Authors: Jon Fosse
he stops
Rambuku enters, dressed in a black suit
he stands calmly
and looks around
then he seems to become a little restless
a little worried
almost
he stands and looks down
and then a woman comes walking towards him
She walks towards Rambuku
and he walks towards her
Rambuku walks towards her
and when they see each other
they walk quickly towards each other
they meet
and they embrace each other
She and Rambuku embrace each other, pause
they stand like that for a long time
short pause
then they let go of each other
She and Rambuku let go of each other
and the man says
It’s been such a long time
RAMBUKU
It’s been such a long time
pause
SHE
Yes
RAMBUKU
But finally
we’re together again
SHE
Yes
Yes it has been a long time
Short pause
RAMBUKU
I never thought we’d meet again
short pause
that we would find each other again
SHE
Neither did I
RAMBUKU
And now we meet
short pause
finally we meet
SHE
Yes
RAMBUKU
Yes
SHE
Where have you been
RAMBUKU
But you know that
SHE
Yes
quite short pause
yes I’ve missed you so
RAMBUKU
And you are so beautiful
SHE
I’ve dressed up for you
Today
this very day
I dressed up for you
and it’s you
who shall take me with you
to Rambuku
quite short pause
today it shall happen
today Rambuku shall
open up
quite short pause
yes
quite short pause
I knew you’d come
that today was the day
when you’d come
quite short pause
For Rambuku was coming
today
RAMBUKU
Yes
Pause. Rambuku and She take each other’s hands and lead each other around
SHE
But
quite short pause
are you sure
short pause
that we’ve met before
RAMBUKU
Yes
SHE
No
quite short pause
no we haven’t
They let go of each other’s hands, stand there. Long pause. To He
Read
Pause
HE
reads
and then the man moves away from her
and he stands and looks at her
Rambuku walks away from her and stands and looks at her
with a strange expression on his face
quite short pause
an expression which
yes how should I describe it
yes an expression which
SHE
Don’t stand there like that
RAMBUKU
questioningly
Like
SHE
Don’t stand there like that
quite short pause
don’t stand there like that
now that you’re finally here
RAMBUKU
I won’t stand here like that
SHE
No
RAMBUKU
No
quite short pause
I’m finally here
Pause
SHE
I have waited and waited for you
And now you’re here
She and Rambuku look at each other, look down, look at each other again. Long pause. To He, without looking at him
Read
Pause
HE
reads
And then the man turned
and he walked away from her
and she walked after him
Rambuku walks away from her, and She walks after him
she stopped and looked
She stops and looks at Rambuku
she stood there and looked
as he walked away
Rambuku walks away and She stands and looks at him
and then she stood and looked straight ahead
She stands and looks straight ahead
and she said
in a quiet voice
that finally he was there
the finally he came
she said
that finally Rambuku shall
open up
Pause
SHE
Finally Rambuku shall
open up
Long pause. To He
Read then
Keep reading
HE
reads
And then the man came back to her
Rambuku enters, he brings a carafe of water and a glass. Pause
SHE
to He
Yes
quite short pause
yes that’s how it is
She looks at him
isn’t it
isn’t it
Rambuku has come now
right
quite short pause
yes
short pause
Keep reading
Pause
HE
reads
And then the man walked slowly towards her
Rambuku walks slowly towards her
And she walked slowly towards him
She walks slowly towards Rambuku
And they both stopped
they stood and looked at each other
They stop, look at each other
And she said
But there you are
SHE
But there you are
RAMBUKU
You must come now
my dear
I’m waiting for you
Pause. Rambuku pours water in the glass and hands it to her, she drinks the water, gives the glass back to Rambuku
SHE
Thank you
Thank you for being here
You came today
Pause. She turns to He
But you
breaks off. She walks to him, takes the sheets of paper from him
,
leafs through the pile, picks out one sheet, hands it to him
Read
Pause
HE
reads
I’ve lived here
But soon I’ll live in Rambuku
SHE
Yes
Yes
yes now he has come
