A production director's approach to Maxim Gorky's The lower depths

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Authors Scott, Bonnie Frances, 1940-

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Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/347515 A PRODUCTION DIRECTOR'S APPROACH TO

MAXIM GORKY'S THE LOWER DEPTHS

by

Bonnie Frances Scott

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the

DEPARTMENT OF DRAMA

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

In the Graduate College

THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

1965 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR

This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library.

Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the Head of the Drama Department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author.

SIGNED: W

APPROVAL BY DIRECTOR

This thesis has been approved on the date shown below:

PETER R. MARRONEY Professor of Drama PREFACE

Most scholars of Maxim Gorky are of the general opinion that he is, and will continue to be, best remembered for his novels and autobio­ graphical works» Though his plays have not achieved a lasting success mainly because he used the stage as a pulpit from which to preach about society's ills, there is one play. The Lower Depths which has achieved a place in World Drama.

If the play were no more than a sociological drama of the times in which Gorky lived, it would hold very little interest for us today, but the play does have meaning for us. Much of the play's success in production depends upon the treatment given the characters. They must be presented in such a way that we are able to feel compassion for them; much of this compassion has been written into the script by Gorky, but it is oftentimes overlooked in an attempt to present stark reality.

While Gorky presents filth, lust, deterioration in his charac­ ters, he also presents in them an inner dignity. This inner dignity, with which the characters are imbued, is the end result of Maxim Gorky's unfailing compassion and respect for mankind.

It has been the purpose of this thesis project to arrive at a directorial concept that would bring forth all the varying moods and inherent dramatic values of the play in a staged presentation.

iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special acknowledgment is dud Professor Peter R. Marroney, Head of the Drama Department» for his helpful suggestions and assistance, and

Dr. John A. Mills, Associate Professor, for valuable information concerning numerous questions.

Special acknowledgment is also due Professor Robert C. Burroughs for his encouragement and advice on certain aspects of the set design;

Mr. Channing S. Smith for his numerous suggestions concerning quicker methods of scenic construction and detail painting; and Professor John E.

Lafferty for his advice on lights and sound, and helpful suggestions during the rehearsal period.

Deepest appreciation is expressed to Helen W, Currie, Costume

Director, and Roberta R. Bannon, Graduate Assistant in Costuming, for making the costume designs a reality onstage.

Appreciation is also expressed to Sue B. Green of Interlibrary

Loans and the other staff members of the Library for their helpful suggestions.

Not to be overlooked are the cast and crews, without whose help, the production would not have been possible. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS vi

ABSTRACT vix

CHAPTER

I INFLUENCE OF GORKY■S EARLIER LIFE ON THE PLAY 1

II STAGE HISTORY OF.THE PLAY ...... 10

III DIRECTORIAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE PLAY...... 28

IV PROMPT BOOK ...... 46

V SUMMARY OF REHEARSAL AND PRODUCTION PERIOD.,...... 144 \ ILLUSTRATIONS 153

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY , * * ...... , * . , , , * 182

v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page

1. Set for Act I ...... • . 153

2. Ground Plan for Act I ...... 154

3. Front Elevation for Act I o,...... 155

4.. Rear Elevation for Act I...... 156

5. Set for Act II ...... 157

6. Ground Plan for Act II ...... 158

7. Front Elevation for Act II ...... 159

8. Rear Elevation for Act II ...... 160

9. Costume Designs ...... 161

10. Photographs of Production ...... 178

11. Newspaper Articles ...... 179

12. Program ...... 181

vi A PRODUCTION DIRECTOR'S APPROACH TO

MAXIM GORKY'S THE LOWER DEPTHS

Bonnie Frances Scott

The University of Arizona, 1965

Director: Peter R. Marroney

The purpose of this thesis is to arrive at a directorial philosophy which renders The Lower Depths meaningful to a present day

American audience and to realize this philosophy onstage in production.

The first chapter is concerned with the influence the author's earlier life had on the play; the second chapter concerns the stage history of the play. Both are essential in determining a directorial philosophy of the play. Chapter III presents this philosophy, and its influence on the direction of the play, the scenic designs, the costumes, sound, and lights. Chapter IV contains the prompt book. Included in the prompt book are the motivational factors that govern the blocking, analysis of characters, and revisions in the script. The final chapter is a summary of results of both the rehearsal period and actual production.

vii CHAPTER I

INFLUENCE OF GORKY * S EARLIER LIFE ON THE PLAY

Despite the bitter years Maxim Gorky suffered through in his youth, there was always present in him an innate optimism about man.

He once told Barrett H. Clark:

The world is not bad, and if it seems so we have only ourselves to blame, for it is we who are bad. The world in­ deed, is invariably good. It is a happy world; the only trouble is that we are the makers of our own tragedies in it. If the world were bad and man merely the victim of universal evil, then we should all hang ourselves. But we don t hang ourselves; we go on living, building houses, pursuing our trades, and always hoping. We continue to hope because the world is essentially good— life is sweet. The man who com­ plains of his suffering, is utterly and blindly selfish, suffering is his sole occupation, his one aim in life. He sees, nothing but his own sorrows. How can he help being miserable? He has only himself to blame.^

B o m Alexei Maximovich Peshkov in the year 1868, Gorky was later known to the world simply as Maxim Gorky (Maxim the Bitter). His mater­ nal grandparents had the most influence on his early life because he was raised by them. His father Maxim Peshkov, a carpenter, died when Gorky was four years old and his mother, Varvara Kashima married Eugene Maximov, a college student and nobleman, when young Maxim was only five years old.

After an attempt to stab his stepfather for kicking his mother in the breast, he was sent to live with his grandparents.

At his grandparents, Gorky was soon to learn that wife-beating and other forms of cruelty among uncultivated Russians was regarded as an

1. Quoted in Barrett H. Clark, "Conversations with Maxim Gorky," Fortnightly Review, CXIV (New York, 1923)-,-= 901.

1 inevitable expression of the pent up passions of the oppressed. Accord­

ing to Alexander Kaun:

Alexey had had enough experience to realize the prevailing, practically universal, cruelty and meanness of the people around, their pleasure in hurting one another bodily or in such delicately indirect ways as poisoning the neighbor’s dog, or cutting the tail off his cat, or killing his chickens, or pouring kerosene into his barrels of pickled cabbage and cucumbers. When he wondered at the cause of their cruelty and asked his grandmother about it, she retorted that they were not malicious but stupid. The stupidity and tedium of their existence, the wretchedness and hopelessness of their drudgery, accounted for the quest of an outlet for their limited fantasy and desire of some change in their h u m d r u m . 2

Gorky's grandmother, who could explain away the world's sins with such understanding patience, was subject herself to beating by her husband. Gorky was later to tell of the first time he had seen his grand­

father beat his wife; Gorky, who had attempted to intercede, was thrown

' bodily across the room. His grandmother, who had several hairpins wedged

in her scalp from blows received on the head, simply picked herself up,

dusted off her skirt and continued her chores, reminding the young Maxim not to tell his mother who had come to visit them. He could not forget

the incident as easily as his grandmother:

I was sitting on the low stove, more dead than alive un­ able to believe my eyes, This was the first time he had struck grandmother in my presence, and the thing was oppressively nasty, it revealed something new in his nature, something with which I could not reconcile myself, and whictiuseemed to have crushed me.3

Gorky later wrote of such beatings in The Lower Depths. Kvashnya, the

vendor of dumplings, constantly reminds us of the beatings she was

2. Alexander Kaun, Maxim Gorky and His Russia (New York, 1936) pp. 21-22.

3. Quoted in Kaun, Maxim Gorky and His Russia, p. 33. 3 subjected to by her first husband. When Luka asks Anna if her husband beat her very much she replied, "All the time. It's he who's killed me."

According to Kaun, Gorky's grandfather was one of those self-made men who are convinced that their own hardships justify them in tyrannizing over others. He certainly drew this aspect of his grandfather's character into the character of Kleshtch in the play, Kleshteh constantly reminds the other lodgers that he is a "workman."

During these early years with his grandparents there were two men considered by Gorky to be decent human beings. One was Tsiganok, a

foundling, whom his grandmother loved more than her own children; the other was a scientist who dealt in Black Magic. The latter was sent away because:

1 . . grandmother and grandfather disapproved of Alexey's attachment to the "queer, shabby individual" who boarded at their house. When-Alexey asked the man why no one in the house liked him the man hugged Alexey to his side and answered, "An alien, do you understand? That's why. Of a different kind. ..." 4-

Gorky's thoughts seem to have turned back to the memory of this old man when he created the mysterious character of Luka, the wandering pilgrim.

Of this very early period in his boyhood, Kaun states:

He had seen at close hand the average Russian life in its unadulterated coarseness and brutality; on his own back he had learned the harshness of man and the wolfishness of man to man; his heart had been scarred unhealably by insults, humiliations, and scenes of savage sadism. Yet he was keen to perceive that nothing is absolutely black, and he had been startled to discover attractive traits in some of the most inveterate #.Ilians on his horizon. , . . Above all, his outlook was suffused with the poesy of grandmother's God, a genial divinity.

4. Ibid., p. 23 not too rigids who prompted one to believe, in spite of every­ thing in beauty and goodness, and even in fairy-tales.5

At the age of eleven Gorky's grandfather sent him to live with his grandmother's nephew, a draughtsman. The young Maxim did not care for the atmosphere in his new home; there was a certain smug compla­ cency and sanctimonious conceit about his relatives. We see these qualities present in Kleshtch, and the Baron in certain instances throughout The Lower Depths. When Pepel reminds Kleshtch that the rest of the night-lodgers are as worse off as he, Kleshtch berates them by saying, "Them— Call them people? Mucks and Dregs, that's what they are." This smugness and conceit also come through in the Baron's character in several instances in the play. An example of this occurs when Luka tells the Baron it is the first time he has ever seen a decay­ ing Baron. Insulted, he asks Luka, "Have you a passport?" When he tells

Nastya, "You must understand. I'm not your sort," we see this quality come through again.

Unable to endure his life with his relatives any longer, the young Maxim fled one morning with altwenty-copeck piece he was given to buy bread with. Only twelve years old, he obtained a job as a dishwasher on one of the Volga steamers. After several months, the kindly chief discharged him when the boat docked at Nizhni Novgorod. Giving the boy eight rubles, he dismissed him with some parting advice to continue his reading of books. After a short stay with his grandparents, he went back again to the draughtsman's and then again to the Mother Volga,

Now fourteen years old, he once again became part of the kitchen

5. Ibid., p. 51. help on a steamer. The lure that the ships held for him was not only the chance to travel; he seemed drawn to these longshoremen and their work. Describing the way he and his other childhood companions would wait for Saturday evening when the Tartars would come home from the

Siberian ports he states:

We liked these people, whose strength matched their great size; there was something about them so childlike and trans­ parent . The points which most struck me about them were their meekness, their unwavering good-nature, and their grave, impressive respect for each other.6

In The Lower Depths Gorky later imbued the Tartar with the char­ acteristics he described in the above passage. This is evidenced in the card playing scene at the beginning of Act II when the Tartar tells

Satine to, "play honest," Because he has respect for others, he would not cheat them; he does not understand why others do not feel the same way. Zob, the other longshoreman in the play, also has this childlike good-nature Gorky describes. Though his reaction to Anna's death seems brutal at first glance, it is actually this childlike simplicity that moves him to say, "Do you think she'll smell? I don't think she will.

She dried up when she was still alive." Another instance of this simple, direct nature is seen when Zob tells the Tartar, "We're judged by our hands and backs--without the pride of your hand, you're no longer a human being."

After a year on the Volga steamer, Gorky returned to Nizhni

Novgorod. He became an apprentice in an icon-workshop. The icon painters possessed a certain dignity about them he grew to admire.

6. Maxim Gorky, My Childhood, trans. Gertrude M. Foakes (New York, 1915), p. 360. 6

Howevers he was greatly troubled by the passive attitude they took towards their surroundings. According to Kaun:

He wondered how these men, so great and lofty in their songs and in their endless discussions of life and death and the Beyond, could tolerate filth and nastiness in their immediate prosimity— damp, rotting floors, malodorous beds, and similar annoying trifles which made life miserable, but which could have been easily remedied if one took the trouble or cared about it.?

The opening scene of The Lower Depths is certainly reminiscent of the above picture. The lodgers complain that the room should be swept but none will lift a broom until Luka comes along to do their sweeping for them.

Especially troublesome to Gorky were the diversions of these icon painters. Because he respected them, it pained him deeply to see them carry on their lustful amusements:

When yet on the steamer with Yakov the stoker, Alexey realized that reading had made him "different" from the rest, that "books" had rendered him invulnerable to many temptations. "Knowing how people love and suffer, one could not go to a house of prostitution. Sin at the price of a few coppers could arouse only disgust for it, and pity for those to whom it was sweet."8

In his late teens Gorky left the icon workshop arid became an apprentice in a bakery. Working from very early in the morning until

late at night, side by side with the bakers, he developed a special

comradeship with them. However, their diversions were once again a

source of pain to him. Though he accompanied his fellow bakers to the

7. Kaun, Maxim Gorky and His Russia, p . 108.

8. Ibid., p. 110 7 houses of prostitution, he could never bring himself to indulge in any of the pleasures offered there. Eventually the bakers bade him not to accompany them. They did not feel right with him along. One of the men told the young Gorky he felt as though he were in the presence of his father or a priest. According to Kaun:

Sexual relations alarmed and interested him keenly, his own conception of the matter presenting a strange melange of the crudest he had seen and heard around him with the idealized and sublimated he had imagined out of books and dreams. In the cheap resorts frequented by men of the baker's calibre, where one ruble could buy a woman for a whole night, Alexey faced vice that was course and bois­ terous but rather joyless. He saw shame and embarrassment on the faces fo his fellow-workmen, though they affected cynical nonchalance.^

We can see this same shame and embarrassment in the character of Pepel when Vassilisa goes into Pepel's bedroom and tells him to, "Come here."

He tells her, "No, I don't want to come," adding that he is "sick" of the whole business.

It was during Gorky's apprenticeship at the bakery that he attempted to commit suicide by putting a bullet through his lung. He could not reconcile himself to life because he was confused by what he had read in books and what he had witnessed in real life; the only solution was to end his life. Gorky later realized the foolishness of his act when his fellow bakers came to visit him during his convales­ cence. His disgust at such an act seems apparent in The Lower Depths when, after the actor has hanged himself, Satine says, "Damned fool— he ruined the song!"

9. Ibid., p. 147. 8

These are the major incidents in Gorky's life which seem to have influenced the writing of The Lower Depths, There are perhaps many others which have never been recorded, Gorky once made a statement that gives us an indication of this. Reflecting on what he learned in his earlier years, he once wrote:

I did peer everywhere, without sparing myself, and have thus learned many things- which for me personally it would have been better not to know, but of which it is necessary to tell other people, because that is their hard life, the filthy drama of the.animal struggling in man against his effort at victory over the element in himself and outside of himself.

Though the ways of man forced him to witness much pain because of his extremely sensitive nature, Maxim Gorky would have been the last person to proclaim to the world that it had rendered him a great injus­ tice. In answer to an accusation by Andreyev that Gorky would not allow anyone to be frank with him about life, he wrote:

I have never permitted anyone to touch on my personal life and don't intend to. I am I, and it is no one's business what is wrong with me, if something is wrong with me. To display your scabs to the world, to rub them in public and be bathed in pus, to spatter the eyes of others with your bile, as many do (and as our evil genies Fedor Dostoevsky did most repulsively of all)--this is a base business, and harmful, of course. We,shall all die, and the world will continue to live. It has shown to me and attached to me much that is evil and filthy, but I do not want and will not accept its loathsomeness, I have and shall continue to take from the world its good aspects, I have nothing to avenge myself for, no reason to embitter others by a disgraceful display of my wounds and sores or to , deafen them with my screeches. Brotherhood does not at all mean (as it is understood among us) showing your brother your inner vileness and dirt, but in keeping silence in shame about this if you cannot eliminate it.

10, Quoted in Kaun, p. 189.

11. Quoted in Peter Uershov, Letters of Gorky and Andreevi; 1899-1912 (New York, 1958), p. 120. 9

Though Gorky chose to write of man's ills, his purpose was not O to shock the world with what he had been shocked by, but rather to stir man to look into his own soul. After having perceived his own sins, man would then be equipped to show compassion for others. Speaking for himself as a writer, Gorky once stated:

I have come from below, from the nethermost ground of life, where is naught but sludge and murk» . . . I am the truthful voice of life, the harsh cry of those who still abide down there, and who have let me come up to bear witness to their suffering.1%

12. Quoted in Emile J. Dillon, Maxim Gorky; His Life and Writings (London, 1902), p. 1, . , CHAPTER II

STAGE HISTORY OF THE PLAY

The unrelenting insistence of Anton Chekhov and the Moscow Art

Theatre encouraged Gorky to write his first two plays. Smug Citizens and

The Lower Depths; both plays won the Griboyedov prize, one of the highest

literary awards in Russia.

Intense political turmoil at first caused the Russian Government

to refuse production of Smug Citizens, but the officials relented later with the stipulation that certain cuts in the script be made. According

to Nina Gourfinkel:

Concerning these cuts, the police records reveal an interest­ ing note addressed by the Minister of the Interior to the Governor General of Moscow, proposing that he "appoint a person specially directed to attend the dress rehearsal, with the purpose of draw­ ing up an official report on the theatrical impact produced by Gorky's first, dramatic effort. In this way. it might be possible to prevent thd recitation in public of passages or expressions which on reading do not give a negative impression, but which on the stage might produce an undesirable effect,"!

Despite the cuts in script and trial dress rehearsal, the Moscow Art

Theatre was authorized to give the production for four performances only

on subscriber's evenings. The premiere was finally held in Petersburg

on March 26, 1902 with police agents replacing the ushers, Following the

Petersburg premier, the Art Theatre presented Smug Citizens in Moscow but

in neither of the capitols did the play meet with the anticipated success.

1, Nina Gourfinkel, Gorky (New York, 1960), pp. 22-24.

10 11

Because Smug Citizens had caused no demonstrations, the Art

Theatre was given the authorization to present the premiere of The Lower

Depths at the Kamergersky Theatre on December 18, 1902„ The Art Theatre awaited opening night of Gorky’s second play with great anticipation; the whole company as well as Chekhov, Chaliapin, Andreyev and Chirikov had been deeply moved and inspired from the very first when Gorky read the play to them. Kachalov, who played the Baron in the play, gives us an idea of the reverence Gorky must have inspired for his play:

When he began to read the scene in which Luka consoles Anna on her death-bed, we held our breaths, and a wonderfull stillness reigned. Gorky's voice trembled and broke. He stopped, remained silent for a moment, wiped a tear with his finger, and tried to resume his reading, but after the first few words he stopped again and wept almost aloud; wiping his tears with a handkerchief. "Ugh, devil," he mumbled ramiling in embarrassment through his tears, "well written, by God, well done.

If Gorky inspired the actors with reverence for his works, the actors in turn must have inspired Gorky with confidence that they could present his works with great artistry. When, at one of the rehearsals,

Gorky watched Kachalov in the role of the Baron, he boomed: "I wrote nothing of the sort," adding, "Only— that is far greater than what I wrote. Of that I have not even dreamed.

While the Art Theatre was greatly awed by The Lower Depths, the opinion of two of Gorky's greatest Russian contemporaries differed.

Chekhov's feelings towards the play were generally positive while the play drew a negative response from Tolstoy. In a letter to Gorky concerning the play, Chekhov said in part:

2. Alexander Kaun, Maxim Gorky and His Russia (New York, 1936). p. 378.

3. Ibid., p. 379. 12

Dear Alexi Maximych: I have just finished your play. It is highly original and unmistakably fine. The second act especially is the best and the strongest, and while I was reading it I jumped for joy. Its atmosphere, however, is dismal and heavy, and the audience will be walking out on it. At any rate, you will be saying farewell to your reputation as an optimist. My wife will be playing Vassilisa, the immoral and mean creature.^

Ghekov also had other reservations:

From Act IV you have removed some of the most interesting characters. Watch out if, as a result of this, something doesn't happen to the play. The whole act seems dull apd unnecessary, especially when, with the exit of the strongest and most inter­ esting actors, only the mediocre ones remain. The death of the actor is horrible. It is as if you suddenly pinch the spectator by the ear, for no reason and with no warning. Why the baron came to be in the night-lodging and why he is a baron is not sufficiently clear.^

Tolstoy's major criticism of the play was directed at the dialogue;

though he never ceased to be impressed by Gorky's tramps, he tells us in

his diary that he felt their talk to be untrue:

We all know that tramps are human beings and our brothers, but we know that theoretically, whereas he (Gorky) has shown them to full length and lovingly, and he has infected us with this love. Their talk may be untrue, exaggerated, but we forgive him everything for having broadened our love.

What Tolstoy says here about the tramps, he applied also to the play as a

whole; he found the dialogue too tricky and racy, unlike the real talk of

common people.

Tolstoy also criticized the play on other counts. It was his be­

lief that Gorky took great effort at "filling all grooves and cracks with

4. Quoted in Filia Holtzman, The Young Maxim Gorky (New York, 1948), p. 184.

5. Ibid., p. 184.

6. Quoted in Kaun, Maxim Gorky and His Russia, pp. 304-305. 13 with his own paint. By this Tolstoy meant that Gorky was guilty of

projecting himself through the characters, with the result that they were

not characters at all, but made of the same material. The women in the

play also came in for their share of Tolstoy's criticism, as well as the

character of Luka. Tolstoy maintained that Gorky did not understand his women and therefore they did not come forth; one failed to remember them.

As for the character of Luka, Tolstoy dismissed him by saying he did not

trust his kindliness. Concerning this criticism, Alexander Kaun, another

of Gorky's contemporaries, makes the very interesting point that:

. . . one wonders whether Tolstoy vaguely felt the kinship with Luka, of which Gorky spoke in his notes. He certainly must have seen through the unctious tramp with his ingratiating ways and consoling lies.®

Kaun may very well have a point that the character of Luka mirrored

Tolstoy too closely. It was during the writing of the play that Gorky

became disillusioned with Tolstoy's faith in what he preached. Accord­

ing to Kaun:

How cold and wooden were Tolstoy's words when they touched on God, or love for one's neighbor, and other tenets of his faith. Cold, because his faith was neither "genuine" nor "living." In old Luka, of his At the Bottom, CThe Lower Depths*! Gorky wanted to depict such a sermonizer, "a dispenser of consoling nostrums which amounted to alms bestowed with hidden squeamish­ ness and aversion, as if he meant to say: 'Leave me in peace! Love God or your neighbor, but leave me alone! Damn God, love not your neighbor but the stranger, but leave me alone. Leave me in peace, for I am a human being and hence doomed to death!"^

7. Ibid., p. 306.

8. Ibid., p . 306«

9. Ibid., p. 301. 14

Despite the criticisms of Chekhov and Tolstoy, Gorky did not revise anything in the play, other than those lines deemed objectionable by the government. Nor did the Moscow Art Theatre seek to have him change anything in their planned production of the play.

Elaborate preparation of the production was made by both the director and the actors. Stanislavsky tells us that he was aware of the difficulties that Gorky's elevated sermonizing represented. He and his company would have to search for:

. . . a new tone, a new style of acting, a new realism, a special romanticism, a pathos bordering at the same time on theatrical affectation and preaching. You have to know how to speak Gorky's language, to make his sentences ring, to make them come alive. You have to be able to recite simply his sermonizing, didactic monologues, without letting the theatrical artificiality give a falseness to the natural vigor. If not, there is a danger of falling into melodrama.^

Where to find a basis for building this new style became the next obstacle. If the characters were drawn from real life tramps, the most logical solution would be to study the people whom Gorky had used as models. Accordingly, the troupe went by night to the Khitrov Market, a large section of town which housed these denizens exclusively, to make their observations. Describing their trips to the Market Kaun writes:

Nemirovich-Danchenko. Stanislavsky, half a dozen actors, and the painter Simov, were guided into the dank and gloomy cellars, where their extreme tact, enforced by a generous treat of vodka and sausage, helped them to set the denizens at ease and make them act and talk naturally. The visitors observed, studied and made notes.11

10. Gourfinkel, Gorky, p. 26.

11. Maxim Gorky and His Russia, p. 379. These tramps who were objects of close scrutiny on the part of these artists were, for the most p;art, people who could read and write and who, in fact, did copying of roles for actors. Stanislavsky tells us that when they were informed that they were being studied in order that a play about them could be produced, they were deeply touched by the honor. Despite the fact that the lodgers were capable of being moved spiritually, Stanislavsky reminds us that, "Their religion was freedom, their sphere— danger, burglary, adventure, theft, murder.

How much the excursions helped the actors can never really be measured, but Stanislavsky was certain that those trips helped him to feel the inner meaning of the play, that inner meaning stated in the slogan, '^Freedom at any cost."13 Nikolai Gorchakov reports

Stanislavsky's directorial notebooks contained extensive notes listing the stage effects exactly and exhaustively. The notebooks not only contained sketches of all the sets, but blocking and business for each of the characters. For each act, Stanislavsky also wrote a description of the act's opening "mood." The "mood" at the beginning of Act IV for example is described as follows:

Night. Warm, springtine, moonlit. Stuffy--even the outer door has been thrown open. Quiet, both in the flophouse and outside. In the yard only a dog is howling. . , . Far off in the distance one can hear the noise of a belated carriage passing by. At times there is a distant whiffling of a train. The whole city is sleeping. The flophopse too. Wheezing and snoring permeate the entire cellar. Just a group of rummies— night owls--who have been whooping it up. A child has awakened and begun crying. The sleepy mother feeds him from her withered

12, Constantin Stanislavsky, My Life in Art, trans. J.J. Robbins (Boston, 1924), p. 12.

13. Ibid., p. 398. 16

breast. Toward morning the suspicious Lady returns, Behind her, Aleshka, the Tramp. . . . The flophouse is lit by a simple lamp hanging above the plank beds downstage. In the back the light is out, and the patches of moonlight coming through the windows and the open doorway give the cellar an ominous look.

That the troupe's intense study and preparation was of benefit

is probably best witnessed by the great success of the production as

revealed in contemporary accounts. The Mercure de France cited what

was the prevailing reaction to the play in Russia:

What happened would have been unbelievable one day before: genuine life invaded the stage as a vast torrent, sweeping away all its conventions, hurling aside all its forms, and filling the cleared space with cruel artistic truth. It seemed as if the old theatre had ceased to exist. The curtain rose— and there appeared a new theatre. A revolution had been accomplished in the name of the rights of life and the rights of man. . . . ^

Even the Russkaya Mysl, a reserved monthly not particularly known to

champion Gorky's works, had to admit, "a sincere hymn to love sounded

triumphantly" and that "the picture of human misery Was illuminated by

faith in the human soul, and it was this combination that acted irre­

sistibly on the audience.Kaun tells us that there were some

enthusiasts who compared the evening of the first production with the

,evening of February 25, 1830 when Victor Hugo *s Hernani inaugurated the

romantic revolution on the stage of the Paris Comedie Francaise. Stanis­

lavsky gives us an indication of the general feeling after that opening

night:

14. Nikolai A. Gorchakov, The Theater in Soviet Russia, trans. Edgar Lehrman (New Youk, 1957), p. 40.

15. Quoted in Kaun, Maxim Gorky and His Russia, p. 381.

16. Ibid., p. 381. 17

The production was a huge success. There were countless curtain calls for the directors and actors, and for the play­ wright himselfe Gorky was comic to behold when he appeared for the first time upon the platform, a cigarette between his lips (he had forgotten to put it out), smiling, completely bewildered and not aware that he was supposed to bow. . . . Gorky became the hero of the day. They followed him in the streets and to the theater; crowds of admirers, especially women, gathered around him; at first, embarrassed by his popularity, he made an awkward appearance, pulling on his short red mustache, con­ stantly smoothing with his strong masculine hands the stiff locks of his long hair, or tossing back his head. Disconcerted, he trembled, hunched over and his nostrils quivering, so great was his befuddlement. "My children!," he said to his fans with a guilty smile. "Listen » . . this is so embarrassing. . . . Honestly! Upon my word! , . . Why should you look at me? I'm not a singer . . . a dancer.,. . . A fine thing! Come now, see here, really! . . But this comic bewilderment and his unusual manner of expressing himself in his confusion only served to augment the interest in him, and the number of his followers. Gorky's charm was forceful. He had a beauty all his own, a way about him, a spontaneity.^

Oliver Saylor, who witnessed the production in Russia several years later before it came to the United States, was just as captivated by the performance as the opening night audience had been:

The play was Gorky's The Lower Depths. All the great ones, Stanislavsky and Katchaloff and the rest, were in the cast. The performance was the most terribly moving of my whole winter in the Russian theatre. Along with the other hundreds in that crowded playhouse, my body was torn with hunger and my soul flayed with sickness and pity and despair. Yet there we sat, willingly, eagerly, plunging the knife of spiritual torture still deeper in the wound.

Concluding his final observations of the play Saylor states:

I have never seen anything more overpowering in any theatre than Stanislavsky's production of the master drama of Russia's living master of the drama, Ha Dnye I"The Lower Depths? of Maxim Gorky.

17. Quoted in Gpurfinkel, Gorky, pp. 27-28.

18. Oliver M. Saylor, The Russian Theatre (New York, 1922), p. 7.

19. Ibid., p. 64. 18

With the intense theatrical acclaim behind them, the Art Theatre carried the play into Germany and Poland in 1906 touring such cities as

Berlin, and Warsaw.

In January of 1923, The Moscow Art Theatre brought the production to New York, presenting it at the Joissons Fifty-ninth Street Theatre.

The leading roles were played by the same actors as in the 1902-1903 season. Stanislavsky played Satine; Katchaloff the Baron; Moskvin, Luka;

Alexandroff, Actor; Luzhsky, Bubnoff; Vishnevsky, Tarter; Grivunin,

Miedviedieff; Madame Knipper, Nastya; and Burdzhaloff, Kostilyoff.

Burdzhaloff played this role four hundred and seventy-five times; no one but he had played it since the premiere in December, 1902.

The reviews of the production were filled with praise. The troupe moved the New York audiences just as they had the Moscow audiences twenty-one years before. John Corbin in The New York Times review wrote:

Every detail is studied, not merely as part of a theatric ritual, but as a living, breathing factor in the whole. Whether three people are on the stage or thirty, the,-blood of the play courses through every heart and its spirit speaks in every eye. What is far more than that, the inspiring genius of all of it is that of a great master. . . . The spirit of each scene as a whole was Rembrandtesque in its solidity and variety of charac­ terization, in the warm humanity of every portrait in it. It was an achievement in dramatic creation that would have delighted Shakespeare himself.^0

Corbin singles out several actors and scenes. Ivan Moskvin"s Luka was an "utterly different creation, amazing in its simple kindness, its shrewd wisdom and its spiritual intensity;" the Actor was "pitifully and

20. John Corbin, "The Play," The New York Times. January 16, 1923, p. 16. 19 tragically embodied" by Nikolai Alexandroff, Satine was played with

"great force and distinction" by Stanislavsky; Vassily Katchaloff as the

Baron and Olga Knipper-Tchekova as Nastya were also singled out. Among the scenes given special mention were the third act riot and the Actor's suicide. Speaking of the third act, Corbin said:

Stanislavsky's handling of the climax would well reward separate hearing for detached observations on its varying tempo, its groupings, its facial expressions and, above all its social colorings.

The Actor's suicide must have made an equally stricking impression on -x the audience:

The news of the suicide finds the revelers singing softly together in a flood of subdued, warm light. It may be an ex­ traneous device or it may not. But it makes the final moment something less than unendurable.^

Apparently much attention was given by the actors to greatly detailed, polished business and facial expressions— matters under close scrutiny— because the audience would be dependent upon them, not under­ standing the strange tongue in which the actors spoke. Writing in The

Bookman, Sutton commented:

This symphony of human character built up before us was perhaps even more obviously astonishing because of the fact that not understanding the words made it possible to observe the countless and one details of each performance.^

Houghton, like Sutton, makes mention of the fine details the actors weaved into their roles:

21. Ibid., p. 16.

22. Ibid., p. 16.

23. G. Sutton, "The Moscow Art Theatre Series of Plays," The Bookman, LVIII, p. 558. 20

There was the unforgettable performance of Gorki’s The Lower Depths after seeing which I felt certain that the soul of the theatre is words and acting. These actors, Kachalov, Torkhanov and the rest might have played their play in an empty barn and I would, I am sure, have been just as moved to laughter and to tears. Lights, scenery and costumes passed unnoticed beside the power of these people who could make you laugh one minute and cry the next by the simple movement of a hand or the tone of a v o i c e . 24

While a great deal of the success was due to Stanislavsky and his troupe; we must bear in mind the fact that the play itself was responsible for much of that success; Gorky had given the Art Theatre some finely etched characters with which to work.

Proof that Gorky's play not only meant something to Russian humanity but all humanity as well, is seen in the fact that other countries were quick to produce the play after its Russian premiere, despite the fact that the reviewers were not always impressed with what was presented to them. As early as 1903 at the Irving Place Theatre in

New York, Heinrich Gonried produced the play in German, with the title

Nachtasyl or A Night's Lodging.

During December of the same year the Stage Society of London presented it in English at the Court Theatre under the direction of

Laurence Irving. The reviewer from the Nation criticized the play for what he believed to be lack of plot:

There is no change of scene, and the story, if it can be called, is as continuous as the days of the week, Indeed, those who witnessed the play did not see a drama at all; they merely looked through a peep hole and saw figures in motion and alive. It may be thought there is some story here and so there would be if with this were not entangled a dozen unconnected

24. Norris Houghton, Moscow Rehearsals (New York, 1936), pp. 15-16. 21

incidents. In point of fact, after the strangling there is another act: Vassilisa and Vaska are absent swearing against each other in the criminal court, and the usual talk of the night shelter continues undisturbed.^

In 1911 the play was presented in London once again by the Stage

/ Society at the Kingsway Theatre. This company apparently succeeded better in projecting the play than had their predecessors. According to the Graphic:

The mire of it all is horrible— the drink-sodden, raving actor-down-at-heel; the cunning, clever thief, Vaska Pepel; the passionate Vassilisa, who in a fit of jealousy throws boiling water on her sister Natasha's feet; the maddened lock­ smith, Kleshtch, and his dying wife, Anna; the torturing police agent, Medvediev; the drowsy Chinamen— a ghostly array of sil- houttes, dancing a rigadoon, "with horrible turn and twist," against a philosophic screen of discussion as to What— and Why— is Man. It is just this haunting discussion, mainly in­ spired by the charming old man Luka (Mr. Holman Clarke), that makes "The Lower Depths" a work of art, instead of a howling melodrama. °

America and England were not the only countries to present

Gorky's drama during the first two decades of the Twentieth Century.

Just two years after Conried presented the play in German in New York

(1903), and one year before the Moscow Art Theatre toured it in Germany

(1906), Max Reinhardt produced Nachtasyl in 1905 at the Kleines Theatre in Berlin.

In the year 1919 the United States witnessed its first production of The Lower Depths in English under the title Night Lodging. Under the direction of Arthur Hopkins, the play was presented on December 22, 1919 as the first of a series of special matinees at the Plymouth Theatre in

25. A .A. Jack, "Maxim Gorky on the Boards," Nation. December 27, 1903, pp. 480-481.

26. "Russian Tragedy," The Graphic, December 9, 1911, p. 930. 22

New York with Edward G . Robinson as Satine. Alexander Woollcott reported that it was well presented but noted that the average playgoer would not like it:

Passably mounted, and beautifully played, Maxim Gorki's "Night Lodging,n a murky and despondent tragedy of darkest Russia, was darkly staged yesterday afternoon at the Plymouth Theatre. . . . It is a good company, well directed, which gives Night Lodging; a company that is at all points good enough and, here and there, memorably fine. . . . Much of the playgoing is fascinating to watch but it would be poor and faithless reporting if it was not quite boldly in­ timated that at Night Lodging the average playgoer would be bored to extinction.^

In the same year, 1919, a Japanese production was staged in

Tokyo at the Yurakuza Theatre, The production apparently did justice to the play because the reviewer states:

. . . the grip of Gorky is strong, whether you see him acted or whether you sit with him at your fireside, and the cumulative effect of TheLower Depths as a sociological study will have an effect on practical politics.^8

There were four other productions of Gorky's play in America that are of interest to us» In 1930 Leo Bulgakov presented the William

Laurence translation entitled At the Bottom at the Waldorf Theatre on

East Fiftieth Street in New York. Though the production did not fare too badly with the critics, William Laurence's translation did. Francis

Bellamy of Outlook observed that the audience must have experienced much the same emotions which Gorky originally induced in his Moscow audience.

However, Bellamy objected to the dialogue on two counts. "Every species of American slang" he wrote,"is dragged in to give verisimilitude to the

27. Alexander Woollcott, "A Gorki Afternoon," The New York Times December 23, 1919, p. 12.

28. "Review," The Graphic, July 13, 1919, p. 56. 23 otherwise bald but genuinely convincing narrative,11 he also charged that the translation, "uses 'damn1 every other minute and seldom fails to prefaceat with the name of the Almighty.

Brooks Atkinson greatly objected to what he called "a gross breach of artistic taste" in the inept translation:

. . . And here one is divided between pleasure at having so amorphous and deep toned a play done in English and chagrined that the translation should be so inept. . . . When the brisk slang of America is impinged upon this brawling lithograph of „ creatures that once were men, you wonder how, in the name of all that is holy, such a gross breach of artistic taste could have occurred. And no matter how well the players perform their parts under Mr. Bulgakov's informed direction such bits of the American argot as "dough," "gyp," "swell idea" and "all wet" stand between the theatre-goer and Gorky's drama.

Atkinson's reactions to the actors' presentation were mixed.

