Collaborators (12 page)

Actor Two
Welcome to the seminary.

Actor One
But I do not believe in God.

Tentatively, Bulgakov raises his hands and begins to stab at the keys.

Actor Two
Have you got what it takes to lead?

Actor One
Have you got what it takes to follow?

Actor Two
Dzughashvili is our hero!

Actor One
I am but a humble disciple of Lenin.

Actor Two
But now he has been betrayed!

Actor One
In Siberia, only the strongest survive.

Actor Two
Joseph, my darling, you have come back.

Actor One
Yes, but revolution is my true love.

The Cleaner finishes.

She folds up the tarpaulin and carries it off as she exits.

Bulgakov finishes.

He pulls out the final sheet and places it down on top of the others.

Actor Two
Joseph, I am ill now. I need a man to succeed me, I need a man to take the revolution forward, to fulfil its promise, to create a true dictatorship of the proletariat. I believe you are that man. Joseph, will you do it for me?

Actor One
I will. For the peoples of the Soviet Union – I will!

Exit Actors.

Vladimir contemplates his production in silence.

Behind him Stepan rises to his feet, slowly clapping, a smile on his face.

Exit Vladimir.

Stepan remains on stage.

Dawn light for Bulgakov.

He looks around.

Bulgakov
Yelena? My God!

He pulls on his coat.

Exit Bulgakov.

(
Offstage.)
Yelena!

Enter Bulgakov. He looks around.

Vladimir! Vladimir!

He turns to find that he is facing Stepan.

Where is Vladimir?

Stepan says nothing.

I'm looking for my wife. She's been arrested. I need to know where she is. I need to talk to Vladimir.

Stepan
Vladimir is dead.

Bulgakov
What?

Stepan
He was a counter-revolutionary traitor. Did you know that? He mentioned your name under interrogation. Executing him was my first task after I was promoted to replace him. I have his apartment too. And his car. And his wife. We have an arrangement. I fuck her. She lives. Pretty good arrangement, huh?

Bulgakov
Where is Yelena?

Stepan
Somewhere. In the system. In the meat-grinder. What do I care? Now Vladimir said you weren't quite finished – he was hoping for one more scene.

He snaps his fingers, demanding.

Bulgakov
I want to find my wife.

Stepan draws a pistol and aims it at Bulgakov.

Stepan
Hand it over.

Bulgakov hands over the folded pages.

Stepan puts the gun away.

He browses through the pages.

Very good. Looks to me like you got right inside his head with this one. The truth!

He lifts something else from his pocket.

Shame the world isn't quite ready for that.

He flicks on the cigarette lighter. He touches it to the edge of the pages, then drops them and watches as they turn to ash.

And to think some people say that manuscripts don't burn.

He stamps on the embers.

Now you, Bulgakov, now it's your turn. You're under arrest.

He approaches Bulgakov to take his arm.

But Bulgakov snaps.

Suddenly he is all fury and violence.

Bulgakov
No!

He pushes Stepan away. Stepan rushes back at him.

They fight. Amateur Bulgakov flailing desperately against the tough stocky pro.

Bulgakov has his hands around Stepan's throat.

Stepan draws his pistol again.

Bulgakov releases Stepan's throat, attempts to take hold of the gun.

They are locked together, wrestling for control of the weapon.

A single gunshot.

Both men freeze. Look into each other's eyes.

Slowly they part.

Bulgakov looks down. He is holding the gun.

Stepan looks down in disbelief. He is bleeding from his abdomen.

He falls to his knees, then slumps to the floor.

Bulgakov, still holding the gun, looks down at the corpse.

Sirens.

Bulgakov walks forward, with the gun in his hand.

Behind him, the two Actors enter to remove Stepan's body.

The sirens fade.

Enter Stalin, carrying a manuscript.

He places it on the table and sits down.

Bulgakov turns abruptly, gun in hand aimed at Stalin.

Stalin
You don't look so well, Mikhail.

Bulgakov
Release my wife.

