Nikolay Lakutin
It was almost there. A play for 4 people. Comedy
Scene 6. To the world.
Nina and Oleg's house.
A lyrical musical composition sounds. Softly. Background.
Nina walks around in frustration and confusion.
The music becomes barely audible.
Nina (a little nervous). Yeees… Situation. From scratch, practically, the relationship can be said to have been undermined. Although… Although they haven't really held on for a long time. He doesn't want to talk to me. Yes, please. Do I want to?
Nina comes to the forefront, thoughtfully communicates with the audience.
Nina (to the audience, thoughtfully, sadly). But I was actually one step away from cheating on Oleg. I saw how Danil's eyes sparkled. I was confused myself, and I saw this confusion in his eyes, and in general non-resistance to the possible development of events.
Damn, how is that? We have been wearing the mask of decent, light-minded people for so many years, but here is the situation, and I am already afraid of my thoughts. How is it? Is everything really so shaky in a relationship?
And I admit, I'm not even so much interested in whether Oleg and Irina had something… Now I'm more worried about how to look into Danilo's eyes after all this! No, of course there was nothing like that, but we both experienced something that we hadn't experienced for a long time… I know it for sure, it was a mutual feeling, it doesn't resonate so much alone… My God, am I really such a person in my essence?
Nina and the psycho leave the stage.
Nina (emotionally). I don't even want to think about it… No, no, no… Some kind of episodic turbidity. For sure, it's all wine. I love Oleg. I've never cheated on him and I'm not going to… It would be necessary to quickly throw all these thoughts out of my head and forget like a terrible dream.
Oleg enters.
Oleg and Nina meet eyes.
They stop. They look at each other. They are silent.
The background music stops playing.
Silence.
Oleg (seriously, every now and then, lowering his gaze). I had nothing with Irina… You wanted to know. If I had stumbled for some reason, I would have found the courage to say it, and you know it perfectly well. But I also know that you and Danil didn't have anything either. By the will of fate, we found ourselves in a strange situation, which, needless to say, gave rise to certain questions and doubts.
Oleg sighs, lowers his head.
Oleg (a little quieter). I want to apologize for doubting you. I'm sorry, Nina.
Nina approaches her husband.
Nina (warmly, a little guiltily). Forgive me, too, for my stupid words. I've never allowed myself to do anything like that, and now I blurted it out. Let's forgive each other and live as before. Ok?
Oleg (cautiously). Let's try to live at least a little better than before. I don't know how, but I suspect that it makes sense to think about it, and perhaps take some measures so that you and I never have such questions to each other again.
Nina (warmly, sincerely). I love you, Oleg.
Oleg (warmly, sincerely). I have always loved and love only you. Come quickly, let's hug.
A pleasant lyrical composition sounds.
Nina and Oleg approach each other, warmly, warmly embrace.
The light goes out smoothly.
The music increases in sound.
The music keeps playing.
The music stops and ends. The light turns on smoothly.
Somewhere… It doesn't matter where exactly.
The dark background hides the interior of the apartment.
Irina comes to the forefront. Not too much, but still looks around a little interested. Looking out for her husband. Doesn't find it. He addresses the audience as neighbors in the entrance.
Irina (relatively calmly, to the audience). Hello. Have you seen mine? He probably went to beat Oleg's face, I know him.
Biting his lip, thinking. Eyes are running. Irina puts her hand to her mouth.
Irina (in her own way, to the audience). He doesn't touch my lovers… but this time he definitely won't tolerate it.
Another very short pause between the lines.
Irina (in her own way, to the audience). In fact, I've never had lovers before. It's just me, I wanted to resurrect Danil's feelings. To be jealous, to be overwhelmed by passion again… everything like that. And he's not jealous. I provoke, and he is calm. I'm still and still – zero reaction. As a result, I changed it. And you know – not poisoned, as they say. I even liked it. I was surprised myself. I didn't plan it, I'm talking like a spirit, I just played too much. But I liked it. Yes, my husband's feelings did not soar, but I blossomed with renewed vigor. I understand that there is nothing good in this, of course. I'm not agitating anyone, but Danil is to blame himself. If he stopped paying attention to me, what could I do? I tried to resuscitate him… As I could. It didn't work out. As a result, the novel is on the side… Then the second, the third… But these are matters of bygone days. I've settled down now. Nonsense in the past. I've had one man for a long time… And the husband, of course.
Irina takes a short pause. He sighs languidly.