Apparently the last act held the most power for him. He states of the first three acts:

In the acting you must choose between what is frequently good in its own terms and what is nevfer perfectly modulated for these cooperative actors include various abilities and temperaments .... The performance is strident and rough edged in tone and frequently draws your attention from the general story to a particular per­ former; and that to be thoroughly dogmatic; resolves the play into more grotesquerie. The Americanization of the acting bruises in the same way.31 -

It was in the last act that the performance was most keenly felt:

Over their cups, they are individually fighting for their individual truth and trying to engender some tangible substance from the wreck of their lives. And here the performance is at

29. Francis R. Bellamy, "The Theatre," Outlook. February 5, 1930, p. 57.

30. J. Brooks Atkinson, "Review," The New York Times, January 10, 1930, p. 24.

31. Ibid., p. 24. 24

its best. The inflection of voices, the contrast of voices, the wild humor and the hushed reverence begin to give you the true quality.32

The year 1948 brought another interesting, and unique production at Maxine Elliot's Theatre in New York. Under the sponsorship of the

American National Theatre and Academy, the play was turned into an American

Negro drama with an all Negro cast, the title being changed from The Lower

Depths to A Long Wav from Home. Atkinson found the individual actors

"excellent" but thought the transitions of mood too swift and the overall impression "too clamorous;" he added:

Somewhere in this script there must be some rueful, shabby, beauty that escapes a performance which is too insistently shrill. But on its own terms it is vivid and fascinating, and one more Experimental Theatre achievement.33

On October 2, 1956 the Contemporary Theatre revived the play at

Alhambra Hall in New York, using the Aaron Yacknowitz translation. The

New York Times review offered a warning to future directors about putting too much stress on business, to the neglect of the inner dignity of the characters:

Seldom has an off-Broadway stage vibrated with so much stamping, teeth gnashing and spitting as took place last night during a revival of Gorky's The Lower Depths.34

Speaking more specifically of the acting, the Reviewer observed that one character demonstrated his "pangs of loneliness" with such gestures as striking arspread eagle pose against a double-decker bunk, pounding on

32. Ibid., p. 24.

33. J . Brooks Atkinson, "Review," The New York Times, February 9, 1948, p. 25. . .

34. G. A. "Review," The New York Times, October 3, 1956, p. 29. 25

the furniture and hurling himself onto a table, gnawing a corner of it,

while another actor:

. , . adpoted a continuous pop-eyed stare, a third „ . . put "Camille" to shame with the vigor of her coughing, and nearly everyone had at least one opportunity to spit contemptu­ ously on the floor or in somebody else's face. When there were no glasses or prop liquor bottles to bang on tables or pots to hurl, the actors were given to grabbing the community pumpernickel--which lay sometimes on the table and sometimes on the floor--and taking large preoccupied bites out of it.35

As recently as March of 1964 the Association of Producing Artists

presented The Lower Depths at the Phoenix Theatre under the direction of

Ellis Rabb. The very laudatory review the production received in The New

York Times gives us an indication that Rabb succeeded in doing justice to

the play. Howard Taubman called it the "best work in the best play of its

repertory at the Phoenix Theatre." Stating that it is easy to be "diffuse

and discursive" with Gorky, Taubman added:

Ellis Rabb, the A.P.A.'s artistic director has avoided these pitfalls by staging the play with a rhythmic flow that suits the rise and fall of its counterpointed themes. Since he has achieved a large curve of admirable strength, his tolerance of several excessively shrill passages may be f o r g i v e n . 36

Speaking specifically of individual scenes, Taubman reports that Rabb let

the turbulence at the end of the third act get out of hand; "Mr, Rabb

sets off a commotion in an attempt to build the scene to a climax that

Gorki did not provide."37 Nancy Marchand, who played Vassilisa with

"a serpent's venom," turned hysterical in the third act climax; Taubman

35. Ibid., p. 29.

36. Howard Taubman, "Review," The New York Times'. March 31, 1964, p. 30.

37. Ibid., p. 30. 26

feels this was hardly credible in comparison with how her character had

been portrayed in the previous acts. If the excessive commotion of this

scene could not be believed, the reviewer is quick to point out that on

the whole the group scenes were admirable, particularly the fourth act opening in which the director "recovers himself and the play by restoring

the mood of weariness and despair through which shoots of hope vainly

seek an opening."

There are two other productions of which mention should be made;

these are the French movie version in 1937 and the Scottish production by

the Glasgow Unity Players in 1945. Jean Renoir, son of the impressionist painter, directed the movie version of Les Bas Fonds (The Lower Depths) which won France's Young Independent Critic's prize as the Best Film of

the Year. Renoir himself, was given a Knighthood in the French Legion of

Honor for his work on the film. The American reviewers' reactions to the motion picture were not particularly favorable. Time magazine summed up

a lukewarm review by stating:

Cinemateurs who like to think that foreign films are in­ variably superior to the domestic brand will be surprised if not chagrined to learn that The Lower Depths won France's Young Independent Critic's prize as Best Film of the Year.

Mark Van Doren also had little praise for the film, finding the transla­

tion inferior to Gorky's original achievement. Speaking of the direction

Van Doreti wrote:

38. Ibid., p. 30.

39. "Cinema," Time. September 20, 1937, p. 30. 27

. . , neither the movements of his camera nor the activities he has been inspired to bestow upon the sodden figures ofGorki's dream are contributions to a convincing end.^O

In summing up Van Doren pointed out that one should "not expect to find

in it either Gorki or something else as good.

The production of The Lower Depths in 1945 presented by the

Glasgow Unity Players, under the direction of Robert Mitchell was described

in The New Statesman and Nation as "one of the finest productions Unity

ever staged." The review also stated that the production caught the spirit

of Gorky's belief that "every man must so live that he feels himself as a man equal to all and any other. !

The varied past productions attest to, and the future productions will continue to attest to the universal appeal the play holds. It is apparent that the play is more than just a protest of the society in which

Gorky lived; the appeal is too widespread.

40. Mark Van Doren, "Where Nothing Happens," Nation. September 25, 1937, p. 39. -

41. Ibid., p. 39.

42. 'fclays and Pictures," The New Statesman and Nation. July 28, 1945, p. 57. CHAPTER III

DIRECTORIAL PHILOSOPHY OF THE PLAY

The criterion for arriving at a directorial concept of The Lower

Depths is embodied in both the theme of the play and our attitude toward

Luka.

Various conflicting statements have been made concerning this

theme or meaning of the play. Helen Muchnic states that the Soviet critic lury luzovsky claimed the theme of the play was contained in the

question, "What is truth?"-*; Stanislavsky claimed that to him the "inner meaning of the play" was in the slogan, "Freedom at any costLouise

Collier Willcox tells us that a contemporary critic of Gorky,

M. Rackchanine called it "an appeal for the sanctity of the human being.While it is true that the play embodies eaph of the above aspects, it is also true that the fact that it does so, is proof that

the different views make up only a part of the whole. Truth, rampant

freedom, and the sanctity of man are not in themselves the theme of the play; they are simply the means of achieving an end, the theme. What

then is the meaning of the play? Francis R, Bellamy seems to have come

1. Quoted in Helen Muchnic, "'Circe's Swine;1 Plays by Gorky and O'Neill." Comparative Literature, III (Oregon, 1951), 122.

2. Constantin Stanislavsky, My Life in Art, trans. J. J. Robbins (Boston, 1924), p. 398.

3. Quoted in Louise Collier Willcox, %axime Gorky," Worth American Review. December 7, 1906, p. 57.

28 29 close to it when he stated that the violent, pitiful struggling of the characters was in an attempt, "to make clear to themselves as well as to others some half-glimpsed explanations of the human ant hill— almost life itself."4 This inner meaning of the play then, seems to be man's attempt to find a meaning to life, to reconcile himself with life. With this idea in mind the director must turn to the individual characters and decide what is written into, their personalities that will help to project this meaning.

Perhaps the only character who does not question life is

Kostilyoff, the keeper of the night lodging. He is the stone through which water will not pass that Luka describes. Filled with a sanctimo­ nious conceit, he prefers to look no further than his own limited realm of thought. Kleshtch warns him, "You111 put a noose around my neck and choke me . . . you'll croak soon enough, and still all you think of is half rubles— Unworried, he tells Kleshtch, "i'll buy oil for the icon lamp and my offering will atone for my sins and for yours as well."

The final impact of his complacentcy is felt in Luka's speech when he tells Kostilyoff, "if the Lord God himself said to you: 'Mikhailo be a man!'--it would be useless--nothing would come of it— you're doomed to remain just as you are. ..."

4. Francis R. Bellamy, "The Theatre," Outlook, February 5, 1930, p. 57.

5. All quotations of the text in this and other chapters, including the prompt book, have been taken from: Maxim Gorky "The Lower Depths," trans. Jenny Coven, in Great Russian Plays, ed. Norris Houghton (New York, 1960), p. 9. 30

Vassilisa is certain she will find meaning to her life if she

can just win Pepel's love and get him to dispose of her husband. She

tells Pepel:

Just a moment! All the same when I lived with you, I hoped you'd help me out of this swamp--! thought you'd free me from my husband and my uncle— from all this life— and perhaps, Vassya, it wasn't you whom I loved— but my hope--do you under­ stand? I waited for you to drag me out of this mire . . .

Vassilisa's motives may be selfish but she is at least aware that her

life is not all that it Could be. What she does not realize however,

is that she is reaching in all directions; she would probably not be happy with Pepel because, as Pepel says, "she must have someone

else . . . and she has to have money--and freedom . . . she doesn't

like the straight and narrow."

Miedviedieff, the policeman, attempts to make his life meaning­

ful with the use of order. He tells Bubnoff that though his precinct is

rather small it is worse than the very largest. It appears that this is

something which exists in his own mind. Miedviedieff prides himself on

the fact that he is needed in the world; he must keep his precinct

going. Hearing Vassilisa and Natasha fight, he tells the lodgers, "I'll

go too. It is my duty!" When Kvashnya complains that her first husband

beat her, Miedviedieff tells her, "Nowadays the law forbids to beat your wife . . . all is very strict these days--there's law and order every­ where." Miedviedieff's constant attempt to put things into order helps him to keep from feeling the futility of life.

Pepel's quest for the meaning of life is more spiritual than

that of the other characters. His search embodies the truth of the

existence of a God. He comers Luka and asks him, "is there a God?" 31

When the old man does not answer, he persists, "Well? Is there a God.

Tell me." The old man tells him the question is best answered by faith.

If a man believes there is a God, there is one; if he does not there is not one. PepeVs inability to speak after Luka has answered tells us . that he must believe.

Kleshtch, the locksmith, is aware of the futility of his life and tries to fight it the best way he knows, with his work tools. He does not succeed in this way however, for as Pepel says, "Now I look at you— seems to me all that filing and scraping of yours is useless

Kleshtch*s one hope is that when his wife dies he will escape the lodging house. Mot able to reconcile himself to life, he hopes to flee from it. He does not succeed in fleeing from his problem, however; when his wife dies he has to sell everything he owns in order to bury her.

For all his suffering he does not find anything that will answer the meaning of his existence. He questions:

What truth? Where is there truth? (Tearing at his ragged clothes). Here * s truth for you! No work! No strength! That's the only truth! Shelter— there's no shelter! You die— that's the only truth! Hell! What do I want with truth? Let me breathe! Why should I be blamed? What do I want with truth? To live— Christ Almighty!— they won't let you live--and that's another truth!

Anna cannot reconcile herself to either life or death. Her life has been a series of hardships with no meaning to any of the suffering.

Now that she is on the threshold of death she clings to life because she is afraid there will be no after life or if there is, it will mean more suffering also. She tells Luka perhaps she will get well, "just to live a little longer » , . just a little longer! Since there'll be no suffering hereafter, I could bear it a little longer down here." 32

Finding no order in the life around her, Nastya, has taken to drinking and street-walking to escape her boredom. These two vices only adding to her misery, she escapes by entering into the dream world of books. She has found nothing in life to which she could attach herself.

When Nastya tells Bubnoff she'll go away and find another lodging house he asks her why and she answers, "I'm sick of this— I'm not wanted here'" He reminds her that she is not wanted anywhere, "and, anyway all people on earth are superfluous." Bubnoff's answer to Nastya tells us that he senses the futility of life. When he talks to Luka of the past when he owned a furrier shop, there is really no bitterness in him.

Jealous, he had begun to beat his wife for her infidelity; he and the boss had fought most brutally, and he had even planned to murder his wife; then one day he asked himself the meaning of it all and simply walked out, leaving both of them the shop.

Kvashnya, who is restless like the other lodgers, cannot seem to find meaning in life either. Despite her belief in the existence of a

God, she does not really seem to know why men suffer or the meaning of their suffering. She married a man who did nothing but beat her.

Hoping once again, she marries Miedviedieff and becomes disillusioned when he turns to drink. When Satine asks her why she is so strict with

Miedviedieff, she answers:

You can't be other wise, friend. You have to be strict with his sort. I took him as a partner. I thought he'd be of some benefit to me--because he's a military man— and you're a rough lot . . . and I am a woman— and now he's turned drunkard— that won't do at all.

The Baron has drifted from one place to another in his attempt to reconcile himself with life. He tells Satine, "Brother— I am afraid— 33 at times. Do you understand? Afraid!— Because--what next?" The Baron also confesses to Satine that he squandered his past life and never really knew why:

You know— as far back as I can remember, there's been a sort of fog in my brain. I was never able to understand any­ thing , Somehow I feel embarrassed— it seems to me that all my life I've done nothing but change clothes— and why? I don't understand! I studied— I wore the uniform of the Institute for the Sons of the Nobility , . „ but what have I learned? I don't remember! I married--! wore a frock-coat— then a dressing gown . . but I chose a disagreeable wife , . . and why? I don’t understand, I squandered everything that I possessed— I wore some sort of a grey jacket and brick-colored trousers--but how did I happen to ruin myself? I haven't the slighest idea. . . . I had a position in the Department of State. . . . I wore a uniform and a cap with insignia of rank. . . . I embezzled government funds . . . so they dressed me in a convict’s garb--and later on I got into these clothes here— and it all happened as in a dream— it's funny.

Satine's struggle against the futility of the spirit can be seen almost the first instant he opens his mouth to speak. When Bubnoff asks him why he keeps pronouncing words, he answers, "just so! I'm bored, brother, with human words--all our words. Bored! I've heard each one of them a thousand times surely." Later we find that he has come to the depths of this lodging because, in his past, he made the mistake of killing a man in defense of his sister. In prison he learned to play cards and squandered everything he possessed. Satine, unlike the others,

1earns the meaning of the existence of man. He tells the Baron, "a man is b o m to conceive a better man."

Natasha believes the meaning of her life will shine forth in the future. She tells the Baron:

Oh— I think that.perhaps— well--to-morrow somebody will really appear--some one— oh--out of the ordinary--or some­ thing'll happen--also out of the ordinary. . .' . I've been waiting for it— oh— always. . . . But, really, what is there to wait for? 34

Natasha is torn between the truth as she has seen it and her unfailing hope that perhaps the future will hold something good for her.

The Actor either lost the meaning to his life when he turned to drink, or he turned to drink because life was meaningless for him. He finds it for a short while in his dream of being cured, but loses it when Luka disappears. He asks the others, "Why do we exist? Why?"

Alyoshka, the shoemaker openly rebels because he cannot reconcile him­ self to life. His drunken speech to Bubnoff tells us this:

(Stretches out on the floor) Here, eat me up alive— and I don't want anything. I'm a desperate man. Show me one better! Why am I worse than others? There! Medyakin said: "if you show yourself on the streets I smash your face!" And yet I shall go out--I*11 go--and stretch out in the middle of the street— let them choke me— I don't want a thing!

Order stemming from hard work and respect for others, gives meaning to the Tartar's life. He believes that "he who obeys this law

Claw of the Koran] is good, while he who disregards it, perishes."

Zob, like the Tartar, also believes in hard work; a man's worth is in how much work he is able to do. He tells the Tartar, who has crushed his hand, "You'll be good for nothing without your hand. We're judged by our hands and backs— without the pride of your hand, you're no longer a human being. Tobacco-carting— that's your business!"

After having perceived what the characters are searching for, the director is able to take the seventeen characters and attempt to show how their thinking motivates them to do the things they do, how they act and react towards each other. Segment must be built upon segment to build a larger unit, and the units must combine to make a whole. It is important to direct the actors in such a way that, while 35 the individuality of their characters shows through, the actors also lend themselves to the scene. Not too much stress can be placed upon the method of the ensemble in this play; the different moods, tempos, rhythms which sometimes flow together, clash, or run in opposite direc­ tions at varying times create this necessity for a close working together of the actors. Failure on the part of the director to perceive this unity or to stress it, results in a play with a series of disconnected, disjointed incidents which bear little or no relationship to each other.

The play would then appear, as one critic reported it to be:

Naturalistic Russian drama, an extreme example of the static photographic play. The scene is a lodging house of outcasts, rather revolting in its setting, almost devoid of plot (it is more a series of pictures), with no humor or romance.

As was stated earlier, part of the directorial concept is embodied in the attitude toward Luka, The whole tone of the play depends upon whether he is to be portrayed as a Christ-like figure, a compas- x . - sionate human being, or a Satan in disguise. It appears that the character has been, and will continue to be a puzzlement. Various conflicting thoughts have been expressed about the old man, and he has been portrayed in different ways.

It has been pointed out in Chapter II that Kaun was of the opinion that Luka mirrored Tolstoy. Kaun later wrote that Gorky denied his sympathy for Luka, "but readers and spectators are tempted to take him as a protagonist of the Romanticism of falsehood.Helen Muchnic

6. Frances K. W. Drury, Viewpoints in Modern Drama (Chicago, 1925), p. 54.

7. Alexander Kaun, "Maxim Gorky in Search of a Synthesis," Slavonic Review, XVII (London, 1939), 432. 36 states that the play is "constructed around a central character and the meaning of play hinges on the interpretation of this central charac­ ter."® She feels this character to be Luka, although she adds that

Gorky intended Satine to be the real hero but left him "off stage in some of the crucial moments of the play.Montrose J. Moses Called

Luka the "moral control in this sagging humanity; the good Samaritan among these direlicts.

There is even conflict of opinion over the original portrayal of

Luka by Ivan Moskvin. Marc Slonim is of the opinion that Luka was represented as a sly, almost ambiguous peasant, devoid of Christian virtues. Muchnic claims that Luka was represented as a saintly charac­ ter and the play was interpreted as a lesson in brotherly love. John

Corbin, in the review of the 1923 production by the Moscow Art Theatre^ states that the character of Luka was "an utterly different creation, amazing in its simple kindness, its shrewd wisdom and its spiritual intensity."^ Because Corbin witnessed the production, his word on this point would appear valid.

The actor Davydov portrayed Luka as a kind and luminous Russian philosopher. After Gorky wrote an article in 1933 denouncing Luka as a dangerous and obnoxious individual, some Soviet directors began inter-

8. Muchnic, "Circe's Swine," p. 119.

9. Ibid., p. 121.

10. Montrose J. Moses, Dramas of Modernism and Their Forerunners (Boston, 1931), p. 39.

11. See above, p. 18.

12. John Corbin, The New York Times, January 16, 1923, p. 16. 37 preting Luka as a charlatan or rascal. In 1939 Fyodor Kaverin made Luka a risdiculous and cunning old man whose appearance provoked laughter in the audience»

Despite all that has been written in opposition to Luka's good­ ness, and indeed even Gorky's later philosophy, two things remain as fact; Gorky wept uncontrollably before the actors when he read the scene in which Luka consoles Anna^ and he never raised his voice in disagree­ ment when Ivan Moskvin interpreted the original Luka as a kind man. It appears then that if Gorky did set out to create Luka as a hypocrite, his unfailing belief in man's goodness prevented him from doing so. He once stated that, "the characters of a drama should all act independently of the volition of the dramatist," but he also was quick to remark that he himself had never been able to make them do so.^

Gorky once made a statement concerning his methods of play- writing, that may throw more light on the character of Luka. He wrote:

Since I am always and chiefly interested in man and not the group, in the personality and not the society, apparently on account of this, and against my will, every play I have written is about a man with reference to whom all the other characters of the play stand in subordinate relation, playing the part of illustrations and characterizing and completing the qualities and faults of the chief hero of the play.15

It could be stated that the kindly Luka is the central figure and Satine characterizes and completes the "qualities and faults" of Luka.

13. See above, p. 11.

14. Moses, Dramas of Modernism and Their Forerunners, p. 41.

15. Quoted in Robert W. Corrigan, The Modern Drama (New York, 1964), p. 519. 38

Certainly Satin's speech about man in Act IV makes references to what the old man has given these people.

In determining a directorial concept in light of all the above evidence,it would appear that Luka should not be portrayed as a Christ or a Satan but simply as a compassionate human being who, much like

Gorky, learned love for man because of the evil he had witnessed in the world. To present Luka as a Christ-like figure to an audience of today who is familiar with such artists as O'Neill, Williams, and Albee, would make of him a laughable, stock character; to present him as a hypocritical Satin, would be to kill the spectator's belief that good people do exist in today's world.

Just as the characters' attempt to reconcile themselves to life pulls together the seemingly unconnected incidents:- so also does the character of Luka help to cement the play together, The director must keep the characters constantly aware of their state before Luka came to them, when he is with them, and after he has left them.

There are those critics who state that there is no change in the characters in Act IV after Luka has left them. They seem to over­ look the fact that the Baron has begun to call Natasha, "my lady;" that

Kleshtch, who had told the old man that God could damn his truth, could bring himself to say, "He was merciful— you people don't know what pity means." They neglect the fact that the Tartar has brought himself to speak openly of the Koran and, what is more surprising, the others are willing to listen. There is Bubnoff who offers to share his possessions with the others, "Beggars— come all you beggars and enter my saloon free of charge!" he tells them. Most surprising however, is Satine. He 39 defends old Luka and then delivers the hopeful speech about man; had it not been for the influence of the old man, Satine would never have been moved to speak such things.

With the thought in mind that the directorial concept is to show the struggle for identity and the influence of Luka on the characters, it is necessary to turn to the physical aspects of production and deter­ mine what would best suit the play.

Certainly the most appropriate set design would be either of the naturalistic or realistic style. Because of the structure, stage size, and facilities of the theatre, realism would be the more desirable choice. The purpose of both sets, other than the obvious reason of providing a background, would be to help achieve the mood and feeling the actors are trying to create. Enough filth would be needed to show their struggling, but not in such excessive amounts as to give the appearance that the characters were the victims of a social condition

from which no escape was possible. The interior would show the cellar of a brick building deteriorating from lack of care; brick would be seen where plaster had fallen away. A musty, mossy atmosphere would be present. The exterior setting would be a combination of a stark beauty and hopefulness mingled with an oppressive, walled in feeling. The stark beauty would come from the dark, clean cut lines of the trees and distant buildings in silhouette against an evening sky. The buildings in the distance would express the hopefulness that there are other places in the world if one had the will to get there. The background would act as contrast for the foreground with its walled in fedling. 40

The primary purpose of the costumes would be to create an indi­ viduality that would be possible for the audience to recognize and

remember amidst all the entrances and exits. Though passing time is often designated by costume change, it would not be desirable in this case. Other than the fact that these people would probably not own another set of clothes, it is of extreme importance to keep the charac­ ters the same all the way through. With a cast of seventeen members coming and going at one time or another, a small change such as a hat might distract the audience, and valuable lines would be lost in the time it would take them to recognize the character. The only added costupe is the nightshirt Miedviedieff wears over his uniform in the

last act; this is called for in the script.

The individuality of the characters would be achieved in the

lines, colors or accessories used. Kostilyoff's suit jacket over his white shirt would attempt to suggest his position as being more pros­ perous than that of the lodgers. Vassilisa and Natasha would both be dressed in a blouse, skirt, shawl and boots. The contrast in the two sisters' personalities would be shown in the color of their skirts and

line of their shawls, Natasha would wear a soft, blue skirt with a short shawl draped around her shoulders; Vassilisa would wear a deep wine skirt with a longer shawl wrapped around her,

Miedviedieff1s deep green uniform would have a military look about it. Pepel, the young thief would be dressed in a black jersey sleeveless shirt that would give him a youthful, robust appearance. 41

The most significant aspect of Kvashnya*s, Bubnoff's and

Kleshtch's costumes would be the color. Because of their realistic natures, the earth tones seem more appropriate for them. Beige, dull rust or brown are their colors.

Anna would be dressed in a large, ragged, white gown; the gown giving her a ghostly look, with her dark hair tumbling down over her face. Nastya's profession would be characterized by the cut of her blouse.

Boots, and a scarf tucked in his shirt, would give the impression of the Baron's former station in life, the two accessories representing the last of his fortune. Satine would be set apart from the others with his black loose sleeved peasant cassock with the red trim; his garment would characterize the dress of the young Gorky.

A faded green, ill-fitting shirt hanging over the Actor's

trousers would help create the impression of his deterioration due to drink. Alyoshka, the shoemaker, would be dressed as a barefoot raga­ muffin with pants scarcely covering his knees; his earnings are not

sufficient enough that he could afford to make himself a pair of shoes.

The colors for Zob and the Tartar would be the dull earth tones.

They would be dressed in the loose fitting trousers that were part of

the dress of the longshoremen who were Kazan Tartars.

Make up would primarily entail the problem of aging. There would be differences, however, in regard to the characters' former stations in life. Though Kleshtch, Kvashnya, Bubnoff, Satine and the

Actor are all between the age of forty and forty-five, there would be

some attempt to show the stern determination of the pessimistic Kleshtch, 42

the sad hard life of the patient Kvashnya. Because Bubnoff and Satine

did not experience the hard life that Kleshtch and Kvashnya did, their

age would not reflect a painful past. Their beards would help to give

them the gruff quality inherent in their natures. The Actor would have

a ghostly, white face contrasting with his black hair. The dark hair would tend to make his face a white, featureless surface,

Luka's age would reflect that of a kind old man of sixty, with a

balding scalp. The wrinkles on his face would reflect a certain wisdom

and understanding,

Vassilisa's make up would be a straight one; her age is twenty-

six, She should possess a sensual beauty with a slight harshness to her

face, Natasha would possess a tender, gentle beauty in contrast with

Vassilisa, her sister; she is six years younger than her sister,

Anna's face would be that of a chalk-white gray; only thirty,

her consumptive condition would make her face appear expressionless,

Nastya's make up would reflect that of a twenty-four year old street

walker; herd, would be a straight make up with an attempt to overempha­

size her painted lips.

The Baron's make up would be a straight make up with perhaps

small touches of age, such as a few crows feet, deepening of the nasal

labial fold, and a touch of gray at the temples.

Because Pepel is only twenty-eight, his make up would be a

straight one just as the Baron's. The longshoremen, Zob and the Tartar,

are approximately twenty-five. They would only need a straight base; it

would be desirable to give their skin the rough, tanned complexion of

men who work outdoors, 43 The effects of too much alcohol would have to be shown on the

twenty-year old Alyoshka’s face.

Because of Miedviedieff's uniform and intense pride, the fifty- year old man would have a distinguished look with his salt and pepper

gray hair and a beard or a mustache of some kind, Kostilyoff, in his middle forties, would have touches of gray around his temples; his one

distinguishing characteristic would be his mustAche which would give him

the appearance of being very curt and impatient with everyone,

Other than the purpose of visibility, lights would serve to heighten the various moods present at different times, They would also

center the focus of attention on certain characters at other times.

Generally speaking, lights would attempt to follow the characters from area to area, darkening those areas that are of lesser importance for

the moment, An example of this would occur in Act II, During the

opening scene of this act, the card and checker players would be down­

stage of Anna and Luka, but the intensity of light would be diminished

in the downstage areas, so that Anna and Luka would command the center

of attention. Later in the act when Pepel and Luka discuss God while in

the downstage left area, the focus of attention would be on them, but

Anna would also command attention to make the audience aware of her

existence. Both areas are important because Luka turns from Pepel to

check on Anna and discovers she is dead.

The last scene of Act IV contains another example of how this

plan would work. The lodgers who have gathered around the table to sing would be bathed in a subdued light, as well as would be the hallway door

from which Nastya and the Baron enter to inform the others of the Actor's 44 suicide. The above examples are only three of many instances in the play where lights could be used to help achieve mood, and focus attention.

Sound would be used to set the mood before the play as well as before Acts III and IV. All music used would be taken from the album

Balalaika Favorites played by the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra.

Selections would include: Budashkin1s '‘Fantasy on Two Folk-Songs,"

Gorodovskaya1s "At Sunrise," Kulikov's "The Linden Tree," Osipov's

"Kamarinskaya," Andreyev's "in the Moonlight," Mikhailov-Shalayev's

"Fantasy on Volga Melodies," Soloviev-Sedoy's "Midnight in Moscow,"

Andreyev's "Waltz of the Faun," Shishakov's "The Living Room," Mossolov's

"Evening Bells," Poponov's "My Dear Old Friend, Please Visit Me," and

Andreyev’s "Under the Apple Tree."

A few plaintive strings from the balalaika, taken from a section of "Fantasy on Two Folk-Songs," would be used to intensify the dramatic impact after Anna dies, and when the Actor makes the decision to commit suicide.

In Act III"Midnight in Moscow” would be brought in under Luka’s story, to add to the sad nostalgia. When Pepel makes his plea to

Natasha to go with him, "Evening Bells" would be brought in under their voices.

The tune to Luka's song in the first act would be taken from

'fantasy on Two Folk-Songs." The tune that Zob and Bubnoff sing during the card game would be "The Sailors' Farewell" taken from the album

Netania Davrath Sings Folk Songs of Russia. The purpose of all the physical aspects of the production is simply to conform and lend themselves to the play. Kleshtcti files while sitting on the floor in front of Anna's bed, on the stage right side. He is facing full front.

Kvashnya is standing stage right of table busying herself with the samovar. Her position is profile.

The Baron is seated stage left of the table in a profile position.

Nastya sits on bench upstage of table, reading her book. She is full front.

Bubnoff is seated on the lower stage right bunk moulding a hat. He is facing the audience in a quarter position.

The upper stage right bunk is occupied by Satine; his head is downstage and his feet upstage.

The actor, covered with an old blanket, is on top of the stove which is against the central portion of the upstage wall. He is full front with his head stage right and his feet stage left.

Bubnoff looks up a Satine from the lower bunk while delivering line. CHAPTER IV

THE PROMPT BOOK FOR THE LOWER DEPTHS

ACT I

A cellar resembling a cave. The ceiling, which merges into stone walls, is low and grimy, and the plaster and paint are peeling off. There is a window, high up on the right wall, from which comes the light, The right comer, which constitutes PEPEL'S room, is partioned off by thin boards, Close to the corner of this room is BUBNGFF1S wooden bunk. In the left corner stands a large Russian stove. In the stone wall, left, is a door leading to the kitchen where live KVASHMA, THE BARON, and NASTYA, Against the wall, between the stove and the door, is a large bed covered with dirty chintz. Bunks line the walls. In the foreground, by the left wall, is a block of wood with a vise and a small anvil fastened to it, and another smaller block of wood somewhat further toward the back, KLESHTCH is seated on the smaller block, trying keys into old locks. (1) At his feet are two large bundles of various keys, wired together,.also a battered tin samovar, a hammer, and pincers. In the center are a large table, two benches, and a stool, all of which are of dirty, unpainted wood. Behind the table KVASHNYA is busying herself with the samovar, (2) THE BARON sits chewing a piece of black bread, (3) and NASTYA occupies the stool, leans her elbows on the table, and reads a tattered book. (4) In the bed, behind curtains, ANNA lies coughing. BUBNOFF is seated on his bunk, attempting to shape a pair of old trousers with the help of an ancient hat shape which he holds between his knees, Scattered about him are pieces of buckram, oilcloth, and rags, (5) SATINE, just awakened, lies in his bunk, grunting, (6) On top of the stove, THE ACTOR, invisi ble to the audience, tosses about and coughs. (7)

It is an early spring morning.

THE BARON: And then?

KVASHNYA: No, my dear, said I, keep away from me with such proposals. I ’ve been through it all, you see— and not for a hundred baked lobsters would I marry again I

BUBNOFF (to SATINE): What are you grunting about? (8)

(SATINE keeps on grunting.)

46 This line delivered to Baron and Nastya.

Kvashnya stops working over the samovar. Kleshtch has both insulted her and ruined her story. Her "what" is a dare to him to repeat himself.

He accepts that dare and repeats himself.

Stage directions for Baron and Nastya same as in script.

She walks over to him daring him to say more.

When Kleshtch tells her that she is just waiting to marry Abfamka, her pride is offended and she sneers in his face the taunt that he is responsible for his wife's condition.

He stops his work growling this line; Kvashnya has had the final word. She has hit him with the truth and he is incapable of denying it. 47

KVASHNYA: Why should I, said I, a free woman, my own mistress, enter my name into somebody else's passport and sell myself into slavery-- not Why— I wouldn't marry a man even if he were an American princeI (1)

KLESHTCH: You lie!

KVASHNYA: Wha-at? (2)

KLESHTCH: You lie! You're going to marry Abramka. . . . (3)

THE BARON (snatching the book out of NASTYA'S hand and reading the title): "Fatal Love" . . (Laughs) (

NASTYA (stretching out her hand): .Give it back— give it back! Stop fooling!

(THE BARON looks at her and waves the book in the air.) (4)

KVASHNYA (to KLESHTCH): You crimson goat, you--calling me a liar! How dare you be so rude to me? (5)

THE BARON (hitting NASTYA on the head with the book): Nastya, you little fool!

NASTYA (reaching for the book): Give it back!

KLESHTCH: Oh— what a great lady . . . but you'll marry Abramka just the same— that's all you're waiting for . . .

KVASHNYA: Sure! Anything else? You nearly beat your wife to death! (6)

KLESHTCH: . Shut up, you old bitch! It's none of your business! (7)

KVASHNYA: Ho-ho! can't stand the truth, can you?

THE BARON: They're off again! Nastya, where are you?

NASTYA (without lifting her head): .Hey— go away! (1) Anna has been lying in bed all this time coughing from time to time. The head of her bed is stage right.

(2) Kleshtch’s line, "Whining again" in response to Anna's plea is sharp and curt. It is actually not her whining that he minds but his guilt that he is at least partly responsible for her condition; when she speaks, she is a reminder of the truth Kvashnya has just told him.

(3) Kvashnya— who has forgotten her anger toward Kleshtch upon hearing Anna speak— goes to the head of the bed and puts a hand on Anna's forehead as she speaks to her. She stands profile facing stage left.

(4) Anna turns from her; she wants kindness from no one.

(5) Kvashnya, understanding Anna's feelings, ignored her rudeness and stands her ground still sympathetic.

(6) First part of line delivered with impatience to Baron for interrupting Kvashnya while she is trying to console Anna. She then turns to Anna, as if to a child, with a tone that has all the tenderness of a mother and offers her food.

(7) Kvashnya's insistence on leaving Anna some dumplings in a cup shows her pity for humanity; even in the most hopeless circum­ stances she feels a compulsion to help in some way.

As Kvashnya exits into the kitchen, she cannot help but call Kleshtch "evil spirit" anymore than she can help being kind to Anna. Though part of her curtness to Kleshtch stems from the way he has treated Anna, there is also another reason. As a man and a husband he reminds her of the "slavery" she had to bear because of her first husband. .

(8) The Baron walks upstage of the bable to the right, pushing Nastya's head into the book as he does so; he then picks up samovar and exits into kitchen. The Baron's constant heckling of Nastya in this scene stems from both a lack of anything more exciting to do and a resentment that she is able to give herself to the enjoyment and illusion of something (the book) while he is incapable of it. (9) One general comment that should be made of the previous scene is that the actors were directed to overlap both the lines and action. The actions and reactions of individual characters should flow together into a whole, complete unit; the unit in this instance attempting to show that this is one of many mornings in this lodging house cellar.

(10) Satine leans upon his elbow rather than sitting up. ANNA (putting her head through the curtains ): The day has started. For God’s sake* don't row. (1)

KLESHTCH: Whining again! (2)

ANNA: , Every blessed day . . . let me die in peace, can’t you?

BUBNOFF: Noise won’t keep you from dying.

KVASHNYA (walking up to ANNA): Little mother, how did you ever manage to live with this wretch? (3)

ANNA: Leave me alone--get away from me... . (4)

KVASHNYA: Well, well! You poor soul . . . how's the pain in the chest— any better? (5) ^

THE BARON: Kvashnya! Time to go to market. . » .

KVASHNYA: We'll go presently. (To ANNA.) Like some hot dumplings? (6)

ANNA: No, thanks <, Why. should I eat ?

KVASHNYA: You must eat. Hot food— good for you! i'll leave you some in cup. Eat them when you feel like it. Come on, sir! (To KLESHTCH.) You evil spirit! ( Goes into kitchen,) (7)

ANNA (soughing) : Lord, Lord . . .

THE BARON (painfully pushing forward NASTYA'S head): Throw it away— little fool! (8)

NASTYA (muttering): Leave me alone— I don't bother you . . . (9)

(THE BARON follows KVASHNYA, whistling.)

SATINS (sitting up in his bunk): Who beat me up yesterday? (10) He lies down again completely on this line; showing that in his mind he has already died.

The Actor sits up, facing the audience full front.

Kleshtch, who has forgotten about Actor until he has spoken, points a finger at him and tells him to get busy.

He calls to Baron in kitchen.

The Baron stands between the stove and the kitchen door; the Actor, not saying a word, points twice emphatically to the floor with a gesture that says, "it's your turn today." BUBNOFF: .. Does it make any difference who?

SATINE: Suppose they did— but why did they?

BUBNOFF: Were you playing cards?

.SATINE: Yes!

BUBNOFF: That’s why they beat you.

