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THE SAILORS OPERA

By Clem Gorman
Copyright 2012

Enquiries: David Spicer Management

david@davidspicer.com

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Brief.
Eugene ONeill, regarded as the founder of modern
American drama, spent a troubled, lost year in Buenos
Aires in 1930, as a young man.
He went there to escape his dysfunctional family,
about whom he later wrote in his most famous play,
Long Days Journey Into Night, and to escape America,
and his failed careers in academe and the theatre,
the latter under the shadow of his famous actor
father.
He wanted to be a poet, a seaman, an adventurer, and
a lover, and he briefly embraced all these careers
in, and before, Buenos Aires. He had also been deeply
moved by the new naturalistic theatre then emerging
in Europe. He associated with seamen in rough
waterfront bars run by gangsters, had an affair with
a prostitute, slept rough, drank too much, and
agonized over his life and his future.
When he returned to America at the end of the year he
was hell-bent on becoming a playwright, bringing
naturalistic drama to his country.
The rest is history.
What happened in his brief year at the bottom of the
world, and at the bottom of society? This play is my
attempt to understand that.

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Cast.
Eugene ONeill,
Maria, his lover

20
late 20s

Driscoll, an Irish seaman

30s

Yank, an American seaman

40s

Louis, an American seaman

20.

Ashleigh, an English exile

indeterminate.

The Gangster, Argentinian

indeterminate.

University President

Middle Aged.

James, ONeills father

Middle Aged.

(The University President and James are played by

the actor who plays the Gangster).

The Time is 1910, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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The Sailors Opera

Eugene ONeill in Buenos Aires

copyright 2011 Clem Gorman

The Set.
Downstage, left, a park bench as described in Scene
1. It is struck when not needed.
The main set is the backroom of the Sailors Opera, a
bar for sailors in Buenos Aires which was flourishing
in 1910. There are table and chairs, and little else
save a bar downstage right.
On an elevated platform downstage right, above the
bar, is Marias upstairs room in Buenos Aires in
1910. It consists of a bed, a table on which stands a
jug, a chair, a round bath, and a small wardrobe.
There is one window, curtained at all times, and a
bare lamp.
When the main Sailors Opera scenes are shown, that is
when, twice, sketches are being presented by ONeill
and his cronies, the stage becomes the stage of the
Sailors Opera main room, and the theatre audience
becomes the audience of the Sailors Opera: so this
play could effectively be presented in cabaret
format.

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The Sailors Opera.

copyright 2011

Prolog.
A ceremony to award the Pulitzer Prize, Columbia
University, 1940s. At a lectern stands the PRESIDENT
of the University. He reads from a paper.
PRESIDENT

It is now my great pleasure to award

The Pulitzer prize for Literature to
Mr. Eugene ONeill, for his
contributions, as a playwright, to the
American theater.

EUGENE ONEILL, a tall, stooped man with grey hair

wearing a respectable but ruffled jacket, walks up
and takes the prize: they shake hands. ONeill fronts
the microphone. He speaks dourly, as if tired.
ONEILL

Thank you. I will always be a stranger

who never feels at home ... who must
always be a little in love with death.

FX; the sound of applause, halting, uncertain.

CROSSFADE. ONeill crosses, discarding his grey wig
and jacket, underdressed in much rougher clothing. He
throws his Pulitzer onto a table as he goes.
He settles down on a park bench and arranges
newspapers over himself. Darkness falls. He sleeps.
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FADE to black.

Scene 1.

Day. 1910.

A park bench on the Paseo Colon, a boulevard in

Buenos Aires. From time to time, PASSERSBY move
across stage, never looking at the bench. Traffic
noises, car horns, the rattle of a streetcar. The
foghorn of a large ship departing port, indicating
that the docks are nearby.
It is a warm day in autumn. Around the bench are
scattered empty alcohol bottles, newspapers, empty
food tins, and other rubbish including a couple of
filthy mens garments. A tap is next to the bench,
with a tin mug below it, into which it drips.
It is evident that someone is sleeping on the bench,
the body covered in newspapers. There is no
movement.
Suddenly the newspapers fly in the air as EUGENE
ONEILL wakes violently, eyes staring, arms flailing,
crying out some gibberish as he flings his body
upwards as though expecting attack.
Seeming to realize that none is forthcoming, he
relaxes, rubs his eyes, yawns, stretches, looks about
him.
He is tall and lanky, somewhat awkward in stance and
movement. He is wearing a pair of what may once have
been quite nice trousers, now grubby and dirty,
unironed. Over a nondescript shirt which has seen
better days when it was a shirt he wears a
shapeless jacket, the pockets hanging open because he
has walked with his hands in them, the buttons
missing, the material stained and discolored. As for
the shoes ...
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His face is expressionless, as it often is. He is

tall but stooped, his hair tousled, and he has three
or four days of beard growth. Yet, he is a handsome
man, with striking looks and piercing blue eyes which
fix on whatever, or whoever, he is looking at often
women.
EUGENE

Good morning, Buenos Aires!

He speaks slowly and deliberately, in a cultivated

New England accent. The city does not answer except
for the hoot of a nearby ship in dock. He rises,
unhurriedly, and then unsteadily, scratching himself.
He discovers something in his jacket pocket and pulls
it out. It is an apparently empty gin bottle. He
unscrews the cap and upends the bottle over his palm.
He sniffs his palm. Nothing. He throws the bottle
down. He appears to change his mind, bends down and
picks it up. He puts it back in his jacket pocket.
He turns on the tap, pulls some grass, and cleans
his teeth with the wet grass. He washes his face, and
dries it on his jacket.
He jiggles his jacket ineffectually as if to make it
less shapeless. He rubs both shoes against the backs
of his trouser legs, equally ineffectually.
Thus prepared for whatever life may throw at him, he
sets off, not altogether steadily, to engage the
world.

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Scene 2.

Later that day.

The backroom of the Sailors Opera. It is similar to

the backroom of the bar set in ONeills Ah,
Wilderness, or the set of The Iceman Cometh. Tables
and chairs, decrepit and bearing the scars of many
wild nights, occupy most of the space, pushed rather
close together like the tables and chairs in The
Iceman Cometh. There is a bare light globe, as
though nobody in this bar would ever want to read
anything. When men wish to go to the bar they have
to sidle and push through chairs and tables, an
obstacle race which becomes more difficult the more
they drink. On the walls are several old seafaring
posters, basically advertisements for shipping lines,
faded and torn.
The bar, downstage right, is as bare and functional
as possible. Above the bar, rows of glasses upended
on metal racks. Behind, a few miserable bottles on
shelves in front of a cracked and stained mirror. A
spittoon in front of the bar, and sawdust on the
floor. No stools. The barman need not be seen, deep
in shadow behind the bar.
The few glasses and bottles on the tables are in need
of a good wash.
At two of the tables, hunched over their drinks and
grumbling when they speak, looking not at each other
but into deep spaces before their eyes, sit DRISCOLL,
YANK, ASHLEIGH, and LOUIS.
Driscoll is a very large and powerful Irishman, with
tousled hair which someone once told him was
appealing to women. His nose has been broken in some
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fight which he probably does not remember, and there

is a long scar on his cheek. His large hands seem to
dwarf his glass. He wears a colourful shirt, but
plain pants, big boots, and a wide belt. On the third
finger left hand he sports a large black ring, and
his sleeves are rolled up to halfway along his big
biceps. He moves slowly, unless there is a sudden
need to move quickly, in which case he is like
greased lightning. He oozes physical power and the
pride in strength that such a man may have. He has a
deep, persuasive voice that seems to come from the
bowels of a ship.
Yank is strong, but light in build, athletic looking
except for his paunch alone, the result of far too
much drink. He holds his head low, like a wary snake,
and his movements are quick and darting. He has been
handsome, but no longer, his face beginning to sag
and blotch. He could be reasonably young, but
seafaring, especially his love of the open deck, and
alcohol have taken their toll. His voice is light and
fast, like an ocean breeze, with a New York workingclass accent. He is always leaning forward as if
striving to launch himself into an adventure that may
change his life.
Ashleigh is English, and has the clipped, confident
speech of the upper middle class, a surgeon or a
barrister. He dresses neatly but not ostentatiously,
in good taste, though his clothes are obviously old
and have been mended often. His manner can seem
effete at times, though not camp, and his voice is
arch, perennially sarcastic. He is tall, and aloof in
bearing. He seems never to look at the person he is
addressing, and gives the impression that he has
wandered into this bar for one drink, and does not
feel at home among these men. He is a bitter man, a
witness and not a man of action, detached but wishing
to be an initiator.
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Louis is very nicely dressed, though his clothes are

crumpled from sleeping on barroom tables and pool
tables. He speaks as though he does not expect anyone
to take the slightest notice of what he says: he says
it anyway, just for the record. He has the voice of
one who has spent his entire life indoors. He dotes
on Eugene, who hardly notices him. He starts at his
own shadow and lives on fear, nervous and insecure.
He is slight in figure, carefully non-aggressive. He
suffers from a deep-seated sense of self-pity, and
thwarted entitlement.
DRISCOLL (belligerently)At toimes, you know, the heat
in the stokehole is so great that my pants
start to smoke. Every toime I turn toward the
furnace door with a shovel full of coal the
skin on me face starts peelin. But I never
flinch, you know, I never flinch. There are
not many men who can keep pace with me down
dere!
YANK

Not for me, Driscoll, old buddy. Give me the

open deck where I can see da ocean, and feel
her movin beneath me feet. Every time the
ship rises up on a great, wide wave, I feel
as if shes strokin the breasts of the seamother! Like the sea was makin love to her!

ASHLEIGH You should be the poet, Yank, and not Eugene.

LOUIS
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Eugenes a fine poet. Hes maturing and when

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he does, look out America!

DRISCOLL Talking about breasts, did you not see that
woman in the film last noight, in the
Barracas?
They laugh.
YANK

Now deres a woman with breasts like the sea.

He gestures to indicate her breasts rising and

falling like waves on the sea.
They laugh.
ASH

Yank, do you know the best part of the sea?

Where you really know the ocean for what it
is?

YANK

No but you gonna tell me, am I right?

ASH

The bottom. When youve gone so far down, you

can go no further. They say there are
creatures there that boggle the imagination,
giant squids as big as a whale and fish with
strange shapes, that welcome you to the world
of death.

He grins an evil grin. Silence.

DRISCOLL Shut up, Ashleigh. Chokin our lungs with
coaldust, breakin our backs and hearts in
the hell of the stokehole, feedin that damn
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furnace, feedin it our loives along with the

coal, caged from the soight of your sun and
your wind. A mans work, for sure. No foine
language down there, Yank. I know what
droives the ships, and its not poetry!
LOUIS

I get seasick. Im dreading the voyage home

to the States.

YANK

Come out on deck with me, Louis, feel the

swell of the sea beneat ya feet!

DRISCOLL Come down to my furnace, itll kill you, or

itll cure you.
ASH

Did you see that sailor get killed in the bar

last night, chaps?

DRISCOLL Aye, so drunk he didnt see the knife in

toime.
LOUIS

And men stepped over his body on the way to

and from the bar, as if he were an overturned
chair.

YANK

No, sailors always stand a chair up when it

falls. God, Im so hungry! If I dont eat
somethin, itll be me fallin down.

He mimes falling.
PAUSE.
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Driscoll hands Yank a dollar bill, looking away.

DRISCOLL Here.
YANK

Oh thank you Driscoll, thank you Buddy! Ill

pay you back!

DRISCOLL Sure you will. Next time, dont be so quick

to spend it.
Yank goes to the bar. Driscoll shakes his head. He
calls after Yank.
And buy food!
(To the others) Does he forget how hard it was to
earn?
LOUIS

I got some money from home yesterday, look

what I bought.

He shows them a new ring on his finger, alongside

others.
DRISCOLL Money from homes not hard to earn, Louis.
Yank returns from the bar: not with food, but a
drink.
Do you have enough food on yer plate, there?
ASH

Has anyone seen our dear Eugene today?

LOUIS

He slept on the beach last night. I saw him

on a park bench over on the Paseo Colon, down
near the docks.

DRISCOLL Now theres a man whos generous with his

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money.
ASH

When he has any. They say his fathers a

famous actor.

YANK

Hell never be a sailor, thats for sure,

hes just playin at it.

LOUIS

He worked hard on the ship when we sailed

down.

ASH

Hes a spoiled brat who never learns. Greedy

for life, but what will it bring him?
Disillusion.

DRISCOLL Keep your big words for England, Ashleigh,

this is a sailors bar.
YANK

Eugene sleeps with women once and falls in

love wid em! And now hes in love with
Maria. We all know her!

They laugh.
YANK

Because she runs this bar she thinks she can

treat men like scum.

LOUIS

They say no man has ever seduced her ...

DRISCOLL ... but she chooses the men she loikes!

They laugh, nervously.
ASH

And now she has her eye on our Eugene. Women

chew him up and spit him out, and shell do

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the same.
DRISCOLL Perhaps not. Shes no ordinary woman.
ASHLEIGH Oh? Youre in love with her too?
They laugh.
DRISCOLL I take as I find. And I find her ... out of
the ordinary.
LOUIS

They say she went to a university.

They all stare in wonderment at him.

YANK

Yeah? How come shes runnin a sailors bar?

DRISCOLL Like I said, shes no ordinary woman.

ASHLEIGH You think everyones special, Driscoll.
They agree, laughing.
Enter EUGENE ONEILL, straight from the park bench,
and yet still, somehow, looking out of place
in this bar.
ASH

Greetings, sailor boy. Ship ahoy!

Eugene glowers.
EUGENE

I need a drink.

He goes to the bar, watched by the others. He puts

his hand in his pocket, slowly withdraws it,
goes to one of the tables, sits, head down,
sulking.
PAUSE.
DRISCOLL Do you want a drink?
EUGENE
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(tersely) Never mind.

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DRISCOLL I said,do you want a drink?

PAUSE. Eugene hunches his shoulders.
EUGENE

Never mind!

Driscoll offers Eugene a dollar bill. Eugene looks

away. Driscoll continues to hold it out.
Finally, Eugene snatches it and goes to the
bar.
YANK

Whos got a coin to match mine?

ASH

Not I, said the fly.

YANK

Louis?

LOUIS

I dont believe in gambling.

Yank mimics him.

YANK

I dont believe in gambling. Ashleigh?

ASH

Oh for Gods sake, youre such a damned

nuisance Yank. Youve just begged your drink
money from Driscoll. Anyone would think
you were an alcoholic!

Ashleigh slaps a coin on the table, keeping his hand

over it. Yank slaps his down. They bend over
the coins, intent, serious. The others
watch.
Yank

Evens.

ASH

Heads.

They move their hands away.

Yank
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Yes!

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He grabs both coins while Ashleigh turns away,

sullenly. Yank to bar.
ASH

You lose at everything, Yank, except when

its going to do you harm!

Eugene returns with a bottle of gin. He takes the old

bottle from his pocket and throws it away. He
offers the new bottle to Louis.
Eugene

For my friends!

Louis drinks, then grimaces.

LOUIS

Ill never get used to this stuff.

EUGENE

But it softens the world, for a while at

least. Driscoll?

Driscoll takes the bottle and swigs, hands it back.

Eugene

Ashleigh?

ASH

I thought youd never ask.

He drinks for too long. Driscoll takes it from him

and hands it back to Eugene.
Yank returns with another drink.
YANK

My turn.

ASH

Youve just had two drinks!

YANK

Youve all had ya turn. Eugene?

