The elsewhere is not a district for miserables

By Rosario Stefanelli

Theatre

MARTINO but are you really able to feel what's in that poor creature's stomach. I don't know and I went away, and I promised I'd talk to her only until she really understood what's inside her stomach. Perhaps it is not that sentimental education that you were talking about. But if when my feet are on fire, I have to shut up like a robot, I don't understand how I can educate myself about feelings. Because with imagination I can't. If it doesn't happen with the experience of life and fuck me and who do I hurt, when does it happen? If I don't hurt anyone, why don't I have to cry, laugh, laugh out loud. Because I have to hold back what's born in my guts. If I'm not here, how can people understand who I am, when I suffer, what makes me angry. There's only one sea, we're all in this boat together. I don't understand why we act like we all have our own sea. You talked about sentimental education. I wanted to understand how you do it, without these premises. Aunt Olga had to shout and she didn't. And if she had, what would you say, that she shouldn't have done it. And back to square one. You said it well before. She didn't give you the material. And you gave it to us? We never heard you lecture us. That's the problem. Did you give it to us?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rosario
• Release date: Sep 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9791221399073

Book preview

play in three acts

The elsewhere is not a district for miserables

Of

Rosario Stefanelli

PERSONAGES

RAMONA

BRUNA, daughter of Ramona

MARTINO, son of Ramona

LAURA, wife of Martino

DON VITTORIO

ACT I

Small villa perched on a promontory overlooking the sea. Not far from the lighthouse. The owner is Ramona. The action takes place in the living room, at the back of which is the garden. On stage are Ramona and her daughter Bruna. The latter takes a pair of binoculars and looks out of the window

RAMONA is still there?

BRUNA same position

RAMONA oh God

BRUNA It will take days before she is freed

RAMONA who knows the people on the island?

BRUNA I saw men queuing in front of the armoury

RAMONA to imagine it

BRUNA And many women stocking up

RAMONA That freighter has blocked the port. There is anxiety. Nothing more will arrive on our small island of Ibsenia. The inhabitants seriously fear that the town will come to a standstill. And who knows what else

BRUNA What do you want to say?

RAMONA nothing. But how could this happen?

Bruna puts down the binoculars

BRUNA and you're wondering mum

RAMONA what do you mean?

BRUNA you know what I'm alluding to

RAMONA oh noo. Don't you dare

BRUNA you should accept it

RAMONA and I don't...

BRUNA Luckily there's Angelo. He's good, you know

RAMONA You can't insinuate such a thing

BRUNA I'm not the only one

RAMONA To hell with these islanders. Cursed was my family who came to live there years ago.

BRUNA should have left earlier. In her condition...

RAMONA will you stop it

BRUNA is not doing well. Some people told of seeing Martino running on the beach like a madman. He was screaming like a madman

RAMONA but if he's locked up in the clinic

BRUNA it must have happened before he set foot there

RAMONA that's enough! I don't want to hear you talk about your brother like that any more.

BRUNA I just wanted to tell you about him and how he is.

RAMONA we all know how he is

BRUNA Whatever, mother...

RAMONA your brother has always been diligent. He loves his work. He would never have allowed...

BRUNA but he's human. And under those conditions anyone would have failed in anything

RAMONA I don't want to believe it, I can't believe it

BRUNA even dad would have done that

RAMONA oh poor son. All the fault....

BRUNA have you any news?

RAMONA From the clinic they're coming in hiccups. You don't know what a worry

BRUNA You'll see he'll recover

RAMONA I hope they haven't given him a room overlooking the sea. Do you know how heartbreaking it is to see that mess

BRUNA Angelo went to see him. He said no

RAMONA that boy will be happy to have taken your brother's place

BRUNA Mom momentarily...

RAMONA It's going to be a long thing. And after what happened with his wife, no one in the village....

BRUNA I have to tell you something

RAMONA he shouldn't have married, he shouldn't have...

BRUNA come on mum

RAMONA I told you marriage wasn't for him...

