#s professional debut as a playwright came with the Growing up with parents who apprecia- well-received staging of her frst full-length play, Between Sted the arts gave Jordi Mand the opportunity the Sheets, which was introduced to audiences in 2012, and to discover theatre at an early age. Te Toron- subsequently went on to national and international perfor- to-born playwright was fortunate to atend mances. Mand#s other works include Caught (2016), Tis professional productions staged at both the Will Be Excellent (2016) and Brontë: Te World Without Shaw and Stratford festivals throughout her (2018), which was performed at the Stratford Festival. youth, so it seems only natural that her career Her talent is refected in her association with some of the aspirations were aimed at not just becoming most prominent theatre companies in Canada: she was an actor, but specifcally a theatrical perfor- selected as Playwright-in-Residence with Teatre Passe mer. Mand atended a performing arts high Muraille, Carousel Players and Nightswimming Teatre; school and upon graduation, was accepted served as a member of the Tarragon Teatre#s Playwrights into the prestigious National Teatre School Unit; and was invited to participate in the Stratford Festi- of Canada in Montreal, where she graduated val#s Playwrights Retreat. In 2017, Mand, diversifying her from the Acting program in 2006. writing medium, completed her residency in the Bell Me- dia Prime Time TV Program at the Canadian Film Centre. It was through her education that Mand truly In addition to continuing to write new theatrical pieces, discovered her creativity and found herself Mand is also working as a writer on a Canadian crime dra- falling in love with self-creation. Creating her ma TV series and a flm adaptation of a thriller novel. own work opened a passion she hadn#t anti- cipated and she was surprised to discover a level of ease and excitement that was absent from acting. None-the-less, upon returning to Toronto, she continued to write solo pie- ces as a means of creating work for herself. Her transition into a playwright was solidifed afer her acceptance into SummerWorks, a mentored development program reknowned for launching new theatre, where she discove- red that professional actors were cast in their productions. Tis separation of writing from performance completely changed her career trajectory. Te opportunity to hear her pieces from a removed perspective*hearing others enact her words*created a sense of freedom and she embraced the realization that writing Jordi Mand *44/
 38 Interview with Jordi Mand

Donato Santeramo

black and white. Instead, I found in your plays, always this ambivalence, you know, one time, it#s oh yeah, and then two minutes later the character I dislike now is my favourite and ow was your week, so far? then I#m going to change my mind again. I found that not only refreshing, but also very important. Was this your in- H tention, of making these issues seen in their complexity? JORDI JORDI It was good. I can#t remember if I mentioned Absolutely. Tank you for those kind words. Yes, I think it#s this last time I spoke to you, but I#m starting a the audience#s job to*I think it#s the writer#s job to pose the new project on Monday next week. I#m going question and the audience#s job to answer for themselves be- to be in the development for a new TV show. cause of course there is never going to be just one answer, Te producer bought the rights to a novel, so depending on who you are coming into the theatre. You#re they#re trying to turn it into a TV series, so I#m coming with your whole life experience, your baggage, your going to be in the development room for a few celebrations and pains and joys, and so that always colours weeks, so I#ve just been spending this week how one is going to experience a story. So I think for me the preparing for that. greatest pleasure as an audience member when I see things, is when I can#t stop thinking about something, or when I Q: Tat#s going to be great. I work a lot with want to talk so much about it afer a show is done because cinema too. It#s really exciting, you#ll see. Te that is how I prefer to experience theatre. I think it#s impor- least exciting is the shooting because there#s a tant to provide that experience to audiences. lot of waiting. Q: Between the Sheets, was that your frst play? JORDI Tat#s very true. JORDI Yeah, it was. Q: But the rest is really great. Well frst of all, I was able to, unfortunately, just read your Q: And again this ambivalence of the two main characters; I plays and not spend as much time as I would also noticed that sometimes the main characters are actually have liked on them. I must say, mea culpa, it#s absent. You know, I#m thinking of Brontë: Te World Without absurd that I had not read them beforehand. I and Between the Sheets, where the characters, for example was really impressed for the simple reason that here, the husband#s not present and in Brontë: Te World Wi- unlike many contemporary playwrights who thout, the males are not present, physically, but that doesn#t want to give answers, you#re more posing que- mean they#re not there, correct? stions and having people then have to look at the situation. I think the way you present the- JORDI se very important issues in their complexity is Yeah. It#s funny, I#m really drawn to stories where in a way, something that we are lacking more and more we#re only seeing part of the picture, especially, you know, of. Everybody seems to have answers that are Brontë is a good example, where I#ve always described it that *44/
 it#s as if the actual play is happening in another part of the constantly*in the same way that we knead 39 house with the entire family and we#re seeing what#s happe- bread*we#re just folding issues over and over ning behind the scenes; we#re seeing what#s happening back- again and sometimes that reveals diferent par- stage. In real life, I know for me, it#s very hard to have expe- ts of who we are or how we see the other per- riences without the presence of people and history impacting son. situations certainly when it comes to human relationships. Very rarely are we interacting about something, especially if Q: Well apropos of human interaction, what the stakes are high, where it#s an isolated incident, especially about Caught? Talk about complex human if there#s history between people, like if you#re family. Te- interaction. Tat again, what seems, ultimately re#s years and years of experiences that colour how people is not, no? Shakespeare comes to mind, when interact with each other, so it#s interesting that specifcally Hamlet says, it#s not, is, it#s seems*while I was in those two pieces, though I think it#s a common theme in reading, at the beginning it#s as if this is what other shows I#ve writen too, it#s interesting that in those two I#m experiencing, but before you know it, no, pieces, the male characters are the ones that are of stage and it#s the impression because*Caught for exam- that wasn#t necessarily intentional, it was just the most rele- ple, really overturns continuously what one be- vant to those particular stories, what is the baggage audience lieves and then one has to rethink and then go members are bringing into the theatre; what is the baggage, back*that really refects the complexities of both physical and emotional that people are bringing into si- human relationships, as you were saying. Here, tuations? there#s perhaps more of a class presence? Interview with Jordi Mand

Q: Tank you. Another observation, for example, even with JORDI Between the Sheets, but I think that#s also a common trait, Absolutely, yeah, which I think also determines what seems to be the main focus of the play is actually just who at any time can be in charge of those terms one of them. I#m thinking, for example, Between the Sheets because I think and it is true in my experience where the betrayal, the infdelity, is really front and forward in real life, that certain privileges allow people and it may seem where the play is really at, but I believe the- the power to be able to be in the driver#s seat in re are many more other things, for example, the character of diferent kinds of ways. the woman who is being betrayed, who feels she is almost being challenged by the teacher because she#s not a good Q: Right. And that privilege can be executed mother or not as good as she could be, but at the same time, based a lot of times on one#s position, but also it#s thanks to her job that the family can go forward and the not only job-wise, but also one#s position eco- child can have an education. So, the infdelity is a part of it nomically, for example. and on the other hand, it#s about what we expect from scho- ols, which for example in Europe, especially in Italy, it#s really JORDI something that is being debated a lot: the limits of what a Absolutely, yeah. I love your observations. Tis teacher can or can not do and what parents want. In this play, is so fun. Between the Sheets, I also fnd that what is really appealing is this almost*you almost always have this*it#s like a prism, Q: I also found it intriguing and, I#m not sure, you#re looking at one facade and the next thing you know, but I think this may ofen be the case*where the prism just turned. It#s always the same thing, but there#s people actually shoplif without the real need just another aspect, of the complexity of the issues that are to shoplif. I#m thinking of the movie stars that being put forward. have been caught shoplifing. I don#t have any statistics, but it just seems it#s something I hear JORDI constantly. I know people who in the past cou- I think that#s prety true; that resonates really deeply with ple of years have been arrested for shoplifing me. You know, again, in human interaction, very rarely are and didn#t need to. we really just talking about one thing, in my experience. You know, most conversations, especially, again, if someo- JORDI ne hurts or someone is in pain or someone feels as if they Yeah, in researching for the play I spoke to are in a position where they want to blame somebody else, a lot of security guards as well who work in I think human interaction is just so complicated that we#re malls or who work in stores like Walmart, and *44/
 40 even knowing friends of mine who have sho- story, though it wasn#t necessarily part of the conversation. plifed*there is not a single situation where But certainly, the casting of the security guard and the child, somebody needed it. And you can tell ofen or the teenager, was very intentional because it does have to based on what people are taking. One securi- do so much with where they come from and also where they ty guard, mentioned that she caught a woman might be going. who was stealing diapers and in that case, she said that was the only case, where she knew the Q: Exactly. And on the other hand, your latest play, not the woman actually needed them and she just let one you#re working on, but Brontë: Te World Without also, her walk out of the store and take them. She for me it really... actually grabbed an extra package and gave it to her and let her go without any consequen- Q: I was very fascinated, because I am really fascinated with ces because she knew there was a real reason the Brontë sisters, but I found that your investigation, ob- why. So that was the only situation where so- viously what comes right to mind is the position in which mebody was taking something they actually women were and to a certain extent, still are today, in a world needed. A lot of the time it was clothes that that really puts maleness at the centre, even the subject mat- weren#t even in their size, or not to generalize, ter, and that is obvious and I think that is a very important but a lot of young women will take make-up point you make. I fnd that there#s a subplot that really deals products, but they#re not necessarily products with the complexities of creative thought and how to deal that they would ever specifcally buy for them- with that in a world that doesn#t really understand creative selves, it#s just whatever#s at arms reach. So it#s thought or will not accept creative thought from women. It interesting; it#s more about the act than about seems to be something that is fundamental to the play itself. the actual item. Would you agree with that?

Q: It#s almost a metaphor for today#s capitali- JORDI stic society, this* I agree. Yeah, absolutely. Tere#s a bit of a conversation there; just the pain of being an artist and how one feels absolutely JORDI compelled to do it and I think for the three of them...it#s just Yes, that#s very true. so rare to have a family of famous writers. Tere#s so few of them in history, but you know it#s something that feels very Q: *this consumerism* much like it was part of their DNA as human beings and yet Donato Santeramo Donato it wasn#t easy. Who you thought would#ve been successful JORDI from the get-go, true history has deemed maybe the most Everybody just wants a piece of something successful, can be a really painful journey. I think it#s really that#s theirs. interesting that of the three of them, in today#s world, Emily Brontë is certainly reviewed as the most brilliant of the three Q: Now in this case, it#s quite diferent because even though she only wrote one book, whereas in today#s again, there are all these relationships and we world, the number of best sellers you have, it feels like it#s don#t really know who is stalking whom, what much more about quantity these days than it is about quali- the various backgrounds are, and that slowly ty; you know, it#s just about pumping out the next one. So by comes to light, but it#s actually the complexity that standard, Charlote would#ve been the more successful of privilege. I would see it as one of the main Brontë because she wrote so much more. When Wuthering themes of the play. Heights came out it was just torn to pieces. For many, many years, people just thought it was the most horrid, vile book JORDI to ever have been writen and now it#s considered one of the Yeah I agree. You know, that#s one show where greatest books to have ever been writen. So, it#s interesting the casting is very specifc and intentional. Te how time packs that? And how as an artist when you#re in role of the kid has always been a young white the center of something you have no perspective other than actor; the role of the security guard has always of what#s happening to you in that moment. been a black actor. Te police ofcer in the ori- Tere#s also a conversation for me about*you know, be- ginal production, he was actually native and cause it is a family drama*about family care-taking. I know it just added a beautiful, silent element to the in my family, I#m one of two; I have a younger brother, but *44/
 it was made very clear to me very early on that in terms of novelists are making much more, which is gre- 41 taking care of my parents in their old age that that responsi- at, but I would say the amount of money that bility would fall to me. And sometimes I think that that has they made at the time to publish their book is less to do with me as a human being and the fact that I am much more similar to how much playwrights more capable of it, and more that my brother seems to get make now, which is ofen very litle. But it can the ‘Get Out of Jail Free# card a lot of the times. So seeing be such a long journey and so yes, you#re strug- who is in charge of taking care of who and how that impacts gling every day and you#re succeeding every the family dynamic is for me, especially as the family keeps day and geting inch-by-inch closer to the thing geting older and older, is of real interest to me. that you#re dreaming about, but you#re still buying the groceries and cleaning toilets and Q: Tank you, that#s fantastic. scrubbing foors; you know the world doesn#t About Brontë: Te World Without, it#s also very interesting stop just because you#re trying to accomplish how you deal with the artists, but on the other hand, every- something great. In a lot of biopics we focus day life, ordinary life, because very ofen we only look at one only on the journey of greatness, but for me aspect of the brilliance of the artists and these, you know,... one of the tensions in trying to accomplish but instead, ordinary life is also portrayed in the play and at something great is that life ofen requires you the same time, their need, almost, to be creative, their need in other areas as well. You know, just because to create art. So I fnd that the presentation of both aspects is you#re atempting to write a hit novel doesn#t extremely important because it gives a beter idea that artists mean your father isn#t dying in another realm Interview with Jordi Mand do not live in a void necessarily, that very ofen they have to and that you don#t have to take care of him. I go on and do everyday chores, etc., plus they have this crea- have yet to experience a phase of my life where tive, artistic life. I feel that Brontë: Te World Without really I am able to compartmentalize in such a way gives us an entrance into this world. that I can block out the people I love or events in the world. So in most docu-dramas, whether JORDI it#s a miniseries, a movie or even a play, ofen Tank you so much. I#m very fascinated by how the extra- you just focus on how people became succes- ordinary and the domestic bump up against each other and sful, but they can be really fascinating, the ways I think that exploring the story of the Brontë sisters to me in which people almost didn#t become succes- was the most exciting way of being able to do that because, sful. to your point, exactly, we#ve focussed so much...I remember being in highschool and having the thought for the frst ti- me*I can#t remember what book we were reading, but you know, my English teacher was celebrating whatever novel it was that week we were studying and I thought, how many versions of this book did this person write before it became the thing that we now celebrate? We don#t talk about that. We don#t...I think talking about process and how difcult so- mething is, is actually a very, very modern concept.

Q: Yes.

JORDI For so long, we only wanted to see artists or masters in their feld, not just within the arts, I would say within science, ma- thematics, technology, we only wanted to see the results and be able to celebrate them because it#s aspirational and at the end of the day, I think that#s why we look to people who have been successful so that they can maybe help us point the way so that we can in some capacity try to get there as well, but there is such a long journey for so many people, especially in a feld where you really don#t make that much money. Now *44/
 42

Caught by J. Mand. Teatre Passe Muraille (TPM). Toronto. 2016

Caught by J. Mand. Teatre Passe Muraille (TPM). Toronto. 2016

Caught by J. Mand. Teatre Passe Muraille (TPM). Toronto. 2016 Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker Craig and Santeramo Donato

Caught by J. Mand. Teatre Passe Muraille (TPM). Toronto. 2016 *44/
 43 Brontë: the World Without

Jordi Mand

RONTË: THE WORLD WITHOUT A dash indicates when a character is being cut of by © 2018 by Jordi Mand another character. An ellipsis indicates when a character stops themselves CHABRCTERS: or has a change in thought. Charlote Brontë, Emily Brontë, Anne Brontë MOVEMENT 1

TIMELINE: Evening. Movement 1: January 1846 A room in an older house. Te house sits on top of a hill with Movement 2: October 1846 a graveyard at the foot of the property. Movement 3: July 1847 Movement 4: September 1848 Te room itself has two large windows, without curtains. Movement 5: January 1849 Tere is a bookshelf, flled with books. On one wall is a working freplace, tables with various trinkets on it, and a NOTES ON THE PLAY: famed landscape painting. Against another wall is a sofa Within the story some historical events with a cushion. Tere is also a rocking chair. In the middle have been condensed, combined, and of the room is a table with chairs around it. On the table are adapted for dramatic purposes. three lit candles, three sewing boxes, and three writing desks.

Tough this play is set in England, the Te room appears to be in order but should feel lived in. Te dialogue is writen to be played without space functions as a dining room, living room, and drawing English accents. room within the house.

Diversity in casting is strongly encouraged. CHARLOTE [29] sits at the table. She sews. Holding her work close to her face. Te play can be performed with or without EMILY [27] sits on the sofa. Staring into the night. an intermission. If an intermission is ANNE [25] sits in the rocking chair. Sewing quickly. included, it should come at the end of All three women are dressed for bed. Movement 2. Te sound of a clock tolls throughout the house. Te feeling of the prelude, interludes, and postlude should be quite diferent from the EMILY puts her sewing down. She grabs a candle. Ten movements. Te interludes exist almost leaves the room without acknowledging the other two. more like choreography. Lights, sounds, and staging should be used to convey ANNE puts her needle into her sewing box. She gathers the feeling of time passing between the EMILY’s sewing. She tries to collect CHARLOTE’S sewing movements, to develop relationships, to but CHARLOTE resists. evoke the emotional and creative lives of the characters, and to show important moments CHARLOTE: I can put it away myself. in their journeys. *44/
 44 ANNE: We’ve been keeping the sewing upstairs. EMILY: When? CHARLOTE: Why not keep it in the basket? ANNE: Sometimes you- ANNE: I’ve been working on some larger pieces. She doesn’t like it when I leave it on the foor. EMILY: No. I never-

CHARLOTE: Tat’s why we keep it in the- CHARLOTE: Can we begin?

She looks around the room. Tey look at each other. Ten sit at the table.

CHARLOTE: Where is the basket? Well

ANNE: Upstairs. It’s been easier to just- EMILY and ANNE exchange a look.

CHARLOTE: Fine. Fine. Do what you like. ANNE: You go.

She hands ANNE her sewing. ANNE heads for the door. As EMILY: No. You. she does, she stubs her toe. ANNE: You. ANNE: Owww. EMILY: You. CHARLOTE: Anne. ANNE: Emily! ANNE: Owww, owww, owww, owww. owww. EMILY: Anne! CHARLOTE: Anne. Shhh. CHARLOTE: Will one of you please just- ANNE: I’m trying, but… Owww. My toe. EMILY: Alright! Jordi Mand Jordi She leaves, limping. Beat. EMILY enters carrying a tray with a teapot and three tea- cups. She places the tray on the table. Pours tea into the cups. Tabby won’t be returning. EMILY hands CHARLOTE a cup. CHARLOTE sips. Ten makes a face. CHARLOTE: She won’t be returning at all or she won’t be returning- CHARLOTE: It’s weak. EMILY: She isn’t well enough to work yet. EMILY: We don’t have very much lef. Do you want me Her brother wrote to us last week. Tey don’t to steep it longer? know when she’ll be able to come back.

ANNE enters. ANNE: She should have stayed here... With us. We could have cared for her. CHARLOTE: No. No. It’s fne. EMILY: She wanted to be with her family. ANNE: Is there enough for me? ANNE: We are her family. EMILY: Yes. But there’s only enough lef for one more- CHARLOTE: No, we’re her employers. ANNE: Make sure you pour me a full cup. You’re still taking on her duties?

EMILY: Why wouldn’t I pour you a full- EMILY: Martha’s been here once a week but mainly… Yes. It’s been me. ANNE: Sometimes you give me less than- *44/
 won’t let me. 45 ANNE clears her throat. CHARLOTE: You have to try harder. Anne’s been helping since she returned. ANNE: You try forcing him to do something he doesn’t ANNE: I keep asking her to let me do more. want to do. She hardly lets me- CHARLOTE: You have to insist. EMILY: You create more work for me. ANNE: I do. He refuses. It takes all my strength not to ANNE: No. take the spoon and shove it down his throat myself.

EMILY: Yes. Your ironing? You burnt my EMILY: Anne! dress. ANNE: Everything’s a challenge with him. And he’s ANNE: Tat was an accident. been in a miserable mood.

EMILY: It’s easier if I just do it myself. CHARLOTE: Have you heard from Branwell? Brontë: T e World Without CHARLOTE: What have you been doing EMILY: No. Has he writen to you? these past few weeks if you’re not helping her? CHARLOTE: No. Have you heard from him? ANNE: I’ve been looking afer Papa. ANNE: Why would I hear from him? CHARLOTE: How long has he had the cough? CHARLOTTE: The two of you used to see each other every day.

ANNE: A week or two. ANNE: Not every day.

CHARLOTE: You called for a doctor? CHARLOTE: You saw one another for suppers.

EMILY: We did. ANNE: We took meals at diferent times.

ANNE: Emily didn’t want me to. CHARLOTE: You wrote me and said that you and Bran spent all your time together- EMILY: I thought we should have waited a litle longer before we- ANNE: When he frst arrived at the Robinson’s… Yes. But that didn’t last. Before long we would go for months ANNE: And I thought he was doing poorly without talking to each other. He mainly talked to… enough to call. ANNE looks at them. Ten stops herself. CHARLOTE: You haven’t seen any improvement? I hardly saw him.

EMILY: His fever’s gone down. Now he’s CHARLOTE: I’ll write to him to ask when he’ll be just weak. visiting next.

ANNE: He’s had very litle appetite. He ANNE chuckles. hasn’t had a full meal in days. What?

CHARLOTE: Tat’s why he’s weak. He ANNE: Nothing. needs to eat. CHARLOTE: You don’t think I should ask him when ANNE: I’ve tried to get him to eat. He he intends to- *44/
 46 CHARLOTE: How much do we have? ANNE: I don’t think he’ll be visiting any time soon. EMILY opens a small notebook. Ten hands it CHARLOTE: Did he say something to make you think to CHARLOTE. he- Tat’s all? ANNE: I told you… He hardly spoke to me. He wouldn’t even see me of the day I lef. EMILY: Yes.

CHARLOTE: Well, did you do something to upset CHARLOTE: What about Papa’s salary? him or- EMILY: Tat’s with the salary. ANNE: No, Charlote. I didn’t do anything. If you want an explanation… Ask him yourself. CHARLOTE: You’re certain?

She heads for the door. EMILY: Yes. We counted everything.

CHARLOTE: Anne. CHARLOTE: Tis is with Auntie’s inheritance? ANNE stops. EMILY: No. ANNE: What? CHARLOTE: Why wouldn’t you include CHARLOTE: We need to fnish. Sit. that?

ANNE: Can’t we do this in the morning? EMILY: Tat money is for our future.

CHARLOTE: Te purpose of us speaking tonight was ANNE: And she only lef us a very small to- amount. Jordi Mand Jordi ANNE: I thought the purpose was for us to be together. EMILY: She would never forgive us if we used it now… For the household. CHARLOTE: Tat was part of it. But more pressing is- EMILY: Anne… CHARLOTE: Well, there doesn’t seem to be enough. She indicates for ANNE to join them. ANNE walks to the table. Decides not to sit with her sisters. She walks to the ANNE: Because there isn’t. rocking chair and plops herself down. CHARLOTE: Tis will hardly get us CHARLOTE: She listens to you. But with me… She through until the end of winter. won’t even- Beat. ANNE: I can hear you.

CHARLOTE: Well, you won’t come when I call. CHARLOTE: How much were you able to save from the Robinson’s? ANNE: I’m not a dog, Charlote. ANNE: It’s there. CHARLOTE: I’m not saying you’re a- CHARLOTE: How much? EMILY: Shhh… ANNE: Fifeen pounds. She looks towards the door. EMILY: Most of what we have is Anne’s. *44/
 ANNE: We’ve used as litle as possible since ANNE: We’ll see how long that lasts. 47 I’ve returned. CHARLOTE: Anne! EMILY: And you? How much were you able to save much from Brussels? ANNE: What? He’s been fred from every post he’s ever had. CHARLOTE: Afer paying for my classes, books, paper, quills, postage, my travel CHARLOTE: Bran needs to know. I’ll include it in home- my leter to him. I’ll ask him how much he’s saved since starting at the Robinson’s. EMILY: But they paid you when you started to teach there. ANNE: He hasn’t saved anything.

CHARLOTE: Teaching meant I was there CHARLOTE: We don’t know that. longer than we had originally- ANNE: He’s never been good with money. EMILY: Did save anything? CHARLOTE: He’s been good at making it. CHARLOTE: A few pounds. Brontë: T e World Without ANNE: No. He’s been good at spending it. ANNE: How much is a few? CHARLOTE: Maybe he can send something in the CHARLOTE: Tree. Tree pounds. meantime. Something small even to…

EMILY and ANNE look at each other. EMILY takes the notebook fom CHARLOTE. She fips to a new page. Ten hands it back to her. I tried to save more. It wasn’t possible. Tey didn’t pay me enough to… (Reading) Cofee, tea, beef, sugar, salt, four, oats, potatoes, beans, peas, cabbage, celery, buter, raisins, and Beat. bacon.

Have you told Papa? EMILY: We’re running low... On all of it. CHARLOTE: We don’t need cofee. EMILY: No. Not yet. She grabs for a pencil. ANNE: We didn’t want to worry him. ANNE: Papa drinks it. EMILY: And we wanted to wait… Until you returned. CHARLOTE: He shouldn’t. It’s hard on his system.

CHARLOTE: Why? So I could be the one ANNE: He asks us to serve it when he has visitors. to tell him? EMILY: And Bran would want some if he were here. EMILY: So we could decide together how best to proceed. CHARLOTE: We don’t need bacon.

CHARLOTE: What about Branwell? We ANNE: Yes. need to tell him, at least. CHARLOTE: It’s not necessary for us to have bacon in ANNE: Why? the-

CHARLOTE: Considering he’s the only ANNE: I love bacon. one of us who’s actually employed. CHARLOTE crosses bacon of the list. *44/
 48 Something has to… CHARLOTE: We don’t need beef. She rubs her eyes. ANNE: Papa needs it. Te doctor said. He needs it for his health. We’ll let Martha go this week.

CHARLOTE: He hates the taste of meat. And it’s too ANNE: But she’s so sweet. She’s my- hard for him to digest. CHARLOTE: Tat’s not a reason to pay ANNE: He needs it to keep up his strength. her to do something we can do ourselves.

CHARLOTE: Well if he isn’t eating- She looks at them.

EMILY: Perhaps we can buy a small portion for Papa. You didn’t tell me it had goten so… Te three of us can do without. She sees EMILY and ANNE look at each other. CHARLOTE: Yes. We’ll buy beans instead. What? She writes in the notebook. ANNE rolls her eyes. ANNE: You tell her. We don’t need cabbage and celery. Cabbage seems to be of more use to us… Yes? EMILY: No. You.

EMILY: Yes. ANNE: Emily.

ANNE: Yes. EMILY: I already told her about the-

CHARLOTE makes another note. She sees the candles on CHARLOTE: Tell me what? the table. And blows one of them out. Beat. Jordi Mand Jordi CHARLOTE: What? It’s an expense. EMILY: Papa, he’s… He’s losing his sight. ANNE: Tat’s hardly going to- CHARLOTE: Does he need new glasses? CHARLOTE: We have to start somewhere. We can dismiss Martha. EMILY: No. It’s not that.

EMILY: No. CHARLOTE: Did you ask the doctor? What did he say when he- CHARLOTE: If she’s only here once a week- EMILY: He’s going blind. EMILY: I can’t take care of the entire house on my own. Beat. CHARLOTE: I thought Anne was helping. CHARLOTE: Blind? EMILY: She is. But not enough to- Beat. ANNE: I help. EMILY: Tere’s a surgery… A procedure. It CHARLOTE: I’m simply looking for a way to- could help restore his sight.

EMILY: It’s too much for one person. ANNE goes to her writing desk. She pulls out a newspaper clipping. Ten hands it to CHAR- CHARLOTE: Well, something has to change. LOTE. *44/
 ANNE: And we would lose our home. 49 CHARLOTE: Fully? CHARLOTE: We wouldn’t. Tey would fnd some EMILY: No. Not fully. way for us to stay here… For Papa to stay, certainly.

ANNE: Almost fully. EMILY: How? We have no ownership here. If he’s dismissed we’ll be forced to leave. EMILY: It would make a diference. He would be able to walk on his own... Read on ANNE: And we would have nowhere to go. We can’t his own. He wouldn’t need help geting up aford bacon never mind a home to- and down from the pulpit during services. CHARLOTE: All right. All right. CHARLOTE: Has Papa seen this? Beat. ANNE: He’s the one who showed it to us. Where would he have the surgery done? CHARLOTE: And because of one article he thinks this will actually- EMILY: In Manchester. Brontë: T e World Without EMILY: Charlote… He fell. CHARLOTE: Tat’s a day’s journey.

CHARLOTE: When? EMILY: He’s eager to go.

EMILY: A few weeks ago. CHARLOTE: How soon would he have to leave?

ANNE: Afer services. EMILY: As soon as we can pay for it.

EMILY: He fell down the stairs... In front of CHARLOTE: How much is it going to cost? the entire congregation. He was mortifed. EMILY: Ten pounds. CHARLOTE: Why did you wait until now to tell me? CHARLOTE: Ten pounds? And we don’t even know if it will be successful? EMILY: He asked us not to tell you... You or Bran. He didn’t want to cause a scene. EMILY: We don’t have any reason to think it won’t be.

CHARLOTE: Was he hurt? CHARLOTE: We’d have to stay in Manchester while he recovered. Tat will add to the cost. EMILY: Yes. EMILY: We know. ANNE: He cut his head. Sprained his wrist. He was shaking for days. Beat.

EMILY: He thinks he may lose his position We’d want you to take him. if he doesn’t have the surgery. CHARLOTE: I just returned. CHARLOTE: He’s given years of his life to this community. Tey wouldn’t do that. EMILY: You wouldn’t have to go until we had the money.

EMILY: It doesn’t mater. If he can’t see CHARLOTE: Tis is all so… they’ll bring in another priest to replace him. And there won’t be any need for him Beat. here. He would lose his job. I was hoping to be here… For a while. To be at home… With Papa… With the two of you before I… *44/
 50 Beat. ANNE: I don’t hear either of you contributing. How are we going to… CHARLOTE: How do you think it would Beat. look if we started selling of every item we have? We don’t want the congregation to ANNE: What if we sold some things? To help with the think that Papa was in such need that- cost of- ANNE: What about Branwell’s paintings? EMILY: What would we sell? We could sell those, couldn’t we? How much could we make for this one? ANNE: I don’t know... Books. ANNE goes to the painting above the freplace. CHARLOTE: Were not selling our books. CHARLOTE: How would we even go ANNE: Why not? We’ve read them all. We can take about selling his paintings? Bran’s the only them out from the library if we want to read them again. one of us who knows anything about –

CHARLOTE: Papa would never let us sell them. EMILY: He could help. Perhaps he could even paint us a couple of new ones. ANNE: He doesn’t have to know. ANNE: If we want something new CHARLOTE: He would fgure it out when he came Charlote should paint them. You’re as looking for something to read. good a painter as he is. Both of you are.

ANNE: We have furniture. Some pieces in the kitchen CHARLOTE: No. We’re not skilled like we could- he is. When I write him I’ll inform him of our situation and- EMILY: Tose pieces were Mama’s. ANNE: We shouldn’t rely on him. Jordi Mand Jordi ANNE: She isn’t using them. EMILY: We’ve helped him on countless EMILY: Anne! occasions. We saved everything we could to send him to school. CHARLOTE: For goodness’ sake! ANNE: We should never have sent him to ANNE: She isn’t. Mama would want them to go to good school in the frst place. He’s not even using use. We have dishes, serving plates, cutlery. his training.

EMILY: Tose are the only possessions of hers we have CHARLOTE: At least he’s working. lef. ANNE: As a tutor. Not as a painter. ANNE: No. We have her jewelry. CHARLOTE: It takes time to develop a CHARLOTE: We’re not selling Mama’s things. career of that-

ANNE: Te piano then. We could make a fortune of it. ANNE: And in that time we may freeze and starve to death. EMILY: No. It was a gif from Papa. CHARLOTE: We won’t freeze. ANNE: Tink of how much we could make if we- ANNE: You don’t know that. EMILY: I play it. I play it every day. We’re not selling the piano. CHARLOTE: Anne. We’re not going to- *44/
 ANNE: What about our school then? EMILY: We need you to take Papa for his 51 surgery. Beat. CHARLOTE: And frst we need money so CHARLOTE: We never found enough students to he can aford to have the surgery at all. make it work. EMILY: I could look for something. ANNE: Couldn’t we try again? CHARLOTE: No. You can’t. CHARLOTE: In the time it would take to set everything up we’d run out of money. Te costs alone of EMILY: I could try. turning this house into a school- CHARLOTE: You would be miserable. ANNE: We could use our inheritance. EMILY: So would you. EMILY: Tat money is for- CHARLOTE: Emily… Every time you ANNE: For our future… Yes. But wouldn’t Auntie feel leave you get sick. that turning our home into a school for girls is the very Brontë: T e World Without best use of her money? EMILY: Not every time.

CHARLOTE: Papa can hardly stand us in the house CHARLOTE/ANNE: Yes! never mind a house full of girls he doesn’t know. CHARLOTE: Every single time. You ANNE: What was the point of sending you to Brussels can barely walk out the front door without if- geting homesick. I’ll put an ad in the paper this week. EMILY: Anne- ANNE: So will I. ANNE: You went there to learn new skills to be able to come back here to teach. EMILY: Both of you? What about the house? CHARLOTE: I know why I went. CHARLOTE: We need the money more ANNE: So? If we looked at opening the school again than you need the help. maybe we could- ANNE: Can’t you teach? CHARLOTE: Anne… It won’t happen. CHARLOTE: Tere aren’t any teaching ANNE: But if we tried… Maybe we could- positions in the area.

CHARLOTE: Anne! ANNE: You’re sure?

Beat. CHARLOTE: Yes. I sent leters to whomever I could. Tere’s nothing. I’ll put an ad in the paper. EMILY: Can’t you return to Brussels? Te EMILY: For? Héger’s would gladly have you back.

CHARLOTE: For me... To be a governess. CHARLOTE: No. I don’t think they would. EMILY: I thought you wanted to be at home. EMILY: Yes. M. Héger would want you to go CHARLOTE: We can’t aford for me to be at home. back. You were M. Héger’s favorite student. *44/
 52 CHARLOTE: I can’t. I can’t go back. EMILY: What if you receive a response?

EMILY: Have they found someone to replace you? CHARLOTE: Ten we’ll take the work.

CHARLOTE: Even if they haven’t… Tere’s nothing EMILY: Both of you? for me there. CHARLOTE: Emily, we can’t refuse it. EMILY: Tere’s a job for you there. Not now.