Eugene hands Yank the bottle. Yank sucks it in,

belches. He sits and begins drinking his own
drink.
DRISCOLL So, do you not offer us a drink, then?
YANK
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I paid for dis with me own money!

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They turn away. He swills his drink quickly.

EUGENE

So ... Ashleigh ... what did you do last

night?

ASH

Thats classified information. But it was

lots of fun.

EUGENE

So, what was it?

ASH

Next question.

EUGENE

What about you, Yank?

Yank turns quiet, closes in on himself.

YANK

I forget.

DRISCOLL Do you want to know what I did?

Eugene turns toward him.
I met a beautiful upper class woman, she took
me to a ball in the Presidents Palace, we
danced the noight away, and then she took me
to her huge mansion on the hill, where we ...
ASH

Eugene, leave it, alright?

PAUSE.
Eugene turns away, seeming to fold in upon himself.
When he speaks, it is to himself.
EUGENE

Theres a time to die, but you dont see it

until it falls upon you.

YANK

Ah, but if youre afraid to die, youre

afraid to live. Am I right?

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Eugene drinks. He pulls a stubby pencil from his

jacket, and a scrap of paper: a leaflet
advertising some event or show. He writes on
the back of it, wetting the pen with his
tongue. He seems to be trying to shut them
all out.
Enter THE GANGSTER. He is Argentinian, and impeccably
dressed in the sharpest black clothes,
complete with shining, pointed shoes,
fashionable tight pants with a perfect
crease, a tie, a high starched collar,
waistcoat, a jacket that was obviously tailor
made for his slim, elegant body. His hair is
black and shiny and slicked back, like the
male tango dancers seen in Buenos Aires
today. He poses with every move, pointing his
toe, positioning his hand on his hip,arching
his back, raising his head, squaring his
shoulders. You just know that he carries, at
the least, a knife, and quite possibly a
small handgun. He is a type of criminal very
common in the waterfront districts of Buenos
Aires during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries: impossibly stylish, very violent,
quick to anger at even an imagined slight,
and unpredictable. He does not fear the
lawbecause the police accept bribes to leave
him alone. He runs prostitutes,
bars,nightclubs, stolen goods, protection,
gambling, drugs, and guns for hire. He is
marginally more likely to be of Italian than
of Spanish ethnicity, and is part of a
complex and highly organized crime syndicate.
He speaks English passably, with an accent.
He surveys the assembled riff-raff of the
seas.
GANGSTER
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There is a stench in this room. Do none of

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you ... gentlemen ... bathe?

The sailors are tense and wary. They smile in
agreement with him.
DRISCOLL

Were sorry, Sorr.

GANGSTER Youre sorry? I am sorry that you occupy my

back room, which is normally reserved for my
friends, and you drink so little that I lose
money.
They stare at him, uncomfortably. They have no answer
to this truth.
You have no answer?
DRISCOLL

Well drink more.

GANGSTER

You will, or you will leave.

LOUIS

Do you want to buy a ring?

He shows the Gangster his ring, and the Gangster

studies it.
GANGSTER I have many rings finer than this. I was in
your country for some years, in Miami. I
bought only the finest jewelry.
He pockets Louis ring, much to Louis chagrin.
The Gangster laughs, harshly.
GANGSTER

My patrons. The scum of Buenos Aires, the

riff-raff of the high seas, the dregs of
the waterfront.

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ASH

I have an answer to that: yes.

GANGSTER

Do I ned to remind you: every man who

drinks in my bar performs. A song, a
sketch, a poem, a joke. And you, my
ragged little bunch, must make an
entertainment for the sailors and scum in
the main bar. If you do not, then you
cannot continue to drink in this bar. I
will show you. Mister Driscoll, come here.

Driscoll reluctantly goes to him.

Mister Driscoll can dance, can you not?
Driscoll nods.
Then ...
The Gangster opens his arms. Driscoll goes to him and
they adopt the very serious stance and
attitude of the tango.
Clap your hands.
The men start to clap their hands. The Gangster and
Driscoll dance the tango. It is very
muscular, very masculine, as it must have
been when it was invented, around the turn
of the 20th century, as a dance between men,
in brothels, waiting for the girls to be
free. They finish.
The Gangster laughs, and turns to go.
EUGENE
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Men like you die young.

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The Gangster stops, turns, astonished, as though he

cannot believe what he has heard.
DRISCOLL

Hes drunk Sorr, he doesnt even know where

he is. Take no notice.

The Gangster studies Eugene.

GANGSTER

I will see you, when you are sober.

Exit Gangster. They all relax, exhaling. They drink,

emptying their glasses. Eugene to bar, buys
a drink, drains it in one gulp: another,
drains it too. One more, now hes out of
money, carries it to table.
DRISCOLL

Im glad were on such good terms with the

management.

But their laughter is forced and thin. They drink

again, each man an island.
And since youre a writer, Eugene, you can
be our man to write this sketch, this
entertainment.
EUGENE

I dont write drama.

DRISCOLL

If you can write, you can write

anything. Anyway, we rely on you. I know
that man. If he says we have to do a
sketch, or we cant stay here, he means it.
Do we want to drink on a park bench in the
Paseo Colon? And be moved on by the

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Vigilantes? I dont think so. So Eugene,

put on your thinking cap.
Enter MARIA.

Scene 3.

Immediately following.

Hers is no ordinary entrance. She stops in the

doorway, pauses, hand on the doorframe,
and surveys the men with a cynical smile.
MARIA is extremely attractive. She is
voluptuous and in later years this may
bring its problems for her, but right now,
in her late twenties, she is at her
physical peak. She wears red either all
red, or at least something red. Her
lipstick is crimson,her hair black and tied
with a narrow headscarf. She is tall,
graceful, and full of cheek for any man she
meets. She is aware of the effect she has
on men, especially men who spend long weeks
at sea and do not know how to relate to
women. Yet she has a hint in her speech and
bearing of self-mockery, as if she is
playing a game from which she is detached.
Her accent is Spanish, but her English is
good, with a strong American flavour
because of her American father, who spoke
English at home before he disappeared when
she was young. Her clothing is a little too
daring for a respectable woman of those
times, in that city. She enters the room
now, moving between the chairs. All eyes
follow her.
MARIA
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Mr Driscoll, I have not seen you for a

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leetle while, you are well?

He does not speak, but glances across at Louis.
And you, leettle one, are you in love with
me?
Louis squirms himself inside out.
ASH

Hes Louis. He is asexual.

She laughs.
MARIA

Oh no hes not, just a leetle confused,

perhaps.

Louis wriggles.
And Yank, I know you. And you of course,
Ashleigh, so remote in your high place.
Ashleigh smiles remotely. She comes to Eugene, stops.
But you, my Yankee friend, are you sore at
me?
Eugene responds slowly.
EUGENE

Ahh ... no.

MARIA

Every time I see you, you are so cold, so

indifferent.

He replies coldly and indifferently.

EUGENE

Im not cold and indifferent.

Maria speaks to the invisible barman.

MARIA
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A drink for this cold sailor from the

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North.
When nothing happens she looks at the bar.
Its alright. Put it on my tab. There you
are, sweet

man. Its Eugene, isnt it?

Eugene goes to the bar, returns with a drink.

EUGENE

Thank you.

MARIA

Thank you. See? Cold and indifferent.

She holds out a cigarette case to him.

You smoke, do you not?
Eugene takes a cigarette.
Do not say thank you, once was enough. You
must never thank me.
EUGENE

Thank ... OK.

MARIA

You like me, no?

EUGENE

We ... I remember we talked. In that bar,

in San Telmo.

MARIA

(Teasingly) Talk has its place. When it

lead to action.

She dismisses talk with a gesture. She turns to the

other men.
Do you not have conversations to get on
with? About the Roaring Forties, or the
Equator, or something?
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The other men turn to each other, but continue to

ogle her from their corners of their eyes.
She returns her attention to Eugene.
Because I run this bar, you see, they think
my conversation also belong to them. Why
dont you kiss me?
Eugene seems unsure about this, glancing at the men.
Oh dont mind them. Here ...
She grasps Eugenes chin, pulls it up toward her, and
kisses him on the lips, very sensually. All
conversation stops, then starts again.
Eugene looks acutely embarrassed, finishes
his drink in one go.
What is the matter? Have you no kiss
like that before?
Her voice is teasing, almost mocking.
His voice is husky, wavering.
EUGENE

Sure.

MARIA

Some men never kiss me. They want only my

body. But you are different, no? If there
is one thing I know, it is men.

EUGENE

Im ...

He clears his throat.

Im going to be the greatest poet in
America.
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MARIA

In America only? Have you no ambition? The

world, surely!

The others laugh, stop suddenly when she glares at

them.
Do you know what? I think you and I should
go to my room. Yes, now. Why not? Come on.
She takes his hand. He hesitates.
EUGENE

Ummm ...

MARIA

You are in love with someone else? You did

not save yourself for me?

DRISCOLL

Eugene ...

He stands and sits beside Eugene.

EUGENE

I dont know ...

DRISCOLL

Do as she says. Learn a little about loife.

Eugene takes a deep breath.

MARIA

You have a true friend.

Eugene nods. He starts to say thank you, but Driscoll

stops him with a finger on Eugenes lips.
Eugene rises and is led out of the room by
Maria.
ASHLEIGH

If I hadnt seen it with my own eyes ...

DRISCOLL

Youre goin to sneer at him.

ASHLEIGH

No, actually Im not. I do enjoy a laugh at

Eugenes expense, thats true.

Well, for

us British, laughing at Americans is a

27 | P a g e

28

national sport, now that were not Number

One and they are. But I respect him. And
one day, mark my words, he will achieve
something. If he just can just lift himself
above the gutter.
SLOW FADE TO BLACK.
CROSS FADE: MARIAS ROOM.

Scene 4.

Later that morning.

It is as simple as can be, and yet very comfortably

furnished. A double bed, with pillows piled
on it, a mirrored washstand with a large
water jug on it, a chair, a small wardrobe,
a large round bathtub.
A crucifix over
the head of the bed.
MARIA

So ... make yourself at home.

Eugene looks round, finally sits on the chair.

EUGENE

Nice room.

MARIA

It is enough. Sit on the bed beside me.

EUGENE

Im alright.

MARIA

I want you here beside Maria.

He hesitates, then sits beside her, putting some

distance between them and crossing his
legs.
(Efficiently) I sleep here, I work long
hours running that bar. My job is to make
28 | P a g e

29

a happy atmosphere there.

Are you happy?

She laughs.
Of course you are not. You are a restless
soul, no? Prowling across the ocean,
looking for something, you do not know
what. I work in the bar till midnight. You
will visit me after then. First we will
have a drink downstairs, then we will lie
here and talk for a while. If I wish to
make love, that will be the time. But
please ... I get very bored with
conventional intercourse, so ... be
inventive.
EUGENE

Umm ... could we just ... back up a little?

Why did you invite me here?

She laughs.
MARIA

I do not need a reason! You are here

because I want you here. I like you.

EUGENE

Look, I seem to be missing something

...

MARIA

Oh I forget, you are from New England. I

will spell it out for you. I am inviting
you to be my ... special friend. For a
time. But you will not rule me.

29 | P a g e

30

PAUSE.
EUGENE

But ... why?

She leans toward him.

MARIA

I thought I make it clear. You are a

writer, no?

EUGENE

I told you that, when we met in that bar.

MARIA

And so, you want to write?

EUGENE

Thats what writers do.

MARIA

But you are no writing. You are drinking,

sleeping rough on the beach as your
friends say and look at you: dirty
clothes, half a beard, you smell oh and I
forgot, you weel have a wash before we make
love, I cannot stand a dirty penis you
are a lazy, self-pitying drifter, and you
are in need of

EUGENE

my help.

(recovering himself a little) Im curing

the soul by means of the senses, as Oscar
Wilde once said.

MARIA

(impatiently) Your soul does not need

curing, it is not sick. You just need
delousing and a place to work. And if you
are a writer, you must find your own

30 | P a g e

31

words, not the words of another writer.

EUGENE

A writers always working. I observe, I

listen, I pick up information about life.

MARIA

Then you are a hardworking self-pitying

drifter. Eugene, Eugene, let me help you!
I have talk to your friends about you.
They say you are very clever, no? But
you are no using it. A lost soul who can
give so much, if only he can find his
pathway!

SILENCE.
EUGENE

I doubt anybody can help me.

MARIA

You are full of doubt, I see that. I have

meet many men like you. Look, I can do
good things. I am no a bad person.

EUGENE

They say you went to university.

MARIA

That is a subject for our conversation,

after midnight.

Now, you will come, no?

PAUSE. Eugene blows air into his cheeks, shakes his

head.
EUGENE

I always suspect anyone who wants to help

me.

MARIA
31 | P a g e

I know you have many problem with your

32

family.
He looks up at her sharply.
EUGENE

What do you know about my family?

MARIA

This is a village, full of gossip. Your

father was absent, your mother was ...
you come away, and ...

She drifts into silence. She takes his hand.

I will no imprison you. I will no stop
you drinking. Altogether. I, too, drink.
Here everyone drinks. But ... for you,
in moderation, no?
EUGENE

So ... why do you do this work?

She takes out a wallet and shows him a picture.

MARIA

This is my daughter. She live with my aunt

in Cordoba. She does not know what I do,
and she weel never know I work in a
rough bar.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Thats a very fine thing youre doing.

MARIA

No, but thank you. Now, I want you to take

off your clothes and climb into that tub, I
weel heat up some water.

She stands, decisively. He stands, uncertainly.

32 | P a g e

33

OK, you have sleep rough, now you know what

that is like and you can write about it.
And take this.
She hands him money. He hesitates.
Call it a loan.
EUGENE

Do you want me to protect you?

She stares at him coolly.

MARIA

Be careful. I weel take one insult, but I

weel no take two.

EUGENE

Im sorry.

He takes the money.

MARIA

Do not say sorry.

EUGENE

How come you speak such good English?

MARIA

My father was American. He leave my mother

and me when I am twelve.

He starts to ask another question.

No questions. I am here, you are here. We
go forward.
He nods.
EUGENE

I ... Im very grateful. But ... Driscoll

has said that from tonight I can sleep on
his floor. So ...

MARIA
33 | P a g e

What, my leetle room is no good enough for

34

you?
EUGENE

Yes, its beautiful but ... Driscoll is my

friend, I said yes, I cant change my mind.
Among sailors, thats not a thing you do.

MARIA

You are ashamed your friends, as you call

them, will know you sleep with Maria!

EUGENE

No!

PAUSE.
No.

But Im honor bound to accept

Driscolls offer.
PAUSE.
MARIA

Very well. I would rather sleep alone. But

you will come to me at midnight, no? And I
will make you clean, and we can talk. I
need to talk to someone who thinks of more
than just ...

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Ah, thats better, theres something in

this for you. I can come at midnight.

Maria smiles.
MARIA

Which side of the bed do you like?

He nods, smiling.
CROSSFADE. Eugene crosses to a part of stage
34 | P a g e

35

representing the Past, re-costuming as he

goes.

Scene 5. Flashback.
ONEILL, late teens, faces his father JAMES. James is
already a little portly in his forties, and
dresses like a respectable bourgeois. His
voice has the elevated and somewhat pompous
quality of an actor used to projection in
Victorian melodrama.
JAMES

Its quite clear to me where your future

lies, Eugene. Youll follow me into the
family business, the theater. It has
provided this family with a very good
living. Youre nearly a man so its time
for you to make that choice. What do you
say Son? Well make a great team!

