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HAMLET 2000 |
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Act Two SCENE TWO: |
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LIGHTS FADE UP ON THE SAME ROOM, AS BEFORE BUT NOW
CLAUDIUS HAS GONE. ENTER GERTRUDE. CAUTIOUSLY. SHE LOOKS AS IF SHE HAS BEEN
CRYING. GERTRUDE: Claudius Claudius I’m
sorry darling but I
didn’t mean it really nothing
to offend my
offence was unconscious (SHE MOVES AROUND THE ROOM, UNTIL SHE ASSURES HERSELF
THAT CLAUDIUS IS NOT THERE. SHE SITS ON THE BED) Unconscious? Why apologise? Why call him darling he’s a bastard doesn’t even like to be called
darling Why do I do it? Who told me to do it? Did I call his brother darling? His darling brother (SHE
SEES THE TAPE RECORDER ON THE BED. REWINDS IT. LISTENS) CLAUDIUS’ VOICE: I
Claudius being
of sound mind and body sounder
than I've been for a long time and as sound as I'll ever be fully
conscious of the fact that I
am moribund that
within twenty four hours I will be dead killed
by the habitual consumption of foul kippers... GERTRUDE
(TURNS OFF THE RECORDER): Fucking bastard fucking bastard accusations Of course he blames me The kippers All my fault the bastard A pathetic attempt to fortify himself To establish power This whole relationship a struggle for power I assert myself and he complains I wait for him to assert himself he opens another bottle Another stinking bottle of beer Always drunk I get drunk and he complains calls me a stinking drunk That stinking drunk dares I complain of course I complain I have every right the only one who has every right Why do we do it? Cohabit with pigs? Lazy always lazy lazier than we could really have
ever imagined Sometimes they surprise do something As if to do something once is then
enough They do something and then stop say I have done it Lift their arms push their chests out demand recognition Recognition for not being a lazy
bastard once in their lives Why let them? Why? Is it worth the struggle? The struggle with him my dear Claudius the same as the struggle with him dear Hamlet’s dear father the same as the struggle with dear
Hamlet Poor boy Failed student always a failed student hopeless always failing Me always suffering He never suffered his failures I did Why? Why did I? Why do I? Why should I worry? The psychiatrists blamed his
intelligence So intelligent he was stupid they said Oh shit Is it so important? What should a mother worry about? How can a mother understand a son? Ungrateful matricidal They hate us because we love them Why should I worry? (PAUSE.
SHE BEATS HER BREAST) Fucking family Do all mothers face this? Internecine oppression Intense solitude amidst burning
cruelty Ripped from my womb to tear out my
heart Other mothers are happy aren’t they? Others or at least one other What is wrong with me? If only Claudius would help Fucking Claudius (SHE
HURLS AN EMPTY BEER BOTTLE AGAINST THE WALL) If only Hamlet’s father had helped but it’s impossible to cope so alone To have to do everything always alone They don’t understand impossible to understand the depth Another’s loneliness Where is he now? That Claudius sneaked out Where? To drink? To go whoring? But his dick is too shrivelled for
that Old impotent old Claudius No energy any more his brother was better But no lust neither of them He tries to blame me for it just as he always blamed me for it They would blame us for everything Everyone blaming everyone else Never accuse yourself too tough too noble There is no nobility any more Pettiness everywhere Within without it’s the same All pettiness (THE
TELEPHONE RINGS. SHE WIPES HER FACE. COMPOSES HERSELF AS IF SHE IS GOING TO
CONFRONT SOMEONE IN THE FLESH. ANSWERS THE PHONE) Hello (VOICE
ON PHONE - INCOMPREHENSIBLE) Yes Gertrude yes (VOICE
ON PHONE) No (VOICE
ON PHONE) Yes (VOICE
ON PHONE) What? (VOICE
ON PHONE) Oh that’s strange (VOICE
ON PHONE) What? tonight? (VOICE
ON PHONE) Tomorrow (SHE
LAUGHS) (VOICE
ON PHONE) Well its very soon (VOICE
ON PHONE) No Yes I will O course I will I want to I’d love to really I would It will be good for me thank you (SHE
HANGS UP. THE LIGHTS FADE SLOWLY. END OF
ACT TWO. |
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