Authors: Jon Fosse
Today
HE
Today
SHE
Rambuku shall
HE
Rambuku shall
SHE
open up
HE
open up
SHE
Say all of it
HE
Today Rambuku shall
SHE
open up
Yes
Pause
Today’s the day
when Rambuku shall remove
these years
this life
and transform it to nothing
quite short pause
transform it to a memory
which disappears
like the landscape when it darkens
fades away
quite short pause
and grows black
quite short pause
and then Rambuku shall stand forth
quite short pause
in all its light
quite short pause
in all its
luminescent
transparent
being
quite short pause, as if she is reflecting
it
quite short pause
Rambuku
should come today
quite short pause
so why doesn’t Rambuku come
it must come
And it comes
and then it’s over
then it’s finished
Then this is finished
Pause
Then it’s finished
say it
Say
Then it’s finished
HE
Then it’s finished
SHE
Then it’s finished
Pause
Do you understand that
that it’s finished
quite short pause
no
no you don’t understand that
not here
for here it’s not possible
quite short pause
to understand anything
here you just stand
and look and look
and say nothing
and understand nothing
and that’s how it is here
But in Rambuku it’s not like that
say it
say after me
say
In Rambuku it’s not like that
HE
In Rambuku
Short pause
SHE
Yes
Say
Quite short pause
It’s not like that
HE
It’s not like that
SHE
In Rambuku
it’s not like that
short pause
in Rambuku
quite short pause
you become beautiful
quite short pause
for no one was more beautiful than you
quite short pause
I could’ve had anyone I wanted
yes
I could
yes it’s true
and in Rambuku
I shall have you back
short pause
for you
yes
quite short pause
yes you looked like Rambuku
quite short pause
and I chose you
of course
for you were
like Rambuku
long pause, she smiles to herself
it was these
reflects
yes these beautiful tosses
of thoughts
they were sudden
you thought just like they think
in Rambuku
and your voice
the strange arcs that formed
suddenly
quite short pause
and the clouds disappeared
and the sky turned blue
and shimmering
across our life
quite short pause
such were the tosses
of your thoughts
you had Rambuku
in you
quite short pause
and your voice surged
like the waves on the sea
waves
there in Rambuku
quite short pause
that’s how you were
short pause
I say something beautiful about you
and you just stand there
stand there
and say nothing
just stand there
and stare and stare
straight up and down
you stand there
quite short pause
can’t you say something
I tell you
looks at him, in a clear voice
there were beautiful tosses in your thoughts
I tell you that
quite short pause
and you just stand there
and say nothing
quite short pause
why don’t you say something
quite short pause
say something
at least you can answer
when I talk to you
say something
answer
answer me
say something
She sighs. Pause
Well read it then
She takes a pad and a pencil from her bag and writes, tears off the sheet, hands it to him, and he stands and fumbles with the sheet
Read it then
Read
Read what I’ve written
quite short pause
oh well
don’t do it then
just leave it then
just leave reading it
quite short pause
or
yes read it
read it at once
now
read
Read
Pause
HE
reads
Rambuku
SHE
Thank you
thank you so much
quite short pause
it was
quite short pause
yes so beautiful to hear you say
Rambuku
Short pause
Why don’t you read it one more time
Yes
yes
yes you must do that
Read
read it one more time
Pause
HE
reads
Rambuku
SHE
And yet one more time
please
Pause
HE
reads
Rambuku
SHE
Thank you
thank you so much
He stands with the note in his hand and she walks over and takes
it from his hand, she puts the pad, the pencil and the note in her bag. Pause
And now
short pause
Now this is soon finished
now we won’t stand here any longer
you and I
now we won’t be here any longer
you and I
now we’re going
quite short pause
to where everything opens wide
like a vista
over everything that exists
that’s where we’re going
you and I
quite short pause
yes it ended up being the two of us
and you had such a big and beautiful power
you were as beautiful as Rambuku
yes you had a power
hesitates
yes a power as headstrong
as Rambuku
quite short pause