EUGENE

I dont know Dad. I just dont ... I

doubt Ill ever make an actor.

James gives every appearance of not having heard

Eugenes reply.
JAMES

Youll love the touring life. Traveling

the length and breadth of our great
country, applauded and feted everywhere ...

35 | P a g e

36

He leans toward Eugene confidentially.

And the ladies do love a handsome young
actor!
He nudges Eugene and laughs: Eugene does not.
EUGENE

Dad, I need some time ...

JAMES

I can teach you acting, youll get better

with time. Give it a chance, Son. Do it
for me, and youll find that later youll
be doing it for yourself. But, down the
track, if youre not happy, Ill
understand.

EUGENE

Would you?

JAMES

Sure I would! Trust me, Son. Give it a go.

PAUSE.
Please.
PAUSE. Eugene takes a deep breath.
EUGENE

Sure.

JAMES

Youll do it? Youll join me?

EUGENE

Yep.

James embraces Eugene joyfully.

JAMES

Youll never regret this decision, Son,

Ill see to that. Hey, what say we go out
for dinner tonight? The finest restaurant

36 | P a g e

37

in town. My shout. Yes?

EUGENE

(resignedly) Sure.

JAMES

Thats my boy. A father and son team.

Thats my boy!

Exit James. Eugene buries his head in his hands in

despair.
CROSSFADE. Eugene crosses to bar.

Scene 6.

That afternoon.

The BACKROOM. LOUIS, DRISCOLL, ASHLEIGH, YANK.

They are in different seats, but otherwise nothings
changed. Louis is nervous and agitated,
Ashleigh remote, Driscoll fiercely held in,
Yank looking half-sharp. A ships hooter
sounds its mournful moan.
DRISCOLL

Fog in da harbor.

LOUIS

I hate that sound. Its like the devil,

calling last drinks.

ASHLEIGH

Ill never sail again. Ill rot here until

I die.

DRISCOLL

Shut up, Ashleigh.

ASHLEIGH

Being on the sea leads to home, and I can

never go home.

37 | P a g e

38

LOUIS

Why ...

He stops himself.
ASHLEIGH

So, Eugenes with another man-eater.

YANK

I wonder if shes told him da one about her

daughter in Cordoba!

They all laugh.

ASHLEIGH

And once shes got enough money shes going

to buy a little business selling baby
clothes and give her daughter a better
life!

They laugh again.

DRISCOLL

That woman has helped more than one lost

soul get back on his feet.

ASHLEIGH

Why would she do that?

DRISCOLL

(Shaking his head) Not all human actions

are self-serving, Ashleigh.

ASHLEIGH

One way or another, they are. And the only

way a man can get back on his feet is if he
does it for himself, not running to
some hard bitch for comfort.

DRISCOLL

Then well see you back on your feet, will

we?

PAUSE.
38 | P a g e

39

YANK

I need some action. I cant stay cooped up

in dis shithole. I need to break da cycle!

Driscoll offers Yank a bill.

DRISCOLL

Buy yourself a drink and settle down.

YANK

Its no use offering me money all the time

Driscoll, you know I cant pay yer back!

Enter EUGENE. His entrance could not be more

different than his earlier one. He
literally bounces in, grinning broadly, and
holding a fistful of money, which he waves
at them. He looks much cleaner, neater.
EUGENE

Money is the root of all evil, so lets go

to the Devil!

ASHLEIGH

Ah! The fancy man returns! Mines a G and

T.

He offers Eugene his glass, which Eugene ignores.

EUGENE

Drinks are on me! Go to the bar and order

what you like!

He bursts into song, climbing onto a table.

Oh, Whiskey is the life of man ...
It is infectious and the others join in.
ALL

Whis-key! Johnny!

EUGENE

Oh, Ill drink whiskey when I can ...

ALL

Oh, whiskey for me Johnny!

EUGENE

Oh whiskey drove me mother mad ...

39 | P a g e

40

They are enjoying it now, all standing, holding their

glasses aloft.
ALL

Whis-key! Johnny!

EUGENE

An whiskey nearly killed me Dad ...

ALL

Whis-key! Johnny!

EUGENE

Lets celebrate! Gentlemen, order your

drinks!

All rush to the bar. They all come back with drinks
and bottles. Eugene is loquacious,
effervescent, ebullient.
Drink! Like theres no tomorrow. For there
may not be!
He drinks, spilling a lot.
Good friends are like gold!
He drinks more, spilling more. He embraces them one
by one. Yank barely tolerates it and has to
squirm out of it, Louis wallows in it, and
Ashleigh pulls away. Only Driscoll accepts
it as a gesture of friendship, returning
the hug and smiling. Eugene dances now,
holding his drink as if it were a woman.
Then he dances with Louis, but the others
shun the dancing, Driscoll with a laugh,
Yank with a scowl, Ashleigh with a look of
horror.
Gentlemen, songsters, out for a spree
Damned from here to Eternity!
God have mercy on such as we ...
40 | P a g e

41

Baaa, baaa, baaa!

He falls forward onto a table, howling with
laughter. He rises.
You know what! I think we should do that
sketch, for the assembled sailors of the
world. Right here at the Sailors Opera!
DRISCOLL

Ill drink to that!

YANK

Hey, I just had a flash! In my head! I am

gonna do somethin that will bring in da
money. And I know what its gonna be.

No one is listening, but he stares into space,

envisioning his scheme to make money.
BLACKOUT.

Scene 7

Near midnight, the same evening.

The park bench on the Paseo Colon. Night. EUGENE is

alone, pacing up and down. He is taciturn
again, hunched, inward.
EUGENE

So Im saying to Father ... Im saying ...

what am I saying?

PAUSE.
Oh yeah. Im saying ... no: hes saying to
me ... Son - he can be a little pompous
at times, as though hes playing a scene
from The Count of Monte Cristo Son, your
41 | P a g e

42

mothers not well, shes resting upstairs.

And so I say Why? Can I go to her? And he
jumps in quickly, with No! No you cant.
Shes asleep.
Eugene writes.
At this point, his father JAMES enters, played by the
actor who plays Ashleigh.
EUGENE

Whats wrong with her, Dad?

James turns away.

Yes, my father turns away. And he says:
JAMES

Shes just ... she has a headache. Best to

leave her alone when shes like that. Shes
... in a different place.

EUGENE

I wish my mother didnt have to endure

these awful headaches.

JAMES

We must love her, Eugene, thats all we

can do.

Eugene looks perplexed. He writes.

And then my brother Jamie comes in. From a
bar, hes been out at a bar, of course,
and hes all cheerful and red-faced and his
eyes are too bright. And he says:
DRISCOLL
42 | P a g e

enters, playing Jamie, Eugenes brother. A

good-time Charlie, a Broadway Sport.

43

JAMIE

Hey Brother, what news?

EUGENE

And he laughs. Jamies laugh, thats

something I will never forget. And he
throws his arms around me, and I smell
his breath ...

He mimes this. He writes.

And his breath smells of whiskey, and
excitement, and bars, and girls, and I
say ... what do I say?
PAUSE.
I say Jamie, were just talking about our
mother. And then ... oh yes, then Jamie
turns silent. His bonhomie disappears ...
Jamie turns silent and his bonhomie disappears.
His face crumples, and I think what am I
not being told?
PAUSE.
This was in the early stages, of course.
He writes.
JAMES

You cant talk to her now. Shell listen

but she wont listen.

JAMIE

Yes, thats the way it always affects

her.

43 | P a g e

44

EUGENE

What? What affects her? What are you

talking about?

PAUSE.
A clock from the English Tower chimes twelve times.
Midnight!
He looks away.
Its all still there.
He quotes.
They are not long, the days of wine and
roses:
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes
Within a dream.
PAUSE.
Whom I fooling?
Exit Eugene.
BLACKOUT.

LIGHTS.

Scene 8.

After midnight, same evening.

Marias room. MARIA is putting new sheets on the bed,

wearing only a slender nightdress. Enter
EUGENE. She straightens, looks coolly at
him.
44 | P a g e

45

MARIA

Hello.

EUGENE

Hello.

He goes to her, takes her in his arms, is about to

kiss her. She disengages.
MARIA

I hope you have been inventive.

FAST FADE TO BLACK.

PAUSE. RUSTLINGS.
No Eugene, not like that. Here, I will show
you.
FADE.

Scene 9.

The backroom. The following afternoon.

Ragtime piano music can be heard.

LOUIS is standing DS, just outside the backroom,
staring into the main bar. He moves to the
backroom. The MEN, including EUGENE, are
seated, as usual, drinking, as usual, at
tables. Enter Louis.
LOUIS

Theres a topless girl in the bar playing

violin with no strings!

DRISCOLL

Shes there to get the men excited so

theyll go with one of the hookers.

EUGENE

Working men are exploited at every turn.

YANK

There speaks a workin man!

Yank laughs.
45 | P a g e

46

Eugene turns slowly to stare at Yank. Driscoll puts a

hand on Yanks shoulder.
DRISCOLL

What about that entertainment we promised

our gangster friend?

The others perk up.

ASHLEIGH

Yes, anything, anything!

YANK

Sure, lets do it.

DRISCOLL

Eugene? Youre the poet.

EUGENE

Ive been ...

He ponders what he has been.

I was ... thinking about some scenes
from the life of my family.
DEAD SILENCE.
ASHLEIGH

That certainly sounds like a giggle.

EUGENE

Forget it.

DRISCOLL

No no, come on, tell us now.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Oh, its too personal. All the people are

still alive.

YANK

We need somethin racy.

LOUIS

Eugene, you knocked round Broadway, you

must know some racy stories.

YANK
46 | P a g e

Yeah, somethin dirty.

47

EUGENE

Broadways controlled by money men. Its

all vaudeville and melodrama. Not a single
intelligent show from one end to the
other.

ASHLEIGH

Oh, well, Im sure our sailor friends out

there in the main bar would appreciate
something intelligent. Why dont we
ask them?

He calls out.
I say there, Lads, would you like an
entertainment thats all about ... lets
see ... the thoughts of Friedrich
Nietzsche?
EUGENE

Yes!

YANK

No.

PAUSE.
Who is he?
ASHLEIGH

A song and dance man.

YANK

Oh, well, sure, yeah ...

ASHLEIGH

Yank, Eugenes pulling your leg. Hes a

German philosopher. Hed bore the pants off
you.

EUGENE
47 | P a g e

No he wouldnt! Hes a wonderful thinker!

48

DRISCOLL

Eugene, heres the story. A sailor is dyin

of ... somethin. Call it ... malnutrition,
scurvy ...

They murmur their understanding of that story:

theyve all seen it happen.
And to keep his spirits up, his mates sing
the old sea chanties.
ALL

(except Eugene) Yes! Good one!

DRISCOLL

Eugene?

Eugene

(Disappointedly) Sure. OK. Ill write

something.

ASHLEIGH

Some men laugh too much, some not enough,

and some throw themselves to the wolves.
Which reminds me, my glass is empty.

DRISCOLL

Shut up Ashleigh.

He goes to the bar.

YANK

Hey, we gonna have an entertainment. Wont

dat be great, huh?

PAUSE.
But no one is listening.
BLACKOUT.

Scene 10.
48 | P a g e

Later.

49

Eugene sits morosely as the others chatter quietly.

Driscoll indicates to Eugene to go sit with him at a
table apart from the others. Spot them.
EUGENE

So why the big secrecy Driscoll?

DRISCOLL

I just needed to see how youre gettin

along.

EUGENE

Why does everyone suddenly want to help me?

DRISCOLL

You obviously cant help yourself.

He pulls a wad of bills from his pocket and offers

them to Eugene, who recoils.
EUGENE

(Aghast) I cant take that!

DRISCOLL

You cant afford not to. You cant stand

tall if your pockets are empty.

EUGENE

I might get robbed.

He laughs, alone.
DRISCOLL

Look, I come by this money easy loike. Take

it, itll only burn a hole in me pocket.

EUGENE

There sure is a lot about you I dont know.

DRISCOLL

And you dont need to. Now take it, or do

I have to shove it up your arse?

EUGENE

You have a very persuasive turn of phrase.

He takes the money.

What can I do for you?
DRISCOLL
49 | P a g e

Me? Nothin. Tink of it as money from home.

50

Look, were all down on our luck, so ...

EUGENE

Well ... while were in the business of

doing good turns, Im worried about young
Louis.

DRISCOLL

Hed barely be younger than you!

EUGENE

Hes drifting. Im worried about where he

might end up.

DRISCOLL

And this from a man who has feet firmly

planted on the ground? Look, you worry
about yourself, now.

EUGENE

Well, I guess thanks are called for.

DRISCOLL

No. They are not. But, one thing.

EUGENE

Yes?

DRISCOLL

Do somethin with your loife.

Scene 11.

Later again that afternoon. Park bench.

EUGENE is pacing up and down, talking to himself

under his breath. He once again holds a pencil and a
piece of paper, to which he clings tightly. As he
talks some of which can be heard he scribbles on
the piece of paper.
50 | P a g e

51

EUGENE

Youll be OK Scotty, youll be OK.

He scribbles.
Just hold on, Scotty

...

He says something inaudible.

Hold onto life, Scotty ...
Hey, thats good.
He scribbles.
Remember the sea chanties we used to
sing?
He sings.
Shenandoah, I love your daughter
A way, you rollin river!
For her, Id cross the waters.
Away, so far away,
Across the wide Missouri!
Hey Scotty, remember those dirty films
in Barracas? They didnt leave much to
the imagination! Eh?
He scribbles. He says something inaudible.
laughs.

He

Breathe the life into you Scotty, and

breathe out the sickness!
He scribbles.
51 | P a g e

52

Therell be good days ahead. Scotty?

Scotty? Speak to me!
He scribbles. He looks t what he has written.
Yes. Yes, thatll work. Thatll work fine.
With another chanty or two.
He pulls out the money Driscoll has given him,
fingers it, grins, exits.
FADE.

Scene 12. Next morning.

THE BACKROOM. LOUIS, YANK and ASHLEIGH are there,
as usual, in their usual positions, drinking.
EUGENE enters, at speed, elated, high, ebullient.
EUGENE

Im in the money my friends! Lets live!

He goes to the bar.

Im shouting the bar, Barman! Whatever
they want!
They are not slow to respond, basically rushing the
bar. Eugene pulls out wads of bills and literally
throws them over the bar.
There we are Barman, keep the change!
52 | P a g e

53

As Louis leaves the bar, cradling his drink, Eugene

grabs him and dances with him: Louis spills some of
his drink.
Barman, another drink for my friend Louis!
LOUIS

Its alright, really, Ive still got most

of it.

But he sucks at his drink as if Eugene may be about

to dance with him again.
The others return to their places, drinking,
laughing, grinning. None of them thank Eugene.
Eugene takes Louis by the elbow, and takes him aside.
He pulls out his wad and peels off most of it. Then
he puts the bills he has peeled off back with the wad
and thrusts the whole wad into Louis hands.
EUGENE

Here, I want you to have this.

LOUIS

No, I cant!

EUGENE

You can! You must! Louis, youve been a

good friend to me. Weve sailed together,
that means something!

LOUIS

Where did you get the money?

EUGENE

On the horses.

LOUIS

That much?

EUGENE

Do not look a gift horse in the mouth, my

friend. Old Chinese proverb.

LOUIS

I sure could do with it. I got some money

from home, but its gone, I dont know what

53 | P a g e

54

happened to it.
EUGENE

Well, remember how hard this was to come

by, and spend it accordingly.

