(Other) HAPPY BIRTHDAY
victorms@ig.com.br
(©Victor M. Sant’Anna 1988-2002)
Notes (June 14 – 2002):
I think I wrote this play in 1987, but it might have been on the beginning of 1988. If I wanted to know the exact date it would be easy, but at the moment, it’s not that important.
In 1990, when I began to gather my short texts, this text became part of the “Annex Plays”, although it was not as short as it should.
When Rui Eduardo read this text in 1988, he had a great suggestion of replacing the “girl” character by a young man or boy. Today, however, after reading “redheads” (as ruivas), staged by Patricia and Leticia, it occurs to me that two women for these characters would not be that bad, although the sadness/loneliness of the main character has more connection to be self-destructive, a more typical action for a men, in my opinion.
Victor
(Other) HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Introduction
The characters:
A lone young birthday boy.
Girl – the “ex-girlfriend”.
The young man’s mother.
An old lady – imaginary mother.
A man (father of the girlfriend) and
An old man – the death.
This play was written for three actors only: one actor for the birthday boy, another actor for the male roles and an actress for the female roles.
The stage: At left, a window. One table on the center. On the table two candles, a plate and cutlery and vase with flowers. Rightmost and bottom, a couch. To the right, a door.
SCENE I
A young man sets the table for dinner. On the table there are candles and a vase of flowers. The doorbell rings. A girl enters the room.
GIRL – (Kissing the boy). Feeling better?
YOUNG MAN – A bit … I still have a headache and feel a bitter taste in my mouth. (They sit on the couch).
GIRL – Remember that time you smoked? You felt like this as well…
YOUNG MAN – (He arose, nervous). Everything is wrong. (There is silent for a moment and then he turns to her). It’s better if you leave now.
GIRL – Why are you acting like that? I came here to see you! Can’t you forget the past even for a moment?
YOUNG MAN – (He sits in a chair near the table and turns his back to the girl). I love you. Still. (He puts his head down and then he continues talking). Yesterday I tried to slit my wrists. (Look at his hands). I was so alone…
GIRL – (She stands up and approaches him. She speaks as she had not heard his words.). How is your mother? Will she visit you? (She puts her hand on his forehead). Let me see if I have a fever. You are very hot! I think it’s better if you go to bed!
YOUNG MAN – (Standing up). I feel so lonely lately … Nothing is right … I feel a despair, you know? I lay on my bed and roll from side to side, I could not sleep. I was thinking of us … Then I tried to kill myself … I wish I could see your faces looking at me here, in desperation, dying and you would say, “Poor man, he was so lonely, why didn’t we help him? “
GIRL – (She started to put the dishes in their place) Do you have some tea? It’s good for your fever. (The young man lies down on the couch and the girl prepares the tea). There was a time where I thought we could have been friends. Silly of me. We have always been different. Even when I liked you, I…
YOUNG MAN – (Sitting on the couch). Kiss Me! One last kiss!
GIRL – See? What have I said? I knew it! (She keeps her head down. Quiet. Then walks away slowly). My boyfriend is waiting for me. (She leaves).
(BLACKOUT)
SCENE II
The young man is out of the scene. An old man appears holding a book.
OLD MAN – (He examines one of the candles, opens the book and takes notes). Candle. (He looks to the other candle and takes notes). Two. (He repeats the same gesture for other objects).Chair. (He examines well each one of them). Two. Table (He goes to the couch). Sofa. (He sits on it like he was experimenting it). Soft. (He takes notes and then he closes the book and his eyes).
YOUNG MAN – (Suddenly enters and sits at the table). Come in! (Speaks like he heard someone at the door).
OLD MAN – (He arose and put the book on the table in front of the young man). Sign this. (He offers a pen and opens the book on the right page).
YOUNG MAN – (He arose from the chair and lay down on the couch).
OLD MAN – (He closes the book, disappointed. Leaves the scene slowly).
(BLACKOUT)
SCENE III
A lady using a lot of jewelry enters the room hurriedly, it’s the boy’s mother.
MOTHER – My son! (She sits on the couch, next to the young boy, who’s now lying down). What happened? Why are you doing this to me? Why do you make me suffer like this? Don’t you pity your mother? I’ve always took care of you and now that’s how you treat me? I ran to were as soon as I knew. Do you need something? Speak! I came here and this is how you treat me?
