FOOL FOR LOVE sySAM SHEPARD t x Ree oe Ng DRAMATISTS t Merah oe PLAY SERVICE if ee INC.FOOL FOR LOVE svySAM SHEPARD * DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE INC.FOOL FOR LOVE Copyright © 1983, 1984, Sam Shepard AIT Rights Reserved ee oe cro na kant te det OL islet hd a lo oth Ped tro cas ce eset comer amecoeetameamr noe se ea me ce se a TeREeS Tring pubic readng, mio broedewting, tevaion, video of sound ee Sg rl ry Seen sa rn atl om ct ra ae oF ealogs pemlaion for ehich ras be cued from the Athors “The English language stock and amateur stage performance rights in the United States, itstertories, possesions and Canada for FOOL FOR LOVE are controlled exclusively by Dramatis Play Service, Inc, 440 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016, No profesional or nonprofesional performance of the Play may be given without ‘bianing in advance the writen permision of Dramatists Play Service, Ine, and paying the requis fee Inquicies concerning all other rights should be addressed to ICM Partners, 65 East 53th tree, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10022. Att: Patrick Herold SPECIAL NOTE Anyone receiving permission to produce FOOL FOR LOVE is requited to give credit {0 the Author assole and exclusive Author of the Play onthe title page of ll programs Aiseted in connection with performances ofthe Play and in all instances in which the cde ofthe Play appears, including printed or digital materials for advertising, publicizing or ocherwie exploiting the Pay and/or a production thereof. The name of the Author muse appear on a. separate line, in which no other ‘name appeat, Jmmediatelybencath the tie and in sizeof type equal to 50% ofthe size ofthe largest, ‘most prominent leer used forthe ttle ofthe Play, No person, fiem or entity may "receive credit larger or more prominent than that acorded the Author. SPECIAL NOTE ON SONGS AND RECORDINGS Dramatis Ply Service, Inc. neither holds the rights to nor grants permission to use any songs of recordings mentioned in the Play. Permision for: performances copyrighted songs, arrangement or recordings mentioned in this Ply isnot included in ou leet agicement. The permision ofthe copyright owner(s) must be obtained for any such use. For any songs and/or recordings mentioned inthe Pay, othe son, arrangements, or recordings may be substtted provided. petmisom, from. the epyright owners) of such songs, arrangements or recordings f obtained OF SOMES, arrangements or recordings in the public domain may Besubersten to: Billy PearsonFOOL FOR LOVE (The Magic Theatre of San Fran; duction) was presented by the Circle Repertory Gans? New York City, in May, 1983. It was directed py the act was by Andy Staclin; the costumes were by x Mon, Golden; the lighting was designed by Kurt Landisey, "2% L. sound was by J.A. Deane. The associate directs at the Hebert; the production stage manager was Suzanne Frey Julie the lighting supervisor was Mal Sturch 5 and follows: io. The cast was ay Pany, in MAY... ce ceeeeeee ea EDDIE. vsesverrvevererees so Kathy Baker MARTIN...... wy Denaint a : low THEOLD MAN . Will Maceo Place: A motel room on the edge of the Mojave Desert Time: The present FOOL FOR LOVE This play is to be performed relentlessly, without a break. Scene: Siark, low-rent motel room on the edge of the Mojave ‘Desert. Faded green plaster walls. Dark brown linoleum floor. No rugs. Cast iron four poster single bed, slightly off center favoring Stage Right, et horizontally to audience. Bed covered ‘with faded blue terry cloth bedspread. Metal table with well worn yellow formica top. Two matching metal chairs in the 50's S shape design with yellow plastic seats and backs. Also well worn. Table set extreme down left (from actor's P.O. ¥.). Chairs set Upstage and Down