I will kill the pain

By Rosario Stefanelli

Theatre. For Adelchi, pain is a business, for Charlie it represents his roots, for Cecilia it is a cage from which to escape as soon as possible, for Giorgio it is a necessary consolation to keep going for hours and minutes, for the detached man it is a source of creative inspiration... 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rosario
• Release date: May 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9791220807838

Book preview

Act I

Characters and Performers

Adelchi

Franco

Cecilia

Charlie

The Detached

Giorgio

The Detached Man's Mother

The Son of a Bitch

ACT I

SCENE 1

Offices on two floors in the heart of the cemetery. On the ground floor there is a showroom, bare and raw, paved with sand-coloured tiles and enclosed by very white walls that fade into huge windows, on which long shelves of thick glass stand out. Dozens of urns, complete with photos and dates of birth and death, are placed on large glass shelves. Adjacent to the showroom is a waiting room, which shares its sand-coloured tiles with the futuristic exhibition. In a horseshoe shape, they fill the space of the well-placed purple leather armchairs on which the sweaty thighs of a well-built young man have long been glowing. The energetic little man continuously taps his feet on the floor. The first floor is reached by an oak staircase, from which one can keep an eye on the huge expanse of gravestones and funerals. Adelchi's office has a minimalist atmosphere. There is a large stained-glass window with the prying porthole of a spyglass, which with its long gaze invades faces and steals the expressions of those who exhibit their pain without the modesty of an adult. Adelchi is at the telescope. The latter is a tall, bony man. He has a granite face and dark ice-coloured eyes, fixed on the lens. In the middle of the office is a large desk, on which a computer is positioned. Seated at the workstation is Franco, a bald, dark-haired man, who pushes the keys of the keyboard tirelessly. The boss is hunched over the telescope which is constantly turning

ADELCHI eh yeah. Funerals bring children back. Grief is naked, a naked and tired body. At least that's how it seems

Adelchi gets up and checks the slide of the invasive instrument.

ADELCHI It is clean. It is worn, like the pain. It needs restoring

FRANCO Already? We changed it last week (without distracting himself from his work)

ADELCHI My eyes consume, feed on tears

Adelchi bends over the tool again

ADELCHI People are coming. This morning the cemetery is overflowing, overflowing with funerals, and I am a dam. Come on Franco, I need to focus well looks and movements

Franco, a habit he's had for years, gets to his feet and with a quick, swift step goes towards a chest of drawers from which he extracts a slide that he cleverly places in front of the telescope. Adelchi bends his back and places his watchful eye on the lens

ADELCHI Better, better. Present eye, constant minutiae. Necessary for the potential customer. Every detail must be a strong point in the negotiation and risk assessment.

Adelchi swings the telescope around

ADELCHI Let's see who's there. You're crying, you desperate old woman. I hate tears

FRANCO (Without distracting himself from his work) It's Mrs Wanda. Her 93-year-old husband died

ADELCHI Do you have children?

Franco turns his head away

ADELCHI Grandchildren?

FRANCO None

ADELCHI is useless! Whine, whine. But stop whining. It was time for him to go, to free himself from the yoke. What does Giorgio have to say when he's been coming to see his Guendalina for 40 years?

Adelchi turns the telescope around

ADELCHI Let's see who else is here. Nice girl! Another one who whines? What a whiner! You have your whole life ahead of you. Interesting?

FRANCO Not at all. She cries for a friend and nothing more

ADELCHI You should do the stud who hasn't stopped looking at you since the funeral. Post funeral shags are the best. It's like diving back in, after years of being stuck in a shit-filled seabed.

Adelchi shakes the telescope

ADELCHI Will there be anything interesting for us? Ohh look who's here, Mrs Pamela. She's still bruised in the face, and mourning the death of the bone crusher. What are you despairing of? Those wrinkles should open up to loud, fat laughter. You should kneel fervently before the cancer that has devoured the ogre.

FRANCO And instead he'll come here to worship it (without turning around), instead of extolling the miracles of neoplasms

ADELCHI here? Don't talk shit. The prick was a billionaire. He certainly doesn't need us. What a lousy day!

There's a miniature golf course in the corner of the office. The small course is well maintained. There are even sand dunes and ponds. Adelchi turns away from the telescope and approaches the pastime

ADELCHI How are the ratings?

FRANCO I'm analysing them right now

ADELCHI Give me some (grabs a bat)

FRANCO AAA rating, BB+ rating, D,D,D,D rating

ADELCHI He's pulling badly. Are you sure?

FRANCO I just collect the information, then the algorithm assesses whether a corpse is triple A or a default.

ADELCHI We should review it. Flows are improving

FRANCO The algorithm is prospective, it's not based on actuals

ADELCHI Are you saying that the gold I touch will turn to shit in a while?

FRANCO I'm saying we need to requalify the urn portfolio. Higher margins on risk

ADELCHI Bullshit. We need to increase the customer base. More ballot boxes, more money

FRANCO The algorithm says different. Better ballot boxes, safer money

ADELCHI Bullshit! I have to try to get the ball up this dune.

Adelchi tries but fails

FRANCO You should change your bat

ADELCHI It's the sand's fault. It's mushy.

Franco keeps working.

ADELCHI This fucking sand should be harder. Are there any D-rated ones in the wardrobe?

Franco gets up, with his usual quick step. He opens a glass cupboard and pulls out two urns.

FRANCO Rating D. The last stream of these dates back exactly to a year ago

ADELCHI Have you done any research?

FRANCO The parents of these young ashes are dead. D These ashes can't be more D

ADELCHI Did these ashes have children?

FRANCO They didn't make it in time

Adelchi makes a Roman gesture with his thumb down. Franco empties the ashes to fill the dune of the miniature golf course.

ADELCHI Let's wait for him to pond

Adelchi moves closer to the telescope, while Franco resumes his work on the PC.

ADELCHI Let's see if we can replace them properly

The boss bends down and moves the instrument

ADELCHI Another one who whines. The usual dud!

FRANCO I wouldn't say that. What's going on?

ADELCHI The woman looks like an iceberg ready to melt, while the little boy next to her seems to have a bicycle up his ass.

FRANCO Mother and son

ADELCHI How are they getting on?

FRANCO I have little information about them, but they shouldn't be doing well. Is there anyone else?

Adelchi swivels the telescope around

ADELCHI Relatives, I think...ahhhhh there's also that madwoman Cecilia.

Franco turns back to the telescope.

ADELCHI slams his fists on the floor

FRANCO Really?

ADELCHI but what's he doing there? Instead of sitting at his books. Has he finished his studies?

FRANCO a long time ago. Now he's doing research

ADELCHI Well! He's put my money to good use

FRANCO He's made