SATINE: Scoundrels I

THE ACTOR (raising his head from the top of the stove): One of these days they’ll beat you to death!

SATINE: You're a jackass!

THE ACTOR: Why?

SATINE: Because a man can die only once! (1)

THE ACTOR (after a silence): I don’t understand-- (2)

KLESHTCH: . Say! You crawl from that stove— and start cleaning house! Don’t play the delicate primrose! (3)

THE ACTOR: None of your business!

KLESHTCH: Wait till Vassilisa comes— she'll show you whose business it is

THE ACTOR: To hell with Vassilisa! Today is the Baron's turn to clean. . Baron 1 (4)

(THE BARON comes from the kitchen.) (5)

THE BARON: I've no time to clean . * . I ’m going to market with Kvashnya. The Baron goes over to Nastya and stands upstage of her.

She exits stage left through the kitchen door.

Kvashnya moves a little toward stove to clear the doorway so the Baron can exit back into the kitchen. He is standing in a profile position to the audience.

The Baron enters sideways from the kitchen door with the dumplings as he delivers the line, "Heavier than ever."

Kvashnya delivers her line as she and the Baron exit through the door to hall.

The Actor climbs down from the stove during these lines, crosses stage left of table and sits on its downstage side; he is in a profile position facing stage right. This movement demonstrates the Actor's readiness to venture away from his security (the stove) for the day.

Anna lifts her head a little. 50

THE ACTOR: That doesn't concern me. Go to the gallows if you like. It's your turn to sweep the floor just the same— I'm not going to do other people's work . . . (1)

THE BARON: Go to blazes2 Nastya will do it. Hey there--fatal lovel Wake up I (Takes the book away from NASTYA.)

NASTYA (getting up): What do you want? Give it back to me I You scoundrel! And that's a nobleman for you!

THE BARON (returning the book to her): Nastya! Sweep the floor for me— will you?

NASTYA (goes to kitchen): Not so's you'll notice it! (2)

KVASHNYA (to THE BARON through kitchen door); Come on— you! They don't need you! Actor! (3) You were asked to do it, and now you go ahead and attend to it— it won't kill you . . .

.THE ACTOR: It's always I . . . I don't understand why. . . .

(THE BARON comes from the kitchen, across his shoulders a wooden beam from which hang earthen pots covered with rags.) (4)

THE BARON: Heavier than ever.

SATINE: It paid you to be born a Baron, eh?

KVASHNYA (To ACTOR): See to it that you sweep up! (5) (Crosses to outer door, letting THE BARON pass ahead.)

THE ACTOR (climbing down from the stove): It's bad for me to inhale dust. With pride. My organism is poisoned with alcohol. (Sits down on a bunk, meditating.) (6)

SATINE: Organism— organon. . . .

ANNA: Andrei Mitrich. . . . (7) He turns his head in her direction.

Anna’s line was changed to read, "in the kitchen" rather than "over there;" this change was made do to a change in the set.

He stops his filing, rises and moves to middle of bed facing her at a one-half position towards stage right.

He is walking into the kitchen as he gives this line.

This short scene shows us a side of Kleshtch and Anna we have not seen before. It appears that there is— or at least once was— a love between them but love has been smothered -by their inability to show any emotion for each other. Anna was to say something kind but does not know how; thus, she offers Kleshtch dumplings instead, telling him he is a workman and he needs it. Kleshtch, in return, tries to comfort her but hard years have robbed him of all tenderness and hope; he cannot really believe himself when he tells her "maybe you’ll get well."

The Actor muses this line almost to himself; he is almost proud of his words. The fact that someone has taken interest in the Actor makes him feel important. The doctor has taken the time to tell him of his afflictions so he is proud— proud that he has been pitied and has an affliction which sets his "organism" apart from others.

Satine rises up. 51

KLESHTCH: What now? (1)

ANNA: Kvashnya left me some dumplings over there— you eat them. (2)

KLESHTCH (coming over to her): . And you— don't you want any? (3)

ANNA: No. Why should I eat? You're a workman— you need it.

KLESHTCH: Frightened, are you? Don't be! You'll get all right!

ANNA: Go and eat! It's hard on me. . . . I suppose ver soon. . .

KLESHTCH (walking away): (4) Never mind— maybe you'll get well— you can never tell! Goes into kitchen» (5)

THE ACTOR (loud, as if he had suddenly awakened): Yesterday the doctor in the hospital said to me: "Your organism," he said, "is entirely poisoned with alcohol. . . .(6)

SATINE (smiling): Organon. . . (7)

THE ACTOR (stubbornly): Not organon— organism!

SATINE: Sibylline. . . .

THE ACTOR (shaking his fist at him): Nonsense! I'm telling you seriously . . . if the organism is poisoned . . . that means it's bad for me to sweep the floor-- to inhale the dust . . .

SATINE: Macrobistic . . . hah!

BUBNOFF: What are you muttering?

SATINE: Words— and here's another one for you— transcendentalistic. . . .

BUBNOFF: What does it mean? Satine lies down again. The different sounds of words hold his attention for awhile but he gives up and lies down again in defeat when he can't remember the meaning to "transcendental- istic^"

Kleshtch delivers line as he is going back to his work. He sits full front on the floor again--near the foot of Anna's bed— and works.

The Actor's line was changed to the original, "The fair Ophelia. Nymph, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered." It was decided that if the Actor had the capabilities to remember the content of this line Hamlet speaks to Ophelia, he would also remember the correct line itself. Shakespeare’s original line would also be more dramatic to the audience; those familiar with the actual lines would have felt cheated to hear anything less.

The motivation for the Actor's lines was also changed. Instead of delivering the line to the thin air, he stands and delivers it to Anna who is just seized with a fit of coughing. Full back to the audience with his hands outstretched towards Anna, the Actor, for the moment experiences the exhiliration of the stage once again until a fit of coughing seizes him and brings him back to reality.

He sits up and looks down at Bubnoff who is on lower bunk. Satine is not bragging to Bubnoff; he is trying to convince him­ self that he has known better days— days when he could respect himself for his accomplishments.

He spreads his hands and looks at them. It was all such a long time ago; it seems almost unreal now. 52

SATINE: Don't know— I forgot. . . ,

BUBNOFF: Then why did you say it?

SATINE: Just so! I'm bored, brother, with human words— all our words. Bored! I've heard each one of them a thousand times surely, (1)

THE ACTOR: In hamlet they say: "Words, words, words!" It's a good play. I played the grave-digger in it once. ....

(KLESHTCH comes from the kitchen.)

KLESHTCH: Will you start playing with the broom? (2)

THE ACTOR: None of your business. Striking his chest. Opeelia! 0-- remember me in thy prayers! (3)

(Back stage is heard a dull murmur, cries, and a police whistle. KbESHTCH sits down to work, filing screechily,)

SATINE: I love unintelligible, obsolete words. When I was a youngster— and worked as a telegraph operator— I read heaps of books. . . »

BUBNOFF: Were you really a telegrapher?

SATINE: I was. There are some excellent books--and lots of curious words . . . .Once I was an educated man, do you know? (4)

BUBNOFF: I've heard it a hundred times. Well, so you were! That isn't very important! Me--well--once I was a furrier. I had my own shop— what with dyeing the fur all day long, my arms were yellow up to the elbows, brother. I thought I'd never be able ever to get clean again— that I'd go to my grave, all yellow! But look at my hands now--they're plain dirty— that's what! (5)

SATINE: Well, and what then?

BUBNOFF: . That's all! Bubnoff goes back to his work„

Satine lies down again as boredom once again pervades his body.

The Actor scoots to stage right side of table in an attempt to get closer to Bubnoff and Satine so they will listen to him. He is in a profile position.

Satine gets up again as a new inspiration hits him. The kopecks will get him out of the dingy cellar for awhile.

The Actor is still trying to hold Satine1s and Bubnoff's attention.

There is a slight pause after Satine has asked the Actor for five kopecks. The Actor shrinks; the fact that he has no money once again reminds him of who he is and where he is.

Anna is thrashing around on the bed gasping, trying to get her breath. 53

SATINE: What are you trying to prove?

BUBNOFF: . . Oh, well— just matching thoughts— no matter how much dye you get oh yourself, it all comes off in the end--yes, yes— (1)

SATINE: Oh— my bones ache! (2)

THE ACTOR (sits, nursing his knees): (3) Education is all rot. Talent is the thing» I knew an actor--who read his parts by heart, syllable by syllable~-but he played heroes in a way that , „ „ why--the whole theater would rock with ecstasy!

SATINE: Bubnoff, give me five kopecks» (4)

BUBNOFF: I only have two—

THE ACTOR: I say— talent, that’s what you need to play heroes„ And talent is nothing but faith in yourself, in your own powers— (5)

SATINE: Give me five kopecks and I'll have faith that you’re a hero, a crocodile, or a police inspector--, Kleshtch, give me five kopecks. (6)

KLESHTCH: Go to hell! All of you!

SATINE: What are you cursing for? I know you haven’t a kopeck in the world!

ANNA: Andrei Mitrich--l'm suffocating— I can't breathe-- (7)

KLESHTCH: What shall I do?

BUBNOFF: Open the door into the hall.

KLESHTCH: All right. You're sitting on the bunk, I on the floor. You change places with me, and i'll let you open the door. I have a He lies down again.

Bubnoff delivers last of his lines as he goes up the steps out the door leading to the hall.

The Actor waits until Bubnoff exits then he goes over to Anna and, standing at the head of her bed in a profile position, he asks her "Peeling Bad, eh?"

A slight pause; she neither says "yes" or "no" so he takes it to mean her consent„

They are ascending the steps during this line when Kostilyoff appears in the doorway.

Kostilyoff comes down two steps blocking their way as he gives his lines.

Kostilyoff steps down last two steps and bows in a mocking manner as he says, "Pass on, please."

As he asks Kleshtch if he is filing, he starts to go stage left to Pepel's room. 54

cold as it is,

BUBNOFF (unconcernedly): I dont1 care if you open the door— it's your wife who's asking--

KLESHTCH (morosely): I.don't care who's asking—

SATINE: My head buzzes--ah--why do people have to hit each other over the heads ? (1)

BUBNOFF: They don't only hit you over the. head, but over the rest of the body as well. (Rises.) I must go and buy some thread— our bosses are late today-rseems as if they've croaked. (2)

(Exit. ANNA coughs; SATINE is lying down motionless, his hands folded behind his head.)

THE ACTOR (looks about him morosely, then goes to ANNA): Feeling bad, eh? (3)

ANNA: I'm choking--

THE ACTOR: If you wish. I ’ll take you into the hallway. (4) Get up, then, come! (He helps her to rise, wraps some sort of a rag about her shoulders, and supports her toward the hall.) It isn't easy I ’m sick myself— poisoned with alcohol. . . . (5)

(KOSTILYOFF appears in the doorway.)

KOSTILYOFF: Going for a stroll? What a nice couple— the gallant cavalier and the lady fair! (6)

THE ACTOR: Step aside, you— don’t you see that we're invalids? (7)

KOSTILYOFF: Pass on, please! (Hums a religious tune, glances about him suspiciously, and bends his head to the left as if listening to what is happening in PEPEL'S room. KLESHTCH is jangling his keys and scraping away with his file, and looks askance at the other.) Filing? (8)

KLESHTCH: . What? He goes over to Kleshtch and bends down a little to talk to him.

Kleshtch's answer to Kostilyoff's question is a cold rebuke; he has been thwarted in an attempt to find out about his wife and takes revenge on Kleshtch by raising his rent a half ruble more.

He leans into Kleshtch on these last lines gesturing with his fingers.

Kleshtch in a half rise yells this line at Kostilyoff; Kostilyoff has pushed Kleshtch's patience too far and he explodes when his tolerance has reached the level of endurance.

Satine's loud grunt is motivated by Kleshtch's scream and tops it.

Kostilyoff is irritated and frightened by both their voices and he backs away with a start toward stage left.

The Actor delivers line as he is entering.

He goes to Kostilyoff and both face each other in a profile position. 55

KOSTILYOFF: I say, are you filing? (1) (Pause.) What did I want to ask? (Quick and low.) Hasn't my wife been here?

KLBSHTCH: I didn't see her.

KOSTILYOFF (carefully moving toward PEPEL'S room): You take up a whole lot of room for your two rubles a month. The bed— and your bench--yes— you take up five rubles' worth of space, so help me God! I'll have to put another half ruble to your rent— (2)

KLESHTCH: You'll put a noose around my neck and choke me . . . you'll croak soon enough, and still all you think of is half rubles--

K0ST1LY0FF: Why should I choke you? What would be the use? God be with you— live and prosper! But i'll have to raise you half a ruble-- 1'11 buy oil for the ikon lamp, and my offering will atone for my sins, and for yours as well. You don't think much of your sins— not much! Oh, Andrushka, you're a wicked man! Your wife is dying because of your wickedness--no one loves you, no one respects you— your work is squeaky, jarring on everyone. (3)

KLESHTCH (shouts) . What dp you come here for— just to annoy me? (4)

(SATINE grunts loudly.) (5)

KOSTILYOFF (with a start): God, what a noise! (6)

(THE ACTOR enters.)

THE ACTOR: I've put her down in the hall and wrapped her up. (7)

KOSTILYOFF: You're a kindly fellow. That's good. Some day you'll be rewarded for it.

THE ACTOR: When? (8)

KOSTILYOFF: In the Beyond, little brother— there all our deeds will be reckoned up. He points a finger at his chest«

The Actor delivers this line as he exits into kitchen.

Kleshtch rises in disgust at having to listen anymore to Kostilyoff and exits out hall door.

He makes a motion in the direction of the hall door.

Satine climbs down from his bunk on this line and goes to the stage right side of the table and sits in a quarter position facing the audience. Despite the presence of Kostilyoff, whom he would prefer to ignore, the room is more peaceful since the others have left, so he trades his retreat for the table.

He leans in toward Satine as if ashamed to be caught asking this question.

Satine knows Vaska is home but would not give Kostilyoff the satisfaction of making things easier for him. He enjoys seeing Kostilyoff squirm.

The Actor— munching a piece of bread--comes out to watch when he hears Kostilyoff call Vaska. He too, just as Sating, takes delight in seeing Kostilyoff made, the fool. 56

THE ACTOR: Suppose you reward me right now? (1)

KOSTILYOFF: How can I do that?

THE ACTOR: Wipe out half my debt,

KOSTILYOFF: He-ho! You're always jesting, darling— always poking fun . . , can kindliness of heart be repaid with gold? Kindliness— it's above all other qualities. But your debt to me--remains a debt. And so you'll have to pay me back. You ought to be kind to me, an old man, without seeking for reward!.

THE ACTOR: You're a swindler, old man! (2)

(Goes into kitchen. KLESHTCH rises and goes into the hall.) (3)

KOSTILYOFF (to SATINE): See.that squeaker— ? He ran away— he doesn't like me! (4)

SATINE: Does anybody like you besides the Devil? (5)

KOSTILYOFF (laughing): Oh--you're so quarrelsome! But I like you all— I understand you all, my unfortunate downtrodden, useless brethren . . . (Suddenly, rapidly.) Is Vaska home? (6)

SATINE: See for yourself— (7)

KOSTILYOFF (goes to the door and knocks): Vaska!

(THE ACTOR appears at the kitchen door, chewing something.) (8)

PEPEL: . Who is it?

KOSTILYOFF: . It's I— I, Vaska!

PEPEL: What do you want? Satine and the Actor exchange smiles on this line. They are going to have fun at the expense of Kostilyoff’s pride.

Kostilyoff goes to Satine questioning, "Who's there?" but he knows as well as Satine and the Actor that Satine means Kostilyoff's wife. ,

Satine feigns not to understand Kostilyoff; he was just talking to himself.

Kostilyoff becoming impatient as he fights for control to keep himself from banging on the door. His pride makes him ashamed that he has come; he knows that the Actor and Satine can see through his motivations and he is impatient to get the whole business over with.

Pepel, who has been sleeping, rises drowsily, and opens the door.

Kostilyoff tries very quickly to see if Vassilisa is in the room; his blind jealousy has made him fall for Satine's joke "He'll open--and she's there."

If Pepel has guessed Kostilyoff's intention for coming, he does not show it. He is wise enough to know that the best way to handle Kostilyoff is to ignore his real intentions and pretend he has come for another reason; thus, he questions him about the watch.

I He knows before he asks Kostilyoff that he did not bring the seven rubles; this is why he asked for them. Pepel too, enjoys seeing Kostilyoff embarrassed. He delights in seeing Kostilyoff retreat, from him as if he were a child; he knows he has the upperhand and Kostilyoff is at his mercy. In others, this cruelty would appear distasteful to us; we do not condemn Pepel for it because we see his motivations. He has grown to hate Kostilyoff's deceitful, sanctimonious nature which Gorky has just shown to us in the previous scene with Kleshtch— he tells Kleshtch he will raise his rent a half ruble, and "buy oil for the ikon lamp, and my offering will atone for my sins, and for yours as well. ” 57

KOSTILYOFF (stepping aside): Open!

SATINE (without looking at KOSTILYOFF): He'll open— and she's there-- (1)

(THE ACTOR Makes a grimace.)

KOSTILYOFF (in a low, anxious tone): Eh? Who's there? What? (2)

SATINE: Speaking to me? (3)

KOSTILYOFF: What did you say?

SATINE: Oh— nothing--! was just talking to myself.

KOSTILYOFF: Take care, brother. Don't carry your joking too far! (Knocks loudly at door.) Vassily! (4)

PEPEL (opening door): Well? What.are you disturbing me for? (5)

KOSTILYOFF (peering into room): I--you see— (6)

PEPEL: Did you bring the money? (7)

KOSTILYOFF: I've something to tell you—

PEPEL: Did you bring the money ?

KOSTILYOFF: What money? Wait—

PEPEL: Why— the seven rubles for the watch— well? (8)

KOSTILYOFF: What watch, Vaska? Oh, you—

PEPEL: Look here. Yesterday, before witnesses, I sold you a watch for ten rubles, you gave me three— now let me have the other seven. (1) We see how Pepel has put Kostilyoff on the defensive.

(2) Satine knows this one word, "stolen” will be enough to touch Kostilyoff off. His "stolen" could be taken two ways; either it was stolen after he bought it or Kostilyoff has bought a stolen watch. Satine is wise enough to know that the landlord’s guilty conscience will cut Kostilyoff to the quick and make him defend himself.

(3) Pepel grabs him by his shirt front.

(4) Pepel turns him loose. His, "Be off, and bring the money!" is a . . final insult to Kostilyoff; he is dismissing a child with a fair warning not to "let that happen again."

(5) He leaves in a huff, trying to maintain what is left of his pride. His "ruffians" is only a cover-up for the fear and indignation he has suffered from the three lodgers.

(6) The pleasure that Satine, the Actor, and Pepel take in their treatment towards Kostilyoff, does not appear in them as some­ thing hateful but rather as something to pity them for; their cause is self-preservation. Their long endured suffering has taught them to strike at the world before it strikes at them.

(7) Pepel sits on the stool that is stage left of the table; he is in a quarter position, facing stage right.

(8) This stage direction was discarded. Pepel still at the table. 58

What are you blinking for? You hang around here— you disturb people--and don't seem to know yourself what you're after,

KOSTILYOFF: Sh-sh! Don't be angry, Vaska. The watch— it is— (1)

SATINE: Stolen! (2)

KOSTILYOFF (sternly): I do not accept stolen goods— how can you imagine—

PEPEL (taking him by the shoulder): What did you disturb me for? What do you want? (3)

KOSTILYOFF: I don't want--anything. I'll go--if you're in such a state—

PEPEL: Be off, and bring the money! (4)

KOSTILYOFF: What ruffians! I--I— (Exit.) (5)

THE ACTOR: What a farce 1

SATINE: That's fine— I like it. (6)

PEPEL: What did he come here for? (7)

SATINE (laughing): Don't you understand? He's looking for his wife. Why don't you beat him up once and for all, Vaska?

PEPEL: Why should I let such trash interfere with my life?

SATINE: , Show some brains I And then you can marry Vassilisa— and become our boss—

PEPEL: Heavenly bliss! And you'd smash up my household and, because I'm a soft-hearted fool, you'll drink up everything I possess. (Sits on a bunk.) (8) Old devil--woke me up--I was having such a . pleasant dream, I dreamed I was fishing— and I caught an enormous trout— such a trout as you only see in dreams! I was (1) Pepel demonstrates to them how he was playing the line until Satine says that the fish was Vassilisa; he lets his hands drop in anger to his lap and slaps his thigh.

(2) The Actor moves in between them, sitting on the bench upstage of the table.

(3) Pepel rises in disgust and retreats to the stove. He sits full front wrapping his arms around his knees.

(4) Kleshtch comes into the room and goes to the stool at the foot , of Anna's bed.

(5) He turns (profile) on bench to Kleshtch.

(6) Kleshtch sits on the stool at foot of Anna's bed.

(7) He takes kopecks out of tiny cloth sack and throws them to Actor and Satine.

(8) Both scramble on the floor to get the coins» 59

playing him— and I was so afraid the line would snap, I had just got out the gaff— and I thought to myself— in a moment-- (1)

SATINE: It wasn't a trouts it was Vassilisa—

THE ACTOR: He caught Vassilisa a long time ago. (2)

PEPEL (angrily): You can all go to the devil--and Vassilisa with you— (3)

(KLESHTCH comes from the hall.) (4)

KLESHTCH: Devilishly cold!

THE ACTOR: Why didn't you bring Anna back? She'll freeze, out there— (5)

KLESHTCH: Natasha took her into the kitchen—

THE ACTOR: The old man will kick her out—

KLESHTCH (sitting down to his work): Well— Natasha will bring her in here— (6)

SATINE: Vassily— give me five kopecks!

THE ACTOR (to SATINE): Oh, you--always five kopecks--Vassya-~give us twenty kopecks--

PEPEL: I'd better give it to them now before they ask for a ruble. Here you are! (7)

SATINE: Gibraltar! There are no kindlier people in the world than thieves! (8)

KLESHTCH (morosely): They earn their money easily--they don't work--

SATINE: Many earn it easily, but not many part with it so easily. Work? Make work pleasant--and maybe I'll work too. Yes— maybe. When . Satine rises tossing coins in the air while he is speaking to Kleshtch; he turns to the Actor and then starts out the door.

The Actor delivers his lines as he is exiting and they can be heard talking as they go out the door and down the hall.

Pepel moves in towards the stage right side of stove letting his legs dangle over the edge.

Kleshtch spits in disgust.

He rises slowly, shaking with rage on these lines and takes a few steps toward Pepel.

He sits slowly on this last line. work's a pleasure, life's, too. When it's toil, then life is a drudge. (To THE ACTOR.) You, SardanapalusI Come on! (1)

THE ACTOR: Let's go, Nebuchadnezzar I i'll get as drunk as forty thousand topers! (2)

(They leave.)

PEPEL (yawning): .. Well, how's your wife? (3)

KLESHTCH: It seems as if soon--

(Pause.)

PEPEL: Now I look at you— seems to me all that filing and scraping of yours is useless.

KLESHTCH: Well— what else can I do?

PEPEL: Nothing.

KLESHTCH: How can I live?

PEPEL: People manage, somehow.

KLESHTCH: Them? Call them people? (4) Muck and dregs— that's what they are! . I'm a workman— I 'm ashamed even to look at them. I've slaved since I was a child. . » . D'you think I shan't be able to tear myself away from here? (5) I'll crawl out of here, even if I have to leave my skin behind--but crawl out I will! Just wait., . . my wife'll die. . . . i've lived here six months, and it seems like six years. (6)

PEPEL: Nobody here's any worse off than you . . . say what you like . «

KLESHTCH; No worse is right. They've neither honor nor conscience.

PEPEL (indifferently): i What good does it do— honor or conscience? Can you get them on their feet instead of on their uppers--through honor and (1) Bubnoff enters on the last of Pepel’s lines and crosses to his bunk..

(2) if© stops and turns to Pepel— a profile position.

(3) He continues to the bunk, sits on the edge and begins to work. conscience? Honor and conscience are needed only by those who have power and energy«...

BUBNQFF (coming back): Oh— I ’m frozen, (1)

PEPEL: Bubnoffl Got a conscience?

BUBNOFF: .What? A conscience? (2)

PEPEL: Exactly!

BUBMOFF: ■ What do I need a conscience for? I'm not rich. (3)

PEPEL: Just what I said: honor and conscience are for the rich— right! And Kleshtch is upbraiding us because we haven't any!

BUBNOFF: Why— did he want to borrow some of it?

PEPEL: No— he has plenty of his own. . . .

BUBNOFF: ’ . Oh— are you selling it? You won't sell much around here. But if you had some old boxes. I'd buy them— on credit, . . .

PEPEL (didactically): You're a jackass, Andrushka! On the subject of conscience you ought to hear Satine— or the Baron , . .

KLESHTCH: I've nothing to talk to them about!

PEPEL: They have more brains than you~-even if they're drunkards . . .

BUBNOFF: . He who can be drunk and wise at the same time is doubly blessed . . .

PEPEL: Satine says every man expects his neighbor to have a conscience but— you see— it isn't to anyone's advantage to have one— that' a fact. Natasha enters during last of Pepel's speech and stands on bottom step, Luka is in doorway at top of the steps.

Natasha steps off bottom step a few steps stage left to let Luka pass.

Luka comes down steps and walks towards Bubnoff’s bunk during these lines.

Luka turns to Natasha.

The "girlie" was changed to read "girl" as the former has a crude connotation to us today, Luka exits to kitchen as he delivers the lines.

Natasha starts to kitchen on Pepel's line.

She stops between stove and kitchen door to talk to Pepel; she turns her attention then to Kleshtch to remind him of his wife. 62

(NATASHA enters, followed by LUKA who carries a stick in his hand, a bundle on his back, a.kettle and a teapot slung from his belt.) (1)

LUKA: How are you, honest folks?

PEPEL (twisting his mustache): Aha— Natasha!

BUBNOFF (to LUKA): I was honest-*-up to spring before last.

NATASHA: Here's a new lodger. (2)

LUKA: Oh, it's all the same to me. Crooks— I don't mind them, either. For my part there's no bad flea— they're all black— and thpy all jump— . (3) Well, dearie, show me where I can stow myself. (4)

NATASHA (pointing to kitchen door): Go in there, granddad.

LUKA: Thanks, girlie. One place is like another— as long as an old fellow keeps warm, he keeps happy . . . (5)

PEPEL: What an amusing old codger you brought in, Natasha! (6)

NATASHA: Hanged sight more interesting than you! „ . . Andrei, your wife's in the kitchen with us— come and fetch her after a while. . . . (7)

KLESHTCH: All right— I will, . . .

NATASHA: And be a little more kind to her— you know she won't last much longer.

KLESHTCH: I know. . , ,

NATASHA: Knowing won't do any good— it's terrible--dying--don't you understand? Pepel leans over to her from atop the stove.

She moves to him a few steps.

She backs up and leaves as she is delivering her line. Natasha's treatment of Pepel appears to be motivated by his clowning around over things serious to her. He has called Luka an "old codger" and has then made very little of death by joking he is not afraid to die especially from such a pure hand as hers. Natasha is disappointed that his attitude is so light in matters serious to her. Her disappointment reveals that she must feel something for Pepel. If she felt nothing for him his reactions to these matters would mean very little to her.

She exits to kitchen as she delivers this line.

He jumps down from the stove.

Pepel goes to Bubnoff on this line; he is trying to convince him of his true feelings for the girl. 63

PEPEL: Well— look at me— I ’m not afraid. . . . (1)

NATASHA: Oh— you’re a wonder, aren't you? (2)

BUBNQFF (whistling): Oh— this thread’s rotten. . . .

PEPEL: Honestly, I'm not afraid! I ’m ready to die right now. Knife me to the heart— and I'll die without making a sound « . even gladly— from such a pure hand. . . .

NATASHA (going out) : Spin that yarn for someone else!

BUBNQFF: Oh— that thread is rotten— rotten— (3)

NATASHA (at hallway door) : Don’t forget your wife, Andrei! (4)

KLESHTCH: All right,

PEPEL: She’s a wonderful girl!

BUBNOFF: She’s all right.

PEPEL: What makes her so curt with me? Anyway— she'll come to no good here . . . (5)

BUBNOFF: Through you— sure!

PEPEL: Why through me? I feel sorry for her. . . . (6)

BUBNOFF: As the wolf for the lamb!

PEPEL: You lie! I feel very sorry for her . . . very » . . very sorry! She has a tough life here--I can see that. . . . Pepel jumps upon Sabine's bunk; he dismisses Bubnoff and Kleshtch with a curse because he is frustrated that they will not listen to his reasoning.

The words that appear in the script were kept because Gorky apparently intended to set a mood by them. It was necessary to add to these words so that Luka would have enough to sing during Pephl's speech. The words were added to an old Russian folk tune.

Kleshtch exits in disgust as Luka begins to sing.

As Pepel gives his speech about being "dreary", Luka-'s singing from the kitchen gradually grows louder and Pepel is„forced to raise his voice to top the song; he is irritated because he is in a black mood and does not care to listen to music, especially such a somber song as the old man is singing.

Luka stands in the kitchen doorway.

Luka walks forward until he is upstage of the table and between it and the stove. 64

KLESHTCH: Just wait till Vassilisa catches you talking to her!

BUBNOFF: , Vassilisa? She won't give up so easily what belongs to her-- she's a cruel woman 1

PEPEL (stretching himself on the bunk): You two prophets can go to hell! (1)

KLESHTCH: . Just wait— you'll see!

LUKA (singing in the kitchen): "in the dark of the night the way is black . « (2)

KLESHTCH: Another one who yelps! (3)

PEPEL: It's dreary! Why do I feel so dreary? You live— and everything seems all right. But suddenly a cold chill goes through you— and then everything gets dreary „ „ . . (4)

BUBNOFF: Dreary? Hm-hm- -

PEPEL: Yes— yes—

LUKA (sings): "The way is black . .

PEPEL: Old fellow! Hey there!

LUKA (looking from kitchen door): . You call me? (5)

PEPEL: Yes. Don't sing!

LUKA (coming in): „ You don't like it? (6)

PEPEL: When people sing well I like it—

LUKA: In other words--I don't sing well? Luka comes downstage center and sits on the bench upstage of the table; he is facing full front.

Luka has spoken honestly and Pepel laughs because he is pleased that there is much truth to the old man's statement.

The Baron enters and stands on the steps at the hallway door listening to Luka's speech.

He enters on the line "She's a fool."

The Baron moves a few steps towards Pepel who is on the bunk. 65

PEPEL: Evidently!

LUKA: Well, well— and I thought I sang well. That's always the way: a man imagines there's one thing he can do well, and suddenly he finds out that other people don't think so... . (1)

PEPEL (laughs): . That's right . . » (2)

BUBNOFF: First you say you feel dreary--and then you laugh!

PEPEL: None of your business, raven!

LUKA: Who do they say feels dreary?

PEPEL: I do.

(THE BARON enters.) (3)

LUKA: Well, well— out there in the kitchen there's a girl reading and crying! That's so! Her eyes are wet with tears . . . I say to her: "What's the matter, darling?" And she says: "it's so sad!" ."What's so sad?" say I. "The book!" says she.--And that's how people spend their time. Just because they're bored, . . .

THE BARON: She's a fool! (4)

PEPEL: Have you had tea, Baron?

THE BARON: Yes. Go on! (5)

PEPEL: Well— want me to open a bottle?

THE BARON: Of course. Go on! The Baron turns from Pepel in disgust,

Because of his boredom and dreariness and the fact that Natasha has just rejected him, Pepel wants to strike out at someone; because he feels inferior to the Baron, he takes a malicious delight in degrading him. Thus, this small seemingly insignifi­ cant scene between them tells us much about both characters.

There is a slight pause after the Baron has agreed to bark, then Pepel jumps down from the bunk laughing; he is delighted that he has scored a victory against the Baron.

During the Baron's lines, a piece of business was added whereby Pepel runs to his room and secures a bottle from under his pillow.

Luka leans into the Baron on these lines searching for something in the man's face which will help discern whether a man of nobility differs from other men only in social stature qr in his innate characteristics as well.

The Baron goes over to Luka and leans into him on these lines. He is resentful that he should be questioned as to his station in life so he tries to insult Luka by questioning him.

If Luka has felt the impact of the intended insult, he does not show it; rather, he scores a victory against the Baron by stating that this is the first time he has ever seen a "decaying" Baron.

i

Pepel comes out of his room with the bottle and sits on the stool stage left of the table. He is in a profile position.

The Baron, submitting to all the injury his pride will allow him to take, lunges for Pepel but is stopped by Luka's interced­ ing hand. PEPEL: Drop on all fours, and bark like a dog!

THE BARON: Fool! What's the matter with you? Are you drunk? (1)

PEPEL: Go on— bark a little! It'll amuse me. You're an aristocrat. You didn't even consider us human formerly, did you?

THE BARON: Go on!

PEPEL: Well-~and now I am making you bark like a dog— and you will bark, won't you? (2) '

THE BARON: - . All right. I will. (3) You jackass! What pleasure can you derive from it, since I myself know that I have sunk almost lower than you. You should have made me drop on all fours in the days when I was still above you. (4)

BUBNOFF: That's right. . . .

LUKA: I say so, too!

BUBNOFF: ...... What's over, is over. Remain only trivialities. We know no class distinctions here. We've shed all pride and self-respect. Blood and bone— man--just plain man— that's what we are!

LUKA: In other words, we're all equal . . . and you, friend, were you really a Baron? (5)

THE BARON: Who are you? A ghost? (6)

LUKA (laughing): I've seen Counts and princes in my day— this is the first time I meet a baron— and one who's decaying— at that! (7)

PEPEL (laughing): Baron, I blush for you! (8)

THE BARON: It's time you knew better, Vassily. . . . (9) His anger subsiding as quickly as it started, the Baron breaks from Luka's hold moving stage right of the table; he stands in a quarter position facing stage right and reminisces over past luxuries.

The Baron breaks from his reverie and whirls upon Luka with impatience. He can neither understand this old man's attitude nor comprehend just how this old man commands such an influence over him.

The Baron is both baffled and irritated that he could not bring himself to fight when Luka stayed him with a simple gesture of his hand; he also cannot understand why he was compelled to, tell about his drinking coffee in bed. His haughty nature keeps him from speaking of the past because he. does not want others to know just how he misses his past life. He will accept pity from no one.

Once again an attempt to insult.

As Pepel puts it, Luka has "scored" once again. The Baron has tried to insult Luka in the most vicious way he could imagine. He is sure that asking the man if he is a "tramp" will make the old man aware that there is a difference in their stations in life. Surely this Luka cannot deny such a bold faced question without seeming a lier. To the Baron's amazement, he does not deny it but adds that all men are "tramps" and even the earth is a "tramp" in the universe. . .

Ruffled, but refusing to be disuaded from his purpose the Baron becomes more specific and asks if the old man possesses a pass­ port; Luka will have to answer to this. Once again the old man scores and it is the Baron who is shamed.

Not only has Luka put the Baron to shame, he has made the Baron take a defensive stand by denying that he himself possesses a passport. 67

LUKA: Hey-hey— I look at you, brothers— the life you're leading. . . .

BUBNOFF: Such a life! As soon as the sun rises, our voices rise, too--in quarrels! 1

THE BARON: We've all seen better days--yes! I used to wake up in the morning and drink my coffee in bed— coffee— with cream! Yes-- (1)

LUKA: And yet we're all human beings. Pretend all you want to, put on all the airs you wish, but man you were bom, and man you must die. And as I watch I see that the wiser people get, the busier they get--and though from bad to worse, they still strive to improve--stubboraly--

THE BARON: Who are you, old fellow? Where do you come from? (2)

LUKA: I?

THE BARON: Are you a tramp? (3)

LUKA: We're all of us tramps--why--I've heard said that the very earth we walk on is nothing but a tramp in the universe.

THE BARON (severely) : Perhaps. But have you a passport?

LUKA (after a short pause) : And what are you--a police inspector? (4)

PEPEL (delighted): You scored, old fellow! Well, Barosha, you got it this time!

BUBNOFF: Yes— our little aristocrat got his!

THE BARON (embarrassed): What's the matter? I was only joking, old man. Why, brother, I haven't a passport, either. (5)

BUBNOFF: You lie! Realizing that the bottle he was going to open for himself and the Baron is empty, he decides to get more. There is also another motivation for this line; Pepel's delight over the fact that the Baron lost his round with Luka makes him feel more warmly towards the Baron. Pepel feels closest to the Baron when he has been shamed because it is then that the class distinction disappears and the two men are equal. Pepel is even made to feel superior at such times because the Baron becomes the object of his pity.

Pepel and the Baron start their exit on this line. The Baron stops and turns to Luka to tell him "good-by." His lines to Luka have both the tone of affection and respect.— respect that a human acquires for another man when he has been defeated by that man.;

They exit talking between themselves.

On the first part of his lines, Bubnoff looks at the door through which the two men have just exited.

He delivers his line as he stumbles down the steps, the concertina dangling in one hand.

Bubnoff has spoken first so Alyoshka goes to him first. 68

THE BARON: Oh— well— I have some sort of papers— but they have no value--

LUKA: They’re papers just the same— and no papers are any good—

PEPEL: Baron--come on to the saloon with me— (1)

THE BARON: I ’m ready = Good-by old man— you old scamp-- (2)

LUKA: Maybe I am one, brother—

PEPEL (near doorway): Come on--come on!

(Leaves, BARON following him quickly.)(3)

LUKA: Was he really once a Baron?

BUBNOFF: Who knows? A gentleman--? Yes. That much he's even now. Occasionally it sticks out. He never got rid of the habit. (4)

LUKA: Nobility is like small-pox. A man may get over it— but it leaves marks.. . .