Stalin
‘Or else'?

Bulgakov keeps the gun aimed at Stalin.

What will you achieve if you pull the trigger?

A beat.

You want Yelena to live?

Stalin looks down at the manuscript.

Sign this. Put the gun down. It doesn't suit you. Put it down and sign this.

Bulgakov does not move.

Mikhail, we're not going to get anywhere until you realise that killing will get you nowhere. Put the gun down and sign it.

Bulgakov
I'm not signing any more of your orders!

Stalin
Oh, no, this isn't my work: it's yours. This is your play, Mikhail.
Young Joseph
.

Bulgakov
I didn't write it. It's a piece of shit.

Stalin
You're right. A piece of shit. But sign it anyway.

Bulgakov
No!

He draws closer with the gun.

Stalin
Didn't you wonder: why me? Why you? I'm Joseph Stalin, I could have got whoever I wanted to do whatever I wanted. But it all means so much more when it comes from a man like you.

Bulgakov lowers the gun.

Bulgakov
You didn't want a play.

Stalin
Not really.

Bulgakov
You never did.

Stalin
The truth is: it was all about you, Mikhail, all about you from start to finish. Killing my enemies is easy. The challenge is to control their minds. And I think I controlled yours pretty well. In years to come, I'll be able to say: ‘Bulgakov? Yeah, we even trained him. We broke him, we can break anybody.' It's man versus monster, Mikhail. And the monster always wins.

A beat.

Yelena can live.

Silence. For a long time.

Eventually, Bulgakov places the pistol on the table.

Stalin watches as Bulgakov signs the manuscript. He turns it to read.

‘
Young Joseph by Mikhail Bulgakov.'

Bulgakov stands back.

You know, I don't think this will ever be performed. It's served its purpose already.

Bulgakov
You never smoke it.

Stalin
What?

Bulgakov
Your pipe. You hold it but you never light it.

Stalin looks at the item in his hand, as though it's the first time he's ever noticed the habit.

Stalin
No. You're right. It's a trick. An illusion.

Stalin watches as Bulgakov walks away.

Bulgakov approaches the bed.

Enter Yelena, in white cotton, led on by two NKVD Men.

Bulgakov sits down on the bed.

Enter a Chorus of grotesque masked Doctors and Apothecaries brandishing huge syringes, knives, etc.

They form up in a horseshoe around the bed.

Chorus
Bene, bene, bene, respondere / Dignus est intrare / in nostro corpore . . .

Bulgakov is weak. Can barely speak.

Bulgakov
Clisterum donare / Postea bleedare
/ afterwards
. . . Purgare.

Chorus
Bene, bene, bene, respondere / Dignus est intrare / in nostro corpore . . .

Bulgakov sinks back on to the bed.

The two NKVD Men turn Yelena to face away.

She is pushed down on to her knees.

A pistol is drawn.

Another masked figure approaches Bulgakov.

Lagrange
This day, while playing the role of Argon, Molière has collapsed on stage and was taken, unshriven, by the relentless hand of death.

The small-bore gun is loaded and cocked.

The barrel is pushed up against the back of Yelena's neck.

For this I shall mark the day with a black cross. What was the cause of it? Why did it happen? How shall I put it? The reason for this was the King's disfavour.

Yelena awaits the pull of the trigger.

And she waits and she waits and she waits.

Bulgakov lies dead on the bed.

The two NKVD Men step back from Yelena. They exit.

She stands. Alone. Bewildered.

The Apothecaries, Lagrange, etc., exit.

Stalin stands.

He surveys the scene. He exits.

Yelena approaches the bed. She finds Bulgakov's body.

She sits on the bed. Places her hand on his.

The telephone rings.

Yelena stands and walks across.

She picks up the telephone.

Eventually, a rough male voice speaks.

Stalin
Is it true?

She does not answer.

Tell me if it's true?

Still she says nothing.

Is it true that Comrade Bulgakov is dead?

The line goes dead.

Yelena hangs up.

Lights down.

Curtain.