CHARLOTE: No. I can’t go back. I can’t spend EMILY: And if neither of you receives a another moment at that school... In that place. I response… What then? simply… Beat. Beat. Tey look at each other. I don’t want to teach. INTERLUDE ANNE: Why would you dream of opening a school of your own if you don’t want to- CHARLOTE, EMILY, and ANNE tidy the room. CHARLOTE: Because it was something we could have done together. Something that could have been ours. We EMILY collects the tray, teacups, and two of wouldn’t have to leave home. We wouldn’t have to work the candles. She leaves. for another family and be treated like servants or slaves or… CHARLOTE looks through their book collec- tion. She decides what to give away. Ten she Beat. hands the books to ANNE, who leaves.

Te Sidgwick’s expected me to care for the children and CHARLOTE looks at the trinkets on the Jordi Mand Jordi clean the house and tend to the kitchen. I was governess, tables. ANNE enters. Takes the painting down maid, and all. Once their son hit me in the head with a fom above the freplace. bible and I was the one reprimanded. CHARLOTE hands some of the trinkets to ANNE: Te Robinson’s son used to force me to go outside ANNE, who leaves with the trinkets and painting. with him to hunt for nests. When he found one… His greatest pleasure was ripping the legs and wings of every CHARLOTE notices paper sticking out of litle bird he could fnd. I’ve never met a more despicable EMILY’S writing desk. She opens it. Looks child in all my life. through it. Finds a small notebook. And reads.

CHARLOTE: I hate children. EMILY enters. She sees CHARLOTE read- ing her work. She rushes to her. Grabs the ANNE: I hate children. notebook fom CHARLOTE. And runs out of the room. EMILY: You love children. ANNE enters. She starts to tidy the room. ANNE: No. Children love me. Tere’s a diference. CHARLOTE joins her. EMILY enters. CHARLOTE moves towards EMILY to say Beat. something. But EMILY quickly moves away fom her and leaves. EMILY: Isn’t there anything else we could do? CHARLOTE and ANNE reorganize the CHARLOTE: What? What else could we do? chairs around the table. Tey both grab their Beat. sewing. Tey sit. And work. *44/
 MOVEMENT 2 53 CHARLOTE prevents EMILY fom going. Evening. Nine months later. Enough. CHARLOTE [30] sits at the table sewing. ANNE [26] sits in the rocking chair sewing. Tey are dressed for bed. She tries to sneak past CHARLOTE again.

ANNE stands. She pours tea in the three teacups. She hands Let me go. CHARLOTE a cup. She takes one for herself. She contem- plates siting beside CHARLOTE. But decides to sit back She pushes CHARLOTE out of the way. in the rocking chair. CHARLOTE: How long are you going to Te font door to the house is opened then closed quickly. carry on like this? She’s barely spoken to me CHARLOTE and ANNE look at each other. in days. EMILY [28] enters wearing a day dress and cloak. ANNE: I know. I know. CHARLOTE: Where have you been? EMILY: You should have thought about that before you decided to- EMILY: I needed to walk. Brontë: T e World Without

CHARLOTE: You already went out this afernoon. CHARLOTE: I didn’t decide anything. I found it. And now you’d rather hide in your EMILY: I needed to walk again. room-

She goes to her writing desk. She opens it to make sure noth- EMILY: I’m not hiding. ing is missing. Ten slams it shut. CHARLOTE: Instead of discussing your I’m going to bed. brother’s future. Discussing… together… How we can help him. CHARLOTE: You never go to bed this early. EMILY: He doesn’t want our help. EMILY: I’m tired. CHARLOTE: He doesn’t know what he CHARLOTE: Emily. wants.

EMILY: Goodnight. ANNE: He shouldn’t have come here.

EMILY heads for the door. CHARLOTE stands. CHARLOTE: And where do you propose he should have gone instead? CHARLOTE: We agreed to speak about Branwell. ANNE: To stay with a friend… or anyone EMILY: We can speak about Branwell in the morning. else.

CHARLOTE: He’ll be awake in the morning. CHARLOTE: He’s in no condition to stay with anyone else. ANNE: He’s been here a week already and hasn’t risen before noon since he- ANNE: He’s in no condition to stay here either. EMILY: See? We’ll have plenty of time to talk about him tomorrow. CHARLOTE: If you had just told us… Warned us that he was- CHARLOTTE runs to the door before EMILY can get to it, pre- venting her from leaving. EMILY tries to sneak past CHARLOTTE.

Charlote. *44/
 54 ANNE: He wasn’t like this at the Robinson’s. He wasn’t stumbling around… Drunk at all hours of the night- EMILY: He needs time. He’s grieving.

CHARLOTE: How could you not tell us about… I CHARLOTE: Grieving? can’t even bring myself to say her name. How could you not- EMILY: I believe him when he says he loves her. He said they intended to marry. ANNE: I didn’t know. CHARLOTE: She’s already married, CHARLOTE: Anne! You lived in the same house as Emily... To someone else. them. EMILY: She was going to leave her ANNE: And they were careful… Cautious. I had my husband. suspicions… Of course I did. But I never thought they were actually- CHARLOTE: Do you really think that a woman like that… Who would behave CHARLOTE: How could he do this? Tey were his in that way… In her own home… Would employers. She was his… leave her husband for a man without a single penny to his name? She was never going to Beat. leave him. And now our lives are ruined.

He has to apologize. Tey hear a loud noise above them.

EMILY: To who? What was that?

CHARLOTE: To Mr. Robinson. He should be begging EMILY goes to the door as if to leave. that man for forgiveness. Ofering him anything he can to- No. Anne… Go see what it is.

ANNE: What does Bran have to ofer him? ANNE: Why do I always have to be the one to- Jordi Mand Jordi

CHARLOTE: He could work without pay. CHARLOTE: Anne!

EMILY: Branwell must never come into contact with ANNE looks at them. Ten leaves. EMILY the Robinson’s again. goes to follow.

CHARLOTE: Something has to be done. Where are you going?

EMILY: He needs to stay in bed. He needs to recover. EMILY: With Anne.

ANNE: Recover from drinking night afer night? CHARLOTE: Emily.

EMILY: Well, if we let him drink in the house like I EMILY: What? suggested- CHARLOTE: Tis distance between us… CHARLOTE: No. He’s not drinking in the house. I can’t stand it. I’ve forgiven you. Why can’t you forgive me? EMILY: He’s going to drink one way or another. We might as well let him- EMILY: Forgiven me? For what?

CHARLOTE: If he’s so intent on destroying himself… CHARLOTE: For reading my leter. He can do that on his own… Outside of this house. EMILY: I made myself perfectly clear… ANNE: He needs a doctor. If you continued to write to M. Héger… I *44/
 would open any leter I found in the house. You had no 55 business writing to him. CHARLOTE: Not like him. He took such care with me. CHARLOTE: I had to try and reach him again. To see if he at least- EMILY: You were his student.

EMILY: He asked you not to contact him. CHARLOTE: But the way he spoke to me... Te way he treated me… Te gifs he CHARLOTE: Reading that leter from him was the gave me. He favoured me over everyone else most excruciating… at that school.

Beat. EMILY: Tat doesn’t mean he had afectionate- I needed to know if he- CHARLOTE: Ten what? What does it EMILY heads for the door. mean?

Emily… Please. Beat. Brontë: T e World Without EMILY closes the door. Ten returns to CHARLOTE. She You don’t know what it’s like. To feel that pulls CHARLOTE to the sofa to sit with her. way for another-

EMILY: He’s married. He has a wife… And a family. EMILY: I can imagine.

CHARLOTE: I know. CHARLOTE: Imagining is not the same.

EMILY: He has a respectable position at a respected Beat. school. You shouldn’t have allowed yourself to think that anything would come of it. EMILY: I’m going to check on Anne.

CHARLOTE: I know. I thought that he… She heads for the door.

Beat. CHARLOTE: I can’t stand the idea of losing you too. I know how foolish it is. EMILY: You haven’t lost me. EMILY: Do you? CHARLOTE: It certainly feels that way. CHARLOTE: Yes. But I couldn’t… EMILY: Charlote… What you read… Beat. Tese are some of my most private… My most private… Tey were never meant for CHARLOTE: I had to write him again. I had to know anyone to read. if there was any chance that our friendship- CHARLOTE: How could I not read EMILY: Friendship? them? Tey’re too extraordinary not to-

CHARLOTE: I had to know if there was any way for EMILY: Tey aren’t for you… Tey aren’t me to keep him in my life. To keep him… for anyone other than myself.

Beat. ANNE enters. He was so kind to me. CHARLOTE: What was it? EMILY: Many people have been kind to you, Charlote. *44/
 56 ANNE: Papa. He fell. EMILY: Stop it- CHARLOTE: Again? CHARLOTE: Emily… Your work is EMILY: Is he all right? stunning. It’s not like any poetry I’ve ever read. ANNE: He missed the edge of the bed. He needs to have the surgery. EMILY: It’s not poetry. Tey’re a few rhymes. Tat’s all. CHARLOTE: We don’t have enough saved yet to be able to aford- CHARLOTE: Your words… Tey’re haunting- ANNE: We’ve been saving for almost a year. EMILY: Enough. EMILY: And we still don’t have enough. CHARLOTE: Filled with the deepest ANNE: We’ll use our inheritance then. sense of-

EMILY: Our inheritance is hardly enough to- EMILY: Please… I’m begging you. Can we forget you ever found them? Tat you ANNE: What were you fghting about? ever…

EMILY: It was… Nothing. Beat.

CHARLOTE: It wasn’t nothing. Tese are my most… Tey were never meant to be read... Tey were never meant EMILY: Charlote. to be-

CHARLOTE: Emily’s upset with me for fnding some ANNE: I want to know what you’re talking of her writing. And I’m trying to apologize but she about. Jordi Mand Jordi refuses to- EMILY: Have you not been listening? EMILY: I don’t hear an actual apology, Charlote. Tey’re not for you. For either of you.

ANNE: You don’t let anyone read your writing. Her breathing changes.

EMILY: I didn’t let her read it. She took it... Without You should never have… asking. She grabs her chest. CHARLOTE: I didn’t take anything. I stumbled across it and- EMILY: You will not read anymore… You will respect my privacy. Do you hear me? EMILY: No. You were looking. You always have to know You will not read any more… everything. She gasps for air. CHARLOTE: Tat isn’t true. ANNE: I’ll get a cloth. EMILY: How many times have you been behind that door listening to our conversations? Private She leaves. EMILY stumbles and falls to the conversations that- ground. She breathes heavily. CHARLOTE goes to her. ANNE: What did you write? CHARLOTE: It’s all right. You’re all right. CHARLOTE: She’s writen some of the most- *44/
 EMILY struggles to breathe. EMILY: All right. 57

Take a breath. Can you do that? Like this. ANNE: Charlote do you want some-

She takes a breath. EMILY tries to copy her. CHARLOTE CHARLOTE: Yes. Yes. Bring whatever’s moves behind EMILY. She holds her tightly so EMILY can lef. feel her breathing. ANNE leaves. EMILY tries to stand. Again. With me. Slowly. EMILY takes another breath. ANNE enters with a small basin and cloth. She rings out the cloth. EMILY moves slowly. She sits on the sofa. And grabs her chest. Her breathing hasn’t fully nor- Calm. Calm. malized yet. CHARLOTE watches EMILY closely. ANNE places the cloth on EMILY’S forehead. ANNE enters with a tray that has a large plate covered by a cloth and three smaller plates. Good. ANNE: Don’t tell Papa if we fnish it. Brontë: T e World Without EMILY takes the cloth fom ANNE. She holds it tightly Honey cake is his favorite. against her face. Her breath slowly becomes steadier. CHARLOTE: We can blame it on Bran. Do you want to stand? ANNE: Yes! Let’s blame it on Bran! EMILY shakes her head. She places the tray on the table. Removes the ANNE: We should call for the doctor. cloth. And reveals a small section of cake.

EMILY: No. We can’t aford- Oh... I thought we had more.

CHARLOTE: If you need someone, we’ll fnd a way CHARLOTE: Looks like Bran got to it to- afer all.

EMILY: No. No. It’s… ANNE: Tere’s hardly enough for three slices. EMILY takes a deep breath. CHARLOTE: Give Emily a larger piece. EMILY: It will pass. EMILY: I don’t need a larger piece. Beat. ANNE: I’ll take it then. CHARLOTE: Do you want some tea? EMILY: I was being polite. I’ll take a larger EMILY shakes her head. piece.

Something to eat? ANNE cuts the cake and gives each of them a slice. EMILY immediately begins to devour it. EMILY shakes her head. CHARLOTE and ANNE watch her. Tey laugh. ANNE: Are you sure? We have honey cake lef from when Mr. Nicholls came to visit. CHARLOTE: Slow down. You’ll choke.

Beat. EMILY looks at them and slows down. Tey hear a noise in the hallway. *44/
 58 ANNE: Papa? CHARLOTE: Enough. She stands. Goes to the door. And opens it slightly. Tey hear someone belch loudly. ANNE closes the door quickly. ANNE: Shouldn’t you read all of them in order to- CHARLOTE: No. Not Papa. CHARLOTE: I have a good sense of what Tey hear the font door to the house being opened. Ten they’re like. slammed shut. Tey breathe a sigh of relief. ANNE sits at the table. And takes a bite of the cake. ANNE: Oh... And?

ANNE: It’s too dry. CHARLOTE: And I fnd them rather… Sweet. CHARLOTE: I don’t think so. ANNE: Sweet? EMILY, who has already fnished her piece, reaches for ANNE’S plate. And starts to eat her cake. CHARLOTE: Tere’s work to be done on them still- Neither does she. ANNE: I’ve been writing these for months. CHARLOTE and ANNE laugh. Beat. ANNE goes to her writing desk. She pulls out a notebook. In She grabs her pages back fom CHARLOTE. the notebook are several loose pieces of paper. She looks them over. Ten decides to hand them to CHAR- CHARLOTE: Anne… Tey’re sincere… LOTE. True.

CHARLOTE: What? ANNE: I have more if you want to-

She holds the pages close to her face. And reads. CHARLOTE: No. No. Jordi Mand Jordi Where did you get these from? Beat.

ANNE: I wrote them. (To EMILY) I changed the order CHARLOTE goes to her writing desk. She of the frst few lines… Like you said. takes out a notebook. In the notebook are sever- al loose pieces of paper. She looks at her sisters. CHARLOTE: You’ve read these? Ten decides to hand the pages to EMILY. EMILY reads. ANNE rushes over to EMILY EMILY: Yes. and grabs some of the pages out of her hand.

CHARLOTE: Has she read any of yours? CHARLOTE: Careful.

EMILY: No. ANNE: I want to see.

ANNE: She won’t let me. EMILY: When did you write these?

CHARLOTE fips through the pages quickly. CHARLOTE: When I was away… In Brussels. Don’t rush. EMILY: I didn’t know you were writing… CHARLOTE fips through a few more pages. Not like this.

CHARLOTE: All right. CHARLOTE: I didn’t know you were writing either. ANNE: How many did you read? *44/
 EMILY: You have so many. Tey’re strong… Stoic. ANNE: You think someone would want to 59 buy what we wrote? ANNE: I think there’s work to be done on them still. CHARLOTE: I do. EMILY: Anne! ANNE: You think our work is strong ANNE: What? enough for-

CHARLOTE grabs her pages fom ANNE. CHARLOTE: Yes.

Charlote, I didn’t mean it like- ANNE: How would we even go about geting our work published? CHARLOTE: It’s not that, Anne. It’s… CHARLOTE: We would submit it. She grabs ANNE pages too. ANNE: To? CHARLOTE: How many have you writen? CHARLOTE: To a publisher. ANNE: Close to twenty. Brontë: T e World Without ANNE: We don’t know any publishers. CHARLOTE: Emily? CHARLOTE: No. But… We can review EMILY: I don’t know. the collections we have. We can submit ours work to the same publishers. CHARLOTE: You must have some idea. ANNE: What if they don’t want to publish EMILY: I haven’t counted. it?

CHARLOTE: How many more could you write? How CHARLOTE: Ten we’ll fnd a publisher long would it take? that does. We’ll send it out until someone fnally agrees to- ANNE: Why? EMILY: No. CHARLOTE lines the pages upside by side on the foor. Beat. CHARLOTE: Don’t you see? What we have? Absolutely not. EMILY and ANNE look at her blankly. CHARLOTE: But what you’ve writen… A collection. It-

ANNE: Of? EMILY: It was never meant to be shared.

CHARLOTE: Poetry. We can sell these. CHARLOTE: We’ve always shared our writing with each other. How many hours have ANNE: Sell? we spent in this very room… On this foor… Writing away… For hours and hours... Until CHARLOTE: We can sell our work. We can have these there wasn’t a drop of ink lef in the house? You, published. me, Anne… Bran even. And we would talk… Over and over again… About publishing our ANNE: You want to publish our poems? work… About publishing our stories.

CHARLOTE: Not all of them. But some… Yes. EMILY: Tat was when we were children. We didn’t know any beter. *44/
 60 CHARLOTE: But what if we did? What if we knew CHARLOTE: Our work deserves to be exactly what we- published. It deserves to be published, translated. It should be read by- EMILY: I can’t. EMILY: Translated? CHARLOTE: Emily. CHARLOTE: Yes. If our work were EMILY: Publish your work if you want. But do it published then it would certainly be- without me. I don’t want any part of it. EMILY: Into what language do you want She heads for the door. our work translated?

CHARLOTE: We could make some money. CHARLOTE: In as many languages as possible. French, German- EMILY stops. EMILY: Is that what this is about? You want If we sold even a handful of copies- him to read your work?

ANNE: Do writers even make money? CHARLOTE: What? No.

EMILY: It would only be a few pounds... If that. ANNE: Who?

CHARLOTE: A few pounds will make all the EMILY: Tis is just another way for you to diference. We’ve used all of Papa’s salary for the year try and communicate with him. already. CHARLOTE: Emily. EMILY: We haven’t had a choice. ANNE: Who are you talking about? ANNE: Because we can’t fnd work. EMILY: Even afer he told you… Begged Jordi Mand Jordi EMILY: One of you will get a position. you not to. Afer I told you not to-

CHARLOTE: Emily… We have been advertising for CHARLOTE: Stop. almost a year. ANNE: Why am I always the last one to EMILY: It will change. It has to. know anything?

CHARLOTE: And until then… We have this. EMILY: Tis is because of your obsessive-

Beat. CHARLOTE: Stop it.

How many books… How many articles, magazines, EMILY: Because of your intolerable… papers, collections have we read in our lives? We can Unrelenting need to be- write just as well as they can. I have the frst half of a novel even. CHARLOTE: It’s because I have absolutely nothing to show for my life! ANNE: I’m writing a novel too. So is she. Beat. EMILY: Anne! Every day is exactly the same as the next. ANNE: You are. I’ve seen you working on it. We wake up, we eat, we clean, we tend to Papa, we tend to the house, we sew, we read, EMILY: Tat’s for me. Tat’s not for- we write, we sleep. Tat’s it. Tat’s all. Our entire life. *44/
 ANNE: We go to church... We teach at the school on Beat. 61 Sundays. We’re lucky to have survived this long. We CHARLOTE: And we go to church and teach at the are. And what do I have to show for it? I school on Sundays, yes. have no accomplishments to my name. I’m never going to marry. EMILY: I like our life… Te life we have. ANNE: You think you’ll never marry? CHARLOTE: Because this is the only life you’ve ever known. You’ve never wanted more than this. You’ve CHARLOTE: I don’t see how. barely travelled farther than- EMILY: You were already proposed to, EMILY: I went to school when we were young. Charlote. Twice.

CHARLOTE: For a few months. Ten you got sick… CHARLOTE: Tose didn’t count. Like you always do… And came home right away. EMILY: Yes. Tey did. EMILY: I went to Brussels with you… To study. CHARLOTE: Tey didn’t count for me. Brontë: T e World Without CHARLOTE: For a few months. And then you hurried Tose men didn’t know me. Tey could home as quickly as you could. barely read. I could never have any sort of real love with them. I’ll never have that kind EMILY: My life doesn’t have any less meaning because of love... With anyone. I’m satisfed here. ANNE: You don’t know that. CHARLOTE: How? How can you be satisfed? CHARLOTE: I do. If those men were my EMILY: I don’t crave the sort of atention that you do. best chance at marriage then… It’s beter to accept it and look forward. It isn’t wise CHARLOTE: It’s not atention I crave. It’s a life. I want for a woman without any sort of beauty or a life. fortune to-

EMILY: Go then…. If you’re so miserable. Travel. Or ANNE: You have beauty. fnd employment somewhere else. If you want to leave so badly- CHARLOTE: Where?

CHARLOTE: I’ve tried. Every week I advertise ANNE: You have beauty in you. that I’m available to work. But even if I were hired for a position… It’s still the same. Taking care of other EMILY: Charlote… You’re beautiful. people’s children… Of other people’s homes. Each and every day… Wherever we go… Wherever we are… Tis CHARLOTE: No. life of ours, it’s… EMILY: To us you are. Beat. CHARLOTE: And to everyone else? How much time do we have lef? I know what I am. A woman like me shouldn’t make marriage the basis for her ANNE: What? hopes and wishes. Te two of you still have a chance at marriage. EMILY: What? ANNE: Us? CHARLOTE: Our entire family… Mama, Auntie, our own sisters... Everyone we have ever loved has… *44/
 62 CHARLOTE: Why not. You’re young. EMILY: Do you… Want to be a part of it? Want to publish your- EMILY: We’re not that young. ANNE: Yes. I’ve always wanted this. CHARLOTE: You’re young enough. EMILY: You’d have a beter chance if I’m ANNE: I won’t marry… Never. Not afer losing- nowhere near it.

CHARLOTE: Anne… You were never going to marry CHARLOTE: Tat’s not true. him. EMILY: It is. ANNE: Yes. CHARLOTE: We need your work. CHARLOTE: It was nothing more than a firtation. Tere was no talk of marriage. He didn’t talk to Papa EMILY: If you’re in such dire need of a third about marrying- ask Branwell. He’s the one with the talent.

ANNE: He intended to. If he hadn’t passed away- CHARLOTE: Oh, Emily! How can you not see it? You have a gif. Do you CHARLOTE: Anne- know how many people spend their lives searching for what you have? ANNE: If he hadn’t passed we would be together this very moment… In a house of our own… With a family. EMILY: What I write is… Strange. It’s not suitable… Or dignifed. It in no way refects Beat. how a woman should feel… Or think… Or write. I know that. No one will understand I was absolutely going to marry him, Charlote. You it. No one will want to- know that. CHARLOTE: If you were a man do you ANNE stands. Ten plops herself down in the rocking chair. think for a moment you would choose not Jordi Mand Jordi to pursue- Beat. EMILY: If I were a man I wouldn’t have to CHARLOTE begins to tidy the papers. choose.

ANNE: Tat’s it? ANNE: Ten just pretend you’re a man and be done with it. CHARLOTE: I suppose so. EMILY: I can’t pretend to be something I’m She looks at EMILY. not. ANNE: Why not? EMILY: Whatever you think will come of this… It may have no efect whatsoever on our lives… Nothing may EMILY: Because it… It’s not- change. And then what? ANNE: Because it’s not what? CHARLOTE: Ten I see no harm in trying. CHARLOTE: You can. You can. EMILY: You have your work... Anne’s work. You have more than enough to create something between the two She stands. Grabs paper and a quill. And of you. writes. CHARLOTE: We can’t move forward without you. We could keep our initials… Keep the frst ANNE: If she doesn’t want to be a part of it there’s no leters for each of our names. Te rest can point in forcing her. be whatever we like…. *44/
 63 She holds the page up for them to see. EMILY: He would edit every poem until he was satisfed. ANNE: Currer, Ellis, Aaron Bell? CHARLOTE: Until he felt it was up to his CHARLOTE: If they think we’re men they’ll focus on standards. what we write… Not who we are. We can send our work out without being afraid of anyone knowing. We can EMILY: And if it weren’t a resounding write what we like… How we like. success… He would never forgive us.

ANNE grabs the page fom CHARLOTE. CHARLOTE: No. We don’t tell him. We don’t tell Branwell. It stays between the ANNE: Why Bell? Why can’t we use our last name? three of us.

CHARLOTE: People know there’s only one son in our ANNE: Ten… What’s the point? family. EMILY: I won’t do it if we tell people… ANNE: How many people know that? Tat’s the point. Brontë: T e World Without CHARLOTE: Enough. CHARLOTE: But if we don’t tell people? Ten you’ll… ANNE: Can’t we submit anonymously? EMILY looks at the page with their proposed CHARLOTE: No. Our work could be stolen. And we names on it. would have no way to prove it was ours. EMILY: We shouldn’t have to disguise who EMILY: Work with a name is respected far more than we are. anything writen anonymously. CHARLOTE: Oh, Emily! Does it really ANNE: Currer, Ellis, Aaron. Mine doesn’t sound nearly mater? It would be a few published copies as intriguing as yours. Aaron… It’s so plain. of a poetry collection. Tat’s it. Tat’s all it is. CHARLOTE: What then? EMILY: I don’t know. ANNE: Adam, Abram, Andrew, Arthur, Alfred- CHARLOTE: Emily! Can’t you at least try EMILY: Acton. to-

ANNE: Oh… Acton! Yes! Currer, Ellis, Acton Bell. ANNE: Just say yes, Emily! For goodness’ sake! CHARLOTE writes the names out again. She holds it up for them to see. EMILY looks at her sisters. And exhales heav- ily. So… No one would know it was us? INTERLUDE CHARLOTE: No one would know it was us. CHARLOTE, EMILY and ANNE grab a ANNE: What about Papa? We would have to tell him. small stack of blank pages and a quill. Tey sit at the table. And write. As they do, they hand CHARLOTE: Papa would go mad knowing we were each other their pages. Tey read one another’s trying to be published. He would get too invested. He work. Tey make notes. Tey hand the pages would want to change everything we wrote. back to the author. Tey sit and write. *44/
 64 Again, they hand each other their pages. Tey read one EMILY: (Calling back) What? I’m in here. another’s work. Makes notes. Hand the pages back to each other. Sit. Write. ANNE runs back into the room. Breathing heavily. Again, they hand each other their pages. Tey read one an- other’s work. Makes notes. Tey start to form a pile in the Why are you so out of breath? middle of the table. ANNE: I ran. Te stack of paper grows. Tese are the pages of their poetry collection. EMILY: Te whole way?

CHARLOTE gently picks up the pages. Leaves the room. ANNE: Yes.

EMILY and ANNE grab another small stack of blank pag- EMILY: Anne… You shouldn’t have. es. Again they start to write. Tey share their work with each other. Tey each begin a stack of their own. ANNE: It doesn’t mater.

CHARLOTE enters with a small book in hand – a printed EMILY hands ANNE her teacup. copy of their poetry collection. EMILY and ANNE gather beside CHARLOTE. Tey look at it together. Smile. Place EMILY: Here. it on their bookshelf. And get back to work. ANNE drinks quickly. CHARLOTE grabs another small stack of blank pages. Tey write. Tey share their work with each other. Te stack ANNE: Owww. of paper grows. Tese are the pages of their novels. EMILY: It’s hot. CHARLOTE collects the pages fom EMILY and ANNE. Together they tie the piles with twine. Fold an envelope out ANNE: You could have told me that before of a large sheet of paper. Seal it shut. CHARLOTE takes I drank- Jordi Mand Jordi the envelope of and leaves. EMILY: I thought you could feel how hot it MOVEMENT 3 when you picked up the-

Afernoon. Ten months later. ANNE: My tongue.

Te font door of the house is opened. Ten closed quickly. EMILY takes the cup fom ANNE. And blows on the tea. ANNE [27] enters the room out of breath. She wears a day dress, bonnet, and shawl. She takes out a large envelope she ANNE: Charlote… Where is she? has hiding under her shawl and places it on the sofa. She places the shawl on the envelope to hide it. Ten she leaves EMILY: She went to town. the room. ANNE: She should have come with me. I Beat. would have waited for her. Why didn’t she come? EMILY [29] enters with a book and teacup. She sits and reads. She wears a housedress. EMILY hands the cup back to ANNE.

ANNE: (Calling to them) Charlote? Emily? EMILY: Drink it slowly.

EMILY: (Calling back) I’m here. ANNE takes a sip.

ANNE: (Calling back) Charlote? Emily? ANNE: Where’s Papa? *44/
 EMILY: At the church. 65 ANNE moves to grab the envelope. EMILY ANNE: And Bran? grabs it before she can get to it.

EMILY: Asleep. If you didn’t wake him with your We’re going to wait. shouting. ANNE: I can’t. She notices ANNE’S shawl on the sofa. She lunges at EMILY. EMILY moves out of the Hang it up. way.

ANNE: I will. EMILY: Stop it. Be patient.

EMILY: Now. If you don’t hang it up you’ll forget all ANNE: Can’t we just open it? about it and then Charlote will come home and make a big- EMILY: No.

ANNE goes to the sofa. She pulls out the envelope. And ANNE: She won’t even know. holds it up for EMILY to see. Brontë: T e World Without EMILY: Yes. She will. It’s… ANNE: What if we open it… Wrap it back ANNE: Yes. up again… And make it look exactly like it did before we opened it? How would she EMILY takes the envelope. And feels it. know then?

EMILY: It’s… Lighter. EMILY: Because… You’re a terrible liar.

ANNE: I know. ANNE: I can lie.

EMILY: Tinner. EMILY: Not very well.

ANNE: I know. ANNE: Neither can you.

Tey look at each other. EMILY places the envelope on the EMILY: Which is why we’re going to wait. table. ANNE: Why did we agree to this? EMILY: We’ll open it when Charlote returns. EMILY: You were the one who insisted. ANNE: When will that be? ANNE: No. EMILY: I don’t know… A couple of hours. EMILY: Yes. You insisted that if we received ANNE: A couple of hours? I had to carry that all the way any sort of correspondence about our work here… Unopened… And even that took all my strength. we’d open it together. Now you want me to wait a couple of hours? I should have opened it the moment I saw it. ANNE: Well… If I proposed the idea can’t I be the one to change it? EMILY: No. You were right to wait until we were all together. EMILY: No. We submited our novels together… We open the responses together. ANNE: I can’t wait for her. ANNE: Tis is more painful than waiting to EMILY: Anne. hear about our poetry collection. *44/
 66 EMILY puts the envelope on the table. EMILY: Anne!

EMILY: Leave it. ANNE: Please! Every other envelope had all three novels sent back to us. Tis one is She goes back to her book. thinner. What does that mean?

ANNE: Now what I am supposed to do? EMILY: It can mean all sorts of things. A publisher spilled on one of the manuscripts. EMILY: Try… Siting. Tey destroyed it and-

ANNE sits in the rocking chair. She looks at the envelope. ANNE: Destroyed? Tose are our only copies. EMILY: Why don’t you do something while you sit? EMILY: We won’t know until we- ANNE: I can’t do anything. ANNE: Charlote would have opened it EMILY: Try. already. You know she would have. If she saw how much thinner it was… She would have ANNE grabs a book. She fips through the pages. Never opened it without a moment’s hesitation. taking her eyes of the envelope. She fips through the book faster and faster until fnally… EMILY: Well… We’re not Charlote. She chases EMILY around the table. ANNE: What if it’s a positive response? She ANNE: I can’t! wouldn’t be upset with us for opening it if it’s a positive response. She drops her book and heads for the table. EMILY makes it to the envelope before ANNE does. EMILY: And if it isn’t?

Give it to me. ANNE: Ten… She’ll be so distracted by Jordi Mand Jordi her grief that she’ll forget that we opened it EMILY: You shouldn’t run. in the frst place.

ANNE: I don’t care. Give it to me. EMILY places the envelope on the table. ANNE moves towards her. EMILY: Anne! EMILY: Don’t. ANNE: Give it! ANNE backs away. She tries to grab the envelope fom EMILY. EMILY sticks the envelope up her skirt. And holds it be- ANNE: Tis is painful. tween her legs. Tey hear stumbling in the hallway. Tey look ANNE: You think that’s going to stop me? at each other. EMILY and ANNE go to the door. EMILY: I should hope so. I thought Papa was going to watch him Beat. today.

ANNE chases afer EMILY. EMILY takes the envelope out EMILY: Papa was called to church. fom her skirt. And runs. She drops the envelope on the foor. ANNE nearly grabs it but EMILY picks it up before she can. ANNE: He couldn’t have taken Bran with him? ANNE: Emily! *44/
 EMILY: No. ANNE: He has no right to put us through 67 this… To put Papa through- ANNE: I don’t like being alone in the house with him. EMILY: He has nothing lef to live for. EMILY: He’s been quiet today. I’ve hardly seen him. ANNE: He has plenty to live for. ANNE: What? No ft of despair? EMILY: He feels as if he has nothing to- EMILY: No. Not yet. ANNE: Why? Because she fnally wrote to Tey hear the font door to the house open. Ten close. EMI- say they were never going to be together? LY and ANNE go to the window. EMILY: Yes. When her husband died Bran ANNE: Now where is he going? started to believe that… Tat perhaps they would marry afer all. EMILY: You know where he’s going. To a pub. ANNE: She was never going to marry him. ANNE: Which pub? Beat. Brontë: T e World Without EMILY: Whichever one will still serve him. Why did Charlote go to town? ANNE: Did you hear the way he yelled at Papa… When he refused to give him more money? Papa… Of all EMILY: I’m not sure. people. ANNE: Yes you are. EMILY: When a man wants to drink… He’ll stop at nothing. EMILY: If she wants you to know she’ll tell you herself. ANNE: Emily… what would have happened? If you hadn’t been here when he- ANNE: No she won’t. Is she all right?

EMILY: It’s best not to think about it. EMILY: She’s… Fine.

ANNE: I can’t help it. What if something awful ANNE: Ten why can’t you tell me why happened to Bran… To you? she-

EMILY: It didn’t. EMILY: It’s not my business to tell.

ANNE: But it could have. You could have been burnt… ANNE: She tells you everything. Or worse. EMILY: She doesn’t tell me- EMILY: I wasn’t. We got out of the house in time. ANNE: Charlote tells you everything and ANNE: Still… What was he thinking? Lighting his bed on the two of you never bother to include me fre? How cruel does one have to be to do something so- or ask me or even think to-

EMILY: Anne… He was trying to take his own life. EMILY: She’s seeing the doctor about her eyes. Her sight… It’s geting worse. ANNE: Don’t. Don’t say that. ANNE: Are her eyes as bad as Papa’s were? EMILY: When I found him in his room… He was on the foor. He fainted from the smoke. I bent down to lif him up. When he came to... He begged me to leave him there... Alone. He begged me to- *44/
 68 EMILY: She doesn’t know. Beat.