Irina (warmly, sincerely, to the audience, as to herself). I don't want to change anything. I don't want to divorce Danil, just as I don't want to leave someone who sees a woman in me, who admires me, spoils me and gives gifts.
Irina guiltily, at times lowering her gaze, looks into the auditorium.
Irina (a little guiltily, sincerely, to the audience, as to herself). Judging me, right?
…
I judge myself. I was being prepared for another life. To the fact that there will be a strong reliable family, a stable cell of society. That we will hold on to each other, support each other. That our hearts, having merged together, will go through one joint, single path from the beginning to the end, from the moment when we say "Yes" to each other in the registry office.
To say – they said, but then everything went not according to the script, not according to textbooks. Everything went very differently… It seems like we both tried to adhere to the canons and family values known to everyone… But, what to hide… Neither Danil nor I are role models. We tried, really… It didn't work out. And how many of you did it? Well, how is it? To be honest? Everyone is their own here.
You… You will forgive me for this question. I have no right to meddle in my own business, and I'm not going to hide behind someone's failures, if there are any, either. I'll speak for myself. I do not know how to live properly. Don't know. The only thing I know is that Danil and I are relatively honest. We play the games that we both understand. We don't always live together, it's true, but we don't hate each other either, which I think is an achievement. He and I are often fine. And, despite the fact that it seems that outwardly we are like a cat with a dog – we still haven't divorced. Not because they didn't dare, no. There is plenty of determination. I just don't want to.
Perhaps… I may be wrong, of course, but perhaps the secret of the integrity of marriage is precisely that the spouses play those games that are understandable to both of them. Only them. And let the whole world twist at the temple, looking at certain pairs.
Abnormal?
Yes!
Wonderful?
For God's sake.
Let them say and think what they want. But the most important thing is that other people's opinions, other people's advice, under no circumstances penetrate into a particular family. Even if this family is wrong a thousand times… This is their way… This is their life… And it should only be their decisions…
Irina returns to the center of the stage together with the inclusion of lighting in the apartment.
We emit Irina's arrival into the house from somewhere on the street.
Danil enters. Irina turns to him. She looks him seriously in the eyes.
Irina (to her husband, carefully, seriously). What have you decided?
Danil looks at his wife sternly, seriously.
Irina literally shudders at this look.
Irina (to her husband, cautiously, being afraid). What's going on?
Danil begins to unbutton his shirt, loosens the belt on his pants.
Irina, in general, understands what is going on, but still she did not expect.
Irina (to her husband, cautiously, being afraid). Oh-pa-pa-pa-paaa…
A bright musical theme sounds.
Danil tears off the rest of the buttons and rushes at his wife.
Rapid darkening. The viewer should not see any nudes and depravity, but they should be very clearly imagined by the inertia of developing events.
Dark.
The music is booming, probably along with the applause.
We "pickle" a little bit of the viewer with longing, loud music, imagination and darkness.
And now the music begins to fade.
Hush, hush.
Danila and Irina's attempts to catch their breath are already becoming audible. They're doing well.
The music subsides almost completely, it sounds barely audible.
Irina's voice (outraged cry). Yes, where are you going with your legs again, well!!!
Danila's voice (nervously, shouting). And you shut your head!
The nervous altercation of Danil and Irina is hidden by the background of the rapidly growing music again.
A curtain
Novosibirsk, March 2023
Explanatory note for the director:
1. In act 1, there are 3 scenes, the life of Danil and Irina, the moment of automatic voicing of the text that Irina is typing on her smartphone needs to be shown as plausible as possible, you can stumble somewhere, "dictate" some word somewhere so that the viewer understands what is happening and to whom Irina actually answers.
2. In Act 1, 6 scenes, dialogues in the dark can be played on stage, not only with voices. It would be more interesting if double beds (or one bed) appeared on the stage in dim light, where couples would discuss the upcoming sabantuy in dim light. But this will require a lot of money, not only in terms of scenography, but also time. If the director organizes everything correctly and can implement this option, it will be great.
. Good
luck to all of us!!!
These explanations and suggestions are optional for the production, all at the discretion of the director.
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The conditions for staging the play are negotiated individually.
All the plays of Nikolai Lakutin are presented for review in open access on the official website of the author http://lakutin-n.ru the "Plays" section
Author's email Lakutin200@mail.ru
The cover photo of the play is borrowed from a free photo bank, under a Creative Commons license.
