Bruno Fornasari
THE PROOF
Nomination Italian Playwrights Project 3th edition (2020/22)
excerpt translated by Thomas Simpson
Roles
TINA about 35
EDO about 40
FRED going on 50
LUCY about 30
Notes:
The indication “a moment’ indicates a suspension of the verbal action for the amount of time it would take to say “one”.
The indication “silence” means a verbal silence.
An underlined word should receive particular emphasis.
A forward slash “/” within a a line indicates that the following line should begin to be spoken at that point.
If the slash comes at the end of a line it means the character has been interrupted or has allowed himself to be interrupted.
When the punctuation—comma, period, colon, etc.—interrupts a sentence before the logical meaning has been fully expressed, it means that a new thought has come to the roles and taken predominance.
The ellipsis is to be interpreted wherever it happens to occur.
They have nothing of harm to dread,
But liquidly glide on his ghastly flank
Or before his Gorgonian head…
Herman Melville [1]
Penthouse with terrace
The relaxation room of an advertising agency. Three entrances: one up left, two right, upstage and downstage.
All the furnishings are perfect: left, a post-industrial style kitchen with hi-tech fridge (downstage), center a sofa, and right a designer easy chair/poof, in obviously uncomfortable hard plastic; all to give a sensation of stylish informality.
Outside, on the terrace which can be accessed down right, a storm is brewing, suggested by a large projection that occupies the entire upstage wall, showing a cloudy sky changing constantly. Indoors, seemingly flat calm.
EDO and TINA, both seen from behind, leaning back in the designer sofa.
EDO rises and goes to the stage lip. TINA doesn’t move. Silence of a certain duration.
EDO Have you seen the weather out? It going to rain for sure, look at those clouds. (a moment) It looks like we’re facing a really shitty day.
TINA It’s pointless.
EDO What?
TINA For you to change the subject. (Turning) I imagined it.
EDO That it would rain?
TINA That you’d never have the balls to speak honestly with Fred.
EDO Why?
TINA Because you’re still in love with him.
EDO Me, in love with Fred?
TINA Obviously.
EDO We’ve been friends for more than ten years and we’re very close.
TINA It’s time to take the decisive step, then.
EDO Have I ever given you the impression of being a faggot?
TINA You’ve never given any sign of the opposite.
EDO What was the name of that faggot friend of yours, Micki?
TINA Have I ever talked to you about it?
EDO He was the only man you ever got along with, I’d say.
TINA I shouldn’t have talked to you about Micki. You have the brain of a six-year-old for these things.
EDO You mean, trained to make war while you were playing with your dolls?
TINA Exactly.
EDO You talked about him as though he was the love of your life.
TINA It was a schoolgirl crush. I cried a lot because of him, but when he figured out he was gay we celebrated together.
EDO I can see you there, hugging and weeping while watching the last episode of Sex and the City.
TINA I know you want to change the subject, but in love or not, you should have balls enough to speak honestly with Fred.
EDO I’m not in love with Fred. We’re friends. He has a great head and that makes him very appealing. So I tend to believe he’s a good person. Period.
TINA Right.
EDO You have to admit he has a great head, if it hadn’t been for him we / wouldn’t.
TINA We wouldn’t have gotten here.
EDO Exactly.
TINA I mean we wouldn’t be in this situation.
EDO In fact, we wouldn’t be here on the top floor of this handsome building with design furniture and a terrace with a view out over all those poor bastards down there braying and stumbling around full of bad cholesterol.
TINA gets up and goes to the fridge.
TINA I don’t have to stay here and after last night I really don’t think I’m going to work with you on this publicity campaign. I should sit down and talk about misogyny and discrimination with Fred after what he did to me last night?
EDO Your story is absurd.
TINA I know. But that doesn’t mean it’s not true.
EDO Youi have no proof for what you claim.
TINA I jut gave you the proof.
Tina goes to the fridge and opens it.
EDO So I should tell you what, exactly?
TINA What is this stuff?
Tina takes out of the fridge a glass jar sealed with cellophane, with no label.
EDO Yogurt.
TINA It has no label.
EDO It’s organic and kilometer 0.
TINA Is there only yogurt in this fridge?
EDO We’re in a battle with bad cholesterol.
TINA And its starving you out, looks to me.
EDO Why should I have to talk to him about it, anyway? I wasn’t even there at dinner last night.
TINA Because you’re a man.
EDO And so?
TINA He’d be less resistant to listening to you.
EDO You’re aware that this is absurd, aren’t you?
She closes the fridge.
TINA What’s absurd is that there’s only yogurt and water in this fridge. I need a beer.
EDO After last night maybe the yogurt would be better.
TINA I wasn’t drunk last night! When’s he getting here?
EDO He’s on his way. He sent me a text that he’s on his way.
TINA He’s late.
EDO He’s loaded with appointments.
TINA He’s late for this appointment.
EDO So what exactly should I say to him?
TINA It’s not my fault. It’s no one’s fault, I don’t think, but something has to be done. Before it’s too late.
EDO Before it’s too late? He just rubbed your shoulder.
TINA He didn’t only rub my shoulder, I already showed you.
EDO You showed me how he rubbed your shoulder, that’s what I saw.
TINA On my bare skin.
EDO Because you had a bare shoulder, cover them and it won’t happen anymnore.
TINA But the other shoulder was covered
EDO He’s left-handed. That was the shoulder at hand.
TINA So it was my fault.
EDO Maybe
TINA So, I shouldn’t have had my shoulder exposed.
EDO No, maybe you should stop dressing like shit.
Two moments.
TINA I wasn’t able to convey the right sensation to you.
EDO And what would be the right sensation?
TINA Have you ever been grabbed from behind with a hand over your mouth, you want to scream but you can't say anything and at the same time you feel something behind you getting bigger and pushing against your ass cheeks?
EDO Sure! (doing a flaming gay act) And you can’t believe how much I miss it.
TINA Don’t make me laugh.
EDO What kind of a questioni is that?
TINA I’m trying to explain to you that it was shocking to me but you’re making like it’s funny.
EDO You’re comparing a hand on your shoulder to attempted rape, just because you had this “sensation”.
TINA That’s not what I said
EDO Not yet.
TINA Have you ever heard of micro-aggression?
A moment.
EDO I must have micro-read something some micro-where.
[1] From The Maldive Shark, in which Herman Melville describes the relationship between the shark and its pilot fish.