BUBNOFF: He's all right all the same--occasionally he kicks--as he did about your passport. . .

(ALYOSHKA comes in, slightly drunk, with a concertina in his hand whistling.)

ALYOSHKA: Hey there, lodgers! (5)

BUBNOFF: What are you yelling for?

ALYOSHKA: Excuse me— I beg your pardonI I ’m a well-bred man-- (6)

BUBNOFF: On a spree again? (1) He goes right up to Bubnoff and shakes a finger at his face.

(2) Nastya stands in the kitchen doorway for a few seconds and gradually enters during his speech. She turns in a quarter position towards Alyoshka.

(3) During his speech, Aloyshka divides his attention between Bubnoff and Luka. Grossing from one to the other as a new train of thought captures his drunken imagination, he acts out for them what happened in the police station.

(4) During this speech, Alyoshka stretches out on the floor down­ stage of the table--his head stage left and his feet on the table— muttering to himself while Luka rises and peers over the table in interest and Nastya comes downstage until she stands at Alyoshka's head. She is in a profile position facing stage right.

(5) Alyoshka looks up at her from his prone position and then comes up to a kneeling position and faces Nastya. Both are in profile.

(6) Vassilisa is standing in the doorway at the top of the steps.

(7) Alyoshka starts to go to Vassilisa on his knees.

(8) She crosses the room and comes downstage of the table to Alyoshka. Both are in a profile position as they confront each other.

(9) Alyoshka rises, playing a chord on the concertina. 69

ALYOSHKA: Right you are! (1) A moment ago Medyakin, the precinct captain, threw me out of the police station and said: "Look here— I don't want as much as a smell of you to stay in the streets-- d'you hear?" I'm a man of principles, and the boss croaks at me— and what's a boss anyway--pah!--it's all bosh--the boss is a drunkard, I don't make any demands on life, I want nothing-- that's all. Offer me one ruble, offer me twenty— it doesn't affect me, (NASTYA comes from the kitchen.) (2) Offer me.a million— I won't take it! And to think that I, respectable man, should be ordered about by a pal of mine-— and he a drunkard! I won't have it--I won't! (3)

(NASTYA stands in the doorway, shaking her head at ALYOSHKA.)

LUKA (good-naturedly): Well, boy, you're a bit confused—

BUBNOFF: Aren't men fools!

ALYOSHKA (stretches out on the floor): Here, eat me up alive— and I don't want anything. I'm a desperate man. Show me one better! Why am I worse than others? There! Medyakin said: "if you show yourself on the streets I smash your face!" And yet I shall go out— I'll go— and stretch out in the middle of the street— let them choke me— I don't want a thing! (4)

NASTYA: Poor fellow— only a boy— and he's already putting on such airs—

ALYOSHKA (kneeling before her): Lady! Mademoiselle! Parlez francais— ? Prix courrant? I'm on a spree— (5) . ;

NASTYA (in a loud whisper): Vassilisa! - .

VASSILISA (opens door quickly; to ALYOSHKA): You here again? (6)

ALYOSHKA: How do you do— ? Come in--you’re welcome— • (7)

VASSILISA: I told you, young puppy, that not a shadow of you should stick around here--and you're back— eh? (8)

ALYOSHKA: Vassilisa Karpoyna « . . shall I tune up a funeral march for you? (9) Vassilisa seizes Alyoshka by the shoulders and pushes him stage left of the table continuing until both of them are in a profile position upstage of the table.

Alyoshka delivers these lines as Vassilisa pushes him around the table.

Vassilisa's lines cut right into Alyoshka's lines. The actor's were directed to let their lines overlap in this short sequence for greater effect. The intent of the words is not as important as the delivery which should come in simultaneous volleys from the two characters.

As Alyoshka delivers these lines, Vassilisa takes a swing at his face with the back of her hand; he ducks and runs out.

Nastya and Luka are laughing; they share between each other the enjoyment that Alyoshka's behavior has ruffled Vassilisa.

Vassilisa turns her attention to Luka, and walks over to him; they are in profile upstage of the table.

She walks around him to stage left, her eyes sizing him up all the while. 70

VASSILISA (seizing him by the shoulders): Get out! (1)

ALYOSHKA (moving toward the door): Wait— you can’t put me out this way! I learned this funeral march a little while ago! It’s refreshing music . . . wait— you can't put me out like that! (2)

VASSILISA: I ’ll show whether I can or not. I ’ll rouse the whole street against you--you foul-mouthed creature— you're too young to bark about me— (3)

ALYOSHKA (running out): All right— I'll go--

VASSILISA: Look out--l'll get you yet!

ALYOSHKA (opens the door and shouts): Vassilisa Karpovna— I ’m not afraid of you— (4)

(Hides. LUKA laughs.) (5)

VASSILISA: . . ' Who are you? (6)

LUKA: A passer-by--a traveler . . .

VASSILISA: Stopping for the night or going to stay here?

LUKA: I ’ll see.

VASSILISA: Have you a passport?

LUKA: Yes.

VASSILISA: Give it to me.

LUKA: I ’ll bring it over to your house—

VASSILISA: . Call yourself a traveler? If you'd say a tramp— that would be nearer the truty— (7) . Vassilisa starts to Pepel's room when Alyoshka pokes his head through the hall door.

She lunges in the direction of Alyoshka, but he exits before she gets very far.

Vassilisa starts towards Pepel's room again when Bubnoff stops her by telling her Pepel is not there.

Bubnoff anticipates Vassilisa's real reason for coming and takes delight in informing her that Pepel is not in.

This line is delivered to all of them. She is exceptionally sharp because she knows that the three lodgers guess her real reason for coming; Vassilisa's pride is hurting because she has been discovered in a scheme that was in vain. Her pride is suffering a blow because she has belittled herself for nothing; Pepel is not even there.

Her extremely sharp attitude with the lodgers is a front to distract them from criticizing her.

Vassilisa turns her attention upon Nastya. Her next plan of attack is to find out where her sister, Natasha is or more, specifically, if Natasha is with Pepel. It is only after insulting Nastya that Vassilisa can bring herself to question Nastya about Natasha. 71

LUKA (sighing): You're not very kindly, mother!

(VASSILISA goes to door that leads to PEPEL'S room. ALYOSHKA pokes his head through the kitchen door.) (1)

ALYOSHKA: . Has she left?

VASSILISA (turning around): Are you still here? (2)

(ALYOSHKA disappears, whistling, NASTYA and LUKA laugh.) (3)

BUBNOFF (to VASSILISA): He isn't here-- (4)

VASSILISA: . Who?

BUBNOFF: Vaska.

VASSILISA: Did I ask you about him?

BUBNOFF: I noticed you were looking around--

VASSILISA: ... I am looking to see if things are in order, you see? Why aren't the floors swept yet? How often did I give orders to keep the house clean? (5)

BUBNOFF: It's the actor's turn to sweep—

VASSILISA: . Never mind whose turn it is! If the health inspector comes and fines me, i'll throw out the lot of you—

BUBNOFF (calmly): Then how are you going to earn your living?

VASSILISA: I don't want a speck of 'dirt! (Goes to kitchen; to NASTYA.) What are you hanging round here.for? Why's your face all swollen up? Why are you standing there like a dummy? Go on-- sweep the floor! Did you see Natalia? Was she here? (6) Vassilisa comes downstage center of the table and faces Bubnoff in a profile position.

The few lines between Vassilisa and Bubnoff tell us much about the situation and Bubnoff. Bubnoff will not lie to Vassilisa about her sister’s, being there but he is also quick to come to Natasha's defense. It is apparent that while he detests Vassilisa, he does not feel unkindly towards her sister.

Vassilisa slaps her hand on the table in the first sentence of this speech. Feeling the dirt on the palm of her hand, she brings her hand up and looking at it in disgust, tells them all to clean up as she exits.

Bubnoff throws aside his work for the moment and rises up almost instinctively. Though generally a realist who is usually quite placid though cynical, Bubnoff had to fight for control of his temper during Vassilisa's presence.

Nastya sits stage left of the table on the stool and faces stage right in a quarter position to the audience. Nastya’s act of sitting is a mixture of dejection and relief. She is relieved that Vassilisa has left, but she feels dejection because the scene that just passed has only served to remind her once more of the life she is leading in this gloomy lodging house.

Bubnoff moves to stage left between the table and the bed.

He nods his head in the direction of Pepel's room.

The last few lines he directs to the lodging house. 72

NASTYA: I don't know— I haven't seen her. . .

VASSILISA: . BubnoffI Was my sister here? (1)

BUBNOFF: She brought him along.

VASSILISA: . That one— was he home?

BUBNOFF: Vassily? Yes--Natalia was here talking to Kleshtch-- (2)

VASSILISA: I'm not asking you whom she talked to. Dirt everywhere--filth— ohs you swine! Mop it all up— do you hear? (Exit rapidly.) (3)

BUBNOFF: What a savage beast she is! (4)

LUKA: She's a lady that means business!

NASTYA: You grow to be an animal, leading such a life— any human being tied to such a husband as hers. . . . (5)

BUBNOFF: Well— that tie isn't worrying her any— (6)

LUKA: Does she always have these fits?

BUBNOFF: Always. You see, she came to find her lover--but he isn't home— (7)

LUKA: I guess she was hurt. Oh-ho! Everybody is trying to be boss— and is threatening everybody else with all kinds of punishment-- and still there's no order in life . . . and no cleanliness— (8)

BUBNOFF: . All the world likes order— but some people's brains aren't fit for it. All the same— the room should be swept— Nastya--you ought to get busy! Nastya delivers the last line facing out towards the audience— quarter position. She says the line partly to herself but it is also in defiance of Luka. Her line is not unlide that of a child who proclaims to his parents he is going to do something he knows is wrong in order to hurt and shock them. The shocked reaction Nastya anticipates from Luka is her motivation for saying the line. It is her satisfaction that she has struck back at him and the world because they are the cause of her wrongdoings; she can shift the blame for her actions on them in order to salve her own conscience.

Luka moves in to her and puts a hand on her shoulder.

Despite her defiant attitude, she cannot bear to look at him.

Bubnoff waits for Luka to go into the hall.

He uses "Nastinka” to carry him over to the upstage bench of the table, - -

As Bubnoff delivers this line he puts his left foot on the bench and leans into Nastya. He is in a quarter position to the audience,

Gorky has accomplished two things here. He has given us some important exposition about the Vassilisa, Natasha, Pepel triangle. We see now that Vassilisa1s violent jealousy in the previous scene was more than just her inherent nature. She is on the threshold of losing Pepel to her sister. Gorky has handled the exposition in such a way as to obscure the fact, making it appear that the primary function is to show us that the affairs of their landlords are constant gossip for these lodgers.

There is a slight pause after Bubnoff has delivered this line. The moment of truth for them both comes when they realize that they are only two small specks on the giant earth. Nastya gets up and walks slowly to the door shaking her head all the while, Bubnoff has spoken the truth; there is nothing more to say. After she leaves he is still remaining in the same position at the table lost in thought. 73

NASTYA: Oh, certainly? Anything else? Think I'm your servant? (Silence.) I'm going to get drunk tonight— dead-drunk! (1)

BUBNOFF Fine business!

LUKA: Why do you want to get drunk, girlie? (2) A while ago you were crying--and now you say you'll get drunk--

NASTYA (defiantly): I'll drink— then I cry again— that's all there's to it! (3)

BUBNOFF That's nothing!

LUKA: But for what reason— tell me. Every pimple has a cause! (NASTYA remains silent, shaking her head.) Oh— you men--what's to become of you? All right— i'll sweep the place. Where's your broom?

BUBNOFF Behind the door— in the hall— (LUKA goes into the hall.) (4) Nastinka! (5) . , „

NASTYA: Yes?

BUBNOFF Why did Vassilisa jump on Alyoshka? (6)

NASTYA: He told her that Vaska was tired of her and was going to get rid of her— and that he's going to make up to Natasha— I'll go away from here— i'll find another lodging-house— (7)

BUBNOFF Why? Where ?

NASTYA: I'm sick of this— I'm not wanted here!

BUBNOFF (calmly): You're not wanted anywhere— and, anyway, all people on earth are superfluous— (8)

(NASTYA shakes her head. Rises and slowly, quietly, leaves the cellar, MIEDVTEDEFE comes in. LUKA, with the broom, follows - J / Miedviedieff comes down the steps and gives this line as Luka circles around downstage of him and starts for the kitchen.

Luka stops to answer Miedviedieff.

As Luka turns around to go into the kitchen, he gives Bubnoff a swat on the rear with his broom, breaking Bubnoff's reverie. The swat denotes Luka's pleasure at having perceived truth and humor at the same time; he is, in a sense, saying to Bubnoff, "isn't that right, my friend?"

As Miedviedieff delivers this speech, he makes a complete circle around the table beginning stage right of it, going stage left and upstage of it until he is almost in the same place as when he began the speech.

At the same time, when Miedviedieff begins his speech, Bubnoff sits on the bench at the table and faces the audience full front. His eyes and head follow Miedviedieff as he makes his circle.

After a short pause for transition after he says, "I'll come," Miedviedieff puts his left boot on the stage right stool of the table and leans into Bubnoff on the line, "How's Vaska?" 74

him.

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I don't think I know you-- (1)

LUKA: How about the others--d”you know them all? (2)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I must know everybody in my precinct. But I don't know you.

LUKA: That's because, uncle, the whole world can't stow itself away in your precinct— some of it was bound to remain outside, . . (3) (Goes into kitchen.) . .

MIEDVIEDIEFF (crosses to BUBWOFF): . It's true--my precinct.is rather small— yet it's worse than any of the very largest. Just now, before getting off duty, I had to bring Alyoshka, the shoemaker, to the station house. Just imagine— there he was, stretched right in the middle of the street, playing his concertina and yelping: "I want nothing, nothing I" Horses going past all the time— and with all the traffic going on, he could easily have been run over— and so on I He's a wild youngster— so I just collared him— he likes to make mischief— (4)

BUBNGFF: Coming to play checkers tonight?

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Yes--l'll come--how's Vaska? (5)

BUBNGFF: , Same as ever—

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Meaning— he's getting along— ?

BUBNGFF: Why shouldn't he? He's able to get along all right.

MIEDVIEDIEFF (doubtfully): . Why shouldn't he? (LUKA goes into hallway, carrying a pail.) M — yes— there's a lot of talk about Vaska, Haven't you heard?

BUBNGFF: . I hear all sorts of gossip . . . This exchange of words that takes place between these two men serves several purposes. Gorky starts their conversation with something as seemingly casual and subtle as, "How1s Vaska?" and builds the intensity, not by what is said but rather, by what is not said. We are able to see simultaneously that both men know not only the real truth of the situation, but the fact that they guess each other's thoughts. One feels the other out and tries to learn as much as he is able by admitting as little as he has to. Miedviedieff*s intense pride gets the better of him however, and he actually admits the scandal with such lines as, "I'm not her father. I'm her uncle."

Kvashnya1s entrance is a welcome distraction to them and they are no longer forced to pursue the conversation.

Kvashnya comes down the steps into the room and stands between them on these lines.

He puts his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to explain to her that he is different.

During the beginning of her speech, she takes his hands off her shoulders. This is a sign that though she finds him physically attractive, she does not want to get involved with another human again. In her loneliness, anything as tender as a hand on the shoulder could dissuade her from her convictions and she would be condemned to another long life of sorrow. 75

MIEDVIEDIEFF: There seems to have been some sort of talk concerning Vassilisa. Haven't you heard about it ?

BUBNOFF: What?

MIEDVIEDIBFF: Oh--why--generally speaking, Perhaps you know--and lie. Every's- body knows— (Severely.) You mustn't lie, brother I

BUBNOFF: . Why should I lie?

MIEDVIEDIBFF: That's right. Dogs! They say that Vaska and Vassilisa . . . but what's that to me? I'm not her father. I'm her uncle. Why should they ridicule me? (1) (KVASHNYA comes in.) What are people coming to? They laugh at everything. Ahar-you here? (2)

KVASHNYA: Well— my love sick garrison— ? Bubnoff! He came up to me again on the marketplace and started pestering me about marrying him. . . « (3)

BUBNOFF: . Go to itV Why not? He has money and he's still a husky fellow.

MIEDVIEDIBFF: Me--? I should say so'

KVASHNYA: You ruffian I Don't you dare touch my sore spot I I've gone through it once already, darling. Marriage to a woman is just like jumping through a hole in the ice in winter. You do it once, and you remember it the rest of your life. . . .

MIEDVIEDIBFF: Wait! There are different breeds of husbands. . . . (4)

KVASHNYA: But there's only one of me! When my beloved husband kicked the bucket, I spent the whole day all by my lonely— just bursting with joy. I sat and simply couldn't believe it was true. . . . (5)

MIEDVIEDIBFF: If your husband beat you without cause, you should have com­ plained to the police. (1) Though Kvashnya is partly jesting, her humor is painful; certainly her life just have been one long laborious drudge which subjected her to beating after beating until her husband's death, when she was left to sell dumplings in the street to keep body and soul together.

(2) There is a great deal of ironic humor present in this statement, . _ much of it due to the rigidity in thinking on the part of Miedviedieff. That the law forbids beatings does not keep them from happening; that people cannot be beaten without due cause does not keep people from beating each other; that a man may beat another to maintain discipline is no excuse for anyone, simply because it can be used as an excuse for everyone»

(3) Luka brings Anna down the steps and the two actors downstage of them part in order to throw the center of focus upon them. Miedviedieff moves stage right of Luka and Anna, and Kvashnya moves stage left near Bubnoff.

(4) Luka helps her into the bed.

(5) Kvashnya walks upstage a few steps towards Anna's bed.

(6) Luka covers Anna during these lines.

(7) Luka turns his attention from Anna to them.

(8) Miedviedieff goes to Luka on these lines; it is Miedviedieff the proud, orderly officer speaking. He would rather Anna didn't die in his precinct— one more responsibility he doesn't need.

(9) Luka's flattery of Miedviedieff is not quite clear here; he is either praising him because he does not want to hear him continue preaching any longer or seeks to distract him to keep his cold, rational words from further wounding Anna's ears.

(IQ) The noise of the fight distracts them all from their present thoughts and their attention is turned to the noise in the hall. 76

KVASHNYA: I complained to God for eight years— and He didn't help. (1)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Nowadays the law forbids to beat your wife . . . all is very strict these days— there's law and order everywhere. You can't beat up people without due cause. If you beat them to maintain discipline— all right. (2)

LUKA (comes in with ANNA): Well— we finally managed to get here after all. Oh, you! Why do you, weak as you are, walk about alone? Where's your bunk? (3)

ANNA (pointing): Thank you, granddad. (4)

KVASHNYA: There— she's married— look at her! (5)

LUKA: The little woman is in very bad shape . . . she was creeping along the hallway, clinging to the wall and moaning— why do you leave her by herself? (6)

KVASHNYA: Oh, pure carelessness on our part, little father— forgive us! Her maid, it appears, went out for a walk. . . .

LUKA: Go on— poke fun at me . . . but, all the same, how can you neglect a human being like that? No matter who or what, every human life has its worth. . . . (7)

, MIEDVIEDIEFF: There should be supervision! Suppose she died suddenly--? That would cause a lot of bother . . .we must look after her! (8)

LUKA: True, sergeant!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Well— yes— though I'm not a sergeant— ah--yet!

LUKA: No! But you carry yourself most martially! (9)

(Noise of shuffling feet is heard in the hallway. Muffled cries.) (10) Bubnoff rises from the bench.

Kvashnya is the first one to exit.

Miedviedieff starts up the steps at the beginning of the speech and stands in the doorway finishing it. The rational, proud officer, he must once again lecture to them even at such a moment when his duties are beckoning him.

Bubnoff pushes Miedviedieff out the door delivering his line as he exits, closing the door behind them.

The stage directions were changed here in order to build inten­ sity in the scene. It was too anti-climactic to wait until Kostilyoff opened the door once the fight had begun; Kostilyoff was directed to top Vassilisa and Natasha, yelling the line offstage amidst all the confusion and noise.

Once the door was shut the actors were directed to keep the noise going— muffled somewhat--in order that Luka and Anna could be heard. The noise continued until the end of the scene.

Luka goes to Anna and stands by her bed in a profile position to the audience.

Still facing the same way he sits on a stool by her bed.

She puts a hand to his face, touching it lightly as she delivers these lines.

The stage directions state that Luka "laughs tremulously." This laughter was changed to a quiet, embarrassed laughter— embar­ rassment at the fact that Anna had just given him a compliment.

The lights come down slowly on both of them. 77

MIEDVIEDIBFF: What now--a row?

BUBNOFF: Sounds like it? (1)

KVASHNYA: I ’ll go and see . . , (2)

MIEDVIEDIBFF: I ’ll go, too. It is my duty! Why separate people when they fight? They’ll stop sooner or later of their own accord. One gets tired of fighting. Why not let them fight all they want to— freely? They wouldn't fight half as often— if they’d remember former beatings. . . . (3)

BUBNOFF (climbing down from his bunk): Why don’t you speak to your superiors about it? (4)

KOSTILYOFF (throws open the door and shouts): Abram1 come quick— Vassilisa is killing Natasha--come quick. (5)

(KVASHNYA, MIEDVIEDIBFF, and BUBNOFF rush into hallway; LUKA looks after them, shaking his head).

ANNA: Oh, God--poor little Natasha . . ,

LUKA: Who’s fighting out there?

ANNA: Our landladies— they're sisters .

UJKA (crossing to ANNA): . Why? (6)

ANNA: Oh— for no reason— except that they're both fat and healthy . . .

LUKA: What1s your name? (7)

ANNA: Anna . . . I look at you . . , you're like my father— my dear father . . » you're as gentle as he was— and as soft. . . . (8)

LUKA: Soft I Yes I They pounded me till I got soft 1 (Laughs tremulously.) (9) Zob sits on the edge of the lower bunk on stage right with the Actor seated on the left of him--also on the bunk. The Baron is sitting on the floor-~facing full front--upstage of the stool on which their cards lay. To his left--profile position on the floor--is the Tartar; to the left of the Tartar is Satine whose back is to the audience. Kleshtch is sitting glumly on the bottom step of the door*

Bubnoff and Miedviedieff are playing checkers at the table-- Bubnoff sitting on the bench upstage of the table; Miedviedieff sits on the stoo* stage left of him.

The stage directions were followed for Luka; he is in a profile position to the audience.

Bubnoff and Zob begin the song together and continue it, humming under the lines of the other actors * Though this song was a popular folk song that most everyone in Russia was familiar with in 1902, the Russian albums containing folk songs did not include this tune among the repertoire, nor could it be found in any song book; thus, words were added to it and another Russian folk melody was used for the words.

The Tartar breaks the mood of their song with his threat to Satine.

Zob's "come on, Bubnoff!" refers to the song; they begin the song again bringing it in under the lines of the other actors » When the actors begin to speak however, they go into the hum again. 78

ACT II

Same as Act I— Night„

On the bunks near the stove, SATINE, THE BARON, KRIVOY ZOB, and THE TARTAR play cards, (1) KLESHTCH and THE ACTOR watch them. BUBNOFF, on his bunk, is playing checkers with MIEDVIEDIEFF. (2) LUKA sits on a stool by ANNA'S bedside. (3) The place is lit by two lamps, one on the wall near the card players,.the other is on BUBNOFF1S bunk.

THE TARTAR: I'll play one more game--then I'll stop. . . .

BUBNOFF: Zob! Sing! (He sings.) "The sun rises and sets ..." (4)

ZOB (joining in): "But my prison is dark, dark ..."

THE TARTAR (to SATINE): Shuffle the cards--and shuffle them well. We know your kind—

ZOB and BUBNOFF (together): "Day and night the wardens Watch beneath my window ..."

ANNA: Blows--insults— I've had nothing but that all my life long . . .

LUKA: Don't worry, little mother I

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Look where you're moving!

BUBNOFF: Oh, yes— that's right . . .

THE TARTAR (threatening SATINE with his fist): You're trying to palm a card? I've seen you--you scoundrel . . . (5)

ZOB: Stop it, Hassan! They'll skin us anyway . . . come on, Bubnoff! (6)

ANNA: I can't remember a single day when I didn't go hungry . . . I've been afraid, waking, eating, and sleeping . . . all my life I've Kleshtch rises from the steps and leans into the card game to see the progress the Tartar is making»

Kleshtch stands between Bubnoff and Miedviedieff watching the game.

Luka1s cross to the kitchen was changed from a quick one to a slow one. He has comforted Anna all he is able to for the present time. 79

trembled— afraid I wouldn't get another bite . . . all my life I've been in rags— all through my wretched life--and why . . . ?

LUKA: Yes, yes, child--you're tired— never you mind 1

THE ACTOR (to ZOB): Play the Jack— the Jack, devil take you! (1)

THE BARON: And we play the King I

KLESHTCH: They always win,

SATINE: Such is our habit.

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I have the King!

BUBNOFF: And so have 11

ANNA: I'm dying, , , .

KLESHTCH: ...... Look, look! Prince, throw up the game— throw it up, I tell you!

THE ACTOR: Can't he play without your assistance?

THE BARON: Look out, Andrushka, or I'll beat the life out of you!

THE TARTAR: Deal once more--the pitcher went after water--and got broke--and so did I!

(KLESHTCH shakes his head and crosses to BUBNOFF.) (2)

ANNA: I keep on thinking— is it possible that I'll suffer in the other world as I did in this— is it possible? There, too?

LUKA: Nothing of the sort! Don't you disturb yourself! You'll rest there . . . be patient. We all suffer, dear, each in our own way. « . . (Rises and goes quickly into kitchen.) (3) The talk of the other lodgers lapses for a few moments; Bubnoff and Zob bring up the volume of their song while singing a few words,

The Tartar interrupts the song when he accuses the Baron of hiding a card.

The Tartar throws the cards aside refusing to go any further with the game.

The Tartar denotes his complete disgust with their dishonesty by his act of spitting. His honesty is not a pseudo belief. That he cannot explain "what for" to Satine is proof that he believes what he says; he cannot explain "why" because he has never questioned ?Vhyl?. Honesty is simply inherent in his nature. It is interesting to note that Gorky has written an historical accuracy into the character of the Tartar. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Kazan Tartars who settled on the Volga in the 13th century are a very laborious people with a good reputation for honesty. 80

BUBNOFF (sings): (1) "Watch.as long as you please ..."

ZOB: "l shan't run away ..."

BOTH (together): "l long to be free, free— Alas I I cannot break my chains» . » ."

THE TARTAR (yells): That card was up his sleeve! (2)

THE BARON (embarrassed): Do you want me to shove it up your nose?

THE ACTOR (emphatically): Prince! You're mistaken--nobody— ever . . .

THE TARTAR: I saw it! You cheat! I won't play! (3)

SATINE (gathering up the cards): Leave us alone, Hassan.. . . you knew right along that we're cheats--why did you play with us?

THE BARON: He lost forty kopecks and he yelps as if he had lost a fortune! And a Prince at that!

THE TARTAR (excitedly): Then play honest!

SATINE: What for?

THE TARTAR: What do you mean "what for"?

SATINE: Exactly. What for?

THE TARTAR: Don't you know?

SATINE: I don't. Do you?

(THE TARTAR spits out, furiously; the others laugh at him.) (4) Zob rises while delivering the line and starts to the kitchen singing the song.

Zob beckons the Tartar to come once again and he does so, following Zob into the kitchen.

As Satine lectures to the Baron, the Actor gathers up the cards the Tartar has scattered.

The Actor, having collected the cards, hands them to Satine and waits to see how much Satine made from the game. 81

ZOB (good-naturedly): You're a funny fellow, Hassan! Try to understand this! If they should begin to live honestly, they'd die of starvation inside o f three days.

THE TARTAR: That's none of my business. You must live honestly!

ZOB: They did you brown! Come and let's have tea. . . . (Sings.) (1) "0 my chains, my heavy chains ..." „ . .

BUBNOFF (sings): '.'You're my steely, clanking wardens ..."

ZOB: Come, Hassanka! (2) (Leaves the room, singing.) "I cannot tear you, cannot break you ..."

(THE TARTAR shakes his fist threateningly at THE BARON, and follows the other out of the room.)

SATINE (to BARON, laughing): Well, Your Imperial Highness, you've again sat down magnificently in a mud puddle! You've learned a lot— but you're an ignoramus when it comes to palming a card. (3)

THE BARON (spreading his hands): The Devil knows how it happened. . . .

THE ACTOR: You're not gifted— you've no faith in yourself--and without that you can never accomplish anything. . . » (4)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I've one Queen— and you've two— oh, well . . .

BUBNOFF: One's enough if she has brains--playI

KLESHTCH: You lost, Abram Ivanovitch?

MIEDVIEDIEFF: None of your business— see? Shut up!

SATINE: I've won fifty-three kopecks. (1) The Actor reaches his hand out as if to receive some of the kopecks but draws it back in shame when Satine does not offer to surrender three of them. (2) Luka moves into the group with Satine, the Baron and the Actor who by this time are all standing, having collected their money and cards. (3) The Baron’s offer to Luka tells us that he has grown to like the old man a little. (4) This is the first onstage confrontation of Satine and Luka. Satine's line tells us that he has neither positive nor negative feelings towards Luka; his feeling towards the old man is one of curiousity. Satine wonders what Luka would be like drunk because he cannot figure the man out. He knows not whether to trust or distrust him; drunk, Luka's real character will show through. (5) Luka does not evade the question. His answer tells Satine, "What you see in me now is what I really am. I hide nothing from you; there is nothing to hide." (6) The Actor pulls Luka away from the others. If Luka comes with them he is to be entertained solely by the Actor. As the Actor pulls Luka away, the Baron and Satine go to the door.

(7) The Baron has already left and Satine, in the doorway when he delivers the line, pauses a few seconds to wait for the Actor until the Actor tells him he will join them later. Satine exits. (8) The opening scene of Act II is very similar to the opening of Act I except that the tempo is more rapid in some instances. We have here a series of separate units--the card playing group, the checker group and Anna and Luka, These separate units combine to make a whole, complete unit. The dialogue of all the characters onstage must overlap. There are three completely different tempos of speech and action present upon the stage at one time. The card players deal fast and speak fast; the checker players move slowly and speak fast but not as rapid as the card players; Luka and Anna move slowly and speak slowly. These different rhythms sometimes interlace, sometimes clash or sometines command the center of attention for a few moments, but they ultimately combine together to form the whole, complete unit. (9) The Actor pulls Luka stage right center between the table and the bunka. Here is someone new who perhaps will listen to him; just as a child he must be listened to. As an Actor he cannot forget his need to move and inspire. The other lodgers will not listen to him; there is hope that Luka will. While the Actor is trying to remember the verse, Luka,wanders over to the checker game. (IP) The Actor turns and finds Luka is not next to him. He pulls the old man back to the same spot— stage right of him— determined he shall-listen. This segment of business was invented by the Actor and certainly it added much to the pathos present in this scene between Luka and the Actor. 82

THE ACTOR: Give me three of them . . , though, what111 I do with them? (1)

LUKA (coming from kitchen): Well-the Tartar was fleeced all right, eh? Going to have some vodka? (2)

THE BARON: Come with us, (3)

SATINS: I wonder what you'll be like when you're drunk. (4)

LUKA: Same as when I'm sober. (5)

THE ACTOR: Come on, old man— i'll recite verses for you . . . (6)

LUKA: What ?

THE ACTOR: Verses. Don't you understand?

LUKA: Verses? And what do I want with verses?

THE ACTOR: Sometimes they're funny--sometimes sad.

SATINE: Well, poet, are you coming? (Exit with THE BARON.) (7) (8)

THE ACTOR: I'm coming, I'll join you. For instance, old man, here's a bit of verse--I forget how it begins--! forget . . . (Brushes his hand across his forehead.) (9)

BUBNOFF: There! Your Queen is lost— go on, play!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I made the wrong move.

THE ACTOR: Formerly, before,my organism was poisoned with alcohol, old man, I had a good memory. (10) But now it's all over with me, brother. I used to declaim, these verses with tremendous success --thunders of applause . . . you have no idea what applause The Actor takes a few steps forward and tumipg his body to a quarter position stage right» brings his right hand up higher than his head and stretches his left hand out toward the audience. After striking his pose he says, "I'd stand there and . . we wait and nothing comes. The Actor simply cannot remember..

We feel that somewhere, sometime the Actor must have lost all faith in himself. He mentions faith earlier to the Baron when the Baron failed to. palm a card. He actually tells us that his lack of faith was the reason he drank his soul away. During this speech, Luka and the Actor face each other in a profile position.

Luka is aware of the fact that much of the Actor's problem is that he needs someone to listen to him— to help him recapture his lost faith.

There is a slight pause after these words of Luka's while the Actor begins to envision the dream.

Already he envisions his former days as an Actor; perhaps he can reach those heights again.

The Actor backs up to look at Luka. He feels reverence, hope, mystery generating simultaneously from this man. "See you anon" is delivered as the Actor goes to the door; he whistles as he exits. There is a slight pause with Luka still standing where the Actor has left him. The Actor pokes his head in the door and says "Old man— au revoirI" This last final touch is the Actor's way of telling Luka "Thank you for giving me back my faith and dignity."

Anna is now vying for the old man's attention. She, just as a child would be, is perhaps a little jealous because Luka has paid attention to someone else.

Luka sits down on the stool beside her bed. 83

means . . , it goes to your head like vodka! I'd step out on the stage— stand this way— (Strikes a pose) --I'd stand there and . . , (Pause.) (1) I can't remember a word--I can't remember! My favorite verses--isn't it ghastly, old man?

LUKA: Yes— is there anything worse than forgetting what you loved? Your very soul is in the thing you love!

THE ACTOR: I've drunk my soul away, old man--brother. I'm lost . . . and why? Because I had no faith . . . I'm done with. . . . (2)

LUKA: Well--then— cure yourself! Nowadays they have a cure for drundards. They treat you free of charge, brother. There's a hospital for drunkards— where they're treated for nothing. They've owned up, you see, that even a drunkard is a human being, and they're only too glad to help' him get well. Well— then— go to it! (3)

THE ACTOR (thoughtfully): Where? Where is it?

LUKA: Oh— in some town or other . . . what do they call it— ? I'll tell you the name presently— only, in the meanwhile, get ready. Don't drink so much! Take yourself in hand— and bear up! And then, when you're cured, you'll begin life all over again. Sounds good, brother, doesn't it, to begin all over again? Well--make up your mind! (4)

THE ACTOR (smiling): All over again— from the very beginning— that's fine . . . yes . . . all over again . . . (Laughs.) Well— then— I can, can't I? (5)

LUKA: Why not? A human being can do anything— if he only makes up his riiind.

THE ACTOR (suddenly, as if coming out of a trance): ' You're a queer bird! (6) See you anon! (Whistles.) Old man— au revoir! (Exit.)

ANNA: Granddad! (7)

LUKA: Yes, little mother? (8) The word "chat" was changed to read "talk." "Chat" has a connotation that we associate with old ladies.and tea drinking.

Kleshtch turns his attention from the checker game to Anna. This is one of the very few instances in which he shows tender­ ness towhrds his wife. He feels shame, guilt and jealousy that his wife turns to the old man— almost a stranger— for comfort rather than him. He wants to bring her some words of comfort but he is only able to stand in back of Luka silently.

Luka, sensing Kleshtch's presence in back of him, turns knowing what the man wants; he gives Kleshtch a chance to rise up to the situation.

Embarrassment finally overcomes Kleshtch and he cannot say any­ thing. He has never been tender, to anyone before this, he does not know how. Luka's eyes follow him up the steps. Kleshtch stops and looks at Anna and his and Luka's eyes meet for a second; he then exits. There is nothing more to be said.

Anna's line is indicative of the fact that she is--in a sense-- glad that her husband is taking her dying hard. Every trace of outward love between them has been smothered; pity for others is a luxury Anna cannot afford. It takes all of her strength just to stay alive.

"Darling" was cut out of the script; we associate with it a flamboyant quality which is inappropriate to Anna's character.

Pepel sits on the edge of the lower bunk on stage right. His entrance comes sooner than that designated in the script; he enters on the last of Luka's lines. Though his entrance is of interest to us, it is not important enough to stop all action onstage to make him the center of attention. All that is heeded here is for the audience to notice him then turn their attention back to Anna and Luka. 84

ANNA: Talk to me.

LUKA (close to her.) Come on--let's chat. . . . (1)

(KLESHTCH, glancing around, silently walks over to his wife, looks at her, and makes queer gestures with his hands, as though he wanted to say something.) (2)

LUKA: What is it, brother? (3)

KLESHTCH (quietly): Nothing. (4) (Crosses slowly to hallway door, stands on the threshold for a few seconds, and exit.)

LUKA:(looking after him): Hard on your man, isn't it?

ANNA: He doesn't concern me much . . . (5)

LUKA:. Did he beat you?

ANNA: Worse than that— it's he who's killed me—

BUBNOFF: . My wife used to have a lover— the scoundrel— how clever he was at checkers!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Hh-hm--

ANNA: Granddad! Talk to me, darling--I feel so sick. . . . (6)

LUKA: Never mind--it's always like this before you die, little dove-- never mind, dear! Just have faith! Once you're dead, you'll have peace— always. There's nothing to be afraid of— nothing. Quiet I Peace! Lie quietly! Death wipes out everything. Death is kindly. You die— and you rest--that's what they say. It is true, dear! Because— where can we find rest on this earth?

(PEPEL enters. He is slightly drunk, disheveled, and sullen. Sits down on bunk near door, and remains silent and motionless.) (7) Miedviedieff turns his attention from the game, making a motion with his hand as if to dismiss Luka in disgust.

Luka delivers this line over his shoulder. He knows how to silence Miedviedieff; he flatters him by calling him "Mr. Sargeant.11

He is repentant; it is hard to criticize a man who has just paid you a compliment.