Louis grins at him.

LOUIS

Spending moneys the only thing Im good

at.

Enter DRISCOLL. He looks at Eugene. Eugene moves away

from Louis, who is visibly putting the money into a
wallet.
EUGENE

I ... Louis was ...

Driscoll moves to the table.

DRISCOLL

I see everyones got a dhrink.

Eugene searches in his pockets: nothing. He looks

sheepish as if the floor should swallow him.
EUGENE

I ... gave the barman some money.

Without speaking, Driscoll moves to the bar.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

I say: lets start the rehearsal!

YANK

You got some words for us to say?

EUGENE

That I have!

He waves the piece of paper.

DRISCOLL

Then lets do it!

They all start moving tables and chairs, confusingly,

bumping into each other, no one quite sure what to
do.
54 | P a g e

55

DRISCOLL

Lets have some chaos here. My friends, we

move dese tables into a semi circle. Thats
half a circle. Doesnt matter which half,
OK?

They start moving tables and chairs into a semi

circle, as he directs. Eugene picks up his drink.
EUGENE

To life!

CROSSFADE. Eugene crosses to Past, recostuming.

Scene 13. Flashback.

EUGENE at 20 with his father JAMES. Both are tense,

avoiding eye contact, resentful.
EUGENE

Dad, Im exhausted!

JAMES

Youll get stronger Son. It grows on you,

the touring. And your acting is getting
better.

EUGENE

My acting is pitiful.

James grasps his son by the shoulders.

JAMES

Have courage, son, have patience.

Eugene moves away.

EUGENE
PAUSE.
55 | P a g e

Do you tour to get away from Mother?

56

JAMES

I did not hear you say that.

EUGENE

Shouldnt we be at home, helping her?

PAUSE.
JAMES

And what if shes beyond help?

EUGENE

We cant think like that!

PAUSE.
JAMES

If I thought there was a way to help

her ...

EUGENE

So you run away.

JAMES

And at the mature age of twenty, youre

in a position to sit in judgement on me?

EUGENE

I dont know, Father. Im just trying to

... find the right thing to do.

JAMES

You may think it acceptable to insult

your father. But I dont.

Exit James.
EUGENE

Father! Talk to me! Dont just run! We

have to find a way!

He stares helplessly after his father.

CEOSSFADE. Eugene to backroom bar.

LIGHTS.
56 | P a g e

57

Scene 14.

Later.

THE BACKROOM. EUGENE, YANK, DRISCOLL, ASHLEIGH,

LOUIS.
EUGENE is marshalling the troops. DRISCOLL, YANK,
ASHLEIGH and LOUIS manoeuvre confusedly.
EUGENE

No, Louis, not there, I want you here.

He points. Louis, rolling his eyes, goes to where

Eugene points.
And Dris, if you dont mind, over here.
Because you block out Ashleigh.
ASHLEIGH

Ashleigh doesnt mind being blocked out!

EUGENE

Ashleigh can do what hes told, for once.

ASLEIGH

I beg your pardon!

DRISCOLL Do you want us to be thrown out of the

backroom?
ASHLEIGH

Aye aye, sir!

EUGENE

This is our sketch, it has to work!

EUGENE

OK ... everyones in place. Now, you all

have the words I wrote out for you?

ASHLEIGH

Which we cant read!

He sees Driscoll turn toward him.

Aye aye, Sir!
EUGENE
57 | P a g e

Are we ready?

58

They all murmur yes. Yank is lying down on a table,

looking sick. The other men are gathered round him.
OK, we start the rehearsal! So Ill say:
Ladies and gentlemen ... the Backroom
Players now take great pleasure in
presenting to you ... a sketch
of life at sea! Its called The Dying
Sailor! Start the sketch!
The men look at him, do nothing.
I said: start the sketch!
YANK

Who starts?

EUGENE

Driscoll!

They all look toward Driscoll, who is stage struck,

open mouthed, staring out at the audience, who double
as the audience at the Sailors Opera in 1910.
Dris!
Driscoll does not respond. Eugene goes to him, taps
him on the shoulder.
Driscoll turns his head slowly to stare at Eugene.
Suddenly.
DRISCOLL

Oh! Right!

He reads slowly and painfully from his sheet of

paper: obviously a man who left school very young.
Scotty! Scotty! Hold on there, Scotty!
EUGENE
58 | P a g e

Just hold on, Scotty!

59

DRISCOLL

I said that.

EUGENE

No you said ... anyway go on.

DRISCOLL

Hold onto ... whats the next word?

Eugene goes to him, exasperatedly.

EUGENE

Life. Hold onto life.

DRISCOLL

Oh,

EUGENE

Scotty.

DRISCOLL

Scotty.

roight. Hold onto life, now.

PAUSE. They all look at each other, petrified.

DRISCOLL

Remember those sea chanties we used

to sing?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Yank, you say yeah.

YANK

Yeah.

EUGENE

Dris, now you sing.

DRISCOLL

I cant sing.

EUGENE

You told me you could!

DRISCOLL

I thought you said dhrink!

EUGENE

Ash?

ASHLEIGH

Count me out.

EUGENE

Alright, Ill do it.

He sings.
Shenandoah, I love your daughter.
59 | P a g e

60

A-way, you rollin river!

For her, Id cross your waters.
Away, so far away,
Across the wide Missouri!
DRISCOLL

Is this me now?

EUGENE

Yep!

DRISCOLL

Hey Scotty, remember those dirty films

we used to see in Barracas?

Louis timidly approaches Eugene, tugs his sleeve.

LOUIS

Eugene?

EUGENE

Not now Louis. Ash, its your line.

LOUIS

Eugene, do I get something to say?

EUGENE

Louis, you said you didnt want words!

LOUIS

But I like your words.

EUGENE

Oh for Gods sake. Alright, you can say

the next line. Sorry Ash.

He hands Louis his sheet, and points.

Here.
Louis reads it carefully, speaks in a cultivated New
England accent.
LOUIS

They didnt leave much to the imagination,

did they?

HE STOPS.
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61

Louis beams with pride, looks out at the audience for

applause, gets none. By now the room is quiet, and
the piano stops.
EUGENE

And ...?

DRISCOLL

Oh. Remember being out on the open deck,

the wind and the salt air, and the waves
rolling forever into the distance ..
Meanwhile, Im down in da stokehold feedin
the damn furnace!

EUGENE

Ash?

ASHLEIGH

Breathe the life into you Scotty, and

breathe out the sickness!

EUGENE

Well done! And ...?

ASHLEIGH

Oh. Therell be good days ahead. Is that

the best line you could come up with
Eugene? Therell be good days
ahead? Why not something about breathing
the freedom of life at sea, on the immense
expanse of the wide, blue ocean?

EUGENE

Thank you Ashleigh, Ill certainly bear

that in mind for when it hits Broadway.
Now, Yank, you try to raise yourself
into a sitting position.

Yank does.
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62

You gasp.
Yank does.
You groan.
Yank lets out a hideous bellow.
A groan will suffice. And then you flop
back, dead.
YANK

Dont I get more to say? Just yeah,

thats it?

EUGENE

OK, you can say now I leave this stinking

ship, and my spirit can fly free over the
clean, pure, vast ocean that I love

YANK

Hey, hey, one at a time. Talk me trough

it.

EUGENE

Now I leave this stinking ship.

YANK

(Mechanically) Now I leave this stinking

ship.

EUGENE

Ahhh ... what was it ? ... Oh yeah; and

my spirit can fly free.

YANK

And my spirit can fly free.

EUGENE

Over the clean, pure, vast ocean that I

love.

YANK

Over the ... (he cant keep a straight

face) the clean

62 | P a g e

(he starts to laugh, tries

63

to suppress it) ... the ocean ... love.

He laughs uncontrollably. Then, remembering, he flops
back, dead.
EUGENE

And .. Dris ...

DRISCOLL

Oh. Ahhh ... Scotty, speak to me! Scotty?

Scotty?

EUGENE

Hes gone.

DRISCOLL

Hes gone.

EUGENE

And ... curtain.

They all look at him.

DRISCOLL

What curtain?

EUGENE

Thats the end, the sailors dead.

Yank sits up.

YANK

I wanna drink!

Eugene pushes him back down, and turns to the

audience.
EUGENE

The sailor is now dead. The end!

SILENCE. They all look at each other.

Enter GANGSTER, stony faced. After a moment, he
breaks into a smile.
GANGSTER

That was very good. You may continue

to drink here, for now. Who has written
this?

No one tells him.

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64

He becomes menacing in tone.

Who has written this?
PAUSE.
Do you want to drink in this bar?
EUGENE

OK, I wrote it. I know its crap.

GANGSTER

Then you are not as much a fool as I

thought. You must do another one.

Driscoll to Gangster.
DRISCOLL

I can pay, so that we can keep on drinkin

here.

GANGSTER

It will not be necessary. If your friend

can write more sketches, you may keep
drinking here. And I want you to present
this sketch to the scum out there, my
patrons.

DRISCOLL

Eugene, here, is a foine writer.

Exit Gangster.
Eugene rushes up to Driscoll.
EUGENE

I can fight our own battles!

DRISCOLL

No. You can only start battles, which you

are unable to finish. But now is the time
for you to celebrate. It is possible to be
a winner, Eugene.

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65

The men, and Maria, turn to each other,

congratulating each other, and in particular they
gather round Eugene, congratulating him. Maria hugs
him.
MARIA

It was wonderful!

DRISCOLL

You are a man of many talents, are you not?

Those sailors will really understood what
it is about!

EUGENE

I wouldnt say that sketch was very

talented.

DRISCOLL

Well, now, you can be wrong, you know,

strange though that might sound.

Eugene looks at him, smiles.

YANK

Hey, fellas, do you know what Im gonna do

to make some dough? Im gonna do a robbery!
Whos in with me? How about it Eugene?

EUGENE

Is it safe to rob a bank?

YANK

Oh sure! Nothing could be safer. The guard

might shoot you, the customers might grab
you, the police might come, how safe you
wanna be?

EUGENE

How much would you get?

YANK

You gotta lotta questions. Who cares? We

steal, we eat. Whatve you eaten today?

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66

EUGENE

It would have to be worthwhile.

YANK

Eugene, youre on your uppers. You got no

money, no prospects, no nothin. How
worthwhile is that? Are you in?

EUGENE

I dont know. Im tempted.

Driscoll and Louis join them.

YANK

Eugene and I are gonna rob a bank! Am I

right?

EUGENE

I havent said that yet. I want to write

another sketch.

DRISCOLL

You loiked doin that one?

EUGENE

Yeah, actually I did.

YANK

How much moneys that gonna make ya?

EUGENE indicates none with a gesture.

YANK

And whatre you havin for dinner tonight?

Lamb veal, with roast potatoes, green
beans, mustard sauce, a nice bottle o
wine, and dessert to follow?

They all groan at the thought of real food.

EUGENE

Let me think about it.

YANK

Aw, nuts. Ya think about somethin, you can

always think of a reason not to do it!

He turns away.
66 | P a g e

67

DRISCOLL

Thats enough Yank. This is Eugenes night.

Hes bought us time to enjoy our little
bar! All hail Eugene!

The others agree, grinning.

Eugene picks up his glass, puts it to his lips and
starts to drink. MARIA stares at Eugene as he drains
his drink. The others fall silent, afraid for Eugene.
MARIA

Eugene!

He drops his glass on the table and whirls toward

her.
What do you think you are doing?
EUGENE

Im ... celebrating. Rehearsing.

MARIA

Rehearsing? For a life in the gutter?

Is

this the height of your ambition? Getting

drunk with these ... bums?
The men all gasp, look at each other.
EUGENE

Maria ... these are my ...

MARIA

What? Friends? And what are they doing for

you? That friends might do?

EUGENE

Theyre celebrating with me.

MARIA

Well I am glad of that, but no if you start

to drink. I know you can no stop.

YANK

He bought us all drinks.

MARIA

And where, pray, did you get the money

67 | P a g e

68

for that?
SILENCE.
You are coming home with me right now!
EUGENE

But ...

MARIA

No buts. Buts are for failures. And I will

not let you mix with failures. Are you
coming?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Fellas ...

Exit Eugene And Maria, arguing.

Scene 15.
EUGENE

Continuous from scene 14.

Do not ever, ever, ever do that to me
again!

MARIA

How can you waste your life like this?

After our talk, I think you weel be
planning for a future!

EUGENE

You said I could drink!

MARIA

In moderation! With me. Not with those

alcoholic men. But I am glad you write a
play.

68 | P a g e

69

They arrive at her room. He closes the door.

They face each other, nose to nose, beside her bed.
MARIA

Well, where did you get money for drinking?

Was it the money I give you?

EUGENE

None of your business!

MARIA

I have a right to know!

EUGENE

None ... of ... your ... business!

MARIA

Then do not come to my room!

EUGENE

So is that the deal? You give me solace,

and then you own me?

MARIA

Is that all this is to you? Solace?

EUGENE

Dont answer a question with a question!

MARIA

Tell me where you got money to drink,

instead of writing like you promise.

EUGENE

I promised nothing, Maria. And I did write.

They turn away from each other. Their tone is

quieter, but still full of suppressed anger.
MARIA

I want to know where you got the money.

EUGENE

Ive written the sketch! We agreed to do

it, for the Gangster.

MARIA

Where?

EUGENE

On the park bench, what does it matter?

MARIA

The money!

69 | P a g e

70

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Not that its any of your business, but

Driscoll loaned me ...

MARIA

Driscoll! He give you money?

EUGENE

Not gave, loaned.

MARIA

Oh, until you resume your million dollar

career! And where is the money I give you?

EUGENE

I owed drinks to all those men.

MARIA

And what did you have to do to get this ...

loan?

EUGENE

How dare you!

MARIA

There is nothing you can tell me about a

sailors life.

EUGENE

Driscoll helps people, men like me, going

through hard times.

MARIA

To take money from a poor man like yourself

... you should be ashame!

EUGENE

Im not ashamed to live!

MARIA

You are a whore!

EUGENE

So is that why you took me in? Birds of a

feather?

She slaps his face.

PAUSE.
70 | P a g e

71

Alright. Im sorry. But youre going about

this the wrong way.
MARIA

You gave away the money I gave you also.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

No.

PAUSE.
A little.
PAUSE.
Some.
PAUSE.
Yes. Are you satisfied?
PAUSE.
MARIA

You are the most stubborn man I ever meet.

EUGENE

Ill take that as a compliment.

She gives him some money.

MARIA

For you, alone.

EUGENE

You know, one day youll all be wanting to

know me.

MARIA

Oh yes, like that is going to happen!

She laughs.
PAUSE.
Well Eugene, I can lead a horse to water
... but , he have to want to drink.
71 | P a g e

72

EUGENE

Ah, but you see, I need a reason to do it!

MARIA

Well ...make one up.

He stares at her.
EUGENE

You just dont understand, do you?

MARIA

You are in trouble, Eugene! What is wrong?

EUGENE

What is wrong? What is wrong? You ask me

that? Look around. Look at ... everything
... the world, your bar, anywhere ... what
do you see?

MARIA

I see ... men and women. Life.

EUGENE

Let me tell you what you see. You see

suffering. Everywhere, everyone, all day,
all night! People cry out for help, they go
to their churches, they pray for good
fortune, they work, they struggle. I see it
in my family. We had money, my father was
famous, and yet ...