BRUNA there was that law

RAMONA tell me if I haven't always said so

BRUNA what could you do

RAMONA I have always said it or not

BRUNA of course mother, but what does it change

RAMONA not now, but before for sure. Damned regulations. They keep doing damage

BRUNA luckily she's gone

RAMONA that's not true. It's inside the head of every one of these rednecks. That's why he got depressed after his wife jilted him

BRUNA now that he's gone, if Martino....

RAMONA too late they took her away

BRUNA now that he's like this, maybe....

RAMONA what are we going to do with it. No one on the island will accept a separate farist. They should have removed her earlier...

BRUNA I've thought about it a lot

RAMONA ...he only got married to do the same job as his father. He didn't have to marry her

BRUNA He worshipped father, and he wanted to do the same job.

RAMONA At least he could have chosen another one. Did you see what happened? I always said she was restless

BRUNA by the way

RAMONA I've always said it....

BRUNA There's a circus in town

Ramona turns sharply towards Bruna

RAMONA the circus?

BRUNA already

RAMONA you haven't seen it for years

BRUNA they say it was the don who called them

RAMONA don Vittorio?

BRUNA to distract people. Everyone talks about the stranded ship as a bad omen

RAMONA predictable. What was to be expected from these yokels. Now they will interpret anything as the consequence of this disaster. And that don just goes after them. Good thing I made you study in town

BRUNA they saw her there

RAMONA who?

BRUNA Laura

RAMONA Laura?

BRUNA already

RAMONA and why this alarmed tone? He must have brought us his daughter

BRUNA but if she's always with us. Even now. In fact it's time to go to the garden to see what she's doing. Poor thing

RAMONA wait. What do you have to tell me about Laura?

BRUNA maybe it's a bit of a moment for her

RAMONA for God's sake, what do you want to tell me?

BRUNA she was seen clinging to a guy from the circus. A tamer

Ramona turns away, with her back to her daughter

BRUNA what's the matter with you mum

RAMONA Are you sure?

BRUNA many have seen her. But what do you have?

RAMONA nothing. I thought that while my son is in the clinic and their little girl spends time in our garden alone, she.....Diamine! That's not possible

The woman sits on the sofa

BRUNA you want me to open the window a bit

RAMONA I said it, I said it. She shouldn't have married, she shouldn't. And damn the don

BRUNA Don Vittorio?

RAMONA that's him

BRUNA What's that got to do with it?

RAMONA he shouldn't have meddled. But he never sticks his tongue in and ruins the lives of others, even if he thinks otherwise. 'I only think of my community,' he goes on to say. But that is not the case. Otherwise it wouldn't have happened

BRUNA you're not exaggerating

RAMONA had to shut up when Laura told him she was pregnant. They were young. And instead of preaching that they had to get married

BRUNA if they went there, what could he do... he's a priest

RAMONA keep quiet. He had to keep silent

BRUNA they could not go there

RAMONA it was her. I'm sure of it. She knew what the don was made of. She grew up in that environment. Mother made us perpetuals

BRUNA resentment is taking over

RAMONA an ambush

BRUNA but what for?

RAMONA wanted to get married. Enfranchise

BRUNA free himself?

RAMONA And your brother fell for it

BRUNA Martino also wanted to get married. By that law he would never have become a farmer

RAMONA your father was still in his prime. Martino wouldn't have become a farmer straight away. It was a fatality that Primo died prematurely

BRUNA But it did happen

RAMONA yes

BRUNA his dream. Do you remember that speech at dad's funeral

RAMONA and who can forget it. And when I think that now he doesn't want to hear it anymore

BRUNA here mum, that's what I wanted to talk to you about

RAMONA that he doesn't want to know anymore?

BRUNA Noo wait let me say

Ramona approaches Bruna

RAMONA oh your eyes my daughter

BRUNA what do they have?

RAMONA oh God. Me worrying about your brother and I didn't notice yours....

BRUNA what's wrong with them? The dark circles? All night at the lighthouse...

RAMONA nooo, they have a light....

BRUNA it's hard down there

RAMONA they're a wonder

BRUNA Are you serious? Even yours suddenly look different

RAMONA how?

BRUNA I don't know. Different

RAMONA maybe that's what suddenly appeared before me

BRUNA what do you see?

RAMONA