ANNE: It took us over a year to save enough for him to ANNE: Te same publisher that published have his surgery. And we still had to use our inheritance. our poems should be the one to- We can’t aford for her to have the same procedure. We’ve already sold everything we could. We can’t- EMILY: Tey don’t publish novels.

EMILY: She doesn’t know. Don’t say anything to her. ANNE: Well… Tey should. Tey were She’s so sensitive about these sorts of things. pleased with how our collection was received. Why wouldn’t they consider- ANNE: She’s sensitive about everything. EMILY: Tey weren’t pleased. Beat. ANNE: Yes. What if they said no? EMILY: Anne, we only sold two copies out EMILY: Ten Charlote will send it the next publisher of a thousand. on the list. ANNE: Two is beter than nothing. And the ANNE: And when we reach the end of the list? Ten reviews were positive… Yours especially. what? You received more praise than Charlote and I combined. She picks up the envelope. EMILY: We were reviewed by three people. It isn’t right. ANNE: Well… It wasn’t a good year for EMILY shoots her a look. ANNE drops the envelope as if poetry. surrendering. EMILY: It’s never a good year for poetry. Te fact that she’s using the same envelope every time Jordi Mand Jordi she sends our novels out? She shouldn’t be crossing out Beat. their names like this. ANNE: Do you think it’s mine? It felt about EMILY: It’s just an envelope. the weight of mine.

ANNE: Emily… Tese sorts of things mean something. EMILY: You don’t know how much your Any time our package is sent to a publisher they can see novel weighs. who else has rejected us. We should have used a new envelope every time we- ANNE: It isn’t much thicker than that.

EMILY: We can’t aford a new envelope every time we- EMILY: Neither is mine.

ANNE: Don’t you think that if someone saw the She picks up the envelope to feel the weight of number of names crossed out it would alter the it. perception of our work? If I saw that six other publishers had already rejected these novels- Tis isn’t yours.

EMILY: Tat may have had no impact on the responses ANNE: It could be. Te title of my novel we’ve received so far. alone-

ANNE: Ten why has no one wanted to publish our novels yet?

EMILY: I… I don’t know. *44/
 you seem fne… Relieved even. Doesn’t it 69 EMILY: You have a fne title. hurt to know that someone doesn’t want to publish your work? ANNE: Not as fne as yours. Wuthering Heights has such- EMILY: Yes. It’s unbearable. It’s agony. EMILY: It#s only a title. ANNE: You don’t show it. ANNE: Titles mean everything. Agnes Grey… It#s dull. EMILY: Maybe I’m a beter liar than you think. EMILY: It#s the name of your main character. Many, many titles are the name of the main character. Beat.

ANNE: It#s too simple. ANNE: What if it never happens for us?

EMILY: Charlote#s title is just as simple. Te Professor? Tey look at each other. ANNE pulls a leter Tat#s not commanding or- out fom her pocket. She hands it to EMILY to read. ANNE: My novel is the weakest of the three. Brontë: T e World Without Tey have three children. All girls. All under EMILY: You can#t think like that. the age of fve Tey would need me for a few years… At least. Tey want me to start ANNE: What if I#m not a writer? in a month.

EMILY: Anne… Do you write? EMILY: When did you get this? ANNE: Today. It arrived with the envelope. ANNE: Yes. EMILY: Tis is the frst response you’ve EMILY: Ten you#re a writer. You spend more time writing received in… In over a year. than either Charlote or I do. ANNE: I know. ANNE: Only in an atempt to be as good as you. EMILY: Are you going to write to them? EMILY: Anne… You are good. ANNE: Should I? ANNE: But I don#t want to be good. I want to be great. EMILY: I didn’t know you were still EMILY: You are great. advertising for a position. Charlote gave up months ago. ANNE: You said good. ANNE: I kept posting. Just in case. EMILY: Anne… It doesn#t mean- EMILY: Anne. Oh, Anne.

ANNE: It means everything! To me… It means… ANNE: Emily…

Beat. Beat. ANNE: If it’s mine… If my novel is the What if I’m never… It’s torture. one they… I can’t keep going on like this. It might be time for me to just… To be EMILY: It’s torture for all of us. sent this leter on the same day we received another rejection. ANNE: Not for you. Every time we receive a rejection *44/
 70 EMILY: We don’t know what’s in there. ANNE: Emily wouldn’t let me.

ANNE: One of our novels is in there. EMILY: We were waiting for you.

EMILY: And it might very well be mine. CHARLOTE: You should have opened it.

ANNE: It won’t be. ANNE: I told you!

EMILY: We won’t know until we- EMILY: We agreed to open them together.

ANNE: Every time we’re rejected… I wonder if it’s me ANNE: Open it... Open it this very that’s holding us back. If we had submited our novels moment. separately yours would already have been published. CHARLOTE: It’s so thin. What does it EMILY: Tat’s not true. mean?

ANNE: Yes. ANNE: It means we need to open it.

EMILY: Anne. CHARLOTE hands the envelope to EMILY.

ANNE: I want to be like you... Like Charlote. I want CHARLOTE: You. it so badly… Sometimes I can’t stand to look at you… Or be in the same room as you. Every time our work is EMILY: Me? rejected I torment myself thinking that if only I were as good as you- ANNE: Emily! Open it! Beat. EMILY: You are. EMILY opens the envelope. She takes out a let- ANNE: It’s too much. All of this. It’s too- ter. And reads to herself. Jordi Mand Jordi

EMILY: You can’t give up. What?

ANNE: I have to. I can’t… EMILY reads.

Te font door of the house is opened. Ten closed quickly. What does it say? EMILY and ANNE look at each other. Beat. CHARLOTE [31] opens the door. She wears a day dress. CHARLOTE: Emily? What does it- She immediately sees ANNE’S shawl on the sofa. EMILY: No. CHARLOTE: Put it away. ANNE: No as in… EMILY: Never mind the- EMILY: As in they’ve declined to publish CHARLOTE: Anne. Put it away. our novels.

ANNE holds up the envelope for CHARLOTE to see. CHARLOTE: All of them?

It’s… Tinner. EMILY: Yes.

ANNE: Yes. CHARLOTE: Tat can’t be.

CHARLOTE: You didn’t open it? She moves to towards EMILY. EMILY grabs the contents of the envelope before she can get to it. *44/
 CHARLOTE: Hold her. 71 ANNE: What did they send back? EMILY: Don’t touch me. EMILY: It doesn’t mater. ANNE holds EMILY fom behind. CHAR- CHARLOTE: What did they send in the envelope? LOTE tries to wrestle the package away fom EMILY. Tey struggle. It brings them to the ANNE: Read us the leter. foor. EMILY bites CHARLOTE’S hand.

EMILY: I told you what it says. CHARLOTE: Owww. You broke skin. EMILY: Satisfed? ANNE: I want to hear it. CHARLOTE: No. CHARLOTE: What did they send? She lunges at EMILY. EMILY moves away. Beat. ANNE grabs the envelope out of her hands. ANNE rush to EMILY and tries to grab the envelope fom her. ANNE: Ha! Brontë: T e World Without ANNE: Give it to me. CHARLOTE: Give it here.

EMILY: Enough. ANNE: No!

ANNE: I have to know this very moment. CHARLOTE: Anne. Give it to me or I swear I’ll- EMILY: Stop. You’re acting like a child. CHARLOTE: Emily. Give it to her. ANNE: All right. All right.

ANNE tries to wrestle the leter away fom EMILY. EMILY She hands the envelope to CHARLOTE. pushes ANNE away fom her. She rips the leter into litle CHARLOTE opens it. pieces What? What is it? ANNE: No! CHARLOTE reads. She runs to pick up the pieces of the leter of the foor. EMILY: Charlote… Why would you do that? CHARLOTE reads. CHARLOTE: What’s come over you? Charlote. EMILY: You wouldn’t listen. CHARLOTE looks at EMILY. CHARLOTE looks at EMILY. Beat. CHARLOTE hurls the package on the foor. She CHARLOTE: Give it to me. throws the door open and runs out of the room.

EMILY: No. ANNE looks at the pages on the foor

CHARLOTE: We have every right to see. ANNE: Tey sent back… Hers? Te Professor? Tey want to publish ours? She follows EMILY. Yours… And mine?

EMILY: Enough. Beat. ANNE heads for the door. *44/
 72 EMILY: Don’t. EMILY tides the newspapers.

ANNE: We should go to her. She shouldn’t be- ANNE: What are those?

EMILY: Anne... Leave her. She needs time to- EMILY: Nothing. Here.

Te slamming of a door can be heard fom upstairs. Beat. She hands ANNE the Bible. EMILY and ANNE look at each other. Take this to Papa. INTERLUDE She has a tickle in her throat. She coughs. EMILY and ANNE tidy the room. Books are added back to the shelf. New cushions replace older ones on the sofa. ANNE: What are you doing with those? New quills replace older ones on the table. EMILY: Go. Papa needs it. CHARLOTE enters with a stack of blank pages. She sits at one end of the table. And writes ferociously. As she completes ANNE: Bran’s been refusing for weeks to let a page she creates a stack in font of her. She is writing her Papa bless him. next novel. EMILY: Well… He’s fnally agreed. When her stack is large enough CHARLOTE grabs her pages. And leaves. ANNE: A lot of good it will do him now.

EMILY and ANNE watch her. Ten leave. EMILY: It might. Tree days ago he was strong enough to be in town. CHARLOTE enters with a book in hand – a printed copy of her novel. CHARLOTE places it on the bookshelf. She ANNE: He’s fading. Charlote can’t even reaches for a stack of newspapers. She sits at the table. And look at him. He keeps reaching his hand out reads. to touch her from bed. She just stands in the Jordi Mand Jordi doorway… Staring back at him. MOVEMENT 4 Beat. Evening. Fourteen months later. I think we should tell him… Bran. CHARLOTE [32] sits at the table reading fom the stack of newspapers. She is dressed for bed. EMILY: Tell him what?

EMILY: (Calling of stage) Charlote! ANNE: About our work... About our novels. CHARLOTE starts to tidy the papers on the table. EMILY: Why? (Calling of stage) Charlote! ANNE: I don’t want him to pass without CHARLOTE: (Calling back) Coming. knowing.

She fnishes with the papers. Ten leaves the room. EMILY: It’s too early to know if he’s going to pass or not. EMILY [30] enters. She is dressed for bed. She goes to the bookshelf. Grabs a Bible. As she heads for the door she stops. ANNE: He’s fading. She takes a moment for herself. And sits at the table. She no- tices the stack of newspapers. She starts to read them. CHARLOTE enters the room. She covers her ANNE [28] peeks her head into the room. She is carrying a mouth. basin and cloth. She is also dressed for bed. *44/
 CHARLOTE: Te air in that room… We shouldn’t be EMILY: We agreed that we wouldn’t say 73 in there. anything… To anyone about what we’ve done… Under any circumstances. ANNE: We can’t leave Papa alone with him. ANNE: It’s just Bran. Who would he tell? CHARLOTE: We could catch it. He’s not seeing any visitors.

ANNE: So could Papa. EMILY: Anne, no one is supposed to know.

EMILY: Te doctor said it might only be a cold. ANNE: But think of how it would make him feel to learn about what we- ANNE: You don’t cough up blood with a cold. EMILY: Bran is in no state to… He can’t CHARLOTE: Whatever it is… We shouldn’t be in see straight… He can’t think straight… He there. can’t tell the three of us apart. Now is not the time to- ANNE: Charlote… CHARLOTE: It would bring him CHARLOTE: What? comfort. Papa was reading to him earlier Brontë: T e World Without tonight. Imagine reading to him from one of EMILY: Nothing. We were going up. our novels.

EMILY goes to leave. EMILY: You can’t stand to be in the same room as Bran. Now you want to remind him ANNE: I want to tell him. of all the things he hasn’t done with his life?

EMILY: Anne! CHARLOTE: No. Sharing our work with him… With Papa would- ANNE: I do. I want to tell Bran about our work. EMILY: With… Papa? You want to tell- EMILY: Now’s not the time to decide that. CHARLOTE: If we’re telling Bran… We ANNE: Now’s exactly the time. If he passes tonight- have to tell Papa.

EMILY: He might not pass. EMILY looks at CHARLOTE and ANNE.

ANNE: But if he does… Ten we’ll have kept this entire EMILY: You’ve talked about this? thing from him. He should know. ANNE: No. EMILY: Why? EMILY: You’ve spoken about this without ANNE: He’s our brother. I don’t want secrets between me? us in what might be his fnal hours. ANNE: No. Emily. It was only an idea. EMILY: Because he hasn’t kept secrets from us? EMILY: How long have you had this idea ANNE: I don’t care. I want him to know. for?

CHARLOTE: So do I. ANNE: Not long. But seeing him in bed. With no color in his cheeks. He looks so EMILY: Both of you? thin-

CHARLOTE: Yes. Why wouldn’t we tell him? EMILY: And you? *44/
 74 CHARLOTE: What? appearances. You’re the one receiving glowing reviews. But we… EMILY: How long have you wanted to tell Bran? Tell Papa about our- ANNE: Tonight is not the night to-

CHARLOTE: Emily… You’re over reacting. EMILY: Do you have any idea how dreadful these past few months have been? EMILY: How long? CHARLOTE: Your novel received positive CHARLOTE: What does it mater? reviews, Emily.

EMILY: I want to know why you’re breaking a promise EMILY: One... One positive review. Te rest that we made- were completely-

CHARLOTE: I’m not breaking a promise. If I were, I CHARLOTE: Tere will be more. It takes would have told them already. time for these things to-

EMILY: But you want to. EMILY: It didn’t take any time for you. Te moment Jane Eyre was published… Te CHARLOTE: Yes. Emily. I want my own father moment it was released- and brother to know what we’ve done... What we’ve achieved. Did you honestly think we would never tell CHARLOTE: You may still receive the same anyone? sort of-

EMILY: Yes, Charlote. Tat was the only reason I ever EMILY: I won’t. We won’t. You know that. agreed to- CHARLOTE: I don’t know that, Emily. CHARLOTE: And if we’ve changed our minds? Te All I can do is hope the two of you have the two of us shouldn’t be punished for wanting them to same sort of- know. Jordi Mand Jordi EMILY goes to the table. She grabs the newspa- EMILY: No one is punishing you, Charlote. per. And drops them in font of CHARLOTE. CHARLOTE: You are. By having a ft at even the thought of- EMILY: Why would you bring these here?

EMILY: Do you have any idea what it’s- Beat.

She lunges towards CHARLOTE. ANNE stops her. Charlote… Why would you-

ANNE: Emily. Don’t. CHARLOTE: I asked for the latest round of reviews to be sent to me. EMILY: Do you not see what it’s been like… For us? EMILY: Te three of us agreed not to have any ANNE: We should go upstairs. more reviews in the house.

EMILY: Why we might not want Papa… Or Bran to CHARLOTE: You weren’t supposed to read know? them.

CHARLOTE: Papa would be proud. Tey both would EMILY: You lef them here… Out in the be. open. Why wouldn’t you take them to your room if you didn’t want- EMILY: Tey would be proud of you, Charlote. You’re the one being sent leters of praise from readers... CHARLOTE: I didn’t have time to put them From other authors. You’re the one invited to make away. And I certainly didn’t leave them out for you to fnd. *44/
 EMILY: Have you read them? CHARLOTE: It hasn’t been destroyed. 75

Beat. EMILY: Burn Wuthering Heights?

Charlote… CHARLOTE: You have to have a thicker skin if you’re going to continue. Beat. EMILY: I can’t. I can’t continue. Have you or have you not read them- ANNE: Emily, you have to. CHARLOTE: I glanced at them. EMILY: Why? So I can be humiliated again EMILY: Glanced? and again? I would have never done any of this if it hadn’t been for you. CHARLOTE: Yes. CHARLOTE: Yes. You were perfectly EMILY: Sit. prepared to spend the rest of your life CHARLOTE: Emily. Tis isn’t- wasting your time… Your talent- Brontë: T e World Without EMILY: Sit! EMILY: You’re the only ones who seem to think I have any talent. CHARLOTE sits. EMILY coughs. CHARLOTE: It was your frst atempt. A ANNE: Emily. frst novel is difcult. So much of what you wrote is commendable. But there was… EMILY looks through the pile of newspaper clippings. EMILY: What? Tere was what? EMILY: “Heathclif, as depicted by the deranged Ellis Bell, is a deformed monster. Tis is a bad novel. A bad CHARLOTE: I told you there would be novel indeed.” no sympathy for Heathclif. I told you not to depict him as such a- She picks up another review. EMILY: Such a what? “If this book is the frst work of the author we hope that he doesn’t produce a second or a third novel. We hope, CHARLOTE: As such a beast. I warned both for his sake and ours, that he never atempts at you. I gave you my thoughts. writing another novel again.” EMILY: Your thoughts were to change She picks up another review. everything I’d writen.

“We come from the reading of Wuthering Heights as if CHARLOTE: I told you to make some we had come fresh from a pest-house. Read Jane Eyre. adjustments. Burn Wuthering Heights.” EMILY: And if only I had listened to you CHARLOTE chuckles. then none of this would have happened. Is that it? EMILY: Tis is amusing to you? CHARLOTE: You might have been more CHARLOTE: You can’t take those seriously… Most of satisfed with what you wrote if you- them are so poorly writen. You can’t take it to heart. EMILY: I was. EMILY: How can I not when I have put all of my heart into it? Tey’ve destroyed the very thing that I’ve- *44/
 76 She coughs. CHARLOTE: Not every review I got was positive. I was satisfed! EMILY/ANNE: Yes! CHARLOTE: Emily! ANNE: Almost every single one you got EMILY coughs. was-

ANNE: Enough. Both of you. EMILY: If your work received an ounce of the criticism mine has, we’d be spending She goes to the papers and collects them. As she does she weeks picking you up of this very foor. reads. She coughs. CHARLOTE: She’s the one making this harder for herself. I know why you want Papa and Bran to… But for me... For us. If Papa knew how EMILY: You’re the one that- poorly it had been received-

She coughs. CHARLOTE: You don’t think that Papa might form his own opinions about your CHARLOTE: It’s a privilege to have your work work? reviewed at all. To have created something worthy of- EMILY: I don’t want him to have any ANNE: Tese are terrible. opinions about it at all.

EMILY: Tank you, Anne. Tey’re uterly and She coughs. completely- ANNE: Should I get some tea? ANNE: Tere’s hardly any mention of me in any of these. “And Agnes Grey, writen by the lackluster Acton EMILY shakes her head. Jordi Mand Jordi Bell, leaves no impression at all.” Tat’s it. Tat’s all there is. Tey’re all about Emily. We published our novels CHARLOTE: Are you sure? together. Why wouldn’t they write as much about my work as they did about hers? EMILY: Yes.

EMILY: I’d rather leave no impression than be She clears her throat. considered deranged or- CHARLOTE: People need to know ANNE: I wouldn’t. I want them to talk about me… what we’ve done. Tere’s already too much About my work. confusion around the entire-

EMILY: And if they’re saying monstrous things? EMILY: What confusion?

ANNE: Tat’s beter than being forgoten… Or CHARLOTE goes to her writing desk. And compared to you. takes out a leter.

EMILY: Well, they compare me to her so… CHARLOTE: Your idiotic publisher has been claiming that Jane Eyre and Agnes CHARLOTE: And they compare me to everyone else. Grey were writen by the same author… by It doesn’t mater what they say. the same man.

EMILY: You can only say that because the reviews you ANNE: What? got- She grabs the leter out of CHARLOTE’S *44/
 hand. 77 CHARLOTE: What? Tey think you wrote Agnes Grey? EMILY: My life… Our lives. CHARLOTE: Tey’re saying that I wrote- CHARLOTE sits near EMILY. ANNE: But… You didn’t. You didn’t write my- CHARLOTE: Can you not be happy for CHARLOTE: I am perfectly aware that I didn’t me? write your novel, Anne. I’m not saying I did. But your publisher is. And now my publisher is furious. Tis has EMILY: I am. Of course I am. gone on long enough. People need to know the truth. CHARLOTE: Ten? EMILY: What truth? Beat. CHARLOTE: Tat we’re women. Tat there are three of us. Tat we’re sisters. And that we’ve each writen our EMILY: You’ve out done us. own novels. She lays her head in CHARLOTE’S lap. Brontë: T e World Without ANNE: Yes. Tis needs to be resolved right away. I don’t Beat. want this hanging over our heads when I publish my ANNE enters. next book. CHARLOTE: What? EMILY: Your next… What? ANNE: He’s gone. ANNE: I’ve been writing a second novel. EMILY: What? CHARLOTE: So have I. ANNE: Bran… He… EMILY: You… Have? Beat. ANNE: We should go in person. To prove we are who we say we are. Tey look at each other.

CHARLOTE: Yes. All three of us should go. Papa is asking for you.

EMILY: Tis was never part of the plan. It was never- EMILY: I can go

Tey hear a noise above them. ANNE: He asked for Charlote.

Beat. CHARLOTE goes to the door. She looks back at her sisters. And leaves. Tey hear their father sobbing upstairs. Tey look at each other. Silently negotiating who should go upstairs. Finally… Beat.

ANNE: I’ll go. EMILY clears her throat. She starts to cough.

She grabs the Bible. And leaves. ANNE: Emily?

CHARLOTE: Emily… EMILY coughs to the point of not being able to stand up straight. Beat. ANNE: Emily? EMILY: It’s changing… Changed. *44/
 78 ANNE goes to EMILY. EMILY covers her mouth with a ANNE takes her cup. And sips. She sits in the cloth. When she pulls it away she reveals blood. rocking chair. She has a tickle in her throat. She tries to clear it. CHARLOTE watches ANNE: No. No, no, no, no, no. ANNE closely.

EMILY’S coughing becomes uncontrollable. ANNE tries to You don’t have to do that. I can buy a new one. comfort her. ANNE: I‘m almost done. (Calling out) Charlote! CHARLOTE puts books on the shelf. EMILY coughs. ANNE holds EMILY tightly. Why don’t you fnish that tomorrow? (Calling out) Charlote! CHARLOTE: I want to fnish tonight. INTERLUDE She moves some books. And accidentally ANNE tries to pick EMILY up. But struggles. CHAR- knocks them over. LOTE enters. Together they lead EMILY out of the room. ANNE: I thought your glasses are supposed to Te room is empty for a moment. help.

CHARLOTE enters. She carries a few crates flled with CHARLOTE: Tey are helping. books. She puts the crate on the table. Ten leaves the room. She collects the books of the foor. ANNE ANNE enters. She also carries a crate flled with books. She stands to help her. puts her crate on the table. Ten leaves the room. Anne… Don’t. CHARLOTE enters again. And begins to organize the room. ANNE: I can do it. Jordi Mand Jordi ANNE enters. She carries with a tray, a teapot, and two tea- CHARLOTE: I don’t want you wearing cups on it. She puts it on the table. yourself out.

ANNE sits in the rocking chair. And begins to sew. CHAR- ANNE: What are we supposed to do with LOTE continues to organize the room. all of these?

MOVEMENT 5 CHARLOTE: Read them.

Evening. Four months later. ANNE: We don’t have space for all of them.

CHARLOTE [32] organizes books on the bookshelf. She CHARLOTE: We can put some in Papa’s wears glasses now. ANNE [28] sits in her rocking chair with study. Some in Emily’s… her shawl wrapped around her. She repairs a skirt. Tey are both dressed for bed. Beat.

ANNE stands to pour some tea. She moves slowly. She ANNE: It was kind of your publisher to hands CHARLOTE a cup. CHARLOTE takes a sip and send these for her. makes a face. CHARLOTE: She didn’t have time to read CHARLOTE: It’s strong. a single one. ANNE notices an envelope tucked into one of the ANNE: Do you want me to make you another? crates. She opens it. Inside is a poster that she unfolds.

CHARLOTE: No. No. It#s fne. ANNE: Jane Eyre… As a play? You didn’t tell us about this. Why didn’t you go? *44/
 Beat. 79 CHARLOTE: It was last month. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m supposed ANNE: You could have gone. to do.

CHARLOTE: No. I couldn’t. Beat.

She grabs the poster fom out of ANNE’S hands. CHARLOTE: You stay busy.

Papa wants us to go through her room. Decide what She puts the last pile of books on the shelf. to keep… What to give away. We need to change the sheets… Trow out her clothes- Tat’s the last of them.

ANNE: Trow them out? She takes of her glasses. Rubs her eyes.

CHARLOTE: You can keep what you’d like. Anything ANNE: Are you tired? else we can give away. CHARLOTE: No. Are you? ANNE: What about her bed? Brontë: T e World Without ANNE: No. CHARLOTE: I assumed you would use it. CHARLOTE: You should be in bed. ANNE: Why? ANNE: I want to be here. CHARLOTE: You’ll take her room… Won’t you? She sits back in the rocking chair. ANNE: No. I’ve nearly fnished the skirt. CHARLOTE: You should. You’ve been sleeping in Branwell’s studio for years now. It’s hardly a bedroom. CHARLOTE: You didn’t have to do that.

ANNE: But… Tat room is hers. ANNE: I know. Will you read?

CHARLOTE: And you can have it. She would want you to. CHARLOTE: I might.

ANNE: I… Couldn’t. ANNE: Have you writen?

CHARLOTE: Well… Either way… We need to clean it out. CHARLOTE: No.

ANNE: Can’t we wait? It feels too soon to… ANNE: Will you?

Beat. CHARLOTE: I’m not sure.

We waited months before deciding what to do about She notices EMILY’S writing desk. She goes to it. Bran’s- Begins to search through it. As she does, she fnds something tucked away in the back. She pulls out CHARLOTE: It will only get harder the longer we… a few pieces of paper - newspaper clippings. Beat. Did you know she kept these? I can do it without you... If you want. I just thought you would want to be- ANNE: What?

ANNE: I do. I do. I just… *44/
 80 CHARLOTE brings the clippings to ANNE. CHARLOTE puts the quill away.

No. Did you? ANNE: You haven’t writen in weeks…

CHARLOTE: No. CHARLOTE: Anne, I’m fne.

ANNE: Tese are some of the worst ones. ANNE: She would want you to write. To keep going. To keep going with… CHARLOTE grabs the clippings fom ANNE. As if to rip them up. CHARLOTE closes her eyes.

Don’t! I can help, you know. You can read me your pages. Like we used to. You might feel CHARLOTE: I don’t want these in the house. beter. You might feel more at ease if you-

ANNE: Tey were hers. She cut them herself. CHARLOTE: I won’t feel…

CHARLOTE: Tat’s not a reason to… Te way you Beat. would get newspapers for her... Te two of you siting together… Day afer day- It’s geting late. It’s time for bed.

ANNE: I wanted her to read the positive reviews when ANNE: No. they fnally came out. CHARLOTE: Yes. You need to rest. CHARLOTE: It didn’t mater that they were positive. She kept reading the scathing ones instead. She ANNE: I want to talk. practically had them memorized. CHARLOTE: Tere’s nothing to discuss. ANNE: You can’t blame us for wanting to know how our work was received. We weren’t geting leters and ANNE: Tere is. Jordi Mand Jordi invitations like you were. Other than our reviews we had Beat. no way of knowing what people thought of our novels. If it had been me… If I had been the one CHARLOTE: She became obsessed with them. She who passed- should have focused on writing… On writing another novel. She allowed herself to become completely CHARLOTE: Oh… Anne! crippled by- ANNE: Let me fnish. ANNE: It was hard. Beat. CHARLOTE: It’s been hard for all of us. All of this. It… If I had been the one who passed… And She looks at clippings. She thinks about destroying them. Emily was here… Would you speak to her about your work... About your- ANNE: Don’t. CHARLOTE: I don’t know.

CHARLOTE puts them back into EMILY’S writing desk. ANNE: I think you would. She picks up EMILY’s quill.

You should use it. CHARLOTE: I have no way of knowing Beat. what Emily and I would be speaking about.

CHARLOTE: No. *44/
 ANNE: You never talk to me about your work. CHARLOTE: I was being constructive. 81

CHARLOTE: I do. ANNE: You’ve never hidden how you feel about my work. ANNE: When it was the three of us… You would always talk to her. It was like it was only the two of you in the CHARLOTE: I trusted you could hear my room together. concerns without harboring endless amount of- CHARLOTE: Tat’s not true. ANNE: You don’t like my work. You never ANNE: It was Emily you wanted to have join you in have. Brussels. Even though she hated being away from home. She didn’t even stay to complete her studies. I would CHARLOTE: Your style is not to my have stayed. I would have graduated. liking. Tat doesn’t mean your work isn’t… You might not like everything that I write CHARLOTE: We only had enough money for two of either. us to go. ANNE: But I do, I love Jane Eyre. ANNE: You wanted Emily to be part of our collection. Brontë: T e World Without You wanted her poems. CHARLOTE: And in time… I think you’ll fnd a story that’s… Tat’s… CHARLOTE: I wanted us to publish our work together. Beat.

ANNE: You asked me to make all sorts of changes to You need more time. mine. ANNE: Time? CHARLOTE: We all suggested changes to each other, Anne. CHARLOTE: Yes. It takes time to-

ANNE: And if I hadn’t shown you my novel… If I ANNE: I’ve had two novels published in hadn’t forced you to read Agnes Grey? the time you’ve only had one-

CHARLOTE: You didn’t force me. CHARLOTE: Yes. And you never waste an opportunity to remind me of that. ANNE: Would you have even asked me to publish it? ANNE: Wildfell Hall has sold as many CHARLOTE: Yes. copies as when Jane Eyre was frst-

ANNE: But… You never… CHARLOTE: It hasn’t sold as many copies. CHARLOTE: Anne… What is it? ANNE: Nearly. And Helen is a heroine Beat. loved just as much as Jane… Maybe even more. Reviews praised that book. ANNE: You’ve never had anything kind to say about my work… About my poetry… My novels. CHARLOTE: And I don’t have to agree with every- CHARLOTE: It wasn’t about being kind. It was about trying to improve what we were all- ANNE: You couldn’t even get your frst ANNE: You were always the hardest on me. When we novel published. No one wanted to publish shared our work you would criticize me the most. Te Professor. Tey still don’t. *44/
 82 CHARLOTE: It’s a difcult novel to sell. Beat.

ANNE: Well… It’s a difcult novel to read too. ANNE: Where do I put it?

CHARLOTE: Are you fnished? CHARLOTE: What?

ANNE: You’re not beter than I am Charlote. ANNE: Her. Where do I put her… Te feeling of her. I can feel her on my skin… CHARLOTE: I never said I was. Te smell of her. I hear her voice. I want to keep her so close to me. Fit her inside my ANNE: You’ve always acted as if you were. chest and just…

CHARLOTE: I’m not going to show you or your work Beat. any sort of favoritism simply because you’re my sister. I don’t know what I’m supposed to. ANNE: Emily would never treat me the way that you- Beat. CHARLOTE: Emily and I are not the same. CHARLOTE: Neither do I. ANNE: No. You most certainly are not. Beat. CHARLOTE: Well, maybe you’d be beter of if she were here instead of me. ANNE: I wasn’t ready…

Beat. CHARLOTE: Of course not.

ANNE: What? ANNE: I know but… And now…

Beat. Beat. Jordi Mand Jordi CHARLOTE: You were always closer to her. I know Did we do this to her? that. If you were given the choice… I know you would choose to have her here… Instead of me. CHARLOTE: No, Anne. She was sick. Very, very sick. ANNE: I know. But… Did ANNE: I could say the same thing about you, couldn’t I? we cause it?

Beat. CHARLOTE: No.

CHARLOTE: I think it’s probably best if we… ANNE: Did we make it worse?

Beat. CHARLOTE: How could we possibly have made it- CHARLOTE heads for the door. ANNE: When we went to London… She ANNE: I miss her. begged us not to go. For weeks she begged us not to. CHARLOTE stops. CHARLOTE: We had to. I miss her so much… Sometimes I can’t breathe. I fnd myself talking to her… I talk to her all the time. As soon ANNE: Did we? as I wake up in the morning… When I’m lying in bed at CHARLOTE: Yes. night… When I’m out walking. Any thought that comes into my head… I want to tell her… I want her to know. ANNE: But if we had just sent a leter explaining instead of going in person. Instead of- *44/
 ANNE: You don’t wish that Emily had gone 83 CHARLOTE: It was too important to send a leter. with you on that trip instead of me?

ANNE: Emily wouldn’t even speak to us when we CHARLOTE: No. And Emily couldn’t returned. Te idea of anyone knowing who we are. have travelled in her condition. Even if she could… Can you imagine her in London? CHARLOTE: Only our publishers know. ANNE: She would have been a disaster. ANNE: And Papa. CHARLOTE: She would have panicked CHARLOTE: And Papa. We couldn’t keep it from him the whole trip. any longer. But that’s all. ANNE: She wouldn’t have lef the hotel. ANNE: Still. It was enough to make her sick about it. CHARLOTE: She would have been CHARLOTE: She was sick long before we went to angry with us for going out… For being London. entertained… For enjoying ourselves.

ANNE: But when we returned… She never recovered. ANNE: She would have been miserable. Brontë: T e World Without And she hated me. CHARLOTE: Te entire trip… Yes. CHARLOTE: She didn’t hate you. Beat. ANNE: It was never the same between us. ANNE: I’d like to go away again. CHARLOTE: Anne… CHARLOTE: Oh yes? ANNE: Te hardest part is that I had a glorious time on that visit… In London. Even now… Saying that out loud ANNE: Yes. feels like a complete and uter betrayal. CHARLOTE: Where would you like to Beat. go?

Do you remember the opera? ANNE: To the seaside. I went for a weekend when I worked for the Ingham’s. It CHARLOTE: Yes. was beautiful. Te sand was so white… Te sunset was warm… Te water stretched on ANNE: I’d never seen so many people in one place. I’ve for miles and miles. thought about that night over and over again. Once… I was siting with her. She was in bed… Her breathing was She closes her eyes. heavy. ANNE: I want to feel the air in my lungs… ANNE: She asked me what I was thinking about. And feel the breeze on my face. in that moment… I was thinking about the costumes… Te singing. I didn’t have the heart to tell her… So I said She opens her eyes. I was thinking about sewing. But I wasn’t. I was thinking about that night… About the opera. I’m going to go.

CHARLOTE: I think about it too. CHARLOTE: We’ll see.

ANNE: Do you? ANNE: I don’t need your permission.