PAUSE.
I cant stand it, you know. I just cant
stand it! I said to myself: Ill travel,
Ill leave it all behind me.
PAUSE.
Its alright, forget it.
72 | P a g e

Ive had too much

73

to drink. I think Ill sleep at Driscolls

tonight.
EXIT Eugene.
She kicks the bed, fights back tears.
FADE.

Scene 16.
THE BACKROOM. THE MEN are still congratulating each
other and drinking, Maria with them.
EUGENE

My sketch was lousy, why wont somebody

say it?

The men stop talking and turn toward Eugene.

DRISCOLL

Whats wrong?

EUGENE

I ... I cant write, can I?

DRISCOLL

You made us all go quiet, and thats

somethin I never seen before.

EUGENE

Really?

DRISCOLL

You spoke to men who know the sea. Why

wouldnt we pay attention?

Eugene does not answer. Maria comes to Eugene.

MARIA

Come on.

For once, you do no make me

angry.
EUGENE
73 | P a g e

But you wish I did, right?

74

He turns and exits with her.

Scene 17.

Later that day.

MARIAS. Enter MARIA followed by EUGENE.

He sits on the bed.
EUGENE

Im exhausted.

MARIA

Eugene, I have something to say to you.

EUGENE

Oh?

She produces a letter and flashes it at him.

MARIA

Can you explain this?

PAUSE. He glances at the letter.

EUGENE

Can you explain why its in your hand?

MARIA

That does not matter.

EUGENE

How did you get that?

MARIA

It was addressed to you, at Driscolls,

alright? And he give it to me, in all
innocence. Because you are now here more
than you are there.

He grabs the letter, reads a bit of it, pushes it

away.
EUGENE
74 | P a g e

I dont want to talk about this.

75

MARIA

How could you do this to that poor woman!

Marry her, and then you abandon her!

EUGENE

Now you listen to me: what happened or

didnt happen between me and Kathleen is
none ... of ... your ... business!

MARIA

If you come to my bed, it is my business.

EUGENE

That is a confidential letter from a woman

to her husband.

MARIA

Who abandons her when she is pregnant and

run away to Argentina!

EUGENE

It wasnt ... I didnt ... look, I cant

discuss this with you!

MARIA

What sort of man walks out on his pregnant

wife?

EUGENE

It took me by surprise, I wasnt ready!

PAUSE
I didnt want to be a father.
MARIA

You were still a child yourself.

EUGENE

Tell me this: do you believe in love? Or is

it just another bourgeois slavery?

MARIA

Of course I believe! But is rare. What

people call love is maybe just horse

75 | P a g e

76

trading. But if you ever love, or someone

love you in proper way, not like puppy
then you are free as you ave never been.
You do not need alcohol, or sex, or drug.
He stares at her.
PAUSE.
EUGENE

I think I had better leave.

PAUSE.
MARIA

Then go.

He jumps up, moves about the room angrily.

EUGENE

You offer me your bed, but its not free,

is it? Theres a price.

MARIA

Like?

EUGENE

You take over my life!

MARIA

Your life? You call this a life?

EUGENE

I confide in you and you throw it back in

my face?.

MARIA

It is a surprise to you that there is

suffering in the world?

And that is why

you run away from your family, and your

wife and child?
EUGENE

I shouldnt have told you anything.

MARIA

Eugene, everywhere you go, it is the same

76 | P a g e

77

world. All we can do, is our leetle bit to

make it a leetle bit better, a leetle bit
of the time.
EUGENE

Again, you moralize at me! How dare you!

MARIA

If you are here, I weel speak!

EUGENE

Oh God, what Id do not to be here.

MARIA

Thank you!

EUGENE

I didnt mean ...

PAUSE.
MARIA

You say you are writer, but is no good to

write about people out there, people you do
not know, and yet you hurt someone who is
close to you?

EUGENE

You werent there. There was something, in

my marriage, but it died. I dont have to
live with a corpse.

MARIA

Your child is no a corpse!

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Do you want to know why I left my pregnant

wife? It was because she had become an
echo of my father. Telling me to accept
responsibility on her terms to work as
an actor with my father, to settle down

77 | P a g e

78

and become a family man. I couldnt! I

have these hungers, I have these ...
dreams, these ... I dont know, I call
them my necessities, things I have to
do, things I have to learn, a man I have
to become. Dont ask me to say what things,
what dreams, what man: I dont know! Thats
what Im trying to find out! Alright, I
walked out on her, it broke her heart, Im
not proud of that, but I had to! I wouldve
hurt her more if Id stayed but she cant
see that! And neither can you!
PAUSE.
Doing what my father does would be like
death to me. I was suffocating, Maria!
PAUSE.
Im not here to drink with sailors, Im
not here to sleep on park benches, Im
here to ...
He shrugs.
MARIA

Find the man you want to be.

EUGENE

The man I have to be, the man I was meant

to be.

78 | P a g e

79

MARIA

So, why do you no write about this

suffering that upset you?

EUGENE

Its always the poor. The workers and the

sailors and the prostitutes and the lost,
hopeless desperadoes. You can laugh
at me, but they prey on my mind! But what
can I do for them?

MARIA

It is no their suffering that hurt you,

it is your suffering.

PAUSE
MARIA

I weel never laugh at you.

But one day,

somehow, you must write all this down, and

perhaps what you write weel do that leetle
bit to help some ... desperado. But do not
be like you tell me your father is. He love
his audience but he can no love his own
children.
EUGENE

I am not a child!

MARIA

Unless you help yourself, Eugene, you

will never help anyone else.

He picks up an ornament and throws it to the floor.

She grapples with him, slaps his face. They struggle.
They fall apart. They stand, panting, glaring at each
other.
79 | P a g e

80

No. Eugene, just ... no!

FADE OUT.
FADE IN.

Scene 18.
They are sitting, separately, morose. Eugene takes
from his jacket pocket a crumpled piece of paper.
EUGENE

I wrote you a poem.

MARIA

Yes.

EUGENE (reads)

You are a flower of the street,

You are a child of the slums.

It was Fate that made us meet,
You are the reason I have come
To this wild city:
Where I do not speak the language:
You and I speak our own language
Above all jealousy and pity ...
MARIA

Enough.

EUGENE

Theres more.

MARIA

Eugene ...

She sits up and looks at him.

I am no a child of the slums. My father
80 | P a g e

81

was diplomat in your embassy here.

My

mother worked in a bank. She die and I was

alone. This city is not kind to those who
are alone. I work where I work, because of
my daughter!
EUGENE

Alright, Im sorry.

MARIA

You lie to yourself, Eugene.

EUGENE

One thing I do not do, is lie to myself!

She jumps up, moves about agitatedly.

MARIA

Your whole life is a lie! You here in

Buenos Aires, mixing with sailors and
gangsters? You are from a wealthy family.

EUGENE

Thats why Im here, to escape that damned

family! I read Nietszche to free my mind of
their hypocrisy!

MARIA

Nietszche? Ha! He writes for people

who run away from their responsibilities!

EUGENE

He answers all my moods. Whatever I feel,

and its usually a storm of some kind, I
can find it in Nietszche. Sometimes when I
read him I feel as if Im with him in his
madness. And what would you know about
Nietszche?

81 | P a g e

82

MARIA

Oh, because I am a bar manager I cannot

read? I cannot think? My brain is between
my legs?

She throws open the wardrobe. It is piled high with

books.
In my line of work, I need to escape
sometimes! Here I have your world, your
books. Shakespeare, Ibsen, Strindberg,

the

Greeks ... and, yes, Nietszche.

She slams the door shut. He is stunned.
EUGENE

Im sorry.

MARIA

If I am not mistaken, Nietszche say never

to apologize.

PAUSE.
Eugene, if we are going to share a bed, we
must be truthful with each other. We are at
the bottom in this world, all we have is
our honesty!
EUGENE

Total honesty?

MARIA

Of course, what else?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

I just cant see the world the way other

people see it.

82 | P a g e

83

MARIA

So, tell me, in honesty, what do you want?

What do you actually want?

EUGENE

Want? How should I know?

MARIA

Tell me! We said honesty, yes?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

I want to ... I want to be able to ... to

see ...

MARIA

See what?

EUGENE

I dont know! I feel blind! Theres

something ...

MARIA

Tell me this: what kind of writing do

you most admire?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Admire? Thats hard. I love the writing

of Ibsen.

MARIA

Ah yes, the new writing in the theater

in Europe. I have one of his plays.
Would you like to write like him?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Not like him, but ...

MARIA

In that way.

EUGENE

In that way. Yeah. Yeah, I guess I

would. But ...

83 | P a g e

84

MARIA

No no! No buts. Only what you hope, not

what you fear. Why do you no write like
that?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

I ... look, its complex.

MARIA

Is no complex.

EUGENE

Its complex.

MARIA

It is no complex!

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Well, then, I cant answer you.

MARIA

You must no answer me. You must answer

yourself. You must answer the writer
inside Eugene.

PAUSE. She goes to him, puts her arms around him.

EUGENE

Maybe ... among men and women who have

nothing ... who have lost everything ...
who are despised ... maybe among them, I
thought ... I dont know!

SILENCE. They hold each other.

MARIA

It is alright.

She lets him go, turns away.

EUGENE

Down here, I cant fall any further. My

father cant disapprove of my companions.

84 | P a g e

85

And my mother ...

MARIA

Tell me about your mother.

He turns away.
EUGENE

No. Never ask me that.

PAUSE.
You want honesty? I can ... make love, but
I cant feel that ... whatever it is that
men feel, when they love.
MARIA

Eugene, the truth. Is simple, like always.

I wish I have the words ...

you are so

innocent.
EUGENE

Thats precisely what I hate about myself!

MARIA

So you are here to lose your innocence?

SILENCE.
Eugene, I want you to do something for me.
EUGENE

What?

She picks up a bucket that has been sitting in a

corner.
MARIA

This is the bucket where I wash myself, and

I put there the filth and rubbish of my
room. I want you to take it downstairs, and
pour it into the gutter.

PAUSE.
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EUGENE

Dont ask me to do that.

MARIA

I am telling you to do it.

EUGENE

I cant.

MARIA

Eugene, slop it out!

EUGENE

I should slop it all over you!

She pulls a knife, from somewhere, and shows it to

him. A look of shock and horror comes over him.
Youd stick me?
MARIA

Do not threaten me!

PAUSE.
EUGENE

If it means that much to you ...

MARIA

No, Eugene, I want it to mean that much to

you!

He turns and exits, carrying the bucket. She slowly

puts the knife back in its hiding place. She kicks
the bed.
Shit!
BLACKOUT.

LIGHTS.

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Scene 19.

A short time later.

MARIA is still standing in the center of the room. A

very early version of a gramophone is playing
scratchy Latin dance music, maybe tango. She has put
a big flower behind her ear, and high heels and a
pretty dress. She is smoking a joint.
When EUGENE enters, she begins dancing, sensually,
holding out her arms to him. He stops, looks at her,
smiles, puts the bucket down, and goes to her.
EUGENE

I feel as though Im going to explode!

MARIA

Come here.

They dance. It may be that they dance a tango, which

would be appropriate, but that is a dance which looks
awful unless done very well, and Eugene was no dancer
by all accounts, so it might be that they just do
some sensual wiggling, or perhaps a samba or other
Latin dance. He dances with more energy and
aggression than seems appropriate, as though great
anger is building within him.
They kiss, he roughly. She puts the joint into his
lips. He sucks, coughs, grins, sucks more, now that
he knows what it is. He blows the air out slowly, and
she inhales it. They start to dance more closely,
swaying their bodies in harmony.
They start to remove each others clothes, she
giggling, he in deadly earnest.
The music abruptly stops. They fall onto the bed and
begin to make love.
EUGENE

Oh God, let it end like this! Im scared

Im going to explode!

BLACKOUT.
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Scene 20.

Flashback.

EUGENE with JAMES.

JAMES is pacing up and down furiously, head down.

EUGENE is pleading with him.
EUGENE

I need time to think, Dad, you just

dont leave me any ...

James stops, turns on Eugene.

JAMES

What do you need to think about? You

have a comfortable life, you travel,
you ... express yourself. What ...
on earth do you need to think about?

EUGENE

Precisely that. What I am doing with my

life!

JAMES

What you are doing with your life is

making a future for yourself! Making
a man of yourself into the bargain.
Oh, and I might add, if its not too
impertinent, making your father happy!

EUGENE
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I need to think about what my lifes

89

all about. What I really want to do.

Who I want to be. I need to get away
from America, Dad.
JAMES

Now whos running away?

EUGENE

Just so I can sort things out. I cant

think with ...

PAUSE.
JAMES

With what? With me around?

EUGENE

I didnt say that. I just ... please try

and understand.

JAMES

And Katherine? What about Katherine? Youve

just married her, for Gods sake. Why do
that if youre going to run away?

PAUSE.
EUGENE

That, dear Father, is the reason I need

to get away and think.

PAUSE. James stops and takes a deep breath. He faces

Eugene.
JAMES

Youve made up your mind. Nothing I say

will have the slightest effect. Ill
put some money into an account for you,
and you can run anywhere you choose.

JAMES starts to exit.

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EUGENE

I want you to understand!

James pauses.
JAMES

Do you? Really?

Exit James.
BLACKOUT.

Scene 21.

Late afternoon the next day.

BACKROOM. DRISCOLL, LOUIS, ASHLEIGH, YANK, all sunk

in depression, drinking, solemn.
Enter MARIA, very serious-faced. She is not
colourful, wearing dark red and brown. She confronts
them. They stare up at her.
MARIA

Eugene is gonna go on a bender.

SILENCE. They stare at her.

I said: Eugene ONeill is about to go on a
bender. That is your word, no? Bender?
Drink himself sick, go wild?
ASHLEIGH

I seem to have heard the word.

YANK

Half his luck, I cant even afford a drink.

DRISCOLL

Sit down, Maria. Can I get you something?

She stands beside him.

MARIA
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I am afraid for him. He only just hold on

91

to his sanity.
DRISCOLL

Youre his sanity roight now, he holds on

to you.

MARIA

I am a weak reed, Driscoll.

ASHLEIGH

Hes not yet at the bottom of his Hell, and

until he is, theres no chance for him to
start coming up.

DRISCOLL

Tank you for that wisdom, Ashleigh, now

shut up.

LOUIS

How do you know hes going on a bender?

MARIA

He is a volcano. I can feel some wild ...

thing in his mind! He is angry. He
frighten me a leetle. I think he weel kill
himself.

DRISCOLL

I know all about Catholic guilt, Maria.

Ive had me soul scarred by experts.
If the world doesnt hurt him enough, he
does it to himself. Look, leave it with me.
Ill look after him.

PAUSE
MARIA

Alright.

Exit Maria.
After she has left, EUGENE emerges from hiding under
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a table.
EUGENE

Has she gone?

ASH

Physically, yes, but shes still in your

mind.

DRISCOLL

What turmoil we may foind, when seeking

peace.

ASH

Are you going on a bender, Eugene? Can I

come too?

EUGENE

Im holding on, Ashleigh, Im holding on.

Now, I want to talk about this sketch of
mine.

YANK

Ive decided which place Im gonna bust.

Its the American Bank in Recoleta. They
only got one guard, and hes half
asleep. Im gonna walk in, all cool like,
as if I own the joint, and Im gonna cosh
him over the head ...

He shows them a crude cosh he has made.

Then I take his gun and I say to the teller
stick em up, this is a
EUGENE

holdup, see?