Miedviedieff is irritated; his distraction has caused him to allow Bubnoff to make a strategic move with the checkers.

Anna is torn between the peace that death will bring and self- preservation. As much as she has suffered on earth, living is still better than dying. 85

ANNA: And how is it— there? More suffering?

LUKA: Nothing of the kind! No suffering! Trust me! Rest— nothing else! They'll lead you into God's presence, and they'll say: "Dear God! Behold! Here is Anna, Thy servant!"

MIEDVIEDIEFF (sternly): How do you know what they'll say up there? Oh, you . . . (1)

(PEPEL, on hearing MIEDVIEDIEFF1S voice, raises his head and listens.)

LUKA: Apparently I do know, M r . Sergeant! (2)

MIEDVIEDIEFF (conciliatory): . Yes— it's your own affair— though I'm not exactly a sergeant— yet-- (3)

BUBNOFF: I jump two!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Damn— play! (4)

LUKA: And the Lord will look at you gently and tenderly and He'll say: "l know this Anna!" Then He'll say: "Take Anna into Paradise. Let her have peace. I know. Her life on earth was hard. She is very weary. Let Anna rest in peace!"

ANNA (choking): Grandfather— if it were only so--if there were only rest and peace . . .

LUKA: There won't be anything else! Trust me! Die in joy and not in grief. Death is to us like a mother to small children. . . .

ANN: But--perhaps--perhaps I get well . . . ?

LUKA -(laughing): Why— ? Just to suffer more?

ANNA: But— just to live a little longer . . . just a little longer! Since there'll be no suffering hereafter, I could bear it a little longer down here. . . . (5) Pepel, who has been listening all this time, goes to Luka; as cruel as his words are to Anna he wants Luka to understand that no one is certain what the "hereafter11 holds. His statement is not meant to be cruel to Anna nor to refute Luka for the sake of argument; rather it is to reconcile Pepel to the truth,

Anna turns her head aside in fear. She cannot bear truth now. Unlike Pepel, she is beyond the stage of needing to reconcile herself to the truth concerning the existence of a God; because she is on the threshold of death she can only take hope in Luka's words,

Pepel moves over to Bubnoff and Miedviedieff and stands between them. In his drunken state he is belligerent and is ready to challenge anyone who he feels is crossing him.

Pepel goes upstage to Luka. He stands stage left of Luka in a profile position.

Bubnoff stops his game a moment and delivers this line over his shoulder.

There is a slight pause after Luka says, 'You think I'm joking?" Bubnoff looks at Anna a moment. then turns back to his. game saying "That means she'll stop coughing."

Miedviedieff's "I'd like to murder you" turns Pepel's attention back to him, Pepel moves a few steps downstage until he is between Bubnoff and Miedviedieff; he is determined to pick a fight this time. By calling Miedviedieff by his first name he knows he will arouse him to anger. 86

LUKA: There'll be nothing in the hereafter . . „ but only » . .

PEPEL (rising): Maybe.yes--maybe no! (1)

ANNA (frightened): Oh--God!_(2)

LUKA: Hey--Adonis!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Who's that yelping?

PEPEL (crossing over to him): l! What of it? (3).

MIEDVIEDIEFF: You yelp needlessly--that's what! People ought to have some dignity!

PEPEL: Block-head! And that's an uncle for you--ho-ho!

LUKA (to PEPEL, in an undertone): Look here--don't shout-rthis woman's dying— her lips are already gray— don't disturb her!

PEPEL: I've respect for you, granddad. (4) You're all right, you are! You lie well, and you spin pleasant yarns. Go on lying, brother --there's little fun in this world. . . .

BUBNOFF: Is the woman really dying? (5)

LUKA: You think I'm joking?

BUBNOFF: (6) . That means she'll stop coughing. Her cough was very disturbing, I jump two!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I'd like to murder you!

PEPEL: Abramka! (7) Pepel succeeds in incensing Miedviedieff; he bristles indignantly.

Pepel further insults him by mispronouncing his name deliberately.

As miedviedieff throws up the game he rises slowly. His fierce pride causes him to lose his temper» He refuses to have the sins of his family exposed by others. .

Pepel moves into Miedviedieff and both confront each other; they are in a profile position to audience.

With each accusation in his speech, Pepel backs Miedviedieff up until he is caught between Pepel and the little bedroom stage left. At the same time these two are moving stage left, Bubnoff rises and moves stage left of the bench and Luka rises from the stool by Anna's bed and moves stage right of Bubnoff. Their move serves to put the focus of attention on Pepel and. Miedviedieff and to prepare to stop a fight should one begin.

At the beginning of these lines, Pepel grabs Miedviedieff by the shirt front.

Though the indignant Miedviedieff is still defending his and his family's reputation, his tone has changed from an offensive to a defensive one; he begins to fear Pepel.

Pepel, deciding the consequences are not worth a fight, turns the man loose and moves down stage left--facing full front. His threat to ruin the family stems not from fear of being punished for his own thievery, but from the pain of having to face the fact that Natasha has been beaten again. Particularly frustrating to him is his inability to save her from such punishment. 87

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I'm not Abramka to you! (1)

PEPEL: Abrashka! Is Natasha ill? (2)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: None of your business!

PEPEL: Come— tell me I Did Vassilisa beat her up very badly?

MIEDVIEDIEFF: That’s none of your business, either I It’s a family affair! Who are you anyway ?

PEPEL: Whoever I am, you’ll never see Natashka again if I choose!

MIEDVIEDIEFF (throwing up the game): (3) What’s that? Who are you alluding to? My niece by any chance? You thief!

PEPEL: A thief whom you were never able to catch! (4)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Wait— I'll catch you yet— you’ll see— sooner than you think!

PEPEL: If you catch me, God help your whole nest! Do you think i'll keep quiet before the examining magistrate? Every wolf howls! They'll ask me: "Who made you steal and showed you where?" "Mishka Kostilyoff and his wife!" "Who was your fence?" '.'Mishka Kostilyoff and his wife!" (5)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: You lie! No one will believe you!

PEPEL: They'll believe me all right--because it's the truth! And I ’ll drag you into it, too. Ha! i ’ll ruin the lot of you— devils-- just watch! (6)

MIEDVIEDIEFF (confused): You lie! You lie! And what harm did I do to you, you mad dog? (7)

PEPEL: And what good did you ever do me? (8) 88

LUKA: That's right!

MIEDVIEDIEFF (to LUKA): Well-what are.you croaking about? Is it any of your business? This is a family matter! (1) .

BUBNOFF (to LUKA): Leave them alone! What do we care if they twist each other's tails? (2) "• -

LUKA (peacefully): I meant no harm. All I said was that if a man isn't good to you, then he's acting wrong. . . .

MIEDVIEDIEFF (uncomprehending): Now then--we all of us here know each other— but you— who are you? (Frowns and exit.) (3)

LUKA: The cavalier is peeved! Oh-ho, brothers, I see your affairs are a bit tangled up!

PEPEL: He'll run to complain about us to Vassilisa. . . . (4)

BUBNOFF: You're a fool, Vassily. You're very bold these days, aren't you? Watch out! It's all right to be bold when you go gather­ ing mushrooms, but what good is it here? They'll break your neck before you know it! (5)

PEPEL: Well--not as fast as all that! You don't catch us Yaroslayl boys napping! If it's going to be war, we'll fight. . . .

LUKA: Look here, boy, you really ought to go away from here— (6)

PEPEL: Where? Please tell me! (7)

LUKA: Go to Siberia!

PEPEL: If I go to Siberia, it'll be at the Tsar's expense!

LUKA: Listen! You go just the same! You can make your own way there. They need your kind out there. . . . There is a slight pause just after this speech of Luka's; Pepel stares at him for a moment in puzzlement.

Pepel's question stems from his inability to figure Luka out.

He is irritated now; he thinks the old man is playing dumb. This line tops his first question in intensity and volume.

During this short scene between Pepel and Luka, the actors were instructed to remain facing each other in a profile position the whole time. This was in order to build up the intensity and importance of the scene. Pepel's confrontation with Luka culmi­ nates in a turning point for him.

Bubnoff delivers this line while sitting on the table. He is removed from Pepel and Luka by a physical distance just as his words show he is removed from their way of thinking. He cannot comprehend why Pepel has a great need for a higher truth be­ cause he— cynical realist that he is— has never had reason to question truth himself.

His eyes never stray from Luka— even when he tells Bubnoff to be quiet. He questions the truth about the existence of a God because he refuses to be put off by any more lies. He is testing Luka; he is waiting to trap him. If Luka answers "no", Pepel can dismiss him as a hypocrite and prove him a liar; if Luka answers "yes" he is also trapped because Pepel will answer him with the question, "Then why do we all live in such a hell?" 89

PEPEL: My way is clear. My father spent all his life in prison, and I inherited the trait. Even when I was a small child, they called me thief— thief’s son,

LUKA: But Siberia is a fine country--a land of gold. Anyone who has health and strength and brains can live there like a cucumber in a hot-house6 (1)

PEPEL: Old man, why do you always tell lies? (2)

LUKA: . . What?

PEPEL: Are you deaf? I ask— why do you always lie? (3)

LUKA: What do I lie about ?

PEPEL: About everything. According to you, life’s wonderful every­ where— but you lie . . . why?

LUKA: Try to believe me. Go and see for yourself. And some day you’ll thank me for it. What are you hanging round here for? And, besides, why is truth so important to you? Just think! Truth may spell death to you! .

PEPEL: It's all one to me! If that--let it be that!

LUKA: Oh— what a madman! Why should you kill yourself? (4)

BUBNOFF: What are you two jawing about, anyway? I don't understand. What kind of truth do you want, Vaska? And what for? You know the truth about yourself--and so does everybody else. . . . (5)

PEPEL: Just a moment! Don't crow! Let him tell me! Listen, old man! Is there a God? (6)

(LUKA smiles silently.) Pepel persists; he will not allow the old man to back out* He will prove him a phony to himself and the others once and for all.

After a slight pause Luka answers him.

Pepel is shaken; he had not expected such an answer. He had figured that the great truth could only be answered by "yes1* or "no11. He is unable to speak; the great question which had haunted him all his young life has finally been answered by one words "faith/1

Completely oblivious to all that has just occurred, Bubnoff rises in disgust and starts for the door. Pausing halfway he waits for Pepel to follow.

Completely ignored by both of them, he goes to the door and is about to exit when he sees Vassilisa in the doorway.

Vassilisa is still standing in the door.

After Bubnoff8s "no," Vassilisa decends the steps and goes to Anna’s bed.

Luka moves over to Anna’s bed as if to caution Vassilisa to be more quiet»

Luka circles around downstage of her, goes to the door and shuts it. BUBNOFF: People just drift along— like shavings on a stream. When house is built— the shavings are thrown away!

PEPEL: Well? Is there a God? Tell me. (1)

LUKA (in a low voice): (2) If you have faith, there is; if you haven't, there isn't . whatever you believe in, exists. . . .

(PEPEL looks at LUKA in staring surprise.) (3)

BUBNOFF: I'm going to have tea--come on over to the restaurant! (4)

LUKA (to PEPEL): What are you staring at?

PEPEL: Oh--just because! Wait now— you mean to say . . .

BUBNOFF: Well--I'm off. (5)

(Goes to door and runs into VASSILISA.)

PEPEL: So--you . . .

VASSILISA (to BUBNOFF): Is Natasha home? (6)

BUBNOFF: No. (Exit.) (7)

PEPEL: Oh--you've come--?

VASSILISA (crossing to ANNA): Is.she alive yet?

LUKA: Don't disturb her! (8)

VASSILISA: What are you loafing around here for?

LUKA: I'll go— if you want me to. . . . (9) (1) Vassilisa goes to Pepel's1 room, opens the door and stands in the doorway waiting for him to come. (2) During the time Vassilisa is waiting at the door for Pepel to come to her, Luka goes over to the stove and climbs upon it. The door serves as a screen to hide Luka from her. (3) Pepel moves from his former position--where he was standing with Luka--to downstage right of table. This move represents a subconscious effort on his part to put as much distance and as many objects as he is able to put between them. Vassilisa could not have entered at a more inopportune moment. Just as Pepel had received a great spiritual uplift and awakening, Vassilisa entered destroying it all by reminding him of the sinful pleasures of the flesh they 4iad experienced together. Now the spiritual hunger for faith, remorse for past pleasures, guilt for sinful lust and anger for the thwarting of his attempts to rise above the past, all rage inside of him. Gorky has again created a very dramatic quality to this scene with the barest minimum of words. Pepel's, "I don't want to . . ." shows us a man suddenly turned boy begging, "Please. Please go away and leave me the little innocence I have left." (4) This simple line allows us to feel the revulsion Pepel is experiencing. (5) She comes up to him from behind and puts her arms around his waist. (6) Pepel does not turn to Vassilisa on this line; he does not wish to look at her any more then he has to. His cold response to her arms causes her to unclasp her arms from around his waist. She goes around upstage of him to check on Anna and see if she is sleeping, then she circles around the table coming downstage a few feet from him. Vassilisa is not content to let the matter drop; she intends to pursue it. (7) He still refuses to face her. (8) She comes up close behind him again. (9) Pepel turns slowly to her looking at her all the while. Despite her question, she knows why he is staring; she deliberately moved in close behind him to break down his defenses. (10) As he says this line, he cannot resist the temptation to touch her. With his upstage hand he caresses her cheek moving his hand down to her neck, Vassilisa has been waiting for this; she puts both her arms around his neck and begins to draw him toward her, when he reaches up with both his hands and takes her arms gently, slowly but firmly down.

(11) "Liked" was changed to "loved." In a scene such as this, "liked" does not command the same dramatic effect. 91

VASSILISA (turning toward PEPEL'S room): VaskaI I've some business with you . » . (1)

(LUKA goes to hallway door, opens it, and shuts it loudly, then warily climbs into a bunk, and from there to the top of the stove.) (2)

VASSILISA (calling from PEPEL'S room): Vaska--come here!

PEPEL: I won't come— I don't want to... . (3)

VASSILISA: . Why? What are you angry about?

, 1 PEPEL: I'm sick of the whole thing. . . . (4)

VASSILISA: Sick of me, too? (5)

PEPEL: Yes! Of you, too! (6) (VASSILISA draws her shawl about her, pressing her hands over her breast. Crosses to ANNA, looks carefully through the bed curtains, and returns to PEPEL.) Well — out with it!

VASSILISA: What do you want me to say? I can't force you to be loving, and I'm not the sort to beg for kindness. Thank you for telling me the truth.

PEPEL: What truth? (7)

VASSILISA: That you're sick of me— or isn't it the truth? (8) (PEPEL looks at her silently. (9) She turns to him.) What are you staring at? Don't you recognize me?

PEPEL (sighing): . You're beautiful, Vassilisa! (10) (She puts her arm about his neck but he shakes it off.) But I never gave my heart to you. I've lived with you and all that— but I never really loved you. . . . (11)

VASSILISA (quietly): That so? Well— ? He turns away from her again in disgust.

Pepel moves away from her.

On the line, "Woman, you've no soul" Pepel turns to her. In exasperation he tries to impress upon her that he is seeking more than a physical love; he is seeking something she is incapable of giving him.

She moves in close to him again.

Once again he tries to escape her pursuit by moving upstage around the stage right side of table.

Vassilisa grabs his arm; she has not finished; both are profile facing stage left.

He does not turn to her on this line.

Vassilisa gets a better hold on him. 92

PEPEL: What is there to talk about? Nothing„ Go away from me I (1)

VASSILISA: Taken a fancy to someone else?

PEPEL: None of your business' Suppose I have-’-I wouldn't ask you to be my matchmaker I (2)

VASSILISA (significantly): That's too bad ... . perhaps I might arrange a match

PEPEL (suspiciously): . Who with?

VASSILISA: You know— why do you pretend? Vassily--let me be frank, (With lower voice.) I won't deny it— you've offended me . . . it was like a bolt from the blue . . . you said you loved me--and then all of a sudden . . .

PEPEL: It wasn't sudden at all. It's been a long time since I . . . woman, you've no soul! (3) A woman must have a soul . . .we men are beasts--we must be taught— and you, what have you taught me— ?

VASSILISA: Never mind the past I I know— no man owns his own heart— you don't love me any longer . . . well and good, it can't be helped 1 (4)

PEPEL: So that's over. We part peaceably, without a row as it should be I (5)

VASSILISA: Just a moment! (6) All the same, when I lived with you, I hoped you'd help me out of this swamp— I thought you'd free me from my husband and my uncle--from all this life— and perhaps, Vassya, it wasn't you whom I loved— but my hope— do you under­ stand? I waited for you to drag me out of this mire. . . .

PEPEL: You aren't a nail--and I'm not a pair of pincers! I thought you had brains— you are so clever--so crafty. . . . (7)

VASSILISA (leaning closely toward him): Va$sya--Let”s help each other! (8) He whirls on her then steps around her, moving downstage center.

She follows him coming stage right of him.

He turns slowly towards her, suspicious of the plans. Pepel knows Vassiiisa too well; she would not give him up to her sister— especially for money— unless she asked a big favor in return.

There is a pause while Pepel's shock subsides. He knew Vassiiisa was not easily disuaded from whatever she desired, but it is almost beyond his belief that she would not stop short of murder.

He bursts into ah almost uncontrollable laughter. He laughs because he is relieved that he would not even consider such a plan; he also laughs at the audacity of Vassiiisa to think that he would.

Vassiiisa snaps him out of the laughter with a violent slap across his face. The slap is an indication of the brutal, savage quality that is present in Vassiiisa; the quality that comes uncontrollably forth when she is thwarted. If her slap jolts Pepel from his laughter, it also quickly awakens her to remember who she is dealing with; she may beat Natasha and get away with it, but brutality to Pepel will only show her for what she is— a brutal beast. She turns away in repentance as soon as she does the deed.

She turns to him again trying to persuade him.

Vassiiisa*s mention of beating Natasha motivates Pepel to flee from her again. He crosses downstage of her and the table, going stage left near his room.

She follows him with one last effort. What Vassiiisa does not realize is the more she speaks, the less she convinces Pepel of the plan. Other than the fact that murder is involved, he realizes that a plan coming from such a brutal person could only have a brutal end. 93

PEPSL: How?

VASSILISA (low and forcibly): My sister— I know you've fallen for her. . . .

PEPEL: And that's why you beat her up $ like the beast you are*> Look out, ^assilisa' Don't you touch her! (1)

VASSILISA: Wait. Don't get excited. We can do everything quietly and pleasantly. You want to marry her. I'll give you money . . . three hundred rubles--even more than . . . (2)

PEPEL (moving away from her): What do you mean? (3)

VASSILISA: Rid me of my husband! Take that noose from around my neck.... (4)

PEPEL (whistling softly): So that's the way the land lies! You certainly planned it cleverly . . .in other words, the grave for the husband, the gallows for the lover, and as for yourself . . . (5)

VASSILISA: Vassya! (6) Why the gallows? It doesn't have to be yourself— but one of your pals! (7) And supposing it were yourself— who'd know? Natalia--just think--and you'll have money--you go away somewhere . . . you free me forever--and it'11 be very good for my sister to be away from me— the si^h# "of her enrages me... . I get furious with her on account of you, and I can't control myself. I tortured the girl— I beat her up— beat her up so that I myself cried with pity for her--but I'll beat her--and i'll go on beating her!

PEPEL: Beast! Bragging about your beastliness? (8)

VASSILISA: I'm not bragging— I speak the truth. (9) Think now, Vassya. You've been to prison twice because of my husband— through his greed. He clings to me like a bedbug— he's been sucking the life out of me for the last four years— and what sort of a husband is he to me? He's forever abusing Natasha— calls her a beggar— he's just poison, plain poison, to everyone. . . »

PEPEL: You spin your yarn cleverly. (1) As Vassilisa delivers this last line, she clings to Pepel while Kostilyoff stands watching, thus far unnoticed by either of them.

(2) The stage direction was not followed and Kostilyoff is still in the doorway. . ,

(3) Pepel is the first to notice Kostilyoff and flings Vassilisa's hands off as he delivers, "Oh,— go away!"

(4) Just as Vassilisa is delivering "Think it over," Kostilyoff comes slowly down the steps. Upon hearing him, she turns and moves downstage center of the table.

(5) Disregarded.

(6) He slams his fist on the table.

(7) During this speech Kostilyoff makes a half circle starting from upstage center of the table coming downstage between Pepel and stage left of the table, ending up downstage center of the table. His movement is a slow, cunning pursuit of Vassilisa, As he moves however, so does she; she is now on the same plane with Kostilyoff, only she has moved several feet stage right of the table.

(8) After Vassilisa has ascended the steps, she pauses a few moments as if to remind Pepel, "Remember, think it over,"

(9) Pepel, incensed by what he has just witnessed--because it has been another poignant reminder of all that is wrong with his life--can control his emotions no longer. He lunges at Kostilyoff, grabs him around the neck and pushes him towards the door. The succeeding lines, up to Luka's interference, are all delivered as the two struggle towards the door.

(10) This stage direction to be omitted here because it is more dramatically effective if used with above lines.

(11) Pepel does not jump on a bunk but rather takes a few steps towards the stove. As soon as he sees who it is, he goes to the hall door and shuts it. 94

VASSILISA: Everything I say is true. Only a fool could be as blind as you. . . . (1)

(KOSTILYOFF enters stealthily and comes forward noisily.) (2)

PEPEL (to VASSILISA): Oh— go . away I (3)

VASSILISA: Think it over. (4) (Sees her husband.) What? You? Following me?

(PEPEL leaps up and stares at KOSTILYOFF savagely.) (5)

KOSTILYOFF: It's I, li So the two of you were here alone--you were— ah-- conversing? (Suddenly stamps his feet and screams.) Vassilisa— you bitch I (6) You beggar! You damned hag! (Frightened by his own screams which are met by silence and indifference on the part of the others.) Forgive me, 0 Lord . . . Vassilisa— again you've led me into the path of sin. . . . I've been looking for you everywhere. It's time to go to bed. You forgot to fill the lamps— oh, you . , . beggar! Swine! (7)

(Shakes his trembling fist at her, while VASSILISA slowly goes to door, glancing at PEPEL over her shoulder.).(8)

PEPEL (to KOSTILYOFF): Go away--clear out of here— (9)

KOSTILYOFF (yelling): What? I? The Boss? I get out? You thief!

PEPEL (sullenly): . Go away, Mishka!

KOSTILYOFF: Don't you dare— I--I*11 show you.

(PEPEL seizes him by the collar and shakes him. From the stove comes loud noises and yawns. PEPEL releases KOSTILYOFF who runs into the hallway, screaming.) (10) ,

PEPEL (jumping on a bunk): . Who is it? Who's on the stove? (11)

LUKA (raising his head): Eh? Pepel leans against the shut door a moment, relieved that it was only Luka'who saw and that the old man interrupted them when he did. Relief also floods through Pepel at the realization that he came to his senses before doing a foolish deed because of a fit of temper. When he has had a few moments to catch his breath, he goes to the stove and tells the old man to come down.

Luka climbs down on this line.

He is down from the stove.

Luka sits on the stage left edge of the bench upstage of the table.

Pepel comes down to the same plane, stage left of Luka.

Pepel moves downstage right away from Luka— a quarter position. He is reminded once again of the horror of committing such an act of violence.

Luka gets up and goes to Pepel, standing stage left of him. 95

PEPEL: You?

LUKA (undisturbed): I--I myself— oh, dear Jesus!

PEPEL (shuts hallway door, looks for the wooden closing bar, but can't . find it): The devil! Come down, old man! (1)

LUKA: I'm climbing down--all right. . . . (2)

PEPEL (roughly): . What did you climb on that stove for?

LUKA: Where was I to go?

PEPEL: Why--didn't you go out into the hall?

LUKA: The hall's too cold for an old fellow like myself, brother.

PEPEL: - You overheard ?

LUKA: Yes— I did. How could I help it? (3) Am I deaf? Well, my boy, happiness is coming your way. Real, good fortune I call it! (4)

PEPEL (suspiciously): .. What good fortune— ? (5)

LUKA: In so far as I was lying on the stove . . » PEPEL: Why did you make all that noise?

LUKA: Because I was getting warm . . . it was your good luck . . . I thought if only the boy wouldn't make a mistake and choke the old man . . .

PEPEL: Yes--I might have done it . » . how terrible. . . . (6)

LUKA: Small wonder! It isn't difficult to make a mistake of that sort. (7)

V ■ Pepel does not turn to Luka on this line; he is still in the same position» There is something in Luka8s statement, t!Boy, listen to me" that causes Pepel to turn around to the old man and wait intently. Perhaps it is Lukass tone of voice, Pepel8s need to listen to someone, or simply the fact that Luka has called him "boy88; whatever it is that causes Pepel*s response is not clear-?not even to Pepel--but he turns, ready to listen to the old man. This speech appears to show the real reason the old man climbed upon the stove; he deliberately snooped to see if Pepel had a chance. When Pepel defended himself against every one of Vassilisa8s temptations, the old man realized the boy was worth saving. During this speech of Luka8s, Anna begins a fit of coughing in order to give a motivation to a later line of Luka8s . This fit of coughing is her one last struggle for life before she dies. There is no mention in the script of Anna8s actual death. It appears that Gorky sought to obscure the actual event in order to make the discovery after the fact more dramatically effective than the death itself. Certainly the audience themselves must feel a twinge of conscience when they reflect back to her final fit of coughing and remember that all they could feel for her at this point was irritation; her cough made them strain to hear Luka8s advice to Pepel. One word was changed and a phrase eliminated from this speech of Luka8s . "Like" was changed to "love"; the former word did not have a strong enough connotation for the manner in which it was used. "Clean out" was eliminated because its sound is more American slang than Russian colloquialism. Luka starts to Anna on the last of his lines;he was aware of her coughing and is anxious to see her. Pepel stops Luka; never before had anyone taken the time to help him and he cannot understand why this old man seeks to now. We .wonder, at this point, whether the interruption is more convenient for Luka or Gorky. Would an explanation to the young Pepel have taken that much longer or was Anna simply used as a welcome-excuse because Luka did not know why he had helped this man, or was it simply that Luka was embarrassed to admit his love for humanity? It appears that Gorky avoided giving Luka an answer either because he did know what that answer would be or because he wanted to keep Luka shrouded in mystery. Luka delivers this line as he crosses to the bed. He tucks the covers about her--not covering her face— and straightens up to look at her as he delivers these lines.

Both Pepel and Luka are in a profile positionto the audience.

Luka does not turn to Pepel; he is still looking at Anna. 96

PEPEL (smiling): What's the matter? Did you make the same sort of mistake once upon a time? (1) .

LUKA: Boy, listen to me, (2) Send that woman out of your life. Don't let her near you! Her husband— she'll get rid of him herself— and in a shrewder way than you could— yes! Don't you listen to tliat devil! Look at me! I am bald-headed--know why? Because of all these women, . . . Perhaps I knew more women than I had hair on the top of my head— but this Vassilisa— she's worse than the plague. . , . (3)

PEPEL: I don't understand . . . I don't know whether to thank you— or— well. . .

LUKA: Don't say a word! You won't improve on what I said. Listen: take the one you like by the arm, and march out of here— get out of here--clean out . , . (4)

PEPEL (sadly): _ I can't understand people. Who is kind and who isn't? It's all a mystery to me. . . .

LUKA: What's there to understand? There's all breeds of men . . . they all live as their hearts tell them . . . good today, bad tomorrow! But if you really care for that girl . . . take her away from here and that's all there is to it. Otherwise go away alone., . . you're young— you're in no hurry for a wife. (5)

PEPEL (taking him by the shoulder): Tell me! Why do you say all this? (6)

LUKA: Wait. Let me go. (7) I want a look at Anna . , . she was coughing so terribly . » . (8) (Goes to ANNA'S bed, touches her. PEPEL, thoughtfully and distraught, follows him with his eyes.) Merciful Jesus Christ! Take into Thy keeping the soul of this, woman Anna, newcomer amongst the blessed! (9)

PEPEL (softly): Is she dead? (Without approaching, he stretches himself atid looks at the bed.) (10)

LUKA (gently): Her sufferings are over! Where's her husband? (11) the saloon" was changed to "out drinking"; the former phrase has a connotation we associate with the Western part of the United States» Luka goes up the step and opens the door; on his last phrase "the living," he turns to Pepel„ Pepel takes a few steps forward. Pepel gives his line, "I don't like it" as he moves towards the door. His move is the longest path to-the door he can take* It would be shorter to go upstage of the table, but Pepel goes downstage of it making the widest arc possible as he goes to the door, his eyes on Anna the whole while. He wants to put as much distance between himself and death as is possible. Anna's death reminds him of what his own life will come to one day; he has just begun to dream, to hope, to live and he is not ready to reconcile himself with death at this moment. As he exits he forgets even to close the door behind him. The Actor is to hold for a count of eight beats— approximately ten seconds--before beginning his offstage noise. This would give the audience time to reflect on what has just happened and adjust to a transition completely different in mood, tempo and rhythm. The pause also serves to accomplish dramatic reality; it allows Luka and Pepel the chance to get away without meeting the Actor offstage. During this short interval, the plaintiff plucking of a singular balalaika can be heard. Just before he enters, the Actor--mumbling to himself— stumbles and falls in the hallway. When the audience first views him he is on his hands and knees picking himself up. The Actor staggers down the steps, and goes straight for the table. As he begins the poem, he climbs on the upstage bench and from the bench goes to the table. He needs a lofty place from which to deliver his speech; the Actor is reliving one of his great moments on the stage.

He spreads his arms out as if to "enfold all humanity."

Natasha comes down the steps as she delivers this line.

The Actor climbs down from the table using the stage right stool, and goes to Natasha.

They face each other profile. 97

PEPEL: In tfte saloon, most likely. . . . (1)

LUKA: Well— he'll have to be told«

PEPEL (shuddering): I don't like corpses!

LUKA (going to door): Why should you like them? It's the living who demand our love-- the living. . . . (2)

PEPEL: I'm coming with you. . . . (3) '

LUKA: Are you afraid?

PEPEL: I don't like it. . . , (4)

They go out quickly. The stage is empty and silent for a few moments. (5) Behind the door is heard a dull, staccato, in­ comprehensible. noise. Then THE ACTOR enters. (6)

THE ACTOR (stands at the open door, supporting himself against the jamb, and shouts): Hey, old man— where are you— ? I just remembered--listen . . , (7)

(Takes two staggering steps forward and, striking a pose, recites.)

"Good people! If the world cannot find (8) A path to holy truth. Glory be to the madman who will enfold all humanity (9) In a golden dream ..." (NATASHA appears in thh doorway behind THE ACTOR) Old man! (Recites): "if tomorrow the sun were to forget To light our earth. Tomorrow then some madman's thought Would bathe the world in sunshine. ..."

NATASHA (laughing): Scarecrow! You're drunk!

THE ACTOR (turns to her): Ohr-it's you? Where's the old man, the dear old man. (11) Not a soul here seems to me . . . Natasha, farewell— rightr-farewel 1 !. (12) (1) She starts to step around him but he stays her with a hand.

(2) "Take the veil," was changed to, "Get thee to a nunnery." "Take the veil," is a distortion of Hamlet and certainly the Actor would remember one of the more familiar lines of Hamlet. "Get thee to a nunnery" is also more understandable in context with the whole speech. He is going to escape out of this mire and leave the temptations this way of living produces; he wants her to do the same.

(3) During this section of his speech, he walks away from her and moves downstage right of the table as he speaks. In his drunken stupor, his mind wanders from her to his new dream.

(4) In this quick transition, he whirls back in her direction building the intensity of the speech with the use of volume.

(5) Calm once again, he goes up to her and begins to tell her about his stage name. When he shouts in her face that "even dogs have their names" she quickly slips away from him. (6) The first part of Natasha's speech, "Look, my dear" is delivered to Anna. She is just going to tell her something when she notices that Anna is lifeless. "She's dead" is repeated once again. The Actor, in his drunken stupor, would not catch the full impact of the statement the first time. (7) "impossible" was changed to read, "it can't be." "impossible" has a curt, pompous sound that is out of tone with the rest of the Actor's speeches. As the Actor delivers this line, he walks over to the stage right bunk, placing his hand on the top level as if to use it for support. He is turned away from Anna— quarter position to audience. (8) Bubnoff comes down from the steps as he delivers the line. (9) Natasha, still not recovered from the shock, does not take her eyes off the body". ' (10) Bubnoff goes to Anna's bed first— as soon as he hears the news-- before delivering any of his lines. After he has viewed the body a few moments, he turns away from it and walks slowly to his bunk— his hands in his pockets. Staring down at the floor, he delivers his lines. (ID At the suggestion that Kleshtch should be notified; the Actor, snapping out of the shock, gets a sudden inspiration that he will be the one to inform the man. He starts up the steps at the beginning of this speech, then turns and pauses before saying, "she lost her name."

(12) Natasha moves away from Anna's bed and comes downstage left between the table and Pepel's room. She is full front.

(13) Bubnoff gives his lines as he climbs on the upstage side of the top bunk. 98

NATASHA (entering): Don't wish me farewell, before you've wished me how-d'you-do! (1)

THE ACTOR (barring her way): I am going. Spring will come— and I'll be here no longer—

NATASHA: Wait a moment! Where dp you propose going?

THE ACTOR: In search of a town— to be cured— And you, Ophelia, ust go away! Get thee to a nunnery I (2) Just imagine— there's a hospital to cure--ah--organisms for drunkards--a wonderful hospital— built of marble--with marble floors . . . light— clean — food— and all gratis! And a marble floor— yes! I'll find it --i'll get cured— and then I shall start life anew. . . . (3) I'm on my way to regeneration, as King Lear said. (4) Natasha, my stage name is . . . Svertchkoff:—Zavoloushski .... do you realize how painful it is to lose one's name? Even dogs have their names . . . (5) (NATASHA carefully passes THE ACTOR, stops at ANNA'S bed and looks.) To be nameless--is not to exist!

NATASHA: Look, my dear--why— she's dead. . . „ (6)

THE ACT©R (shakes his head): Impossible . . . (7)

NATASHA (stepping back): So help me God?-look . . .

BUBNOFF (appearing in doorway): . . What is there to look at? (8)

NATASHA: Anna— she's dead! (9)

BUBNOFF: That means— she's stopped coughing! (Goes to ANNA'S bed, looks, and returns to his bunk.) We must tell Kleshtch— it's his business to know. . . . (10)

THE ACTOR: I'll go— I'll say to him— she lost her name— (Exit.) (11)

NATASHA (in center of room): I, too— some day— i'll be found in the cellar— dead. . . „ (12)

BUBNOFF (spreading out some rags on his bunk): What's that? What are you muttering? (13) She does not look at Vaska; this line is almost to herself.

He lies down, his head facing the downstage side of the bed.

Natasha does not look at Bubnoff any of the times when she answers him.

Bubnoff raises up on his elbow and looks at her; he is trying to comfort her by telling her death is inevitable to everyone. What Bubnoff cannot realize— because he is such a down-to-earth realist— is that Natasha does not mind death. Her great fear is failure to find a meaning to life before it ends. Anna's death is a poignant reminder of the futility of her life. After an unhappy life full of beatings and sickness, Anna finally went to her death in a dingy cellar with no one to comfort her in her last moments and no one to mourn her after death. Natasha fears she will end up the same way.

Natasha does not move her body, she simply turns her head a little, delivering the line over her shoulder.

They are already at the bed by this time; there is no reason for Kleshtch to peer over the others shoulders; there is room for him to stand at the head.

Zob gazes at Anna as he delivers this line. Rather than deliver the line just to the Tartar, he says it half to himself and to the others viewing the body.

Natasha whirls upon them with her line, "oh you" but seeing Luka coming to her turns away again— full front— in embarrassment.

Luka puts an arm around Natasha in an effort to console her. 99

NATASHA: Nothing much » . . (1)

BUBNOFF: Waiting for Vaska, eh? Take care— Vassilisa111-.break your head.

NATASHA: Isn't it the same who breaks it? I ’d much rather he'd do it I

BUBNOFF (lying down): Well— that’s your own affair. . . . (2)

NATASHA: It’s best for her to be dead— yet it’s a pity . . . oh. Lord— why do we live? (3)

BUBNOFF: It’s so with all . . . w e ’re born, live, and die— and I ’ll kie, too--and so’11 you--what*s there to be gloomy about? (4)

(Enter LUKA, THE TARTAR, ZOB, and KLESHTCH. The latter comes after the others, slowly, shrunk up.)

NATASHA: Sh-sh! Anna! (5)

ZOB: W e ’ve heard— God rest her soul. . . .

THE TARTAR (to KLESHTCH): We must take her out of here. Out into the hall! This is no place for corpses— but for the living . . .

KLESHTCH (quietly): W e ’ll take her out--

(Everybody goes to the bed, KLESHTCH looks at his wife over the others’ shoulders.) (6)

ZOB (to THE TARTAR): You think she’ll smell? I don’t think she will--she dried up while she was still alive, . . . (7)

NATASHA: God! If they’d only a little pity . . . if only someone would say a kindly word-~oh, you « . . (8)

LUKA: Don’t be hurt, girl— never mind! Why and how should we pity the dead? Come, dear! We don’t pity the living--we can’t even pity our own selves— how can we? (9) Bubnoff, who has been leaning on his elbow, observing all, lies down again on this line.

The Tartar delivers this line as he goes to the lower stage right bunk and lies down. Despite his advice, his move indicates that he thinks it someone else's responsibility to notify the police.

Zob, realizing that nothing will get done if they stand there, takes command. A hard-working longshoreman, he is very conscientious about doing just as the law requires.

Nobody responds to him, so he decides to worry no further about it» He goes over to the lower bunk on stage right where the Tartar is lying, and pulls some rags out from under the bed spreading them on the floor.

