ACT WITHOUT WORDS

SAMUEL BECKETT

SUMMARY

The lone character in this drama—usually a man, but there is

absolutely no reason it need be—suddenly is flung backward onto
the stage. He gets himself, dusts himself and pauses for a moment
to reflect before there is a whistle which stimulates further reflection
and what turns out to be another attempt to leave the stage.

Once again, he finds himself flung back from whence he came

and he repeats the same getting up, dusting off, reflection, hearing
a whistle, going to inspect, exiting and getting throw back onto the
stage.

This scenario repeats itself until once when he tries to exist he

stops and considers the almost certain consequences at which point
a tree descends from above and plants itself behind him. With just
one lone bough and barely any palms, it is a pretty pitiful excuse for
a tree and when the whistle comes and causes him to turn a look at
it, he care barely fit its shadow as he sits down and studies his
hands. As he does so, a pair of scissors slowly lowers from above
him and comes to a rest before the tree. As the man reflects upon
his palms, a whistle draws him attention to the scissors, which he
grabs and uses to give himself a manicure.

At this point, the pitiful palm leaves close like an umbrella being
undone and the shadow suddenly disappears which causes him to
drop the scissors and commence his silent reflection. Suddenly, a
carafe labeled with WATER slowly falls from the sky and dangles,
but he doesn’t notice anything—as usual—until there is a whistle to
draw his attention to the carafe which he goes to stand under but
cannot reach. This failure results in a rejection of the attempt and
more reflection.

The man fails to see a large cube falling from above. Until there
is a whistle. The sound of which sends him over for inspection of the
cube and then the carafe. Reflection results in cognitive awareness
and he grabs the cube, carries it to the spot beneath the carafe,
tests its ability to hold his weight, steps onto the it, fails to reach the
carafe, gives up and put the cube bac where it was.

١

 A smaller cube lands and a whistle draws the man’s attention. He
goes to the second cube and puts it under the carafe and tests its
capacity to hold his weight and climbs it and fails to reach the carafe.
He takes the small cube back to where he found it but then
reconsider and sets it back down beneath the carafe. He gets the
bigger cube, place it atop the small cube, tries to get the carafe and
winds up falling to the ground. Upon reflection, he tries again by
putting the smaller cube atop the bigger cube.

Just when he is about to grab the carafe, it is yanked out of reach.

When a third, even smaller, cube appears, he can only reflect on

its potential before it suddenly flies away. Then a rope appears—
complete with knots to facilitate climbing—appears next to the
carafe. Whistling and reflection continue. Ascent using the rope
which fails as the rope falls back to the ground. He gets the scissors
and cuts the rope, making a lasso. Before he can even try to catch
the carafe in his lasso, the carafe disappears upward.

He grabs the lasso and makes to create some height using the
cubes to reach the tree’s one long bough. When he turns his back
however, the bough has collapsed. This cause him to return the
cubes, one at a time, to where they were and to place the lasso on
the smallest one. A whistle stimulates another attempt to exist and
once again he is flung back.

After further reflection, he hears another whistle, but fails to move

until he starts looking around for the scissors which he uses again
to trim his nails. Then he lays the scissors on one of the cubes and
starts to trail his finger up and down his neck. The small cube
disappeared, carrying away the rope and scissors. When he
reaches for the scissors, he realizes they are gone. He sits down on
the big cube until it’s pulled out from under him and flies away. Lying
on his side, he fails to move when the carafe suddenly comes to a
rest a few feet away. A whistle and the water draws nearer to his
face. Then the carafe is pulled up and disappears.

The bough of the tree lifts back into place and the palms reopen
as the shadow returns. No movement from the man so the tree is
pulled up and disappears.

The man just sits there looking at his hands.

