Authors: Jon Fosse
yes right here
right now
quite short pause
yes I
yes I know that
quite short pause
I can tell you
quite short pause
but I don’t want to tell you
She turns around and sees The Young Man who enters, with The Old Man entering behind him
Oh hello
You’re here already
I
breaks off, becomes a little embarrassed
I
breaks off
YOUNG MAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes I may be a little early
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes me too
Pause
FIRST VOICE
And there he is
there he comes
quite short pause
but look
can’t you see
quite short pause
look how beautiful he is
SECOND VOICE
Yes
quite short pause
yes he is beautiful
Pause
FIRST VOICE
But
look
SECOND VOICE
Yes
yes I see
Short pause
YOUNG MAN
Yes here we are
then
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes it’s become a habit
yes to meet here
YOUNG MAN
Yes it has
Pause
YOUNG WOMAN
And it’s a nice
place
yes
YOUNG MAN
Yes
Pause
YOUNG WOMAN
Really nice
YOUNG MAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes I suppose that’s why
breaks off
YOUNG WOMAN
continues
Yes that we meet here
YOUNG MAN
Yes I suppose it is
Pause. She walks around a little. Pause
.
YOUNG WOMAN
Any news
YOUNG MAN
No
quite short pause
no nothing special
or
yes
YOUNG WOMAN
Tell me
YOUNG MAN
No
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
YOUNG MAN
No
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes you must
She nudges him
YOUNG MAN
No
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
YOUNG MAN
No
He looks at her, and then he stretches his hand out and she takes his hand, they stand and hold hands and look down
Yes here we are then
Pause
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
Pause
YOUNG MAN
Yes
Pause
YOUNG WOMAN
You and I
YOUNG MAN
You and I
They look at each other, smile to each other. Long pause
Do you want to go for a walk
YOUNG WOMAN
Alright
Short pause
And it’s so
yes nice here
quite short pause
here by the sea
YOUNG MAN
Yes
YOUNG WOMAN
Here
sheltered from the ocean
YOUNG MAN
sheltered by the mountains
YOUNG WOMAN
By the tall mountains
THE SHADOW
This is where you’ll be
Quite short pause
And I am here always
YOUNG WOMAN
But look
She looks at the mountains
I’ve never quite
seen the mountains before
I see them now as if for the first time
And the rocks
I see them as if for the first time
YOUNG MAN
The mountains and the rocks
quite short pause
and then us
And this is where we’ll be
YOUNG WOMAN
If we want to
we’ll be here
yes
quite short pause
yes for here there’s air
quite short pause
there’s earth
YOUNG MAN
And there’s wind here
There’s always wind here
YOUNG WOMAN
And here’s where we met
YOUNG MAN
And here’s where we’ll live
quite short pause
here we’ll stay
YOUNG MAN
And we’ll be alright
YOUNG FIRST VOICE
Because we won’t give up
YOUNG MAN
No
And we’ll be fine
We’ll be alright
YOUNG WOMAN
We’re young and strong
YOUNG MAN
And we’re together
YOUNG WOMAN
We’ll be alright
YOUNG MAN
Everything’s fine
YOUNG WOMAN
We’re strong
YOUNG MAN
We’re young
We can do anything
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes we can do anything
YOUNG MAN
We can do it
Quite short pause
We’ll provide fire
We’ll provide food
YOUNG WOMAN
Fire and food
for our children
YOUNG MAN
We’ll provide fire
and food
YOUNG WOMAN
For the children we’ll have
we’ll provide food
YOUNG MAN
We’ll provide shelter
YOUNG WOMAN
We’ll provide fire
We’re young and strong
YOUNG MAN
It’ll all be fine
YOUNG WOMAN
We’ll provide food
YOUNG MAN
We’ll provide shelter
YOUNG WOMAN
We are so strong
YOUNG MAN
We can do anything
YOUNG WOMAN
We can do everything
YOUNG MAN
We are strong
YOUNG WOMAN
And when we are together
we can do it
Pause
But
quite short pause
listen
quite short pause
yes I just wonder if
breaks off
yes
YOUNG MAN
Just tell me
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes if