Natasha does not move on this speech; she is still full front.

She turns to Luka on this line.

Luka puts an arm around her and leads her up the steps and they exit.

During this speech Zob sits down beside the bed and begins untying his shoes as he speaks. Seeing that the Tartar is asleep, he lies down himself in disgust.

The stage directions were not followed here; Kleshtch is still standing at the head of Anna's bed. 100

BUBNOFF (yawning): And, besides, when you're dead, no word will help you— when you're still alive, even sick, it may. . . . (1)

THE TARTAR (stepping aside): The police must be.notified. . . . (2)

ZOB: The police— must be done! Kleshtch! Did you notify the police?

KLESHTCH: No--she's got to be buried— and all I have is forty kopecks—

ZOB: Well— you'll have to borrow then— otherwise we'll take up a collection . . . one'll give five kopecks, others as much as they can. But the police must be notified at onee--or they'll think you killed her or God knows what not. (3)

(Grosses to THE TARTAR'S bunk and prepares to lie down by his side.) (4)

NATASHA (going to BUBNOFF'S bunk): Now--l'll dream of tier .... . 1 always dream of the dead. . . . I'm afraid to go out into the hall by myself-— it's dark there. (5)

LUKA (following her): . You better fear the living— I'm telling you. . . .

NATASHA: Take me across the hall, grandfather. (6)

LUKA: Come on— come on— I'll take you across— (7)

(They go away. Pause.)

ZOB (tq THE TARTAR): . Oh-ho! Spring will soon be here, little brother, and it'll be quite warm. In the villages the peasants are already making ready their plows and harrows, preparing to till . . . and we . . . Hassan? Snoring already? Damned Mohammedan! (8)

BUBNOFF: Tartars love sleep!

KLESHTCH (in center of room, staring in front of him): What am I to do now? (9) The Actor comes staggering in first. - f

Satine delivers this line offstage.

The Actor goes over to stage right center between the table and the stove.

Satine goes straight to the Actor.

The Tartar exits out into the hall and Zob, who has stretched out on the floor, gets up and jumps into the bed the Tartar has just vacated. Because there are not enough beds, the lodgers grab for them when they get a chance.

This stage direction was disregarded.

The Actor whispers the first of these lines in the dead Anna's ear and then sinks to the stool by her bed laughing to himself in a very bizarre manner.

Satine comes forward and leans with his left hand on the stage right side on the table. He starts his speech as he begins his walk; the speech begins as almost a whisper and builds until it is a thundering shout. The lights come down quickly on him. 101 ZOB: Lie down and sleep— that’s all. . . .

KLESHTCH (softly): . But— she . . ..how about . . .

(No one answers him, SATINE and THE ACTOR enter.)

THE ACTOR (yelling): Old man! Come here, my trusted Duke of Kent I (1)

SATINE: Miklookha-Maklai is coming--ho-ho! (2)

THE ACTOR: It has been decided upon 1 Old man, where’s the town— where are you? (3)

SATINE: Fata Morgana, the old man bilked you from top to bottom! There’s nothing--no towns--no people--nothing at all! (4)

THE ACTOR: You lie!

THE TARTAR (jumping up): Where's the boss? I'm going to the boss. If I can't sleep, I won't pay! Corpses--drunkards , . . (5)

(SATINE looks after him and whistles.) (6)

BUBNOFF (in a sleepy voice): Go to bed, boys— be quiet . . . night is for sleep. . . .

THE ACTOR: Yes— so— there's a corpse here. . . . "Our net fished up a corpse. . . ." Verses by Beranger. . ... (7)

SATINE (screams): .— Roar!.. . . the deaf don't hear! (8)

(In the doorway appears LUKA.) Nastya sits on a tree stump center stage* facing the audience full front»

Natasha sits on the floor stage left of Nastya and is profile to the audience.

She closes her eyes imagining it all once again.

He sits on a table that is pushed against the stage left wall.

The Baron leans against a leg of the table Bubnoff sits on* in a quarter position to the audience.

Nastya reaches out as if to touch him on these last lines. 102

ACT III

"The Waste," a yard strewn with rubbish and overgrown with weeds. Back, a high brick wall which shuts out the sight of the sky. Near it are elder-bushes. Right, the dark, wooden wall of some sort of house, barn or stable. Left, the gray tumbledown wall of KOSTILYOFF’S night asylum. It is built at an angle so that the farther corner reaches almost to the center of the yard. Between it.and the wall runs a narrow passage. In the gray, plastered wall are two windows, one on a level with the ground, the other about six feet higher up and closer to the brick wall. Near the latter wall is a big sledge turned upside down and a beam about twelve feet long. Right of the wall is a heap of old planks. Evening. The sun is setting, throwing a crimson light,on the brick wall. Early spring, the snow having only recently melted. The elder-bushes are not yet in bud. NATASHA and NASTYA are sitting side by side on the beam. LUKA and THE BARON are on the sledge. KLESHTCH is stretched on the pile of planks to the right. BUBNOFF1S face is at the ground floor window.

NASTYA (with closed eyes, nodding her head in rhythm to the tale she is .telling in a sing-song voice): So then at night he came into the garden. I had been waiting for him quite a while. I trembled with fear and grief— he trembled, too . . . he was as white as chalk— and he had the pistol in his hand, . . . (1)

NATASHA (chewing sun-flower seeds): Qh— are these students really such desperate fellows ? . . . (2)

NASTYA: And he says to me in a dreadful voice: "My precious -darling ..." (3) .

BUBNOFF: . Ho-ho1 Precious-- (4)

THE BARON: Shut up! If you don't like it, you can lump it! But don't interrupt her. . . . Go on . . , (5)

NASTYA: "My one and only love," he says, "my parents," he says, "refuse to give their consent to our wedding— and threaten to disown me because of my love for you. Therefore," he says, "I must take my life." And his pistol was huge— and loaded with ten bullets . , "Farewell," he says, "beloved comrade! I have made up my mind for good and all . . . I can't live without you ..." and I replied: "My unforgettable friend— my Raoul. ..." (6) The Baron looks at the others and smiles at them as if to say, "See, I told you she's a. fool*1'8

Nastya jumps up off the log and goes downstage of Natasha and stands between her and the Baron»

Luka, who has been sitting on a tree stump stage right of Nastya all this time, gets up and goes to Natasha putting a hand on her shoulder»

Nastya walks back to her stump slowlyc Despite her statement that she will say "no more" we know that she intends to finish the story* She sits slowly, the dream coming back to her and begins the story again* Seeing that she will continue, Luka once again sits down*

Nastya reaches out her arms as if to embrace her imagined lover*

It is difficult to perceive whether Nastya is dreaming the whole story or if it really.happened* We actually cannot prove either supposition* She could be weeping because of a true love in the past that was unfullfilled; she does mention the fact that Raoul's parents would not give consent to their wedding and threatened to disown him if he married her* This could be true; it isn't inconceivable that a gentleman of the rich upper-class would fall in love with her* On the other hand, Nastya could be weeping because there was nothing in her past life* Her line, "l have nothing" could be an indication of the fact that she realizes there was nothing, no love, in her. past life* At any rate, the truth of the matter is not clear; even the Baron's accusations cannot be taken for proof that Nastya is lying*

Natasha comes up from a sitting position to her knees and puts her hands on Nastya's lap in an effort to comfort her* 103

BUBNOFF (surprised): , , . ; What? What? Krawl--did you call him— ?

THE BARON: Nastka! But last time his name was Gaston. . . . (1)

NASTYA (jumping up): Shut up, you bastards! Ah— you lousy mongrels! You think for a moment that you can understand love— true love? My love was real honest-to-God love! (To THE BARON.) You good-for-nothing! . . . educated, you call yourself--drinking coffee in bed, did you? (2)

LUKA: Now, now! Wait, people! Don't interfere! Show a little respect to your neighbors . . . it isn't the word that matters, but what's in back of the word. That's what matters! Go on, girl! It's all right! (3)

BUBNOFF: . Go on, crow! See if you can make your feathers white! s

THE BARON: Well--continue!

NATASHA: Pay no attention to them . . . what are they? They're just jealous . . . they've nothing to tell about themselves . . .

NASTYA (sits down again): .I'm going to say no more! If they don't believe me they'll laugh. (4) (Stops suddenly, is silent for a few seconds, then, shutting her.eyes, continues in a loud and intense voice, swaying her hands as if to the rhythm of far music.) And then I replied to him: "joy of my life! My bright moon! And I, too, I can't live without you--because I love you madly, so madly--and I shall keep on loving you as long as my heart beats in my bosom, (5) But— " I say— "don't take your young, life! Think how necessary it is to your dear parents whose only happiness you are. Leave me! Better that I should perish from longing for you, my life! I alone! I— ah— as such, such! Better that I should die-~it doesn't matter . . . I am of no use to the world--and I have nothing, nothing at all--" (Covers her face with her hand and weeps gently.) (6)

NATASHA (in a low voice): Don't cry— don't! (7)

(LUKA, smiling, strokes NASTYA'S head.) As was stated before, what the Baron says could be true or it may be that he refuses to believe the story.

Unable to control herself any longer, Nastya lunges at the Baron and slaps his face on "God damn your soul,11 On the word "bah!" she spits at him. The fact that she is so-incensed could either be proof that she was telling a lie and knows that they know it, or she was telling the truth; truth about the only good thing that happened in her life and they would not believe it.

Luka rises from the tree stump and goes to her putting an arm on her shoulder. The fact that he states "if you believe you had a real love affair, then you did," shows that he does not seem to believe her. ' \

Nastya still insists firmly that her story is true. It may be that they do not believe her because of the different names she uses. Perhaps the story is both truth and untruth. There may have been a lover but she, through the years, has added fabrication to make the story more interesting to herself and others,

Luka leads her upstage and they exit on the stage left side of the arch.

The Baron gets up, goes to the stump Luka has just vacated, and sits, on it.

Natasha wheels around full front and hugs her knees with her arms. 104

BUBNQFF (laughs): . Ah— you limb of Satan!

THE BARON (also laughs): Hey, old man? Do you think it's true? It's all from that book. Fatal Love . . . it's all'nonsense! Let her alone 1 (1)

NATASHA: And what's it to you? Shut up— or God'll punish you!

NASTYA (bitterly): ’ ,God damn.your soul! You worthless pig! Soul--bah!--you haven't got one! (2)

LUKA (takes NASTYA'S hand): •Gome, dear! It's nothing! Don't be angry— I know--I believe you! You're right, not they! If you believe you had a real love affair, then you did--yes! And as for him--don't be angry with a fellow-lodger ... . maybe he's really jealous, and that's why he's laughing. Maybe he never had any real love--maybe not — come on--let's go! (3) ■ ■ I NASTYA (pressing her hand against her breast): Grandfather! So help me God— it happened! It happened! He was a student, a Frenchman--Gastotcha was his name— he had a little black beard— and patent leathers— may God strike me dead if I'm lying! And he loved me so--My God, how he loved me! (4)

LUKA: Yes, yes, it's all right. I believe you! Patent leathers, you said? Well, well, well— and you loved him, did you?

(Disappears with her around the corner.) (5)

THE BARON: God— isn't she a fool, though? She's good-hearted— but such a fool— it's past belief! (6)

BUBNOFF: And why are people so fond of lying— just as if they were up before the judge— really!

NATASHA: I guess lying is more fun than speaking the truth--I, too . , . (7)

THE BARON: What— you, too? Go on! Gorky has perceived here a beautiful truth that all men can share. He has shown us man's incessant will to hope despite all obstacles.

The Baron, who has just stated that what is past is past, is another proff of man's will to hope; after he makes the statement he asks Natasha, "And then what?"

The different translations of these last few lines of Nastasha's are interesting. The translation in this script holds to the idea that death by lightning would not be so frightening to Natasha. In other translations the lines read that Natasha is afraid of any form of death, especially lightning. The translation provided in this script seems to be more acceptable for Natasha's character. As was evidenced earlier, in the case of Anna's death, NatashA is not as much afraid of death itself as the means by which whe will die. Death by lightning would not be terrifying to her; terrifying to her would be the type of death Anna underwent.

Kleshtch, who has been lying on the log, rises up slowly, rage gradually permeating his entire body. His outburst -is motivated both by the loneliness and guilt he feels since his wife's death. His lines are evidence of the fact that he feels none of these lodgers suffer as deeply as he does. Kleshtch hasn't the ability yet to perceive that others can and do suffer as much as he; his inability to see suffering in others is why his sufferings and guilt become doubled.

The Baron does not rise on this line; he is still just thinking about it.

We see once again, Bubnoff the realist; if something is not practical in life, it has no worth. Faith in the hope of some­ thing better to come and joy in past pleasures are useless to him he is concerned only with the present. 105

NATASHA: Oh— I imagine things— invent them— and I wait—

THE BARON': For what?

NATASHA (smiling confusedly): - Oh— I think that perhaps~-well— tomorrow somebody will really appear--someone— oh--out of the ordinary--or something'll happen— also out of the ordinary. . . . I've been waiting for it— oh— always . . . But, really, what is there to wait for? (1)

(Pause.)

THE BARON (with a slight smile): Nothing--I expect nothing! What is past, is past! Through! Over with! And then what? (2)

NATASHA: And then— well— tomorrow I imagine suddenly that i'll die— and I get frightened . . , in summer it's all right to dream of death — then there are thunder storms— one might get struck by lightning. . . . (3)

THE BARON: You've a hard life . . . your sister's a wicked-tempered devil!

NATASHA: • Tell me— does anybody live happily? It's hard for all of us-- I can see that.... .

KLESHTCH (who until this moment has sat motionless and indifferent, jumps up suddenly): For all? You lie! Not for all! If it were so— all right! Then it wouldn't hurt— yes! (4)

BUBNOFF: What in hell's bit you? Just listen to him yelping!

(KLESHTCH lies down again and grunts.)

THE BARON: . . Well— I'd better go and make my peace with Nastinka— if I don't, she won't treat me to vodka. . . . (5)

BUBNOFF: Hm— people love to lie . . . with Nastka--! can see the reason why. She's used to painting that mutt of hers— and now she wants to paint her soul as well . . . put rouge on her soul, eh? But the others--why do they? Take Luka for instance— he lies a lot . . . and what does he get out of it? He's an old fellow, too— why does he do it? (6) Even the Baron can understand more fully than Bubnoff, man's need to hope. .He begins his exit to the stage left, side of the arch, delivering these lines as he goes.

Luka and the Baron meet each other in the center of the arch, in a profile position.

Luka delivers the lines to the Baron who has already exited.

Natasha turns her head upstage to the old man as she says this line. Her compliment is also a beckoning to him to come and join them once again. Natasha loves to listen to this old man.

Luka sits down on the tree stump Nastya had been sitting on.

In the background a very plaintiff melody, played on the balalaika, begins and continues under Luka's story.

This word is delivered more as a statement than a question. Natasha, cought up in the story already, cannot wait for Luka to tell her what the noise was; she anticipates the word before he comes to it. 106

THE BARON (smiling and walking away): All people have drab-colored souls— and they like to brighten them up a bit.... (1)

LUKA (appearing from round the corner): You, sir, why do you tease the girl? Leave her alone— let her cry if it amuses her . . . she. weeps for her own pleasure— what harm is it to you? (2)

THE BARON: Nonsense, old man! She's a nuisance. Raoul today, Gaston tomorrow— always the same old yarn, though! Still— I'll go and make up with her. (Leaves.)

LUKA: That's right— go— and be nice to her. Being nice to people never does them any harm. . , . (3)

NATASHA: You're so good, little father— why are you so good? (4)

LUKA: Good, did you say? Well--call it that! (5) (Behind the brick wall is heard soft singing and the sounds of a concertina.) (6) Someone has to be kind, girl— someone must pity people! Christ pitied everybody--and he said to us: "Go and do likewise!" I tell you— if you pity a man when he most needs it, good comes of it. Why— I used to be a watchman on the estate of an engineer near Tomsk--all right--the house was right in the middle of a forest— lonely place--winter came— and I remained all by myself. Well— one night I heafd a noise--

NATASHA: Thieves? (7)

LUKA: Exactly! Thieves creeping in! I took my gun— I went out. I looked and saw two of them opening a window--and so busy that they didn't even see me. I yell: "Hey there— get out of here!" And they turn on me with their axes-?-1 warn them to stand back, - or I'd shoot--and as I speak, I keep on covering them with my gun, first the one,, then the other— they go down on their knees, as if to implore me for mercy. And by that time I was furious— because of those axes, you see--and so I say to them: "I was chasing you, you scoundrels— and you didn't go. Now you go and break off some stout branches!"— and they did so--and I say: "Now— one of you lie down and let the other one flog him!" So they obey me and flog each other— and then they begin to implore me again. "Grandfather," they say, "for God's sake give us some bread! We're hungry!" There's thieves for you, my dear! (1) Luka's story is his way of telling the lodgers to respect’ all men and give of themselves to each other. This story is not simply Luka speaking, however; this is Gorky speaking to his fellow Russians of the day. He is pleading for more tolerance among the masses and the abolishment of prison for certain types of thievery. The term "thievery" should be explained to mean only such type of stealing as Luka speaks of in his story. In Luka's speech Gorky is pleading against the imprisonment of a man whose motivation for stealing is hunger.

(2) Bubnoff berates Luka here, but Luka chooses to ignore it.

(3) Kleshtch rises,.:up slowly, deliberately, on the beginning of his lines. He makes a semi-circle by moving downstage of Natasha, going between her and Bubnoff, and coming upstage of them all. His statements tells us he is torn between his guilt for his dead wife and the resentment that he is not able to escape the lodging house as he swore he would, when he told Pepel he would leave as soon as his wife died.

(4) Luka rises and goes to him in an effort to console him.

(5) Luka fails to give the man consolation; rather Luka's words incense the man all the more because he cannot reconcile Luka's words with what is gding on around him. Hoping to strike out at the world he strikes at Luka, who has just preached kindness, by telling him he hates everyone. Kleshtch rushes upstage and exits on the stage left side of the. arch. 107

(Laughs,) And with an ax, too! Yes— honest peasants, both of them! And I say to them, "You should have asked for bread straight away!" And they say: "We got tired of asking— you beg and beg--and nobody gives you a crumb— it hurts!" So they stayed with me all that winter--one of them, Stepan, would take my gun and go shooting in the forest— and the other, Yakoff, was ill most of the time— he coughed a lot . , . and so the three of us together looked after the house . . . then spring came . . . "Good-by, grandfather," they said--and they went away— back home to Russia. . . .

NATASHA: Were they excaped convicts?

LUKA: That's just what they were— escaped convicts--from a Siberian prison camp . . . honest peasants! If I hadn't felt sorry for them— they might have killed me— or maybe worse--and then there would have been trial and prison and afterward Siberia--what*s t6e sense of it? Prison teaches no good--and Siberia doesn't either--but another human being can . . . yes, a human being can teach another one kindness— very simply! (1)

(Paus e.)

BUBNOFF: Hm— yes— I, for instance, don't know how to lie . . . why— as far as I'm concerned, I believe in coming out with the whole triith and putting it On thick . . . why fuss about it? (2)

KLESHTCH (again jumps up as if his clothes were on fire, and screams): . - , What truth? Where is there truth? (Tearing at his ragged : clothes.) Here's truth for you! No work!, No strength! That's the only truth! Shelter— there's no shelter! - You die— that's the truth! Hell! What do I want with the truth? Let me breathe! Why should I be blamed? What do I want with truth? To live— Christ Almighty!— they won't let.you live— and that's another truth! (3)

BUBNOFF: He's mad!

LUKA: Dear Lord . . . listen to me, brother— (4)

KLESHTCH (trembling with excitement): They say: there's truth! You, old man, try to console everyone . . . 1 tell you— I hate everyone! And there's your truth— God curse it— understand? I tell ydu— God curse it! (Rushes away round the comer, turning as he goes.) (5) The fact that Bubnoff makes this statement, convinces us that he has resigned himself to this life and wishes to question life no further; this is perhaps his protection against the suffering that thwarted hope brings.

Pepel enters from the stage left side of the arch and sits on the long log Kleshtch just vacated.

Luka comes downstage again and sits on a stump.

There is much of Gorky's philosophy in this speech of Pepel's. Gorky greatly resented the sanctimonious nature of such people as Kleshtch.

Bubnoff moves from the table and sits stage left of Natasha on the floor. He decides that perhaps he will move in and listen more closely, to the old man. After all the old man does have a point; perhaps he is right. Truth doesn't always help a man. 108

LUKA: Ah-r-how excited he got' Where did he run off to?

NATASHA: He's off his head. . . .

BUBNOFF: God— didn't he say a whole lot, though? As if he was playing drama— he gets those fits often « . . he isn't used to life yet. . . . (1)

PEPEL (comes slowly round the comer): Peace on all this honest gathering! Well, Luka, you wily old fellow— still telling them stories? (2)

LUKA: You should have heard how that fellow carried on!

PEPEL: Kleshtch— wasn't it? What's wrong with him? He was running like one possessed! .

LUKA: You'd do the same if your own heart were breaking! (3)

PEPEL (sitting down): I don't like him . , . he's got such a nasty, bad temper— and so proud! (Imitating KLESHTCH.) "I'm a workman!" And he thinks everyone's beneath him. .Go on working if you feel like it— nothing to be so damned haughty about! If work is the standard--a horse can give us points— pulls like hell and says nothing! Natasha— are your folks at home? (4)

NATASHA: They went to the cemetery— then to night service. . . .

PEPEL: So that's why you're free for once— quite a novelty.

LUKA (to BUBNOFF, thoughtfully): There— you say— truth!. Truth doesn't always heal a wounded soul. For instance, I knew of a man who believed in a land of righteousness, . . .

BUBNOFF: In what? (5)

LUKA: In a land of righteousness. He said: "Somewhere on this earth there must be a righteous land--and wonderful people live there --good people! They respect each other, help each other, and Luka is trying to tell these people that man needs a dream.

Luka's point here is that man can be too realistic; there is a mean, a level which man should not go beyond in his search for truth.

Pepel, Natasha and Bubnoff are all visibly moved by Luka's story; there is something in it for each one of them.to reflect upon. 109

everything is peaceful and good!" And so that man— who was always searching for this land of righteousness— he was poor and lived miserably— and when things got to be so bad with him that it seemed there was nothing else for him to do except lie down and die— even then he never lost heart— but he'd just smile and say; "Never mind! I can stand it! A little while longer— and I'll have done with this life--and I'll go in search of the righteous land."— it was his one happiness— the thought of that land. . . . (1)

PEPEL: Well? Did he go there?

BUBNOFF: Where ? Ho-hoI

LUKA: And then to this place--in Siberia, by the way— there came a convict--a learned man with books and maps— yes, a learned man who knew all sorts of things--and the other man said to him: "Do me a favor-~show me where is the land of righteousness and how I can get there." At once the learned man opened his books, spread out his maps, and looked and looked and he said— no--he couldn't find this land anywhere . . . everything was correct— all the lands on earth were marked— but not this land of righteousness . . . (2)

PEPEL (in a low voice): Well? Wasn't there a trace of it?

(BUBNOFF roars with laughter.)

NATASHA: Wait . . . well, little father?

LUKA: The man wouldn't believe it. . . . "it must exist," he said, "look carefully. Otherwise," he says, "your books and maps are of no use if there's no land of righteousness." The learned man was offended. "My plans," he said, "are correct. But there exists no land of righteousness anywhere.” Well, then the other man got angry. He'd lived and lived and suffered and suffered, and had believed all the time in the existence of this land--and now, according to the plans, it didn't exist at all. He felt robbed! And he said to the learned man: "Ah--you scum of the earth! You're not a learned man at all— but just a damned cheat!"--and he gave him a good wallop in the eye— then another one .... (After a moment's silence.) And then he went home and hanged himself!

(All are silent, LUKA, smiling, looks at PEPEL and NATASHA.) (3) Pepel is disappointed that the man did not find the land he was looking for; his new found hope, inspired by Luka, is jolted be­ cause he identified himself too closely with the man in the story. , He gets up and "moves downstage away from them.

Natasha is able to perceive Luka's point that the man couldn't stand the disappointment; she shares Luka's belief that a man needs a dream and she herself is able to dream. Natasha is stronger than Pepel however, because she is realistic enough to accept the fact that dreams do not always come true. Pepel refuses to accept this.

Pepel feigns joviality to hide what he really feels.

Natasha faces the truth of the story honestly; showing compassion for the man.

Bubnoff exits through the stage left side of the arch, laughing as he goes. His laugh is either an attempt to cover his true feelings or put the whole story out of his mind because it bothered him.

Luka is aware of some change in Bubnoff.

Pepel turns towards Luka on this line.

Pepel walks upstage and sits on the log next to Luka. He is interested in the old man's answer not only for others but him­ self as well. 110

PEPEL (low-voiced): To hell with this story— it isn't very cheerful. . . . (1)

NATASHA: He couldn't stand the disappointment. . . . (2)

BUBNOFF (sullen): Ah— it's nothing but a fairy tale, . . .

PEPEL: Well— there is the righteous land for you— doesn't exist, it seems, . . » (3)

NATASHA: I'm sorry for that man . . . (4)

BUBNOFF: All a story--ho-ho! — land of righteousness— what an idea! (Exit through window.) (5)

LUKA (pointing to window): He's laughing! (6) (Pause.) Well, children, God be with you! i'll leave you soon. . . .

PEPEL: Where are you going to? (7)

LUKA: To the Ukraine— I heard they discovered a new religion there--! want to see— yes! People are always seeking--they always want something better— God grant them patience!

PEPEL: You think they'll find it? (8)

LUKA: The people? They will find it! He who seeks, will find! He who desires strongly, will find!

NATASHA: If only they could find something better— invent something . better. . . .

LUKA; They're trying to! But we must help them, girl--we must respect them.. . .

NATASHA: How can I help them? I am helpless myself! He gets off the log and kneels in towards Natasha, Luka in the center of them acting as intercessor. Reaching out a hand and placing it on her lips Pepel asks her once again to go with him. We have the feeling these two have gone through this same scene many times before. The soft strains of the balalaika come in under their voices.

If Natasha runs away with someone, she wants to be sure that she will not regret it later on* His thievery is an obstacle to any future promises of security for her.,

Pepel has grown a great deal from Luka's influence. There is a great change in him when we compare this speech with some of his speeches at the beginning of the play.

We see that much of his problem is lack of faith in himself. He has been forced to live up to a title he wanted to escape the whole while; he did not have the faith in himself to break away from the word "thief" but now with Natasha there is hope for him.

Natasha rises and moves downstage right of Pepel and Luka, facing full front. She is restless and does not feel she can make such a decision at the present time.

He goes to her, pleading that she come.

Natasha turns to him and they confront each other in a profile position. Natasha hates to make the decision of going with h i m . for fear that the mysterious person she has been waiting for will come and she will live the remainder of her life in remorse for having chosen the wrong person. What she does not realize is that she loves Pepel as much as she is capable of loving anyone and she would be able to see some fault in any human being. Natasha however, is not simply thinking of herself. She feels guilty that she sees fault in Pepel; she is afraid that she would become a burden to him because he would feel that he had to act in such a way as to make her happy. Natasha realizes this is not right and is trying to tell Pepel this.

Pepel does not feel she will grow to be a burden; he simply wants her to give him a chance to prove his love for her. He is also sure he can make her grow to love him. Ill

PEPEL (determined): . Again--listen— I'll speak to you again, Natasha— here­ -before in im—he knows everything . . „ ruti away with me? (1)

NATASHA: Where? From one prison to another? (2)

PEPEL: I told you--I'm through with being a thief, so help me God I I'll quit! If I say so, i'll do it! I can read and write— I'll work— He's been telling me to go to'Siberia on m y 1 own hook— let's go there together, what do you say? Do you think I'm not disgusted with my life? Oh— Natasha— I know . . „ I see . ...I console myself with the thought that there are lots of people who are honored and respected--and who are bigger thieves than I ! But what good is that to me? It isn't that I repent , . . I've no conscience . . . but I do feel one thing: One must live differently. One must live a better life . . . one must be able to respect one s own self. (3)

LUKA: That's right, friendJ May: God help you! It's true! A man must respect himself!

PEPEL: I've been a thief from childhood on. Everybody always called me 'Vaska--the thief— the son of a thief!" Oh--very well then— I am a thief-- . . . just imagine— now, perhaps. I'm a thief out of spite— perhaps I'm a thief because no one ever called me any­ thing different. . . » Well, Natasha— ? (4)

NATASHA (sadly): Somehow I don't believe in words--and I'm restless today--my heart is heavy . . . as if I were expecting something' . . , it's a pity, Vassily, that you talked to me today. . . . (5)

PEPEL: When should I? It isn't the first time I speak to you. . . . (6)

NATASHA: And why should I go with you? I don't love you so very much-- sometimes I like you— and other times the mere sight of you makes me sick . . . it seems— no— I don't really love you . . , when one really loves, one sees no fault. . . . But I do see. » . . (7)

PEPEL: Never mind— you'll love me after a while! i'll make you care for me . . . if you'll just say yes I For over a year I've watched you . » . you're a decent girl . . . you're kind--you're reliable— I m very much in love with you, (8) (1) Vassilisa enters from stage right and leans against the stage left side of the arch, unnoticed by any of them.

(2) He has convinced her of all the obstacles she feared but there is one more, her sister. Natasha's line can be taken two ways. She questions Pepel about her sister either because she is afraid he will leave Natasha for her sister, or she feels guilty even at the thought of leaving with Pepel because she knows how much her sister loves him. It seems more probable that Natasha has the latter meaning in mind. We are convinced of her self­ lessness long before this scene,

(3) Pepel appears not to understand why she has said this. He is convinced he will never leave Natasha for anyone else especially her sister, and he cannot conceive that she would worry about her sister's welfare because he could not believe Natasha could love so wicked a person.

(4) On the beginning part of this speech, Pepel moves away from her and goes to center stage left. His move demonstrates his impatience that she will not give him an answer. He has pleaded with her in every conceivable way he knows how.

(5) Pepel moves back to Natasha on the line "I'd have done anything for her." It appears that his explanation of all this to Natasha is an attempt to let her know that he did not simply love her sister and drop her when he bacame tired of her. He strayed from her because he hated his way of living; she would have dragged him even further down than he was, if he had not escaped it.

(6) On the beginnihg of this speech Luka comes downstage, to them until he is standing in the same plane,'stage right of them.

(7) Natasha turns from Pepel so that he cannot see the tears stream­ ing down her face. She is so confused now she knows not: what to decide.

' (8) Pepel puts his arms on her shoulders. Both of them face full front, Pepel right in back of her.

(9) She relents a tiny bit. 112

(VASSXLISA, in her best dress, appears at window and listens.) (1)

NATASHA: Yes— you love me— but how about my sister? . . (2)

PEPEL (confused): . Well, what of her? There are plenty like her , . . (3)

LUKA: You'll be all right, girl' If there's no bread, you have to eat weeds . . .

PEPEL (gloomily): Please--feel a little sorry for me! My life isn't all roses— it's a hell of a life , . . little happiness in it . . . I feel as if a swamp were sucking me under . . . and whatever I try to catch and hold on to, is rotten . . . it breaks. . . . Your sister— oh--I thought she was different . . . if she were't so greedy after.money . . . (4) I'd have done anything for her sake, if she were only all mine . . . but she must have someone else . . . and she has to have money— and freedom . . . because she doesn't like the straight and narrow . . . she can't help me. But you're like a young firtree . , , you bend, but you don't break. . . . (5)

LUKA: „ . Yes— go with him, girl, go! He's a good lad--he's all right! Only tell him every now and then that he;s a good lad so that he won't forget it— and he'll believe you. Just you keep on telling him "Vasya, you're a good man— don't you forget it!" Just think, dear, where else could you go except with him? Your sister is a savage beast . . . and as for her husband, there's little to say of him? He's rotten beyond words . . . and all this life here, where will it get you? But this lad is strong. . . . (6)

NATASHA: Nowhere to go--I know--I thought of it. The only thing is— I've no faith in anybody--and there's no place for me to turn to.... (7 )

PEPEL: Yes, there is! But I won't let you go that way— I'd rather cut your throat! (8).

NATASHA (smiling): There--I'm not his wife yet--and he talks already of killing me! (9) Encouraged by what she has just said and the tone in which she has said it, Pepel puts his arms around her waist he is almost sure she will consent.

Natasha has consented; but she never actually says "yes.11 This is not the happy agreement of a typical pair of lovers; she is not completely convinced she has done the right thing. Natasha does hot turn around to Pepel; she simply rests her head on his shoulder. With time she may grow to love him even more than she imagines she could»

Vassilisa comes downstage several steps and stops at the table, leaning against it; she is profile to the audience,

Natasha moves away from Pepel to stage right. She is once again the frightened younger sister.

He leaps over the log and grabs Natasha's left arm; Pepel wants both of them to confront Vassilisa once and for all.

The word "don't" was changed to "doesn't," the former word being the incorrect form of the verb. It does not seem probable that Vassilisa would speak incorrectly here and not anywhere else in the play; the word appears to be a printing error.

Kostilyoff enters from the stage right side of the arch and pomes downstage center between Luka and Vassilisa-.-

She starts upstage towards the arch.

Pepel takes Natasha by the arm once again. He wants Natasha to stand up to them both. 113

PEPEL (puts his arms around her): _ Come, Natasha 1 Say yes! (1)

NATASHA (holding him close): But i'll tell you one thing. Vassily— I swear it before God . . . the first time you strike me or hurt me any other way, i'll have no pity on myself . . . I'll either hang myself . . . or ... . (2)

PEPEL: May my hand wither if ever I touch you!

LOKA: Don't doubt him, dear! He needs you more than you need him!

VASSILISA (from the window): So now they're engaged! Love and advice! (3)

NATASHA: They've come back— oh, God— they saw— oh, Vassily . . . (4)

PEPEL: Why are you frightened? Nobody'll dare touch you now! (5)

VASSILISA: Don't be afraid, Natalia! He won’t beat you . . . he don't know how to love or how to beat . . . I know! (6)

LUKA (in a low voice): Rotten old hag— like a snake in the grass. . . .

VASSILISA: He dares only with the word!

KOSTILYOFF (enters): Natashka! What are you doing here, you parasite? Gossiping? Kicking about your family? And the samovar not ready? And the table not cleared? (7)

NATASHA (going out): I thought you were going to church . . . ? (8)

KOSTILYOFF: None of your business what we intended doing! Mind your own affairs--and do what you're told!

PEPEL: Shut up, you! She's no longer your servant! Don't go Natalia?- don't do a thing! (9) (1) "Commencing" was changed to "beginning," the former having too grand a sound for everyday speech. Natasha flings Pepel's hand off and exits through the stage right side of the arch.

(2) Pepel moves towards Kostilyoff.

(3) Luka moves stage right of Pepel; he wants him to leave before he gets involved in another fight with Kostilyoff. The old man is wise enough to know that Pepel's greatest weakness is his temper; if they fight Pepel might not be as lucky this time. If Pepel kills Kostilyoff, all his hopes for a better life ate in vain.

(4) Pepel moves in slowly towards Kostilyoff.

(5) Vassilisa moves in towards her husband; she is still stage left of.him.

(6) He stands his ground; Luka has won. Pepel refuses to give Vassilisa the satisfaction of seeing him ruin' himself.

(7) Vassilisa moves from her husband to Pepel; they face each other profile.

(8) Pepel refuses to relent at all; he takes Luka's advice and exits on the stage left side of the arch.

(9) She goes to the center of the arch and yells this line in the direction he has just exited; she then exits on the stage right side of the arch.

(10) Kostilyoff is to the left of the log, Luka to the right. During the scene that follows between them neither crosses the boundary line the log creates. Their difference in thinking is an obstacle to understanding each other, just as the log is a physical obstacle between them. 114

NATASHA: Stop ordering me about— you're commencing too soon! (Leaves =) (1)

PEPEL (to KOSTiLYOFF): That's enough. You've used her long enough--now she's mine! (2)

KOSTILYOFF: Yours? When did you buy her-=and for how much?

(VASSILISA roars with laughter.)

LUKA: Go away, Vassya! (3)

PEPEL: Don't laugh, you fools— or first thing you know i'll make you cry! (4)

VASSILISA: Oh, how terrible! Oh— how you frighten me! (5)

LUKA: Vassily--go away! Don't you see— she's goading you on . . . ridiculing you, don't you understand?

PEPEL: Yes , . . You.lie, lie! You won't get what you want! (6)

VASSILISA: Nor will I get what I don't want, Vassya! (7)

PEPEL (shaking his fist at her): We'll see. . . . (Exit.) (8)

VASSILISA (disappears through window): I'll arrange some wedding for you . . . (9)

KOSTILYOFF (crossing to LUKA): Well, old man, how's everything? (10)

LUKA: All right!

KOSTILYOFF: You're going away, they say— ?

LUKA: Soon. Kostilyoff’s speech tells us that he is bothered by this man. He speaks of a pilgrim in abstract terms but his advice is intended for Luka. He tells the old man if he has discovered a truth he should keep, it to himself and not bother others with it. Kostilyoff, by the very fact that he says this, tells us that Luka’s truth has bothered him. Kostilyoff is the stone beneath which water will not pass--the stone.Luka describes earlier. Kostilyoff is bothered by the truth but will never let it change his way of life. ■ . ~ 115

KOSTILYOFF: Where to?

LUKA: i'll follow my nose. . . .

KOSTILYOFF: Tramping, eh? Don't like stopping in one place all the time, do you?

LUKA: 'Even .water won't pass beneath a stone that's sunk too firmly in the ground, they say, , , ,

KOSTILYOFF: That's true for a stone. But man must settle in one place. Men can't live like cockroaches, crawling about wherever they want. . . . A man must stick to one place— and not wander about aimlessly. , . .