٢

 ‫ﻣﺳرﺣﯾﺔ دون ﻛﻠﻣﺎت‬

‫ﺻﻣوﺋﯾل ﺑﯾﻛﯾت‬

‫ﻣﻠﺧص‬

‫اﻟﺷﺧﺻﯾﺔ اﻟوﺣﯾدة ﻓﻲ ھذه اﻟدراﻣﺎ ‪ -‬ﻋﺎدة ﻣﺎ ﺗﻛون رﺟل ‪ ،‬وﻟﻛن ﻻ ﯾوﺟد ﺳﺑب ﻋﻠﻰ اﻹطﻼق ﻟﺿرورة ذﻟك ‪ -‬ﻓﺟﺄة‬
‫ﺗراﺟﻌت ﻟﻠﺧﻠف ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻣﺳرح‪ .‬إﻧﮫ ﯾﺣﺻل ﻋﻠﻰ ﻧﻔﺳﮫ ‪ ،‬وﯾﻧﻔض اﻟﻐﺑﺎر ﻋن ﻧﻔﺳﮫ وﯾﺗوﻗف ﻟﻠﺣظﺔ ﻟﻠﺗﻔﻛﯾر ﻗﺑل أن ﺗﺻدر‬
‫ﺻﺎﻓرة ﺗﺣﻔز ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣزﯾد ﻣن اﻟﺗﻔﻛﯾر وﻣﺎ ﯾﺗﺑﯾن أﻧﮫ ﻣﺣﺎوﻟﺔ أﺧرى ﻟﻣﻐﺎدرة اﻟﻣﺳرح‪.‬‬
‫ﻣرة أﺧرى ‪ ،‬ﯾﺟد ﻧﻔﺳﮫ ﻣﻘﻠﺑًﺎ إﻟﻰ اﻟﺧﻠف ﻣن ﺣﯾث أﺗﻰ وﯾﻛرر ﻧﻔس اﻻﺳﺗﯾﻘﺎظ ‪ ،‬وإزاﻟﺔ اﻟﻐﺑﺎر ‪ ،‬واﻟﺗﻔﻛﯾر ‪ ،‬وﺳﻣﺎع‬
‫ﺻﺎﻓرة ‪ ،‬واﻟذھﺎب ﻟﻠﺗﻔﺗﯾش ‪ ،‬واﻟﺧروج ‪ ،‬واﻟﻌودة إﻟﻰ اﻟﻣﻧﺻﺔ‪.‬‬
‫ھذا اﻟﺳﯾﻧﺎرﯾو ﯾﻛرر ﻧﻔﺳﮫ ﻣرة واﺣدة ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﯾﺣﺎول اﻟوﺟود ‪ ،‬ﯾﺗوﻗف وﯾﺄﺧذ ﻓﻲ اﻻﻋﺗﺑﺎر اﻟﻌواﻗب ﺷﺑﮫ اﻟﻣؤﻛدة اﻟﺗﻲ‬
‫ﻋﻧدھﺎ ﺗﻧزل اﻟﺷﺟرة ﻣن اﻷﻋﻠﻰ وﺗزرع ﻧﻔﺳﮭﺎ ﺧﻠﻔﮫ‪ .‬ﻣﻊ ﻏﺻن واﺣد ﻓﻘط وﺑﺎﻟﻛﺎد أي ﻧﺧﯾل ‪ ،‬إﻧﮫ ﻋذر ﻣﺛﯾر ﻟﻠﺷﻔﻘﺔ ﻟﺷﺟرة‬
‫وﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﺗﺄﺗﻲ اﻟﺻﺎﻓرة وﺗﺳﺑﺑﮫ ﻓﻲ إﻟﻘﺎء ﻧظرة ﻋﻠﯾﮭﺎ ‪ ،‬ﻓﺈﻧﮫ ﻻ ﯾﻛﺎد ﯾﺗﻧﺎﺳب ﻣﻊ ظﻠﮭﺎ وھو ﯾﺟﻠس وﯾدرس ﯾدﯾﮫ‪ .‬وأﺛﻧﺎء ﻗﯾﺎﻣﮫ‬