CHARLOTE: Yes. CHARLOTE: And I don’t need you going there and making yourself… *44/
 84 CHARLOTE: What? Beat. Beat. We will see if you’re well enough to go. ANNE: I like the idea of you geting ANNE: Even if I’m not… I want to be by the water. married. Even if it’s the last time I… CHARLOTE: Come now. No one said Beat. anything about marriage.

Will you come? ANNE: I don’t want you to be alone.

CHARLOTE: Who, me? CHARLOTE: I’m not alone.

ANNE: Yes, you. ANNE: I know.

CHARLOTE: You would want me to come? Beat.

ANNE: Maybe... If you behave. I want you to have someone who can take care of you… Afer I’ve… CHARLOTE: I always behave. Beat.

ANNE: No. Not always. I don’t want you to be here alone.

Tey look at each other. And smile. ANNE has a tickle in her throat. She tries to clear it. CHARLOTE looks at her. Mr. Nicholls was here today. I heard him asking Papa if you were home. I think he fancies you. CHARLOTE: Come… I’ll make you some warm milk with honey. CHARLOTE: I’m sure Papa would be thrilled with that. Jordi Mand Jordi ANNE: You haven’t made that in ages. ANNE: Why wouldn’t he be? He seems gentle… Kind. He’s smart. CHARLOTE: It will be a litle treat.

CHARLOTE: He’s Papa’s curate. She ofers ANNE her hand.

ANNE: So? I’ve seen you talking with him. ANNE: Will you read to me?

CHARLOTE: When have you seen that? CHARLOTE: Read?

ANNE: He’s walked you home from church. He always ANNE: I love hearing you read. lingers around the house to talk to you afer he’s done with Papa. CHARLOTE: What would you like to hear? CHARLOTE: He’s nice. Friendly. ANNE stands.

ANNE: Suppose it doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome. ANNE: Something new. Something of yours. CHARLOTE: He’s not that handsome. Tey walk towards the door. ANNE: Oh, yes he is! CHARLOTE: Maybe I’ll read you Tey laugh. ANNE looks at her and smiles. something from Shirley. *44/
 ANNE: Shirley? 85

CHARLOTE: I think it’s the title… Of my next novel.

ANNE: Is Shirley the main character?

CHARLOTE: Yes.

ANNE: What’s she like?

CHARLOTE: Well… She’s stubborn, difcult, quick-

ANNE: Oh. So… Like Emily.

CHARLOTE: Yes. Like Emily.

ANNE turns around.

What? Brontë: T e World Without

ANNE looks at room as if saying goodbye.

Come.

CHARLOTE kisses ANNE’S hand. Ten leads her out of the room.

POSTLUDE

CHARLOTE enters the room. She is dressed in black - Mourning wear.

She sits in the rocking chair. Feeling the arms of it. She stands. She walks to the window. Looks out. She looks around the room. And hears the silence of the house. CHARLOTE tears up. She weeps. She covers her mouth so her father doesn’t hear. She fnally begins to calm herself. And wipes her eyes with her sleeve. She goes to the table. Opens her writing desk. Pulls out pa- per. Sits. She tries to steady her breathing. She stares at a blank page for a moment. Reaches for a quill. She looks up. EMILY and ANNE are in the room. EMILY looks up at CHARLOTE. Ten ANNE. Te three sisters look at each other. CHARLOTE is overcome by the memory of them. CHARLOTE returns to her work. She looks up again as if to say something. But EMILY and ANNE are gone. CHARLOTE looks at the paper in font of her. She breathes heavily.

Very slowly, she begins to write. End of play. *44/
 86 Jordi Mand Jordi

Andrea Rankin as Anne Brontë, Beryl Bain as Charlote Brontë and Jessica B. Hill as Emily Brontë in Brontë: Te World Without by J. Mand. Studio Teatre, Stratford. 2018. Photography by Hilary Gauld Camilleri. *44/
 87 Brontë: T e World Without

Andrea Rankin as Anne Brontë, Beryl Bain as Charlote Brontë and Jessica B. Hill as Emily Brontë in Brontë: Te World Without by J. Mand. Studio Teatre, Stratford. 2018. Photography by Hilary Gauld Camilleri. *44/
 88 A short autobiography

Daniele Bartolini

to Canada in 2012 in hopes of fnding a cure and to fulfll his dreams as a young immigrant. He has been working as a theatre writer and director (and sometimes actor, cura- aniele Bartolini was born and raised tor and always appreciator) ever since. His unique style of in Italy. Specifcally, he is from the theatre is called audience specifc and his productions have ‘culla of the Renaissance# Firenze, been presented in three continents around the world. Sin- Dknown to the anglophone world as Florence; ce his early teens, he has been involved with avant-garde famous for its beauty, wine, Boticelli, Dante theatre groups among which he remembers the experience Alighieri, the dry humor of its inhabitants, Krypton and the Cauteruccio brothers. Daniele Bartolini and a soccer team that never wins. is the proud father of his son Niccolò who just turned two and is named afer Paganini and the neighbourhood where Daniele Bartolini was raised in a basement he grew up in Florence, which brings him nice memories apartment in the neighbourhood of Bellariva to brighten his winter afernoons in Toronto. by his homemaker mother and a taxi driver father, and in the apartment of his custodian grandparents inside Palazzo Vegni in via di Dear reader, I now propose litle bits of a ‘biografa scomposta#, a di- San Niccolò, neighbourhood of Oltrarno – sorganized biography with fragments of my memory that are dear to known for being the home where Andrei Tar- me today. kovsky found refuge in Italy.

He spent his adolescence in the Village of An indelible memory Grassina, infamous for the number of socia- lists, anarchists and toothless Nonnas that I understood that my life was going to be a failure (or a chase kids in the street with brooms when constant fght on the verge of failure) on July 17th 1994, they play soccer close to their windows and 3 days before my tenth birthday, in the seminterrato - base- backyards. Daniele was brought up by seve- ment apartment - in Via del Campofore numero 42, nei- ral militant nuns and a handful of communist ghbourhood of Bellariva, Firenze, where I grew up. priests, among whom, he remembers Don S. dearly, who passed to him his love for cinema, Now, some of you may recall that day and others may not. Christopher Nolan and Mario Monicelli. Try to recall what happened on that day. July 17th 1994. A litle hint: the location of the event was the Rose Bowl In his ‘past life#, he had a missed career as a of Pasadena and someone considered divine (especially his water polo player. At school, Sister Luigia, his ponytail) was in the feld. Can you guess what happened? Italian teacher, never believed he could write and suggested he become a hotel concierge. Tough I was already 10 years old, strangely this ofen ap- During his high school years, he was struck pears to me to be my earliest memory, a moment that lef by the ‘sickness# of theatre (to the fault of his an indelible mark in my life, and probably in the life of an French teacher, whom he still curses to this entire generation of litle kids who were about to hit pu- day). Because of this ‘sickness#, he immigrated berty. *44/
 Te future of a nation Te discovery of theatre: 89

If you haven#t guessed yet, I#m talking about the night of I discovered theatre by accident, by chance, the fnal of the world cup, Italy vs Brazil. Italy had, against like every good encounter probably is. Te- every prediction, made it to the fnals, playing horribly re had been someone once - someone in this every single game, led, with tuns of inglorious luck, only by case honest - that said that he began theatre the fair and genius of the above mentioned Divin Codino classes not to follow a strong vocation of his (literarily the Divine Ponytail) Roberto Baggio. Te coach but because of the interest he had in the oppo- is Arrigo Sacchi, prophet of a new modern idea of ofensive site sex, because for him, as a young boy in the football (or soccer, if you wish) but this time around good late thirties /early forties in Italy, it was one of old Arrigo looked like the worst small town last division the few ways to meet girls, knowing that thea- old school amateur coach without any sort of magic inspi- tre classes were ofen populated by lots of girls ration. and not by many boys.

Long story short, as most of you may know, afer regular In this case, the honest man was a fellow citi- and extra time tied on a 0-0, fnally the lotery of the pe- zen on mine, illustrious actor (to say the truth nalties will determine the winner. Afer a series of scrappy I never really loved his work) Giorgio Alber- penalties (each of them monstrously guessed by my father tazzi. So if for the Florentine Giorgio the rea- like the Oracle of Delphi - eyes closed - hands kept supersti- son he fell for theatre was love, for me as well tiously on his “family jewels” - and one lit ‘Merit# to the cor- was love too, but the love for my friends. A short autobiography ner of his mouth -) it#s fnally HIS moment, the moment of the DIVINE PONYTAIL - Roberto - but that everyone I#m talking about my friends of an entire life, called, like if they were talking about their brother, son, lo- the friends from school, the friends from Flo- ver - ROBY - BAGGIO La stella / Te Star of our team. rence. Teatre was a way for us to break out, literally, almost as if we were in a jail, from the He approaches the diskete and kicks the ball and the ball classroom and escape from the boredom of fies so high, so high, that you would have not though this school. A way to do the thing we always loved would have been even possible, but oh my god this was the most: being in each other#s company. true, the ball fies so high that it looked like instead of sco- ring, we wanted to god up in the sky, the ball was so high Teatre was a way to run away, but it didn#t that meant Brazil won. Te world cup. work in the beginning, because honestly spe- aking, we didn#t really like it at frst. We had been obliged, seriously obliged, by our Fren- An entire nation was frozen ch teacher, who was desperate with a class that certainly didn#t shine for its brightness And me, a poor kid, I was foreseeing an entire life of de- and passion for the French language. Te feats. And like me, an entire generation of Italian children instructor was trying to fnd alternate ways, born in 1984 or around then. Seeing Roberto Baggio, who methods to have her students learn at least had never missed a penalty, our hero, our Roby, failing like something, even if very litle; she had us learn that, or seeing our captain Franco Baresi, a real killer of by heart narratives in French and consequen- knees of the best strikers around the world, crying like a tially, some French. litle baby on the shoulders of Arrigo Sacchi is something that I will never forget. Life was not going to be easy. Te idea didn#t work at all. I remember even the theatre instructor, a few days from ope- And Berlusconi had just been elected. But that#s another ning, with still no one knowing one single story. line of their text, running away from the class yelling: “Adesso Basta! Now stop! I#ve had Dear reader: if you want to live the emotions of the defeat again of enough of you, I#ve never seen uncaring pe- 1994 visit this link htps://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2z24ud or ople like you, I#m out of here, I can#t do this type on youtube “Italia Brasile rigori 1994. anymore!” (I later learned this to be an old trick of teatranti, theatre makers, to pretend *44/
 90 to be angry, to ‘move# the situation a bit and I want to thank the voyage instigate some reactions and fear in their class, because it makes me remember with nostalgia or cast). So this is how it all began, my story the songs of Lucio Dalla with theatre, inside this school called Educan- and my mom who had the same hair style of Antonella dato SS. Annunziata. Te school was a real Clerici jail, with inmates from all over Italy. It was a Te secret love I had for L. historical female dormitory, later in the year Perché io, mi ricordo tuto opened to boys. Te school was populated by Because, I remember everything what we could call, real animals in captivity, Te cigaretes smoked hiding in the courtyard of Poggio lost adolescents, not allowed to go out, forced Imperiale to stay within four walls from morning until Te scooters that E. would start without a key night. We entertained ourselves very litle and Suor Adelina that would always play the goalie we had this will inside of us of activating our Te hands of Suor Francesca that would clap the end of fantasy, escape, reform reality. Tat#s how my recess story with theatre begins. and S. who would always beat me up walking on the feet in the water with Gabri It was not actually love at frst sight, but pure and the jovial smile of Nonno Giulio love the frst time I went on stage, where I the jokes of Nonna Marta was “struck on the way to Damascus” from and the Matryoshka Dolls of Tarkovsky the adrenaline high I got during my frst per- the tales of ice in Russia formance. And so were my friends, my dear -37 arriving at the airport in Toronto friends. On February 15th 2015 Arriving without willing to stay In that precise moment I understood I wan- but then making it next to D. ted to do theatre. And now that I#m in Cana- with the light of Ni. da that#s probably what I still want to do with theatre, escape, build a new system of the real and the possible. Perhaps from the cold and About My work - Today November 5th 2019 dark days of winter.

Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele I am a theatre writer, director, producer and sometimes ac- tor. I am the Artistic Director of an immersive and audien- Voyage - fragment of an autobiographical poem ce specifc theatre company called DopoLavoro Teatrale. I like to think of myself as an art and culture disseminator. Florence, Paris, Toronto. I have a profound love for the visual arts, contemporary Tese have been the three cities I#ve lived in performance, multidisciplinary projects and work that so far. questions the basics of any art form and that reinvents it. I like it when there are intrusions of diferent art forms and I want to thank the voyage, mediums and how these push the concept of what is con- that allowed me to change. sidered theatre (or art in general). I am interested in work To shape my brain diferently, learn and strug- that is ephemeral and unrepeatable, brought to life by the gle. encounter of audiences and artists. Te audience is the To be lost in translation, misinterpreted centre of my work, and this is why I call it audience-spe- To be a foreigner, someone else cifc theatre. I design experiences/ adventures where your To be the one who#s on the other side role is shifed from viewer to protagonist and where you Te side of the one who#s got an accent are invited to let your imagination go. the one who#s got the food that stinks weirdo Te idea for this theatre came to me while I was walking because he dreams of a panino al prosciuto alone around the city shortly afer moving to Toronto. Te slipping and hurting their but on the frozen concept is about allowing the entire city to become a stage, sidewalks of TO having performers emerging from the crowded streets. *44/
 91 Tis idea of connecting with strangers, people we don#t know but that we share the same space with, I believe it to be really relevant. Creating space for more human con- nection and interactions.

I learned that the audience is eager to connect and go down a rabbit hole, a labyrinth you create for them. Te frst time I did this type of work, I didn#t know people would be so willing to participate and take part in these experiences. I think there is a need in our society to connect with other human beings.

I think anybody can experience these shows. People just need to be open to a new experience and trust the artists. We are there to take care of you. Te experience might take you a litle outside of your comfort zone at times, but we always do our best to ensure that every audience member is comfortable during their experience. A short autobiography I hope audiences let themselves go during the show.

I hope they surprise themselves.

I want them to have a diferent and special day.

I hope to help initiate the thought that art is not something to look at from afar but something to engage and have an intimate relationship with.

Daniele Bartolini *44/
 92 Interview with Daniele Bartolini

Cindy Marcolina

tor wasn’t something that was enough for me at that point, I didn’t like it as much as I did when I started and it wasn’t placating my curiosity”. So, aniele Bartolini fell into theatre at a young age, he enrolled into the University of Florence to you could say. He was in his teens when he was study arts and cultural entertainment manage- frst introduced to the stage as a rambunctious ment. Te highly technical and managerial-fo- Dteenager. He never would have guessed that, starting from cused course did indeed serve him as a base for his stint as a performer in school plays and later joining the what would become his career as a director, but Krypton company, he was going to end up travelling the didn’t exactly satisfy young Daniele, whose cre- world with his craf pushed by curiosity and creativity frst ativity was striving to fnd a channel of expres- and foremost. It was frst through his French teacher who sion. So, he went to Paris to quench his thirst adored theatre that he was frst introduced to it; “She forced at École Philippe Gaulier and learnt all about us to put on a play one year because we were studying it”but Robert Lepage, a Canadian theatre-maker who he wasn’t yet fully sold on the craf while he was preparing sparked his interest in moving overseas. He to be part of the adaptation of Jean de la Fontaine’s Fables can’t really explain being drawn to that specifc that she’d writen. Ten, the day of the show came and “I was nation, admiting that it was just a good feeling fabbergasted, honestly. I don’t know whether it was the rush and not an educated nor practical choice, “But of adrenaline or what else. Tat’s where my love for theatre it seemed to me it was a cool place where you started. I became obsessed with it”. could do lots of things”. France seems to be one of the turning points in his personal and Afer taking on lead roles throughout high school, encour- professional life, as it’s where he met his future aged and pushed by others more than himself, the deci- partner - who happened to be Canadian - and sion to dive head-frst into the entertainment world was a decided it would perhaps be thrilling to move no-brainer. Tis is also where his trajectory towards direct- across the ocean and see what the country had ing began: “It all started from being on stage, but I am a very to ofer theatre-wise. curious person. I was very passionate about drama itself - I loved the Teatre of the Absurd for instance, I found it amus- ing - so I started to put on shows myself, with my friends. When I was 19 years old I joined Krypton, an avant-garde theatre company based in Florence and known for their Becketian works. I did Alfred Jerry’s Ubu Roi with them, which had sort of been rewriten and called Ubu C’è (which literally means ‘Ubu is here’) and toured for a while. Work- ing closely with the director, Giancarlo Cauteruccio - who’s also the co-founder of the company - made me realise that I was starting to put myself in his shoes when he was giving notes to the actors, and made me refect on what I would DLT on Roof New Delhi Residency have done in his place. I started to become interested in the creative machine as a whole very organically from then. I’m very interested in the production side of it, still. Being an ac- *44/
 “While I was in France, actually, the idea of strictly belong to theatre and that tore the fourth wall 93 moving again was slightly fainter because I down in various ways struck me. I saw what I wanted to loved Paris and I was having lots of fun there, do very clearly, that show gave me the validation I needed but then I met my wife and I took it as some- to do what I craved to do” theatre didn’t need to be boring thing like a sign”. His formative years see him like he was used to see programmed in the big theatres in geting interested in an array of creatives that Florence. He distanced himself from that genre very quick- span from Eduardo de Filippo to Letizia Rus- ly, but still maintains that the Teatro Studio in Scandicci, a so, as well as a series of flmmakers and artists. small town near Florence, was one of the best of its kind His variety of infuences is, to this day, a great at the time, a beacon of avant-garde, and was crucial in his source of inspiration for the director, who journey as a creative mind, hosting an array of talent that can go on listing single pieces and creators included, for instance, Motus as well, which he regards as that he’s channeled and referenced in his own another huge infuence. “Another person who had a mas- work. sive impact on me was Antonio Rezza” he says, explain- ing how the performer’s relationship between actor and “Te list of shows I didn’t see live on stage character always fascinated him. “He presents the actor as but appreciate beyond measure is longer than chained to his characters and has a very interesting view on

that of those I’ve actually seen in person. I was creative freedom”. Interview with Daniele Bartolini lucky to be able to watch plenty of recordings of de Filippo’s groundbreaking productions, which made me love his craf. Te same hap- pened with Carmelo Bene. I was drawn to this type of creatives, those who did it all and were actors, directors, writers, and poets” he says, while bringing up contemporary and late contributions to the Italian and international artistic panorama. However, he didn’t end up making frontal theatre like the historical peers he mentions.

His mind is quick, racing through the top- ics and inundating his surroundings with an abundance of information and opinions. “I Painting Interaction in Stranger by D. Bartolini knew I liked theatre and I loved the plethora of excellence I could witness on these VHS tapes”. However, when he was going to the theatre he wasn’t enjoying it that much, fnd- ing it too self-referential and closed up upon itself to be relevant. “I loved making theatre but I didn’t like watching live theatre. I wasn’t fnding anything that was satisfying me. At a certain point, I came across L’Ultimo Nastro di Krapp by Cauteruccio, and that stopped me in my tracks. I realised that it was possible to make a diferent type of theatre, language could be contaminated, and you could use sound in peculiar ways too. I remember see- ing that show, which was then closed down, Audience with painting in Stranger by D. Bartolini because he’d added a piece at the beginning where he cooked on stage. It started with the Although he’s lef Italy since then and his artistic vein has preparation of food before he shared what spread its wings internationally, he doesn’t hide that his in- he’d just made with an audience member. Us- fuences are subconsciously still very much shackled to his ing other languages and methods that didn’t native country, even though he says he admired Becket, *44/
 94 Pinter, and Ionesco when he was younger, as well as Car- having complete agency there, even if he’d al- lo Cecchi, who made “One of the few shows I actually saw ready started his own theatre company called that lef a mark” when he was still in school with his Six Dopolavoro Teatrale - which he has since Characters in Search of an Author and also had a taping of brought to Canada. Te dramatic diference his version of Becket’s Endgame starring Valerio Binasco between Italy and Canada, he says, is related as Clov and Arturo Cirillo as Nagg too, which he wore out to a certain kind of transparency and openness completely. to art that is precluded to the masses in Italy. “More ofen than not, I was discouraged to Also a lover of contemporary art, he cites Michelangelo pursue the arts when I was still living at home, Pistoleto as another source of inspiration: “I specifcally while people are very supportive over here. love I Visitatori, which is essentially a mirror that shows the When I was younger they used to tell me to go visitors of the gallery. I also admire Lucio Fontana and his back to them when I was older and had more slashes a lot. It’s all about going into the invisible, it intrigues experience, which is something that’s never me as a concept. I treasure Piero Manzoni’s irony, how he happened here”. Agreeing that the Italian way used to tease art, but I also love Jackson Pollock. Te fact seems to be more traditionalist and elitist that there’s someone who’s spent his life painting, but not than Canada in terms of access to the craf, he really - because he was dripping paint on a canvas instead of bemoaned the fact that the Italian market is actively using brushstrokes - blows my mind. You’re paint- closed to those who are not already part of it, ing without actually doing it, you’re negating the same act while abroad - even though it’s obviously still you’re doing it while you fnd other ways to approach it.” tough to break it - people are more inclined to give a chance to new artists and companies.

Italian entertainment, essentially, seems to un- derestimate those at the receiving end of their products, he says. Bringing up Te Invisible City (based on Italo Calvino#s 1972 novel Le cità invisibili), one of the pieces he staged in Italy as part of Kilowat festival, he mentions how he was pleasantly surprised when people started connecting to it in ways that he hadn#t

Cindy Marcolina Marcolina Cindy anticipated. “I always think about Dario Fo and the unbelievably successful productive system he built. When they wouldn#t let him use certain institutional spaces, he simply mo- ved on and created another, healthier, circuit”. Te Invisible City Tat#s what he chooses to do with his art: he doesn#t want to be part of any bandwagons, he “I also love cinema. I adore Kubrick, Lars von Trier. Espe- wants to be a trailblazer. And he defnitely is. cially the later’s work with Dogme 95, shoulder-mounted cameras, all those self-imposed limits and rules, his hyper- realism. I noticed that I’d been employing these in my own trade without thinking about it” he says, explaining that it comes with the territory when you work in North America where the flm industry is so present. Te references to flm and such are also more applicable to the genre of theatre he makes, because they’re more immediate and visual than classic dramas.

“I’m always looking for something that talks to me and that I don’t know. Tat’s also why I ended up in a diferent coun- try, I think”. While he was already working on challenging Te Stranger by D. Bartolini and interesting projects in Europe, he didn’t see himself *44/
 Blunt and passionate, he details why he lo- Tey are at the centre of everything he makes. Tey#re the 95 ves theatre: “It#s a clash of ideas between the actors in the very literal meanings of the word, those who audience and the actors. We#re in the same act and those who perform. He defnes it as a universal room and it#s a unique event we#re experien- experience even though he prefers to build his shows for cing at the same time from diferent sides. I smaller groups, at times even restricting the performan- take the unique quality of theatre and exaspe- ces to single members - like in his hit, Te Stranger. Te rate it to the maximum level. It needs to be a show was born with only one recipient per performance single encounter for me, unrepeatable. I give in mind, but that#s been extended to two for its latest run the public the chance to be the protagonist (with the caveat that the individuals must not know each and subject simultaneously, placing them at other). Tis is both for logistic reasons - it#s easier to move the centre and at the receiving end of it.” He in smaller groups - and also to focus the channels to make doesn#t make ‘immersive theatre#, he repeats, sure that every audience member gets to live the show with opting to remove himself from a term that#s the same degree of participation. His other works went from being used more and more as a marketing six (once again, all strangers) for his intercontinental expe- move and that#s been extended to include the rience Te Curious Voyage to small groups for the others like smallest of audience interactions in its genre Of Limit Zone. He toys a lot with alienation and perception,

breakdown. He#s adamant to defne what he both forcefully uniting those who atend his pieces to drag- Interview with Daniele Bartolini creates as ‘audience specifc theatre#. “My frst ging them to perceive cities and landscapes on his terms. He atempt was based on Antonio Gramsci#s Let- does so for the beneft of the audience, he underlines, and tere dal carcere, which started with a simula- always with respect and safeguarding measures in order. It ted kick-of where an actor on stage, me, was goes both ways: a code of conduct needs to be employed doing something only to be interrupted by in regard to intimacy and personal space also for the actors# a staged brawl between actors in the audito- sakes, because people sometimes forget that they#re dealing rium which led to my frst monologue”. By with performers. He speaks of ‘training# his actors to read having the audience believe that what they#re people rather than merely directing them. seeing is real and blurring the lines between fction and reality, the balance is tipped of and the disorientation of the public becomes the core of the experience. “I set up a certain language, I let them get setled, but then I take it away to leave them lost and unsetled. It#s a gradual process of subtraction that happens inside the theatrical machine, it needs to be precise. Becket subtracted certain elemen- ts in an opposite way, for instance, achieving complete nothingness visually and linguisti- cally at times”.

He holds his piece Te Stranger as the efecti- ve start of it all. Before, while specialising in “site specifc” theatre, he was nevertheless bound by traditional precepts and tools. For instance, in his Midway Along the Journey of our Life he was still using stage costumes, which was highly distracting for the audience who couldn#t fully immerse themselves in the Audience With Masks Unfnished action, as they were seting apart the actors from the civilians from a mile away. “I under- Tey#re the agents that he uses to draw creativity out of the stood that by subtracting that element, I could audience, leading them to embrace the freedom that the activate everything in ways I hadn#t been able space between the real and fctional world he creates al- to, and the city could become a playground to lows them. He sees the ‘immersive# part of his productions actively confound the members of the public”. as a sort of augmented reality without any need for VR te- *44/
 96 chnology: people get to live inside a virtual feld that exists Although the show asks a certain level of between the legitimate world and the artifcial structure of openness from its participants, it requires for theatre. It#s this personal slant to his projects that sets him some sort of cautiousness to be in place. “Te apart from the gaggle of directors who stray from a frontal show needs to be a gif to them, not something approach. People are, however, individuals with their own they#re forced to do. I can push you out of thinking minds that work diferently from one another. your comfort zone, but it has to be through He explains that, however, human nature comes together games, for instance, and only through reading in universal ways and the instinctive actions of the lone their reactions. I#m always very clear with the person are generally very predictable. He admits that it#s actors during rehearsals, I tell them that what incredible what humans are willing to do when they#re put we#re doing is a mere training to read who#s through meticulous planning and a good dose of psycho- standing in front of them. Tey need to read logical work. where the other person wants to go and whe- re they absolutely don#t want to go. I educate “Tere are ways to create an atmosphere, a path that le- them in listening”. ads to a place where they feel liberated and free to act out something that they perhaps swore they were too shy to Te backdrop of his shows plays a huge part, do, like dancing wildly with a stranger in the streets.” He and he turns the environment into a bona also gives credit to his collaborators who, with plenty of fde character. “I almost employ a sort of ge- emotional intelligence and quickness, manage to drag the ographical dramaturgy. Te spatial awareness groups out of their shells. His actors also need to be rather and choice of locations is crucial to my work. fexible to adapt their craf to the situational happenstances One of the thematic leitmotifs I use is the ele- that might occur during the shows, as these always difer. ment of exploration and going at something “Tey tailor their performances for the single individuals, sideways, or taking a diferent path, going un- he says, but they ultimately input stimuli in their minds derground, crossing dodgy neighbourhoods”. and they simply follow. You can react the way you wish to Sometimes the act of moving and using the those stimuli and you can decide not to dance wildly and body to reach a certain place is not only the only smile, but you#re still following the path I set by enga- means to an end but the full performance too. ging with it and seeing the picture I#m puting in front of “Walking is almost a meditative action for me, you”. He says you learn a lot about life and cultural diferen- I use to clear my head and to make sense of life ces when you do what he does, but “Tere#s a lack of leting and artistic creation.” According to him, the

Cindy Marcolina Marcolina Cindy ourselves go in the modern age as well as a resistance to actors use their bodies to the fullest, so why make contact with others. What I want to do is to establish shouldn#t the audience too? an encounter. Tat#s what I#m interested in, and that can happen in a million diferent ways. But there#s always so- “Te places we live in are intrinsic to our li- meone who#s going to refuse to react, it#s at that point that ves, we build a relationship with them and there#s no meeting and my work fails”. are almost dependent on them. I don#t write anything before exploring the city I#m using His shows are a middle ground of personal and global as a seting. I get lost in it and strive to discover experiences. He got the idea for Te Stranger while he was its idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. Only then, walking around Toronto when he#d just started living the- I start writing.” He speaks about his process re - “Te cliché story of the lonely immigrant who#s just with deference, almost devotion. “My shows moved somewhere”, he laughs - and was enjoying geting don#t happen a priori. It#s a meeting between lost in his new city. Tematically, he wanted to paint a me and my surroundings”. picture of it and its people, of how they come of and are perceived by others. Tat specifc show creates what look “I#m a very intuitive person, so I usually start like close-ups of single persons and gets people to come in with that rather than with a concrete idea”, he touch with them in a very personal adventure. “I want to says, embarking on a nebulous explanation stimulate the audience, that journey is a chance for them to of his artistic process like all bona fde arti- embrace the not-knowledge of their own selves, then to get sts do. “It#s like having something or someo- lost, and then to reacquaint with their interiority, to lose ne talking to you and you don#t know what control. You are the stranger here”. they#re on about exactly, or what or who they are. Ten, litle by litle, you put the pieces *44/
 together and the picture becomes clear. But, how they#re going to reach a certain location and how long 97 once again, you#re meeting halfway. It#s also it will take them, what they#ll need to get there and how an exercise in listening to what comes to you, they#re justifying that, what happens if they decide to take rather than exacting and maintaining control”, an alternative route… “It#s a game of hypothesis and com- which he deems being another element of dis- putation” as well as coming up with all the worst-case sce- sonance between him and classical dramati- narios you can think of, because they might happen. Te sts. On this train of thought, he mentions that order of events is also crucial, but the segments need to be the reason he#s never liked Pier Paolo Pasolini fexible and able to be recognised on their own terms and as a playwright is that he imposes an idea on even when they#re suddenly shufed. the audience instead of leting them come to it on their own terms. “I like those playwrights His overabundance of ideas needs to be skimmed through who can get the characters to talk to them in- and pondered, because not everything is worth pursuing. stead of making them speak in their place. For “You ultimately want to give the audience a memorable instance, I love Letizia Russo because she lets experience,” he says. You know when an idea is right, you her characters do that”. Essentially, he wants feel it in your bones and in its organic essence. Some seg- his process to be as much of a discovery for ments you come up with don#t work or don#t hit right

him as it is for his audiences: “I want to give when you try them out with real people, so the fnal word Interview with Daniele Bartolini something special to them - and sometimes I will always be spoken on the spot as the show is being might fail in doing so - but I think that a good made with the actors. Tese are only a few of the challen- director needs to forget he is one. We#re navi- ges he faces on a regular basis, but the biggest one he fnds gating a fne line between being hyper-invol- himself wrestling with is the amount of efort the nature of ved in it and leting go of it. Once I#ve created his craf demands of him. Even a fairly easy task as coordi- the right circumstances for the encounters it#s nating rehearsals becomes daunting when the show moves impossible for me to still be involved, I have around specifc and usually public spaces, so juggling loca- to let it go, and I love it”. tion changes and one-on-one work with the single actors are only the tip of the iceberg. Tis said, his journey to have a concrete pro- duct isn#t that easy. “Te frst idea will never He acknowledges how difcult it is to accommodate the be part of the fnal production”, he plans it out, productive and creative rhythms of doing show afer show then re-plans it, and then he does it again. A along with his private life, so his career ends up eating into friend put forward the idea that his ADHD that. “It would be simpler to make one and for that one to tendencies don#t help his techniques. “I get be on for a fairly long amount of time, that would be fan- 20 or 30 concepts coming at me at the same tastic”, but the dynamics of the entertainment business time, and I struggle to manage them all, so- aren#t this easy, and the need to have fve or six productions metimes I#m not fast enough to catch them all over the course of a year ultimately leads to being forced to to put them on paper. I fnd too many routes have a relentless working discipline. Finding collaborators and I can#t control where they#re all going”. who have a certain sensitivity and who are willing to be ful- He says he fnds himself devising his works ly on board with this makes it somewhat easier. Tere#s a in the room rather than writing everything fl rouge going through the various facets of his world that down, preferring to try out the concepts in sees people at the core - starting from the audience-specifc person instead. “We#re on our feet and I#ve nature of his creations to fnding the right minds to carry thought about everything we#re going to do them through. It#s interesting to see that, when asked about for a long time, but I#m writing it with the ac- his favourite part of his job, he doesn#t mention content or tor#s body in front of me. I#m very proud to intention, but the thrill he feels when he fnds someone say that no actor has ever blanked in one of new to work with. He#s a social animal by nature, and this my shows. Tey#ve never forgoten a line be- penchant for weaving a fabric of sorts and creating a tailo- cause the lines have become part of them and red and person-oriented network makes perfect sense and who they are in the process organically”. He fts well into the bigger picture that makes his gravitational works on his projects like an architect would, system. deciding structure and outer body of the dra- maturgy with mathematical equations in the middle of it all too. All needs to be calculated: *44/
 98 Having brought his projects around the world - including saying that he’s relishing the opportunity to India, the United Kingdom, and Germany - he got the share his work to the Italian community in chance to experience frst-hand how audiences are united Toronto. His recent collaboration with Villa in their diferences. “I thought the reception would be dif- Charities, allows him to do this, extending his ferent, but it is not. It#s been the biggest discovery throu- artistry to a new and uncharted portion of the ghout this process”. While he was wondering if Te Stran- audience who might have never engaged with ger would work in Bombay afer it was born in a Western theatre on such an extreme and personal level, society as liberal as it could be, it was a surprise for everyo- or never at all. His exploration of brand new ne to see that the feedback was on the universally positive territory doesn’t stop with community work notes as it had been in the project#s home country. “Every in his adoptive country, and he will soon set person notices something original, obviously, which I love, sail to Bombay once again. Tere, he will be but the perception of reality is always what we play with”. sharing his brand of theatricals with the local People#s willingness to question themselves doesn#t chan- disadvantaged youth, introducing them to ge, no mater where you are, he says, and the fact that he audience-specifc theatre in their own fshing usually collaborates with local artists to bring his stories to villages. life is crucial to the immersion and outcome of the piece. It’s not difcult to see what he means when he Te smooth insertion of fctional elements into the real says that his mind bombards him with ideas; world is pivotal in creating a controlled universe, and peo- he’s got a lot going on at any given time and ple eventually start tangling the story they’re following with this is only what he lets on in a profession- what’s surrounding them. Te afermath of this absorption al capacity. Needless to say, there’s also a lot seems to be the component that defnes the success of his more to Daniele Bartolini than his role as a di- works: he mentions Te Ugly Mess Tat Happened in St rector and the circumstances that led him to Catherines and Te Invisible City as paramount in the de- unprecedented theatre-making methods - but velopment of this style, with the pieces covering multiple that’s a story for another day. days and moving through intimate locations both physical and metaphorical with a mutual spotlight on a rendezvous of diferent kinds. He holds these two shows under a par- ticularly important light, explaining that they were both momentous in the subtraction of the performers and in-

Cindy Marcolina Marcolina Cindy clusion of a defnite dramaturgical structure based on the interactions between participants, efectively turning them into co-authors of the plays.