Right of table. Nothing on the table. Faded yellow exterior door in the Center of the Stage Left wall. When this door is opened a small orange porch light shines into room. Bathroom door Up Right of the Stage Right wall, painted red. This door slightly ajar to begin with, reval- ing part of an old style porcelain sink, white towels, a general clutter of female belongings and allowing a yellow light to bleed onto stage. Large picture window dead Center of Upstage wall, framed by dirty long dark green curtains. Yellow-orange light ‘from a sireet lamp shines through. ‘Extreme Down Left, next to the table and chairs is @ small ex- tended platform on the same level asthe stage. The floor is black and it’s framed by black curtains. The only object on the plat- form is an old maple rocking chair facing Upsiage Right. A pillow with no slip-cover rests on the seat. An old horse blanket with holes is laced to the back of the rocker. The color of the blanket should be subdued — grays and blacks. Lights fade to black on set. In the dark, Merle Haggard’s tune, “Wake Up” fram his “The Way Am album is heard. * Lights Begin to rise slowly on stage in the tempo of the song. Volume swells slightly with the lights until they arrive at their mark. The platform re- mains in darkness with only a slight spill from the stage lights Theatr are reales? PNA age ah The Old Maa sits rocking inthe rocker facing Up Right 50 he's Just slightly profile to the audience. A bottle of whiskey in a *Sce special note on copyright page 7noun paper bag sits on the flor beside him. He picks up the trim oe fag tm ef ie i i wy seraggy red beard, wears a straw Mexican gardeners hat witha ‘flat brim (nota Sombrer), a sun-Bleached dark quilted jacket ‘with the stufing coming out at the elbows, black and white checked slacks thal are too short in the legs, no socks, Mexican sandals, an old est and a pale green shirt. Hl exists only in the minds of May and Eddie, even though they might talk to him diracily and acknowledge his physical presence. The Old Man tral them as though they all existed in the same time and place May sits on edge of bed facing audience, feet on floor, legs ‘apart, elbows on knees, hands hanging limp and crossed be- tween her knees, head hanging forward, ace staring at the flor She is absolutely still and maintains this attitude until she speaks. She wears a blue Mexican type full skirt, baggy white Tshirt and bare fet with a silver ankle bracelet. She's in her carly thirties. Eddie sits in the Upstage chair by the table, Down Léf, facing May. He wears maddy broken down cow: boy boots wit silver gaffer's tape wrapped around them at the toe and instep, well-worn faded dirty jeans that smell like horse sweat. Brown western shirt with snaps. When he walks he lips slightly and gives the impression he's rarely off a horse Theres a peculiar broken-down quality about his body in gen- aral, as though he's aged long before his time. He's in his late thirties. His right hand is covered with dirty adhesive tape. He ts applying rein tothe handle of a bucking strap and glove. Song fades at end of first verse. Edie stares at May. He ignores ‘the Old Man. May stays still EDDIE. (Seaed,) May, look. May? I'm not goin’ anywhere. , look. May? I'm not goin’ anywl See? Tm right here. P'm not gone. (She won’ look.) I don't know why you won't just look at me. You know it's me. Who else do you think itis. (Pouse.) You want some water or somethin’? Ta cay oe he kes a eal she as ET ce suddenly grabs his closest leg with both arms and holds Tin ty nat Senta eave, Don't worry. Pm not gonna leave Yin’ Fight here. I already told ya’ that. (She squeezes tighter 8 to his leg, buries her head in is knee, he just stands there, stokes her head x fay? Let go, okay? Honey?