Yes
Pause
THE SHIPMASTER
But you liked
yes that guitar music of his
THE WOMAN
overcome
Yes
THE SHIPMASTER
No
quite short pause
no you didn’t
THE WOMAN
Yes I did
THE SHIPMASTER
You couldn’t have liked it
It’s impossible to like
that kind of guitar music
THE WOMAN
But I liked his guitar music
I did
so
yes
yes then it is possible
THE GUITAR PLAYER
You hear
She liked my guitar music
It’s only you who can never like
my guitar music
THE SHIPMASTER
You don’t mean it
yes that you liked his guitar music
it’s just something you say
yes
yes to be nice to him
to please him
THE GUITAR PLAYER
She says she liked my guitar music
because she liked it
THE SHIPMASTER
How can you know it’s like that
What I say is just as true
THE GUITAR PLAYER
No
no she says it herself
that she liked my guitar music
THE SHIPMASTER
But it could just be
something she says
THE GUITAR PLAYER
Yes of course
THE SHIPMASTER
And then
THE GUITAR PLAYER
Yes
THE SHIPMASTER
Yes then she didn’t like it
THE WOMAN
goes and stands between the two of them
I liked his guitar music
Pause
THE GUITAR PLAYER
You hear
Pause
THE SHIPMASTER
to The Woman
I am the shipmaster
THE WOMAN
You are the shipmaster
THE SHIPMASTER
I sail ships on the seven seas
THE GUITAR PLAYER
And I am the guitar player
Pause
THE WOMAN
But where are we
THE SHIPMASTER
You may well ask
Short pause
THE GUITAR PLAYER
We are where we are
THE WOMAN
But where is that
Short pause
And is there no one else here
Short pause
THE SHIPMASTER
Yes
yes there are many people here
everyone
someone
I’m here
you’re here
THE GUITAR PLAYER
I’m here
Short pause
THE WOMAN
But no one else
There has to be someone else here
Pause
THE SHIPMASTER
Yes
Pause
THE OLDER WOMAN
I’m here
Short pause
THE GUITAR PLAYER
We are the only ones here
THE OLDER MAN
I’m here
THE SHIPMASTER
We’re on a ship
so there are many others here
THE WOMAN
questioningly
We’re on a ship
THE SHIPMASTER
Yes
THE WOMAN
We’re on the sea
THE SHIPMASTER
Yes
Short pause
And I am the shipmaster
THE WOMAN
questioningly
You are the shipmaster
THE GUITAR PLAYER
He is the shipmaster
Pause
THE MAN
You mustn’t leave me
Short pause
THE SHIPMASTER
I sail ships on the seven seas
The Woman looks at The Older Woman and The Older Man
THE MAN
We’ve only just met each other
and then you leave me again
I’ve been waiting for you
quite short pause
always
always have I
been waiting for you
And finally you were there
finally you came
to me
Pause
THE WOMAN
But Mum
Dad
How good to see you again
Pause
THE GUITAR PLAYER
It was good to see you again
really good
Short pause. The Woman starts to walk towards The Older Man and The Older Woman
THE SHIPMASTER
Glad you came
I was so happy to see you
Short pause
THE WOMAN
But Mum
but Dad
THE MAN
You mustn’t leave me
quite short pause
because now we’ll be together
you and I
quite short pause
always you and I
The Guitar Player starts to follow The Woman
THE GUITAR PLAYER
I never thought I’d see you again
Pause. The Shipmaster starts to follow The Woman
THE SHIPMASTER
It was so good to see you
THE WOMAN
Mum
Dad
THE MAN
starts to follow The Woman
I’m so glad that I’ve finally
met you
Quite short pause
Don’t just go
THE SHIPMASTER
Finally you were here
THE WOMAN
Mum Dad
I’m here
Don’t you see me
I
your daughter
am here
THE MAN
I never thought you’d come
quite short pause
for all these years
I was here on my own
quite short pause
yes it sounds so stupid
quite short pause
but then you came
quite short pause
and then we were together
you and I
quite short pause
and I was so happy
that I finally
had someone I could
be with
THE WOMAN
Mum
Dad
Long pause
THE OLDER WOMAN
But don’t look at her
Come
We must go
Come
THE OLDER MAN
Yes
The Older Woman and The Older Man start to walk in the same direction as the others, away from them
THE WOMAN
But don’t go
Can’t you see
It’s me
It’s your daughter
Short pause
THE SHIPMASTER
You mustn’t go
Short pause
That you came here now
yes that’s the best thing that has happened to me
in my life
Quite short pause
But you can’t say things like that
It’s just the sort of thing you say
But it’s true
It is like that
quite short pause
so don’t go
Quite short pause
And I want you to know
Because it’s true
You must know it
Quite short pause
I have to say it to you
Quite short pause
And that’s why
when I saw you
when I saw you
quite short pause
yes I was so happy to see you
THE GUITAR PLAYER
But why are you leaving me
you my lovely woman
you my lovely lovely woman
Pause
THE WOMAN