Vassa E-Book

MAXIM GORKY

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

'There are no miracles in this world. Only those we make for ourselves.' It's 8 a.m. and a revolt is underway. The father is dying. The son is spying. The wife is cheating. The uncle is stealing. The mother is scheming. The dynasty is crumbling. One house. One fortune. One victor. Maxim Gorky's savagely funny play Vassa Zheleznova was first published in 1910. Mike Bartlett's adaptation, Vassa, premiered at the Almeida Theatre, London, in October 2019.

Leseprobe

Maxim Gorky

VASSA

in a new version by

Mike Bartlett

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

Contents

Original Production

Characters

Vassa

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Vassa was first performed at the Almeida Theatre, London, on 21 October 2019 (previews from 9 October), with the following cast:

LIPA

Alexandra Dowling

PROKHOR

Michael Gould

PAVEL

Arthur Hughes

DUNYA

Daniella Isaacs

ANNA

Amber James

SEMYON

Danny Kirrane

NATALYA

Kayla Meikle

MIKHAIL

Cyril Nri

VASSA

Siobhán Redmond

LYUDMILA

Sophie Wu

Direction

Tinuke Craig

Design

Fly Davis

Light

Joshua Pharo

Sound

Emma Laxton

Movement

Jenny Ogilvie

Casting

Annelie Powell CDG

Resident Director

Tamar Saphra

Characters

VASSA PETROVNA ZHELEZNOVA

ANNA

her children

SEMYON

PAVEL

NATALYA, Semyon’s wife

LYUDMILA, Pavel’s wife

PROKHOR ZHELEZNOV, Zakhar’s brother

MIKHAILO VASILIEV, manager

DUNYECHKA, a distant relative of the Zheleznovs

LIPA, a maid

( / ) means the next speech begins at that point.

( – ) means the next line interrupts.

(…) at the end of a speech means it trails off. On its own it indicates a pressure, expectation or desire to speak.

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

As the audience enters, Russian music from before the Revolution is playing.

Just before house lights go down we hear the opening of The Firebird ‘Suite 1. Introduction’.

As it plays, the house lights slowly fade.

A caption:

‘This play is set before a revolution.’

It fades. Then another caption.

‘Capitalism is showing its age.’

It fades.

ACT ONE

Early morning, a winter’s day. A large room – VASSA ZHELEZNOVA’s bedroom and study. It is crowded with things. In the corner behind screens is a bed, to the left is a table, covered in papers, with tiles used instead of paperweights. By the table is a tall writing desk, behind that, under the window, is a couch. There are lamps with green lampshades. In the right-hand corner there is a tiled stove-bench, and by that is a safe and a door leading into the chapel. Papers are pinned to the screens with safety pins, they rustle when anyone walks past them.

In the upstage wall there are wide doors leading into the dining room; a table can be seen, and above it a chandelier. A candle is burning on the table. DUNYA is getting the breakfast things ready. LIPA carries in a boiling samovar.

DUNYA

(Quietly.) Is she back yet?

LIPA

No.

DUNYA

So what’s going to happen?

LIPA

Er. Shut up?

LIPA enters VASSA’s room and inspects it.

VASSA enters through the doors to the chapel, adjusting her glasses and the hair at her temples.

VASSA

You’re incredibly late.

LIPA

No, I –

VASSA

It’s quarter past seven.

LIPA

No it’s not –

VASSA

‘No’?

VASSA picks up the clock and shows her.

Look.

LIPA

Alright. I’m sorry.

VASSA

Look.

She does.

You can read a clock?

LIPA

Yes I can read a clock.

VASSA

What time is it then?

LIPA

I was talking to –

VASSA

(Very calm.) What time is it Lipa?

She looks.

LIPA

Quarter past seven.

VASSA

At last.

LIPA

If you’ll let me speak, Vassa, I was getting up to date with everything this morning. Zakhar Ivanovich was bad again last night.

VASSA

(Going to the table.) Hm. No telegram?

LIPA

No.

VASSA

And everyone’s up?

LIPA

Pavel hasn’t gone to bed yet…

VASSA

Why not? Is he ill?

LIPA

No it’s because Lyudmila spent the night with someone else I mean with somewhere else I mean she wasn’t at home last night and I’m not saying anything but I don’t know what she was doing.