| Lo ee had violently, keeps holding tight to his.) ‘She releases his leg and returns to her original postion. Pe fing him to Upstage of Stage Left door. Eddie back off. She takes a quick retreat to head of bed. After pause.) You want me to go? MAY. (Shakes her head.) No. EDDIE. Well, what do you want then? MAY. You smell. EDDIE. I smell. MAY. You do. EDDIE. I been drivin’ for days. MAY. Your fingers smell EDDIE. Horses. MAY. Pussy EDDIE. Come on, May. MAY. They smell like metal. EDDIE. I'm not gonna’ start this shit. MAY. ussy. Very clean. EDDIE. I came to see if you were all right. MAY. I don’t need you! EDDIE. Okay. ( Tums to go.) Fine. MAY. Don't go! EDDIE. I'm goin’. (Eddie exis.) MAY. (Agonized scream.) DON'T GO! (Eddie re-enters.) EDDIE. What am I gonna’ do? Huh? What am I supposed to do? MAY. You know EDDIE. What. MAY. You're gonna’ erase me. EDDIE. What're you talkin’ about? MAY. You're cither gonna’ crasc me or have me erased. EDDIE. Why would I want that? Are you kidding? 9MAY, Because I'm in the way. EDDIE. Don't be stupid. MAY. Tm smarter than you are and you know it, I ¢ your thoughts before you even think ’em, an sme EDDIE. May, I'm tryin’ to take care of you. All right? MAY. No youre not. You're just guilty. Gutless and gui EDDIE. Great. (Pause.) guilty Quidly.) Ym gonna kill her ya’ know. EDDIE. Don't talk like that MAY. (Suys calm.) I am. T'm gonna’ kill her and then 7; gonna’ Kill you. Systematically. With sharp knives. Ty be separate knives. One for her and one for you. So the blood doesn't mix. I'm gonna’ torture her first though. Not you. I'm just gonna'let you have it. Probably in the midst of a kiss, Right ‘when you think everything's been healed up. Right in the re. ment when you're sure you've got me buflaloed. That's when you'll die. (Pause.) EDDIE, You know how many miles I went outa’ my way just to come here and see you? You got any idea? MAY. Nobody asked you to come. EDDIE, Two thousand, four hundred and eighty. MAY. Yeah? Where were you, Katmandu or something? EDDIE. Two thousand, four hundred and eighty miles. MAY. So what! (He dps his hod, sare at flor. Log ante he starsat him.) EDDIE, I missed you. I did. I missed you more than anything I ever missed in my whole life. I kept thinkin’ about you the ‘whole time I was driving. Kept seeing you. Sometimes just 2 part of you. MAY. Which part? EDDIE. Your neck MAY. My neck? EDDIE. Yeah MAY. You missed my neck? DIE. I missed all of you but your neck kept coming up for some reason. I kept cryin MAY. Coyne Pt C76 about your neck EDDIE. Yeah. Weeping Like a little baby. Uncontrollable. It 10 would just start up and stop and then start all over again. For miles. I couldn't stop it. Cars would pass me on the road. Peo~ ple would stare at me. My face was all twisted up. I couldn't stop my face MAY. Was this before or after your litle fling with the Countess? EDDIE. There wasn't any fling with any Countess! MAY. You're a liar. EDDIE. I took her out to dinner once, okay? MAY. Ha! EDDIE. Twice. MAY. You were bumping her on a regular basis! Don't gimme that shi EDDIE. You can believe whatever you want. MAY. I'll believe the truth! Ie’ less confusing. ( Pause.) EDDIE. I'm takin’ you back May. MAY. I'm not going back to that idiot trailer if that’s what you think. EDDIE. f'm movin’ it. I got a piece of ground up in Wyoming. MAY. Wyoming? Are you crazy? I'm not moving to Wyo- What's up there? Marlboro Men’, EDDIE. May, I got everything worked out. I been thinkin’ about this for weeks. 