You might think the guys in this place are

all hopeless cases, but I can see potential
in them. They can be heroes, they can say:

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I matter!
YANK

Then I grabs the dough, see? And I hightail it outa there. Am I right?

DRISCOLL

How do you make your getaway?

YANK

My ... oh yeah, well, I can ... therell be

a streetcar, maybe. Dont you worry, I got
it all figgered out! Eugene, you in?

EUGENE

Alright, yes! Im in. Now listen to what

Im saying!

YANK

Hey, thats great! Ya hear that? Eugene and

I, were gonna be rollin in the dough!

He laughs, jumps on a table, plays air guitar, sings.

Im gonna be in the mo-ney! Im gonna be in
the mo-ney!
EUGENE

I want us to peform this sketch that we

did. I want it to be real down-to-earth
stuff, honest, not ... theatrical. Just
like real life, you know?

YANK

Eugene, are ya really wid me?

EUGENE

This is not the time, Yank, Im talking

about the new sketch. Are you with me?

Yank thinks about this.

DRISCOLL
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I dont know, Eugene, whether were going

94

to be able to do this for you, were just

simple sailors.
YANK

I could catch a cab, whatm I thinkin?

With all the money I get from the robbery,
I can afford a taxi!

ASH

Yes, and you can tip him, too, with a

hundred dollar bill. That should go
unnoticed.

YANK

Eugene, I need to know. Are we partners?

Eugene stops and slowly turns to Yank.

EUGENE

Look ... I guess ... maybe ... you should

go ahead without me Yank, if you really
think youre going to do it.

He turns back to the others. Yank stares at Eugene.

FADE TO BLACK as they all drink.
LIGHTS.
Time has passed. Eugene is drinking, hunched over.
His body language is tense, morose.
EUGENE

None of you want to listen to me!

DRISCOLL

Eugene, take us as you foind us.

Eugene grunts, does not make eye contact, sits,

swigs, stares at nothing, just like the others.
I just dont want you to be disappointed.
Eugene grunts, does not respond.
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Is everything alright with Maria?

Eugene looks coldly at Driscoll, looks away, swigs.
The bottle is empty. He throws it away.
Easy, easy.
ASHLEIGH

Eugene, dear fellow, would you like to join

me in sipping absinthe drips?

Eugene responds with alacrity, going to Ashleigh.

They begin sipping absinthe drips. Driscoll shakes
his head.
Eugenes speech is slurred.
EUGENE

I belong to no man, no woman, no country,

Im free!

DRISCOLL

A terrible state to be in, to be sure. We

all hunger to belong somewhere. Freedom is
merely a delayin tactic. Can I get
you a coffee, now?

EUGENE

Leave me alone.

FADE TO BLACK.
FADE IN LIGHTS.
Time has passed. Eugene is now slumped, only half
present, locked inside himself, angry, like a
volcano. Suddenly he erupts, leaping up.
EUGENE

I cant take any more! I cant stand it

any more!

He overturns the table, Ashleigh saving the absinthe

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bottle just in time. Driscoll goes to steady Eugene,

who pushes him away heavily. They tussle.
Driscollsubdues Eugene, for the moment.
Alright!
Driscoll lets him go. Eugene grabs his glass, smashes
it against a table, and tries to gouge his wrists
with the broken glass.
Louis leaps in, is knocked over by a blow from
Eugene. Ashleigh and Yank cringe away. Driscoll again
subdues Eugene in time to stop him harming himself.
DRISCOLL

Enough! Thats enough! Dyou hear me?

Eugene struggles against the big mans grip. He drops

the broken glass. Louis stands, shakily.
Do ... you ... hear me?
But Eugene does not appear to have heard. Driscoll
breaks into a sea chanty. As he sings, one by one the
others join in, until at last Eugene joins in too,
swaying, as Driscoll gently lets him go.
At Catherines Dock I bade adieu
To Pol and Bet, and lovely Sue,
The anchors weighed, the sails unfurled,
Were bound to plow the watery world:
Dont you see were Outward Bound!
ALL

Dont you see were Outward Bound!

They laugh, relieved at the easing of tension.

DRISCOLL

Therell be no more of this, alroight?

Eugene nods.
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Now pick up that glass!

Eugene picks up the broken glass. He is sobbing.
Pick up the table.
Eugene picks up the table.
Now sit down and behave loike a man!
Eugene turns instead to Louis. He embraces him,
crying.
EUGENE

Oh Louis, Im so sorry! Forgive me!

Louis nods, almost submerged in Eugenes embrace.

Enter GANGSTER.
GANGSTER

Whats going on here?

Eugene whirls, confronts him.

EUGENE

Whats going on? Ill TELL you whats going

on! You, Sir, are exploiting the working
men who run the ships that keep this city
alive! You are a criminal, no more and no
less, lower than the rats that infest this
bar!

DRISCOLL

Eugene!

Eugene goes chest to chest with the Gangster, whose

face is like a black cloud.
EUGENE

You exploit working men and deny them the

fruits of their labor!

The Gangster steps back and opens his jacket,

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revealing a pistol stuck into his belt.

Driscoll sings.
DRISCOLL

At Catherines Dock I bade adieu

To Pol, Bet, and lovely Sue ...

But no one joins in, as theyre busy taking cover.

GANGSTER

You are on thin ice, Senor!

EUGENE

Oh, yeah? Well let me tell you ...

Eugene is starting to wag a finger. Driscoll pulls

him back, holding his hand over Eugenes mouth.
DRISCOLL

He doesnt know what hes saying! Hes

dhrunk! Ignore him!

Eugene pushes Driscolls hand away from his mouth.

EUGENE

I know what Im saying! This place is a

disgrace! The drinks are watered, the food
is disgusting, you turn a blind eye to men
being murdered in your bar, you sell drugs
to sailors, your prostitutes are slaves
from all over the world ...

DRISCOLL

Sir, he doesnt ...!

GANGSTER

Let him go.

DRISCOLL

Sir, he doesnt ...

GANGSTER

Let him go!

There is a quiet authority about the Gangsters voice

that makes Driscoll comply. The Gangster steps up to
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Eugene.
GANGSTER

You are a brave man, Senor. If you want to

work for me, come to my office.

Exit Gangster.
Eugene holds his hands over his face, breaking down.
Driscoll puts his arm around him. LIGHTS slowly FADE.
ASHLEIGH

Fancy a drop of absinthe, old chap?

BLACKOUT.

INTERVAL.

Scene 22. Three days later.

MARIAS. EUGENE is asleep on the bed. He stirs,

starts to wake.
MARIA enters, carrying a bowl of soup.
MARIA

Well! Sleepy head is awake.

EUGENE

Ohhh, God!

He holds his head.

Water. Give me water!
MARIA
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Ive brought you some soup.

100

EUGENE

Give it to me!

He grabs it, sucks it in, spilling some. A moment

later, he vomits it all up.
Oh God, give me a drink!
She pours water from the jug on the sideboard and
gives him the glass.
He sucks it in, one gulp.
More!
MARIA

Thats enough for the moment.

EUGENE

What happened?

MARIA

What happened? After we talk, you have been

asleep for three days. You are very
disturb, you cry, you fight me, you weel
not eat. Then you sleep more.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Three days?

MARIA

Three days.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

I was drinking.

MARIA

Oh? Who would have thought?

Eugene slowly lifts himself. He looks awful.

EUGENE

Im sorry.

MARIA

I do not care about your sorry. I care that

you stop to destroy yourself.

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EUGENE

You sound like my schoolteacher.

MARIA

You were like an animal.

EUGENE

We are all animals! What are you, a nun?

Do you want to audition to play my mother?

MARIA

No more excuses, Eugene!

He goes face to face with her.

EUGENE

You know something? I hate you for the way

you talk to me! You live in the gutter and
you put on airs and graces?

MARIA

If you want to be my friend ...

EUGENE

I want to be free of all women, they close

me in, they hold me too tightly ...

MARIA

... Or no tightly enough!

EUGENE

You will suffocate me!

MARIA

I will break you free!

PAUSE.
EUGENE

You will what?

MARIA

You weel look inside yourself, and that

will free you!

EUGENE

You presume too much.

MARIA

No one has ever talk honest with you, have

they? No one ever care enough for you, to
say Eugene, only you can save yourself.

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EUGENE

Im not afraid to drown. A sailor cant be

afraid of drowning.

MARIA

But you choose to sail!

PAUSE.
Your mother, maybe she run from the animal
inside her.
EUGENE

Dont you ever talk about her!

MARIA

Fine! I quit! Run! I no care! But do no

drag me into your sickness!

She turns from him, prepares herself for her

afternoon shift.
EUGENE

Water?

He sits up.
I have to have water.
She ignores him. He rises unsteadily, looking like a
ghost, and pours himself several glasses of water
from the jug, all of which he swallows.
Do you want me to stop seeing you?
MARIA

It is the afternoon. I need to work.

He nods. He holds his head in his hands. She puts her

hand on his shoulder.
You cannot go on like this. You know that.
He nods, head in hands.

FADE.
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Scene 23.

Midnight that night.

MARIAS. She is cleaning off her makeup as EUGENE

enters, unsteady, unfocussed, looking as if he has
seen a ghost. He does not speak, but searches in a
cupboard. He finds a bottle of methyl alcohol,
unscrews the top, starts gulping.
She rushes at him, fights for the bottle, takes it
from him, pushing him to the floor, goes to the
window, opens it, and pours the contents out the
window. He climbs to his feet, swaying, making a
dramatic gesture with his arms.
EUGENE

Its hopeless! I cant do it!

MARIA

Do what?

EUGENE

My sketch was crap and you know it.

MARIA

I do not!

EUGENE

Would Ibsen write that sketch?

MARIA

It was your first attempt, you must walk

before you fly. First you write about what
you know, and later you will write about
what you need to know.

EUGENE

No, my father was right about me. Ill

never amount to anything.

MARIA

You are twice the man your father is!

EUGENE

You dont know him.

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MARIA

If he says that about you I know him

enough.

She goes to him and strokes him: his face is dark.

EUGENE

The truth is, I long for death, Maria.

MARIA

No! I wont let you talk like that!

She grabs his shoulders.

I know you better than you know yourself,
you fool of a man! Why would I lie to you
about this? For your money? For your sex?
EUGENE

You see good where it doesnt exist!

MARIA

I see good where it is hidden from

sight!

PAUSE.
Why do you write?
EUGENE

What sort of question is that?

MARIA

Humor me.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Well ... alright, actually, I think I have

the answer to that. Recently I was drinking
in a bar in La Boca with a journalist
friend down from Boston, and we talked
all night about poetry, and love, and
literature, and he said: Eugene, you write

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to step out of yourself, out of your body

and out of your own little mind, because
youre so intense, and so locked up inside
yourself, that you have to get some sort of
objectivity about your life and the lives
of people around you. And he went on: we
Americans, we hold our emotions in, we find
it hard to express the way we feel. Maybe
itll take someone like you to write
something thatll help America unlock its
feelings.
PAUSE.
How could I have forgotten him saying that?
PAUSE.
She speaks intensely to him.
MARIA

He said that? There, you see? Always it is

the best people who lack confidence in
themselves, and the worst who ave too
much. Youve got something to give
but it is locked up inside you.

EUGENE

You cant make me be what Im not!

MARIA

And you cannot stop yourself to be what you

are! All that logic you learn in your North

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American schools, that is not the way for

you. You are an artist! If you look inside
yourself, you can find the meaning of your
life!
EUGENE

There is no meaning in my life!

MARIA

There is the meaning you make! Eugene

ONeill is not something you are given and
that is it. You can make yourself whatever
you want to be!

He stares at her.
EUGENE

How I would love to believe that.

He stares at her.
MARIA

Your first work of art, Eugene, is

yourself.

PAUSE. He jumps up, moves about vigorously if

unsteadily.
EUGENE

An artist has to break away from

everything that imprisons him, delve into
life, at all levels!

MARIA

Oh? At all level? So next week you are

meeting the Board of Directors?

EUGENE

You live through your body, in your body,

for your body! I disdain mine. At school

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there were teachers who said they wanted to

help me. But they could only do it within
the limits of the prison they were in, but
couldnt see. They were trying to lock me
in their prison with them. I fought them
then, and I fight them now.
MARIA

They are not here to fight with. I am here.

SILENCE. He stares at her.

Eugene, I see pain every night in my bar!
Poor fools of men who drink themselves
stupid, who fight each other when they
should be fighting the system that make
them prisoner. Women who stay with men who
beat them. And then a man come in and he
say: I have a system, it weel end all human
suffering. But it is no a system these poor
men need, it is love. The very thing they
run away from!
PAUSE.
EUGENE

What Id like to know, is how you can live

your life in this human swamp and be so
naive.

MARIA
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If I do not believe in something, I cannot

108

live. Every man and woman need a faith. You

need something to believe in. And you
should start with yourself.
EUGENE

When Im with you the world seems like a

different place.

MARIA

It is possible to be happy, Eugene.

She goes close to him.

I would love to have your child. Would you
stay here for me?
He goes to her, buries his head in her breasts, looks
up at her.
EUGENE

Help me ...!

She holds him.

MARIA

Of course not, why would I do that?

FADE.

Scene 24. Next day.

THE PARK BENCH. EUGENE, writing on a scrap of paper.
He looks up,
thinks, paces about, writes some more.
Enter MARIA, as his mother. She looks vague,
distracted, troubled.
CHANGE LIGHTS: suggesting memory, the past. Maria as
MARY TYRONE.
MARY
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It kills the pain, you see. You go back

109

until at last you are beyond its reach.

Only the past when you were happy is real.
EUGENE

Mother? Are you alright?

But Maria as Mary fades away.

ENTER ASHLEIGH, carrying a bottle. His entry breaks
the spell of the scene from Eugenes past.
ASHLEIGH

Greetings, Sailor boy. Where is everybody?

EUGENE

Theyll probably turn up.

ASHLEIGH

Id offer you a drink but ...

EUGENE

Never again, that stuff, for me. Listen,

Ive written a poem.

ASHLEIGH

My dear fellow, thats the sort of shameful

secret best kept to oneself.

ENTER LOUIS and DRISCOLL.

Youre just in time to hear Eugene admit to
being a secret poet.
He drinks.
And now ... we listen, in raptures.
EUGENE

Have you quite finished? OK, here goes:

(Reads) The music blares into a ragtime
tune
The dancers whirl around the polished
floor;

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Each powdered face a set expression wore

Of dull satiety, and wan smiles swoon
Of rouged lips at sallies opportune
Of maudlin youth whose sodden spirits soar
On drunken wings: while through the opening
door
A chilly blast sweeps like the breath of
doom.
PAUSE
How do you like it?
ASHLEIGH

Sodden spirits I could feel at home in

that world!

EUGENE

No but seriously. Should I continue?

ASHLEIGH

Theres more?

EUGENE

No. Should I continue writing poetry?

ASHLEIGH

Writing poetry should be against the

Constitution.

LOUIS

I liked it.

EUGENE

Thank you Louis. But does it ... does it

... has it ... Oh, I dont know ...

DRISCOLL

Well ...

EUGENE

Its alright, dont answer, I can see the

looks on your faces.

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He thrusts the scrap of paper into his jacket pocket,

turns away.
ASHLEIGH

I know a poem. Be drunk. Be drunk on love,

be drunk on wine, be drunk on poetry. But
be drunk!

EUGENE

Baudelaire.

DRISCOLL

An artist takes a long time to mature,

Ashleigh. There has to be an adult behind
the writer.

ASH

Ah, adult.

LOUIS

I think you should definitely write poetry,

Eugene.

