and then
quite short pause
neither you
nor I
shall live here anymore
quite short pause
you
I
you and I
shall live in Rambuku
Pause
It’s over now
finally
finally it’s over
Short pause
Read
read what the note says
Pause
HE
reads
I’ve lived here
But soon I’ll live in Rambuku
Long pause
SHE
Yes
Long pause. She goes and takes the sheet of paper from him, puts all the sheets in her bag. Rambuku walks over to her, pours water in the glass, hands it to her and She hands it to He, who drinks it. She takes the glass from He, gives it to Rambuku. She takes He’s arm. Rambuku walks slowly out, holding the carafe and the glass in front of him, and She and He walk slowly, arm in arm, after him and out
FREEDOM
Characters
THE WOMAN
THE MAN
THE SECOND WOMAN
Black. Lights up. The Woman stands, looking down. Long pause. The Woman looks up, towards The Man
THE WOMAN
But you see
well
you do understand that
yes
yes that
Yes that I
quite short pause
Wanted to be free
quite short pause
I didn’t want to go round
with all those ties
that I had entered into
quite short pause
and of course I was
yes so young
yes when I became tied
yes when I entered into
quite short pause
yes the ties
quite short pause
yes the ties
you know so well
THE MAN
Yes
THE WOMAN
And I wanted to create
Yes my own ties
quite short pause
I wanted
stops
THE MAN
But now you are free
THE WOMAN
Yes I suppose so
THE MAN
And now you don’t want to be free
THE WOMAN
No I don’t want to be free
THE MAN
Why don’t you want to be free
THE WOMAN
Because one
when one is free
one is not free
at all
THE MAN
Why not
THE WOMAN
Because then one
is tied
tied and tied
by just one’s self
THE MAN
Yes
THE WOMAN
And the one who is tied
by and to her self
is
stops, short pause
THE MAN
Lonely
THE WOMAN
No
Yes
Pause
THE MAN
But the others they are there
yes they are everywhere
it is impossible to be alone
because the others
they are there
THE WOMAN
Yes
yes exactly
quite short pause
but in relation to the others
one doesn’t become free
short pause
and then there’s my children
THE MAN
Your children
quite short pause
yes your children
of course
yes
yes a child is a tie isn’t it
yes of course
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
And you want to be free
quite short pause
Not be tied
yes
yes to
stops
THE WOMAN
Yes
Pause
THE MAN
And now you are free
THE WOMAN
Yes
Pause
THE MAN
And now you don’t want to be free
THE WOMAN
No
Pause
Or yes
THE MAN
Yes you can be
quite short pause
yes lover
yes
yes
yes with whoever you want
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
With one or the other
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
Go to bed with whoever you want
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
You are free
THE WOMAN
Yes
Pause
But I
stops
THE MAN
Don’t you want to be free
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
Wasn’t it as you imagined
To be free
THE WOMAN
No
Pause
THE MAN
Freedom is not a good thing
THE WOMAN
No
quite short pause
But it is a condition
THE MAN
It is a condition
Short pause
Yes like death
quite short pause
like loneliness
THE WOMAN
Yes
THE MAN
But it isn’t good
quite short pause
yes doesn’t one try
all one can
laughs briefly
yes almost
to get away from freedom
permanent relationships
laughs briefly
having dogs
a permanent residence
regular income
a permanent job
quite short pause
yes children
THE WOMAN
Freedom is a good thing too
quite short pause
If you are shut in
quite short pause
yes then you want to go where you want to go
there is nothing else you want
THE MAN
But there is something else
THE WOMAN
No
THE MAN
Another person
other people
are not a room one is
shut up in
THE WOMAN
Aren’t they
THE MAN
No
THE WOMAN
Never
THE MAN
Never
Pause
THE WOMAN
But
quite short pause
now
yes now I have tried being free
and now
yes now I would like to tie myself
quite short pause
yes that is what it is called
to tie oneself
THE MAN
Yes
THE WOMAN
To you
To the children
THE MAN
So that’s what you want
THE WOMAN
Yes
quite short pause
yes I regret
or
quite short pause
yes I regret it
I should not have gone
it was wrong of me
I shouldn’t have done it
THE MAN
And now you want to go back
THE WOMAN
Yes
Pause
THE MAN
But it’s not possible
THE WOMAN
Not possible
THE MAN
No it’s not possible
THE WOMAN
Why not
THE MAN
No
THE WOMAN
But can you not forgive
THE MAN
Yes
quite short pause
Yes I have no difficulties
forgiving
quite short pause