'm gonna’ move the trailer. Build a lite pipe corral to keep the horses. Have a big vegetable garden. Some chickens maybe. MAY. [ hate chickens! I hate horses! [ hate all that shit! You know that. You got me confused with somebody else. You keep comin’ up with this lame country dream life with chickens and vegetables and I can’t stand any of it. It makes me puke to even think about it EDDIE. You'll get used to it. (May enters.) rrYou're unbelievable! | aay em not lettin’ go of you this time, May. EDDIE. I'm HAY. You never had a hold of me to begin with. (Pause) Hoy many times have you done this (0 me? EDDIE. What. . : MAY. Suckered me into some dumb little fantasy and then dropped me lke aot rock. How many times has that happened? EDDIE. It’s no fantasy. MAY. Ie’ all a fantasy. EDDIE. And I never dropped you either MAY. No, you just disappeared! EDDIE. I'm here now aren't I? MAY. Well, praise Jesus God! EDDIE. I'm gonna’ take care of you May. I am. I'm gonna’ stick with you no matter what. I promise. MAY. Get outa’ here. ( Pause.) EDDIE, Whatd you have to go and run off for anyway? MAY. Run off? Me? EDDIE. Yeah. Why couldn't you just stay put. You knew I was comin’ back to get you. MAY. What do you think it’s like sittin’ in atin trailer for weeks on end with the wind ripping through it? Waitin’ around for the butane to arrive. Hiking down to the laundromat in the rain, Do you think that’ thrilling or somethin’? EDDIE. I bought you all those magazines. MAY. What magazines? EDDIE. I bought you a whole stack of those fashion magazines before I lef T thought you liked those. Those French kind. MAY, Yeah, especially liked the one with the Countess on the cover. That was real cute. (Pa EDDIE. Allright. a ma All right, what, (He turns to go.) Where are you going. ‘DIE. Just to get my stuff outa’ the truck. I'll be right back. TAY What're you movin’ in now or something? MA ei | eset Td spend the night if that’s okay. Mae Then Til just leave I guess. while on ant) Wait. ( They stand there facing each other for & Thay anh Sey to eachother. Pause as they look at ech oh ‘ng, tender kiss. They are very soft with each other. She 12 suddenly knees him in the groin with tremendous forcey er ike a rack, She stands over him. Pause.) — (She exits into bathroom, Stage Rig) Same door behind her. The door is amplified with microphones and a ae a etn the frame so thet each time an actor slams it the door dooms loud and long. Same is true for the Stage Left door. Eddie remains on the flor holding his stomach in pain. Sige lights drop to haf ther in ensity as a spot rises sfly on The Old Man. He speaks directly 19 Eadie Fut OLD MAN. I thought you were supposed to be a fan- tasist. Isn't that basically the deal with you? You dream things up. Ian’ that true? EDDIE. (Stays on floor.) 1 don’t know. : ‘THE OLD MAN. You don’t know. Well, if you don't know T don't know who the hell else does. I wanna’ show you somethin’. ‘Somethin’ real, okay? Somethin’ actual. EDDIE. Sure. THE OLD MAN. Take a look at that picture on the wall over there. (He points (0 wall Siage Right. There is no picture but Eddie stares at the wall.) Ya! see that? Take a look at that. Ya’ see it? EDDIE. (Staring at wall.) Yeah. THE OLD MAN. Ya’ know who that is? EDDIE. T'm not sure. ‘THE OLD MAN. Barbara Mandrell. That's who that is. Bar- bara Mandrell. You heard a’ her? EDDIE. Sure. THE OLD MAN. Well, would you believe me if I told ya’ I was married to her? EDDIE. (Pause.) No. THE OLD MAN. Well, see, now that’s the difference right there. That’s realism. I am actually married to Barbara Man- drell in my mind, Can you understand that? EDDIE. Sure ‘THE OLD MAN, Good. I'm glad we have an understanding. (The Old Man drinks from his cup. Spot slowly fades to black as stage lights come back up full. May enters from bathroom. Slams door. Door booms. She is carrying a sleck red dress, panty hose, a pair of black high ‘eels, @ Black shoulder purse and a hair brush. She crosses to bed and ‘throws the clothes on it. Hangs the purse on a bed post and starts brushing her hair. She