Till Love Us Do Part

By Elena Chernikova

Elena Chernikova’s lyrical drama "Till Love Us Do Part" is acute in the way of thinking. In this play, love is the lifelong drama for all the characters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BadPress
• Release date: Jul 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781547536016

Book preview

Елена Черникова

Elena Chernikova

ПОКА ЛЮБОВЬ НЕ РАЗЛУЧИТ НАС

Till Love Us Do Part 

A lyrical drama

Characters:

OLD MAN

LADY, HIS LOVER

CHIEF OF MEDICINE OF THE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

OLD MAN’S DAUGHTER

DAUGHTER’S LOVER

NURSE

Scene 1

A garden in bloom. The sun is shining. A gazebo twined with vine, in the middle of the garden. The Old Man and The Lady are sitting in wheelchairs.

LADY

Splendid! Hail! Vine! City of wine! Empire of wine... Inebriation of the high sun which nourishes the vine! Life!

OLD MAN

Oh, yes, you feel everything! The city of light and wine!.. By the way, I am sure (lowering his voice), that he, that... house steward... of ours! (Loudly) Mon bonheur n'a pas de bornes! J'adore la vie! (My happiness is limitless! I adore life!- Fr.; Auth.)

LADY

Really? I do, too! Look at the amber flecks! Mon bonheur n'a pas de bornes! J'adore la vie! We ride the waves of beaujolais! It is forever young, not only in November, oh, how boring it is — that hair-splitting calendar manner of the French... But why do you speak... such... of the doctor?.. Are you afraid of him?

OLD MAN

Be assured, madam, he is a problem. For him (louder) I am but a real traveler... I know the soul of the Earth! But I will tell you later... Prächtig! Entzückend! Wie es leicht ist, glücklich zu sein! (Magnificent! Amazing! How easy it is to be happy! – Ger.; Auth.)

LADY

And it will be so forever... what luck... we can attain it! We can attain happiness! Magnificent! Until death do us part... Ugh, then again, it is an ugly phrase.

OLD MAN

Nothing will part us, my love, my fair lady, my attainment....

LADY

One must live long in Russia! I have only now understood, why my husband said so — God rest his soul. One needs skill to attain happiness! We did it! My dear, wonderful man! I love you more than life!

Music. Listening to the beautiful melody, OLD MAN and LADY bob their heads, as if dancing, and sing along. They are in bliss.

Swaying to music, NURSE enters. In her hand are two syringes.

NURSE

Lunchtime, Mssrs.! I invite you to the table! We have a novelty for you today. It’s an addition to the main menu.

NURSE injects OLD MAN and LADY with the syringes. The latter look each other in the eyes poignantly and fall asleep in their wheelchairs with happy expressions on their faces.

Sunset. Music is flowing.

NURSE

(quietly) Yes, doctor... a great man poses questions, little men look for answers. You, doctor, are a great man. I’m wondering, what answer will they find for you? I want to help you like crazy, dear doctor...

Scene 2

CHIEF OF MEDICINE is sitting behind the table in his office and reading the request from OLD MAN’S OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER, who is patiently waiting on the couch. She expects a positive decision, as she wants to take her father home from the hospital.

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

I’m afraid, missus, that my answer is to deny your request!.. Sadly, rejection. He cannot be taken from here.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

But why? But... he’s my father!

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

It is not possible.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

I have money. A lot. Enough. He will have everything. I will take him to the theaters...

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

It isn’t what he needs. He is not interested in other people’s roles.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

I will buy him a home entertainment system. I will connect him to the Internet. He will have a normal... virtual reality!!! I can take him to the mountains, to the seaside, you said it yourself — he has a strong heart, he can even go on an airplane.

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

Darling, he travels differently, not like you do.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

He will travel as long as he wants. I can do it all now! I lived in Spain, my husband left me there, but I now have two apartments, a daughter, a country-house, a cat, a dog, I have everything! Please understand, he gave me life, and I never thanked him. Not once. Children never say thank you, I noticed.

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

You are observant.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

I need a father! I! Need! A father! My father!!!

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

I understand, I do.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

There shouldn’t be a rejection, something’s wrong. What happened? Why do you need this patient? Maybe, I need to buy (mockingly) him from you?

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

That is not necessary. He is environmentally dangerous.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

You must be kidding me? Do you have environmental police here?

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

No. I am helping you.

OLD MAN'S DAUGHTER

I need a father, not your help.

CHIEF OF MEDICINE

Do you think so?

OLD MAN'S