Fosse: Plays Six

to return

to the ocean

and to the sky

SECOND VOICE

Yes

quite short pause

yes it’s too late

FIRST VOICE

We cannot return

to the ocean

and to

breaks off

SECOND VOICE

We’re here now

quite short pause

where it comes

goes away

FIRST VOICE

But I don’t want to be here

SECOND VOICE

continues

where it comes

goes away

FIRST VOICE

I long for the ocean

I want to return to the ocean

And to the sky

SECOND VOICE

But that’s not possible

You cannot return

to the ocean

because the ocean is no longer for us

And the sky is no longer

for us

Pause

But look

quite short pause

they

quite short pause

come

go away

Quite short pause

They live here

They live

Quite short pause

They come

They go away

Pause

OLD MAN

I’m just here

And everything that has ever been

is here

And everything’s gone

THE SHADOW

to The Old Woman

You must come now

Pause. The Shadow leaves and The Old Woman and The Young Woman and The Old Man and The Young Man follow

FIRST VOICE

But this is not where

I belong

Pause

SECOND VOICE

We are here

quite short pause

where it comes

goes away

We are here always

FIRST VOICE

And the ocean

is in our eyes

SECOND VOICE

And the sky is

in our eyes

FIRST VOICE

And we are the world

SECOND VOICE

We are the world

GIRL IN YELLOW RAINCOAT

Characters

LONELY MAN

FIRST WOMAN

FIRST MAN

SECOND WOMAN

SECOND MAN

LONELY WOMAN

Lights up

The Lonely Man enters, he glances around, hesitates, he stands and looks down, he looks up

LONELY MAN

I am not all that old

but it feels

as if I

have been here a long time

quite short pause

and the same thing that has happened before

happens again

quite short pause

and you have to be somewhere

quite short pause

and now I am here

quite short pause

and I may as well

be here

as anywhere else

quite short pause

because it is not possible

not to be anywhere

quite short pause

everyone has to be somewhere

It’s not possible

not to be anywhere

And so I’ve been here

He takes a few steps forwards

Everyone has to be somewhere

Short pause. He stands straight

And it’s good to be here

everything is as it should be

here

quite short pause

and of course I’ve been waiting for someone

I could say that I chose

to live alone

but that’s not true

I have never chosen it

that’s just how it has turned out

that’s just how it turned out

because it’s not good to be alone

He stands and stares straight ahead. Pause

I am alone

quite short pause

and alone is what I

will be

The First Woman enters, she hesitates, stops

FIRST WOMAN

Always here

Always am I here

And still I am

somewhere else

She turns

LONELY MAN

I am here

FIRST WOMAN

I am here

And I am

somewhere else

LONELY MAN

I’m here somehow

short pause

and I understand so little

and I don’t know

either

if I want to understand

FIRST WOMAN

I am here

And I’m not here

Quite short pause

And he is here

LONELY MAN

I am here

FIRST WOMAN

I’m alone

Quite short pause

I’m alone

even if he is here

quite short pause

and I’m so small

quite short pause

I’m a little girl

in a yellow raincoat

Quite short pause

And my hair hangs straight down

I’m big

I want to be big

I’m wearing

a yellow raincoat

I’m looking

at someone

quite short pause

is it my father

I’m looking at

quite short pause

is it my brother

Pause. The Lonely Man turns towards her

LONELY MAN

I

quite short pause

yes I wonder

yes

yes we have

been here a long time

haven’t we

I think we’ve been here a long time

yes

yes that’s what it feels like

quite short pause

but

quite short pause

but I don’t think we can say

yes

yes that we know each other

FIRST WOMAN

No

No we don’t

I don’t know you

LONELY MAN

No

quite short pause

no we don’t know

each other

FIRST WOMAN

We haven’t seen

each other before

or have we

LONELY MAN

I don’t think so

No I don’t think we’ve

seen each other before

FIRST WOMAN

No

No I don’t think we’ve seen each other

before now

Pause. The First Man enters, he hesitates, stands straight and looks down

LONELY MAN

No

quite short pause

no I don’t think so

FIRST WOMAN

I don’t think

so either

Short pause

LONELY MAN

No

No I think that’s right

FIRST WOMAN

looks at The First Man

But there you are

LONELY MAN

I’ve been here

for some time

FIRST WOMAN

to The First Man

I’m glad you came

LONELY MAN

I am here

and everyone has to be somewhere

no one can be

nowhere

FIRST WOMAN

to The First Man

Dear

my dear

friend

quite short pause

I’m glad you finally came

quite short pause

but say something

then

don’t just stand there

Please say something