stares at Eddie who remains on floor. She finishes brushing 13zs rash on bed then slr taking of he clothes be ii elt: rough on toe 45 she speaks o Basa, 5 eb ec ies, she godly tensors om hr fm, re es in cr sx) woran. This ears alos wnat, in the corse of her speck) HAY. (Vag cl quick lest monotone voice.) I don't understand MMelng relly dont I don't understand how I coud hate ry gomuch after so much time. How, no matter how much Joe eae you, hate you even more. It grows. Tcant eves ie vou now. All [see isa picture of you. You and her, I dont eed know ifthe picture's real anymore. I don't even care. Itsa ‘pade-up picture, Itinvades my head. The two of you. And this piatre stings even more than if Td actually seen you with her. Te-cuts me, It cuts me so deep I'll never get over it. And I can't get rid of this picture either. It just comes. Uninvited. Kinds’ like altde torture. And I blame you more for this little torture than I do for what you did. EDDIE. (Standing slowly.) 0 a. voateneg 2) Te EDDIE. Why? MAY. You just better. EDDIE. I thought you wanted me . MAY: Lgtsoneiedy coming toga, EDDIE. (Short pause, on his fee.) Here? MAY. Yeah, here. Where else? EDDIE, You been seeing somebody? MAY, When was the las time we were together, Eddie? Huk? Gan rou remember that far back? ae pee you rs seeing! (He moves violently toward her.) EDDIE, rou ouch me! Dont you even think about i MAY saya have you been seeing him! sete eens dost make! (Sher poue, Hest fi oo ln ‘exits out the Stage Left door and slams it behind ) Eddie! Where are you going? Eddie! (Sort awe. She loks afer Rd Pros Uae { tokens, tie then turns fast, moves Upstage to window. es dun op os bck into oom. She rashes to Upstage side ef erred ‘and knees, pulls a suitcase from under bed, laning doar opea, e Qbes i. She rashes into bathroom, disap eos stint sue me back om with various items of clothing, * starts to go, stops at door, goes to window 14 puts the suitcase back wnder the bed, rashes into bathroom, vee witha hairbrush, sts on Upstage side of Bed, brushes hair, looks rvradow os if tha’ what shes Ben dong all along. Eddie enters Stage Gif las doo behind hi, door Booms. He stands ther holding fen ‘cee shoxgun inane hand anda Bote of Heradara tequila i te oe, Sr tops brushing her har.) Ok wonderful. What're you gonna fo with that? EDDIE. He moves to bed, tosses shotgun on bed beside May. EDDIE. Clean. ( ‘She stands, moves Downstage. Eddie opens the botl,) You got any looks out. She. glasses? MAY. In the bathroom. EDDIE. What're they doin’ in the bathroom? (Eddie crosses toward bathroom door with bottle.) enuf e's safer. MAY. I keep everything in the bathroom. EDDIE. You want some a’ this? MAY. I'm on the wagon. EDDIE. Good. "Bout time. (He exits into bathroom. May moves ‘back to bed, stares at shotgun.) MAY. Eddie, this is a very friendly person who's coming over here. He's not malicious in any way. (Pause.) Eddie? EDDIE'S VOICE. (Off Right.) Where's the damn glasses? MAY. In the medicine cabinet! EDDIE'S VOICE. What the hell're they doin’ in the medicine a ( Sound of medicine cabinet being opened and slammed shut off i) MAY. There's no germs in the medicine cabinet! EDDIE'S VOICE. Germs. MAY. Eddie, did you hear me? (Eddie enters with a tall glass, pouring tequita'into it slowly wntil it's full as he crosses to table Down Ld.) Did you hear what I said, Eddie? EDDIE. About what? MAY. About the man who's coming over here. EDDIE. What man? MAY. Oh, brother. (Eddie sets bottle of tequila on table then sits in Upstage chair. Takes a long drink from ‘does “ EDDIE. First off, it can’t be very serious. MAY. Oh really? And why is that? EDDIE. Because you call him a “man.” MAY. What am I supposed to call him? EDDIE. A “guy” or something. If you called him a “guy” I'd be 15