SYNOPSIS: The Verdict is a supernatural chamber tragicomedy which takes place at a cemetery. An old woman, Bertha, appears and starts talking to her deceased husband. She obviously feels at ease here. Bertha introduces a second woman, Julie, who also comes to her husband’s grave. Bertha leaves. Julie also communicates with her late husband, Bobby, but in a slightly more serious manner. Another woman appears on the scene. She is young and pretty, her name is Simone. It turns out Simone is Bobby’s former colleague. The women sit down to tea and a friendly talk. But this idyllic scene ends when Simone confesses that she was Bobby’s lover. Julie’s world falls apart and she sends Simone away. Simone tries to apologize but everything is in vain. The situation culminates when Bobby rises from the grave. After the women’s initial shock, communication begins. Julie blames Bobby for his adultery. Bobby is about to leave with Simone, but Julie stops them and an investigation of the context begins. Bobby receives instructions “from above” – the conditions he must fulfill in order to be saved. He and Simone must be forgiven by Julie. Julie, however, finds this unimaginable. Everything changes when Julie is visited by Jesus, whom she alone can see. She decides to forgive Bobby and Simone and helps Bobby return to his grave. In the end, Bertha, who had been watching the whole scene from behind a gravestone, appears onstage again. Simone leaves and Julie wakes up on a bench. Was it real or was it all just a dream?
NUMBER OF PAGES: 13
CAST: 3 women, 1 man
GENRE: tragicomedy
CHARACTERS:
JULIE
BOBBY – Julie’s husband
SIMONE – Bobby’s lover
BERTHA – old woman
SAMPLE TEXT
(We see a grave on the stage. The footstone, cross and headstone are made of gray granite. There are two lanterns and two flower pots with dried out chrysanthemums at the foot of the headstone. The name and surname, as well as the dates of birth and death of the deceased person, are carved into the stone. A wooden bench near the grave. Enter Bertha. She’s carrying a watering can and a hoe. She stops in front of another grave.)
BERTHA: There ye’are… there yer rest, my fella… How are yer? (She hoes the grave.) A boiled chicken and a potato was all I had fer lunch today… let’s see… lovely you is havin’ it here… not much to hoe… Wait, I’ll get you a flower… (She slowly walk towards the grave, takes one of the flowers and returns.) Everythin’ as usual, pension benefits on ninth… dog license due to be paid… after you is passed away… I expected that creature to kick the bucket soon after, he was yours after all and you should’ve seen his sad eyes… I even cried fer him… and he still be runnin’ round’n’round, the bastard… somehow still holdin’ on to his earthly existence. See… can’t hear a word from yer… you happy to see me? Eh, a strange, very strange existence use to come here… her lad be lyin’ over there, I’ll say. Talks to him the same I is talkin’ to you… but I’m always here before her… look… here she comes… (Enter Julie, she approaches the grave. Exit Bertha.)
JULIE: Oh, Bobby, Bobby, I miss you, miss you so much. It’s been seven long months since you left me here and it’s hard to grasp, hard to cope with, I still feel lonely, even though the kids keep me company and help me, no doubt they do. Mark tries, you know him, but Helen she’s a real help. The children are growing up fast, all right, they’ll be in their teens in no time and they miss their father, miss having you around, especially Mark, but things happen, Bobby, the Lord has called you and we have to accept. (Pause.) Although I wouldn’t complain if you’d stayed with us longer than you did. You were just forty-two. A man in his best years… Those damn fags, they got you. How many times did I tell you to quit, throw them away, get rid of the habit, but you just laughed and said, “It makes no difference, cigarettes or car crash,” it was your argument and now I’m left alone with the kids. (Pause.) Heart stroke was all you could expect. Heart diseases are the main cause of death today. Did you know that, Bobby? Did you? If not, now you know. But it’s too late. The doctors told me, “Mrs. Williams, your husband’s heart has burst.” Burst. I’m not sure if it’s possible, I’d never heard about it, but they say the aorta bursts and blood leaks into the body and the person is dead within seconds. At least there is no suffering. (Pause.) Strange. So many dry, fallen leaves. As if it was autumn. The time you left me… (Pause.) Every night I say my prayers and our children with me…Ten minutes is enough for them, all right. All human beings reach the point one day when they realize they need God and his love. And that is why, Bobby, even though I lost you, I feel this comforting peace in my heart. I often think of the events before you left us. When I stayed at that hotel and you came to see me and then I returned home and the three of you organised a welcome party for the occasion of my arrival, cooked a fancy dinner, lit candles and we had champagne… It was beautiful. And the next day, we went together to buy a sauerkraut container because I broke the old one and you picked out the biggest one they had, twenty litres, you said why not, the sauerkraut would make us healthy… Bobby, I don’t even know whether you can hear me. What if you have a big, soundproof wall there so people like me don’t disturb your rest?