A moment. VASSA approaches LIPA, calmly. Speaks quietly.

VASSA

Lipa I think your time with us is coming to an end.

LIPA

(Frightened.) What? Why? What have I done?

VASSA

You tell me bad news with a little smile on your face. You can’t help it. You enjoy it.

LIPA

No, I don’t.

VASSA

You realise if I did let you go, people would know what you were like because I would tell them, so you wouldn’t get any other work and you’d quickly be out in the street, either having sex with fat men for money or more likely starving to death lying in some gutter being chewed on by rats, torn into pieces and then the rain would just carry away the you-sludge forever, down down into the sewer –

LIPA

I was just –

VASSA

– so be careful, cos I’m your best bet. I might seem cruel but considering what you deserve, I’m a saint.

LIPA

Yes Vassa Petrovna.

VASSA

Now go and call everyone for breakfast. Dunya! Cup! Lipa stop! If Lyudmila is still asleep, don’t wake her, and if anyone asks, she spent last night with her father.

LIPA

Her father? But she didn’t – she – Oh you mean lie –

VASSA

– and send him in to see me.

LIPA

(Quietly as she goes.) With her father. Okay good luck / with that…

DUNYA

(Carrying in the tea.) Morning Vassa.

VASSA

Has he died yet?

DUNYA

No. But he was so ill last night, he was sick in a shoe.

VASSA

Whose shoe?

DUNYA

Well he started in his own but I thought that wasn’t right so I offered him mine.

VASSA

Has he said anything?

DUNYA

No. To be honest I’m not sure he will, ever again. I mean, he’s just… blinking.

Like…

She demonstrates blinking.

VASSA

Yes alright. Go and listen to what they say about Lyudmila, then come back and tell me. Go on go to the table.

Exit DUNYA. VASSA lifts her glasses to her forehead, moving her lips. MIKHAIL enters.

MIKHAIL

Vassa Petrovna a very good / morning to –

VASSA

Mikhail, can’t you control your daughter?

MIKHAIL

I’m afraid not. Lyudmila is a law to herself. Whenever I try to talk to her, she just rolls her eyes and is like ‘yeah okay Dad’. She says my voice is really boring. That it doesn’t modulate in tone enough. Which might be true but it is what it is –

VASSA

She stayed at yours last night.

MIKHAIL

No we don’t know where she was she – oh, I see, yes at mine, good.

VASSA

And I don’t like to give parenting advice but if she really won’t listen to you Mikhail, slap her.

MIKHAIL

…slap her…?

VASSA

Just once. But quite hard. Yes? A shock. Show her who’s in charge.

MIKHAIL

But Vassa… I…

VASSA

Or grab her by the hair. That works. Fling her about a bit.

MIKHAIL smiles.

I’m not joking. It’s what she needs. I’ll do it if you can’t. I hear Zakhar’s bad?

MIKHAIL

Yes.

VASSA

He couldn’t sign the will?

MIKHAIL

No.

VASSA

But did the priest agree to witness anyway?

MIKHAIL

I’m afraid the priest is asking for three hundred.

VASSA

Three…?!

Fine. Do it. Fuck it. Hope he enjoys it. The others are all…?

MIKHAIL

The others are fine, it’s just the priest.

VASSA

Get his signature on the will today. And when that’s done we’ll think how to deal with the children…

MIKHAIL

Yes we’ll have to.

VASSA

Why won’t Anna come? There’s no telegram… I thought there would be by now – Dunya, where’s my fucking cup!

She hears a noise from the dining room.

Who’s in there?

PAVEL

(In the dining room.) Me…

VASSA

Why are you hiding?

PAVEL enters, pretending to be proud.

PAVEL

(Enters.) I’m not hiding. I’m simply / arriving for breakfast –

VASSA

You should say hello to your mother in the morning.

PAVEL

Good morning Mother.

He sees MIKHAIL.

Oh. Where’s your daughter?

MIKHAIL

Your wife you mean. No idea. She’s your responsibility. I handed her over at the wedding.

VASSA

You can go Mikhail.

He does. Once he’s left, PAVEL collapses in torment.

PAVEL

Oh God Mum, it’s awful. Everyone knows. They’re looking at me weirdly, like I’m some kind of freak.

VASSA

Surely you’re used to that.