LUKA: But spppose his home is wherever he hangs his hat?

KOSTILYOFF: Why, then-~he's a vagabond--useless . . . a human being must be of some sort of use— he must work. . . .

LUKA: That's what you think, eh?

KOSTILYOFF: Yes--sure . . . just look I What's a vagabond? A strange fellow . . . unlike all others. If he's a geal pilgrim then he's some good in the world . . . perhaps he discovered a new truth. Well— but not every truth is worth while. Let him keep it to himself and shut up about it I Or else--let him speak in a way which no one can understand . . . don't let him interfere . . . don't let him stir up people without cause! It's none of his business how other people live! Let him follow his own righteous path . . . in the woods--or in a monastery— away from everybody! He mustn't interfere--nor condemn other people— but pray--pray for all of us— for all the world's sins--for mine-- for yours— for everybody's. To pray--that's why he forsakes the world's turmoil! That's so! (Pause.) But you--what sort of pilgrim are you— ? An honest person must have a passport . . . all honest people have passports . . . yes! . . . (1)

LUKA: In this world there are people--and also just plain men, . . . Kostilyof£ is irritated because he knows he is not as clever as the old man; he cannot understand what the old man is saying.

Despite the fact that this is the truth, this is probably the greatest, direct insult Kostilyoff has ever received.

Kostilyoff is not greatly incensed because he cannot understand what Luka is trying to tell him. This evidenced by the fact that he uses social position to defend himself. The fact that his wife's uncle is a policeman, is as remote from the problem at hand as is Kostilyoff's understanding of that problem of which Luka speaks..

Vassilisa enters from the stage right side of the arch and stands there waiting for Kostilyoff to come;~ '

She comes forward a few steps towards Luka.

He moves upstage left of his wife.

Bubnpff enters from the stage left side of the arch and stands between Luka and Vassilisa.

They start to leave.

Bubnoff's statement stops them.

Kostilyoff begins his exit as soon as he gives his line. 116

KOSTILYOFF: Don't coin wise sayings 1 Don't give me riddles! I'm as clever as you « . . what's the difference people and men? (1)

LUKA: What riddle is there? I say--there's sterile and there's fertile ground . . . whatever you sow in it, grows . . . that's all. . . ,

KOSTILYOFF: .• What do you mean?

LUKA: Take yourself for instance . . . if the Lord God himself said to you: "Mikhailo, be a man!"— it would be useless— nothing would come of it--you're doomed to remain just as you are. . . . (2)

KOSTILYOFF: Oh— but do you realize that my wife's uncle is a policeman, and that if I . . . (3)

KOSTILYOFF (to LUKA): You listen! Get out! You leave this place--hear? VASSILISA: Yes— get out, old man! Your tongue's too long! And— who knows-- you may be an excaped convict. . . . (5)

KOSTILYOFF: If I ever see sign of you again after today— well--l've warned you! (6)

LUKA: You'll call your uncle, eh? Go on--call him! Tell him you've caught an excaped convict--.and maybe uncle'll get a reward-- perhaps all of three kopecks.

BUBNOFF (in the window): < . . What are you bargaining about? Three kopecks--for what? (7)

LUKA: They're threatening to sell me. « . .

VASSILISA (to her husband): Come. . . . (8)

BUBNOFF: . . For three kopecks? Well--look out, old man— they may even do it for one! (9)

KOSTILYOFF (to BUBNOFF): You have a habit of jumping up like a jack-in-the-box! (10) Vassilisa starts her exit with her line.

She gets to the center of the archway and stops to tell Luka to "Shut up." She exits quickly after she has delivered this line.

Luka moves over to the tree stumps as he gives this line.

Bubnoff follows him.

Luka sits on the center stage tree stump.

Bubnoff sits on the stump just stage right of the one Luka sits on.

Because this speech comes so late in the play it is evident that the purpose of it is more than just exposition. The old man's influence has begun to change Bubnoff. For the first time he is able to admit his past to someone; this scene is the turning point for Bubnoff's character.

There is no trace of bitterness in Bubnoff*s speech; we wonder if he was happy to be rid of both the shop and his wife. 117

VASSILISA: . The world is full of shady people and crooks-- (1)

LUKA: Hope you'll enjoy your tea!

VASSILISA (turning): . Shut up! You rotten toadstool! (2)

LUKA: I'm off tonight. (3)

BUBNOFF: That's right. Don't outstay your welcome! (4)

LUKA: True enough.

BUBNOFF: I know. Perhaps I've escaped the gallows by getting away in time

LUKA: Well? (5)

BUBNOFF: . That's true. (6) It was this way. My wife took up with my boss. He was great at.his trade--could dye a dog's skin so that it looked like a raccoon's--could change cat's skin into kangaroo— muskrats, all sort of things. Well— my wife took up with him— and they were so mad abopt each other that I got afraid they might poison me or something like that— so I commenced beating up my wife--and the boss beat me , . . we fought savagely! Once he tore off half my whiskers--and broke one of my ribs . . , well, then I too, got enraged. I . . I cracked my wife over the head with an irop yard measure— well— and altogether it was like an honest-to- God war! And then I saw that nothing really could come of it . . . they were planning to get the best of me! So I started planning— how to kill my wife--I thought of it a whole lot . . . but I thought better of it just in time . . . and got away .... (7)

LUKA: , . . That was best! Let them go on changing dogs into raccoons!

BUBNOFF: , Only--the shop was in my wife's name . . . and so I did myself out of it, you see? Althpugh, to tell the truth, I would have drunk it away . . . I'm a hard drinker, you know . . . (8) We sense the feeling that Bubnoff has an uncontrollable compulsion to tell all this to Luka. Certainly the old man does not pry; Bubnoff volunteers the information without even being asked. As he hears Satine and The Actor coming from a distance, he gets up and goes to the table on stage left and sits.

Satine delivers this line as he enters; he goes straight to the old man.

The Actor is right on Satine's heels; now more than ever, because of what he has accomplished, he has a desperate need to be con­ vinced that he can be cured. He reaches in his pocket and brings out the coins, carefully unwrapping them for Luka to see.

Satine grabs for the coins but The Actor quickly pulls his arm back.

Satine squats to get down to Luka's level.

The Actor goes over to Bubnoff and sits on the table. They converse quietly. Because of the change in set, the stage direction was changed.

Satine circles around upstage of Luka and goes to the stump stage right of the old man. 118

LUKA: A hard drinker--oh . . .

BUBNOFF: The worst you ever met! Once I start drinking, I drink, every­ thing in sight, i'll spend every bit of money I have— everything except my bones and my skin , . . what's more. I'm lazy . . » it's terrible how I bate work. (1)

(Enter SATINE and THE ACTOR, quarreling.)

SATINE: Nonsense! You'll go nowhere— it's all a damned lie! Old man, what did you stuff him with all those fairy tales for? (2) '

THE ACTOR: You lie! Grandfather! Tell him that he lies!--I am going away. I worked today— I swept the streets . . . and I didn't have a drop of codka. What do you think of that? Here they are--two fifteen-kopeck pieces--and I'm sober! (3)

SATINE: Why— that's absurd! Give it to me— I'll either drink it up--or lose it at cards. . . . (4)

THE ACTOR: Get out— this is for my journey . . .

LUKA (to SATINE): And your-why are you trying to lead him astray?

SATINE: Tell me, soothsayer, beloved by the gods, what's my future going to be? I've gone to pieces, brother— but everything isn't lost yet, grandfather . . , there are sharks in this world who got more brains than I ! (5)

LUKA: ' You're cheerful, Constantine— and very agreeable!

BUBNOFF: Actor, come over here! (6)

(THE ACTOR crosses to window, sits down on the still before BUBNOFF, and speaks in a low voice with him.)

SATINE: You know, brother, I used to be a clever youngster. It's nice to think of it. I was a devil of a fellow . . . danced splendidly, played on the stage, loved to amuse people . . . it was awfully gay. . . . (7) (1) Satine sits on the stump.

(2) We have the feeling Satine would not share his past with everyone; there is something about the old man that compels these lodgers to tell all. Perhaps it is just the fact that Luka is willing to listen to them, or as he says, wants "to understand the ways of men."

(3) Satine is embarrassed because he feels he has confessed too much of his past. His embarrassment comes not because he is * ashamed of his past, but because he feels his compulsion to tell others a sign of weakness is his character. Just as the Baron, he cannot accept pity.

(4) Kleshtch enters from the stage left side of the arch, comes downstage and sits on the same log he was on before. 119

LUKA: How did you get to be what you are?

SATINE: You're inquisitive, old man! You want to know everything? What for? (1)

LUKA: I want to understand the ways of men— 1 look at you, and I don't understand. You're a bold lad, Constantine, and you're no fool , . . yet, all of a sudden . . .

SATINE: It's prison, grandfather— I spent four years and seven months in prison . . . afterward— where could I go? (2)

LUKA: Aha! What were you there for?

SATINE: On account of a scoundrel--whom I killed in a fit of rage . . . and despair . . . and in prison I learned to play cards, . . .

LUKA: You killed— because of a woman?

SATINE: Because of my own sister. . . . But look here— leave me alone! I don't care for these cross-examinations— and all this happened a long time ago. It's already nine years since my sister's death. . . . Brother, she was a wonderful girl. . , . (3)

LUKA: You take life easily! And only a while ago that locksmith was - here— and how he did yell!

SATINE: Kleshtch?

LUKA: Yes--"There's no work," he shouted, "there isn't anything. . . ."

SATINE: He'll get used to it. What could I do?

LUKA (softly): Lookr-here he comes!

(KLESHTCH walks in slowly, his head bowed low.) (4) This is the cynical nature of Satine speaking now. It appears that Satine is acting overly flippant in an attempt to cover up for what he has just revealed to Luka.

This noise begins on Luka's speech, about the order of Beguines, and gradually builds until it becomes a series of shrill;:shouts from Kostilyoff and Vassilisa and pleading sobs from Natasha.

Satine runs upstage to the center of the arch. 120

SATINE: Hey, widower! Why are you so down in the mouth? What are you thinking?

KLESHTCH: I ’m thinking--what111 I do? I've no food— nothing--the funeral ate up all. . . .

SATINE: I'll give you a bit of advice . . . do nothing! Just be a burden to the world at large! (1)

KLESHTCH: Go on— talk--l'd be ashamed of myself. . . .

SATINE: Why--people aren't ashamed to let you live worse than a dog. Just think . . . you stop work— so do I— so do hundreds, thousands of others--everybody— understand?— everybody'll quit working . . . nobody'll do a damned thing— and then what'll happen?

KLESHTCH: They'll all starve to death. . . .

LUKA (to SATINE): , If those are your notions, you ought to join the order of Beguines--you know— there's some such organization . . .

SATINE: I know— grandfather— and they're no fools. . . .

(NATASHA is heard screaming behind KOSTILYOFF'S window: "What for? Stop! What have I done?") (2) -

LUKA (worried): Natasha! That was she crying— oh, God . . .

(From KOSTILYOFF'S room is heard noise, shuffling, breaking of crockery, and KOSTILYOFF'S shrill cry: "Ah! Heretic! Bitch!")

VASSILISA: Wait, wait--!'11 teach her— there, there!

NATASHA: They're beating me— killing me . « .

SATINE (shouts through the window): Hey--you there— (3) Luka follows, standing stage left of Satine.

The Actor runs out stage left„

Bubnoff starts upstage to Satine and Luka,

Satine runs out the stage right side of the arch.

Luka quickly follows delivering this line as he goes.

Bubnoff rushes out after Satine and Luka.

Once the offstage fight begins in this short scene, the lines of the actors onstage must come quickly and overlap to help build interest for the offstage fight.

Kleshtch gets up from the log and delivers this speech as he walks upstage, and exits through the arch. He is lost in his own thoughts, completely oblivious to all that is taking place offstage. 121

LUKA (trembling): Where's. Vassily-- ? Call Vaska--oh, God-~listen brothers . „ <, (1)

THE ACTOR (running out): i'll find him at once! (2)

BUBNOFF: They beat her a lot these days, . , , (3)

SATINE: Come on, old man--we,ll be witnesses. . . , (4)

LUKA (following SATINE) : Oh--witnesses--what for? Vassily--he should be called at once! (5)

NATASHA: Sister--sister dear! Va-a-a . . .

BUBNOFF: They've gagged her— i'll go and see. . . . (6)

(The noise in KOSTILYOFF'S room dies down gradually as if they had gone into the hallway. The old man's cry: "Stop!" is heard. A door is slammed noisily, and the latter sound cuts off all the other noises sharply. Quiet on the stage. Twilight.) (7)

KLESHTCH (seated on the sledge, indifferently, rubbing his hands; mutters at first indistinguishably, then): What then? One must live. (Louder.) Must have shelter--well? There's no shelter, no roof--nothing. . , . there's only man— man alone--no hope . . , no help . . . (8)

(Exit slowly, his head bent. A few moments of ominous silence, then somewhere in the hallway a mass of sounds, which grows in volume and comes nearer. Individual voices are heard.)

VASSILISA: I'm her sister— let go . . .

KOSTILYOFF: What right have you . . . ?

VASSILISA: Jail-bird!

SATINE: Call Vaska— quickly! Zob— hit him!

(A police whistle. THE TARTAR runs in, his right hand in a sling.) The Tartar runs in from stage right with Miedviedieff's whistle. He delivers this line as he runs in. Zob comes running in right behind the Tartar delivering this line as he comes. Miedviedieff, who has been trying to stop them, comes in and attempts to block their way. The Tartar blows the whistle in Miedviedieff1s face and he and Zob run out through the stage left side of the arch. Miedviedieff starts after the two but gets no further than the center of the arch when the others come rushing onstage and he is cought up in the center of confusion. Kostilyoff does not enter yet. For the sake of dramatic emphasis, the order of entrance is to be changed, from that indicated in the script. To have the slow enter first would be to kill the dramatic intensity of the scene. Vassilisa and Satine are the first to enter, he restraining her arms behind her back. Alyoshka enters almost simultaneously with them, heckling Vassilisa as the script directs. Following right behind the three of them is Kostilyoff who is attempting to get Vassilisa free from Satine. Kostilyoff yells for Miedviedieff who has started after Zob and, the Tartar; he changes plans and decides to help Kostilyoff. Satine yells for Pepel who comes running through the stage left side of the arch, followed by the Tartar and Zob. The three of them help Satine. While this is taking place on stage left, Kvashnya and Nastya enter supporting Natasha, take her to center stage right and sit her on the log, her back facing the audience. Bubnoff follows them and stands by the stage right side of the arch. At some point in all the confusion the Baron and the Actor enter to see what is going on; they go over and stand near Bubnoff.

This line and the above lines have been delivered during the action just described above.

This stage direction combined with the above stage direction for dramatic emphasis. 122

THE TARTAR: There’s a new law for you--kill only in daytine! (1)

(Enter ZOB, followed by MIEDVIEDIEFF„)

ZOB: I handed him a good one! (2)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: You--how dare you fight? (3)

THE TARTAR: What about yourself? What's your duty? (4)

MIEDVIEDIEFF (running after): Stop-tgive back my whistle! (5)

KOSTILYOFF (runs in): Abram! Stop him! Hold him! He's a murderer— he . . . (6)

(Enter KVASHNYA and NASTYA supporting NATASHA who is disheveled. SATINE backs away, pushing away VASSILISA who is trying to attack her sisterj while, near her, ALYOSHKA jumps up and down like a madman, whistles into her ear, shrieking, roaring. Also other ragged men and women.) (7)

SATINE (to VASSILISA): .Well--,you damned bitch!

VASSILISA: Let go, you jail-bird! i'll tear you to pieces— if I have to pay for it with my own life!

KVASHNYA (leading NATASHA aside): You--Karpovna— that's enough— stand back--aren't you ashamed? Or are you crazy?

MIEDVIEDIEFF (seizes SATINE): Aha--caught at last!

SATINE: . Zob--beat them up! Vaska— Vaska . . . (8)

(They all, in a chaotic mass, struggle near the brick wall. They lead NATASHA to the right, and set her on a pile of wood. PEPEL rushes in from the hallway and, silently, with powerful movements, pushes the crowd aside.) (9)

PEPEL: Natalia, where are you . . . you . . . Kostilyoff breaks from the group on stage left, and goes for Pepel.

Pepel and Kostilyoff struggle just upstage of the arch; Pepel swings a fist and Kostilyoff falls in the archway.

This line of Miedviedieff's and the above one of Vassilisa's are given earlier during the struggle.

As soon as Kostilyoff falls, Pepel hurries to Natasha delivering these lines, as he goes, Vassilisa breaks from the group on stage left and goes to her husband kneeling by his side.

Rising up, Vassilisa delivers these lines.

They group themselves around the body. The Baron goes upstage of Kostilyoff's head, facing full front. The Actor stands directly at the head in full profile. Kvashnya moves in and stands next to the Actor, her back to the audience. Zob stands downstage of Kostilyoff's feet, the Tartar directly in back of him. Satine moves towards the center of the body, his back towards the audience. Alyoshka crowds between Satine and Zob. They murmur quietly among themselves.

As the crowd moves in to view the body, Bubnoff moves downstage to Pepel.

It appears that Pepel is not fully aware of what Bubnoff is saying; he does not even seem to be aware of the fact that he killed the man.

"Somebodys' killed him" was changed to, "He's dead Vaska." The close confinement of the set made the original line ludicrous. Bubnoff was too close to Pepel when the incident occurred; thus, he would have had to see who hit Kostilyoff. 123

KOSTILYOFF_ (disappearing behind a corner): Abram! Seize Vaska! Comrades--help us get him! The thief! The robber! (1)

PEPEL: You— you old bastard! (2)

(Aiming a terrific blow at KOSTILYOFF „ KOSTILYOFF falls so that only the upper part of his body is seen. PEPEL rushes to NATASHA.)

VASSILISA: . Beat Vaska! Brothers! Beat the thief

MIEDVIEDIEFF (yells to SATINE): Keep out of this--it's a family affair . . . they're relatives-- and who are you? . . . (3)

PEPEL (to NATASHA): . What did she do to you? She used a knife? (4)

KVASHNYA: God— what beasts! They've scalded the child's feet with boiling water I

NASTYA: They overturned the samovar. . . .

THE TARTAR: Maybe an accident--you must make sure— you can't exactly tell . . .

NATASHA (half fainting): Vassily--take me away--

VASSILISA: . Good people! Come! Look! He's dead! Murdered! (5)

(All crowd into the hallway near KOSTILYOFF. BUBNOFFleaves the crowd and crosses to PEPEL.) (6)

BUBNOFF (in a low voice, to PEPEL): Vaska— the old man is done for! (7)

PEPEL (looks at him, as though he does not understand): Go— for help— she must be taken to the hospital. . . . I'll settle with them. . . . (8) ■

BUBNOFF: I say--the old man--somebody*s killed him. . . . (9) (1) This direction to be combined with the above direction when the lodgers group around the body. Coming this late it would create a lag in the dramatic tension of the scene.

(2) Vassilisa steps over her husband's body and pushes the others , ; aside in an attempt to reach Pepel.

(3) Pepel makes a lunge toward Vassilisa on this line.

(4) Vassilisa does not disappear; she holds her ground.

(5) Satine delivers this line as he restrains Pepel.

(6) Zob's line is delivered almost simultaneously with Satine's.

(7) Alyoshka blows the whistle in Miedviedieff1s face and runs out the stage right side of the arch, Miedviedieff following him.

(8) They move downstage a few steps.

(9) Vassilisa follows them; stepping around stage left of them, she points a finger at Pepel for all to see. 124

(The noise on the stage dies out like a fire under water. Distinct, whispered exclamations: "Not really?" "Nell— let's go away, brothers I" "The devil!" "Hold on now!" ."Let's get away before the police comes!" The crowd disappears. BUBNOFF, THE TARTAR, NASTYA, and KVASHNYA, rush up to KOSTILYOFF'S body.) (1).

VASSILISA (rises and cries out triumphantly): . Killed— my husband's killed! Vaska killed him! I saw him! Brothers, I saw him! Well--Vaska— the police! (2)

PEPEL (moves away from NATASHA): Let me alone. (Looks at KOSTILYOFF; to VASSILISA.) Well--are you glad? (Touches the corpse with his foot.) The old bastard is dead! . Your wish has been granted! Why not do the same to you? (3)

(Throws himself at her. SAT1NE and ZOB quickly overpower him, and VASSILISA disappears in the passage.) (4)

SATINE: Come to your senses'. (5)

ZOB: Hold on! Not so fast! (6)

VASSILISA (appearing): Well, Vaska, dear friend? You can't escape your fate. , . . police--Abram— whistle!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Those devils tore my whistle off!

ALYOSHKA: Here it is! (7)

(Whistles, MIEDVIEDIEFF runs after him.)

SATINE (leading PEPEL to NATASHA): Don't be afraid, Vaska! .Killed in a row! That's nonsense— only manslaughter— you won't have to serve a long term. . . . (8)

VASSILISA: . Hold Vaska--he killed him— I saw it! (9)

SATINE: I, too, gave the old man a couple of blows— he was easily fixed . . . you call me as witness, Vaska! Misconstruing what Pepel says, Natasha accuses them both. The very delicate agreement she and Pepel had is now completely shattered. She swings her legs over the log turning away from the others on these lines. Though her speech pertains to them, it is far more effective for the audience to see her facial reactions; she can allude to the others over her shoulder.

Satine breaks away from the group in disgust and goes stage left frustrated with the entanglement Pepel has gotten himself into.

He attempts to put a hand on her shoulder; but she pulls away violently. It is too late for them. Nothing he could say or do to her would convince her now.

At the sound of police officers offstage right, Vassilisa exits and we can hear her talking to them.

She rises from the log with great pain and difficulty, mumbling these lines in a distracted manner. She gradually builds in volume and intensity and then comes back down to a sob and collapses on the ground. The lights come down quickly on her. 125

PEPEL: I don't need to defend myself . . . I want to drag Vassilisa in­ to tjhis mess— and i'll do it1 'she was the one who wanted it » she was the one who urged me to kill him--she goaded me on. . . «

NATASHA (sudden and loud): Oh— I understandr-so that's it, Vassily? Good people! They're both guilty— my sister and he— they're both guilty! They had it all planned! So, Vassily, that's why you spoke to me a while ago— so that she should overhear everything— ? Good people! She's his mistress-you know it— everybody knows it— they're both guilty! She— she urged him to kill her husband--he was in their way— and so was l! And now they've maimed me. . . . (1)

PEPEL: Natalia! What's the matter with you? What are you saying?

SATINE: Oh— hell! (2)

VASSILISA: .. You lie. She lies. He— Vaska killed him. .

NATASHA: They're both guilty! God damn you both!

SATINE: What a mix-up! Hold on, Vassily--or they'll ruin you between them!

ZOB: I can't understand it— oh--what a mess!

PEPEL: Natalia! It can't be true! Surely you don't believe that I— with her— (3)

SATINE: So help me God, Natasha! Just think

VASSILISA (in the passage): ... They've killed my,husband--Your Excellency! Vaska Pepel, the thief, killed him. Captain! I saw it— everybody saw it. . . . (4)

NATASHA (tossing about in agony; her mind wandering): Good people--my sister and Vaska killed him! The police— listen — this sister of mine— here— she urged, coaxed her lover--there he stands— the scoundrel! They both killed him! Put them in jail! Bring them before the judge! Take me along, too! To prison! Christ Almighty--take me to prison, too! (5) (1) Kleshtch sits profile on the stool stage right of the table.

(2) The Baron sits across from him on the stage left side of the gable; he is also profile.

(3) Satine sits on the stage right side of the bench upstage of the table; he is full front.

(4) Nastya is stage left of Satine on the same bench.

(5) He raises the glass to her, then drinks.

(6) This speech of Satine's as well as the following six speeches of the other characters is evidence of how acutely these lodgers sense the loss of Luka's presence. It is hard for them to reconcile themselves to the fact that he is gone. 126

ACT IV

Same as Act I. But PEPEL1S room is no longer there, and the partition has been removed. Furthermore, there is no anvil at the place where KLESHTCH used to sit and work. In the corner, where PEPEL1S room used to be THE TARTAR lies stretched out, rather restless, and groaning from time to time. KLESHTCH sits at one end of the table, repairing a concertina and now and then testing the stops. At the other end of the table sit SATIN, THE BARON, and NASTYA. In front of them stand a bottle of vodka, three bottles of beer, and a large loaf of black bread. THE ACTOR lies on top of the stove, shifting about and coughing. It is night. The stage is lit by a lamp in the middle of the table. Outside the wind howls.

KLESHTCH: Yes . . . he disappeared during the confusion and noise. . . . (1)

THE BARON: He vanished under the very eyes of the police— just like a puff of smoke. . . . (2)

SATINE: That's how sinners flee from the company of the righteous! (3)

NASTYA: He was a dear old soul! But you--you aren't men— you're just-- oh— like rust on iron! (4)

THE BARON (drinks): Here's to you, my lady! (5)

SATINE: He was an inquisitive old fellow--yes! Nastenka here fell in love with him. . . . (6)

NASTYA: Yes! I did! Madly! It's true! He saw everything--understood everything,

SATINE (laughing): Yes, generally speaking, I would say that he was— oh--like mush to those who can't chew. . . .

THE BARON (laughing): Right! Like plaster on a boil!

KLESHTCH: He was merciful--you people don't know what pity means. . . , Even Kleshtch, the man who told Luka he hated everyone, misses the old man's presence.

Kleshtch's words remind the Tartar of the old man; he too joins in the conversation. He cannot resist talking agout Luka either. The stage directions were followed here. When the lights come up, the Tartar is lying on the lower stage right bunk, his head downstage towards the audience; as he begins his speech he sits up facing the audience in profile. 127

SAT HE : What good can I do you by pitying you?

KLESHTGH: You needn't have pity--but you needn't harm or offend your fellow-beihgs, either! (1)

THE TARTAR (sits up on his bunk, nursing his wounded hand carefully): He was a fine old man» The law of life was the law of his heart . . . and he who obeys this law, is good, while he who disregards it, perishes. . . . (2)

THE BARON: What law. Prince?

THE TARTAR: There are a number--different ones--you know. . . .

THE BARON: Proceed!

THE TARTAR: Do not do harm unto others--such is the law!

SATINE: Oh— you mean the Penal Code, criminal and correctional, eh?

THE BARON: And also the Code of Penalties inflicted by Justices of the Peace!

THE TARTAR: No. I mean the Koran. It is the supreme law— and your own soul ought.to be the Koran— yes!

KLESHTGH (testing his concertina): It wheezes like all hell! But the Prince speaks the truth— one must live abiding by the law--by the teachings of the Gospels. . . .

SATINE: Well— go ahead and do it!

THE BARON: Just try it!

THE TARTAR: The Prophet Mohammed gave to us the law. He said: "Here is the law! Do as it is written therein!" Later on a time will arrive when the Koran will have outlived its purpose— and time will bring forth its own laws— every generation will create its

OXVH o o o o Despite Satinefs and the Baron1s cynical attitude* we do see in this scene that the four men are more respectful towards each other than they have ever been before. They are able to look beyond themselves in an attempt to answer questions about the ideal law for man.

Luka8s absence is perhaps most painful to Nastya. She111 miss his gentle compassion.

He chuckles to himself at the thought of the idea.

Satine delivers this line over his shoulders, nodding his head in the direction of the Actor.

The Actor, who has been lying quietly on the stove all this time, rises up to correct Satine. 128

SATINE: To be sure! Time passed on--and gave us the Criminal Code . , » It's a strong law, brother--it won’t wear off so very soon! (1)

NASTYA (banging her glass on the table): .Why--why do I stay here— with you? I'll go away somewhere--to the ends of the world! (2)

THE BARON: Without any shoes, my lady?

NASTYA: i'll go— naked, if must be--creeping on all fours!

THE BARON: That'll be rather picturesque, my lady— on all fours! (3)

NASTYA: Yes--and I'll crawl if I have to— anything at all--as long as I don't have to see your faces any longer— oh. I'm so sick of it all— the life--the people— everything!

SATINE: When you go, please take the actor along--he's preparing to to to the very same place--he has learned that within a half mile's distance of the end of the world there's a hospital for diseased organons. . (4) 0

THE ACTOR (raising his head over the top of the stove): A hospital for organisms— you fool 1 (5)

SATINE: For organons— poisoned with vodka!

THE ACTOR: Yes! He will go! He will indeed! You'll see!

THE BARON: Who is he, sir?

THE ACTOR: l!

THE BARON: Thanks, servant of the goddess--what's her name--? The goddess of drama--tragedy— whatever is her name— ?

THE ACTOR: The muse, idiot! Not the goddess--the muse! He kneels on the stove and spreads his arms out in a sweeping motion,

The Baron cuts the Actor off with this line.

The Actor could not bring himself to say the word "nothing" at first, but once the Baron says it the Actor admits it, H e .cries out to them and to himself "Why do we exist?"

In a dark mood, the Baron would prefer to drink and brood quietly.

Natasha, also in a dark mood, would prefer the noise.

Satine rises and goes downstage left of the table on these lines, facing full front. Satine finally brings himself to admit the loneliness; he misses the old man too. 129

SATINE: Lachesis— Hera— Aphrodite— Atropos— oh I To hell with them alii You see— Baron--it was the old man who stuffed the actor's head full with, this rot. . . .

THE BARON: That old man's a fool. . . .

THE ACTOR: Ignoramuses 1 Beasts I Melpomene-,, ithat 's her name I Heartless brutes i BastardsS You'll seel He'll go I "On with the orgy, dismal spirits"— poem--ah— by Beranger! Yes^-he'll find some spot where there's no— no » . . (1)

THE BARON: Where there's nothing, sir? (2)

THE ACTOR: Right 1 Nothingi "This hole shall be my grave— I am dying— ill and exhausted. . . ." Why do you exist? Why? (3)

THE BARON: You! God or genius or orgy--or whatever you are--don't roar so loud I (4)

THE ACTOR: You lieI i'll roar all I want to 1

NASTYA (lifting her head from the table and throwing up her hands): Go on! Yell! Let them listen to you! (5)

THE BARON: Where is the sense, my lady?

SATINE: Leave them alone, Baron! To hell with the lot! Let them yell— let them knock their damned heads off if they feel like it! There's a method in their madness! Don't you go and interfere with people as that old fellow did! Yes— it's he— the damned old fool--he bewitched the whole gang of us I (6)

KLESHTCH: He persuaded them to go away— but failed to show them the road.....

THE BARON: That old man was a humbug!

NASTYA: Liar! You're a humbug yourself! Kleshtch is able to see beyond his own misery. He is able to pity the Tartar; we have never seen him give pity openly to anyone before this.

Satine whirls upon them on the line "Shut up," He circles downstage around the table and goes to the upstage ri’ght side of the bench he was sitting on previously. On the line "What's the truth?" he leans into them, slapping his hand on the table on the line %an--that's the truth!"

On this section of his speech he moves from the table and walks stage left of it.

When he refers to the line "a lie alone can justify the burden which crushed a workman's hand," he moves stage right to the Tartar and gestures towards him,with his hand.

Satine crosses back to the table on the beginning of this speech and leans in on the upstage right side of it. It is interesting to see that Satine, who responded the least to the old man, should have learned the most from him. Satine and the old man had one thing in common, the understanding of man. It did not shine forth from Satine until this moment, but we suspect it was in his character all along; it was Luka who brought forth this aspect of Satine's character.

The Baron makes a toast to him.

Satine moves from where he is standing, goes over to the Baron and stands between him and Nastya,

Nastya also fills her own glass and the Baron fills his.

When Satine delivers this line imitating the old man, the Actor comes down from the stove in order to listen more closely. He goes stage left of Satine and stands by him listening a few . minutes; Satine thinking he wants a drink, offers him his glass but the Actor refuses it and goes downstage left and sits on a stool waiting to recapture some of the old man's inspiration from Satine. 'The Actor's refusal to take the drink Satine has offered shows us that, despite his loss of hope that he will be cured, he is still making an attempt to escape his situation. 130

THE BARON: Shut up, my lady!

KLESHTCH: The old ma.n didn't like truth very much--as a matter of fact he strongly resented it— and wasn't he right, though? Just look-- where is there any truth? And yet, without it, you can't breathe! For instance, our Tartar Prince over there, crushed his hand at his work— and now he'll have to have his arm amputated— and there's the truth for you! (1)

SATINE (striking the table with his clenched fist): Shut up! You sons of bitches! Fools! Not another word about that old fellow! (To THE BARON.) You:, Baron, are the worst of the lot! You don't understand a.thing, and you lie like the devil! The old man's no humbug! What's the truth? Man! Man-- that's the truth! (2) He understood man--you don't! You're all as dumb as stones!. I understand the old man--yes! He lied— but lied out of sheer pity for you. . . . God damn you! Lots of people lie out of pity for their fellowbeings! I know! I've read about it! They lie--oh— beautifully, inspiringly, stir­ ringly! (3) Some lies bring comfort, and others bring peace— a lie alone can justify the burden which crushed a workman's hand and condemns those who are starving! I know what lying means! (4) The weakling and the one who is a parasite through his very weakness— they both need lies— lies are their support, their shield, their armor! But the man who is strong, who is his own master, who is free and does not have to suck his neighbors' blood— he needs no lies! To lie--it's the creed of slaves and masters of slaves! Truth is the religion of the free man! (5)

THE BARON: Bravo! Well spoken! Hear, hear! I agree! You speak like an honest man! (6)

SATINE: And why can't a crook at times speak the truth— since honest people at times speak like crooks? Yes— I've forgotten a lot— but I still know a thing or two! (7) The old man? Oh--he's wise! He affected me as acid affects a dirty old silver coin! Let's drink to his health! Fill the glasses. . . . (NASTYA fills a glass with beer and hands it to SATINE, who laughs.) (8) The old man lives within himself . . . he looks upon all the world from his own angle. Once I asked him: "Granddad, why do people live?" (Tries to imitate LUKA'S voice and gestures.) And he replied: "Why, my dear fellow, people live in the hope of something better! (9) For example--let's say there are carpenters in this world, and all sorts of trash . . . people . . » and they give birth to a carpenter the like of which has The Actor would come down from the stove earlier as was indicated before. Satine sits on the bench here.

The Baron begins to imagine the story, a certain sadness in his voice. This speech is interesting because it is the first time he really attempts to share his past with them. It may be perhaps due to Luka's influence.

The Baron has set himself wide open for an attack from Nastya, now is her chance to get even with him. She moves towards the stage right end of the bench as she delivers these lines; she anticipates what his reaction will be.

He dares her to continue what she is saying.

He rises banging his hand on the table. The Baron is beside himself with fury.

Kleshteh backs up to Anna's bed with the concertina. 131

never been seen upon the face of the earth . . . he's way above everybody else, and has no equal among carpenters! The brilliancy of his personality was reflected on all his trade, on all the other carpenters, so that they advanced twenty years in one day! This applies to all other trades— blacksmiths and shoemakers and other workmen— and all the peasants— and even the aristocrats live in the hopes of a higher life! Each individual thinks that he’s living for his own. self, but in reality he lives in the hope of something better. A hundred years— some­ times longer— do we expect, live for the finer, higher life . ." (TSTASTYA stares intently into SATIRE’S face. KLESHTCH stops working and listens. THE BARON bows his head very low, drumming softly on the table with his fingers. THE ACTOR, peering down from the stove, tries to climb noiselessly into the bunk.) (1) "Everyone, brothers, everyone lives in the hope of something . better. That’s why we must respect each and every human being! How do we know who he is, why he was bom, and what he is capable of accomplishing? Perhaps his coming into the world will prove to be our good fortune. . . . Especially must we respect little children! Children— need freedom! Don’t interfere with their lives! Respect children!"

(Pause.)

THE"BARON (thoughtfully): Hm--yes--something better?— That reminds me of my family . . . an old family dating back to the time of Catherine . . . all noblemen, soldiers, originally French— they served their country and gradually rose higher and higher. In the days of Nicholas the First my grandfather, Gustave DeBille, held a high post— riches--hundreds of serfs . . . horses--cooks— (2)

NASTYA: You liar! It isn’t true! (3)

THE BARON (jumping up): What? Well--go on— (4)

NASTYA: It isn’t true.

THE BARON (screams): A house in Moscow! A house in Petersburg! Carriages! Carriages with coats of arms! (5)

(KLESHTCH takes his concertina and goes to one side, watching the scene with interest.) (6)

NASTYA: You lie! Not able to control himself any longer, the Baron lunges at Nastya as if to choke her*

Satine spreads his hands to stop both of them much in the same manner that Luka had once kept the Baron and Pepel from fighting»

Satine*s laughter shakes the Baron from his anger and he stops for a secondo

He begins to cry just as a child would on these last lines»

Nastya8s attempt was more than revenge, she wonted to show him how cruel his scoffing disbelief could be at times.

He says this line in both relief and disappointment that one did not occuro 132

THE BARON: Shut up!— I say--dozens of footmen = . „

NASTYA (delighted): You lie!

THE BARON: I'll kill you! (1)

NASTYA (ready to run away): .There were no carriages!

SATINE: Stop, Nastenka! Don't infuriate him! (2)

THE BARON: Wait--you bitch! My grandfather . . .

NASTYA: There was no grandfather! There was nothing!

(SATINE roars with laughter.) (3)

THE BARON (worn out with rage, sits down on bench): Satine! Tell that slut--what— ? You, too, are laughing? You don't believe me either? (Cries out in despair, pounding the table with his fists.) It's true--damn the whole lot of you! (4)

NASTYA (triumphantly): _So--you're crying? Understand now what a human being feels like when nobody believes him? (5)

KLESHTCH (returning to the table): I .thought there' d be a fight. . . . (6)

THE TARTAR: Oh-people are fools! It's too. bad. . . .

