Issue 5 • Spring 2003 • Featured Writer • Drama
Avery CrozierBuchenwaldBuchenwald
ROGER
Of all the narrative arts, theatre is superior.
ARJAY
How's that?
ROGER
It's the real thing. A book is just ink on pulp. Film is just light. Insubstantial. With theatre you get real actors right in front of you.
ARJAY
What about dance and opera?
ROGER
They're like theatre. Gesamtkunstwerk incorporating all the arts. Live.
SCHILLER
Exhibitions are narratives, too. With real objects, usually.
ROGER
But you don't have to follow a particular narrative. Nothing prevents you from jumping from display to display or even seeing the whole thing backward. The exhibition designer isn't really in control.
MILDRED
You can skip to the end of a book just as easily.
ROGER
Most people don't, Mildred. There's a fairly rigid expectation that books are read front to back. And not a word of a novel changes once it's published. Same for movies --
(Waving off SCHILLER'S objection.)
-- Once they're released they don't change, arguments between the director and the studio notwithstanding. But theatre changes every night, from performance to performance, from production to production, with different actors, different designers, different direction -- it's so much more alive!
SCHILLER
But less control -- all those intermediaries reinterpret the author every time. Whereas someone reading a novel is seeing exactly what the author wrote, with no intermediaries -- direct contact.
ROGER
Isn't that what I said? But the author can't control what goes on inside the reader's head. In the theatre of the mind's eye, every reader casts the novel differently, costumes it, art directs, scores it. It's a unique experience with each reader.
SCHILLER
Okay, so why isn't film superior? The director is working with lots of other people, yes, but they have to do what he or she says, and the director has final cut.
ROGER
Not always! But it doesn't surprise me that you equate control with superiority.
ARJAY
Tick, tick, tick, boom! Blew you up!
MILDRED
Please stop talking in circles on public transportation. I'm getting sick.
SCHILLER
When did you come up with all this?
ROGER
(Shrugs.)
I'm retired. I finally get to think.
MILDRED
You can imagine what it's like for me. I keep signing him up for volunteer work.
(Looking out the window.)
Roger, are you sure this is the right bus? We're in the middle of the woods.
ROGER
It's supposed to be a country graveyard.
MILDRED
Could you ask the driver?
ROGER
I'm sure this is right.
SCHILLER
(Starts to get up.)
I can ask.
ROGER
You don't speak German.
SCHILLER
Most everybody speaks some English. And if you're too nervous --
ROGER
(Stands.)
I'm not nervous!
(Leaves.)
MILDRED
(Watching him go.)
Dad doesn't really speak German, you know. He can read it, I think. But when he can't be completely articulate, he gets shy.
ARJAY
After this cemetery, can we see the Bauhaus?
SCHILLER
Sure, it's close to the Hilton.
MILDRED
When are we going to Buchenwald?
SCHILLER
I think we've got some lobbying to do with Dad first.
ARJAY
He got so squeamish all of a sudden.
SCHILLER
I can't believe he fainted in Berlin. Is he all right?
MILDRED
An atrial fibrillation isn't trivial, Schiller.
ARJAY
Shhh!
ROGER
(Returning.)
I don't know what happened.
MILDRED
It's the wrong bus.
ROGER
No, it's the right bus. But it's the wrong schedule or something. The driver -- it's so frustrating -- I've forgotten so much! -- I think the driver said there are alternate schedules --
SCHILLER
Then we have to get off at the next stop.
MILDRED
How soon will that be?
ROGER
I don't know.
SCHILLER
(Pulling out a map.)
Look, we're okay, I brought the map.
ARJAY
We're stopping.
SCHILLER
Good, okay, everybody get out.
ROGER
(As they stand.)
I'm sorry, Schiller.
SCHILLER
It's okay, Dad. Hurry, before the bus takes us all the way to Poland!
Lighting change. SCHILLER, ARJAY, MILDRED, and ROGER are standing by the road in dappled sunlight.
ARJAY
Why did we get off the bus?
SCHILLER
We were going the wrong way.
(Consulting map.)
A bus going back the way we came should be by any minute. Or -- !
MILDRED
What?
SCHILLER
We could -- no, never mind.
ROGER
Never mind what?
SCHILLER
I was gonna say we could walk.
ROGER
Back to Weimar?!
SCHILLER
No, of course not. But there's another place we could catch a bus sooner just down --
(Points.)
-- That road.
ROGER
How far?
MILDRED
Oh, Roger, you can't go hiking!
SCHILLER
It looks like two kilometers.
