Godot at lastLEONARDO LOSAVIO

a tragicomedy in to acts

incidental musicMARIO RUCCI

NOWHERE BOOKS

translated by

Richard R. Nybakken

© 2014 NOWHERE BOOKS

Originally published as Finalmente Godot by NOWHERE BOOKS

ISBN 978-88-99151-02-7

www.nowherebooks.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

All rights whatsoever in this work are strictly reserved. Application

for permission for any use whatsoever including performance rights

must be made in advance, prior to any such proposed use, via e-mail

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CHARACTERS

estragon

vladimir

boy

old man

Music.1 The stage is littered with assorted rubbish, dumped periodically from a ramp that protrudes from one of the wings. Two crude wooden crosses, joined by a long rope, stand in one corner of the proscenium; half of a tree trunk occupies center stage. A man dressed in rags lies sleeping on the ground against the trunk, covered by scraps of cardboard. It is Vladimir. A man with a white beard, a walking stick, and a formal coat enters stage left. He advances with shuffling feet and looks around.

estragon Is there anybody here?! (continues advancing, looking around) …Is there anybody here?!!! (Vladimir wakes with a start and watches the old man in silence. The two contemplate each other for a few seconds. Estragon resumes looking around.) …Is there anybody here?!!! (looks again toward Vladimir. The two stare at each other in silence. Estragon looks for-ward once more. Cupping his hands to his mouth to amplify his voice) …If there’s any-body here, answer me!!!

vladimir (uncertain) Gogo… is that you?estragon (turning to face Vladimir, clearly annoyed)

One shouldn’t answer a question with another question.

ACT ONE

16

act one

vladimir (perplexed) But if I respond to the question with this particular question, then it is a response to the question.

estragon (thinking briefly) …True.vladimir (uncertain) …Gogo, that is you, isn’t it?estragon Who is this Gogo?vladimir One shouldn’t answer a question with another

question.estragon But if I respond to the question with this par-

ticular question, then it is a response to the question.

vladimir (thinking briefly) …True.estragon (holding out his hand) Godot, pleasure.vladimir (shaking his hand, in disbelief) Godot?estragon You too?vladimir What?estragon Your name is Godot?vladimir (confused) Me?…No. My name is Vladimir.

(incredulous) …But are you really Godot?estragon Yes, why?vladimir (suddenly ecstatic) We’ve been waiting a life-

time for you.estragon Who?vladimir Me and Gogo, my friend… His real name is

Estragon.estragon And whatever became of this friend of yours?

Vladimir looks around, increasingly confused. Runs stage left.

17

godot at last

vladimir Gogo!!! (listens carefully for a response. Runs stage right) …Gogo!!! (listens carefully for a response. Runs upstage, increasingly worried) …Gogo!!!

Vladimir listens, waiting for a response that never comes. His concern gradually turns to feelings of abandonment.

estragon May I say something?vladimir (sadly) …Yes, tell me.estragon (pointing out to the audience) You haven’t

looked out there.

Vladimir, revived by a sudden burst of hope, runs downstage.

vladimir Gogo!!!

Vladimir listens carefully for a response.

estragon He’ll come back, sooner or later. You’ll see.vladimir There is no sooner here. Nor any later.estragon And yet time passes.vladimir If you say so.estragon I do say so. What I know for certain is that

my name is Godot.vladimir But you aren’t Godot.estragon Of course I’m Godot.vladimir …I don’t want to play anymore.estragon Why not?vladimir Because I don’t.

18

act one

Estragon, disappointed, strips off his fake beard, takes off his coat, and leaves it in a corner of the stage next to another coat, which he picks up off the ground.

estragon (putting on his coat) So what do we do now?vladimir We wait.estragon For what?vladimir We wait for Godot. (walks over and sits down

next to the tree.) And now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to make myself comfortable. (more rubbish slides down the ramp) …Have you seen my hat, by any chance?

estragon I might have, but I don’t recall at the moment. I’d need my hat.

vladimir (standing up) We should try to look for them.estragon I only hope I didn’t hide it too well.vladimir You don’t remember where you put it?estragon No. Do you remember where you hid yours?vladimir …No.

They shake hands gloatingly.

estragon We did good.vladimir We were lucky.estragon But also good.

They stop shaking hands, still gloating.

vladimir What do we do now, then? Shall we look for them?

estragon Deal.

19

godot at last

They shake hands again, gloatingly.

vladimir Would you like to start?estragon Let’s do it together.

The two stop shaking hands and, as the music2 begins, start looking for their respective hats all across the stage. Every once in a while one of them picks up a piece of garbage and puts it to his head, to see if it is the hat he is looking for. Vladimir, at last, finds his hat. Puts it on, takes it off, sticks a hand inside it, knocks it upon the crown as if to dislodge a foreign body, and puts it back on. Takes it off again, peers inside, knocks upon the crown again, and puts it back on his head once more. The music ceases for a moment.

vladimir Yes, this is mine.estragon Wonderful. Now help me look for mine.

The music starts again. The two resume searching the stage. Estragon picks up a few objects here and there. Tries them on as a hat and then puts them back down where he found them. Vladimir also picks up a few objects now and again. Takes off his hat and compares it with the object in his hands. Puts his hat back on and returns the objects where he found them. Vladimir, continuing to search among the rubbish, finds a hat completely different from his own. Compares it with his hat, and puts his own hat back on again. End music.

vladimir Gogo, I found a hat.

83

godot at last

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2. LET’S DO IT