YOUNG MAN – (He remain seated). Mother, I…
MOTHER – (She arose up and goes to the table). Son! Who was here? (Then she sits at the table and lit one of the candles, she begins to pray quietly).
YOUNG MAN – (Rising rapidly). Stop it! (He comes close to his mother and starts to scream angrily) Stop! I told you to stop! Stop! Come on, stop! Stop it, please! Please, mother! (He starts to get desperate, almost crying. Begins to beg). Stop it, mother! Please! Please, mother! Please! (He kneels, and starts to cry).
MOTHER – (She stops her prays and she makes the sign of the cross. She looks to the young man). Stand back, son. This cold floor will harm you. Go to bed now, when I return, I’ll bring you a gift, okay? (The young man sits on the floor. His mother lights a second candle on the table begins to sing “Happy Birthday”).
YOUNG MAN – (He stands up on the end of the song and blows one of the candles). Bye, Mom. (Goes to the couch and lays down).
MOTHER – (Puts out the other candle, takes a walk around the couch and stops. She observes her son for a few moments.). Goodbye, son. (Walks away with her head down).
(BLACKOUT)
SCENE IV
The young man and a man are sitting on the couch and they talk.
MAN – Should I pay now?
YOUNG MAN – No, you don’t need to. Pay whenever you want to.
MAN – (He grabs a pen and his checkbook). It is better to pay upfront. (He fills in the check). Is that correct? (He shows the check and delivers it).
YOUNG MAN – Yes, it is. Thank you.
MAN – So it’s a class per week. I’ll bring Diana, she’s waiting downstairs in the car. (He leaves).
YOUNG MAN – (He arose and he goes to the table and he puts the check inside the book).
MAN – (He enters the room with the girl from SCENE I). I’ll be back in one hour. (He approaches the girl, kisses her and leaves).
GIRL – Hi (She approaches the young man and remains next to a chair).
YOUNG MAN – Hello. Let me see your books. (They both sit down. He opens and examines each book).
GIRL – (She looks to the chair and stand up). Can we study in the couch? I’m tired, I spent all day sitting in a chair.
YOUNG MAN – Sure! (He arose and sits on the couch). Have a sit!
GIRL – (Sitting). It is from the lesson three…
YOUNG MAN – (He show the page to her holding the book with one hand and then he puts his other hand on her leg, showing no intention). Is this the page?
GIRL – (Acts awkwardly, not knowing what to do).
The man walks in and surprise them.
MAN – Diana, I forgot to … (He sees the young woman removing the young man’s hand from her leg). What is..? What is this? What is happening?
YOUNG MAN – No, this is…
MAN – Diana leave the house now!
The girl leaves the scene.
YOUNG MAN – I didn’t…
MAN – Shut up! Shameless! You son of a bitch! I should beat you up!
YOUNG MAN – (Getting desperate). No, I didn’t…
MAN – I’m going to call the police! (He leaves).
YOUNG MAN – (Sits on the couch, covering his face with his hands. He arose then he opens the book, rips the check and closes the book. He sits in the chair and puts his head down on the table). Damn! (The light is only above him. He raises his head, lits two candles and put his head down again).
SCENE V
An old lady has a sheet and a pajamas (pajama shirt). She is standing behind the young man (who is on the couch). She speaks (or sings) walking around him.
“Do not fear the darkness
the darkness is nothing.
Do not be afraid of anything”
“What seems murky
It may not be what it seems.
What looks so ugly
Maybe it’s not what it seems. “
“Do not fear the darkness
That darkness is nothing.
Do not be afraid of anything”
She takes off his shirt and dresses him with the pajamas. Then, she holds his hand and guides him to the couch. She covers him with a sheet. She kisses him tenderly and goes to the table and puts out one of the candles. She leaves. He arose and then he goes to the table, singing “Happy Birthday” and puts out the other candle on the table. He goes back to the couch.
(BLACKOUT)
SCENE VI
The young man is sitting on the couch. Sitting in the chair, reading the book is the old man. The young man lies down and then he sits, he turns from one side to the other and breathes like he’s were having a nightmare or as he could not sleep. Finally, he sits on the couch.