ROGER
What's that in miles?
SCHILLER
A little more than one.
ROGER
I can do that. If we don't rush.
MILDRED
Roger, no --
SCHILLER
If a bus comes along we can wave it down.
ARJAY
And it will stop because...we look so pathetic?
SCHILLER
We're not pathetic. It'll be a nice walk in the shade, sunlight filtered through the trees.
MILDRED
It is pretty. Reminds me of Minnesota.
SCHILLER
And if it gets to be too much I can just run ahead and call a taxi to drive out from Weimar.
|
MILDRED
Oh, no.
|
|
ROGER
That's too expensive.
|
SCHILLER
Should we walk then?
ROGER
(When they all look at him.)
Yes, dammit, let's walk!
They walk. Lighting change reveals a sign in Cyrillic. ROGER is looking sweaty and tired. They all look out over the audience.
SCHILLER
Wow. Anybody read Cyrillic?
MILDRED
What's that? Is it Russian?
ROGER
Whatever it is, they didn't make it easy to find.
ARJAY
You could barely see it from the road.
MILDRED
It looks like a memorial.
ARJAY
It's Soviet design.
SCHILLER
Kinda scary.
ARJAY gets close enough to the sign to read the panel underneath it.
ROGER
What does the map say it is?
SCHILLER
Duh!
(Consulting the map.)
Oh, how weird. It's not on the map.
ARJAY
This part's not in Russian.
ROGER
Is it in German? If it is, I'll come read it. If not, I'm not taking another step.
ARJAY
I think it's German.
ROGER
(Going to the sign.)
Let me see.
MILDRED
Look, there are names of countries.
SCHILLER
Where?
MILDRED
Around the top of the wall.
SCHILLER
Oh, yeah. Auf Deutsche and in Russian.
MILDRED
Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia --
|
MILDRED AND SCHILLER
-- Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania --
|
|
ROGER
(Reading.) Denkmal...Todt...
|
ROGER
Schiller!
SCHILLER
What, Dad?
ROGER
I told you I didn't want to come here!
ARJAY
What is it?
MILDRED
This is Buchenwald?
SCHILLER
No, it's not. I've seen pictures. Buchenwald's nothing but old foundations --
ARJAY
Just like Manzanar --
SCHILLER
That's right -- buildings built in the thirties and razed in the forties or fifties. It really does look exactly like Manzanar.
ARJAY
They're both concentration camps.
ROGER
America didn't have concentration camps.
MILDRED
If it's not Buchenwald, what is it?
ROGER
This is some kind of Soviet memorial to the people who died at Buchenwald, so the camp itself --
ARJAY
Must be close by.
MILDRED
Schiller, is that where you're taking us?
SCHILLER, for once, has nothing to say.
ARJAY
Guilty! Look at that Lutheran guilt!
ROGER
I am very irritated.
SCHILLER
I didn't plan it, I swear. But when I saw where the bus dropped us off, I thought we'd have a nice walk in the woods --
|
ROGER
I'm about to keel over!
|
|
ARJAY
And then -- ?
|
SCHILLER
We wouldn't have time to get nervous, we'd just be there all of a sudden. And if we'd taken the bus, we wouldn't have seen this whatever-it-is, since they seem to be trying to hide it.
MILDRED
(Pointing.)
What are those three depressions?
ROGER
Mass graves, according to that panel. The bodies are right there.
They gaze silently at the graves for a moment. ROGER massages his chest.
MILDRED
I will never, ever understand it.
ARJAY
Did the local people know this was happening in the woods just outside town?
SCHILLER
They say they didn't. But someone had to do business with the camp, make deliveries. There was even a zoo.
MILDRED
A zoo!
SCHILLER
For the entertainment of the guards' families.
ROGER
I have to sit down.
ROGER sits on the ground. The others continue to stare at the site.
SCHILLER
The bear pits still exist. You'll see when we get there.
MILDRED
It's not like an American memorial. So massive. Almost brutal.
ARJAY
Definitely Soviet design.
ROGER
Mildred...
MILDRED
(Going to him.)
Roger, what -- ?
ROGER
My chest is bothering me a little.
MILDRED
Your chest!
SCHILLER
Dad, what hurts?
ARJAY
Are you breathing OK?
SCHILLER
How about your arm?
ROGER
My arm, too.
Sound of a bus approaching.
SCHILLER
Does it hurt a lot?
ROGER
Not a lot, but it's uncomfortable.