EUGENE

Look, I have a sketch in mind. I want to

tell you about it.

ASH

Ill give you a drink, old chap. And you

can tell us about your sketch. Is it funny?
After that last one, I want funny.

EUGENE

Just one.

ASH

Well, it always starts with one.

CROSSFADE. Lights on Driscoll and Louis, talking.

FREEZE others, as they listen in background to Yank.
DRISCOLL

Eugenes in a good mood today.

LOUIS

You can never tell.

DRISCOLL

Even when you know him, you dont know him.

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LOUIS

Ive never got close to him.

DRISCOLL

So anyway, what do you think about my idea?

LOUIS

About working on the great liners?

Fantastic! I wish Id thought of it.
Imagine being an officer on the
Cunard Line! They wear these marvellous
white uniforms and they walk about the
ship, among all the passengers, like gods!

DRISCOLL

Alright, I know a man at one of the

big shipping lines. Ill have a talk to
him.

CROSSFADE: Eugene, Ashleigh.

EUGENE

Its ... well its about this ... there are

these ... I ... I get haunted ...dont
laugh ... I get these ... you know, my
family,

so much pain ... its ... no,

forget it.
ASHLEIGH

Im listening.

EUGENE

No its ... its not formed in my head.

Its like my vision of Hell.

ASHLEIGH

Well, that certainly sounds like a bellyful

of laughs!

The others turn away.

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DRISCOLL

Hey, look. The Vigilantes

comin this

way.
YANK

Hes gonna move us on.

They all start to saunter slowly away from the park

bench, looking nonchalant.
Ashleigh pockets his bottle. They move off, looking
back over their shoulders.

Scene 25.

Midnight that night.

MARIAS ROOM. MARIA is pacing about, angry, as only

she can be.
EUGENE is almost cowering, yet trying to assert his
body language by appearing nonchalant.
MARIA

I cannot go on like this, Eugene. I give

you

money, you get drunk. It is

impossible!
EUGENE

I was waiting for the limits of your

generosity!

MARIA

You can leave whenever you want. I do not

have a father to stake me. I must work, for
my daughter!

EUGENE

Oh yes, I forgot, the daughter.

MARIA

Do you not believe I have a daughter? Look

...

She takes a wallet from a drawer. From it she pulls a

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piece of paper.
Here is a letter from my daughter.
She thrusts it at him.
Read it!
He looks t it.
EUGENE

Its in Spanish.

She takes the letter from him.

MARIA

Cara is heart, alright? She says Mother,

I love you with all my heart. Come home
soon. Do you believe that is what
it says?

EUGENE

Yes, yes, OK. Im sorry.

MARIA

Eugene, you are more of a child than she

is!

He shrugs, turns away.

PAUSE.
Say I love you.
EUGENE

It was your choice to take me in!

MARIA

Say I love you.

EUGENE

When we started, you said I could only be

your man for a while.

MARIA

I want you, Eugene ONeill, to be able to

say those words.

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EUGENE

Look, can we go to bed? Im tired of this.

MARIA

Oh, you are tired? Poor Eugene! He has had

a hard day destroying himself and now he is
tired!

EUGENE

Why do you want me to love you?

MARIA

I want you to say those words. Even if it

only for a day, you should love.

EUGENE

You plucked me out of a bar.

MARIA

I choose you. There is no much that I can

choose. And I choose you because you are
not like other men.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

I am too much like other men.

MARIA

The one you need to love is yourself.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Look ...

PAUSE.
I get this pain in the head, it wont go
away!
MARIA

You can drown yourself, or you can look at

where your pain comes from!

EUGENE

If thats my choice, Ill drown!

MARIA

No! I wont let you! You will become a man,

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You will find your faith!

EUGENE

You cant make me!

PAUSE.
MARIA

(quietly) Can you hear yourself?

PAUSE. They turn away from each other.

I know what you are doing. I tried to live
a life that was not mine. I married a man
who work for the Government. We had the
child. But I could no stay. It was no my
life. I take her. All of us, we need to
live the life that is ours.
PAUSE. He has turned way.
Listen to me!
EUGENE

No!

MARIA

Then listen to the voice inside yourself.

PAUSE.
MARIA

Write all the play about the man who die on

the ship. It is strong. It is emotion. The
word drama mean conflict, anger, struggle.
Drama make you cry, make you laugh, make
you feel!

PAUSE.
You ave too much feeling for this world, a
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man like you must let it out. Is no for

you, poetry. If you stand outside yourself,
like your friend say, you can write your
feeling.
PAUSE.
You will have no peace until you

do this!

PAUSE.
EUGENE

Ill have no peace, whatever I do.

PAUSE.
MARIA

There must be a moment, like a moment that

come in every life, when you say: alright.
Enough. Then you start. It make me so angry
that you have everything, and you do no
care!

They face each other, she resolute, he uncertain. He

turns away, angry.
PAUSE.
I am nothing. But you dont have to be.
EUGENE

You should go back to your university.

MARIA

I weel still be nothing. A nothing with a

piece of paper. The mother of a beautiful
little girl. This city is full of women

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more beautiful than me. But you ...

PAUSE
EUGENE

You really believe that, dont you?

MARIA

I wish I could write the words on your

brain!

PAUSE.
I was wrong, before. I do ave one talent.
I seem to be able to ...know about people.
I have help other men, you know. Men who
were not so stubborn.
PAUSE
Your father is not a kind man, is he?
PAUSE.
EUGENE

My mother ... there was a time, once. Ive

never told anybody about this. My mother
came to me, in my room, something she never
did, and she sat down and she looked
at me, earnestly, just the way you do, and
she ... I knew she was trying to tell me
something that really mattered. She said
Eugene, there are many demons in this
world that will ... try to ... control you.
And if you let it happen, you just give

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in, the demons will tighten their grip on

you, get their fingers around your
neck, and you will never be able to follow
your dreams. But if you can find some
strength, deep inside yourself, some
... power ... then maybe you can fight them
off. But if not, you will have to
find some where to escape to. Somewhere
that no one will ever find you! And then
suddenly she just jumped up and ran out of
the room.
PAUSE.
And I felt as if Id never left her body.
She is silent, looking at him. She reaches out and
touches him.
FADE.

Scene 26.

Afternoon. A short time later.

The PARK BENCH. ASHLEIGH is being walked up and down

by DRISCOLL
and LOUIS, holding his arms.
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120

Enter EUGENE.
EUGENE

Whats happening?

DRISCOLL

Ashleighs a bit the worse for wear. Were

walking it off.

ASHLEIGH

(drunkenly) I am not the worse for wear. I

wear my intoxication with grace. Im merely
close to my end, and thats a consummation
devoutly to be desired!

DRISCOLL

Were going to save you despite yourself.

ASHLEIGH

How sublime would it be, to be beyond

saving.

LOUIS

We need coffee.

DRISCOLL

And I need a large house with a swimmin

pool. Keep walkin.

ASHLEIGH

Will nobody listen to me? I dont want to

be saved! I want to bury myself in
degradation until I die of it! I want to
relieve my family of myself, and the
shame I brought on them by having an affair
with a man of the male gender. That was my
crime, but my punishment never ends. Oh,
half the British aristocracy were doing it,
but my mistake was to be discovered in

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flagrante, as they say over the Channel.

In a world governed by hypocrisy,
the honest man is the only criminal!
DRISCOLL

Yes yes, the world is on your shoulders.

Now keep walkin. Eugene, if you go on the
way youre goin, you can end up like this
man.

EUGENE

(sings) Im as free as the breeze!

I can go where I please.
Over land, over seas.
Open road, open sky!

ASH

Yes, its so much fun being free.

Ashleigh dry retches.

Oh, my God, let me die!
FADE.

Scene 27.

Midnight.

MARIAS room. She is finishing sweeping the floor.

Enter EUGENE intensely. He paces.
EUGENE

Sometimes, I believe I can do something,

and then ...

MARIA
121 | P a g e

Take me back. To your family. I want to

122

know about them.

EUGENE

No, you dont! I dont. Nobody does!

MARIA

Do not speak to me in that tone!

PAUSE.
Be calm. What happened with your mother?
EUGENE

I shouldnt have said what I said.

MARIA

We are past that. I want you to talk. I

weel listen. I weel no speak.

LIGHT CHANGE. THE PAST. Maria becomes his mother.

MARIA

(As Mary Tyrone) I play so badly now.

Sister Theresa will give me a dreadful
scolding ... Ill practice every day from
now on. But something horrible has happened
to my hands. The fingers have gotten so
stiff ... the knuckles are all swollen.
Theyre so ugly. Ill have to go to the
Infirmary and show Sister Martha. Shell
tell me pray to the Blessed Virgin, and
theyll be well again in no time. Let me
see. What did I come here to find?

CHANGE LIGHTS: MARIAs room.

EUGENE

She became a different person, when she was

... using ... that stuff. You couldnt

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reach her.
MARIA

You needed her.

EUGENE

It was my fault. It started with my birth.

MARIA

That was no your fault.

EUGENE

She thought it was. I ruined her life!

MARIA

You were a tiny baby. She should no have

blame you.

EUGENE

She couldnt stand the pain.

She holds him.

MARIA

It is alright, it is alright.

He breaks free.
EUGENE

It will never be alright!

MARIA

You must write about it. You must write it

out of you soul.

She shakes her head slowly.

PAUSE.
You weel no stop drinking, weel you?
EUGENE

I need the alcohol to stay sober.

MARIA

I weel no beg you any more.

PAUSE.
Im really just like those poor sad men at
the Sailors Opera. Theyre going down with
the ship, only their lives are the ship.
123 | P a g e

124

MARIA

Write your real sketch.

EUGENE

I am writing! I write my poetry!

MARIA

Eugene ... Eugene ... your poetry is not

worthy of you.

He stares at her.
MARIA

It is your excuse for no writing.

EUGENE

Im a good poet!

MARIA

Eugene, would Ibsen write it?

PAUSE. He stares at her.

EUGENE

And now that you sleep with me as your

special friend, do you feel less of a
whore?

MARIA

I tell you before, I weel take one insult,

but no two!

EUGENE

This time, I am not sorry.

PAUSE.
MARIA

It might be better, I am afraid, if you

find somewhere else to sleep.

EUGENE

Then tell me why you do this.

PAUSE. She does not answer.

Working in a bar near the docks. Living in
one room. Not seeing your daughter.
sleeping with strangers. Were being
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125

honest, or so I thought? Come on, Its your

turn!
MARIA

If a man sleep with many women, he is hero.

If a woman sleep with many men, she is
slut!

PAUSE.
MARIA

I know who you are angry with, and it is no

me. If I try to help the poor lost souls I
find in my bar, is no a bad thing! You are
angry at your mother.

EUGENE

Im not angry with her. I just cant bear

what was wrong with her!

MARIA

So you run away? When she need you? And

from your wife, and from your child ...
from all women! You are desperado!

EUGENE

I respect women!

MARIA

Eugene, the only you can do anything for

your mother is to be near her! She miss
you, she love you. I am sure of that. She
can no show her love because she is no
herself, but she want to. She need your
support. You can no be angry with someone
because they are weak. We are all weak,

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126

we are human being! If you want to be

writer, you ave to feel for the weak
ones, you ave

to ave compassion, no

anger!
EUGENE

A man has a right to expect that his mother

will be ...

MARIA

What? A saint?

PAUSE.
You must write the drama and let it out,
Or it weel cripple you!
PAUSE.
Every woman you meet, every woman you sleep
with, you weel be angry with her. When you
drink it is like you pour gasoline on the
flame of your anger!
SILENCE.
EUGENE

So ... Maria ... I can see you are very

good at justifying yourself.

MARIA

This is all you can say? That this is the

end. I have had enough. Get out. Get out.

He does not move.

MARIA
PAUSE.
126 | P a g e

Get out!

127

Eugene exits. She stares after him.

Scene 28. Later that night.

PARK BENCH. EUGENE.
He reads from his poem. He reads it as if it someone
elses poem, which he finds distasteful and almost
laughable.
EUGENE

(Reads)

The music blares into a ragtime

tune
The dancers whirl around the polished
floor;
Each powdered face a set expression wore
Of dull satiety, and wan smiles swoon ...
He puts his hand down. Slowly, methodically, he tears
it up and throws it away.
He picks up a piece of broken glass, left over from
the broken bottle in scene 1. He starts trying to cut
his wrists. As anyone knows who has tried this, it is
not as easy as one might think. He cannot cut
through the skin. With a motion of disgust Eugene
throws the broken glass to the ground. A ships horn,
mournful, echoing. He stares in its direction.Slowly,
he pulls a piece of paper from his pocket, and a
pencil, whose lead he wets with his tongue. He starts
writing, speaking the words he writes.
EUGENE

And she said: I had something but I lost

it. Words to that effect. When I had it,
I was never lonely or afraid. And I cried

127 | P a g e

128

out Mama! But she said : you must not

try to touch me. You must not try to hold
me. I remember that. Oh God, I remember
that!
He stops writing. He thinks.
Enter MARIA.
Hello.
MARIA

There is much I have no say to you. About

my husband. I want you to know, Eugene. I
criticize you because you leave Kathleen.
When we have a baby, he can no ... what you
say? ... he can no handle it. He is away
many nights, he is drinking very much. I
warn him but ... in the end I leave, I take
the baby.

PAUSE.
But then later, friends tell me he is a
broken man. They say he wanted me to help
him, to help him be a man. So I say OK, I
weel try again with him. So I take our baby
and I go to where he is living with his
sister. She meet me at the door and she
says: he is dead. He has taken his life.
128 | P a g e

129

And she close the door in my face.

EUGENE

Im sorry. I wish I could help you.

MARIA

You are writing about your family?

EUGENE

Ill try.

He shows her the piece of paper.

MARIA

It might take a long time to get it out.

EUGENE

Yes. I owe you that.

PAUSE. Maria removes outer garment, is underdressed

as Mary. LIGHT CHANGE.
My mother could

never say sorry. I got

angry with her once, and instead of

actually talking to me about ...it ... the
drug she was taking ... like a mature
mother and son, she fell back on
defensiveness and vagueness. She was
sinking, you see, sinking like a great,
beautiful, tired ship that cant stay
afloat any longer ...
MARIA as MARY.
MARY

FX: foghorn.

Just listen to that awful foghorn. Why is

it that fog makes everything sound so sad
and lost?

129 | P a g e

130

EUGENE

I know, Mother, You know I know.

But Mary is not talking to him, but to the past.

MARY

I must go upstairs. I havent taken enough.

I hope, sometimes, without meaning it, I
will take an overdose. I could never do it
deliberately. The Blessed Virgin would
never forgive me.

Maria sheds the role of Mary. She goes to Eugene,

cradles his head.
MARIA

For you, nothing can ever be the way it is

for others.

PAUSE.
For me, too.
SILENCE. Eugene stars at her, unable to speak.
It is alright. I weel go now.
They embrace, but there is not the warmth or
affection there has been between them. Eugene starts
to speak but she puts her finger on his lips.
Exit Maria, sadly.
He watches her go, remains staring after her.
SLOW FADE.

Scene 29.
130 | P a g e

Later that day.

131

THE BACK ROOM. DRISCOLL, LOUIS, EUGENE, ASHLEIGH,

YANK.
Eugene is earnestly trying to convince them.
EUGENE

It will work, I promise you. Ive started

putting down a few ideas.

