Real and Phantom Pains: An Anthology of New Russian Drama. John Freedman

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СКАЧАТЬ What’s the project?

      MANIAC: It’s secret

      BLIZZARD: Then you’ll read about it tomorrow in the papers

      SNOWFLAKE: Are you going off into space?

      MANIAC: Unlike you, when I go, I’ll go on travel orders

      (The six walk along the street with BUSHY-TAIL. They duck into a night club of some sort, passing by a long line. Neon lights flicker as they pass through face-control. LENOCHKA shows signs of nervousness, Snowflake keeps talking on her phone. Strobe lights, a bar, the dance floor, bathrooms, sofas, pillows, the bar, dance floor, bathrooms, the street – and so it goes until morning. ORANGINA photographs BUSHY-TAIL.

      SNOWFLAKE (On her phone): Are we talking about the ideal man? All men say it doesn’t happen like that

      LENOCHKA (To BUSHY-TAIL): You show too much of your personal self in your facial expressions

      SNOWFLAKE: “Just like that,” as Assol said in Scarlet Sails

      BUSHY-TAIL: What do you mean?

      ORANGINA: Signs of a good upbringing

      BUSHY-TAIL: Is that bad?

      LENOCHKA: It could cause problems. But it might not

      BLIZZARD (Looking at himself in the mirror): I’ve already tried on a coupla different kinds of crosses. I didn’t want anything ostentatious, nothing with gold chains, you know

      MANIAC: Well, that one’s just right

      SNOWFLAKE: I always sit and cry when I watch that film. God, I love it

      MANIAC: Are you macho?

      BLIZZARD: Macho sometimes. You gotta always be ready. I can turn on the tough-guy

      SNOWFLAKE: Over 35, smart. No, I don’t admit the possibility of a man without brains

      BLIZZARD: Sometimes I’m as soft as a baby’s kiss

      LENOCHKA (Looking at BUSHY-TAIL): A whole utopia of feminine innocence and female infantility

      BLIZZARD: I’m a prince. Really. In fact.

      MANIAC: Weak, jumpy and jaded

      LENOCHKA: You have to awaken men’s pity. You know? But as a child, not as a woman. Make them want to feed you, put you to bed, kiss you tenderly on the forehead and rub iodine on your banged-up knees

      BUSHY-TAIL: Why?

      LENOCHKA: That’s what all women want

      BLIZZARD: And men

      MANIAC: Everybody wants back in the womb

      BUSHY-TAIL: Yesterday a couple got married at our church. They were really young. They were all surrounded by little kids and then all the old women ran up to congratulate them. It was really beautiful

      MANIAC: A woman’s imagination is excited by a prince on a white horse and a wedding with fleurs d’orange at 20, at 30 and at 60

      LENOCHKA: Which is entirely natural

      MANIAC (Sniffing the air): And howling winds blow the sands of Morocco past our faces

      BUSHY-TAIL: It smells just like autumn leaves

      LENOCHKA: Only don’t start smoking here

      SNOWFLAKE: If you smoke next to her you are liable to be blinded by a flash of bright light. You can be injured or burned

      MANIAC: I’ve finally figured it out. I’m going to be a homosexual

      LENOCHKA: Why do you say that?

      SNOWFLAKE: Don’t accept sin into your heart

      MANIAC: You’re not going to be jealous of men, are you?

      SNOWFLAKE (In MANIAC’s direction): Only don’t be obsessive about it

      BLIZZARD: We’ll just try it on for size

      (VOLODYA’s apartment. The alarm clock rings. VOLODYA gets up, washes, does his exercises. Turns on the iron, irons his shirt and his pants, checking the folds on his pants leg.

      The street. MANIAC, SNOWSTORM and BLIZZARD. They smoke. It’s snowing. It’s cold. Snowstorm has stripped off his shirt, baring his breast to the elements. Steam rises from his body.)

      MANIAC (Clapping BLIZZARD on his bald head): Looks good on you. You’re the man

      BLIZZARD: That’s not what’s important

      SNOWSTORM: What’s important for you?

      BLIZZARD: I myself don’t know. (Looks over his life line.) The funniest thing about it is – my life line really does break off. It used to be really long and all normal, but now it’s like there’s this white spot all over my palm

      MANIAC: Oh, screw that

      SNOWSTORM: Go wash your hands

      BLIZZARD: Easy for you to say

      SNOWSTORM: Nobody’s got a guarantee

      BLIZZARD: You’ve gotta be ready for death at any moment

      MANIAC: Now that’s my warrior, that’s my samurai

      BLIZZARD: What if Lenochka’s a sorceress? She’s got a really heavy eye

      MANIAC: Have you ever noticed her eyes are different colors?

      SNOWSTORM: Like David Bowie

      BLIZZARD: Come on, get off it. It’s time to get back to the grindstone (Heads back in the other direction.)

      MANIAC: Only please don’t be late

      BLIZZARD (Digs through SNOWFLAKE’s purse, spritzes on her perfume): I’m going to make one more strategic move

      SNOWFLAKE: Just don’t drown yourself in that stuff

      ORANGINA: Who are you doing that for?

      BLIZZARD: I have an interview

      SNOWFLAKE: Be careful. Never say what you really think

      BLIZZARD: Why not?

      SNOWFLAKE: Because everything changes so fast

      BLIZZARD (He’s all dressed. Tosses keys to SNOWSTORM): I’ll be back around 10 or 12. (To ORANGINA.) Will you get Snowstorm back to my place?

      ORANGINA: All right.

      MANIAC: Lemme give you a kiss on the forehead

      SNOWSTORM: СКАЧАТЬ