‫ﺑذﻟك ‪ ،‬ﯾﻧﺧﻔض اﻟﻣﻘص ﺑﺑطء ﻣن ﻓوﻗﮫ وﯾﺳﺗرﯾﺢ أﻣﺎم اﻟﺷﺟرة‪ .‬ﺑﯾﻧﻣﺎ ﯾﻔﻛر اﻟرﺟل ﻓﻲ ﻛﻔﯾﮫ ‪ ،‬ﺗﻠﻔت ﺻﻔﺎرة اﻻﻧﺗﺑﺎه إﻟﻰ‬
‫اﻟﻣﻘص اﻟذي ﯾﻣﺳك ﺑﮫ وﯾﺳﺗﺧدﻣﮫ ﻟﯾﻣﻧﺢ ﻧﻔﺳﮫ ﻣﺎﻧﯾﻛﯾًرا‪.‬‬
‫ﻋﻧد ھذه اﻟﻧﻘطﺔ ‪ ،‬ﺗﻐﻠق أوراق اﻟﻧﺧﯾل اﻟﺑﺎﺋﺳﺔ ﻣﺛل اﻟﻣظﻠﺔ اﻟﺗﻲ ﯾﺗم ﻓﻛﮭﺎ وﯾﺧﺗﻔﻲ اﻟظل ﻓﺟﺄة ﻣﻣﺎ ﯾﺟﻌﻠﮫ ﯾﺳﻘط اﻟﻣﻘص‬
‫وﯾﺑدأ اﻧﻌﻛﺎﺳﮫ اﻟﺻﺎﻣت‪ .‬ﻓﺟﺄة ‪ ،‬ﺗﺳﻘط إﺑرﯾق زﺟﺎﺟﻲ ﻣﻛﺗوب ﻋﻠﯾﮫ ‪ WATER‬ﺑﺑطء ﻣن اﻟﺳﻣﺎء وﯾﺗدﻟﻰ ‪ ،‬ﻟﻛﻧﮫ ﻻ ﯾﻼﺣظ أي‬
‫ﺷﻲء ‪ -‬ﻛﺎﻟﻣﻌﺗﺎد ‪ -‬ﺣﺗﻰ ﺗﺻدر ﺻﺎﻓرة ﻟﻠﻔت اﻧﺗﺑﺎھﮫ إﻟﻰ اﻟدورق اﻟذي ﯾﻘف ﺗﺣﺗﮫ وﻟﻛﻧﮫ ﻻ ﯾﺳﺗطﯾﻊ اﻟوﺻول إﻟﯾﮫ‪ .‬ﯾؤدي ھذا‬
‫اﻟﻔﺷل إﻟﻰ رﻓض اﻟﻣﺣﺎوﻟﺔ واﻟﻣزﯾد ﻣن اﻟﺗﻔﻛﯾر‪.‬‬
‫ﻓﺷل اﻟرﺟل ﻓﻲ رؤﯾﺔ ﻣﻛﻌب ﻛﺑﯾر ﯾﺳﻘط ﻣن ﻓوق‪ .‬ﺣﺗﻰ ﯾﻛون ھﻧﺎك ﺻﺎﻓرة‪ .‬اﻟﺻوت اﻟذي ﯾرﺳﻠﮫ ﻟﯾﻔﺣص اﻟﻣﻛﻌب ﺛم‬
‫اﻹﺑرﯾق‪ .‬ﯾﻧﺗﺞ ﻋن اﻟﺗﺄﻣل وﻋﻲ ﻣﻌرﻓﻲ ‪ ،‬ﺛم ﯾﻣﺳك ﺑﺎﻟﻣﻛﻌب ‪ ،‬وﯾﺣﻣﻠﮫ إﻟﻰ اﻟﺑﻘﻌﺔ اﻟﻣوﺟودة أﺳﻔل اﻹﺑرﯾق ‪ ،‬وﯾﺧﺗﺑر ﻗدرﺗﮫ‬
‫ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﻣل وزﻧﮫ ‪ ،‬واﻟﺧطوات ﻋﻠﯾﮫ ‪ ،‬وﻓﺷل ﻓﻲ اﻟوﺻول إﻟﻰ اﻟدورق ‪ ،‬ﺛم ﯾﺳﺗﺳﻠم ‪ ،‬وﯾﺿﻊ اﻟﻣﻛﻌب ﻓﻲ ﻣﻛﺎﻧﮫ‪.‬‬
‫ﻣﻛﻌب أﺻﻐر ﯾﺳﻘط وﯾوﺟﮫ ﺻﺎﻓرة اﻧﺗﺑﺎه اﻟرﺟل‪ .‬ﯾذھب إﻟﻰ اﻟﻣﻛﻌب اﻟﺛﺎﻧﻲ وﯾﺿﻌﮫ ﺗﺣت اﻟدورق وﯾﺧﺗﺑر ﻗدرﺗﮫ ﻋﻠﻰ‬
‫ﺗﺣﻣل وزﻧﮫ وﯾﺗﺳﻠﻘﮫ وﯾﻔﺷل ﻓﻲ اﻟوﺻول إﻟﻰ اﻟدورق‪ .‬ﯾﻌﯾد اﻟﻣﻛﻌب اﻟﺻﻐﯾر إﻟﻰ ﺣﯾث وﺟده ‪ ،‬ﺛم ﯾﻌﯾد اﻟﻧظر ﻓﯾﮫ وﯾﺿﻌﮫ‬