breaks off
YOUNG MAN
Was there something
YOUNG WOMAN
No maybe not
YOUNG MAN
You just wanted to say something
no matter what
YOUNG WOMAN
Maybe
quite short pause
yes
perhaps
Short pause
YOUNG MAN
Tell me
Can’t you just tell me
YOUNG WOMAN
No
YOUNG MAN
You don’t want to
YOUNG WOMAN
No
She lets go of his hand and walks away from him, towards The Shadow
but
short pause
yes can’t you feel
yes
quite short pause
yes that there’s something here
that
breaks off
YOUNG MAN
Everything’s right
Everything’s the way it should be
Yes
quite short pause
everything’s just fine
quite short pause
and here
here where we are
here where we walk
I’m thinking that
yes here people have
yes lived
yes for so long
YOUNG WOMAN
Not you and I
YOUNG MAN
No
quite short pause
no
not you and I
because we
yes we’re young
we’ve just
arrived here
quite short pause
but people
quite short pause
other people have lived here
for people must’ve lived here
for a long time
yes
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
I’m sure
YOUNG MAN
Yes on this piece of earth
at this shore
quite short pause
on this coast
YOUNG WOMAN
You think so
YOUNG MAN
Don’t you think so
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes of course
YOUNG MAN
But you don’t believe
yes
yes that it’s something to think about
YOUNG WOMAN
Well yes
Pause
YOUNG MAN
And we’ll live here too
Pause
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes we’ll live here
Pause
YOUNG MAN
You look a little tired
you want to rest
YOUNG WOMAN
Perhaps for a bit
Pause
YOUNG MAN
Is something wrong
YOUNG WOMAN
No
Pause
YOUNG MAN
But are you tired
quite short pause
shall we sit down for a while
YOUNG WOMAN
Alright
Short pause
YOUNG MAN
But where
YOUNG WOMAN
We can sit down
quite short pause
yes wherever
YOUNG MAN
Wherever
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
why not
YOUNG MAN
As long as we can see the ocean
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
Pause
And today
YOUNG MAN
continues
you and I got together
She sits down and he comes and sits down next to her, a short distance away from her, and The Shadow walks between them and she gets up and walks after The Shadow
Are you leaving
Can’t you stay here with me
YOUNG WOMAN
I don’t know
I think I have to go
I can’t stay here any longer
YOUNG MAN
Don’t you just want to
well stay here with me
YOUNG WOMAN
But
breaks off
YOUNG MAN
You want to go
YOUNG WOMAN
I’m so jumpy
I’m so scared
Short pause
THE SHADOW
You must come now
YOUNG MAN
No
quite short pause
you mustn’t be scared
for nothing is dangerous
He stands up and walks after her and The Shadow
Well
quite short pause
perhaps
quite short pause
yes when you mention it
quite short pause
perhaps there is something here
THE SHADOW
I am here
Always am I here
FIRST VOICE
I am here
Always am I here
SECOND VOICE
I am here
YOUNG MAN
But wait for me
THE SHADOW
I am here
I am here always
I am the sky
Quite short pause
I am the shimmering
quite short pause
deep down inside you
You are me
I am you
I am the sky
I am the ocean
in blue
in white
YOUNG MAN
But wait
why are you going
YOUNG WOMAN
No reason
YOUNG MAN
We were having such a good time
YOUNG WOMAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes we were
we certainly were
YOUNG MAN
But you’re going
YOUNG WOMAN
I’m not going
YOUNG MAN
Yes you’re going
YOUNG WOMAN
No
YOUNG MAN
Yes
pause
you’re just going
suddenly you’re just going
Short pause
Is there something
Is something wrong
Quite short pause
Have I done something wrong
YOUNG WOMAN
No
no it’s not that
Quite short pause
But it feels
breaks off
I got scared
there’s something here
YOUNG MAN
Yes
YOUNG WOMAN
continues
it feels
yes so dangerous
to be here
I’m scared
I’m a little scared
YOUNG MAN
No
don’t be scared
THE SHADOW
I am the sky
I am the ocean
I am here
FIRST VOICE
I am here
SECOND VOICE
I am here always
YOUNG WOMAN