“Lord, give them eternal peace and let them sleep their peaceful sleep until the Day of Judgment.” The Day of Judgment can be a thrilling event after all. The Savior will appear in his great glory, people will rise from their graves, the selection will begin, you were good, you will go directly to heaven, and you were an egoist, a cheat, an alcoholic and a tyrant all your life, so you will go straight to everlasting damnation… People thought something was going to happen in the year two thousand, but nothing did. And maybe something will happen in five thousand years. I guess five thousand years is nothing in terms of the universe. (Pause.) I’m telling you, Bobby, being alone isn’t easy. I miss you, I really miss you a lot. (She falls asleep. During the previous five sentences, a pretty, young woman appears at the back of the stage. She observes Julie. After the monologue ends, she goes forward. She stops at the grave.)
WOMAN: Good morning.
JULIE: Good morning. (The woman moves to the left side of the stage.)
JULIE: Hm. What a nice lady’s come here, Bobby. You’d definitely like her. I think she was your type. She looked at your grave. And I have the feeling she’s been watching me for quite some time. Hm. She’ll think I’m crazy. (Pause. She looks in the direction the woman has left. Then she sits down on the bench.) Life is not a bed of roses. And without you it’s doubly true. If you appeared even for just a tiny moment so I could hug you and take you into my arms. Oh, look, she’s coming back, lassie, perhaps she’s looking for someone.
(Enter Simone. She steps close to the grave and puts a bouquet of flowers down on the grave. She stands over the grave in silence.)
JULIE: Excuse me…
SIMONE: Yes?
JULIE: Excuse me, you put flowers on the grave…
SIMONE: I did.
JULIE: …on the grave of my husband. (She lifts the bouquet and hands it back to her.) Here you are.
SIMONE: Thank you. But it’s all right, if you don’t mind… (She places the bouquet back on the grave.) So you are the wife of Bobby, I assume.
JULIE: Excuse me and you are?
SIMONE: A colleague. I was Bobby’s colleague.
JULIE: Bobby’s colleague? Bobby never mentioned they had a woman working in their workshop. Men only. Are you sure you’re talking about my husband?
SIMONE: Yes, I am. I work at the office. In HR.
JULIE: Aha, that makes sense. Fine then.
SIMONE: My condolences.
JULIE: Thank you. – It makes me happy that strangers also remember…
SIMONE: I wasn’t a stranger.
JULIE: I know, you weren’t for Bobby, but for me certainly, that’s what I meant. He never mentioned you. He always talked about the people from his workshop but not a word about you.
SIMONE: Perhaps he thought it wasn’t necessary.
JULIE: Perhaps. (Pause.) And were you just colleagues…?
SIMONE: You know, we were friends. (Pause.)
JULIE: Just friends?
SIMONE: I beg your pardon?
JULIE: I’m sorry but that’s who I am. I’m suspicious by nature. And you are young, pretty… (She laughs.)
SIMONE: We were friends. (Pause.)
JULIE: Good friends?
SIMONE: Yes.
JULIE: I see.
SIMONE: Bobby was a good person.
JULIE: Yes, he was.
SIMONE: And he was so cheerful, he knew how to be good company.
JULIE: Yes, he did.
SIMONE: And he certainly was a good father.
JULIE: Yes, that he was.
SIMONE: It’s a great loss, especially for you and your family.
JULIE: It is. The children miss him and so do I.
SIMONE: Everyone misses him. Everyone who knew him..
JULIE: They really do. (Pause.)
SIMONE: It’s a tragedy.
JULIE: Yes, a tragedy.
SIMONE: And so young.
JULIE: Yes. (Pause.)
SIMONE: (Starts laughing.) He used to fool around at work. We couldn’t stop laughing sometimes.
JULIE: Couldn’t you?