Tis invasion into people’s lives without a real barrier be- tween what’s real and what isn’t is a delicate one: “I ask a lot from my audiences, it’s important to keep in mind that they’re human”. By puting strangers together, he con- structs micro-communities that exist for the running time of his projects, “You need to be really careful around how you carry that out too”. “To say this in a very cheesy way, sometimes people need to feel their heart beat a litle bit faster, and I love doing that. What’s happening now is that more and more companies are trying to achieve it by slap- ping an ‘immersive’ label to it, but it’s becoming a market- ing term and I want to put some distance between that and what I do” he reiterates once more, but it’s positively easy that the slant of his work couldn’t be further from a public- ity stunt.

“You know what, I would have never imagined to be liv- ing in Canada right now doing what I do” he confesses, *44/
 Te Curious Voyage 99

Daniele Bartolini

own for an audience of always maximum 36 participants. Te show is meant to be performed in Barrie, Ontario and London, England. Reallocations are not allowed. ote to the reader: Te diferent scenes are meant to be performed in spe- Tis interactive text is created for cifc locations around the city. Te geography of the city two sets of players. Audience mem- and territory covered by the show is an integral part of Nbers and actors. Te play requires the partici- the experience. Te scenes must be performed in the lo- pation through improvisation from both teams cations outlined. of players taking part in the experience. Te interactive text below allows the perfor- Characters of the Barrie, Canada section of the show. mer to say or not say a few things, depending Te Maid: a Woman in her early twenties. on their interaction with the audience. Te Te retired cop: a woman in her early forties. actor uses the text as a guide, but at times Young Antony: a 16 year old male. they are free to improvise during the scene. Te Shark Head Boy: a 16 year old male. Te improvisation possibilities are calcula- A chorus of young ghosts victims of Antony - age range ted and developed by the team of actors un- 12-20 years old. der the guidance of the director, writer and Note: Te chorus can be performed by 6 to 15 ensemble creator during the rehearsal period. members with a majority of female performers. Te audience players are instructed to fnd a Scene 1. City of Barrie, Ontario. certain character named ‘Antony# at the be- Te scene is meant to be performed in a hotel room. Two ginning of their experience in both Barrie, possibilities for the beginning scene: Canada and London, England. -the actor is already in the room as the audience enters. Te Curious Voyage - 2018 Edition from Bar- - the actor knocks on the door and joins the audience in rie, Canada to London, England - falls under the room. the methodology of theatre developed by the author called Audience Specifc Teatre. Location: A hotel room in the city of Barrie, Canada. All of the following scenes require answers and active participation from audience THE MAID: Can I ask you a question? members. Have you ever thought of a diferent you? Te experience is created for 36 audience Who you#d be if you made diferent decisions? members. In the event that for a specifc What is it that made you go down this road instead of show there are not 36 audience members another? departing from Barrie, Canada, it is possible Tink Tink hard to have audience members joining the expe- What molecules and cells were fowing through your rience only in the city of London, England brain that made you who you are today? What made you in order to reach the maximum capacity of take one path instead of another? 36. Note: Te capacity must not exceed 36 What is the line between good and evil? participants. Te London, England portion Tere is no line. of the experience can be performed on its Good and evil is how we perceive it to be. *44/
 100 Everyone has their own line. What#s yours? Congratulations! You killed me so well! You were so crea- What makes someone evil. What makes tive! Tey then take a selfe with the audience.! someone rob a bank, steal a car, take a life. What if someone took everything you have, Scene 2. City of Barrie, Canada. your money, house, family, will, hope? Location: an apartment located in the city of Barrie, Ca- What would make you pull the trigger? nada. Picture this. You#re in a room with another Note: Te audience is instructed to sneak pills (that will person who#s blindfolded. You have a gun. “kill” actor) in the drink of the actor. Te section of the You have two options, it#s either a) you leave show is a murder mystery like scene in which the audien- or b) you stay. Try to be in someone else#s ce takes on the role of “killer”. shoes. Try to understand what makes the Te audience arrives at the next location which is an evil guy, evil. Tat#s what we#re inviting you apartment. A young character (from the chorus of Vi- to do today. Try to understand the mind of ctims) answers the door and they gesture for the audien- someone who would kill. ce to sit on the couch. Te young character sits opposite Now I#m going to ask you another question. across from them, colouring and drawing a book on a Have you ever thought about killing some- cofee table. one. Have you ever been so angry, jealous, Te young character smiles, siting across from them. hurt, that you#d think about killing someo- Another young character enters from the hallway making ne? eerie sounds. Let me put it to you this way... have you ever Tey walk behind the frst young character and sits, put- come close to the thought of killing some- ting head on shoulder. one, that life would be beter if that person Tey make a few more faces and smiles for a while longer. wasn#t around, or to imagine it, even for fun? Te eerie sounds continue. what would that be like? Te retired cop enters from the hallway. To the audience: Depending on answer, they continue talking. Oh hi, you let yourself in, that#s great. I was expecting For example: Would you ever kill somebo- you. dy? Tink about your life. Tink about a job, Te young characters say “hello” gesturing for the au- a person, money ... is there something that dience to repeat what the actor is saying. Retired cop you would kill for? says: Come in, please would you like some tea? If someone were to harm a family member Tey audience is led and sits at the table with her. Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele or loved one, would you do anything to pro- Te two young characters stand behind the actor smiling, tect them? What would you do? making sounds. Tey then go beside audience member Do you know why l#m asking this? Because to help answer any questions the actor may ask to them. now you have to kill me. Te retired cop receives a phone call and leaves the room. Te young characters motion to kill the actor. Tey mime Another potential line that the actor can say the gesture to put the pills in the glass. is: As a game, how would you kill me? Tis Te retired cop comes back in the room. depends on the audience reaction and their If the audience puts the pills in the glass, they poke the level of comfort that the actor should sense actor in the back when she gets back. If they don#t, she while performing. fnds a reason to leave the room again. Te actor gives examples of weapons to use. At this point the young characters suggest again that the I.E. gun, knife, etc. If for example they pick audience put the pills in the glass. the gun the actor proceeds asking to imagine If the audience does not put the pills in the glass, then the where they would shoot the actor. young characters have in their pocket a set of pills and Te Actor repeats back to the audience ev- they are the ones the put the pills in the glass. erything they have said and asks the au- Te retired cop, afer coming back, takes the cup of tea in dience to pretend to shoot them afer the their hands. Te young characters motion to the audien- count to three. ce to do “cheers” with the actor. Te actor then fakes a movement of death (Note: also the audience has a cup of tea to drink during and holds for a few seconds. She then quick- this scene). ly stands up and says: Te retired cop keeps puting cup to her mouth but *44/
 backing away. She fnally drinks. Scene 4 City of Barrie, Canada. 101 Music comes on. Location: a mansion located in the down- Te young characters are making inhaling sounds smi- town of the city of Barrie, Canada. ling. Te audience breaks through the mansion Te retired cop stands and says she feels like she#s going through a back door that is open. to be sick. Inside the mansion they fnd a character we- She goes to the living room, collapses and “dies” lying on aring a shark head costume that does a sign the living room foor. to them to be silent and to not make any noi- A chorus with other young characters go over to her body se. Te character they just met is Te Shark walking, and going around the actor#s body while doing Head Boy. Te character then leads the au- an up and down motion trying to revive the body. dience on the upper level of the mansion, Tey sit up, saying to the audience “Leave. Get out. run. inside of a bedroom where they point to a run. Get out” until audience leaves the apartment. drawer, gives a gesture to open it to the au- dience and take what is inside (note inside Scene 3. City of Barrie, Canada. is a neckless prop of the show). Te audien- Location: a mansion located in the downtown of the city ce takes the neckless prop and the character of Barrie, Canada. leads the audience outside the room stea- Tis scene is played in front of the back entrance of a ling a small whale stufed animal. Te Shark mansion. Head Boy leads them to the basement of the mansion. Inside there is ping pong table T e Curious Voyage YOUNG ANTONY: Hello. How are you? and audience and character play ping pong Audience responds and they both break through the gate together. Afer a while they#re playing Te of the mansion. Shark Head Boy starts laughing chasing the YOUNG ANTONY: If I were to tell you that I murdered audience member while making eerie noises someone would you believe me? If I were to tell you that I and saying repeatedly: robbed a bank, broke into someones home and stole their Congratulations! Congratulations! You#ve car, and I don#t even have a license... and drove far far far enter the world of Antony! Congratulations/ away all the way to the United States, would you believe He then laughs again with a light and lower me?! voice. He then leads the audience outside It#s because I have the face of an angel. And I can get away the mansion. Young Antony is disappeared. with anything I want... because I have an angel face.! Te audience is lead back inside the hotel (Young Antony Jumps around and acts like an angel... room. Tey receive the instruction to dress does a litle scare... laughs for a litle while becoming se- up for a masquerade party (note: the audien- rious right afer.) ce is previously instructed to bring along a YOUNG ANTONY: What do you want. Ahhh you want costume for this party, prior the beginning of to know what happened. the experience). Do you know what happened? An ugly mess has happe- In their bedroom, upon they#re arrival they ned. (repeats 5 times) fnd a mask on their bed. Tey are instructed Suddenly break into song singing those words to wear it as they leave the room and they are YOUNG ANTONY: What do you want. You want to told to wait at the entrance for a limousine know what happened to Antony. (Note: the audience to arrive to pick them up. As they wait they does not know that they are facing young Antony yet). notice other audience members wearing a Runs away for 10 seconds. Rapidly mimes the gesture of mask and dressed up. opening and closing the door 5 fve times and then says “bingo”, walks back to chair like nothing happened. Scene 5 City of Barrie, Canada YOUNG ANTONY: If you want to know what happe- Location: Ski Snow Valley 2632 Vespra Val- ned. I need to know that I can trust you. ley Rd I need you to to enter in this mansion. Break into this Te car takes them to the location of Snow mansion. Valley. Audience are not aloud to talk while in the vehicle. Eerie music is playing. Te sce- ne they are experiencing now is a fashback. *44/
 102 Tey witness the frst night that Antony solve it try try try. commited murder. It#s a masquerade school Music start to play loudly. Te location turns into a dance party. Inside of Snow Valley, one at time the foor. All audience members (note that will go through audience enters Te Masquerade Scene. the above scene individually frst) and chorus members One by one they interact with a few cha- start to dance. Te dance party goes on for about half an racters from the chorus. hour. It is suddenly interrupted by a loud explosion. THE SHARK HEAD BOY: it was Septem- THE RETIRED COP APPEARS: I#m sorry I couldn#t ber 18th 1994. We were happy. We were sup- save them. I#m sorry I couldn#t save them. posed to have fun. Something horrible hap- All the dead bodies of the chorus raise again. Te chorus pened. An ugly mess. Are you ready to see it? start to repeat the sentence ‘Te Horror# obsessively wi- THE MAID: (now as younger woman, dres- thout stopping. Te Retired Cop runs outside on top of sed as per prom night): It was like prom ni- hill chase by the chorus. Te group of audience members ght for me. I went with my mom to buy the follows. Young Antony is no longer there. dress. I did my make up. I felt beautiful. It THE RETIRED COP (while being tormented by the was perfect. Ten I arrived. (changing rapi- chorus almost as Orestes by the furies. Te chorus is still dly facial expression) It was awful. (To the repeating the sentence “Te horror”): Promise me you audience) How was your prom night? will get him, promise you will get him, promise you will YOUNG ANTONY: What a bunch of lo- get him, promise you will get him (sweating, almost out sers. I hate parties. Why did I come? Nobody of breatì). He#s in London. Promise you will get him. cares anyway. Nobody wants me to be here. (Te retired cop walk away into the forest just behind Perhaps I can fnd a way to have some fun. I them chased by the chorus. Tey disappear.) though of something special. ! Te audience is lead back to the hotel room. Tey change CHORUS MEMBER: Are you here? Are and they fnd a message are invited to go in the swimming you really here? Are you here? Are you really pool of the hotel. here? Let me tell you a secret, we#re all gone Arrived in the pool they see the body of Te Retired Cop here. But stuck. Stuck and gone stuck and foating in the water almost as she drowned. Afer 30 se- gone stuck and gone.! conds the most emerges from the water and an eerie mu- CHORUS MEMBER: I am he as you are he sic begins. Te retired cop comes outside the pool and as you are me. And we are all together. reaches towards the audience and lead them into the wa- CHORUS MEMBER: See how they run ter. Tey both immerse their bodies and head under the Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele like pigs from a gun. water. Tey look at each other intensely. Te retired cop CHORUS MEMBER: See how to the fy. lets the audience go. CHORUS MEMBER: (with no facial Te audience goes back to their room. Te morning afer expression) I#m crying. they will depart for London England. End of the Barrie, Chorus member wearing a skeleton costu- Canada part. Te wanderer: a woman, mid thirties with a me: Mouse. Mouse. Mouse. Mouse. Rat. strong and upperclass British accent. Mouse. Mouse. Rose. Rose. Rose. Mouse. Te Dancing Angle: a woman, mid thirties Rat. Rose. Mouse. Rat. Brat. Flat. I#m back. (Note: the character of Te Wanderer and Te Alarm. Alarm Noise. Explosion. Boom. Dancing Angle can be performed by the same actor). Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Te Monster: a man, mid forties speaking fuently Ser- CHORUS MEMBER: I am the walrus. Goo bian, Italian, English. goo g#joob. Dangerous Man: a man, early thirties, speaking fuently CHORUS MEMBER: I am the egg man. Greek and Albanian with broken English! Hahahah. I am the egg man. Hahahah. I am Te Witness: a woman, late twenties, speaking German, the egg man. French and English. Chorus member silently approaches the au- Te Photographer: a Woman Speaking fuently French, dience spinning a ballon. Can you make it Polish and English. spin faster than mine? Try! look at the spiral, Te Hotel Concierge: an Indian born performer fuent look at the spirali Hahaha. English. CHORUS MEMBER: singing. Te puzzle Number 0: A man, early forties with a perfect Canadian is so difcult, so difcult to solve. But try to Accent (Note: Number 0 is the nemesis of number 36). *44/
 Number 36: A man early forties with a perfect What kind of people are you? I want to un- 103 Canadian Accent (planted in the audience for derstand, I want to know if you have it in the entire duration of the show until revealed during Te you. If you have what it takes for what#s ahe- boat scene. ad. Are you good people? Note number 36 is the nemesis of Number 0). You#ve never done anything bad? What#s the worst thing you#ve ever done? Note for the traveling audience from Canada: (Ask why they did it) Upon arrivai from the airport the traveling audience (Comes back around about being selfsh) checks in the Morton Hotel in London, England. Te au- Is being bad selfsh?Do you know each dience members are met in there room by the Dancing other? Do you trust each other? Do you trust Angle that silently greets the audience and puts them me? Do you trust yourselves? Do you know asleep for the long day ahead. Te scene must be coordi- about Ouroboros? Te snake eating its own nated by a stage manager witnessing the scene at the door tail. Going round and round. Some say it#s entrance and coordinating the movements between the disappearing some might say it#s being re- diferent rooms and visits to the diferent guests. born. Do you want to be reborn? - She leads them outside again and tells them Te following day: to wait Te frst circle of the Hexagon. Te Monster (a man. looking like a street Note: Every scene serves as the frst, second, third, four- bum or undercover cop). th, ffh or sixth situation of the hexagon. Each group of Location: Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, London T e Curious Voyage players has a diferent starting point. Te players do not He approaches the group, standing in front have an exit point while in the frst circle of the hexagon. of them Tey could rotate infnitely between the diferent points Speaking Serbian: I sweat, I sweat a lot, do of the hexagon searching for clues and proofs. Teir task you understand? I sweat a lot and I come is to fnd someone named Antony. All the situation of Te here because of the energy.... Maybe it’s the frst circle of the hexagon are performed simultaneously. trees, the people... do you understand me? When every group of players touches their personal sixth I have a monster, inside of me. Do you un- base/station they unlock the second circle of the hexa- derstand? I have a big monster inside of me? gon: a new perimeter that gets them closer to the identity You know? ... do you have a monster? Do of Antony. Note to the reader: Te Hotel Concierge and you know what a monster is? I have evil, a Hotel room: madman number 0 are a part of the same monster that is trying to get out. Fuck you. base/station. Every situation is meant to be performed You didn’t understand anything... for 8 minutes and simultaneously for 6 groups of players. (In Italian) I have a monster inside of me. It’s a big monster with two huge balls. A fucking Te Portal monster understand? Do you have a mon- Location: Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, London ster? Do you have a monster inside of you? A female fgure, Te Wanderer, catches the group in the Do you understand? My monster is ruining streets of London asking for directions and if you know my life... I wake up in the morning, I look in the area. the mirror, and the monster looks back (and She makes you think she#s really lost, and then asks if there is the monster). And from the moment you#d like to go see the portai. on, he ruins things for me. I go eat breakfast, She leads the group inside the basement Greek restaurant make my cofee, and soup, he comes and Do you ever think about another you? Do you wonder drinks my cofee. You know? Have you un- who you could be if you’d make diferent decisions, would derstood me? (People aren’t). Do you have you recognize that person if you met them? Come closer. a monster? No? She hits the table really hard, does hand gesture. By this time he#s crossed the Street, making Imagine the two diferent parts of you. First one, the good their way to the Morton Hotel. you. Te kind you. Te one that makes the right decisions. (English with Italian accent) I have a mon- Maybe the you that came down here today. And then the ster, a big monster, inside of me. And it ruins other you. Te less good, less kind, more selfsh. More bad. my life. Every morning, he drinks my cof- what would you be if you let that part of you be free?! fee. He eats my cake. I look into the mirror *44/
 104 and see him. He makes fun of me. At night, I helping you on your visit to the Morton and geting you turn to my girlfriend and he says something started with your check in. Please follow me. stupid. He makes me have arguments. He#s Tey group enters the elevator. Te door closes. ruining my life. You know what it means to I know you#re not really guests here. Not here to check have a monster? You have a monster, no? in. But don#t worry I#m not staf either (he winks) I can Not even a litle one? trust you right? (Changes based of of answers) Doors open, you come out to the foor When you look in the mirror in the morning, As you can see the hotel has been recently renovated. what do you see? All the artwork that you see has been designed by the A monster? What does you monster say? Bloomsbury group. As you can see on the paintings, there (Te audience responds and an appropriate are lots of fowers. Trying to emphasize peace and sere- dialogue responds). nity. But now that you#re all here, you#re gonna Tey get to a room door. help me. Do you wanna help me? I have to You’re looking for Antony aren’t you? kill the monster. And you#re gonna help me 3 actions now follow. kill the monster. But to kill the monster, you He indicates towards the door winking, key cards it, lets have to kill me. Have you ever killed some- them in. body? Yes you have. not even a litle someo- Te audience experience the hotel room scene. ne? okay I don#t believe you. so your#e gonna Te audience comes out. help me kill my monster. which is me. Please follow me. (He begins repeating what previously My monster is not stupid, he#s a big mon- said about the hotel: As you can see the hotel has been ster and he#s very smart. So. we have to kill recently renovated. All the artwork that you see has been him, you have to kill me, in a very big, epic, designed by the Bloomsbury group. As you can see on mythological, instant, way. So big that it#s in the paintings, there are lots of fowers. Trying to empha- the newspapers, people will write books for size peace and serenity). Today there is an afernoon tea decades (he invents and mentions a number session happening in the basement. Like the tagline says, of weird and impossible murders and deaths, it#s a treat not a trick. saying “did you hear about these?”) Tey group arrives at the elevator. Tey go in. Come on! Use everything that#s around you, How was it? What did you see? (Dialogue based on an- London. to kill the monster in a big, fast, fat, swers from audience members) Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele epic way. Will you help me? Lif opens I#m going to give you 2 minutes. I want you (Rapidly changing argument) And please rate us on trip to brainstorm amongst yourselves on how to advisor, we have a Website of our own. kill me using what#s around you in an epic I hope you enjoyed your stay, I hope you have a nice day. way. I#m going over there, you come afer 2 He points to a dangerous looking man waiting at a street minutes and you tell me. corner. and says: 3 actions now follow: Go to him and say “blue”. Have a lovely afernoon. two minutes go by, the group comes up with Hotel room: Madman number 0. ideas. Location: A hotel room in Te Morton Hotel, 2 Woburn Te actor is not happy with their idea. He#s Pl, Bloomsbury, London disappointed. Tey arrive in the room. Tey see a big mess, a body is Tey are now in front of the Morton hotel in the bed. It#s dark. Te room is silent for at least 10 se- (in perfect Canadian accent) You have to go conds. in there and see a man. - Te actor wakes up, startled. He#s tied up. Te Hotel Concierge. Who are you? What do you want from me? What are you Location: Te Morton Hotel, 2 Woburn Pl, doing here? (Tey audience answers and he responded Bloomsbury, London - Tey group comes accordingly). through the lobby of the Morton Hotel. Did someone follow you in? Can you check through the Te Hotel Concierge: Good afernoon, wel- peephole? come to the Morton hotel. It’s a lovely day What are your names? (Tey answer and he leads a con- isn’t it? How was your day? I’m going to be versation saying what’s yours) *44/
 I forget... what is my name? I don’t remember. Can you Te evil people. Now we are on a mission. 105 help me? Do you known what being in a mission is? It Actions follow: means you have to be alert. To look around. He convince the audience to untie his wrists. We have to fnd Antony. Antony is an evil He reveals his body. Fully tatooed. person. Te most evil you can imagine. Te audience notice on his legs, the writing markings/ What do you think makes a person evil? tatoos. How do we fnd out? By their looks? If you Tey all discover, improving the reveals of diferent tat- talk to them do you think they tell the truth? toos. (Really twists their minds, depending on pe- He reveals some tatoos which are bible quotes. ople to make them think diferent). Te audience, using the bible present in the room disco- If you found Antony, what would you do to ver the bible quotes. him. (Te audience members answer). On the back of the actor the audience fnds in big writing Okay, you ask him why, but consider this. the name ‘Antony#. It#s you or him... what would you do. (Tey An eerie music begins. Te actor is a confusional state. answer) Alright. As for me, I#m a good per- Is he Antony? Does he remember his name? Did some- son. I come from a village from Albania. We one write this on his back? Could he have reached the have this law, called “Kanun”. Meaning if back to write his name? Te writing was defnitely done you do something to me, I#ll pay you back by someone else. the same way. Tat#s what happened to me Te actor mentions he could be Antony. No, Actually his when I came to the UK. I paid back the per- T e Curious Voyage name is Alden. He doesn#t seem very convinced. son. Ten I went to jail. Tats okay, because He abruptly stops their search. I found the best people. How do you know Actor says: Find Antony. Don#t tell anyone you were here. someone is good? It#s when they listen and Tey audience leaves. care about what you#re saying. You relax, you Dangerous Man in the park. feel good, and in return you want to listen to Location: intersection street 2 Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, them too. You want to give, understand their London and Russel Square Park, Bloomsbury, London. lives. Audience approaches. Tey say the keyword ‘blue#. Te I knew I didn#t want to be in jail any more. man looks at them. And now I am out. Now my job is to tell pe- Follow me. ople what real evil is. Although sometimes I Te audience follows him to trafc light, looks at the traf- have the impression that I am dead. fc light. Come with me. Stand on this spot. Look Tell me when it#s green. Which one do you prefer? Red forward and think about what you#ll do or green? Red or green? Red or green. Red or green. He when you fnd Antony. Stay there. Use your stairs into the eyes of one audience member. intuition. Don#t move. Freeze. Tey audience advise him when the light becomes green. Tey go the park, he turns to face them. Te photographer. What do you think. Am I a good or bad person. (he al- Location: Russel Square Park London Blo- lows the audience to really look at him). omsbury, London. Tey audience members discuss about weather he#s a She sees the group from far in a distance, she good or bad person. waves to them and gestures to come over, Okay, you have 30 seconds to fgure it out. smiling. He turns around, looking at the audience. She greets them in French and will speak He counts down 5-4-3-2-1 (in Greek and Albanian lan- French for the whole duration of the scene guage). telling them many beautiful things about Tey group tell him their answer. He thanks them. their inspiring auras. Okay, so now you have 30 seconds to decide which one She wants to capture the beauty of the group. of us is the most evil. Look at one another. At 30 seconds, You tells the group go on another street as a points. change of background. Tey chat, look, then point at who they think. She takes a frst picture... telling to express Good. We#re gonna need them. We need people like you. feeling of looking for something. *44/
 106 If they don#t understand, she says in broken Tis new order of bases/stations presents and exit point english do half English “look for something” that the players will reach following step by step the cha- Tey cross another street, asking them to racters they will encounter. express the feeling of having found what - Inside the basement of a greek restaurant. All the groups they were looking for and pause. are now gathered here. Tey move a couple steps forward, asks them to express determination in taking that Te Portal Scene Number 2 thing they were looking for. Location: Greek Restaurant Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, Follow the state of mind, move a couple London steps forward, asking again to express a mon- - Te Portai actor is singing Singing in the rain. ster that inhabits themselves. Go back. Back again. Round and round we go, deeper She concludes by asking to feel the decision and deeper and deeper. to brutally kill someone. How are you feeling? Do you feel diferent? You look dif- Afer some shocked expressions, she leads ferent to me. the audience in expressing that feeling. - She puts a rabbit mask on She looks at the pose satisfed, smiling. She I have a surprise for you, I really hope you like it. I made instructs the audience to stop the action, it special. Don’t open those dishes! cross the street, go lef and proceed walking Did you have a good day at work dear? I’m a prety lady. underneath a hotel sign. Mrs Brown I love your hat. I love to be a host. She sits and she shows the litle plates in front of each Te Witness. audience member. Location: Outside the Royal National Hotel, What do you think it is? (Tey audience members guess) 38-51 Bedford Way, Bloomsbury, London Oh you think it#s eatable? Standing under the hotel sign, a woman run Do you have an appetite? I hope you#re hungry. Lets open in the direction of the group. Te woman is it together. 1 - 2 - 3! panicking. Te entire scene is performed in Yeah it#s an olive! Take your litle toothpick, impale it in German. An audience member can act as a the olive. translator or the job of the group is to try to Mmmyum isn’t it delicious. So glad you liked it. You#re capture some information told in German. last meal Takes the rabbit masks of Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele THE WITNESS: (Speaking German): Oh I (Shouting. Very serious) What are you still doing here, know you, I saw your photo on my computer you should be looking for Antony. today. Tats so weird. I think I can trust you. She takes out a toy gun and sings: Hello from the other Te audience runs alongside the performer. side 5 times. Antony has to die. Points to 6 people and Last week a man fell from the roof of that bu- says “You , you you and you go over there”. ilding. Te police say it#s suicide, but I know Six at a time the audience will leave the basement of the its# not. greek restaurant afer experiencing Te audience and performer run more. You see that window? Las night I saw a fgu- Te photographer scene number 2. re of a man in that window. He saw me too, Location: Greek Restaurant Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, then disappeared. Since then I can#t sleep, London he#s following me, I don#t want to be alone. People Sit at table. People sit We have to do this together, fnd him to- Te photographer. Now speaking Polish: gether. Let#s kill him together. Will you help In Polish: Hi, how are you. How did you all meet? me? What do you do together? Do you like being with each they are now in front of a greek restaurant, other? she instruct them to stay here, someone will Now again in English: come get them. Hi, how are you. How did you all meet? (Tey answer) Second Circle of Te Hexagon - Exit point. What do you do together? Do you like being with each Closer to Antony. other? - She is drawing them the whole time, asking them que- *44/
 stions one by one. E l#animale che mi porto dentro vuole te 107 What are you doing here? Is there anything you dislike Dentro me segni di fuoco è l#acqua che li someone here? Is someone irritating you? Someone ma- spegne king you happy? How do you feel about your emotions. Se vuoi farli bruciare tu lasciali nell# aria While the audience is answering, she proceeds drawing. Oppure sulla terra She sends them to the Witness afer 5 minutes. She give Ma l# animale che mi porto dentro to the audience a drawing with their faces all distorted. Non mi fa vivere felice mai Si prende tuto anche il cafè Witness 2nd Scene Mi rende schiavo delle mie passioni Location: Greek Restaurant Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, E non si arrende mai e non sa atendere E l# London animale che mi porto dentro vuole te Down in the greek restaurant, siting at a table. He leads them back at the Morton Hotel In three languages: German, French and English. She while singing says “question” before very question she asks. German, During the scene the performer is free to try French, and English. Afer every response she says “are to teach the song to the audience. you done? In three languages. She asks questions: Te Hotel Concierge 2nd Scene Summarize your life in 1 minute Location: Te Morton Hotel, 2 Woburn Pl, How do you describe yourself Bloomsbury, London How do others describe you Does exact same entrance from elevator to T e Curious Voyage Who’s the person you love the most hotel room repeating in detail everything Would you kill for them he previously said, like if he was seeing the Do you think they would kill for you group for the frst time. What has happened to you in the last year Right before he lets the group in, he gives Have you done anything you regret them a set of pills. Would you like a second opportunity to redo something Make sure the person inside takes this with Who’s the most evil person you’ve ever met water or tea. It#ll calm him down. He has to If you could change careers what would you do take it. How much money would you accept to kill someone Te group comes back out. Te Hotel Con- Have you ever been accused of something that you hav- cierge says nothing and shushes them with a en’t done? smile on his face all the way to the elevator. Have you ever accused someone of something that they Once inside, he puts his hands on his face, as haven’t done? if screaming, no words spoken. All h is facial What’s your defnition of evil? muscle is completely tens. Time#s up. (She sends them away). Elevator Doors open, he switches back to normal, smiling. Te monster 2nd Scene Please rate us on trip advisor, we have a Website Location: Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, London of our own. I hope you enjoyed your stay, I hope - In the streets again Te monster sings the following you have a nice day. Go to him (he points at the song in Italian L#animale by Franco Batiato while looking Dangerous Man in the park, who#s standing of in an eerie way at the audience: the same street corner of before). Vivere non è difcile potendo poi rinascere Cambierei molte cose un po# di leggerezza e di stupidità Hotel room: kill madman number 0 Fingere tu riesci a fngere quando ti trovi accanto a me Location: A hotel room in Te Morton Ho- Mi dai sempre ragione e avrei voglia di dirti tel, 2 Woburn Pl, Bloomsbury, London Ch# è meglio se sto solo Tey group enters again the hotel room. Ma l# animale che mi porto dentro Number 0 is distraught, he yells, he is hyper Non mi fa vivere felice mai anxious. Si prende tuto anche il cafè Te group tries to calm him down. Mi rende schiavo delle mie passioni Tey ofer him water or tea, and he accepts, E non si arrende mai e non sa atendere sceptical. *44/
 108 While waiting for the the tea to boil he Tere always been a mystery behind this name. thanks the audience for their help. Some believe that he is a god. Te group of audiences give him the set of And some say no, he#s just an angel on one shoulder or a pills. devil on the other. He reveals to the audience to believe to be Others believe that he is just a regular man. Some believe Antony. that he doesn#t exist. Like Banksy, or Homer. Number 0 dies. Others say he is responsible for everyone#s destiny. Some say he has flled their life with great luck and others Dangerous man 2nd scene. say he has been their curse and misery. Location:intersection street 2 Woburn Pl, Some say he is an illusion, some a hallucination, some Bloomsbury, London and Russel Square a legend, some a real being. Tere are those who doubt Park, Bloomsbury, London. his existence but fear him. Tere are those pretending to Te group approaches the actor, standing at have seen him, others ones pretending to be him. But no the same street corner. one knows what he looks like, or where he#s from. Tere He looks at the group, laughing. Note: the are ones that say “Who cares, I don#t have time for this” performer is asked to the to the extreme this and others that wait their entire lives for the moment he action of laughing without talking. will show up. Some who spend their entire existence se- What did you do? Who did it? How did you arching for him, because they believe that he can provide do it? them with answers to the questions they seek. Imagine He exposes their fears and truthfulness. you are those seekers. While laughing. And our story begins here with you (pointing his fnger Was it you? You? Do you really think you at a random Player) tying up my wrists. (Number 0 takes killed Antony? No one can kill Antony. Tat out a rope from his pocket and the player executes the wasn#t him (laughs) action). (He pulls out the paper). NUMBER 0: (Now tied up) Tank you. Hold me tightly. It#s intermission. Use your intuition. Follow I am very dangerous. I am very dangerous. Now, during the map. our story, I am going to ask you to do things, I am going to Note: Te map instructs the audience to ask you to say things. Our only rule: You must do and say have a break and wonder and discuss in what whatever I ask. You have brought me here and tied me up just happened, rethinking of all the possible because you believe I am Antony. You are all very happy. Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele clues they may have gathered. Te break is (Joking with the players) It#s okay, you can show some of one hour long. your happiness. But, there is a problem. I am not Antony. Te audience regathers. Tey#re taken silent- (Joking again) You are all very shocked. I believe there is ly on a bus by two characters on the opposite an intruder among us. I believe that in this group sits the side of town in the neighbourhood of Hag- real Antony. gerston. To reach the destination they are Have a good hard look at one another. Do you know the commenting on the bus 243 of the city of person siting next to you? Do you trust the person sit- London, England. ting across from you? Make a quick guess. If you think Afer a short walk, the audience arrives in you know who he (or she) is ... don#t reveal it yet, keep front of a canal boat. Tey enter enters the it to yourself. And now, starting from you Number 1 and boat. going in a circle, I want to you to tell me: Where were you Closer to Antony: Te Mirror. last night? Location: A boat stationed on the water ca- (Each Player answers the question) nal of the neighbourhood of Haggerston. Hmm...interesting... What are your initial? Same thing. NUMBER 0 (who is surprisingly not dead): Starting with you. On the boat. Row row row. you#ve come (Each Player answers) from very far and you#re fnally here. Have you seen my face before tonight? Please, tell the truth. row row row, looking for the truth, geting (Everyone answers) stained along the way. looking for Antony. Good. And I would like you to repeat this sentence: “I you#re now with me. congratulations. am not Antony.” ...please go ahead. (Everyone repeats the I will begin by talking a bit about Antony. sentence “I Am not Antony. ”) *44/
 You have now heard everyone. Now is the moment NUMBER 0: Russel. 109 to reveal your guess. If you think it#s too soon, just use NUMBER 36: What? your intuition. Everyone please show your numbers. I NUMBER 0: Russel. want everyone to point to the person you believe is An- NUMBER 36: What? tony. Starting from you, who do you believe Antony is? NUMBER 0: Russel. (Everyone points) NUMBER 36: What? (In case Number 0 will be disappointed by the choice of NUMBER 0: RUSSEL! (to the audience) the players) Well, you obviously can#t see what I can see. Tey were both speechless. Some more light Tat man across from me is Antony. (He points at Num- came through the window, they could fnally ber 36). see each others faces. NUMBER 36: (Surprised) What? NUMBER 36 and NUMBER 0: (Together, NUMBER 0: You, there is a rope underneath your chair. looking into each others eyes.) Hey. Tie him up. Number 36: I know you. NUMBER 36: (Very disoriented and shy) What? Don#t... NUMBER 0: I know you! NUMBER 0: (speaking to number 8) You allow him to NUMBER 36: I remember you. You are that do this. guy. Tis morning. At the airport. You ju- (Number 5 starts to tie Number 8#s wrists. NOTE: Num- mped into my cab. You asked for my name ber 8 plays this scene making everyone believe he is a part because you said I looked familiar. You said of the audience. It is important for the other players not “your name is Antony SSSSomething?” And realize he is an actor.) I said “no, my name is Alden Russel.” And T e Curious Voyage NUMBER 36: I am not Antony, what are you doing? you said “well you do look a lot like this per- I#m... son that I know.” We had a nice conversation NUMBER 0: (Cuting him of) We believed his defence and I dropped you of at a hotel downtown. to be quite weak and we decided to pursue him. NUMBER 0: Tat#s almost right. Except And now we enter the second part of our story. Imagine the fact that you were the one that jumped we are in a boat, a very narrow boat. Imagine you are in a into my cab this morning. And it wasn#t at place that exactly looks like the place where we fnd each the airport but at the train station. You asked other now. We are both lying on the foor and it is dark. me what my name was and I told you: Alden Beaten up. Bleeding. You were whistling. (Looking into Russel. You never told me what yours was Number#s 8 eyes and giving him an order) You begin to but we had a nice conversation. I drove you whistle. to a hotel downtown, like I normally do in NUMBER 36: (Unprepared and embarrassed, tries to my job. Afer a while I noticed that you lef whistle without succeeding.) one of your bags in the trunk and when I was NUMBER 0: And I say: “Is someone there? Who#s the- done with my shif I came back to the hotel re?” and you say... (no response). And you say... and gave it to you. NUMBER 36: And I say “yes.” (NOTE. Te following NUMBER 36: No, I noticed something scene is stili played in a way that have to leave the doubt in the back seat. And it wasn#t a bag but a whether number 8 is an actor or not). briefcase... that you were holding in your NUMBER 0: And I say “Are you tied up?” hands when I frst saw you. So I came back NUMBER 36: And I say “Yes”. to the hotel to give it back to you. I remem- NUMBER 0: Me too. What#s your name? ber waiting for you at the reception. Ten NUMBER 36: Alden. you came downstairs...you were so thankful NUMBER 0: Tat#s funny my name is Alden, too. (Beco- and you invited me for a drink. Normally, I ming suspicious, all of a sudden) What is your last name? wouldn#t accept but for whatever reason I NUMBER 36: Russel said. Yes. NUMBER 0: What? NUMBER 0: No, I remember waiting for NUMBER 36: Russel you at the reception desk. I remember NUMBER 0: What? talking to the receptionist because I knew NUMBER 36: Russel him. I#ve been driving people to this hotel NUMBER 0: What? for years. Anyway, you came downstairs and NUMBER 36: RUSSEL! What yours? you invited me for a drink to thank me. And I *44/
 110 thought, why not? So we went to a bar. I had TOGETHER: Yes. a beer and you got a whiskey. 0: And we entered NUMBER 36: No, you got whiskey and I got 36: you led me inside the boat. a beer. So we had a drink and 0: As soon as we were there... you told me you were here on business 36: the door slammed behind us you told me you have been here many times 0: it was dark you told me you loved the weather 36: a long time passed you told me it was good to get away. 0: silence NUMBER 0: No. You told me you were here 36: nothing on vacation you told me you have never been 0: not a word here before you told me it was too hot you 36: it felt like forever. a beam of light came in through the told me you missed home. window NUMBER 36: We had another drink and 0: I noticed my wrists were bound then... 36: and I saw your face (Number 8 and Number 0 together): You 0: from that moment said. I need to ask you a big favour. Would TOGETHER: you pretended to be me! you drive me out of town? I know that it#s 36: more light poured through the window late but it#s very important that that I get 0: and we saw that all these people were siting around us there tonight. A good friend of mine leaves TOGETHER: they told us to sit down. tomorrow, this is the last chance to see him. So we did. And I thought why not, he#s a nice guy. So I 0: they asked us said yes. And so... 36: Which one of you is Alden Russel. NUMBER 36: we went NUMBER 0: And I TOGETHER: And I said: I am Alden Russel. drove 36: I drove for so long 0: through the 36: and they said 0: one of you is lying, night 36: on our way there 36: we know one you is A. 0: you asked me lot of personal questions TOGETHER: He is A. 36: you were so charismatic 0: So, 0: I felt like 36: they said, 36: you almost 0: if you really are Alden Russel 0: hypnotized me 36: you#ll be able to answer these questions. Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele 36: and I opened myself to you NUMBER 0: Now the third part of our story begins. 0: I just told you everything 36: about my Each of you has an envelop under your seat. Inside each life 0: my secrets 36: my ambitions! envelop are question. You are going to ask us those que- 0: my dreams stions to determine which one of us is telling the truth 36: but you didn#t say anything about your- and which one of us is lying. Starting with you Number 1: self. (NOTE: From this moment each player will ask their 0: then ! questions one by one). 36: we arrived. Player: (reading his questions): What#s your full name TOGETHER:You said: TOGETHER: Alden John Russel Player 1: When where 0: wait for me here you born 36: I don#t have any more cash th 0: I am just going to ask my friend for some TOGETHER: APRIL 25 1981 money Player: What do you do for a living? 36: and you lef TOGETHER: I am a taxi cab driver. 0: and I waited (IMPORTANT NOTE: From this moment each actor is 36: I waited for so long free to respond every night in diferent ways. It#s up to 0: I almost lef them deciding how to play and confuse the players) 36: but then you came back 0: and you paid List of questions: me 36: then you told me 0: hey How long have you been a taxi driver? 36: do you wanna have a last drink 0: my Are you married? friend has invited you inside 36: and I said Do you have any children? *44/
 Do you have any siblings? gave me for the ride. (Tey show the twenty 111 Player: dollars bill.) Are you lying to me? NUMBER 0: You have now heard from both Have you ever told a lie? of us. It is your moment to decide. Who is Are you nervous? Antony.? Starting with you, please point Are you lef handed? your fnger to the person you want to trust. What was the worst day of your life? Te one of us with more preferences will be Are you missing any of the following set free. tonsils Now each player is called to make his deci- kidney sion. Two diferent scenarios are now possi- appendix Are you Antony? ble: Number 8 is set free or Number 0 is set Player: free. When was the frst time you heard the name Antony? ACTOR THAT STAYS: You can#t really re- Can you please spell your last name? cognize him. He#s inside all of us. Te ugly Have you ever seen each other before today? part we can#t see. Let me put it this way: Ima- Why would you follow a complete stranger to the middle gine a shipwreck and that a certain point a of nowhere very late at night? Do you spend most of your certain number of people they fnd shelter in time alone? a lifeboat in order to save their lives and wi- Are you scared? thout knowing if and where, and afer what Player: circumstances they will actually be safe. Be- T e Curious Voyage Is there something you#re looking for in your life? fore the shipwreck, of course, none of the fu- What is it? ture castaway was thinking or even imaging Have you ever travelled outside of the country? that they could ever become a castaway. And Have you ever been to Canada? they never would have thought to be capable Player: of commiting certain acts that a castaway, What is your favourite meal? in specifc conditions, may commit, as for How do you spend your day of? example, the act of becoming a cannibal. Do you enjoy art? All of them, if interrogated while in the Have you ever been involved in a revolution? comfort of a home and in front of a warm Have you ever been convicted of a crime? glass of wine, about what they would have Have you ever killed someone? done in the alternative of dying or becoming Do you believe in god? a cannibal, they would have answered, in Have you ever fought in a war? good faith, that considering the alternative Player: they would have certainly have chosen to Do you know how to build a fre? die. Have you ever gone on a pilgrimage? Well. How many languages do you speak? Te shipwreck happens. everyone fnd shel- Which ones? ter in the lifeboat etcetera. Afer a few days, Do you know how to sail a boat? not having any food, the idea of cannibali- Have you ever had a near death experience? sm present itself in a completely new light, Player: to the point, that a specifc moment, among Have you ever done something to put your life in danger? those people, some o them become actual Have you ever been involved in a shipwreck? cannibals. Do you now how to sing? But are we talking about the same people? In Prove it. Sing something for us. between the two moments, the one in which Do you know who S.W. or B.B. is? this alternative was presenting itself as theo- Have you ever taken Peyote? retical hypothesis, and the one in which the Are you Antony.? alternative presents itself with all the stren- What do you have in your right pant pocket? gth of the immediate necessity, it has happe- Number 36 and 0 TOGETHER: (Tey both put their ned a process of ‘molecular# transformation, hands in their right pant pocket) Te twenty pounds he and as much as it was fast, quick, immediate, *44/
 112 the people of before the events are no longer the people of afer the events! I mean they are but at the same time they are not. So, well, a similar mutation is happening in me. Te most concerning fact is that in this case the personality... Other actor comes back: Splits. a part obser- ves the process, and the other part sufers it. But the observing part (note that until this part exists it means that there is still a litle possibility of auto control) the observing part feels the uncertainty of its position, and anticipates the a moment will arrive in which its function will vanish, there will be no longer auto control, and the entire perso- Daniele Bartolini nality will be eaten up by a new individual, with impulses, initiatives, way of thinking completely diferent from the ones of before. THE TWO ACTORS TOGETHER: And you know what is the funniest part of these? I love it. And I know that all of you love it too. You#ll probably never admit it, but you do. Let me show you how this began. the two ac- tors lead the audience outside the boat into the streets. Tey arrive in front of a strange looking door. Tey lead the audience inside. Te performance of Sweeney Todd begins. Afer the musical performance ends the au- dience is lead outside again and they fnd the Daniele Bartolini Bartolini Daniele entire cast of actors the have interacted with during the day. Te actors silently escort the audience back to the boat location. Te au- dience is lef inside the boat and the silent ending turns into a party where the audien- ce is invited to have a drink and talk about their experience with the cat in a community event. End of the London, England part. *44/
 Daniel David Moses 113 A short biography

Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker

1991 Governor General#s Literary Award for Drama), Te Dreaming Beauty (a winner of the 1990 Teatre Canada ne of Canada’s foremost Indige- National Playwrighting Competition), Songs of Love and nous writers, Daniel David Moses Medicine (produced by Queen#s Drama in 2005), Brebeuf!s hails from the Six Nations com- Ghost, and, his most produced work, Almighty Voice and His Omunity south of Brantford, Ontario, on the Wife, which completed a national tour in February 2012 Grand River. He is of Delaware descent on and was staged in an acclaimed production at Soulpepper his father’s side and Tuscarora descent on his Teatre in 2019. His play Te Moon and Dead Indians was mother’s. Daniel holds an Honours B.A. in a winner of Vancouver#s New Play Centre#s Du Maurier General Fine Arts from York University and Playwrighting Competition and, with its sequel, Angel of an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the Uni- the Medicine Show, produced and published as Te Indian versity of British Columbia. Medicine Shows, garnered the 1996 James Buller Memorial He has worked as a dramaturge, editor, es- Award for Excellence in Aboriginal Teatre. Daniel#s ho- sayist, teacher, and artist, playwright or wri- nours include a 2001 Harold Award, the 2001 Harbour- ter in residence with institutions as varied as front Festival Prize and a 2003 Chalmers Arts Fellowship. Teatre Passe Muraille, the Banf Centre for the Arts, the University of British Columbia, He edited Te Exile Book of Native Canadian Fiction and the Sage Hill Writing Experience, Concordia Drama (2010) and co-edited Oxford University Press# University, the National Arts Centre#s Engli- ground-breaking collection An Anthology of Canadian Na- sh Teatre and Institute for American Indian tive Literature in English, the fourth edition of which appe- Arts (Santa Fe, NM). He has served on the ared in 2013, the twentieth anniversary of its original pu- boards of the Association for Native Develop- blication. ment in the Performing and Visual Arts, Nati- ve Earth Performing Arts, and the Playwrights Guild of Canada and co-founded, with Leno- re Keeshig-Tobias and Tomson Highway, the short-lived but infuential Commitee to Re-E- stablish the Trickster. In 2003, he joined the Department of Drama at Queen#s University as a Queen#s National Scholar, retiring in 2019. He is now Professor Emeritus with the Dan School of Drama and Music at Queen#s University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. His poetry collections are Delicate Bodies, Te White Line, Sixteen Jesuses and River Range, a CD with original music by David Deleary. A collection, A Small Essay on the Largeness of Light and Other Poems, appeared in 2012. His plays include Coyote City (a nominee for the Daniel David Moses *44/
 114 Interview with Daniel David Moses

Craig Walker

DANIEL DAVID A strong infuence? A friend noticed a quote from Shake- ould you describe the circumstances speare somewhere in Almighty Voice and His Wife. And I do under which you wrote “Still Septem- keep going to productions of Chekhov *didn’t he insist ber?” they were comedies?* even though until recently Ca- C nadian productions usually made them sombre. Tough DANIEL DAVID her own plays weren’t as interesting, Gwendolyn MacEw- I had agreed with folks at the NAC to contrib- en’s poetry stays with me. And I still remember a student ute to educational materials about indigenous production of Endgame I saw in the Burton Auditorium at culture they were compiling by writing an York as an undergrad. It was clown-ish in a good way. essay about the characteristics of indigenous theatre. Ten my father died and I no longer Q: I think of you as a person who feels a strong responsi- felt I could write any essay. I asked, consider- bility to community, including naturally, to the Indigenous ing the situation, if I could contribute a short community. Do you think that such a sense of responsibil- play and they agreed. Specifc details from ity is an asset or a burden to a creative writer? my and my family’s experience of my father’s passing came together for me. DANIEL DAVID An asset. Where else do you fnd enough stories? Once Q: You are probably as well known in Canada you as an artist have matured sufciently to express your as a poet as you are as a playwright: can you own self, the story of that self really can#t support a conti- explain how you decide whether a particular nuing interest*that#s my perception of my self, of cour- subject, such as this one, is beter suited to a se* unless it#s considered in the context of or in confict poetic or a dramatic treatment? with a community. Tat confict can be as intriguing as any harmony you might fnd by articulating the community#s DANIEL DAVID expectations. Somewhere in between a truth will eventual- It seems to me I’ve tended to use poetry for ly come out. the expression of the personal, the lyrical, the philosophical parts of my experience, and to Q: One of the most notable features of your writing is the use theatre for the social, the quizzical, the way in which quiet moments or seemingly simple images ceremonial. Because I’ve used the forms side- carry a much larger and more complex freight of meaning. by-side all my adult life and because they af- For example, in “Still September,” for me, Ruth’s comment fect each other, though, I don’t claim I decide. that, had her husband spent time in jail, he might have been I just do what feels right. beter prepared for the nursing home, was deeply afecting and carried far-reaching implications about the efects of Q: Who were some of the writers who had colonialism. A moment like that strikes immediately to the a strong infuence on your development as a heart, but for me it had a sort of barb that caused it to linger playwright? and spread in my imagination. And I wonder: is that as- pect of your writing a conscious process of building an idea into your writing, or is it even for you a sort of surprising *44/
 discovery that arrives to consciousness out of your imagi- 115 nation? Or is it capitalism, the way in this example the care of the elderly has become the duty of nurses, doctors and underpaid orderlies so that those of us who work for our monies don#t take time of to live and experience and value our human embraces as much or more?

DANIEL DAVID Tis particular moment, this idea, is something my mother actually said afer a visit to my dad in the old folk#s home. He was sad there. And it was, since then, part of my thin- king and planning so that our family managed to keep my mother in her own house right to the end. Her long ago remark, as I indicated above, came back to me and found a place in the piece as I put it together. Te situation or the storytelling impulse builds the idea into Interview with Daniel David Moses consciousness.

Tank you

*44/
 116 Still September (A short play) Daniel David Moses

DAVY: You went to sign out? TREECE: I#m leaving. I#m going of duty. (To herself) My circle of light falls centre stage. In the dar- whole life#s in this purse. kness around it, at the four directions, DAVY: But she#s your aunt. for the moment,indistinguishable f- TREECE: Tat#s why I#m going of. gures.A A drum begins a slow, distant heart-beat DAVY: What...? rhythm, the circle pulses slightly in time. Ten TREECE: You#ll be fne. the fgures move and three of them go of. Te f- DAVY : I will be fne. gure in the north, though, only steps through the TREECE: (Listening over the chair) I can#t hear anything. dark to pick up a waiting- room chair, and then DAVY : She knew. She knew it was time right away. walks, carrying it, in a spiral path into the circle TREECE: She knew it was time. Yeah. of light, which reveals him to be a young orderly DAVY: Yeah? or male nurse, dressed in white. Tis is DAVY. TREECE: She used to be a nurse#s aide too. She#d know. He puts the chair down. Te light stops pulsing. DAVY: Oh. DAVY takes a moment to carefully place the TREECE: Te voice of experience. chair at the edge of the circle, facing inward, as if DAVY: His eyes were fxed. puting the chair between himself and the dark. TREECE: His eyes? DAVY steps back and, afer a moment, sits down DAVY: Tat#s what she said. But when she said his name. on the foor beside the chair. TREECE: Did you think she was talking to you, ‘cause it#s DAVY: (To us) It#s the middle of an aferno- your name too? on in the middle of September. I#m halfway DAVY : When she frst came into the room* down the west hallway in the Ojistoh Nur- TREECE: Before she asked you to leave? sing Home*and the old man in that room is DAVY: When she said his name, I was sure*I was sure his dying. eyes moved. Enter fom the east a second fgure into the circle. TREECE: Yeah? It!s the activities coordinator, a middle-aged wo- DAVY: I was sure. man dressed in yellow. Call her TREECE. She TREECE: It#s the hearing that goes last. has her purse. A moment of silence in which the drum heart-beat obviou- TREECE: What#s with the chair? sly fades and stops. DAVY: I#m blocking the door. TREECE: My mother. TREECE: Oh * kay. But she#s in there? DAVY: Your mother? DAVY: She#s in there. TREECE: She volunteered a lot here. Died of brain cancer. TREECE: (To us) We#re talking about the old Eleven years back. man#s wife now. DAVY : I* the one in that picture in the lounge? DAVY: Where were you? TREECE: She used to own this toaster. TREECE: (To us) Took her all of ten minutes DAVY : What toaster? to get here. TREECE: An old one. I tried to get her a new one but she DAVY: From the time she made the phone said she didn#t want me wasting money. Anyway, the me- call. (To Treece) What#s with the purse? chanism got stuck all the time and burned the bread. Or, TREECE: I went to sign out. Is she okay? or* and this was priceless* it would just pop the slice up *44/
 into the air and if you weren#t standing right there waiting Enter fom the west, ROGER, a middle-aged mi- 117 to catch, it would end up down on the dusty foor behind nister dressed in black, carrying a briefcase, and the stove. DAVY. DAVY: Funny. ROGER: I know, I know. What a day. TREECE: Yeah. She really loved that stupid thing. Some- DAVY : Can I do anything? times even now, I#m sure she#s around. Yeah, yeah, I know, ROGER: Let me think. it#s crazy. Out of nowhere, I can smell burnt toast* (Whi- He puts his briefcase on the chair, takes his spering) I smell burnt toast! topcoat of and drapes it over the chair back. DAVY: And she#s here now? ROGER: And Davy, I#m a “Reverend”, not a TREECE: No. No, sorry, I just meant* “Father”. Anglican. DAVY: Why were you whispering? DAVY: Sorry. TREECE: Oh, Auntie thinks it#s all superstition. I don#t ROGER: Just call me Roger. Everybody does. want to upset her. Are you Longhouse? DAVY: So * that#s why you#re leaving? DAVY: No. TREECE: Look. She needs to be alone with him. ROGER takes a stole out of the briefcase DAVY: Tose were her instructions. and puts it on, then digs around and fnds his TREECE: If I stay, I know I#ll go barge in there. But if I go prayer book.

of duty, I don#t have to only do what she says. Soon as I DAVY: I should go see if Treece needs any Still September (A short play) step out that door, I#m going to call all three of her sisters. help. DAVY : Shouldn#t you call the doctor frst? ROGER: Yes, I think I#m* Oh, is that ki- TREECE: You#re the one on duty. Oh, you#ll do fne. And tchen open? Reverend Roger#s expected anyways. DAVY: Not for another forty minutes. DAVY: Reverend Roger? ROGER: Funny. TREECE: It#s Wednesday. DAVY: If you#re hungry, I can fnd you so- RUTH, an elderly woman dressed in red, enters from the mething. south and steps into the circle of light by shifing the chair ROGER: No, I#m fne. Just for a moment the- out of her way. re, though, I was sure I could smell* RUTH: Teresa? DAVY : Burnt toast. TREECE: Oh, Auntie. ROGER: (To us) Yeah. (He exits around the Te women embrace. chair of into the shadows) Hello, Missus. TREECE: Is Uncle...? Afer a moment, DAVY shifs the chair asi- RUTH: (Sits down in the chair) It#s over. It#s over and done de so it#s beside the door. He steps back and with. then, as the circle of light turns golden as late TREECE: I#ll make the calls, Auntie. I#ll call the kids, too. afernoon and the heart-beat beats, he exits, It won#t take any time at all. perhaps walking to the rhythm. She exits. RUTH: It#s David? You, you should get the doctor now. DAVY: Okay. Te head nurse will know where he#s at. RUTH: Tank you. DAVY: You#re welcome. He exits. RUTH: (To us) Still the middle of the afernoon. Still Sep- tember. My husband of sixty-three years, he didn#t much like it, being here. Being told what to do. When to eat, sle- ep, even when to go to the john. Wasn#t all that much fun. And me, I couldn#t take care of him at home, not with my heart. No lifing. Maybe if he#d been in some trouble when he was younger, maybe if he#d been in jail, you think he mi- ght have been prepared? (She gets back up) Still, he did get away on them a few times. She exits back the way she came. Songs of Love and Medicine by Daniel David Moses, A moment of silence in which the drum heat-beat obviously produced by Queen#s Drama in 2005, begins again. directed by Colin Taylor. *44/
 118

Colin Taylor, Philip Kalmanovitch, Kat Sandler in Songs of Love and Medicine Amber Mills, Robin Evan Willis and Daniel David Moses Daniel David Moses David Daniel

Kalmanovitch and Sandler in Songs of Love and Medicine *44/
 Interview with Gaston Tremblay 119

Donato Santeramo

rio high school theatre circuit because we had excellent Je- suit theatre directors. And we would go into competitions ood morning. Tere is and has been (QUONTA) and win quite a few trophies. We were the thriving theatre activities in Sudbury only French high school in Sudbury, so we sort of stood for a long time. A distinct Francopho- out in the fray. Gne theatre. Is there a specifc reason for this?

GASTON Te Jesuits Fathers, from Montreal, opened a private school in Sudbury in 1913, and they had within their Ratio Studiorum a specifc year (I believe it was in la rhéthorique,11th year) when they would teach the theatre arts. Tey would get people to act because public speaking was part of the education they pro- posed. Te Jesuits in Sudbury organized a big intramural theatre competition and every classroom would have to mount a play. Te older boys would build our own theatre sta- Winners of the Sears Festival in 1965-1966. ge in the gymnasium and we would present Father Amédée Dupas s. j., Donald Obonsawin, Robert Paquete, mostly French boulevard plays and some reli- Ronald Dupuis, and Robert Arseneault in 1966. In the back, Jean- gious plays, obviously. Guy Brosseau and René Brodeur.

I did participate one year; I wrote a short sce- Tey closed the college in 1967, all the students were scat- nario for that occasion and directed it myself. tered in the English high schools up in Northern Canada. Basically, in the scenario I was making fun of By pure chance, years later, quite a few of us met in 1970 at the Jesuits. Teatre was part the basic culture Laurentian University. Suddenly there was a convergence in the institution and an atraction for the sur- of our high-school graduates coming together and forming rounding neighbourhoods. Te Jesuits from a group with a common background. Tat is where we de- Montreal had a strong theatre culture, many cided to create a new play with La Troupe Universitaire at of them came from their downtown Montre- Laurentian University. al institution, le College Sainte-Marie, which very was close to the Téâtre du Nouveau Some of us went to Toronto to see Hair and 2001 A Space Monde. Tey also had a theatre in the base- Odyssey in Cinerama. When we returned to Sudbury, we ment of their Montreal church. It still exists joined La Troupe. We wrote a play, and we produced it the today: Le Gésu. in the winter semester. Te play was scandalous back then; vernacular dialogues, loud music and a “raunchy” story Our private school became very well known line. in the northern Ontario and southern Onta- *44/
 120 Q:And the title of the play? Tere was another campus of Laurentian Uni- versity in Hearst, Ontario. Tat#s right up the- GASTON re on the map where the Northern highway Te title of the play was Moé j!viens du Nord, !stie, which turns west. Te students in that school were translated into English would be “I Come from the Nor- very impressed by what we did, and they star- th, for Christ#s Sake”. Tere was a very popular song with ted doing the same thing, but with a puppet the same title. We had a very good musician in the group, production company: La Fabrik à pantoufe. and he headed a heavy rock group, Te Riot, so he brought All of a sudden, you have French Ontario in all his musicians, there were fve of them, about twenty defned by two geographical extremes soon of us altogether. We wrote six short scenes, and each was to be complete when Otawa kicked in. And linked to another by an original song for transition to the this is how the Franco-Ontarian identifca- next scene. Tere was also a slide show, three slide projec- tion process started. What we did in Sudbury tors and one very modern dissolving machine that enabled infuenced what was done in Otawa and He- us to integrate visual images into the story line. Laurentian arst. Suddenly, it became a provincial happe- University had just built a new campus and all our equip- ning with our own provincial festival: Téâtre ment was brand new. Action. Tis is what we did. Hic and nunc. Franco-Ontarian, French, Creative, Original, We went on a tour in Northern Ontario*this was the Musical work. frst time a Laurentian University group had writen an original French-Canadian play and produced it on tour in Q: Is Franco-Ontarian theatre, for example, high schools*for local teens. Basically, the storyline was very diferent from Quebecois theatre? a young teenager revolting against his father, a hard rock miner. Te boy wants to go to the university, but he gets GASTON his girlfriend pregnant. What does he do? At the end of the No, not really because the same thing was storyline, we do not give an answer and that resonated very happening in France, in Quebec and in the much with high school kids. Simple plot, good music, im- United States. Te Bread & Puppet theatre in pressive light and slide shows. We did that and we infuen- New York (and then Vermont) for example ced people much more than we knew. was internationally known. Teir theatre and everything else they created stuf was ofen

Donato Santeramo Donato done in the artistic communes. Tat is exact- ly what we were doing. We were very North American.

All Franco-Ontarians are bilingual at a very early age. I guess it#s the biggest diference between us and the people in Quebec becau- se we were much more infuenced by United States culture, the communes in California, for example. Te people in Montreal who were more tuned into the French experien- ce, like the 1968 events, much more than we were. So, our approach was new, and the mu- sical trait of our theatre was also very new and greatly infuenced by what was happening in the United States.

Q: And what about the language? Is the Fren- ch that is used in Franco Ontario diferent from the French used in Quebec?

Gaston Tremblay. 2005 ca. *44/
 GASTON To prepare and celebrate the opening (2021) they laun- 121 No, it#s about the same. Franco Ontarian is ched the Manifest project, which the literature/theatre more infuenced by English, obviously, as you part was hiring fve authors in Sudbury and asking them would also fnd in the Francophone commu- to write one urban legend each. Urban legends are basi- nities in the Maritimes, where the Acadians cally short plays writen for a specifc one-act public, in a were experiencing the same situation as a specifc place, in a specifc time. It is the theatre because its minority. Our teachers at Laurentian tried to primary purpose is a public performance. force us to take pronunciation classes and we Tey started construction of the Place des Arts building went on strike to get rid of the classes and the this month, September 2019. I believe it will be ready by head of the department. early 2021, and they might be producing these plays and publishing the legends for the occasion. I#m not too sure yet. Q: What kind of pronunciation? French? From France? We were invited to participate in this common project amongst all the participants in the Place des Arts. Te- GASTON re is a gallery, La Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario that invited Te pronunciation professor was a PhD in the three artists to create three Performance Art events in and evolution of certain vowel sounds of in the Middle Ages La Slague, who invited six musicians and four poets to cre- and he was trying to get us to use a perfect ate four diferent musical projects. I saw the musical pro- French accent. We got very upset about that, ductions; they were very good. to say the least. Q: Is it usually frst performed, and then published? Anyway this is how we started. I had a friend, called André, André Paiement, he was the GASTON actor and I was the writer and we started* Yes and no! he started a theatre company and I started a No because Urban Legends are always performed in pu- publishing company*it was not as simple as blic. In this case, in a bar. In a rock #n# roll bar. It#s a rock #n# that, as other people were involved, but basi- roll bar, and in Sudbury, where the western signer Stom- cally this is what it boiled down to and we did pin# Tom Connors was ofen a guest. It#s really in the rough our careers together until he died in 1978. But end of town. On the opening night that place was full of the two companies still exist and they still work people*there were about 150 people, some theatre pa- together and for me this is the fascinating thing trons and some of the ordinary customers who were sit- about it. Every original play that the Téâtre ting around the bar drinking draf beer. One of them was du Nouvel-Ontario creates is published by Pri- yelling loud and lewd comments. We had to get up on sta- se de parole, the publishing house and this tra- ge and present our Urban Legend without any further ado, dition is based on our original friendship. And basically acapella, and then on to the next one. And … Yes, to me, at 70 years old, this is an emotional issue because. and it is also a mater of personal pride. And it#s still going on. Q: Did you also have a sort of guiding manifesto?

