Аннотация: the ex- husband returns to his wife in communal apartment. This is a play about life in a closed society. How such a society affects the psychology and relations of people.
Orpheus and the Dormitory
Ludmila Anselm
Translation by Jim Clinton
Cast of Characters
1. Larisa - an attractive woman in her thirties.
2. Volodya - Larisa"s ex-husband, about 35.
Neighbors of Larisa in the "communal apartment":
3. Vera - a single woman of about 30.
4. Zoya - a single woman of about 45 (must be very thin).
5. Kleopatra Ivanovna - a single woman of about 55.
6. Anna Mikhailovna - a single woman of about 60.
Other characters:
6. Policeman
7. Maria Gavrilovna -- a stranger, about 50.
Scene: The play takes place in the Soviet Union in the 1970s. The action takes place in the kitchen of "the communal apartment" and in Larisa"s room. ("A communal" apartment" is where a kitchen and a toilet are shared by all tenants).
ACT I
Scene I
I Kitchen in the communal flat. Anna Mikhailovna, Zoya are in the kitchen. Vera runs in.
Vera.
Girls, have you heard Larisa"s husband has come back to her!
Zoya.
Well, Verka, don"t make it up, you"ve always been the same; he was passing by, stopped by for a minute, and you"ve already decided that he"s come back.
Vera.
No, not stopped by, he"s really come back. He"s going to live at her room. "I, -- he says, -- have been looking for you the whole day, can"t live without you, and can"t forget you"... "I, -- he says, -- have made up my mind to return to you".
Anna Mikhailovna.
Vera, something is wrong here. You are mistaken, as usual.
Vera.
I am not mistaken at all. This is the real truth, I"ve heard it myself - the partition is so-o-o thin. "I, -- he says, -- as soon as I see a woman who looks like you I immediately remember you".
Anna Mikhailovna.
Well, O.K., probably Larisa"s husband came back, but you, Vera, why are you so happy?
Vera.
Well, if they come back, so, may be mine will come back to me, too.
Zoya.
And who is it that has to return to you?
Vera.
My husband.
Zoya.
Oh, hold me tight she has a husband.
Vera.
Yes, I have.
Zoya.
I wonder what"s your husband"s name?
Vera.
Zhmayev.
Zoya.
Zhmayev? Is he really your husband?
Vera.
Of course, he is, I have a child by him.
Zoya.
Well, you queer-fish, how do you know whom you have a child by?
Vera.
Every woman knows whom she has a child by.
Zoya.
You say that you know, but you couldn"t prove it in the court.
Vera.
But they didn"t listen to me.
Zoya.
You say that they didn"t listen! They were listening for a good hour.
Vera.
Yes, the judge inquired me of all there was to know in all detail. He was interested in everything. "And when, --he says, -- did you get intimate, the same evening?" "No, --I say, -- wrong guess. Exactly in a week."
Zoya.
That"s right. Zhmayev said the same. "In a week after their meeting, --he said, -- she came to my hostel and talked me into going with her"
Vera.
And then he took me to his parents who live in the country. Oh, girls, how nice it was there! There was dew on the grass in the morning; his parents have hens, a pig, a cow and a hayloft. And I slept with him every night in the hayloft.
Zoya.
Zhmayev didn"t want to take her to his parents she thrust herself upon this. I was in the court, and I heard everything
Vera.
He took me there eventually.
Zoya.
Don"t listen to her she"s lying. She wanted to deceive the judge but couldn"t. The judge says to her: "Well, did Zhmayev leave his things with you? Did you wash his clothes, mend them?" It is due to the law to ask all this. And she says: " Yes, he left them". -- " Did you cook him any food?" - the judge asks. "Yes, I cooked, -- she says, -- I bought sausage, cheese". - "No, dear, -- the judge says, -- it"s not called food, it"s snack" So he is none of your husband, my dear.
Vera (crying).
And am I to be blamed that he doesn"t have any things? If he had had them I"d have washed and mended them. He used to be short of money, he had it just for drinks and snacks.
Anna Mikhailovna.
Zoya, why are you so sharp, rude?
Zoya.
Because I don"t like when people make it up: my husband, the father of my child. Here am I, for instance, I have the long line of this kind of husbands at the beer booth. I say it straight and clearly, and don"t make up anything. Or else...
Anna Mikhailovna.
You don"t even give her a chance to dream. That"s bad, Zoya...
Scene 2
Larisa"s room. Larisa and Volodya.
Larisa.
I can"t grasp so far how you could see me in such a crowd.
Volodya.
May be because I"ve been looking for you the whole morning. And then I had the premonition that I"d meet you. By the way, what were you doing in that shop?
Larisa.
I was standing in line for a suitcase. I"m going south in a week. Suitcases are best, with clasps.
Volodya.
Yes, the suitcases, with clasps. And who was standing next to you? That short one?
Larisa.
One of my acquaintances.
Volodya.
The suitcase is suitable, nothing to say about that. But...
Larisa.
What? Didn"t you like him?
Volodya.
No, I didn"t. He is kind of untidy, then those ears.
Larisa.
Kirill had his hair cut today. You know, it"s hot in the south, and long hair...
Volodya.
You"d better give him a tip not to do this.
Larisa.
His hair grows fast.
Volodya.
I don"t need these details. Are you going to tell me that you"re going south together?
Larisa.
Yes, together. Why, can"t we?
Volodya.
Well, why not? You"re a free woman. "The court has listened to the divorce case of the two citizens..."
Larisa.
Please, stop it. I thought at that moment that I"d die. I went back to our room...
Volodya.
