The Star with no Name

By Mihail Sebastian and Alex Boican

Thrown off the train for not having a ticket, Mona finds herself, alone, in a rural town at night. Although she is fashionably dressed, she has no money and nowhere to stay. Fortunately, the local schoolteacher, Marin, invites her to stay at his home while he sleeps over at a friend's place. However, an attraction soon develops. Marin, a keen astronomer, reveals that he has discovered a star which is not marked on any star chart. They share a wonderfully happy night together. But their idyll is soon shattered by the arrival of Mona's boyfriend, Grig. Will Mona choose to return to her old life in the city or settle for a quieter life with Marin?

This play was a hit in Romania at the time it was written and has subsequently been adapted for film in both France and Russia. Available for the first time in a new English translation by Gabi Reigh.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aurora Metro Books
• Release date: Apr 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781912430529

Book preview

ACT I

SCENE I

A small provincial train station. We can see the office of the stationmaster, which is also the ticket office. The back wall features a large window and on the right there is a glass-fronted door leading to the platform. Through the steamed up windows it is possible to distinguish the platform of the train station, two streetlights and some freightwagons that have been permanently stationed there. Between the door and the window, there is a large clock, its hands pointing to 3 and 12. The ticket office window is on the left of the stage. A telephone and a telegraph. There are train timetables and posters advertising rail travel on the walls.

As the curtain rises, the stage is empty. The telegraph is clicking and the phone is ringing but there is no-one there to answer it. The door leading to the platform is wide open. The muffled grind of a locomotive can be heard outside. On the platform, a tired voice is chanting: ‘Keep off the tracks, keep off the tracks.’ The sharp sound of a signal, like the neighing of a horse. The phone keeps ringing, the telegraph keeps clicking.

The stationmaster enters, wearing his cap and holding a flag. He walks to the telegraph. He looks at the paper, tears it off and then turns off the telegraph. He picks up the telephone receiver and dials a number.

STATIONMASTER

Hey! Hey there! (No-one answers. The sound of a locomotive can be heard outside again. The stationmaster moves towards the door and calls out to someone outside.) Ichim! Ichim! You better look out for the express train! Keep an eye on my ducks and geese. If one of them gets knocked down, I’ll make you eat it… and you’ll have to pay for