Tey are building a Place des Arts in Sudbury GASTON (32 million dollars) for these two companies Te experience was a manifesto in that the diferent com- and a few other sister companies, an art gallery, panies were working together, but there were no other a music show producer, a folklore group, an writen aesthetic, poetic or philosophical theories around annual festival. Tey decided that if they were it. Well, I guess when we see the publication in a few years, working in the same building, they could con- somebody#s going to write a forward about it, but that has centrate more, rather than less, on working to- not been done yet. However, the fnal manuscripts have al- gether to serve the Franco-Ontarian and Fran- ready been requested, and also we signed of on the rights cophile public in the city of Greater Sudbury. for the publication. I had to ask permission to share this Legend with your journal and they accepted. htps://maplacedesarts.ca/ *44/
 122 Q: How were the Legends realized? man wanted to sell, so I had no guilt trip, no intense feeling to exploit for my legend. Time GASTON was pressing me to fnish. Te Urban Legend aspect was a joint project between the publisher, Prise de parole, and the Téâtre du Nouvel-On- But then all these memories from the past tario, the theatre company. We were invited to write a Le- started acting up in me, like ghosts all around gend for a specifc project, a specifc public, to be given in the apartment and especially André who had a specifc time. But beyond that we were free to write wha- killed himself in that building and later my tever we wanted. Te two companies chose to rent a house son also chose to die in the same way. So, they that had been used in 1976, by some of us, as an Artistic both begin to be in my conscience, in my spa- Commune. Tere were seven apartments and rooms to ce. At frst, I did not know what to do with rent in the basement. I lived in it for a while, and my sister that. Ten I started accepting that this is whe- later bought it. re the Legend needed to go and that it would be a very personal story. Te original owner was an old man called Aimé. He was a postman living in the back kitchen of the frst-foor apart- Te story line is very personal. It#s basically ment and he would cook cabbage soup all the time; it accepting to speak about these two suicide would stink to whole hell. Anyways, he wanted to sell the victims that were very close to me and related house to go into retirement. I sort of arranged for my sister to each other because the older was in a way to buy it and when she moved in with her family, I was the the namesake of the younger, and so, that be- one that had to ask him to leave the house he#d been living came very intense and I was saved by … the in for such a long time*I felt bad about that, j#avais des rainbows. remords de conscience. I#m an old Catholic, I had remorse about asking him to leave. Tat is what I wanted to pursue Tis house had beveled glass in the windows and tell in my Urban Legend. on the south side and when the sun came up, in the morning you would see the small pri- So, I accepted to write in that house, mostly for old time#s sms, rainbows refracting the light from the sake, and they gave me an apartment where all kinds of beveled glass. Tese light shows travelled things had happened to me in the past. I lived there with from the east side of the room in the morning my son for a while. My friend André lived there for a while to the west side of the room in the afernoon

Donato Santeramo Donato also and that#s where he killed himself. and it was quite a joyous experience. Tat#s how I got over that storyline because it carri- Te Manifest group was meeting in the ground-foor apart- ed me to where here I am now. I#m 70 years ment, which was now my sister#s apartment, which had old, these memories are in the past, I am in also been the gathering place of the artist commune. Tere the present and writing about them. Writing is a large living room that we used as a sound studio for our is a good thing. It is a very, very good thing to musician friends. A sound studio to listen to the new mu- write about something*it#s good to get over sic recordings our friends were making and to launch their things. Writing has always been that for me; new records. Te artists of our group were publishing with it#s been a very personal experience. A&M records... we had world premier auditions in there. Q: Cathartic? In the frst group meetings, I talked about Aimé. . . I an- nounced that my title would be Aimé le mal-Aimé. Tran- GASTON: slated it would be ‘Te Unloved Loved one#. As I mentio- Oh yes “cathartique”. Right on. ned, I felt guilty about pushing him out. He was a colourful old guy, stinky, but colourful. So, I started writing on that Te other male writer of the group is a young subject and I#m there for only two weeks and there are four man, he asked me if it was a life changing other writers and, Maureen Labonté is ‘directing# the wri- experience, yeah, yeah it is. I just got over it. ters. We had daily group briefngs; and then we had to re- I started loving my son again. It was very dif- port to her every second day. Afer a few pages, I got stuck fcult for me to lose that boy. Especially in the and realized that the story did not make any sense. Tis same way that his namesake chose. For the *44/
 survivors of suicide, it is just... bullshit. And When I started writing my frst novel, I was an actor and 123 for a long time I gave away everything that my I did this Urban Legend, but mostly I went from writing son owned to his cousins or I would throw poetry to writing novels. things out because I could not stand to be re- I wrote poetry in cycles; taking one theme and writing and minded. . . And afer writing this, I took the writing and writing until I had a very long poem, then divi- best pictures of him that I still had out and put ded it up and put it in roughly 12 or 13 poems, but with a them back on the wall. common structure in every poem, within basically a story line in every cycle. In a book, I would have four sections. In Q: When did you fnish writing your Legend? my last book, I have seven themes of seven poems each in seven sections, so that#s 49 poems. I added seven photos of GASTON: my son. In one of the sections “Quelque chose dans l’air, Tat was last Fall, in 2018. I did two or three Sept nuit d’amour en juillet,” there is one poem for every rewrites during the Sudbury sessions. I had to day of the week, the common theme is passionate love in submit the fnal at the end of the session, then the summer. Tere is a subtext behind the poems, it is very they I had an extra three months at home to vague so the reader can fll in the blanks. edit it and it just became, as it became a hap- piness song. I danced about living, surviving Q: Now going back to your urban legend, originally if I#m Interview with Gaston Tremblay and being happy to be here... still. I go up and not mistaken you were thinking of performing it yourself? down. I get depressed occasionally, but I#m not suicidal like my son or my friend. Tat#s GASTON not me. I go down low, but never, never... Yes, I did, I was, that was the agreement, although there that#s not an exit for me. Te fnal version is was a last sentence in the contract saying that actors may number 9, so altogether there are nine ver- be hired. Honestly, I intended to do it myself when it was sions. only about Aimé but when it got more personal, I became the unloved one, going to places I did not expect to go. I Q: You#re also a highly respected and publi- told Maureen, the dramaturge, I can#t do that on stage. I#ll shed poet. fall apart; it#s just too extreme, too intense and that is whe- re this story is going and I need to follow through. And she GASTON said she agreed, yeah, “it#s very logical and it just falls apart Yes, thank you for that. and comes back together and ends up on a very positive note, but I can understand that you don#t want to do it.” Q: And your early poetry has played an im- Tey hired an actor for me. A young guy from Sudbury, a portant part in Quebecois and Franco-On- young poet, he was the Poet Laureate of Sudbury for a few tarian culture. How do you see yourself as a years. poet with respect to a novelist, because I know you#re also working on a novel right now and Q: You know his name? these Urban Legends. Are they diferent voi- ces of the same prism or do you use specifc...? GASTON Daniel Aubin. So, he did it and Daniel read it twice and GASTON: then he came to the rehearsal and I just went on, wow, that In poetry you have to project your feelings was such a beautiful experience to live. We had no notes for outside of yourself and into the objects of art him. Maureen didn#t have anything to add to his performan- that people can appreciate from their own ce. He did one, two, the third time he was on stage, so it was point of view. As a poet what you#re doing fascinating, but I was the only one that had someone perform is a projection. It#s working on language, it#s their text. Te other authors did the presentation themselves. working on sound, it#s working on images, I did present it once in private for the group of writers. it#s working on rhythm; for poetry a lot of it When I joined that group, I was already almost 70 years is rhythm. Tere needs to be a certain level of old and the average age was about 22, but I told myself if projecting. you#re going to go to work with these kids, you#re going to participate, not looking down on them. On the same level. So, I did it for them... but I cried. *44/
 124 Q: So, you also mentioned several times this Téâtre I went from Sturgeon Falls to Sudbury to a du Nouvel-Ontario. small French theatre company*the diferen- ce from being in the minority or the majority. GASTON We had a beautiful conversation. But this was Téâtre du Nouvel-Ontario. It’s very important. It was the true for everybody. Everything was much ea- leader of the French theatre in Ontario for quite a long sier in the sixties. Tere was much more space time because my friend, the actor, the one who died, was in the Canadian artistic stage scene and you a very good actor, he was very afable and he wrote fve only had to get up on stage and be the actor original plays and he toured around the province, he was you wanted to be, today it#s a bit more com- a role model. And he infuenced the theatre in Otawa and plicated. But things have evolved. Toronto a lot. His plays were presented in these places. He was active for about eight years and it was very important Q: For the beter. for the French theatre in Ontario at that point because of the creative aspects. GASTON For the beter, yeah. I think so, yeah, becau- Te person we were talking about, Jean Marc Dalpé is a se you can#t have... the price was high. . . You second or third generation director of this theatre. He was were talking to me about some of your friends also inspired by André and he wrote a lot and did some who died along the way... abusing drugs. I did original plays himself. He#s a very good actor. He#s doing not personally have the same problem. But other people#s work now, but he#s done his own writing there was a high price to pay for all this wild and he#s very good at writing poetry and reciting poetry. living. He#s very special. He has also won several awards for his playwrighting. Q: But was it worthwhile?

Q: Are you thinking of writing something else for the the- GASTON: atre? We can only live once, and we did live in inte- resting times. Believe me, I would not want to GASTON be young today. Tat#s sad to say but I would not want to be young. I#m very worried about And it didn#t dawn on me that the best parts of my life were my nephews and my nieces with everything

Donato Santeramo Donato the beginning of my artistic life, were in Sudbury with An- that#s happening. What we had; we were dré and the other people in the cooperative, in the com- lucky. Makes me think of the 1920s basically. panies that we created. Furthermore, the companies are Tey had a wild time, but then it was followed still cooperating. It#s really good, 50 years of theatre and by wars. the same thing for publishing companies that are now re- spected on the national level. I#m very proud of that ac- Q: Interesting. When you wrote these Urban complishment. It#s a group accomplishment, but what I Legends, thinking of the public, how did that was an important part that, I#m very proud about that. So, infuence your writing? For example, with re- I am going to write about that experience. spect to your novel writing,...?

So, I#m writing a novel about the production of... Moi GASTON j!viens du Nord, !stie. Te 50th anniversary is in 18 months; I don#t know. Te group workshop, Maureen, the novel will be ready and published on that date. I got was very well organized. Te frst night we got some astonishing tips. I did some research and got to spe- to the city, in Sudbury, she organized the rea- ak to the main actor in Hair. We compared notes because ding of the last Urban Legend group that they the same thing happened for this guy, this guy started of a produced a few years back. Tey got the ori- in his career with a bang; he went for an audition at the ginal actors to come back and we saw them Royal Alex, got the job and spent a year-and-a-half doing on stage in the same room we were booked to the main character. We compared notes and he was part play in. I thought it was going well. We were of the English majority of our province, so he went from able to see the reaction of the public. St. Catherines to Toronto to work for the Royal Alex and *44/
 And they put us all in our old artistic commu- 125 ne house, on Cedar street. Tis was an intense experience for me. It was writing on the spot with other people, with other young writers with other writers, so it did infuence me, the building, it was for me sort of a time warp. It had to be fnished within the two weeks, one week, whatever, 10 days, so I was pushed, I was pressured by the format of the workshop. But I believe this is normal for an Urban Le- gend project to be writen under pressure, the here and now (hic & nunc) aspect to it is very important.

You have this evolution*you can actually feel it in the text and it goes systematically to this rainbow explosion in the end. Tere#s Interview with Gaston Tremblay less work, less fne-tuning, less... It#s much more frst-degree right up front. You have to be because of the timing there. I did get two months to rewrite, to do it like I like to fnish it. Some of my novels I got 20 drafs, so I had to quit along the way. So, I guess there is this stylistic, and you have to... you can#t go on this wild time because there#s a time limit. When I did the rewrites, it was just a question of music, musical language. You read it, so you know some of that was very rhythmic at the end; that#s mostly what I did in the rewrites. *44/
 126 Manifesto Moi j"viens du Nord"stie

Depuis deux ans cete troupe amateur s#est engagée dans des nouvelles voies. Hier c#était Molière, aujourd#hui c#est exte à la page 1 de l$encart publici- Paiement, Tremblay, Gagnon, Germain, Paquete, Bélan- taire de la Troupe, inséré dans Le ger. Hier c#était Paris et le XVI, aujourd#hui c#est le moulin Lambda, jeudi 28 janvier 1971 à feur et 1971. On parlait Parisien French, on parle main- T tenant grenouille. Depuis septembre 1969, La Troupe cherche De l#artifcialité on espère passer à la réalité. De l#élitisme à modifer son orientation traditionnelle. Elle on espère passer au théâtre pop. Du mutisme à la parole, de se dirige vers un théâtre d#engagement social l#aliénation à l#authenticité. De la servilité du colonisé frog et de création. à l#assurance de la grenouille libre. Cela veut dire, par exemple, que le spectacle “Moé, j#viens, du Nord,” c#est tout ça en forme embryon- que nous vous présentons ce soir est une créa- naire. Le spectacle multimédia et la mise en scène (y com- tion originale. La troupe a composé la pièce, pris la musique) furent entièrement créés par la troupe. la musique, les chansons [et les photos]. La Des guitares électriques, une fûte, une baterie, les diapo- mise en scène et la réalisation sont l#œuvre de sitives, des jeux de lumière et à travers tout ça une histoire tout le groupe. bien simple, une histoire de personnages “vrais”. Autant il était important pour nous de créer notre théâtre, autant il était important que ses Les présentations à Sudbury et en tournée du Nord personnages, son thème, son langage soient bien nôtres. Lundi, 1 février, Sudbury, auditorium Science II, Universi- Nous ne pouvions honnêtement parler de té Laurentienne. théâtre de création si les éléments de cete Mardi, 2 février, Sudbury, auditorium Science II, Universi- création étaient étrangers. (Bien simplement, té Laurentienne. il fallait que la pièce se déroule ici et mainte- Départ vers Timmins, dimanche le 21 février 1971, départ nant ; il fallait que les personnages parlent et tard en soirée, voyage de nuit. vivent comme nous.) Lundi 22 février, Timmins, École secondaire Tériault1. “Ce qu#il y a d#universel chez l#homme s#in- Mardi 23 février, Kapuskasing, dans la salle de La légion carne dans les situations, des gestes, des mots canadienne. qui eux sont particuliers”. Mercredi 24 février, Hearst, Collège universitaire de He- Cete fois c#est le Moulin à Fleur. arst2. Jeudi 25 février, North Bay, École Secondaire Algonquin. Texte à la page 4 de l$encart publicitaire Retour à Sudbury, jeudi 25 février 1971, tard en soirée, de la Troupe, inséré dans Le Lambda, jeu- après 1350 kilomètres en quatre jours. di 28 janvier 1971 Notes La Troupe de l#Université Laurentienne pré- 1 À l#hiver 1971, l#école secondaire était en construction pour recevoir les étudiants des Collège Sacré-Cœur, Collège Notre Dame sentera à l#amphithéâtre Science II son pre- et Académie Don Bosco, 3 écoles qui se préparaient à une amalga- mier spectacle de l#année les 1 et 2 février. mation. C#est-à-dire lundi et mardi de cete semaine. 2 À l’époque, l’Université de Hearst était un collège de l’Université Laurentienne. *44/
 127 Contes Urbains . 1971 (Credit the company) *44/
 128 Aimé le mal-aimé Dialogue au seuil de l"éternité

Gaston Tremblay

en fait, c#était un gros nid d#oie sauvage, gros de même, ce n#est pas de la farce. Là, là, mon cœur m#est monté dans la a scène est vide, sauf pour une chaise de gorge, comme, comme un os coincé dans ma bouche, un cuisine qui tourne sur elle-même au cen- os d#oie qui me déchirait la langue comme un morceau de tre du plateau. À la rigueur, il pourrait y slague concassée, qui m#empêchait de parler, de respirer, et avoirL un deuxième lieu du côté cour (le corridor puis même de penser, comme un morceau de chou. Je me imaginaire avec son miroir) et, du côté jardin, un suis écrié, comme si c#était mon dernier soufe… et j#ai lutrin imaginaire pour les apartés. hurlé, hurlé à tue-tête. Un seul comédien fait cinq voix : celle du nar- * Aie… STOP ! rateur, celle du personnage principal, celle du * WHAT THE FUCK, c#est ce que le chaufeur a crié en chaufeur de taxi, celle du Mal-Aimé et celles des crissant les deux pieds sur les freins. What the fuck’s wrong apartés qui sont quelque peu désincarnés, enton- with you ? née comme une prière, détonnée comme un psau- * Nothing, rien… ai-je dit timidement. We’re here ... me et même possiblement chantée a capella. * We’re where? Here! Where is here? J#ai peur de mourir en avion, comme mon * Icite, look, Te Royal Apartments. Tere, where the père, écrasé sur un rocher au bord d#un lac. Je old man is hiding, euh ... Derrière le grand SAPIN. suis terrorisé, je récite mes actes de contrition * Well, there’s nothing Royal about this Airbnb, there’s no en rafales. fucking fr tree, and there’s no Santa Claus hiding behind Aparté : J#ai un très grand regret, mon Dieu, Te Grand SAPINNE, but here is MY REAL taxi fare for j#ai un très GRND regret, j#ai... j#ai, j#ai un forty-seven REAL loonies. PahLEASE. très grand regret… * Bon… bon… du calme, mon homme, tiens un VRI AMEN, j#ai mal à la bedaine ! bill de 50 $ and… and… et… tu peux… tu peux garder À l’extérieur de mon corps, ma conscience the REAL change. voltige et plonge comme un avion en chute * Tree bucks, three cheap bucks, not enough to buy a libre dans une tempête ; s#écrasera-t-elle sur le beer! Very well ! Bienne-view-nue to Sudbury you goddam roc noir usé et strié du Bouclier canadien, ou cheapskate ! encore dans ce “grand trou géologique” qu’est C#est bête, mais c#est comme ça que cinquante ans plus Sudbury ? tard, je me trouve tout seul sur le trotoir, tout seul devant C#est à l#aterrissage, au moment de la sou- mon ancien appartement, devant une cour vide, devant le daine décélération de l#avion, que je prends Grand Sapinne… IN-VI-SI-BLE. pleinement conscience de la fn de mon envo- Et puis là, il n#y a personne au rendez-vous. Juste une note lée, du début d#un autre sursis, un autre petit sur la porte, une note qui me dit d#entrer et d#atendre la bout de vie… et surtout de l#ampleur de mon réunion de 17 heures. Quatre heures d#atente. mal à l#âme. Aparté : Vous savez, la solitude, l#ennui, le tout-seul, c#est Aparté : Il ne veut pas le dire, ne veut pas l#ad- l#antichambre de la folie. metre… ce sont des arrière-goûts déplaisants Atendre… Atendre… et puis encore ATENDRE qui lui ont rappelé… le Mal-Aimé ! Pas de vieux monsieur, pas de père Noël, crisse de marde, Dans le taxi, au tournant de la rue Cedar, on le vieil Aimé, il était drete-là dans la cour d#en avant… est tombé dans un gros nid de… de… euh... comme toujours. Il picorait le parterre autour du sapin *44/
 avec un râteau trop grand pour lui-même. D#autres au- porte, la solitude est la source du délire… 129 raient atendu que le sol soit recouvert de feuilles, mais pas Cete année-là, je revenais à Sudbury après lui, NON, NON et NON, il ne tolérait pas la moindre pe- une année d#études à Montréal, après un été tite brindille sur son parterre. Même pas une petite épine de travail à superviser vingt-sept projets de de sapinne de père NOËL. RIEN ! En public, tout devait Perspectives Jeunesse, dans le Nord de l#On- être propre, propre, PROPRE. tario. Atendre ? Shit de merde, et puis… c#est quoi cete odeur Des projets éparpillés partout en haut d#la nauséabonde ? dix-sept ! De la réserve des Cris à Moose Fac- J#ai toujours pensé que le vieil Aimé le faisait pour se pa- tory près la Baie-James et au sud, à celle de la vaner devant sa belle grande maison, pour voir la parade nation Temagami de Bear Island. passer, et surtout pour chasser l#ennui en parlant à ses lo- J#ai passé mon été à courir d#un village à l#au- cataires au moment où ils rentraient du travail. Au fond, il tre. En passant par Hearst, Moonbeam, Iro- recherchait les jeunes pour… pour ne pas mourir… mou- quois Falls, Cochrane et puis même Gowgan- Aimé le mal-aimé. Dialogue au seuil de l’ rir de tristesse. da un village perdu en pleine forêt, sur la 560, En tout cas, pendant les mois où nous avons habité la une route de garnote et de poussière, quel- même maison, il ne s#est pas passé un seul jour sans qu#Ai- que part entre Gogama et Earlton. mé ne m#atende, ne m#arrête et ne me retienne longtemps, Sept jours sur sept. J#en ai fait des heures sup- très longtemps, trop longtemps sur le trotoir de l#entrée plémentaires, en veux-tu en v#là, et beaucoup principale. de mileage… aux frais du GO-VERN-MENT. Shit de marde ! Il fallait que je m#assure que les jeunes travail- Aimé… il n#était pas méchant pour deux cennes noires, il lent fort, car les vieux cancaniers des villages était tout simplement tannant, tu sais là, tannant comme les avaient à l#œil. Ils appelaient ça Perspective une teigne trop collante. Une mouche noire en automne JE NIAISE ! qui aterrit sur toi sans arrêt, comme si c#était sa dernière * On n#a jamais vu ça. Ce n#était pas comme chance de grignoter un peu de peau fraîche avant l#hiver. ça dans notre temps! La jeunesse est gâtée. Enragé, afamé, collant, pas moyen de s#en débarrasser. Quatre-vingt-dix grosses piastres à rien faire Une vraie mouche dans un bol de soupe. On va appeler le député! Pourtant, par empathie, je m#empressais toujours de lui ré- Aparté : Gnagnan-Gnagnan ! Gnagnan-Gna- pondre SUC-CINC-TE-MENT histoire d#entrer O-P-C gnan ! Gnagnan-Gnagnan ! Enough is dans mon appartement, mais Aimé, du fond de sa tristesse, ENOUGH ! me relançait toujours sur un autre sujet. Je passais la moitié de mon temps à gérer des * Y fait beau là, euh ; ou encore : Y pleut depuis dix jours, cancans. qu#est-ce qu#on a pu faire au bonyeu pour que ça nous Puis là, enfn, j#ai plein d#cash dans les poches, tombe dessus de même, euh… c#est aussi pire, sinon pas je suis écœuré des maisons de chambre de

pire, que la quatrième plaie d#Égypte. pension… des cheap motels, je veux mon é t

On aurait dit un homme accroché à sa conversation comme Home Sweet Home c#est pour ça que je me suis ernit un naufragé à sa bouée… j#avais l#impression d#être son gi- retrouvé au pied de l#escalier de fer des Royal let de sauvetage, sa solution de sécurité sentimentale prêt Appartements, devant la maison du Mal-Ai- à porter. mé. é Et puis… il était sans gêne, il me relançait de nouveau, en- Aimé n#était pas un naïf, il faisait juste sem- core et encore… blant… il en avait vu d#autres avant moi, car il * Y va neiger bientôt, j#sus pu capable, je sais pas trop ce reconnaissait rapidement la clientèle qui frap- que je va#s faire cet hiver, j#aurais besoin d#un grand jeune pait à sa porte. Puis, il n#était pas gêné de le homme fort pour m#aider avec la neige. Seriez pas intéres- dire ! Non monsieur ! sé par hasard. Je peux vous payer, pas beaucoup là… mais * Ce sont, les belles flles, les beaux gars, ce cash, cash on the barrel ! sont les très belles jeunesses qui aiment ma Maudite mouche collante, j#avais peur de me rapprocher maison : le centre-ville est juste là, en bas de de lui, je ne voulais pas devenir comme lui, d#être une âme la rue : les restaurants, les bars, les magasins mal aimée qui voltige d#une âme sœur à l#autre, d#une “ vic- à gogo, le terminus d#autobus… On n#est pas time ” à l’autre. loin du whole shebang… Icite, c#est BEAU, Aparté : Le tout-seul, en l#air, en mers ou sur terre, peu im- BON, PAS CHER. *44/
 130 * Jeune homme, qu#i# me dit, si vous n#êtes faire. pas un pusher ou un biker, je pourrais peut- Ça ne me coûte pas trop cher. être vous faire une place à très bon prix. C#est très bon pour la santé Je suppose que c#est pour ne pas se sentir Ça me fait du bien de vous la chanter. vieux, pour ne pas soufrir d#ennui qu#il faisait Immobilisé dans le vestibule, fgé dans la fuidité du temps des « faveurs » aux jeunes… En tout cas, c’est qui s#irise à travers les prismes des biseaux, de midi à cinq ce que j’aurais fait… que je ferais… je ferai… heures la lumière du soleil éclate en autant d#arcs-en-ciel que faire ? qu#il y a de carreaux dans les portes d#entrée de l#apparte- Je suis quelque peu ébranlé. En atendant, ment. pour me rassurer je suis sorti dehors. J#ai vé- J#avance à petits pas ! Pour ne pas écraser des arcs-en-ciel. rifé tous les racoins de la cour, en avant… en La porte du fond est toujours ouverte, elle donne mainte- arrière, pas de sapin, pas de vieux monsieur, nant sur une cuisine ultramoderne qui, ensuite, donne sur même pas d#inscription THE ROYAL AP- un jardin français. Je ferme doucement les portes du ve- PARTMENTS au-dessus de la porte d#entrée. stibule pour ne pas réveiller les morts, le courant d#air se Ciboire. refoule sur lui-même, les portes des chambres, les portes Rien… rien ! Tiens… tiens, voilà une évanes- d#armoires, toutes les portes cata-claquent en même temps. cence dans les refets du verre biseauté de L#odeur du chou, les brins de poussière, tout fote en l#air, l#entrée principale. Y a-t-il quelqu#un, y a-t-il l#air de la salle à manger s#épaissit, la lumière des rayons quelqu#un qui pue en dedans ? multicolores bouillonne, des bulles d#arcs-en-ciel montent Aparté: Stranger than strange are the images à la surface, j#ai l#impression d#être tombé dans sa marmite, that come to thine eyes. dans une autre maison… dans une autre DI-MEN-SION. Prends sur toi, prends sur toi que je me dis, Au plus profond de moi, j#entends l#écho de mes très aimés ce ne sont que des jeux de lumière dans les chanter. biseaux, euh… ce sont peut-être des petits Je m#approche, je frappe sur le cadre de la porte, la porte fashbacks d#acide. Non, non, NONNNN ! invisible s#ouvre sur Aimé en tablier de cuisine au milieu Ce sont justes des courants d#air dans les d#un capharnaüm infernal. Tout déboule, comme s#il y pleins-jours des portes. Crisse, tu as vécu avait entassé toutes les vieilleries de son enfance et toutes icite pendant cinq ans, fumé plusieurs gros les kétaineries de sa vieillesse. Les portes d#armoires ne fer- joints sans voir le moindre petit revenant. ment plus, ouvertes à tout venant, elles claquent au moin- Shit de marde ! Après tout, icite, on n#est pas dre coup de vent, les comptoirs sont couverts de vaisselles Gaston Tremblay Gaston dans la Twilight zone ! souillées, ils débordent de canetes entamées, tout dégoul- Rassure-toi, que je me dis, monte lentement ine, des goutes de soupe se décollent du plafond, la saleté les marches de l#autel, comme un enfant de suinte sur les murs. chœur qui s#approche d#un célébrant trop – Bout de crisse, Aimé, ça sent le chou bouilli comment avenant. Ouvre la porte, n#aie pas peur, Aimé fais-tu pour vivre dans ce trou… est mort depuis… depuis… belle lurete, de- Aparté : Depuis toujours et pour toujours, il chante en puis une éternité. brassant sa soupe. Envoye, envoye ! Ouvre ! Vous comprendrez que je me suis éloigné de l#entrée de la * Aie… Aie ! Il n#y a plus de plein-jours dans cuisine, à petits pas de bébé, pour ne rien renverser, pour les vitres des portes, les portes de la cuisine ne rien brouiller, j#avais l#impression d#être au fond d#une et du jardin sont entrouvertes, il y a un cou- salle à nager… au fond d#une marmite pleine de morceaux rant d#air MAL-SAIN, qui… qui fait monter de choux, des feuilles de chou me tournant autour de la la poussière et qui transporte des efuves de tête, de grosses langues de choux essayant de me frencher, soupe de l#arrière à l#avant de la maison. de gros moignons de légumes fotant au ras du plancher Aimé, le mal aimé, mangeait de la soupe au et puis des rafales de choux de Bruxelles me mitraillant la chou sept jours sur sept ! Il la laissait mijo- poitrine, la tête, me frôlant les oreilles. ter dans une marmite à sorcière vingt-quatre Aparté : Plus étranges qu#étranges sont les images qui vous heures sur vingt-quatre. C#était… et c#est tou- viennent à l#esprit. jours l#odeur âcre de sa soupe au chou qui me J#ai refermé la porte du capharnaüm très doucement, pour ne transporte hors du temps présent. rien déranger. Au pied du mur, à la limite de l#épuisement, je Aparté : D#la soupe aux choux, c#est facile à me suis afaissé sur le carrelage de la salle à nager. J#ai pleuré. *44/
 Au travers de mes larmes, j#ai revu sa réfexion dans le mi- d#une nuit d#amour, d#un autre baiser… hur- 131 roir de la garde-robe, juste là, dans le petit corridor des ler d#avoir vécu et revécu toutes les tempêtes W.C. L#image n#était pas claire, la lumière des biseaux ne se de tristesses qui m#ont ébranlé… si ce n#est réféchissait pas très bien dans les recoins des angles morts. que pour quelques instants. Dans la pénombre, il ne bougeait peu ou pas ! Dans l#angle Rire de joie, en se souvenant de toute l#in- du miroir, nos regards se sont croisés ; dans le nœud de la tensité de vivre, en se rappelant toutes ces boucle de l#infni, ils se sont touchés, pour un instant dans soirées où nous avons dansé au rythme tribal l#infnité de l#amitié. J#ai eu l#impression que son regard de “ La Bite à Tibi ” de Raoûl Duguay, en se m#accusait… de l#avoir chassé de sa bicoque. remémorant tout l#amour qu#on a partagé… De l#avoir abandonné… d#avoir été son bourreau. en revivant toute la passion qu#on a échan- J#ai pris ma chaise, je me suis installé au pied du miroir, pour gée… même si ce n#est que pour quelques mieux voir Aimé le mal-aimé. Mais il n#y était pas, car con- instants… parce que ce n#est jamais assez. trairement aux désirs des humains, les miroirs ne mentent Que ça me fait du bien de chanter Aimé le mal-aimé. Dialogue au seuil de l’ pas, ils ne nous montrent que la vérité qui inéluctablement Que ça fait du bien de pleurer s#y refète. Il n#y avait que… Pour vous dire franchement, Que ça fait du bien DE HURLER c#est moi qui étais assis dans la chaise du vieux crisse! Que ça fait du bien de rire Aparté : HA-HA-HI HI. Te’re coming to take you away. Que ça fait du bien de l#écrire. HO-HO Que ça fait du bien de vous le redire Noooonnn, NON ! Ça, ça ne peut pas être moi, pas déjà ! Aparté : Amen j#ai mal à la bedaine Paul-André, mon ami, pourquoi ? André, mon petit, pour- Depuis toujours et pour toujours ! quoi ? MON DIEU, pourquoi deux fois ? Pourquoi, deux suicides dans une seule vie ? NOOONN. Pas encore ! J#ai pleuré mon meilleur ami, j#ai pleuré mon fls ! J#entends encore les petites roues de ses Tonkas Toys tourner sur les planchers de Bois-Francs ! J#entends toujours l#écho de la dactylo de mon ami clac-claqueter dans l#appartement du troisième, j#entends encore leur cœur batre à l#unisson avec le mien… pour l#infnité de cete milliseconde qu#est ma vie dans l#éternité. Aparté : Depuis toujours et pour toujours. Les survivants du suicide sont des kaléidoscopes dynamiques, dans le- squels l#énergie de la lumière vivace de feux leurs morts se

refète à l#infni. é t

Tout passe par la lumière, tout passe par les images des dé- ernit jà-vus, tout passe par la musique essentielle des êtres, les re- fets de la lumière irisée du soleil se déploient sur les murs de l#entrée, d#est en ouest, en quatre heures la lumière suit é la courbe et le rythme de notre conscience solaire. C#est ainsi que l#atente progresse dans la maison des ar- tistes, c#est ainsi qu#elle s#y déploie depuis toujours et pour toujours. Être artiste c’est crier, pleurer, hurler, dans l’infni, c’est revivre ce qui n’est pas fni, pour refaire à l’infni l’ultime parcours de la boucle de l’infnité… Pleurer la fatigue qui s#est accumulée pendant mes cin- quante dernières années, pleurer de… de… d#avoir le pri- vilège d#être encore là ! Pleurer d#avoir senti pour quelques trop courts instants la vigueur de mes vingt ans, rêver de l#intensité de la passion *44/
 132

From lef to right Maureen Labonté (dramaturge); Daniel Aubin, (Actor, Poet, Poet laureate of Sudbury); Gaston Tremblay (author). During workshop with actor and writer. Gaston Tremblay Gaston

From lef to right: Antoine Côté Legault (actor, author), Gaston Tremblay (author) and Maureen Labonté (dramaturge) during dress rehearsal *44/
 Interview with Maureen LaBonté, 133 dramaturge: Contes Urbains

Donato Santeramo

I#d encourage you to talk to Yvan * is that in Quebec the- re#s a very strong story-telling and story-teller tradition, would start of with asking you, Urban Le- an oral story-telling tradition. Te origins of the Quebec gends, why? Why this name? storyteller go way back and it#s more of a rural or coun- try thing, you know, back when it was a form of, literally, a I form of entertainment and communication. Tat#s true in MAUREEN a lot of cultures. Well frst of all, they#re not called Urban Le- gends, that#s a spin-of of Gaston Tremblay#s. Q: A bit like the Decameron...Boccaccio#s Decameron. Tey are called, in French, Contes Urbains and in English, when a version of Contes Urbaine MAUREEN was done in English in Montreal – it was cal- Exactly. Or like Chaucer…Canturbury Tales. led Urban Tales. It is that idea of people*I#m romanticizing when I say Q: Urban Tales, okay. this, but it#s true*siting around the fre at night and the storyteller or the storytellers take turns entertaining MAUREEN everyone, you know telling people tales. Tere#s a beautiful Urban Tales, yeah. So, it#s not “legends”, the introduction to a collection of solo pieces, not tales neces- only person who calls them urban legends is sarily, but solo shows, that Jason Sherman did a while back, Gaston. in it he paints that picture, you know, of the darkness, the night, the fre, people siting around the fre and how do Q: So, technically, when we mention them in you... it#s not just razzmatazz entertainment, but also it#s a the preface, I#ll say Urban Tales. way of flling the darkness, flling the emptiness. It#s very beautiful. It#s called SOLO published by Coach House MAUREEN Press. Yes. As in story-telling tales and not “legends”. So, the idea of Urban Tales is taking the whole concept of Q: Okay perfect, thank you. storytelling and the storyteller and bringing it into the city. So why then, Urban Tales, because they are Initially they were always done just before Christmas. Tat obviously city tales, they#re... was part of the concept--we#re back to night time, the lon- gest night of the year--you know that idea of...countering MAUREEN the darkness with a story. I think what you would have to do, perhaps if you have the time, is talk to Yvan Bienve- Q: Now, is there a thematic trend or are there just the tales nu, who is the person who came up with the and there#s no thematic trend to them? concept originally back in 1994. Tat#s when the frst Urban Tales were performed here in MAUREEN Montreal, but I think for me, my interpreta- No, I would say the original ones, again we#re back to Yvan tion, and it is just my interpretation *again Bienvenu, we#re not talking the Sudbury ones, the Yvan *44/
 134 Bienvenu tales, as I said, if there was any kind of a theme it ten days and I set up things as stated the docu- was the idea of darkness, December and just before Christ- ment I sent you. mas. And urban. It#s about the city. Te stories all take pla- ce in the city somewhere, somehow. Q: … that will follow this interview.