THE BARON: I shall not permit anyone to ridcule me! I have proofs— documents— damn you!

SATINE: Forget it! Forget about your grandfather's carriages! You can't drive anywhere in a carriage of the past!

THE BARON: How dare she— just the same--? Nastya moves around the table and sits on the downstage side in profile.

Satine is beginning to sound like Luka,

He turns away from Satine embarrassed by the way he has just acted, Satine”s words have made him look at himself more closely just as Luka”s words once did.

She swings one of her dangling feet back and forth.

She speaks about Vaska's fate as if she is glad. She is really trying to shock Satine much in the same manner she once tried to shock Luka by telling him she was going to get drund.

Nastya does not really mean what she says; she simply cannot reconcile herself to the fact that the old man is gone. She wants to strike back at all of them for her dejected misery. 133

NASTYA:. Just imagine! How dare I— ? (1)

SATINE'V . You see--she does dare I How is she any worse than you are? Although, surely, in her past there wasn't even a father and mother, let alone carriages and a grandfather. . . . (2)

THE BARON (quieting down): Devil take you— you do know how to argue dispassionately— and I, it seems--!'ve no will-power. . » . (3)

SATINE: Acquire some— it's useful. . . . (Pause.) Nastya I are you going to the hospital?

NASTYA: What for? (4)

SATINE: . To see Natashka.

NASTYA: Oh— just woke up, did you? She's been out of the hospital for some time— and they can't find a trace of her, . . .

SATINE: Oh--that woman's a gonert

KLESHTCH: It's interesting to see whether Vaska will get the best of Vassilisa, or the other way around— ?

NASTYA: Vassilisa will win out! She's shrewd! And Vaska will go to the gallows! (5)

SATINE: For nianslaughter? No— only to jail. . . .

NASTYA: Too bad— the gallows would have been better . « . that's where all of you should be sent . . . swept off into a hole— like filth. . . . (6)

SATINE (astonished): What's the.matter? Are you crazy?

THE BARON: Oh--give her a wallop— that'll teach her to be less imperti- nent» » « » / (1) Nastya bends in towards the Baron daring him. y _

(2) He starts to rise but Satine puts a hand out to stay him.

(3) He is trying to take revenge on Nastya for the insult she has just made him experience.

(4) Nastya takes the cap and clutches it a few seconds not quite . . knowing what to do with it; in desperation she flings it under the table.

(5) He rises ready to make a lunge at Nastya.

(6) She runs upstage between the table and the stage right bunks. 134

NASTYA: Just you try to touch m e ! (1)

THE BARON: I shall! (2)

SATINE: Stop! Don't insult her! I can't get the thought of the old man out of my head! (Roars with daughter.) Don't offend your fellow-beings! Suppose I were offended once in such a way that I'd remember it for the rest of my life? What then? Should I forgive? No, no!

THE BARON (to NASTYA): You must understand that I'm not your sort . . . you— ah— you piece of dirt! (3)

NASTYA: You bastard! Why— you live off me like a worm off an apple!

;(The men laugh amusedly.)

KLESHTCH: Fool! An apple— ?

THE BARON: You can't be angry with her— she's just an ass—

NASTYA: You laugh! Liars? Don't strike you as funn, eh?

THE ACTOR (morosely): £ Give them a,good beating!

NASTYA: If I only could! (Takes a cup from the table and throws it on the floor.) That's what I'd like to do to you all! (4)

THE TARTAR: Why break dishes--eh--silly girl?

THE BARON (rising): That'll do! i'll teach her manners in half a second! (5)

NASTYA (running toward the door): Go to hell! (6)

SATINE (calling after her): Hey! That's enough! Whom are you trying to frighten? What's all the row about, anyway? She delivers these lines as she goes up the steps and out the door •

Kleshtch places the concertina on the table as he gives this line*

Kleshtch goes to the bed Anna used to occupy and lies down*

The Tartar is profile facing the lower stage right bunk* The Actor rises from the stool and goes to the stove again* 135

NASTYA: Dogs! I hope you'll croak! Dogs! (Runs out.) (1)

THE ACTOR (morosely): Amen!

THE TARTAR: Allah! Had women, these Russians! They're bold, wilful; Tartar women aren't like that! They know the law and abide by it. . . .

KLESHTCH: She ought to be given a sound hiding!

THE BARON: The slut!

KLESHTCH (testing his concertina): It's ready! But its owner isn't here yet— that young fellow is burning his life away. . . . (2)

SATINE: Care for a drink— now?

KLESHTCH: Thanks . „ . it's time to go to bed. . . .

SATINE: Getting used to us?

KLESHTCH (drinks, then goes to his bunk): It's all right . . . there are people everywhere— at first you don't notice it . . . but after a while you don't mind. . . . (3)

(THE TARTAR spreads some rags over his bunk, then kneels on them and prays.) (4)

THE BARON (to SATINE, pointing at THE TARTAR): Look!

SATINE: Stop! He's a good fellow! Leave him alone! (Roars with laughter.) I feel kindly today--the devil alone knows the reason why. . . .

THE BARON: You always feel kindly when you're drunk— you're even wiser at such times. . . .

SATINE: When I'm drunk? Yes— then I like everything— right— He prays? That's fine! A man may believe or not— that's his own affair--a On his line "Let us drink to man, Baron!" Satine stands on the bench.

He steps down from the bench after he delivers his last line; Satine sits once again.

As the Baron begins this speech he rises, goes downstage of the table and circles around it ending up on the stage left side of Satine. 136

man is free--he pays for everything himself— belief or unbelief — love--wisdom . . . a man pays for everything— and that's just why he's free! - Man is— truty! And what is man? It's neither you nor I nor they— oh, no--it's you and they and I and the old man— and.Napoleon--Mohammed— all in one I (Outlines vaguely in the air the contour of a human being.) Do you understand? It's tremendous! It contains the beginning and the end of everything — everything is in man— and everything exists for him! Man alone exists— everything else is the creation of his hands and his brain! Man! It is glorious! It sounds— oh— so big! Man must be respected— not degraded with pity— but respected, re­ spected! Let us drink to man, Baron! (1) (Rises.) It is good to feel that you are a man! I'm a convict, a murderer, a crook— granted!-- When I'm out on the street people stare at me as if I were a scoundrel--they draw away from me--they look after me and often they say: "You dog! You humbug I Work I" Work? And what for? to fill my belly? (Roars with laughter.) I've always despiesed people who worry too much about their bellies» It isn't right, Baron! It isn't! Man is loftier than that! Man stands above hunger! (2)

THE BARON: You— reason things. , . . Well and good--it brings you a certain amount of consolation. . . . Personally I'm incapable of it . . . I don't know how. (Glances around him and then softy, guardedly.) Brother— I am afraid--at times. Do you understand? Afraid!— Because--what next?

SATINE: Rot! What's a man to be afraid of?

THE BARON (pacing up and down): You know— as far back.as I can remember, there's been a sort of fog in my brain. I was never able to understand anything. Some­ how I feel embarrassed— it seems to me that all my life I've done nothing but change clothes— and why? I don't understand! I studied— I wore the uniform of the Institute for the Sons of the Nobility . . . but what have I learned? I don't remember! I married— I wore a frock-coat--then a dressing-gown . . . but I chose a disagreeable wife . . . and why? I don't understand. I squandered everything that I possessed— I wore some sort of a gray jacket and brick-colored trousers— but how did I happen to ruin myself? I haven't the slightest idea. . . . I had a posi­ tion in the Department of State. . . . I wore a uniform and a cap with insignia of rank. . . . I embezzled government funds .... so they dressed me in a convict's garb--and later on I got into these clothes here— and it all happened as in a dream— it's funny. . . . (3)

SATINE: Not very! It's rather-silly! For a few seconds the Baron pauses to think these words over; perhaps Satine has a point.

The Baron starts for the door as he gives these lines; we wonder if his intentions are to conceive a better man. He leaves.

After the Baron exits, the Actor crawls from the stove and creeps over to the Tartar.

The Actor stands a few paces behind the Tartar as he delivers these lines. First he says "Tartar!" but when that does not bring the man around to him, he decides to call him "Prince." The Tartar turns and the Actor asks him, "Say a prayer for me. . . ."

He didn't hear the first time.

The Actor pleads once again.

This final speech of the Tartar seems to shut the Actor com­ pletely out. It is at this point that he decides to commit suicide.

At this point he goes to the table, debates a few seconds, then pours a dring and does not lift the glass from his lips until all is gone. This last act signifies his unwillingness to turn back and reconsider. His abstainence broken, there is nothing that will stop him now. He delivers the words "all over!" after he has taken the drink. As he goes to the door he repeats the phrase once again in the direction of the Tartar; this last childish gesture is his way of telling the Tartar, "it's all your fault." .

Satine, who has been lost in thought all this time, has not really paid any attention to the Actor. It is when the Actor leaves that he says something. If Satine were to look at the Actor at any point before he leaves, there would be the danger that should these eyes meet, the Actor would be disuaded from his plan. After the Actor leaves, there is a pause for a count of eight. During this time the sad strings of the balalaika can be heard.

Miedviedieff staggers through the door as he delivers this line.

Bubnoff follows close behind. 137

THE BARON: Yes— silly! I think so, too. Still— wasn't I born for some sort of purpose?

SATINE (laughing): Probably--a man is born to conceive a better man. (Shaking his head.) (1) --It's all right!

THE BARON: That she-devil Nastka! Where did she run to? i'll go and see— after all, she . . . (2)

(Exit; pause.) (3)

THE ACTOR: Tartar! (Pause.) Prince! (THE TARTAR looks round.) Say a prayer for me. ... . (4) . .

THE TARTAR: What? (5)

THE ACTOR (softly): Pray— for me! (6)

THE TARTAR (after a silence): Pray for your own self! (7)

THE ACTOR (quickly crawls off the stove and goes to the table, pours out a drink with shaking hands, drinks, then almost runs to ■> passage): (8) All over! , '

SATINE: Hey proud Sicambrian! Wher;e are you going? (9)

(SATINE whistles. MIEDVIEDIEFF enters, dressed in a woman's flannel shirtwaist; followed by BUBNOFF. Both are slightly drunk. BUBNOFF carries a bunch of. pretzels in one hand, a couple of smoked fish in the other, a bottle of vodka under one arm, another bottle in his coat pocket.)

MIEDVIEDIEFF: A camel is something like a donkey--only it has no ears. . . . (10).

BUBNOFF: . Shut up! You're a variety of donkey yourself!

MIEDVIEDIEFF: A camel has no ears at all, at all--it hears through its nostrils. . . . (11) Bubnoff goes straight to Satine as soon as his bleary eyes adjust to the room.

Satine takes a bottle and places it on the table as he delivers this line.

The staggering Miedviedieff sits at the table stage left of Satine; he is profile.

Bubnoff makes a sweeping whirl around the room. He wants more company; he is going to treat. Bubnoff is feeling very proud and generous.

Kleshtch still remains at Anna's bed.

Bubnoff is irritated with Kleshtch for disturbing his train of thought.

Bubnoff is suddenly the generous proprietor; he imagines that he has thrown open the doors of his establishment to everyone.

Another inspiration suddenly strikes his drunken imagination; he goes to Satine.

He searches his different pockets, one at a time, as he delivers these lines. 138

BUBNOFF (to SATINE): Friend I I've looked for you in all the saloons and all the cabarets I Take this bottle--my hands are full. . . . (1)

SATINE: Put the pretzels on the table--then you'll have one hand free— (2)

BUBNOFF: Right! Hey— you donkey— look! Isn’t he a clever fellow?

MIEDVIEDIEFF: All crooks are clever— I know! They couldn't do a thing without brains. An honest man is all right even if he's an idiot . . . but a crook must have brains. But, speaking about camels, you're wrong . . . you can ride, them— they have no horns . . . and no teeth either. „ . . (3)

BUBNOFF: ...... Where's everybody? Why is there no one here? Come on out . . . I treat! Who's in the corner? (4)

SATINE: How soon will you drink up everything you have? Scarecrow!

BUBNOFF: Very soon! I've very little this time. Zob--where's Zob?

KLESHTCH (crossing to table): He isn't here. . . , (5)

BUBNOFF: Waughrr! Bui1-dog! Br-zz-zz— Turkey-cock! Don't bark and don't growl! Drink--make merry— and don't be sullen!-- (6) I treat everybody— Brother, I love to treat--if I were rich, I'd run a free saloon! . So help me God, I would! With an orchestra and a lot of singers! Come ^ everyone I Drink and eat--listen to the music— and re^t in peace! Beggars--come, all you beggars— and enter my saloon free of charge! (7) Satine--you can have my capital— just like that! (8)

SATINE: You better give me all you have straight away!

BUBNOFF: All my capital? Right now? Well— here's a ruble--here's twenty kopecks--five kopecks--sun-flower seeds— and that's all! (9)

SATINE: That's splendid! It'll be safer with me--I'11 gamble with it... . (1) Miedviedieff the dutiful police officer is speaking.

(2) Alyoshka stands at the bottom of the steps pointing at his feet.

(3) Bubnoff gives Alyoshka a cup of vodka on this line.

(4) Alyoshka goes to the stool that is downstage left between the "table and Pepel's room.

(5) He leans over the table across Satine to deliver this line.

(6) He rises to get their attention; after he has sung the song he sits. 139

MIEDVIEDIEFF: I'm a witness--the money was given you for safe-keeping. How much is it? (1)

BUBNOFF: You? You're a camel— we don't need witnesses. . . .

ALYOSHKA (comes in barefoot): Brothers, I got my feet wet! (2)

BUBNOFF: Go on and get your throat wet— and nothing'll happen— you're a fine fellow--you sing and you play— that's all right! But it's too bad you drink— drink, little brother, is harmful, very harmful. . . . (3)

ALYOSHKA: I judge by you! .Only when you're drunk do you resemble a human being. . . . Kleshtch! Is my concertina fixed? (Sings and dances.) (4) "if my mug were not so attractive. My sweetheart wouldn't love me at all . . ." Boys, I'm frozen--it's cold. . . .

MIEDVIEDIEFF: Hm--and may I ask who's this sweetheart?

BUBNOFF: Shut up! From now on, brother, you are neither a policeman nor an uncle!

ALYOSHKA: . Just auntie's husband!

BUBNOFF: One of your nieces is in jail--the other one's dying. . . . (5)

.MIEDVIEDIEFF (proudly): You lie! She's not dying--she disappeared--without trace. . . .

(SATINE roars.)

BUBNOFF: All the same, brothers--a man without nieces isn't an uncle!

ALYOSHKA: Your Excellency! Listen to the drummer of the retired billy- goats' brigade! (Sings.) (6) This direction would not apply to the play because all characters, except the seventeen members of the cast, were cut from the play.

Zob comes in and sits stage right of the table.

Bubnoff sits stage right of Satine on the bench upstage of table.

The Tartar's voice reminds Bubnoff inquire about his hand. He rises and goes over to the Tartar who is now lying on the lower bunk.

Bubnoff goes over and sits once again on the bench beside Satine.

Zob turns on his stool and faces the Tartar during these lines; he is profile to the audience.

She comes down the steps and sees Miedviedieff as soon as she inquires about him.

Kvashnya moves over to the table and stands between Satine and Miedviedieff. 140

"My sweetheart has money, I haven't a cent. But I'm a cheerful. Merry lad!" Oh— isn't it cold!

(Enter ZOB. From now until the final curtain men and women drift in, undress, and stretch out on the bunks, grumbling.) (1)

ZOB: Bubnoff! Why did you run off? (2)

BUBNOFF: Come here— sit down— brother, let's sing my favorite ditty, eh? (3)

THE TARTAR: Night was made for sleep! Sing your songs in the daytime!

SATINE: Well— never mind, Prince--come here!

THE TARTAR: What do you mean— never mind? There's going to be a noise— there always is when people sing!

BUBNOFF (crossing to THE TARTAR): Count— ah— I mean Prince--how1s your hand? Did they cut it off? (4)

THE TARTAR: What for? We'll wait and see--perhaps it won't be necessary . . . a hand isn't made of iron— it won't take long to cut it off. . . . (5)

ZOB: It's your own affair, Hassanka! You'll be good for nothing without your hand. We're judged by our hands and backs— without,the pride of your hand, you're no longer a human being. Tobaeco-carting--that's your business! Come on— have a drink of vodka— and stop worrying! (6)

-'KVASHNYA (comes in): Ah, my beloved fellow-lodgers! It's horrible outside--snow and slush . . . is my policeman here? (7)

MIEDVTEDIEFF: Right here!

KVASHNYA: Wearing my blouse again? And drunk, eh? What's the idea? (8) He is apologetic to her.

Kvashnya -is disillusioned; after marrying this man she is not much happier than she was with her first husband, except perhaps this man does not beat her.

She touches his face on this line. We have the feeling that perhaps Satine might have been her secret interest, but she hid the fact from them and herself until this moment.

She turns her attention to Alyoshka,

He rises and comes to her.

The line four hundred pounds was changed to read "over a hundred and fifty pounds." It would not have been possible to pad the actress making her look much over "one hundred and fifty pounds" and keep the padding believable. 141

MIEDVIEDIEFF: In celebration of Bubnoff's birthday . . . besides, it's cold. . . . (1)

KVASHNYA: Better look out--stop fooling about and go to sleep!

MIEDVIEDIEFF (goes to kitchen): Sleep? I can-^I want.to--it's time— (Exit.)

SATINE: What's the matter? Why are you so strict with him?

KVASHNYA: You can't be otherwise, friend. You have to be strict with his sort. I took him as a partner. I thought he'd be of some benefit to me— because he's a military man— and you're a rough lot . . . and I am a woman--and now he's turned drundard--that won't do at all 1 (2)

SATINE: You picked a good one for partner!

KVASHNYA: Couldn't get a better one. You wouldn't want to live with me . . . you think you're too fine! And even if you did it wouldn't last more than a week . . . you'd gamble me and all I own away at cards I (3)

SATINE (roars with laughter): That's true, landlady--I'd gamble. . . .

KVASHNYA: Yes, yes. Alyoshka,! (4)

ALYOSHKA: . . Here he is--I, myself! (5)

KVASHNYA: What do you mean by gossiping about me?

ALYSHKA: I? Speak out everything— whatever my conscience tells me. There, I say, is a wonderful woman! Splendid meat, fat, bones-- over four hundred pounds 1 But brains--? Not an ounce! (6)

KVASHNYA: You're a liar! I've a lot of brains! What do you mean by saying I beat my.policeman? She runs a hand through his hair as a gesture of affection.

He sits on his stool again.

He points to his nose.

Bubnoff goes over to get the Tartar; there is a pause after he beckons the Tartar,

The Tartar's decision to join them prompts all the lodgers to gather around the table for the song.

All wait while Alyoshka finds the chord for them to start with.

The actors sing one whole stanza of the song and begin the second when the Baron throws the door open and Nastya enters staring straight ahead in shocked disbelief. 142

ALYOSHKA: . , I thought you did— when you pulled him by the hair I

KVASHNYA (laughs): You fool! You aren't blind, are you? Why wash dirty linen in public? And— it hurts his fee lings--, that's why he took to drink „ .... (1)

ALYOSHKA: It's true, evidently, that even a chicken likes vodka. . . . (2)

(SATINE and KLESHTCH roar with laughter.)

KVASHNYA: Go on--show your teeth! What sort of a man are you anyway, Alyoshka?

ALYOSHKA: Oh--I am first-rate! Master of all trades! I follow my nose! (3)

BUBNOFF (near THE TARTAR'S bunk): Come on! At all eventsr-we won't let you sleep! We'll sing all night. Zob!

ZOB: Sing— ? All right . . . (4)

ALYOSHKA: And I'll play. . . .

SATINE: We'll listen!

THE TARTAR (smiling): Well— Bubnoff--ydu devil--bring the vodka— we'll drink--we'11 have a. hell of a good time! The end will come soon enough— and then we'll be dead! (5)

BUBNOFF: . Fill his glass, Satine! Zob— sit down! Ah— brothers— what does a man need after all? There, for instance. I've had a drink— and I'm happy I Zob! . Start my favorite song! i'll sing--and then i'll cry. . . . (6)

ZOB (begins to sing): ; . . "The sun rises and sets . .

BUBNOFF (joining in): . . . "But my prison is all dark . . ." (7) The Baron standing in the doorway uses "Hey--you--come--come here!" to get their attention. When all stop singing and turn their attention to him he tells them the news. There is a slight pause then Satine delivers his line;.

The lights come down slowly on them all. 143

THE BARON (on the threshold; yells): Hey--you--come--come here 1, Out in the waste--in the yard . . . over there . . . The actor--he's hanged himself. . . . (1)

(Silence. All stare at THE BARON. Behind him appears NASTYA, and slowly, her eyes wide, with horror, she walks to the table.)

SATINE (in a matter-of-fact voice): Damned fool--he ruined the song . . . ! (2) CHAPTER V

SUMMARY OF REHEARSAL AND PRODUCTION PERIOD

A total of nineteen rehearsals (including dress rehearsals) was

utilized for the production. The greatest problem created by a tight

schedule and a large cast, was confliction of the times the actors were

available. Though laboratory time was used for rehearsals, many of the

students who were in the production were not in the acting laboratories

and as a result, had other classes during rehearsal time.

The major blocking patterns were taken care of in the first four

rehearsals » A total of approximately three hours per act was allotted '-s for blocking. The p-re*blocked method on paper saved valuable rehearsal

time, allowing the director more time to discuss the actors' motivations

in certain scenes. Pre-planning also made it possible to get the maximum effect from the use of planes and levels. Certain pre-blocked moves were changed however when they did not fit in, or when an actor was unable to do it or felt uncomfortable to the point that it destroyed

certain qualities in his character.

Large scenes such as the climax at the end of Act III were only

generally plotted as to the order of entrance of each character. This was necessitated by the fact that it is difficult to prearrange

positions for fifteen actors, when a fight scene moves so rapidly; much

of the clarification of this action was done with the actors during the

early stage of rehearsals.

144 145

In general there were very few problems with the blocking of the play, though it was apparent that some of the less experienced actors had difficulty in remembering where to go. Some difficulty was also experienced in remembering whether a move occurred before a line, on a line, or after a line, a necessary concern if an actor is to achieve the most dramatic effect possible*

, Along with the difficulty of remembering the blocking, the usual problems that beset the inexperienced actor were present. It was apparent that the actors experienced difficulty in determining a character's real reason for saying or doing something. They were always able to give an involved explanation of why a character acted in a certain way, or said a certain thing, but many times the conclusions drawn were incorrect. Some of the actors were not yet experienced in analyzing plays and did not know when to take a line at face value, and when to read more into it.

Another problem was trying to convince the inexperienced that they could take as much time on the stage as they wanted, provided what they presented was interesting and honest. There was a tendency for the lesser experienced actors to hurry through their parts as if the spectators were impatient to by-pass their part and move on with the production. Many were afraid to take time out for business if they did not have lines to deliver; trying to convince them that good business can command as much attention as lines do, was often difficult.

While it was possible to point out the mistakes to an experi­ enced actor, it was better to take the positive approach with the actors who had less experience. That is to say that better results were 146 achieved with the inexperienced actor, by perceiving what he was doing correctly and adding to it. Creating a barrier between director and actor was prevented in this way.

The actors, achieved a great deal in nineteen rehearsals.

However there were many things that, had they been worked on, would have added immensely to the production. In some cases it was a question of time; in others it was a lack of experience. In production the actors brought a certain honesty to their roles but more time would have afforded the opportunity to polish small segments of a scene that could have added more dramatic impact to the production.

We did not get the full effect of Kostilyoff*s annoyance with

Kleshtch when he tells him that his work is squeaky and jarring on everyones' nerves. The poignancy of his scene with Luka in which he tells him "man must settle in one place" could also have been worked on. Very honestly portrayed however, was Kostilyoff's frustration when he was talking to Pepel, and Satine and the Actor were throwing inside remarks about his wife.

This director sought to keep the character of Vassilisa from appearing as a villain. The actress was able to give the role a certain believability in the scene in which she tries to persuade Pepel to kill her husband* However, the dramatic impact could have been built so that it would have been more keenly felt. Her concept of how the Act III climax should be develpped was also well handled. Vassilisa's jealousy could be sensed the moment she struggled on stage with Satine and we were able to witness as her jealousy gradually gave way to cold cunning when she blamed her husband's death on Pepel. 147

Natasha’s most beautiful moments were during the death scene of

Anna--from the time she discovered the body until the other lodgers came

to view it« Her shock, pity, despair and fear were built to a beautiful

terminating point with her lines, "GodI If they’d only a little pity

* . , if only someone would say a kindly word--oh you ...” More work was needed in the scene with Pepel in which he asks her to go away. We

did not get the full impact of her struggle to reach a decision,

Miedviedieff’s drunken scene in Act IV was extremely well handled with subtle touches which gave.the scene a believability. His befuddlement with the situation in the Act III climax was both hilarious

and pathetic. One of the finest touches the actor added to the character was the inherent pride that has a great deal to do with our under­

standing of this man and how he thinks.

The actor who interpreted the role of Pepel had many interesting motivations for his actions, yet he was not always able to put into

action the conclusions concerning his character. The most beautiful moment of complete honesty he achieved was his reaction to Anna’s death.

His exit with the four words, ”l don’t like it,” completely awed the

audience.

In the later rehearsals the director and cast members were able

to see quite.clearly the tragedy of Kleshtch, and feel his complete

change in Act IV. The actor did much to eliminate the tension his body would take on in his more dramatic moments.

Anna’s character was truthfully portrayed with a great sense of

the predominant mood of impending death. Her greatest problem however, was in being heard; the actress’ voice by nature is a very soft one. The 148 scene in which she asks Luka about life after death expressed both

Anna's fear mingled with hope very convincingly.

The actress who played Nastya gave us a beautiful insight into the girl's very mercurial Russian temper. Her transitions from the story, to an outrage, back to a story, then another outrage were beau­ tifully handled. Her greatest difficulty lay in her tendency to deliver some of her lines in a certain tone of voice that made her sound like a youthful teenager rather than a street-walker who had been hardened by her life.

Kvashnya, just like Vassilisa, was difficult to interpret, because the actress was small; the physical stature of the role tended to dwarf her. However, the actress was able to develop a voice that gave her a husky quality. The actress was at her best when she under­ played her speeches; as soon as she played too broadly, conviction was lost in the character. Two of the most honest touches were her speech to Luka about Anna's maid going out for a walk, and her answer to Satine that she could not get a better husband than Miedviedieff.

Bubnoff's reaction to Anna's death was a very convincing, tender scene in the play. His confession to Luka in Act H I also possessed a certain honesty. The actor's greatest problem was his inability to realize what is dramatically effective onstage. Much work could have been done on his scene in the last act; this was especially true of the speech in which he tells the lodgers, "Beggars— come all you, beggars

. . The speech would have had more dramatic impact had we been able to work on his visualization of this idea that has just caught Bubnoff es drunken imagination. 149

The climax for the Baron's character came in Act IV with the speech in which he weeps because no one will believe his story. Had the actor worked more diligently in the role, he could have brought all his scenes up to his Act IV level of performance. He missed the full meaning of the scene with Luka in Act I. At no time did we feel his embarrassment and shame when Luka questioned him.

Satine's character was very finely acted. Most commendable was the actor's handling of the last scene in the play. Gorky's philosophy about man was delivered in such a way so that it did not appear as preaching nor the rantings of a drunk, but rather the beliefs of a man who is taciturn until the effects of alcohol mellow his brain; then all he thinks and feels about life comes forth.

The actor's concept of the Actor was beautifully conceived. The

\ actor who portrayed the role possessed the ability to look at a script and pull out most of its stageworthy elements; he created some beautiful moments. The director's major problem was staying ahead of him in order to answer his numerous questions about the script.

Luka was the embodiment of the compassionate human being spoken of in Chapter III. However, there was a slight nonchalant manner about him in the scene in which he consoles Anna, and the scene in which he tells the Actor he could be cured. This nonchalance was not intentional' on the part of the actor; it seemed rather the result of not stressing the inherent dramatic quality in such lines as "They'll lead you into

God's presence and they'll say: "Dear God I Behold! Here is Anna, Thy servant!" On the other hand it was just this straight delivery which prevented the character from becoming a saintly stock type. 150

The actor who played Alyoshka made an immense improvement from the first rehearsal. He possesses a great deal of acting ability; this was witnessed by his ability to take direction. His main problem, stemming from inexperience* was in transitions of thought; he did not give himself time to make the transitions.

The actor who played the Tartar brought this role from some­ thing unbelievable to something believable. He had tried to play the

Tartar as a hypocrite who spouted off on the Koran but did not believe; when it was explained to him that the Kazan Tartars were an honest, simple hard-working race he began to build an honest character. There was of course, the problem of making his body movement match his strong voice; this problem was never quite resolved. The most rewarding experience in having worked with him was seeing his pride at what he had accomplished.

Zob, also a longshoreman like the Tartar, stepped into his part later than the others. He was asked to simply project a simple, hard working peasant and this he achieved. Because of the obvious differ­ ences in build between the Tartar and Zob, it would have seemed foolish for Zob to attempt any physical characteristics of a hugh burly long­ shoreman. The two provided a nice contrast. The Tartar represented the physical strengty, Zob the moral strength.

The actors brought many stageworthy an dramatic elements to their roles. Certain scenes could have been more effective, more interesting than they were, had there been time. The audience on the whole did appear to have been moved by the play. 151

Just as the directing did not accomplish all it had set out to, neither did the set designs * A green wash over the interior (and necessarily over the exterior as the walls would have to match) would have given the mossy feeling and would have taken the flat gray look away from the walls; however, the cracks and visible bricks helped to do this »

Most of the esthetic flaws occurred in the painting of the exterior set. Perhaps the most outstanding flaw was present in the buildings in the distance and the red brick wall. The buildings in the distance looked little better than cardboard cut-outs tacked upon the wall backing the arch. They also cast shadows upon the cyclorama. The shadows could have been taken care of by mounting the buildings on the back wall. The buildings could have been improved by re-painting had there been time» There was too much detail and coritrast of color in them. This was also the problem of the brick wall. If the detail had been diminished and the colors had not been so contrasting, the wall and buildings both would have tended to recede.

The walled in feeling that was to have been achieved by the two­ fold and three-fold was partially achieved, but they, like the stark beauty of the trees and buildings against the sky, were somehow lost when adapted for the Park Theatre» The folding units that served as the large buildings looming above everything, could not completely give the desired feeling because the low proscenium arch on the forestage termi­ nated the top edge of them. The stark beauty was lessened because not enough of the shape of the dark trees could be seen through the arch. 152

The stumps and logs also should have been smaller and more realistic looking. They were too close to the audience for them to accept as real»

The general idea of the costumes and make-up was preserved.

Some changes in the color and design of the costumes were made where it was necessary to pull clothes available in the wardrobe. In make up there were two changes» The Actor’s hair was not sprayed black, and

Luka did not wear a skull cap. The thick silver crop of hair was decidedly better than the skull cap» It gave the appearance that Luka would live indefinitely without really changing.

It was not possible to cross light because of the angles the lights had to be set at, and the limitation in the number of instruments due to wattage capacity. All colors were in the warm tones. The lights followed the actors from area to area whenever possible, but because the blocking was so varied, it was not always possible. No changes in sound were made. The selections chosen to go into the play were suitable to the mood, and blended right into the scene.

In general summary as to the value of what was learned from this thesis project, much was gained by taking the play and realizing it upon the stage. An opportunity was provided to take an idea, the directional concept of The Lower Depths and follow it through, combining all phases of production. Just as valuable as the opportunity to direct and design, was the opportunity to communicate ideas and concepts to the actors. A director can be no stronger than his ability to communicate to people. a

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rSccTT NASTYA (in a loud whisper): Vassilisa!

VASSILISA: Vaska killed him! I saw him! Tiicson Footlights

U A - Q m u p

According to Miss Scott: “Gorki was. criticized often by Tolstoy and Chekhov be­ cause he failed to exercise re- ; /Lower Depths'On straint in his Writings; that For Two Nights Ke sermonized1 too much; but GorkiM i that it was has' busi­ By ness as a writer to stir his HELEN WALLACE YOUNGE fellow men into awareness. " This will be the week that Although Irisphilosophy , was — known for its heavycomes dose to bordering oh melodrama many times, it is drama, for not only will the,also this philosophy which famed -, Albee play, -“Who’sihelps to endear his charac­ Afraid of Virginia Wooif?" beters to us. In their hopeless seen, at the. Tucson MusicStruggle to attain what they : Center on Friday arid Satur­ believe, they gain.the dignity day nights at 8 p.m., but Max­ im Gorki’s tragedy, “The of man.” Lower Depths,” will be on the The theme of this slice-of- boards of the University Park;{Iife drama is the same as Theater; tomorrow and Tues­. that of many of our modem day nights at 8 p.m. . plays, .viz., man’s struggle to find his identity in the. world. “The Lower Depths”, is be­Gorki’s characters, vsteeped' in ing presented on the US-dra- - ma depart- a , deep, ingrained' feeling of _ m e n t’s ex- futility, ask themselves “What penmen t a 1 is truth?” “Why do I exist?” theater . pro­ “Who am I?” gram as a Achieving a; great success product i o n When produced in-Moscow in thesis by 1902 by theMoscow Art grad u a t e- Group, the play became in­ student Bon­ ternationally famouswhen nie Scott. the same group brought it to Miss Scott this country in 1923. It was. has designed this Stanislavsky production the sets, cos­ which made its audiences so tumes, a n d YOUNGE involved with Gorki’s intense^' action of the ly realistic characters, sordid play as well as directed its " but illumined with pity," . many interesting characters. Miss Scott has- chosen some Gorki’s pen name means of the finest performers of “Maxiih the1B1 f t e r,” arid the drama department to. Romaine Holland . has - de­ bring these characters to life scribed him as “the m a n once moreAlan Fudge who, like Dante, .emerged will portray Satine, Ronald from hell, rbut not alone, andGold the Actor, Dennis Wilk- brought with him his com­erson the faith - healer Luka. panions in torment, his com-1John Steinmetz will be the rades in salvation;” After a locksmith and his wife will detestable childhood, Gorki" be played by Susan Sharkey. wandered over the steppes of Donna Reeds Helms will be Russia and came to know the seen as the streetwalker. flotsam and jetsam of soci­ Keeper of the night - lodging- ety, later becoming a writer. hellhole will be Dennis Wil­ of social protest, pleading forson, and his wife wrll.be Le- humanity.-With knowledge. nore Milberg, with her sister came pity, and it is the com­ played by Roxanna Richard­ bination of grime - stained son. Others will be James realism and compassion that Cantrall, Doug Anderson, made him the spokesman for Lynne Ogden, Allan Sorokin, the outcasts he called “the * Lewis Schlaflander, Roger creatures that oncewere Voeller, Gary Montgomery, men.” 0u _ U,

Tragedy, "The Lower Depths," by Maxim Gorki; UA drama dept. Experi­ mental Theatre; Jan. 11, 12, at 0 p.m. University Park theatre on Park Ave.; Director, Bonnie Scott; Cast, Dennis Wilson, Lenore Milberg, Roxanna Richard­ son, James Contrail, Doug Anderson, John Steinmetz, Susan Sharkey, Donna Helms, Lynne Ogden, Allan Sorokin, Lewis Schlaflander, Alan Fudge, Ronald Gold, Dennis Wilkerson, Roger Voeller, Gary (Montgomery, Mark Richmond. By HELEN WALLACE YOUNGE Those who saw the UA Drama Department’s Experimental Theatre production last night of Maxim Gorki’s drama, “The Lower Depths,” knew they had been at d play, or at least had witnessed a sordid slice of life in a filthy Russian lodging at the turn of the century. - As a thesis production, this nesses as lies which he told bitter plea for humanity was them out of pity. designed, costumed, and direct­ With such a well-balanced ed by Bonnie Scott in partial cast and with each one of the fulfillment for her master’s de­ seventeen members having op­ gree. Be it said, that in all portunity to take the,stage at aspects of prbduction Miss Scott One time or another, it is diffi­ has qualified as a promising cult to comment individually and talented director. ' without ignoring some who de­ serve recognition. But Dennis Her cast showed excellent en­ Wilkerson played the bid man semble training, an authentic with a pleasingly calm de­ sense of character, and inter­ meanor, a warm and paternal estingly interlaced rhythms and sympathy, and a remarkable tone. They went a long way to­ sense of bodily stiffness. ward making us accept the real life existence of the characters. Ronald Gold was convincing The two sets were surprisingly as the Actor in his alcoholic for­ well Conceived for such a small getfulness, his pathetic eager­ stage and added much., to the ness to redeem himself, and his flavor of misery and degrada­ snickering weakness. The dying tion. Miss Scott’s patterns of ac­ Anna was given a truly realistic tion showed variety and in­ and sharply appealing interpre­ genuity with a fine use of vary­ tation by Susan Sharkey, who ing levels. was the picture of a frail, fear- Of course it is well to take filled consumptive, several deep breaths of fresh air Lewis Schaflander’s well mod­ before trying to sit through this ulated revelation of his crime painful picture of human misery, as the baron was outstanding, as of the dregs of humanity who was the amazing range of vocal “were once men.” The skid-row power demonstrated by Alan characters come and go, fight Fudge as Satine. Doug Ander­ and drink, die and philosophize son gave a believable force and about living. violence to his thief in love, with Natasha, the bewildered and They worry about why they misused sister of the lodge own­ exist, what truth is, and who er. Roxanna Richardson played they are. The old man Luka is Natasha with a good sense of hopeful and helpful with his the girl’s confusion and dis­ thought that each one has to trust. But then the entire cast help to find a better life. But needs to be commended for its the cynics only deride his kind­ effort and sincerity. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

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