MILDRED
Schiller, there's a bus. Make it stop!
|
SCHILLER
Oh, right!
|
|
ROGER
No, it's not that bad....
|
|
SCHILLER
(Taking a few steps toward the bus.)
Hey, there! Stop! Halt!
(The bus does not stop.)
|
|
ARJAY
(Waving.) Help! Please!
|
ARJAY
(Chasing the bus for a bit.)
Emergency! Stop! Please!
The bus roars off into the distance.
SCHILLER
I'm sorry.
ARJAY
I think we'll have to throw ourselves in front of the next one.
ROGER
It's okay. Maybe a car will come by.
MILDRED
It's not okay, Roger. You're having a heart attack. Schiller, you have to try harder.
SCHILLER
Mom -- I will --
ROGER
I'm not having a heart attack. Just -- out of breath from the walk.
MILDRED
We shouldn't have been walking.
SCHILLER
We'll stop the next one, Mom. Don't worry. Or I can run the rest of the way to Buchenwald. There'll be phones, taxis, buses, maybe even emergency services --
|
MILDRED
You can't leave. You're the only one who knows where we are.
|
|
SCHILLER
It will take me less than fifteen minutes --
|
ARJAY
Here comes another bus!
(Sound of a bus approaching.)
MILDRED
Schiller, please, jump in front of it if you have to!
ROGER
Now, Schiller, don't get yourself killed!
ARJAY
(Waving wildly.)
Hey, stop! Help! Heart attack!
(To ROGER.)
How do you say "heart attack" in German?
ROGER
Hertz something.
Both SCHILLER and ARJAY wave.
|
ARJAY
Hertz! Halt! Hertz!
|
|
SCHILLER
Hello, please stop!
|
Suddenly MILDRED dashes past them out of sight and into the path of the bus.
|
SCHILLER
Mother, no!
|
|
ARJAY
Look out!
|
|
ROGER
Mildred, stop!
|
Sound of the bus screeching to a halt.
SCHILLER
Oh, for God's sake, Mother!
(Dashes off.)
BUS DRIVER
(Off.)
Verrüchtes Huhn, geh mir ans dem Weg! [Crazy lady, get out of the way!]
|
MILDRED
(Off.) You have to give us a ride! My husband's sick.
|
|
SCHILLER
(Off.) He's having a heart attack. Come, please!
|
BUS DRIVER
(Off.)
Wissen Sie nicht was passiert ist? Drese Leute möchten nach Hause. Sie müssen auf der Stelle nach Hause! Und überhaupt -- wes machs Du hie dranssen im Wald? [Don't you know what's happening? These people want to get home! They need to get home right away! What are you doing out here in the woods, anyway?]
SCHILLER
(Leading MILDRED and BUS DRIVER to ROGER.)
Sprechen-zie Englisch?
BUS DRIVER
Nein.
SCHILLER
Dad, you'll have to translate.
BUS DRIVER
Americans?
|
ROGER
Ja.
|
|
SCHILLER
Ja! Ja! Ich bin ein American.
|
ROGER
Mein hertz --
BUS DRIVER
Ihr habt sie fallen lassen! [You dropped it!]
ROGER
Was?
BUS DRIVER
Ihr habt die Bombe fallen lassen! [You dropped the bomb!]
ROGER
I did not! Nein! Nein!
|
BUS DRIVER
Es ham im Radio -- habt ihr's nicht gehört? [It's on the radio! Haven't you heard?]
|
|
MILDRED
What's he saying? Tell him about your heart!
|
ROGER
Mein hertz, bitte --
BUS DRIVER
Eine Atomwaffe! Ihr arroganten Schweine! Eine stadt ist ausgelëschl! Millionen von Monschen. Die ganze Welt ist jetzt gegen Euch! [A tactical nuclear device! You arrogant bastards. A city is gone! Millions of people. The whole world is against you now!]
|
ROGER
Oh, my God. We didn't!
|
|
BUS DRIVER
(Pushing SCHILLER violently away.) Rühr mich nicht an! Du bist ummöglich. [Don't touch me! You are despicable.]
|
|
ARJAY
Hey, what are you -- ?
|
|
|
MILDRED
Schiller!
(Getting in the BUS DRIVER'S face.)
My husband needs your help. Roger, how do you say "help"?
ROGER
Helfen...helfen....
MILDRED
Helfen! Bitte!
ROGER collapses. MILDRED and SCHILLER rush to him.
|
MILDRED
Roger, no!
|
|
SCHILLER
Dad, hang on!
|
BUS DRIVER
Nun seid ihr allein! Ihr Cowboys! [You are on your own! Cowboys!]