Yes, the room was good, square and light. Where is it now?
Larisa.
I had no choice. I wished to exchange my room as soon as possible... not to hear or know anything, not even to think.
Volodya.
I"ve exchanged mine to Novosibirsk. (Novo-si-birsk)
Larisa.
Ah! Novosibirsk the "science city"! Are you married?
Volodya.
No, you"re my first and last wife.
Larisa.
Don"t you have a girl- friend?
Volodya.
You may consider me single.
Larisa.
How come?
Volodya.
You know everything yourself. For two years we lived not badly; but then - the everyday routine... The time was flying away; there was a dreadful sensation of the lost time... And I was hinting at a divorce several times, but you didn"t want even to listen.
Larisa.
I loved you then.
Volodya.
Loved me?
Larisa.
Yes. Go on.
Volodya.
Then I said to myself: if she loves you so and is ready to forgive you everything, O.K., you"ll become her husband, but the rest will belong to you. As soon as I made up my mind, the following started: acquaintance after acquaintance, date after date: one, a second, a third... All alone, unhappy, needed to be warmed, caressed... At first I loved all this it flattered my male pride. But then it occurred to me... There"s nothing special about me I am like everybody else. They don"t even love me, it"s important for them to feel some concern about somebody: let it be the scantiest, tiniest interest. Well, in general, while we were divorcing, you pestered me with the divorce; I had already understood that I didn"t want those acquaintances, someone else"s love. I needed to find my own love, to love myself, to suffer in the end... The more changes I have, the more I am drawn back to our past. Didn"t we feel happy together? We lived a year or two, I loved you, and I didn"t need anybody then. It feels like nostalgia. So I"ve gone on a business trip...
Scene 3
The same people are in the communal kitchen. Enter Kleopatra Ivanovna.
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
Much ado about nothing. What"s up?
Anna Mikhailovna.
Here, Zoya and Vera are cleaning up their relations.
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
Do they have any relations?
Zoya.
We sure do. We are human beings, aren"t we?
Vera.
Kleopatra Ivanovna, do you know that Larisa"s husband has come back to her. He is going to stay with her tonight; he"ll probably live here.
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
How long will he stay?
Vera.
He lives in another city, has come here on a business trip and met Larisa...
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
Accidentally?
Vera.
No, that"s just the point. He wandered about the town looking for her...
Anna Mikhailovna.
If they get along, may be he will move into her room, or, probably, he will take her to his city.
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
How come, did you speak to him?
Zoya.
Not likely that we spoke. Verka eavesdropped it all.
Vera.
I"d like to have a look at him, just with half an eye. Judging by his voice he is an attractive man.
Zoya.
Where have you seen this kind of men, in the movies?
Vera.
No, not only in the movies you may come across them in the street.
Zoya.
Lots of luck, Charlie!
Kleopatra Ivanovna begins de-frosting her refrigerator
Kleopatra Ivanovna, what the hell are you doing? What"s up with you, are you in your right mind?
Anna Mikhailovna.
Kleopatra Ivanovna, Zoya is right, Bunchuk will soon come and there"s trouble brewing.
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
I know what I"m doing. The refrigerator has frozen through, why can"t I de-frost it?
Anna Mikhailovna.
Well, but not towards the evening.
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
Let Bunchuk come back.
Zoya.
You know that she doesn"t bear anybody in the kitchen but herself.
Vera.
Have you forgotten how she struck your leg with a pail?
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
I haven"t really forgotten it. She will pay me for this leg. Here you"re sitting afraid of coming in sight, and Bunchuk does anything she likes.
Zoya.
As for me let her do what she wishes. Yes, I am afraid of her and I don"t hide it.
Anna Mikhailovna.
Kleopatra Ivanovna, we are all tired here. Don"t do this, may be you"ll wait a bit. Besides, there"s a stranger in the flat.
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
But what if I"ve been waiting for this stranger for a long time. Have you forgotten what the chairman of the Comrades Court said? He said that we"re of the same ilk. " I don"t believe you. If there"s an outsider as witness, then we might be able to talk".
Zoya.
Yes, we need a witness that is not one of us.
Anna Mikhailovna.
But if he may not act as witness?
Kleopatra Ivanovna.
Everybody may be a witness. He needn"t have much to be a witness: just eyes, ears and a little bit of conscience. I do hope that he has all this.
Scene 4
Larisa"s room. Larisa and Volodya.
Larisa.
How long will you stay here?
Volodya.
I am here on a long business trip. And you, as far as I can see, have set pretty well.
Turns over Hemingway"s portrait and reads the inscription.
"To dear Larisa from the laboratory staff".
Larisa.
Turn it back.
Volodya.
I won"t, I feel ashamed. He is staring at me, but I ... maybe am going to embrace you...
Larisa.
Not now.
Volodya.
Why?
Larisa.
Please, don"t.
Volodya.
Not now so not now... Who plays the guitar?
Larisa.
It"s me, so what?
Volodya.
Nothing. I have also learned something during these years. (Takes the guitar.)
Larisa.
Kirill presented me with this guitar. He plays it well and teaches me to play...
Volodya.
You say he plays well. (Touches the strings.) What a great sound. But I haven"t yet told you about myself. I am a leader of a rock band.
Larisa.
I hope you"ve defended your thesis.
Volodya.
I haven"t.
Larisa.
Why? Your dissertation was almost ready.
Volodya.
When I moved to Novosibirsk, I decided to study a new field and decided to travel, to participate in expeditions...
Larisa.
Well, then it"s also interesting. But I just don"t understand one thing: how can you lead a band when you don"t have any musical education?