YOUNG MAN – He says to the old man: I’m lonely. I’m very lonely…
OLD MAN – Where is everyone?
YOUNG MAN – They were gone. It’s been a long time since someone comes here.
OLD MAN – Your mother?
YOUNG MAN – I have no mother.
OLD MAN – Your friends?
YOUNG MAN – They are gone. They are out. They are where they want to: Europe.
OLD MAN – Europe?
YOUNG MAN – I would like to die. (He arose and grabs a knife that is on the table. Theatrically, he pretends to slit his wrists).
OLD MAN – You have me. Do you want to go sightseeing with me?
YOUNG MAN – With you?
OLD MAN – It’s cold. Close the window and come with me. (Opens the book and takes some notes).
YOUNG MAN – Close window?
OLD MAN – (He stretches out his hand with a pen to the young man across the table and flips the book to him)
(The light fades out and the focus locks onto the pen. They remain like this for a while. BLACK-OUT).
SCENE VII
The girl enters the room on a hurry. The young man is on the couch.
YOUNG MAN – Hi!
GIRL – (Apparently speaking gibberish). As part of this, you have a great delusion, poor beloved and by his mother who wanted her sweet and tender and so abandoned at own birthday, celebrates alone, artificially delirious.
YOUNG MAN – (Sitting). I did not understand a thing! What are you doing here?
GIRL – I came to tell you (and dancing onstage around the couch) that there is always someone who loves you and not just me, but all the ones that they goodbye not knowing that you are going, they don’t want to talk about your departure and they will always be next to you.
YOUNG MAN – I think one of us is delusional…
GIRL – I love you! Is it difficult to understand? I came for your birthday! I didn’t want to see you alone! (He approaches the table and lights the candles). I love you ever since we met. Remember those classes? (She approaches him and kisses him on the forehead) Come! (She pushes him towards the table. They sing “Happy Birthday” and each one of them puts a candle out. She leaves slowly).
YOUNG MAN – Where do you go?
GIRL – Away, not much delirium. (She comes back and embraces him lingeringly and leaves).
(BLACKOUT)
SCENE VIII
The young man lights the candles. His wrists are covered with blood. He begins to sing “Happy Birthday”. The old man enters and sits in a chair. The young man finishes the song and sits in another chair. He is very pleased.
YOUNG MAN – This was the best birthday of my life!
OLD MAN- (He holds the book and opens it, looks at it, closes it, satisfied. He grabs the pen that was on the table and keeps it. He smiles). Was it?
YOUNG MAN – The people I loved the most were here with me.
OLD MAN- Really?
YOUNG MAN – What more can I want?
OLD MAN- Don’t you want to go for a walk with me?
YOUNG MAN – (He arose and lays down on the couch). No. It’s too cold.
OLD MAN- Close the window! You’ll get sick like that! Do you want to die with a pneumonia?
The young man arose and goes to the window. He looks outside. He feels almost a mild dizziness and falls. He recovers soon. The old man begins to sing “Happy Birthday” in a very low voice. Then blows out the candles.
SCENE IX
The young man is near the window, the old man sits at the table.
YOUNG MAN – (Closes the window and looks back). Looks like it might rain tonight.
OLD MAN – It rains and it’s cold at this time of the year.
YOUNG MAN – The rain is so good sometimes. (He sits in one of the chairs and grabs the book that was on the table). I remember when I was a small kid and it rained a lot and I did not have to go to school. How I loved that! (Leafs the book). What book is this?
OLD MAN – Don’t you know? Don’t you suspect it? Not even a little?
YOUNG MAN – (Shaking his head). Not. Who brought it?
OLD MAN- He closes his eyes.
YOUNG MAN – (He puts the book on the table and obeys)
OLD MAN – Think about the rain that will fall tonight. Imagine the rain falling on the roof (The old man arose and grabs the book, placing it on the young man’s lap). Imagine the wind and the rain outside…
YOUNG MAN – (still with eyes closed). Feel cold. I feel very cold.
OLD MAN- (He holds the young man from behind, tenderly). We have to go before the rain arrives. (He takes a step towards the door. Extends his hand to the young man).
YOUNG MAN – (He opens his eyes and smiles).
OLD MAN- Come…
The young man arose and gives hand the old man who leads him through the door. The light follows them and decreases until it completely goes out.
(THE END)