SIMONE: He had a great gift of making people laugh, he had a sense of humour with a touch of irony. Would you mind telling me if Bobby was so cheerful at home as well?
JULIE: Cheerful? At home? – Sure he was, especially after the twelve hour shifts he did, when he came home tired as hell, those were his funniest moments. (Pause. Then sadly.) But yes, sometimes he was cheerful, sometimes he was… (Pause.) Do you like the gravestone?
SIMONE: Very nice.
JULIE: It is. Cost three thousand.
SIMONE: Only three? Great price indeed.
JULIE: It was a special offer.
SIMONE: I see. Really nice.
JULIE: Nice and simple. I like simple things. A simple life. A simple life and relationships. Well. Let’s play a game now. Questions and answers so that I can find out how well you knew my husband. See who wins. If you guess the correct answer, you get a point. If not, the point is mine. Do you agree?
SIMONE: I do, let’s try.
JULIE: So, what kind of trousers did he wear?
SIMONE: Brown baggy mole-skins.
JULIE: Bingo – one for you. Next one. Did he wear a belt?
SIMONE: Well, I’m not sure… Yes, he did.
JULIE: Wrong – he always wore braces – one one. Favourite meal?
SIMONE: A beef shoulder roast.
JULIE: Two one for you. And the meal he hated?
SIMONE: Well… spaghetti?
JULIE: Hah, he loved spaghetti. Baked beans. I cooked it once, just once… Two two . Did he talk a lot about me?
SIMONE: No – yes…
JULIE: (Pause.) Is it yes or no?
SIMONE: Yes.
JULIE: (Pause.) The problem is, it’s impossible to prove.
SIMONE: On the basis of trust.
JULIE: On the basis of trust. All right, three two, you’ve won. You’ve passed the test of confidence, now we can introduce ourselves. My name is Julie. Julie Williams.
SIMONE: Simone Harrison.
JULIE: Nice to meet you.
SIMONE: Nice to meet you too. You have very cold hands.
JULIE: (Laughs.) And are you aware that your hands are also cold? Come on, let’s warm up a bit. (They walk towards the bench and sit down.) Since when did you know Bobby?
SIMONE: It was… Not long.
JULIE: How long? A year? Two? Or three?
SIMONE: Hm… (Thinks.) Two.
JULIE: Yeah, take a sip. Fruit tea with brandy. To get warmer. You know you caught my attention the first time you were walking around? I said to Bobby, look, what a lady. Simone, aren’t you afraid of me?
SIMONE: You, why, should I?
JULIE: ‘Cause I talk to myself, I mean to Bobby, but people don’t know. They might think I’m crazy. Like, she used to visit the cemetery until she went mad. I could, for example, strangle you or something. Are you sure you aren’t scared?
SIMONE: No, you’re a good person.
JULIE: You mean like a saint?
SIMONE: Dunno, perhaps.
JULIE: I’d like to be a saint. – You wouldn’t believe what dream I had a few nights ago. A mystic one. Do you have mystic dreams, Simone?
SIMONE: Um, I’m not sure I know what you mean by that.
JULIE: The dreams I have are kind of religious. With visions of saints or people who’ve passed away or angels or Jesus Christ himself or the Virgin Mary. Those are the most beautiful of all.
SIMONE: Yes. I also have, er, lively dreams.
JULIE: Dreams are a good thing. I mean the nice ones, not the horrific ones. Sometimes I have dreams like that, too. I always wake up covered in sweat.
SIMONE: Me too. Sometimes happens to me as well.
JULIE: Just look at how we agree. One would never say how many things we have in common. Dreams, cold hands and… what else?
SIMONE: And Bobby.
JULIE: Ah, yes, I almost forgot. (They laugh.) But he was my husband. (Laughter.) It’s nice talking to you. I have the feeling we’ve know each other for years.
SIMONE: You mean it?
JULIE: Of course. A hundred per cent. I can see into people well. You can’t be a bad person, Simone, really. I have a good nose for that kind of thing. – Tell me, Simone, are you religious?
SIMONE: Religious? Well, I think, everyone has to believe in something. In good, in truth, in people…
JULIE: Skip the phrases. I’m asking you if you believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior and God.
SIMONE: Lord, Savior… You see, I don’t go to masses, but if God does exist… yes I know Jesus was a living person once, a long time ago, but I don’t have much time to think about it, I have other things to do during the day… Assets, invoices, stock taking…but now, when I put it all together, I have the feeling I believe. Yes. I do believe, but I don’t go to church, I don’t have the need to go there and stuff. (Pause.)