(Leaves.)
ARJAY
No, you can't leave us here!
(Follows BUS DRIVER off.)
That man might be dying! Helfen! Helfen, bitte!
ROGER
I'm all right.
SCHILLER
You just collapsed!
ROGER
I can't believe it.
|
MILDRED
Roger, what's going on? Why wouldn't -- it's obvious we need help -- even if you can't understand English --
|
|
ARJAY
(Off.) Don't go! Bitte!
|
Sound of the bus driving away.
|
SCHILLER
Oh, no!
|
|
ARJAY
You goddam Nazi!
|
ROGER
I can't believe we did it.
MILDRED
What did we do?
SCHILLER
We didn't do anything! We just wanted help.
ARJAY
(Returning.)
Roger, hang in there, I'll run to the camp. Okay? Schiller can stay and I'll run for help.
ROGER
It doesn't hurt so much right now. Maybe it was just gas. I had ice cream.
SCHILLER
What was all that about? I think I twisted my ankle.
ROGER
My German isn't perfect, you know --
MILDRED
But you understood something --
ROGER
Apparently --
(Fighting back tears.)
-- It's unspeakable --
|
SCHILLER
What?
|
|
MILDRED
Please, Roger.
|
ROGER
Apparently America just detonated a tactical nuclear weapon.
|
ARJAY
Jesus!
|
|
MILDRED
Oh, my heavens.
|
ROGER
The bus driver heard it on the radio.
SCHILLER
Against civilians?
ROGER
A city. I didn't hear which one, but --
MILDRED
We can guess.
They are all silent for a moment, stunned.
SCHILLER
Goddammit!
MILDRED
Our stupid, stupid president!
ARJAY
We elected him.
MILDRED AND ROGER
We did not!
SCHILLER
Our stupid, stupid country.
MILDRED
We should have been paying more attention.
ROGER
This isn't the first time we've dropped the Bomb.
SCHILLER
The first in my lifetime.
ROGER
Twice before in mine.
MILDRED
Strike three.
ARJAY
We'll have to go back right away.
SCHILLER
If we can get back.
MILDRED
I don't want to go back.
ROGER
Mildred, the only other place we speak the language is England, and they don't believe in washcloths.
(Starts to get up.)
SCHILLER
No, Dad, don't! Sit!
ROGER
I'm feeling better.
|
ROGER
It hardly hurts at all now.
|
|
SCHILLER
Just sit! Please! The best thing you can do is sit.
|
MILDRED
But rest for a bit anyway. It still hurts some, doesn't it?
ROGER
A little. But I can walk, I think.
SCHILLER
No!
ROGER
Schiller, stop telling me what to do! I know what I can do!
SCHILLER
You can die of a coronary is what you could do!
ROGER
Let's go to Buchenwald. We can take it slow and I'll be fine. Then a taxi to Weimar, to the hospital, and I can get this checked out.
MILDRED
If they'll admit an American.
ROGER
I'll be fine.
SCHILLER
(Motioning ARJAY aside.)
Arjay.
SCHILLER and ARJAY step aside as MILDRED silently attends to ROGER, wiping at his face with a tissue from her purse.
SCHILLER
(Quietly to ARJAY.)
He's really stubborn --
ARJAY
He can't walk that far --
SCHILLER
Who knows -- he might. But arguing with him's only going to make it worse. Maybe on the way we can flag down a passing car --
ARJAY
If they don't deliberately swerve to hit us. Oh, look --
They watch silently as MILDRED helps ROGER to his feet.
ARJAY
Us in thirty years, baby.
SCHILLER
If any of us are around in thirty years.
ARJAY
Do you think we'll be able to get home?
SCHILLER
I'd hate to think we're stuck here for the rest of our lives.
ROGER
(Disengaging himself from MILDRED.)
I can walk, Mildred, really.
MILDRED
Roger, are you sure?
ROGER
Schiller, let's march!
SCHILLER
We shouldn't if you have any pain at all.
ROGER
Then I don't.
SCHILLER
None?
ROGER
That's correct.
SCHILLER
Okay.
(They start to walk.)
But very, very slowly.
ARJAY
You're the one who's always rushing.
MILDRED
Please don't argue. Please.
ROGER
We'll get there soon enough, Schiller. We're practically there already.
They walk off as the lights fade.
The End.
***
All Pages: See the entire play on one page
Table of Contents: Walking to Buchenwald
Go To:
Issue 5 or Lodestar Quarterly home page
|