you were this power
this headstrong power
quite short pause
this power
which showed itself most of all
in your sudden tosses
from one thought
to another
reflects a little
just like Rambuku
yes
you were
yes exactly
quite short pause
yes you were
as beautiful
as Rambuku
quite short pause
your smile
the way you tossed your head
I think I can say
quite short pause
yes that I understand myself
quite short pause
yes that I chose you
quite short pause
and do I regret it
quite short pause
no
no I don’t think I regret it
or
quite short pause
yes I regret it
quite fast
I regret as much as it’s possible to regret
I always feel regret
all the time
every time I see you
every time I hear you voice
I feel regret
I keep regretting it
I feel nothing but regret
quite short pause
and then
quite short pause
and then I keep saying
quite short pause
yes that I don’t regret it
quite short pause
how stupid can you be
quite short pause
no
quite short pause
no not that
no regret
just
breaks off
but
quite short pause
but now
quite short pause
yes
quite short pause
yes won’t Rambuku come soon
he should come today
quite short pause
and then he doesn’t come
Why doesn’t Rambuku come
quite short pause
yes he’s coming
he’s coming soon
quite short pause
and then it’s over
then this is over
then it’s finished
quite short pause. Quite loudly
He’s coming
Rambuku’s coming today
do you know that
Short pause
I’m talking to you
why don’t you answer me
don’t just stand there
you must answer
quite short pause
do you hear me
I’m talking to you
Short pause
Are you looking forward to Rambuku coming
quite short pause
to getting away
from here
not having to
stand here any longer
to being in
Rambuku
Quite short pause
Answer me then
say something
You must answer me
You’re looking forward to it
Pause
But I feel so sad
short pause
that I almost begin to cry
quite short pause
for you
quite short pause
for you
for you standing there
good old you
you were always
yes so obstinately persevering
so
quite short pause
yes
quite short pause
but that’s a long time ago
quite short pause
a very long time ago
quite short pause
it doesn’t exist anymore
so why think about it
quite short pause
but this
no
pause
no I
breaks off
no I
breaks off
I suppose I must
I
breaks off
I
breaks off
I
I must
breaks off
I
breaks off, short pause
and you
standing there
quite short pause
I must
breaks off, short pause
No it’s too awful
Short pause
It’s too awful
Quite short pause
I must be the one I was
quite short pause
I can’t
breaks off
,
quite short pause
I must be
quite short pause
the one I am
and the one I shall be
quite short pause
and I am beautiful
I’ve dressed up
today I’m beautiful
for today
is a big day
a day for decisions
today is Rambuku’s day
quite short pause
I know that
short pause
but you
quite short pause
you
quite short pause
standing there
good old you
you’re good
you with your hands
with your fingers
with your movements
quite short pause
you
quite short pause
you stand there
and I stand here
you and I
are here
quite short pause
the two of us
quite short pause
just you and I
no one else
just you and I are here
just the two of us
short pause
,
almost whispering
you and I stand here
ready
everything’s ready
for Rambuku coming
quite short pause
to you and me
quite short pause
to the two of us
quite short pause
and in Rambuku everything becomes a song
short pause
a song from seas and stars
where everything is large
and everything disappears
quite short pause
and just the two of us
are left
and everything fades
into something which is and lasts
there in Rambuku
quite short pause
and not even the memories
are left
of the two of us
there
there in Rambuku
they are gone
they are gone
like the sea in the darkness
short pause
so don’t just stand there
quite short pause
and look and look
you
say something
tell me something about Rambuku
Tell me what you know
about Rambuku
Short pause
No
no don’t say anything
quite short pause
just stand there
A little questioningly
Good
Short pause
Say it’s good
She walks over to him, looks him in the face
Say yes
HE
Yes
SHE
Okay
She holds his chin
But say it one more time
say it
She pulls his chin up and down