JULIE: Have another sip. You look cold. – In my case, faith makes me stronger. I was also indecisive like you are now. But the Lord has drawn me to Him. You know, Simone, life with God is freedom beyond belief. Although it doesn’t seem so. You can’t do this, you can’t do that… Someone might say – so what is it that I actually can do? I want to enjoy, appreciate life. But what is that appreciation really? What? I think it’s slavery to sin and it is God who wants to set us free.
SIMONE: Yes, I think you are right.
JULIE: And there is something more. – You have to follow your heart, not your reason.
SIMONE: Yes. (A long pause.) Julie, I have to tell you something. I can’t keep it from you any longer. I can’t bear it, I’m tired of it… And the dream I had…
JULIE: The dream?
SIMONE: I had a dream yesterday and Bobby was there. He told me to come here today and reveal everything to you. He said it was important. (Pause. Julie stands up and starts walking around.)
JULIE: I’m listening to you. (Pause.)
SIMONE: You see, I’m not as good as you think.
JULIE: Aren’t you? (Pause.)
SIMONE: I had an affair with your husband. I had an affair with Bobby.
JULIE: How? No…!
SIMONE: We were together. We were lovers. Bob was cheating on you, with me.
JULIE: What? How…? Bobby, no! I knew it, I knew it, I knew… I knew it the very moment I saw you. Oh my God! Help, people, help, someone please hold me or I’m going to kill the bitch! And then myself. Lousy bitch! Do I need a life like this? Take me, oh Lord! Take me! (Towards the grave.) What have you done to me, what have you done? (Pause. In a cold voice.) Leave us, Simone, go. I want to be left with Bobby alone.
SIMONE: But…
JULIE: I said leave! (Simone leaves. Julie walks slowly towards the grave. She lies down next to it.) Why did you do this to me? Tell me why! Why did you do it? Why? Why? Why? (She continues talking but only now and then can be one or two words clearly heard. Simone returns.)
SIMONE: Julie, I wanted…
JULIE: You’re still here? Come to gloat and celebrate your victory?
SIMONE: I’m sorry.
JULIE: Take your “sorry“ and go. You’ve ruined my entire life, you know that?
SIMONE: I want to apologise.
JULIE: Apologise… Couldn’t you keep your mouth shut? I knew nothing. And he took the secret with him. I’d live happily for the rest of my life. And now? How am I going to live now?
SIMONE: (Starts crying.) The dream I had, Bobby was there and he told me to come here today and tell you all about us. He said it was important. I wouldn’t reveal this secret if he hadn’t wanted it.
JULIE: Are you saying important? Important for who?
SIMONE: For the three of us. For every one of us. But now, first and foremost, for him.
JULIE: (Pause.) Important… You’ve ruined my life.
SIMONE: (Pause.) I’d like to…
JULIE: Go away and leave me alone. I’ve already told you. Don’t you understand plain English?! Are you deaf or what?!
SIMONE: I want to help you.
JULIE: Help? Thank you very much for your help. You’ve already helped me.
SIMONE: You know what, I want to tell you about everything I did…
JULIE: Stop it! What’s that? What’s happening? Can you feel the vibration? (Pause.) What is it?
SIMONE: I don’t feel anything.
JULIE: Come here. Do you feel it now?
SIMONE: What?
JULIE: A very soft vibration, something like an earthquake…
SIMONE: I don’t feel anything.
JULIE: Oh God no, no, no…
SIMONE: What is it?
JULIE: The gravestone is shifting.
SIMONE: Oh, my…!
JULIE: No, Lord, no, I’m not ready yet.
SIMONE: It’s really shifting, it’s moving slowly.
JULIE: I can hear trumpets. Lord, your time has come, the dead are returning back to life…
SIMONE: I can’t hear anything. What trumpet?
JULIE: Oh Lord, have mercy!
SIMONE: What shall I do, Julie, what shall I do? (Sound of heroic organ music.)
JULIE: Pray, Simone, pray. May the almighty Lord have mercy upon us, may he forgive our sins… Help me with the stone. (They try to remove the stone.)