‫أﺳﻔل اﻟدورق‪ .‬ﯾﺣﺻل ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻣﻛﻌب اﻷﻛﺑر ‪ ،‬وﯾﺿﻌﮫ ﻓوق اﻟﻣﻛﻌب اﻟﺻﻐﯾر ‪ ،‬وﯾﺣﺎول أن ﯾﺳﻘط اﻟدورق ﻋﻠﻰ اﻷرض‪.‬‬
‫ﻋﻧد اﻟﺗﻔﻛﯾر ‪ ،‬ﺣﺎول ﻣرة أﺧرى ﺑوﺿﻊ اﻟﻣﻛﻌب اﻷﺻﻐر ﻓوق اﻟﻣﻛﻌب اﻷﻛﺑر‪.‬‬
‫ﻓﻘط ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﯾﻛون ﻋﻠﻰ وﺷك اﻻﺳﺗﯾﻼء ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟدورق ‪ ،‬ﯾﺗم اﻧﺗزاﻋﮫ ﺑﻌﯾدًا ﻋن ﻣﺗﻧﺎوﻟﮫ‪.‬‬
‫ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﯾظﮭر ﻣﻛﻌب ﺛﺎﻟث ‪ ،‬ﺣﺗﻰ أﺻﻐر ‪ ،‬ﯾﻣﻛﻧﮫ ﻓﻘط اﻟﺗﻔﻛﯾر ﻓﻲ إﻣﻛﺎﻧﺎﺗﮫ ﻗﺑل أن ﯾطﯾر ﻓﺟﺄة ﺑﻌﯾدًا‪ .‬ﺛم ﯾظﮭر ﺣﺑل ‪-‬‬
‫ﻣﻛﺗﻣل ﺑﺎﻟﻌﻘد ﻟﺗﺳﮭﯾل اﻟﺗﺳﻠق ‪ -‬ﺑﺟوار اﻟدورق‪ .‬ﯾﺳﺗﻣر اﻟﺻﻔﯾر واﻟﺗﻔﻛﯾر‪ .‬اﻟﺻﻌود ﺑﺎﺳﺗﺧدام اﻟﺣﺑل اﻟذي ﯾﻔﺷل ﺣﯾث ﯾﻌود‬
‫اﻟﺣﺑل إﻟﻰ اﻷرض‪ .‬ﯾﺣﺻل ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻣﻘص وﯾﻘطﻊ اﻟﺣﺑل ‪ ،‬ﻣﻣﺎ ﯾﺟﻌﻠﮫ ﻻﺳو‪ .‬ﻗﺑل أن ﯾﺗﻣﻛن ﺣﺗﻰ ﻣن ﻣﺣﺎوﻟﺔ اﻹﻣﺳﺎك‬
‫ﺑﺎﻹﺑرﯾق ﺑﺣﺑﻠﮫ اﻟﺻﻐﯾر ‪ ،‬ﯾﺧﺗﻔﻲ اﻟدورق ﻷﻋﻠﻰ‪.‬‬
‫ﯾﻣﺳك ﺑﺎﻟﺣﺑل اﻟﻼﺳو وﯾﺻﻧﻊ ﺑﻌض اﻻرﺗﻔﺎع ﺑﺎﺳﺗﺧدام اﻟﻣﻛﻌﺑﺎت ﻟﻠوﺻول إﻟﻰ ﻏﺻن اﻟﺷﺟرة اﻟطوﯾل‪ .‬ﻟﻛن ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ‬