DRISCOLL

Eugene, I dont want to rain on your

parade, as they say in your country, but
dese sailors, dey dont want anythin
too serious, yknow? Their lives are
awful, they have no future, yknow? Dey
want to laugh.

EUGENE

I dont do Broadway. This is a serious

sketch about my family. I need to do this,
fellas!

They look dubious.

PAUSE.
And yet it frightens me like you wouldnt
believe.
DRISCOLL

Well, whatever frightens you, thats what

A sailor does.

EUGENE

I saw a play by Henrik Ibsen, it was called

Hedda Gabler. It was amazing, it couldve
been real life! It wasnt sugar coated like

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132

the Broadway plays. Thats the drama

America needs!
They do not look excited. They do not make eye
contact with him.
Enter MARIA. They all look at her, then at Eugene.
Eugene hesitates, then continues.
Will you do it for my sake? Because weve
sailed together?
PAUSE
Can we just do a little rehearsal?
DRISCOLL

OK. Well do it. Come on then, fellas,

gather round. Eugene, whatve you got for
us?

EUGENE

Thanks Driscoll. Well, theres this little

scene, it goes round and round in my head.
My mother comes down from her room, OK?
Ummm ...Maria, do you mind playing my
mother?

MARIA

OK.

EUGENE

So you say these lines ...

He shows her a piece of paper. She studies it.

MARIA

You must not try to touch me, you must

not try to hold me. It isnt right, when
Im hoping to be a nun.

132 | P a g e

133

EUGENE

You see, shes going back in her mind to

when she was a girl at school, do you see
that?

LOUIS

Uh huh.

EUGENE

So then, Ive got to write something for

one of the men to say.

He laughs at himself.
EUGENE

I thought maybe: Jamie could say ... Yank

... no, never mind, Driscoll, would you
play my brother Jamie?

DRISCOLL

OK.

EUGENE

And you say: Its no good. Something like

that.

DRISCOLL

Its no good.

EUGENE

No, but it has to be bitter. Like youre in

the stokehold, and no one cares about what
you have to go through.

This time, Driscoll says it with feeling.

DRISCOLL

Its no good!

EUGENE

Thats better. Thats better. Hey, we can

do this! So then Jamie, he recites this
poem that he remembers from his university
days. Ill do this bit:

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134

(recites) Let us go hence, go hence; she

will not see.
Sing all once more together; surely she,
she too, remembering days and words that
were,
will turn a little toward us, sighing; but
we,
we are hence, we are gone, as though we had
not been there.
Nay, and though all men seeing had pity on
me, She would not see.
Eugene seems lost in a reverie, as though he were
back in the world of his past, living through his
nightmare again. Driscoll touches his shoulder and he
comes back to them.
EUGENE

Theres got to be some way of figuring out

what went wrong. Was there a time, was
there a moment?

Or did we all carry the

seeds of our suffering inside us, and there

was never anything that any of us could
have done?
They are all staring at him. He becomes aware of
this.
Dont worry about me.
DRISCOLL
134 | P a g e

In the end, every man has to make his own

135

bed.
SLOW FADE TO BLACK.

Scene 30.

Later that morning.

MARIAS ROOM.
Maria is getting dressed in her usual flamboyant
garb.
Enter EUGENE. He carries a bedraggled-looking bunch
of dead flowers.
MARIA

What are you doing?

EUGENE

You look very attractive.

MARIA

Am I as faded as them?

EUGENE

I want to say thank you.

MARIA

No, you do not, please.

EUGENE

Maybe Nietszche was wrong.

MARIA

Maybe it is wrong to try to change a man.

EUGENE

Nothing thats done with passion can ever

be wrong.

PAUSE.
She smiles.
MARIA

I forgive you yesterday. Come here.

He goes to her and they hug.

135 | P a g e

136

You and I both expect too much from people.

But do no forget: you have found much
kindness here in Buenos Aires.
EUGENE

Ill try to remember that.

MARIA

I watch you thrashing like a sailor in the

water, and I ache for you.

EUGENE

Ive worked everything out for myself.

MARIA

Yes?

EUGENE

Im going to be a playwright.

PAUSE.
MARIA

(smiling) Oh. That is good. You have

work everything out for yourself.

PAUSE.
You can come here any time I am not
working,

clean yourself up, have a rest,

eat.
EUGENE

Thanks.

PAUSE.
Will you be in my sketch?
MARIA

Sure. I think I like your mother.

He grins.
EUGENE
PAUSE.
136 | P a g e

(ironically) You think?

137

They both grin.

FADE TO BLACK.

Scene 31.

That afternoon.

PARK BENCH. EUGENE is found working on a script for

the sketch, focussed, engrossed. He does not notice
DRISCOLL enter.
EUGENE

Oh ... hi Dris.

DRISCOLL

Ive had some bad news.

EUGENE

What?

DRISCOLL

I have to leave this city Eugene.

EUGENE

What, an outraged husband threatening to

shoot you?

DRISCOLL

Our gangster friend has given me a quiet

message. Leave by ship, or leave by hearse.
Ive decided on the ship.

EUGENE

Something to do with all that money you

give away to everyone whos down and out?

DRISCOLL

Its not about me havin it, its about how

I get it. You see, Ive been in competition
with our gangster friend in the business of

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138

gamblin. Ive been runnin a gamblin club

in dis area, and he takes exception to
the competition.
EUGENE

Very mean-spirited of him. So, where are

you off to?

DRISCOLL

Well, its always been me habit to go to

the shippin company, and embark on the
next ship, goin anywhere. That way its
always an adventure.

EUGENE

I envy you. But ... Im going home. Its

time.

DRISCOLL

Good man. And your friend Louis, I think

hes found his callin.

EUGENE

And Ashleighs going to Hell, so that

leaves only Yank.

DRISCOLL

You can sleep in me room until the rent

runs out.

EUGENE

Will you be here for the sketch tomorrow?

DRISCOLL

Try to stop me. And Eugene?

EUGENE

Yeah?

DRISCOL

Has it ever occurred to you to ask yourself

why Maria did all this for you?

PAUSE.
138 | P a g e

139

EUGENE

I dont know.

PAUSE.
Everybody wants to believe in something.
DRISCOLL

Whatever it is, dont you think you owe her

a debt of thanks?

EUGENE

She knows. Driscoll, Ive decided to give

playwriting a go.

DRISCOLL

Write about what you know. We all know more

than we think. Once you know where youre
going, its surprising how much you do
know.

They embrace.
FADE TO BLACK.

Scene 32.

That afternoon.

THE BACKROOM. DRISCOLL, EUGENE, ASHLEIGH, LOUIS.

Eugene is extolling the virtues of his new sketch.
EUGENE

... Look, all these sailors have families,

back wherever they came from.

ASHLEIGH
139 | P a g e

Which they came here to forget!

140

DRISCOLL

Shut up Ashleigh. Wheres your family?

AHLEIGH

My family, dear boy? Oh my gosh, well, to

start with ...

DRISCOLL

Shut up, Ashleigh.

PAUSE.
Were doin the sketch. Move these tables.
As the men move the tables, Louis comes to Eugene.
FREEZE men, spot Louis and Eugene.
LOUIS

Im leaving, Eugene. I hope you understand.

Im ... I need the soft life, Eugene, the
lush life. Im not much good at this downand-out routine.

EUGENE

Youve hardly been down and out. Youve had

money from home, youve been renting a
room.

LOUIS

Look around you.

EUGENE

Point taken.

LOUIS

I came here for an adventure. Well, if this

is an adventure, Ive had one.

And you

dont need me.

EUGENE

You do what you have to do.

They embrace, and Louis helps move the tables as the

men UNFREEZE.
140 | P a g e

141

They all stop and turn as YANK enters. He appears OK.

He has his arms folded across his chest. He grins.
YANK

Hey guys, look at dis!

He opens his arms and paper money flies out from his
hands into the air.
Were rich! Well, I am.
They all speak at once.
ALL

Hey Yank, thats wonderful! Good on you

Buddy! Can I borrow five bucks?

Suddenly, Yanks knees buckle and he staggers.

Driscoll and Eugene grab him and help him to a table.
They lie him on the table. Eugene takes his hands
away, and they are stained with blood.
YANK

De guard ... I hit im on da head ... I

took his gun ... but I didnt knock him out
...

he had anudder gun in his boot.

EUGENE

Oh my God!

YANK

If yask me ... dats very dishonest.

He flops back, groaning, holding his chest.

DRISCOLL

Yank! Yank! Hold on there, Yank!

EUGENE

Just hold on, Yank!

They undo his shirt, look, look at each other, shake

their heads.
DRISCOLL

Hold onto life, Yank!

PAUSE. They all look at each other, petrified.

141 | P a g e

142

Remember those sea chanties we used to

sing?
PAUSE.
Yank speaks with an effort.
YANK

Yeah.

Eugene sings.
Shenandoah, I love your daughter.
A-way, you rollin river!
For her, Id cross your waters.
Away, so far away,
Across the wide Missouri!
DRISCOLL

Hey Yank, remember those dirty films we

used to see in Barracas?

LOUIS

They didnt leave much to the imagination,

did they?

HE STOPS.
DRISCOLL

Oh. Remember being out on the open deck,

the wind and the salt air, and the waves
rolling forever into the distance ..
Meanwhile, Im down in da stokehold feedin
da damn furnace!

EUGENE

Ash?

ASHLEIGH

Im no poet.

142 | P a g e

143

EUGENE

Yank needs you.

ASHLEIGH

Breathe the life into you Yank, and breathe

out the sickness! Therell be good days
ahead.

Breathing the fresh salt air,

looking out at the immense expanse of

the wide, blue ocean.
EUGENE

Yank, you try to raise yourself into a

sitting position.

Yank does.
Take a deep breath.
Yank lets out a hideous bellow.
EUGENE

Think of your spirit, flying free over the

clean, pure, vast ocean that you love.

YANK

I love da ...

Yank flops back, dead.

Yank?
They all lean toward Yank.
Yank?
They lean back. Driscoll covers Yanks face with a
table cloth.
PAUSE.
Eugene heads toward the bar.
EUGENE
143 | P a g e

Barman, absinthe!

144

Driscoll grabs him.

DRISCOLL

Eugene ...

PAUSE.
Honor Yank by not drinking yourself into a
stupor.
PAUSE.
Eugene sighs, turns back.
ASHLEIGH

Barman, Ill have that absinthe.

Ashleigh to bar. Eugene and Driscoll return to the

tables.
Enter GANGSTER.
GANGSTER

What is happening this time?

He sees what is happening. He goes to Yank, pulls

back the tablecloth, looks at Yanks face.
EUGENE

He tried to ...

The Gangster stops him with a raised hand. He raises

the cloth over Yanks face, replaces it.
GANGSTER

This man must have a funeral. I will pay...

Exit Gangster.
They all sit, on tables or chairs, silently.
DRISCOLL

Well watch him, until his spirit has well

and truly gone.

They nod.
SLOW FADE as they watch.
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Scene 33.

Next morning.

MARIAS. MARIA She is finishing getting dressed,

brushing her hair.
Enter EUGENE.
They stand looking at each other.
EUGENE

There were some things between us that

werent said.

MARIA

Not every thing need to be said.

EUGENE

Ive thought about that. Ive been thinking

about a lot of things.

MARIA

Do no say ...

EUGENE

I need to say it.

PAUSE.
MARIA

You have change me. That is enough.

EUGENE

Look ... Ive been thinking. Why dont you

go to your daughter, now? You must saved a
bit. Shes the lost soul who needs you,
more than any of the poor sad guys you meet
in that bar.

He hesitates.
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Look at Ashleigh and Yank. That couldve

been me, if not for you. Now Yanks dead,
and I couldve been dead with him.
PAUSE.
Whats your daughters name?
MARIA

Juanita.

EUGENE

You go to Juanita. Shes where you belong.

MARIA

I know. You are right, I know. I just ...

EUGENE

We can all get caught in a rut.

PAUSE.
MARIA

Now, it is you help me.

EUGENE

No, now it is we help each other.

MARIA

maybe I go to go back to university.

EUGENE

I wish you luck.

MARIA

You are leaving too?

He nods.
EUGENE

Im going home.

MARIA

Your time here is finish.

PAUSE.
EUGENE

The sketch is only a sketch, but one day

Ill write that play. When theyre all dead
but me.

MARIA
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That is good.

147

PAUSE.
They stand, awkwardly.
Well then, goodbye.
EUGENE

Will you stay for my sketch? Were

Performing it tonight for the whole Sailors
Bar.

MARIA

Of course.

They hug, momentarily, part. Then they hug again,

this time with feeling.
Eugene turns away from her and exits at speed. She
stares at the door. She takes a deep breath, turns,
continues brushing her hair.
BLACKOUT.

Scene 34.

That evening.

THE BACKROOM. EUGENE, MARIA, DRISCOLL, ASHLEIGH,

LOUIS.
Eugene addresses them. Ashleigh is slumped over a
table, a bottle of absinthe before him.
EUGENE

Well, folks, this is it. Weve had no real

rehearsal, but youve all got your lines on
paper in front of you ...

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Ashleigh raises his head, shouts something

unintelligible, then flops his head down again.
... So well do the best we can. Any
questions?
DRISCOLL

Yes, what do we do when the sailors start

booing?

EUGENE

What all good thespians do, speak louder

and take note of where the exits are.

LOUIS

Wed better wake up Ashleigh, hes supposed

to be playing your brother.

Driscoll touches Ashleigh on the shoulder, whereupon

Ashleigh slides to the floor and lies there,
unconscious.
EUGENE

Well, hes already playing my brother, so

well let him off. Driscoll can read my
brothers part. OK, are we ready to roll?

Murmurs of assent.
OK, assume your starting positions!
There is some confusion as to what their starting
positions are, but after a moment they have arranged
themselves on, beside, or at the tables.
FX: Sound of honky tonk piano. But it becomes
abstract, as if from a distance, unreal. The short
scene that follows is played as if it is still
forming in ONeills mind. In this excerpt from Long
Days Journey Into Night Driscoll plays Tyrone and
Ashleigh plays Jamie. (Note: I have reduced speeches
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149

and cut lines between from the actual published

script: this is only ONeills first attempt to grasp
and write down what was going on in his familys
past.)
JAMIE

I cant help being suspicious. Its hell

for Mama, she watches us watching her.

TYRONE

I know.

JAMIE

Around three oclock I woke up and heard

her moving about the spare room.

TYRONE

The foghorn kept her awake.

JAMIE

It was her being in the spare room that

scared me. When she starts sleeping in
there, its a sign ...

TYRONE

Its like a curse she cant escape.

Actors look upstairs. FREEZE actors.

CROSSFADE. Maria steps forward from the blackout to
downstage, and addresses audience.
MARIA

Eugene ONeill returned to the United

States from Buenos Aires in 1911. He
immediately set about exploring the new
naturalistic drama that was revolutionizing
theatre in Europe, challenging the old
Victorian model represented by his
father. By 1912 he was busy writing his
first plays, which were successful from the

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start, firstly in New York and later

throughout the nation.

He is credited with

laying the foundations of the modern

American theatre. Before an artist
can be born, the germ of his or her art
must be conceived in the artists life.
ONeills drive toward drama was born in
his familys distress arising from his
mothers addiction to painkillers, and was
midwifed by Maria, a woman he briefly loved
in Buenos Aires, in his brief year at the
bottom of the world and at the bottom of
society, finding himself as a man, and as
an artist, far away from his family, his
social class, his education, and his
country.
PAUSE.
But not without help.
She exits the stage.
FADE TO BLACK.

THE END.

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