SIMONE: I’m not strong enough, it’s too heavy…
JULIE: Just a bit more, come on, pull. (They manage to shift the stone aside a bit and step back from the grave in terror. They hug each other. The music reaches its peak. Bobby climbs up from the grave. The stage is covered in smoke. First he sticks out his hands, pushes out the stone and sits. He is deadly pale, messy hair, dirt all over him. He screams, gurgles, chokes, coughs and cries. He moves out and sits down next to the grave. He slowly starts to calm down, stands up and smiles. Julie walks to the front of the stage and kneels down, turning her back to Bobby. Simone approaches him.)
BOBBY: (To Simone quietly.) You’re here? There was no need to be here. It’s not the best time.
SIMONE: You ordered me yourself. I saw you in a dream.
BOBBY: Ah. Julie, my dear Julie! My wife!
SIMONE: She knows it all.
BOBBY: What?
SIMONE: About us. Everything. I’ve told her.
BOBBY: Shit. It wasn’t necessary. Not now.
SIMONE: It was your command. In the dream.
BOBBY: Ah. Don’t have a fag on you?
SIMONE: I don’t smoke and neither do you.
BOBBY: Ah. Julie. My dear Julie. (Approaches Julie. She stands up, turns around and slaps him hard on the cheek.) Ouch! What was that for?!
JULIE: How can you ask such a stupid question? (She approaches Simone, takes her elbow, pulls her towards Bobby and throws her into his arms.) You can jump her, you bastard!
BOBBY: But Julie…
JULIE: Shut up! Why have you come back? I didn’t ask you to. I’ve got used to being alone, used to your absence. I use to come to the cemetery to have a talk with you… But now what? How are we going to live? I was happily living on my own. I didn’t suspect anything.
BOBBY: I didn’t want to, it slipped from my hands, coincidental circumstances, I lost control…
JULIE: Leave that bullshit for someone else. I don’t want to hear it. I’m sick of you. Sick of you both. I’m going to change the water for the flowers. You can exchange your lovey-dovey chatter while I’m gone. Oh, God, I really didn’t ask for this. (Exit Julie.)
BOBBY: I knew it, I knew… You can never keep that mouth of yours shut.
SIMONE: So what? She can handle it. And so can you. And anyway, how is it possible that you’re here and alive? Is this some kind of reality show? How is it possible? And where’s Simon Cowell? Where are the cameras? (Laughs.) Are we going to be on TV? Cool, I‘m so excited. (She jumps on his back.)
BOBBY: Get down, get down! Crazy woman!
SIMONE: What is it? What is it with you? Listen, you look so pale. What do they feed you there? Any women? Do you have any pretty young ones there? You’d always been keen on those. Do you ever remember me from time to time? (She wants to press herself to him. He pushes her back and walks away.)
BOBBY: Are you out of your mind? Give me a break, go away!
SIMONE: Two months I mourned for you, shed tears on my pillow. And now you’re here. You don’t understand how that feels…
BOBBY: It’s no good, my dear, no good. You know what I’m going through? Pure hell. I’m not in command of my own thoughts. They think and speak in my name. I can’t stand it. The endless commanding. And there’s not much room in that grave, either. They go on and on. Lie still, don’t move, turn to your right, turn to your left, blink your left eye, blink your right eye, open your mouth, rattle your teeth. I can’t handle it any more, I’m fed up. I want to get out of purgatory. Where is God with all his love and grace? I haven’t seen him yet. I’m stuck here in my suffering.
SIMONE: But now you are free, aren’t you?
BOBBY: Free? You think they just let you go like that? You’re so naive. How long will it last? Where are you, oh Lord?
SIMONE: Come to me, dear. Forget your fears. Everything will be fine.
BOBBY: I’ve seen nothing and nobody and I’ve been nowhere for all that time. I’m stuck in that hole for seven month and the only thing I do is listen to the voices ordering me what to do. Left hand here, right hand there and so on.
SIMONE: You have to be strong. It can’t last forever.
BOBBY: The thing is, it can. There are men, who lie there stuck like that for three or four hundred years.
SIMONE: That long?
BOBBY: Yeah. (Pause.) And she comes twice a week, sometimes sitting at my grave for more than three hours. And she goes on and on. You know how much love there is in her words? How much love, damn it? It hurts, it hurts so much and I can’t bear it anymore. Is this hell? Yes it is. Tell me, is it hell or not? When will it be over, when?
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