‫أدار ظﮭره ‪ ،‬اﻧﮭﺎر اﻟﻐﺻن‪ .‬ھذا ﯾﺟﻌﻠﮫ ﯾﻌﯾد اﻟﻣﻛﻌﺑﺎت ‪ ،‬واﺣدًا ﺗﻠو اﻵﺧر ‪ ،‬إﻟﻰ ﺣﯾث ﻛﺎﻧوا وﯾﺿﻊ ‪ lasso‬ﻋﻠﻰ أﺻﻐرھﺎ‪.‬‬
‫ﺻﺎﻓرة ﺗﺣﻔز ﻣﺣﺎوﻟﺔ أﺧرى ﻟﻠوﺟود وﻣرة أﺧرى ﯾﺗراﺟﻊ‪.‬‬
‫ﺑﻌد ﻣزﯾد ﻣن اﻟﺗﻔﻛﯾر ‪ ،‬ﯾﺳﻣﻊ ﺻﺎﻓرة أﺧرى ‪ ،‬ﻟﻛﻧﮫ ﯾﻔﺷل ﻓﻲ اﻟﺗﺣرك ﺣﺗﻰ ﯾﺑدأ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺑﺣث ﻋن اﻟﻣﻘص اﻟذي ﯾﺳﺗﺧدﻣﮫ‬
‫ﻣرة أﺧرى ﻟﺗﻘﻠﯾم أظﺎﻓره‪ .‬ﺛم ﯾﺿﻊ اﻟﻣﻘص ﻋﻠﻰ أﺣد اﻟﻣﻛﻌﺑﺎت وﯾﺑدأ ﻓﻲ ﺗﺗﺑﻊ إﺻﺑﻌﮫ ﻷﻋﻠﻰ وﻷﺳﻔل رﻗﺑﺗﮫ‪ .‬اﺧﺗﻔﻰ اﻟﻣﻛﻌب‬
‫اﻟﺻﻐﯾر ﺣﺎﻣﻼً اﻟﺣﺑل واﻟﻣﻘص‪ .‬ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﯾﺻل إﻟﻰ اﻟﻣﻘص ‪ ،‬ﯾدرك أﻧﮭم ذھﺑوا‪ .‬ﯾﺟﻠس ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻣﻛﻌب اﻟﻛﺑﯾر ﺣﺗﻰ ﯾﺗم ﺳﺣﺑﮫ‬
‫ﻣن ﺗﺣﺗﮫ وﯾطﯾر ﺑﻌﯾدًا‪ .‬ﻣﺳﺗﻠﻘﯾًﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺟﻧﺑﮫ ‪ ،‬ﯾﻔﺷل ﻓﻲ اﻟﺣرﻛﺔ ﻋﻧدﻣﺎ ﯾرﺗﺎح اﻟدورق ﻓﺟﺄة ﻋﻠﻰ ﺑﻌد ﺑﺿﻌﺔ أﻗدام‪ .‬ﺻﺎﻓرة‬
‫واﻟﻣﺎء ﯾﻘﺗرب ﻣن وﺟﮭﮫ‪ .‬ﺛم ﯾ ُﺳﺣب اﻟدورق وﯾﺧﺗﻔﻲ‪.‬‬
‫ﯾرﺗﻔﻊ ﻏﺻن اﻟﺷﺟرة إﻟﻰ ﻣﻛﺎﻧﮫ وﯾﻌﺎد ﻓﺗﺢ اﻟﻧﺧﯾل ﻣﻊ ﻋودة اﻟظل‪ .‬ﻻ ﺗﺣرك ﻣن اﻟرﺟل ﺣﺗﻰ ﯾﺗم ﺳﺣب اﻟﺷﺟرة‬
‫وﺗﺧﺗﻔﻲ‪.‬‬
‫ﯾﺟﻠس اﻟرﺟل ھﻧﺎك ﯾﻧظر إﻟﻰ ﯾدﯾﮫ‪ .‬‬

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