Q: So, is Christmas also part of it? Or is it more like the MAUREEN solstice? So I set up the parameters for them... based on Yvan Bienvenu#s model, based on the 1999 ta- MAUREEN les, and I worked with the fve of them through Well, if you read the originals, Christmas, back when it the ten day period and then followed them... started in ‘94, ‘95, ‘96, was perhaps a bit more present; peo- there was a post-residency deadline and then ple used the idea of Storytelling at Christmas time or befo- there was another deadline mid-winter and re Christmas, people who were, you know, there#s all sorts then there was the deadline in April and that of... thematically... of people who are alone for Christmas, version is the version we read in May. people who, I mean Jean Marc Dalpé wrote one that I just loved. It took place in the parking garage, the enormous, Q: Your role of dramaturge, is that also on sta- humongous parking garage at the Rockland Shopping ge or only the writing… Centre, here in Montreal...and how people#s tempers are, you know, people are under pressure*it#s very funny. It#s MAUREEN wonderful. I think the Christmas and the darkness theme Only the writing. were perhaps more present in the frst years. Q: Okay. Now in those 10 days that you wor- Tere are certain “rules” if you will, as in where they take ked on, with the fve writers, was it sort of a place*if they#re urban tales, they have to take place in the commune seting, in the sense that everyone city, it#s not a story that takes place at the cotage. So, the lives together at the same time, and you wrote city is prominent and it#s in the oral tradition, so it#s one these... writer, one actor--it could be the same person*a good story and it#s a direct address. It#s not a solo piece in the MAUREEN sense that there#s a fourth wall. An actor gets up on stage Yeah, it was actually quite wonderful and it#s and goes, “I#ve got a story to tell you. You#re not going to described in that document; there were three Donato Santeramo Donato believe what happened to me last night.” You know, that Sudbury-based writers, so they were still li- idea: they look right at the audience and they give the story ving at home, but we had what in the docu- to the listeners. ment I call the quartier général or work space the two, Gaston and Marie-Té the two out- Q: Fantastic. Now, is there*let#s call it the Quebecois tra- of-towners had an apartment. It#s a six-plex on dition and the Sudbury tradition of these Tales*are they Cedar Street in Sudbury and I was living there the same, are there some diferences? and the two of them had apartments there as well and the ground foor apartment was our MAUREEN quartier général, our “clubhouse”. Tat#s where Te diferences are, obviously, in the content. Te frst we met. Te Sudbury people could work the- Sudbury ones which were writen in ‘99, take place in Su- re. We set up tables for them and encouraged dbury. It#s like geting a snapshot, or snapshots of a city them to take time of their regular lives, whi- through the eyes of fve or six writers. So, 20 years later, fve ch is not as easy if you#re living in the same other writers take a look at Sudbury and these are the sto- city. So that#s where I had my dramaturgical ries they have to tell. meetings with the writers. We did a few small events, discussions. It was our headquarters. Q: What is your role exactly in all this? We would meet for cofee in the morning and chat. It worked out really, really well. It was MAUREEN very productive, in fact. And it was nice becau- I#m the dramaturge. I#m the dramaturge, so I was there in se we had a real range of* Gaston being the the fall, last fall, we did a writers# residency in Sudbury for senior member of the group and the youngest *44/
 member, Chloé Tériault, was just fnishing, ways, but there#s no scenery, correct, there#s no scenes? 135 she graduated from Laurentian University in April, she#s 20. Age-wise, the other writers ft MAUREEN in between. So, it was a nice cross-section of No, it#s very simple. If necessary, a chair. A mic. When we ages and everybody had some kind of con- did the readings, they were mic-ed, but that#s it. It#s very, nection with Sudbury. very simple, no sets, no props, nothing. It#s an actor, a stage and an audience. And a good story. Q: It#s fascinating.

You said the frst ones were in 1999, so is it a Q: Will it be the writer him or herself to perform? I know Interview with Maureen LaBonté, damatuge: Contes Urbains revisitation, is it just the idea is that where are in Gaston#s case it#s not going to be, but will that usually be we now, what has changed? the case?

MAUREEN MAUREEN Te idea is that the conclusion will be this Yeah, I think probably...defnitely Marie-Té Morin, she#s is where are we now, but the change, I don#t an actress. She didn#t write, but she performed one of the think you go very far with a writer if you lay frst ones in ‘99 when she was a lot younger. She#s going that on them. I think what is more important to do her own. Chloé, who is the 20-year-old, (well by the is that they look at Sudbury through their time she does it she#ll be 22, 23), she#s a lovely actress. own eyes and pick a story. A story they really She#ll probably do her own. Miriam Cusson is an actress need to tell, they really want to tell. Anyone as well; she#ll do her own, and Antoine, I think Antoine is who chooses to compare will see diferences. defnitely going to do his own. Te city has evolved, but that#s not what the writers were asked to do. Te writers were Q: In the overall picture of Francophone theatre in Cana- asked to write a good story. Write a good story da, especially in Ontario and Quebec, would you see this about Sudbury today. And that#s why you get- sort of expression, these tales, as something unique in this -you know Gaston#s, Gaston#s had a lot to do country? with memory, a lot to do with coming back to Sudbury and geting catapulted back. So, it#s MAUREEN today and back then, which I think is a very I think there are cultures, there are peoples, who, where the strong motif for him. storytelling tradition is stronger, and I would think in Que- bec and in francophone Canada the storytelling tradition Q: Yes, I read his piece. I really enjoyed it very is a very strong one. Perhaps less so, in English Canada for much. all sorts of reasons. You haven#t done any ofcial performances yet, have you?

MAUREEN No, the actual performance will happen in the new Place des Arts. Tis whole project, Projet manifeste, incorporates this project, a music project, there was a visual arts project all were, which is about the drive to get a francophone art centre built, and it is being built as we spe- ak, in downtown Sudbury. And these contes, will be performed in the art centre when the art centre opens in 2022.

Q: Tat#s wonderful. Obviously, these are ta- les, but they#re writen to be performed and as you said, having a dramaturge, that really ma- kes them sort of performance texts in many *44/
 136 CONTES URBAINS: CONTEURS

Antoine Côté-Legault Miriam Cusson Antoine Côté Legault est auteur, comédien et conseiller Meteure en scène, comédienne, drama- dramaturgique. Il se consacre principalement à la création turge et conceptrice, Miriam Cusson a fon- de spectacles de théâtre et de poésie, notamment avec sa dé ou cofondé plusieurs compagnies de compagnie La Bibite Poétique. Ses textes Le gars qui vou- théâtre locales, notamment le Collectif FFF lait se faire phénix et Corps à corps : une blind date poétique (2003‐2005), les Productions Roches brûlées font tous deux partie de la collection de Prise de parole. (2009‐2014) et le Téâtre aux quatre vents, Crédit photo : Sylvain Sabatié troupe universitaire et communautaire de la relève et de l#exploration. Miriam est connue pour ses productions dramatiques innovantes Chloé Tériault et pluridisciplinaires, y compris de nombreu- Chloé Tériault est présentement en 4e année d#étude en ses adaptations saluées par la critique, dont la Téâtre à l#Université Laurentienne. Depuis un très jeu- plus récente Parmi les éclats (avec des textes de ne âge, Chloé a exploré diverses facetes d#art de la scène Robert Dickson, de Brigite Haentjens et d#el- telles que l#humour, le clown, le cirque, la mise en scène, le-même). Miriam Cusson a reçu le prix John le théâtre et l#écriture. Avec deux spectacles solo qu#elle a Hirsch de mise en scène en 2017. composé et présentés un peu partout en province, Chloé continue d#explorer ce que l#écriture peut lui ofrir. Maureen Labonté Marie-Té Morin Conseillère dramaturgique qui œuvre dans le Cofondatrice de Vox Téâtre à Otawa (1979), Marie-Té milieu du théâtre de création au Canada et au Morin a écrit des pièces, romans, contes, poésies, scénarios Québec depuis plus de trente ans, Maureen et chansons. Comédienne et chanteuse, elle a interprété Labonté a travaillé avec plusieurs auteur(e) plusieurs personnages mémorables pour (notamment) le s sur des projets dans les grandes institu- Téâtre du Nouvel-Ontario (Sudbury), Vox Téâtre, le tions (CNA, Stratford, Shaw) ainsi que dans Téâtre de la Vieille 17 et Triangle Vital (Otawa). Elle a des théâtres de création à Otawa, Toronto, reçu le prix Rideau de l#Interprétation de l#année en 2017 Calgary, Vancouver et ailleurs au pays. Elle a pour son rôle de Super Poulet Barbecue dans Le gars qui travaillé récemment comme conseillère dra-

Donato Santeramo Donato voulait se faire phénix d#Antoine Côté-Legault (La Bibite maturgique au Téâtre PàP (Montréal), et poétique et Téâtre du Trillium). au Cercle Molière (Winnipeg). Elle travaille présentement au Téâtre du Nouvel-Ontario Gaston Tremblay (Sudbury) et au Playwrights Workshop Mon- Poète, romancier et essayiste, Gaston Tremblay a aussi été treal. éditeur et administrateur d#organismes artistiques. Après avoir fondé et puis dirigé pendant plusieurs années les Éd- itions Prise de parole, il s#installe à Montréal en 1988. En 2013, on l#invite au Salon du livre de Québec au titre de président d#honneur du mercredi de la francophonie et, à Sudbury, on lui décerne le prix du Nouvel-Ontario. À l#été 2015, il est écrivain en résidence à la Bibliothèque de référence de Toronto. Gaston Tremblay profte de son sta- ge à la Bibliothèque de référence de Toronto pour peauf- ner son nouveau recueil : D!amour et de turbulences publiés en 2016 chez Prise de parole. *44/
 Projet manifeste – volet Contes urbains – 137 de la Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury

La résidence d$écriture : Contes sudburois – deuxième édition Récemment, nous avons reçu un horaire détaillé pour les 7 jours de la résidence. Le projet sera lancé, lors de la lecture des Contes Sudburois Les consignes du projet Contes sudburois – de 1999 le 11 octobre en soirée dans le cadre du Festival du 2ième édition : conte. Une rencontre aura lieu avec deux des six auteurs le On a demandé à cinq auteur(e)s, vous cinq, lendemain matin à notre « quartier général » rue Cedar. d#écrire un conte urbain. Ce conte doit : L#après-midi du 12 on discutera ensemble du projet – déf- Etre d›une durèe de 12 à 18 minutes; nition, paramètres, activités temps d#écriture etc… se passer à Sudbury; Dans les jours qui suivent, il y aura quelques Etre conforme au concept du conte urbain « promenades » ou ambulatoires dans Sudbury. Le but ? développé par le Téâtre Urbi et Orbi, c’est- Apprivoiser la ville, les gens, Sudbury en 2018. Ces excur- à-dire un auteur(e), un acteur et une bonne sions comprendront beaucoup de jasetes, accompagnés histoire. de plusieurs tasses de cafés, de lunchs et de verres de vin. Il y aura aussi des rencontres dramaturgiques individuelles. Votre conte peut être inspiré par un quartier, La première aura lieu samedi, le 13 octobre et sera « obli- une rue, une adresse, un lieu spécifque tel gatoire ». Ce que les anglophones appelleraient “a geting- qu#un restaurant, un bar, une école, une mai- to-know-you meeting”. Les autres auront lieu à la demande son, un appartement… ou… ? de chaque auteur/auteure. On se verra quotidiennement Selon moi, ce qui est peut-être plus important, ou au besoin. c#est que vous trouvez un personnage central MAIS… pour votre conte. Une personne rencontrée, Pour moi, le but premier d#une résidence d#écriture est observée, ou quelqu#un que vous connaissez, d#écrire ! Explorer, observer, penser, se laisser inspirer … que vous avez connue ou dont vous vous sou- certes! Mais surtout et avant tout écrire. venez. Quelqu#un de votre famille, un ami(e), Pour les auteurs qui habitent Sudbury, vous allez pouvoir un étranger, un voisin, un sans-abri etc… Ou vous servir de notre quartier général comme espace de tra- un personnage totalement inventé! vail. Sortir de chez vous, vous éloignez un peu du quoti- Votre histoire doit aussi avoir un événement dien, vous isoler et rêvasser, lire, écrire… central, une action impliquant le personnage en question. Le quartier général : L#oralité est primordiale. Un conte urbain Notre quartier général est un magnifque appartement est une histoire racontée directement au pu- Dans les Royal Apartments sur la rue Cedar. Il y a un grand blic. Ce n#est pas un monologue. Souvent, le salon, une salle à manger et une cuisine, des boiseries et conteur/narrateur nous raconte l#histoire de beaucoup de lumière. C#est chaleureux et accueillant. quelqu#un d#autre mais l#histoire peut aussi C#est là qu#auront lieu les rencontres de groupe ainsi que être racontée au « je ». Une histoire à propos les sessions dramaturgiques individuelles. de quelque chose qui est arrivée au narrateur. À tout ça, on va ajouter quelques tables de travail pourque Cela dit, il doit toujours y avoir le nécessité de vous puissiez y travailler confortablement si vous le voulez. dire; l#urgence de dire, même. *44/
 138 Échéancier suite à la résidence : publiés dans la revue Moebius et chez Drama- Le matin du 18 octobre, je vais vous rencontrer individuel- turges Éditeurs (Montréal). lement et ensemble nous allons élaborer un plan pour le travail encore à faire sur votre conte. Je vous recommande aussi un article écrit par Yvan Bienvenue dans la revue «Québec En après-midi, il y aura 2 rencontres. Au cours de la pre- français» (été 2008, n. 150) Le phénomène mière, chaque auteur fera une présentation de 10 minutes des contes urbains – www.erudit.org/iderudi- sur sa démarche, plan de travail, écriture etc… Et si vous t/44002ac. êtes à l#aise de le faire, vous pourriez nous lire un extrait de votre conte. Une autre recommandation : la Préface d#An- dré Perrier aux Contes Sudburois. Ensuite, il y aura une rencontre «fn de parcours» avec quelques invités. On leur présentera un bilan du notre tra- N.B. - Ces textes seront disponibles sur place vail du collectif. au Quartier général.

15 mars, 2019 – date limite pour le 1re ébauche du conte

8 avril, 2019 - remise de la version du texte

27 avril, 2019 (date à confrmer) – Lecture publique des Contes à Sudbury

Quelques suggestions de lectures :

Contes Sudburois Jean Marc Dalpé, Robert Dickson, Paulete Gagnon, Michael Gauthier, Brigite Haentjens, Robert Marinier Les Contes Sudburois ont été créés à Sudbury le 9 février, 1999, dans une production du Téâtre du Nouvel-Onta- rio et publiés chez Les Éditions Prise de parole (Sudbury, 2001).

Contes urbains – Otawa Yvan Bienvenue, Jean Marc Dalpé, Patrick Leroux, Marie-Té Morin, André Perrier. Les Contes urbains – Otawa ont été créés à Otawa le 28 janvier, 1998, à la Cour des arts d#Otawa dans une copro- duction du Téâtre la Catapulte (Otawa), du Centre cul- turel d#Orléans et du Centre culturel Le Chenail (Hawke- sbury) et publiés par Les Éditions du Nordir.

Contes d$appartenance Manon Beaudoin, Yvan Bienvenue, Herménégilde Chiasson, Patrick Leroux, Jean Marc Dalpé Marc Prescot. Les Contes d$appartenance ont été créés le 4 juin 1998 au Téâtre du Nouvel-Ontario (Sudbury) dans une pro- duction de l#Institut franco-ontarien et du Téâtre du Projet manifeste – volet Contes urbains – de la Place des Arts du Grand Sudbury Grand du Arts des Place la – de urbains Contes – volet manifeste Projet Nouvel-Ontario et publiés chez Prise de parole (1999).

Et…. De 1994 à tout récemment Les Contes urbains du Téâtre Urbi et Orbi à Montréal *44/
 In Memoriam 139 Roberto Tessari Donato Santeramo and Craig Walker

His germinal work on the enfant terrible of Italian theatre, Carmelo Bene, Pinocchio: summa atheologica di Carmelo Bene, contributed greatly in elucidating the actor/play- oberto Tessari, afer holding academic wright, theatrical machine, C. Bene’s poetics and aesthet- positions at the University of Pisa and ics. (For an overview in English on C. Bene’s opus one can the University of Arcavacata di Ren- consult Roberto Tessari’s contribution on Carmelo Bene Rde, Cosenza in Calabria from 1980 to 1993, in R. Capozzi, F. Nardi, D. Pietropaolo & D. Santeramo fnally was appointed professor of Drama in eds., Twentieth-Century Italian Playwrights, vol. II, Rome, the Department of Arts, Music and Specta- Universitalia, 2016, pp. 471-486). cle at the University of Turin. He also held His academic manuals Teatro e spetacolo nel Setecento a position at the University of Saint-Étienne (Bari, Laterza, 2003; Teatre and Spectacle in the 1700s) in France. He was a visiting professor and in- and Manuale di storia del teatro. Fantasmi della scena d’Oc- vited lecturer in many European and North cidente (Torino, UTET, 2006 -co-authored with Roberto American universities, including but not lim- Alonge; Manual of the History of Teatre. Ghosts of the ited to, the Universities of: Bologna, Milan, Western Stage) are still extensively used in many theatre Lion, Frankfurt, Sao Paõlo, Rio de Janiero, departments across the country. Budapest, Athens, Moscow, Rome II “Tor In the recent past, Roberto turned his atention to the Vergata”, and Middlebury College. Charlatans. His ground-breaking Alletamenti meravigliosi. He is considered one of the leading experts in Immaginario e spetacoli dei ciarlatani (Milano, Mimesis, Drama Studies in Italy. He has published ex- 2018; Wonderful Enticements. Imagination and Charla- tensively. Amongst his many publications one tans# Spectacles) has shed light on a litle known, yet fun- fnds his seminal works on the Commedia damental, acting tradition, that had been overlooked for dell’Arte: La Commedia dell’Arte nel Seicento. centuries. “Industria” e “arte giocosa” della civiltà barocca Roberto will also be remembered for his kindness and his (Firenze, Olschki, 1969; Te Commedia quiet demeanor. Te ultimate educator, scholar and friend. Dell’Arte in the 1600s. “Industry” and “playful Art” of Baroque civilization) and Commedia dell’Arte: la Maschera e l’Ombra (Milano, Mur- sia,1981; Te Commedia dell’Arte: Masks and Shadows) are still widely consulted and used in several universities worldwide. He also published ground-breaking works on the relationship between anthropology and theatre (Teatro e antropologia. Tra rito e spetacolo, Rome, Carocci, 2004) and on the Avant guard theatre (Teatro e avanguardie storiche. Traietorie dell’eresia, Bari, Laterza, 2005) that have formed a generation of young theatre scholars. *44/
 140 (per gentile concessione di Serenella Castri) Serenella di concessione (per gentile Roberto Tessari Roberto Tessari *44/
 Per Roberto: storie di fatelli 141

Paolo Puppa

sito per degli orecchini che per impulso da sultano volevi donare alla brasiliana danzerina, la donna di turno in quella ubblico qui tre scampoli di letera spe- fase della tua vita. Ma Serenella 2 ha sbaragliato le altre in diti via mail a Roberto, negli ultimi tuta la linea. Ecco, Robertino, è questa golosità-sensualità giorni del suo calvario nell#Hospice di edonistica che si mescola alla tua intelligenza disincantata PMonfalcone, da lui leti senza poter risponde- e preveggente a far di te un personaggio insolito, e non solo re. In calce, frammenti di un mio diario scrito nel campo della teatrologia nostrana. Nella voce grave e nel 2005, alla morte di mio fratello Luciano. nei toni bassi che siglavano la tua parola si annidava la pre- veggenza del futuro, la consapevolezza di quanto ti riserva- Letere a Roberto va la sorte, ovvero trovarti all#improvviso al fronte, magari Roberto, mi viene in mente quando ti stavo intubato, costreto a posture scomode e penose, allo scacco addosso, nel cortileto dell#albergo agrigen- del corpo, combatendo una dura bataglia, con uno stoico tino, dopo i pasti, e mendicavo il fumo, negli eroismo, come i soldatini di “Gorizia tu sei maledeta”. Tan- ultimi anni a me proibito, e tu ti compiacevi ti al tuo posto avrebbero getato la spugna. Ma tu sei duro, e in qualche modo, annoiato ma lusingato della guardi in faccia la Medusa. Resisti! mia devozione. Non era solo per il fumo, ov- Roberto, so in qualche modo il percorso arduo da afronta- viamente, era per il mistero che palpitava in re che hai davanti a te. Emana da te una grande luce e insie- te, e rendeva le tue comunicazioni in pubblico me un buio inesorabile che rende disagevole accostarsi al sempre convincenti. Ti ho deto un giorno, tuo silenzio orgoglioso, e vanifca e ridicolizza ogni parola. dopo una tua performance, che avresti potuto Una cosa nondimeno ti confesso a questo punto. Nei nostri leggere l#elenco del telefono con quella voce appuntamenti annuali a Agrigento, mi veniva da tratarti tanto suasoria e motoria, senza mai concede- come un fratello. Io ho avuto nella mia vita un fratello reale, re nulla al colore, senza butare perle al porco Luciano, forse lo sai, più piccolo di sete anni. Quando ave- in sala, per non assomigliare agli antichi ciar- va tre anni è stato colpito da una meningite tubercolare che latani di recente da te studiati. A proposito di l#ha reso disabile mentalmente. E# rimasto in casa fnché questi ultimi, Silvia Cantimori, mia moglie, è stato possibile, poi i miei l#hanno scaricato in un Coto- nipote dello storico normalista, che avreb- lengo nel vicentino. E io non l#ho impedito, distrato dalla be dovuto prepararti la stanza per la nostra nuova famiglia e dalla carriera, pur avendo con lui un lega- presentazione novembrina ti ricordava nel me speciale. Quando andavo a trovarlo, e penetravo in una saloto dell#altra casa, davanti ad un tiramisù specie di girone dantesco, gli sguardi rancorosi che mi lan- particolarmente riuscito. Saranno stati alme- ciava mentre lo lasciavo mi hanno piagato il cuore per sem- no 40 anni fa. E ti citava come goloso. Perché pre. Poi una matina se n#è andato sofocato dal sangue, per eri anche goloso, come l#immagine spedita in un#emorragia improvvisa. Era un#alba invernale e i medici WhatsApp da Serenella che ti illustra davanti mi hanno svegliato per notifcarmi con imbarazzo il fato. agli afetati e i vinelli lubrichi furlani, il volto Perché ti confdo tuto questo, adesso? Non ha senso, vero? più stagionato di un tempo, ma la medesima Ma se c#era un simulacro di fratello intravisto ogni tanto eri fammella negli occhi. La stessa aria che cova- te, Tex ombroso e autarchico, incontrato poche volte, e allo vi nello sguardo, davanti alla vetrina di Buda- stesso tempo tante volte. Da tanto lontano, eppure mai così pest, prima di entrare e spendere uno spropo- da vicino, ti abbraccio con tremore e pudore infnito. *44/
 142 Roberto, Roberto, Roberto, vorrei essere là con te, per mentarsi nella camera accanto. È la voce del questa voglia struggente di abbracciarti, di salutarti. Ma medico dell#Istituto di Sarmeola, tra Padova e insieme proverei, una volta superati fltri e resistenze, un Vicenza, dove da tanti anni vegeta mio fratello enorme imbarazzo per te, che mi ingesserebbe davanti alla ammalato. Dopo alcune frasi incerte, la voce nudità della tua debolezza e della tua rabbiosa condizione mi comunica la notizia. Luciano è mancato, di soldato ferito. Pensa che tante volte mi ero ripromesso colpa di un#emorragia. Ma non ha soferto, se di venirti a trovare prima, sia quando venivo a Torino e mi n#è andato in collasso, senza penare troppo. dicevo ora telefono a quell#orso rustego, sia quando vivevi Subito, nel corridoio si accende una luce fo- la nuova vita nell#est giuliano, contiguo alla caseta in Croa- sca e aggressiva. Mia fglia e mia moglie si pre- zia. L#esistenza accanto alla devota samaritana. E ogni volta cipitano ad abbracciarmi, mentre me ne sto ri- succedeva qualcosa che mi distraeva e rinviavo, rinviavo. gido e inebetito. Il giorno seguente, dopo una Ma mi chiedo che diriti ho di insistere, di inflarmi nella note imbotita di calmanti per non pensare grande confusione che provi in giorni del genere, uno scac- troppo, corro a Sarmeola. Lo trovo rigido, i co per la tua indipendenza morale e la tua autonomia di piedi con calzini neri curvi verso la sponda, la pensiero. E ci sarebbe solo silenzio tra noi, o ridicole parole fronte diaccia, i tamponi sul naso e sulla bocca di circostanza da parte mia. Magari avrei voglia di discu- a bloccare nuovi fussi di sangue. Penso al ni- tere con te di ciarlatani e di Pirandello, ma anche questo potino. La sua presenza pare prometere che rischierebbe di apparire inadeguato, inautentico, fuori po- questa vita in qualche modo va avanti. Oltre sto. La sola cosa che mi motiva a mandarti queste leterine a me, al fanco del leto, nella camera-cella si- senza risposta, com#è giusto, è la mia esperienza antica con lenziosa, la giovane badante afranta per aver mio fratello, che ho assistito a lungo, quand#era rientrato perso una fonte sicura di guadagno, e la sorella malato dall#ospedale ed era un infante regredito. E per anni accorsa da Milano, forse atirata da quel che l#ho rieducato per poi getare la spugna e pensare a me. Ri- resta dell#eredità. Si decidono le procedure. morsi e cicatrici immedicabili. Il fato è che la tua vicenda Verrà bruciato, e le ceneri tenute nella sua casa mi riapre queste memorie profonde, produce smotamenti del Lido, per rituali esoterici. Meglio che ca- e apre voragini. Non ha senso, me ne rendo conto, ma la larlo nella fredda tomba di famiglia, dove del connessione in me inevitabile tra madeleines traumatiche resto non c#è posto. Le leggi sono più tolleran- di un tempo lontano e questa mia impotenza ad aiutarti (ci ti oggi, e la Chiesa ha smesso di fare opposi-

Paolo Puppa Puppa Paolo ho provato con qualche medico, invano) o a dare un cam- zione. L#Istituto, e i medici in particolare, sem- bio a tua moglie, nasce da questa mia dimestichezza colla brano incalzati da una strana smania, quello malatia e col ruolo di infermiere di famiglia a lungo recita- di liberarsi dal corpo, per non lasciar traccia to. In questo caso sarei per te un fratello immaginario. Tu di qualche indubbia imperizia e trascurataggi- che non hai fratelli, io che ne ho avuto uno solo, poi amma- ne diagnostica. Il giorno dopo, al funerale, la lato e scomparso in modo sanguinoso alla letera. Queste sorella guida le preghiere e partecipa da pro- mie letere nascono proprio come messaggi classici nella tagonista alla liturgia. Io me ne resto al ban- botiglia, lanciati ne tuo Adriatico serbo croato. In passato co, mentre preti, suore e pazienti si alternano rispondevi sempre, forse per educazione, forse per senso con discorsi di maniera. Ora giocherà felice in del dovere, per non inselvatichirti troppo. Ed eri spesso Paradiso colla sua palla, il ragazzo di 54 anni, anche rapido in queste risposte sobrie e asciute. Adesso colpito a tre anni dalla meningite, non mor- stacco, perché domani parto. Passando per Monfalcone, to allora, come si usava a quei tempi quando i miei quatro by pass risuoneranno come le campanelle la malatia non concedeva scampo ai colpiti, nelle slite che siglavano le chiusure degli allestimenti ce- e rientrato a casa distruto per distruggere choviani di Stanislavskij. Un uomo non può accarezzare un genitori e fratelli. Anch#io sono stato model- altro uomo, di solito. Ma con un fratello lo si può fare. Ciao, lato dalla coabitazione colla soferenza e col Roberto, sognami se puoi con misericordia. disagio, legandomi al fratello durante la mia strana adolescenza. Poi mi sono staccato da Diario intorno a Luciano quei nodi, per seguire carriera, studi, amori e Questa sera, verso le 23, giorno del mio compleanno, esco la strada consueta dell#ambizione personale. all#improvviso dal dormiveglia e da uno stanco zapping. Ma quel fratello abbandonato mi è entrato nei Squilla il telefono e temo che il suono disturbi mio nipo- nervi e nel sistema valoriale, guidando il mio te, nostro ospite per una setimana, che stenta ad addor- caratere verso un progressivo indurimento, *44/
 e insieme verso un#intolleranza, una fragilità, tava lo sguardo sul vuoto e ignorava il mio arrivo. Gli inf- 143 un#ambiguità di cuore e di identità. Ora, mo- lavo allora in bocca cioccolate, tagliate in piccoli pezzi che rendo, mi torna dentro con prepotenza. Mi inghiotiva rabbiosamente. Quando poi ripartivo, solleva- sono afretato, al rientro a casa, ad appender- to, per rientrare alla mia vita, la coscienza resa tranquilla ne la foto che lo ritrae giovineto, sorridente per l#obolo di tempo che gli ofrivo, gli lanciavo un rapido dietro uno stranito fantasticare, leggermente cenno di saluto. Ma se mi giravo all#improvviso, da lonta- strabico, ancora bello e libero, prima dell#in- no, mi pareva di scorgere un guizzo di atenzione, come se ternamento nel lager che l#ha reso sempre più mi spiasse, e ricordasse l#antica complicità. Ero divenuto simile agli altri pazienti. Ma in questi giorni l#uomo della cioccolata, delle carezze, e dei fugaci incontri. del luto, continuo a frequentare il nipoti- Ma non riuscivo a restare nella sala tra i mostri, non mi ras- no per salvarmi dalla tentazione di seguire il segnavo a pazientare durante il pasto, condividendo odori fratello tradito, a riscatare gli anni della lon- e suoni dell#ambiente tumultuoso e stressante. In più, non tananza. Già. Così, a poco a poco, mi perdo tolleravo la ciotola stracolma di pillole colorate, quello or- dietro racconti esibiti a tuti, tra ricostruzioni mai che restava di progeti terapeutici, di strategie di recu- mitizzate, in cui insisto sulla solidarietà, sulla pero che nella giovinezza m#ero permesso di proporre con complicità col fratello. Preciso ad esempio foga al padre medico, restìo a seguirmi in quella utopia for- che non era un semplice fratello. E aggiun- se vaneggiante. Quando rientro nello studio, il corpo afa-

go pure, con qualche refolo involontario di ticato dopo un giorno di inerzia, e la testa che mi gira da un Per Roberto: storie di fratelli pirandellismo, che quando sono normali i po# al momento di levarmi da un leto o da una sedia (che fratelli, spesso il rapporto con loro si logora, abbia pochi giorni davanti anch#io?), alzo la testa verso la come un#amicizia, come un amore, e l#altro foto, e provo una fta al cuore, fata di rimorsi e di sazietà pur vivo è come morto. Luciano invece è nel dolore. Quell#immagine è una sorta di scalpo, il passa- rimasto innocente, vitima, cosa sempre alla to che ritorna imperioso a togliermi pace. La sorella, nella mercé di medici e di decisioni altrui. Anche villa al Lido, tiene caparbia l#urna colle ceneri. Io gliel#ho ora non trova pace il suo corpo, trasformato permesso, perché non credo in nulla e tuto è lo stesso, ca- in un mucchio di cenere, in un#urna ospitata daveri inumati tra topi e vermi, in un buio umido, oppure nella camera da leto di mia sorella, in atesa il fuoco che distrugge i resti della persona. Ma non ho cer- di un sacello domestico, tra candele e fori tezze di alcun genere, e intanto il nipotino sta lontano, dai secchi, alla riscoperta di usanze pagane, pre- parenti del padre, certo dimentico del mio amore. cristiane. Adesso è libero dalla malatia, e se Domani, però mi torna il piccolo per il week end. Non mi ne sta a riposare fnalmente in una vera casa. resta altro, della vita ormai, che elemosinare quella luce. Questa è l#ossessiva idea di costei, un po# esal- Ripenso al fratello, grazie alla foto-ritrato sopra il tavolo tata in una scelta bizzarra ma in fondo poetica. di lavoro. Mi viene in mente all#improvviso il pensiero che Guardo ogni tanto la foto che m sorride dal più giovane di me è uscito prima di scena, stanco forse di mio studio, i capelli neri e ondulati, tracce del- atendere l#ultimo degrado degli anni, l#accumulo insofri- la madre. E mi contengo, macerandomi in un bile, anche per un autistico (avevo scoperto il suo autismo dolore ancora inespresso, privo di lacrime e di nella cartella clinica consegnatami alla sua morte), di ar- clamori, perché si trata di un#onda lunga, che trosi e perdita di ogni controllo, sazio della seggiola cui ve- viene da lontano. E non so la piena quando niva legato gli ultimi anni. Insomma è arrivato dopo e se n#è scoppierà che danni farà in me, atorno a me. andato via prima. Mi consolo pregustando il bagneto che Ma c#è il bambino che mi protegge, anche se il cucciolo farà questa sera, la vasca colma d#acqua calda ma ora è partito, per andare dalla nonna paterna temperata, e le sue carni rosee denudate con innocenza, gli nelle colline della Brianza. E sono persino ge- squitii di gioia, l#intera famiglia ad assistere al lavacro e ai loso, io che ho perso il fratello malato e non so suoi spruzzi canterini, coll#ocheta gialla di gomma al fan- come reagire al nuovo, piccolo trauma. co (ereditato da me il gusto per gli anatroccoli?), manate Mentre fumo in giardino, di nascosto da mia e pedate rilasciate ritmicamente con prove di suoni a fare moglie, rivedo colla mente assonnata il fra- ondulazioni sulla tranquilla superfcie. Verranno per lui tello, quando andavo a visitarlo nell#Istituto. giorni diversi, verrà l#autonomia del corpo, l#istanza della Di solito, lo scorgevo assiso sulla poltrona in libertà dalla madre e dal padre, e i viaggi e le avventure in cui stava legato, a evitare altre cadute, la palla un mondo sempre più ostile e inabitabile. Mi rinasce così tenuta ossessivamente col braccio destro. Por- l#angoscia. Tuto mi appare futile e sinistro, la gran ruota *44/
 144 dell#esistenza che si rimete in moto, gli eterni ritorni della sulla bocca, di sempre, di donna bella travolta natura che intende con cieca memoria ricominciare. L#ul- dal calendario. Pochi giorni dopo, la rivedo, tima volta baciandolo e stringendomelo sulla faccia ispida in abito di raso, come aveva chiesto alle f- di barba l#ho visto ritrarsi irritato e stanco di calore richie- glie, composta quasi andasse alle eterne feste sto. Non sono sua madre, né suo padre, e il piccolo mostra di gioventù, a folleggiare, a sedurre. Stavolta perplessità davanti a tante efusioni. Ma ho fato in tempo a poco prima di inflarsi nel pertugio che la ri- sentire il fresco umido delle sue labbra di neonato, piene di durrà in cenere. Viso ingiallito, indurito nella late e di sana golosità e sono rimasto turbato davanti a tan- postura composta, le mani giunte nell#im- ta primavera. Solo i suoi occhi manifestano antichi tremori potenza, intorno gli inservienti scocciati e della razza. Perché in lui come in un mare aperto, confui- stanchi in cerca famelica di mance, le fglie scono tuti i corsi fuviali che hanno nel fondo nevrosi, os- ululanti, prima di sbranarsi per l#eredità. Sono sessioni e cupezze seminate da generazioni succedute per rimasto solo, mi dico alleggerito e sconsolato. dar spazio al suo sbocciare. Non fare troppi progeti, a questo punto, con- Poi è toccato a mia sorella. Sono andato a trovarla in ospe- cludo tra me, perché la Signora ormai è di casa dale, avendo saputo da altri del male che l#aveva colpita nella mia famiglia, ha imparato bene la strada. all#improvviso. Un male inesorabile, aggressivo che le la- sciava solo un mese di scadenza, come le mozzarelle. Sono parole sue. Non ci vedevamo dal funerale del fratello. Anti- chi rancori, croste ingrandite dal tempo, e adesso una vec- chia, col terrore negli occhi e il sorriso pososo e sprezzante Paolo Puppa Puppa Paolo

Roberto Tessari (per gentile concessione di Serenella Castri)