WANING DAYS OF INDIA, minor adjustments on an old play

Penal Colony by Stephen Mosblech

the Persons

Ivan
Leo
Leon
Frank
Sonia
Mascha
Woman
Man

Place: Siberia. Landscape.

I. Preparation of Fire.

Dim.

SINGING: Across the spinning plane
A word does come.
Across the spinning plane
[pause]

[Sonia exposed in obstetrician’s chair. Torso-head covered white draping.
Projection: Clinical image of Birth. Static blows over speakers, thud, cut to same image, thud, cut to same image, thud, cut to arctic landscape pan through landscape, thud cut to Clinical image of Birth.]

WOMAN (singing): Believe when I told you
the arctic sea is vast
Believe when I told you
there is no inner life.

ENTER BEARER WITH WORM-FETUS

MAN (singing): Rejoice
[organ]
Rejoice
[organ]
Arriving now.
[Bearer drop fetus on Sonia’s gentials, splash to floor. Ivan to fetus. Frank with Mirror forward]

IVAN: In the sun-light. These visions through my eyes
You’d see nothing. Born into my arms I witness my eyes blinded by illumination from my face iterating into my infant face. Worthless and Welcome.
Sonia you are my sister.

SONIA: No. No. No Ivan I am so ashamed, I am your sister.

VOICE: Not awake. Not even close.

SONIA: I will shut my eyes again and dream.

LEON: It cannot be said what is not done. Clutching the top while,
in ceasing revolvements.
I understand. Your pain IVAN.
[Lights candle, attempts to cross stage]

[RED AND BLACK WIRE CUT]

FRANK: When
I look out of myself.
At this moment, I wanted to sing.

LEON: The world like a top…just so
[indicated revolutions]
just so…
Give me one chance Ivan Andreyovitch.
[whispering]
I will discover a formless blankness to you.
Meet me here again Tomorrow.

ORGAN.
SINGING: REJOICE, REJOICE

FRANK [collapses]: Waves waves. From the dark green island of vision soften my skull.

IVAN [picks up axe, chops wood]: Wood cuts so easily.

FRANK: FROM THE EARTH THE UNIVERSE APPEARS LIKE SAND
FROM SPACE
I HAVE NEVER LOOKED BACK ON THE WORLD

IVAN: Oh God. The fire.

MASCHA: Ivan it is spring-time.

Enter Sonia, with child.

IVAN: Where did she go.

VOICE: The Human causes of Misery.

SONIA [collapsed]: Ivan, Ivan you beautiful child
With a giving heart.

IVAN [clutch head]: The Wind. Tunnels through my ears.

+++

Fence. Guard. Leo. Enter Ivan.

LEO: What do do you want here Ivan.

IVAN: I’m leaving for America.

LEO: Don’t don’t joke with me. This is not the place to joke with me. Ivan.

IVAN: No. What if because it is twilight, we should be intimate.

LEO: How is it that I standing before him like a worm and do not crawl under the earth toward God or at least a manifestation of my self.
+++


FRANK: When I sat in shrouds one night.
A wind blows.
It is a great astonishment, yes, it is a great astonishment:
Ivan traversed the sky in an airplane.

+++

FIELD. Ivan with Shovel.

LEO: I think: it will rain.
What do you think Ivan.

IVAN: My parents were Farmers. I don’t understand the weather.

LEO: Do you see I am planting flowers today in the skull
of the earth.
Sonia is clearly an angel.
And will examining my corpse for Lice. When genitals washed in vinegar do you see, for it is not in this life to be clean. Will you eat these Lice Ivan.
[pause, Ivan is struck in the head with a hatchet]
Remember me to Sonia.
IF you learn to paint Ikons of the saints…
BUT REMEMBER ME TO Sonia. IVAN.