now Rambuku has come
quite short pause
and then
quite short pause
neither you
nor I
shall live here anymore
quite short pause
you
I
you and I
shall live in Rambuku
Pause
It’s over now
finally
finally it’s over
Short pause
Read
read what the note says
Pause
HE
reads
I’ve lived here
But soon I’ll live in Rambuku
Long pause
SHE
Yes
Long pause. She goes and takes the sheet of paper from him, puts all the sheets in her bag. Rambuku walks over to her, pours water in the glass, hands it to her and She hands it to He, who drinks it. She takes the glass from He, gives it to Rambuku. She takes He’s arm. Rambuku walks slowly out, holding the carafe and the glass in front of him, and She and He walk slowly, arm in arm, after him and out
FREEDOM
Characters
THE WOMAN
THE MAN
THE SECOND WOMAN
Black. Lights up. The Woman stands, looking down. Long pause. The Woman looks up, towards The Man
THE WOMAN
But you see
well
you do understand that
yes
yes that
Yes that I
quite short pause
Wanted to be free
quite short pause
I didn’t want to go round
with all those ties
that I had entered into
quite short pause
and of course I was
yes so young
yes when I became tied
yes when I entered into
quite short pause
yes the ties
quite short pause
yes the ties
you know so well
THE MAN
Yes
THE WOMAN
And I wanted to create
Yes my own ties
quite short pause
I wanted
stops
THE MAN
But now you are free
THE WOMAN
Yes I suppose so
THE MAN
And now you don’t want to be free
THE WOMAN
No I don’t want to be free
THE MAN
Why don’t you want to be free
THE WOMAN
Because one
when one is free
one is not free
at all
THE MAN
Why not
THE WOMAN
Because then one
is tied
tied and tied
by just one’s self
THE MAN
Yes
THE WOMAN
And the one who is tied
by and to her self
is
stops, short pause
THE MAN
Lonely
THE WOMAN
No
Yes
Pause
THE MAN
But the others they are there
yes they are everywhere
it is impossible to be alone
because the others
they are there
THE WOMAN
Yes
yes exactly
quite short pause
but in relation to the others
one doesn’t become free
short pause
and then there’s my children
THE MAN
Your children
quite short pause
yes your children
of course
yes
yes a child is a tie isn’t it
yes of course
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
And you want to be free
quite short pause
Not be tied
yes
yes to
stops
THE WOMAN
Yes
Pause
THE MAN
And now you are free
THE WOMAN
Yes
Pause
THE MAN
And now you don’t want to be free
THE WOMAN
No
Pause
Or yes
THE MAN
Yes you can be
quite short pause
yes lover
yes
yes
yes with whoever you want
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
With one or the other
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
Go to bed with whoever you want
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
You are free
THE WOMAN
Yes
Pause
But I
stops
THE MAN
Don’t you want to be free
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
Wasn’t it as you imagined
To be free
THE WOMAN
No
Pause
THE MAN
Freedom is not a good thing
THE WOMAN
No
quite short pause
But it is a condition
THE MAN
It is a condition
Short pause
Yes like death
quite short pause
like loneliness
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
But it isn’t good
quite short pause
yes doesn’t one try
all one can
laughs briefly
yes almost
to get away from freedom
permanent relationships
laughs briefly
having dogs
a permanent residence
regular income
a permanent job
quite short pause
yes children
THE WOMAN
Freedom is a good thing too
quite short pause
If you are shut in
quite short pause
yes then you want to go where you want to go
there is nothing else you want
THE MAN
But there is something else
THE WOMAN
No
THE MAN
Another person
other people
are not a room one is
shut up in
THE WOMAN
Aren’t they
THE MAN
No
THE WOMAN
Never
THE MAN
Never
Pause
THE WOMAN
But
quite short pause
now
yes now I have tried being free
and now
yes now I would like to tie myself
quite short pause
yes that is what it is called
to tie oneself
THE MAN
Yes
THE WOMAN
To you
To the children
THE MAN