Howard Barker: Plays Nine - Howard Barker

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the argument. BIBLE concludes it for him.)

      A bad day / in the life of genius / that’s worth several good days / in the life of mediocrity /

      (He sniffs with contempt.)

      So the argument goes / personally I /

      (He cannot finish his sentence. He turns onto his back. He stares at the ceiling. All three are as if suspended.)

      THRASH: (At last.) Burn it / burn it / Wardrobe /

      WARDROBE: Burn it? /

      THRASH: Burn it / darling /

      (He turns his face to her.)

      Or let me /

      WARDROBE: (A wan smile.) You don’t say live / but you have a way with death /

      (He is suddenly impelled to movement.)

      Doesn’t she? / She knows my death is in this rhapsody /

      (He stops striding.)

      It’s good advice / and certainly the Emperor knew this solution to his beautifully-contrived dilemma would / at some point / recommend itself to me /

      (He half-smiles.)

      Burn it / yes / before examining it / preferably / before its beauty / like some slow poison / worked its way through me / yes / but look /

      (He extends the sheets before him.)

      It’s hand-written / the only copy / that much the Emperor insisted on / and Backus / what could he do / but comply? /

      (He looks to THRASH.)

      How could I destroy it? / it’s worth more than my whole life / and yours / and his /

      (He nods towards BIBLE.)

      And fifty eighteenth-century violins / bad day or not / it’s Backus /

      (He digests the idea.)

      Backus / ‘The Frontier Rhapsody’ / as it will come to be called / surely? / dedicated to / but never played / by me /

      (He looks at THRASH, who is frowning.)

      I’m glad you don’t say live / really / I’m so glad /

      (He goes with the music as if to squat in a corner, then instantly changes his mind and goes to the canvas bed.)

      Get out of there / get out /

      (BIBLE just moans.)

      GET OUT / THIS GIFT IS SACRED TO ME /

      (WARDROBE, holding the music in one hand, drags BIBLE off the bed with the other. BIBLE stumbles away and is comforted by THRASH. WARDROBE, with exquisite delicacy, occupies his place. As his gaze travels over the music staves, he strokes his face with his fingers. The wind blows. BIBLE sighs long and deep.)

      BIBLE: I’m doomed /

      THRASH: If you say so /

      BIBLE: I do say so / I’m doomed / there / I’ve said it / twice I’ve said it / you say it / now /

      THRASH: I won’t say it /

      BIBLE: SAY IT /

      THRASH: I won’t say it / but if you say it / I won’t say no /

      BIBLE: Sisi was here /

      THRASH: Yes /

      BIBLE: (Suddenly aroused.) WAS SHE? / WAS SISI HERE? /

      THRASH: The woman in the white silk /

      BIBLE: Sordid / stained / and filthy / white silk / her /

      THRASH: If that was Sisi / she was here /

      BIBLE: So I did not imagine it /

      THRASH: You did not / Bible / no /

      (BIBLE is thoughtful, perplexed. A silence falls but for the sound of WARDROBE’s fingers on the music score. BIBLE is suddenly illuminated.)

      BIBLE: She’s with him /

      (THRASH frowns.)

      Backus /

      (He is animated.)

      THRASH: Backus? /

      BIBLE: The genius / Froben / Anda / him / the appalling brevity of this visit / so brief I was scarcely able to register it / was due to him / you may visit / said the genius / but hurry back again / and slapped her / hard / across her cheek / ‘what’s that slap for?’ / said Sisi / indignant / briefly indignant / in case you stay one moment longer than is necessary / she kissed him / he slapped her / she kissed him / ‘what’s that for?’ / she liked it / it confirmed something / ‘what’s that for?’ / ‘what’s that for?’ /

      (BIBLE suffers, then plunges on.)

      They’re in a taxi / she’s flung one leg over his / the skirt / because of the tension / has raced up her thigh / showing her knee / he lets his fingers crawl / she gasps / darling / darling /

      (He exclaims.)

      THAT / OH THAT / THAT IS A RHAPSODY /

      (WARDROBE is unprovoked, so deep is his concentration. BIBLE shakes his head.)

      What I would not give / oh /

      (He decays.)

      For one ride in a taxi / five streets / three / alone / alone even /

      (He looks pitifully at THRASH.)

      And the driver need not be polite to me /

      WARDROBE: This is entirely innovatory /

      (He tightens his mouth. He throws down the score and places his hands on his cheeks.)

      Innovatory but / like any innovation which is not arbitrary / contrived / or gimmickry / it is disciplined / it surges / it howls / but always /

      (He grabs up the score again.)

      Always strictly obedient to the geometry of the theme /

      (He stands, radiant.)

      It’s /

      BIBLE: (Drily.) Inspired? /

      WARDROBE: Obviously / obviously inspired / is he ever uninspired / Backus? / it is far / far beyond inspiration / in an altogether different category / for example /

      (He paces.)

      BIBLE: Sisi /

      WARDROBE: The opening / no / not the opening / the opening is / actually / and possibly deliberately / for Backus / conventional / as if he wishes the performer to extend an invitation to his public / an invitation which is /

      BIBLE: Sisi /

      WARDROBE: Seductive because somewhat familiar /

      BIBLE: Sisi /

      WARDROBE: Whereupon / swiftly / he lowers the tempo / he lowers it dramatically / the first time I read it / I thought / an error / an error possibly / but / no / I’m certain this is the signature of /

      BIBLE: Sisi /

      (WARDROBE is at last distracted by BIBLE.)

      The signature of Sisi / obviously /

      (WARDROBE regards BIBLE critically, as if he caught sight of a passing shadow, and appears troubled by it.)

      Sisi loves him / a love which could not fail to alter him / the alteration being / it goes without saying / strictly obedient to the geometry of /

      (He looks up at last.)

      The geometry of / what / did you say? /

      (THRASH looks at WARDROBE. BIBLE plods wearily to the canvas bed.)

      She came here / apparently / but briefly / her smacked cheek like a flag of love / I didn’t see her / unfortunately /

      (He looks at the bed before mounting it.)

      ‘What’s that

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