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1 Far from Vista Chinesa – Bosco Brasil

FAR FROM VISTA CHINESA

Bosco Brasil

English version by Gracia Cuoco

COPYRIGHT

This play was written for specially for the schools participating in the

Conexões Youth Theatre Project Brazil

and it was part of its portfolio in 2009.

Any performances outside this Project will need to

be negociated with the writer´s agent.

ABRAMUS: www.abramus.org.br

http://www.abramus.org.br/



“O wonderful, when devils tell the truth!”

(Richard the Third, act I, scene 2 – Shakespeare)



Everything takes place today, perhaps in an imaginary place named

Serradinho, in its badly taken-care school and its surroundings. There are

several stage settings but they should follow a kind of “logic debris”: its few

elements are meant to indicate a court, a sciences classroom, a library, a steep

bank of a river, a valley at its bottom.

It deals, who knows, with a patchwork tragedy – a word I borrow from Anatol

Rosenfeld, and I interpret my own way. Patches that, if sewn, could be a fancy

dress. There is no place for realism here. But the fantasy searches to talk of

reality.

It is a text written for adolescents, to be interpreted by adolescents. And to this

end, what was said in the previous paragraph is also applicable. Frankly

inspired in Dostoevsky, a conscious pastiche of Shakespeare’s poetry, the

author also enjoys to plagiarize Pirandello and Camus. The hope is that,

pursued or unsatisfied with what they are about to see, that young public for

whom this tragedy was written can become interested in those great masters.



Dramatis Personae

All between l7 and 19 year-olds.

Sonia, a puff pastries appetizers’ seller.

Heraldo, Sonia’s brother.

Rico. An egress from a penal institution for minors. The “Serradinho Demon”.

Nacho. He imagines he is a nihilist.

Ivan, one of Nacho’s followers.

Estefânia, shortened for Stef. She belongs to Nacho’s small group. She always

wears black.

José de Antimatéria, as he introduces himself, is the damned school poet.

Jojó. The school leader.

Bárbara Brás, nicknamed Brasinha.

Fausta.

The Choir – as many schoolboys or schoolgirls you wish or you can possibly

gather. Another six Choir Members without a sex definition, will either relate

some facts, separately, in an urgent way, using a testimonial tone, or precisely

participate in the story.

A fireman.



Light

Prologue.

The steep bank of Serradinho. With a package in his hand, Heraldo looks at the view,

as if searching for something. Silently Rico appears. The sound of a distant

thunderstorm.

RICO — Are you afraid?

HERALDO — What a fright!

RICO — You are afraid.

HERALDO — You frightened me!

RICO — You are scared too …

HERALDO — Where did you come from?

RICO — Everybody is afraid.

HERALDO — You should tell us you were arriving …

RICO — But, today, everyone is more afraid.

HERALDO — That is not right.

RICO — At this time of the day the scare must be even greater.

HERALDO — Did you hear what I said?



RICO — I mean, when the daylight is about to finish, who doesn’t

feel afraid, isn’t it

HERALDO —That’s not right!

RICO — But, today …

Silence.

HERALDO — I am not frightened

RICO — What are you carrying in that package?

HERALDO — I’m never frightened!

RICO — Is it worth anything?

HERALDO — Don’t you believe it?

RICO — It should be worth something.

HERALDO — Don’t you believe it?

RICO — The way you carry that package, I mean

HERALDO — You can frighten me again to see.

RICO — You shouldn’t walk in that manner, that way,

HERALDO — Come here, frighten me.



RICO — Do you know what people can do for a package like this,

nowadays, do you know?

HERALDO — I’m waiting.

RICO — Do you know?

HERALDO — I’m going to even shut my eyes. Come.

Silence.

RICO — This cliff is dangerous.

HERALDO — Come...

RICO — From there down to the bottom is quite a fall. Aren’t you

afraid, really?

HERALDO — Frighten me soon!

Silence.

RICO — You are not frightened.

HERALDO —Did you understand? Did you understand now? Everyone

says I am a fool.

RICO — Everyone?

HERALDO — Everybody. But I am not. I am not.



RICO — So, everybody was wrong ?

HERALDO —Everyone.

RICO — (Time) I know what it is like.

HERALDO — If I was a fool, my sister wouldn’t ask me to take her this

box. Do you think she would?

RICO — So this box is very valuable.

HERALDO — Can I or can’t I open my eyes?

RICO — Does it matter?

HERALDO — You are not going to frighten me, are you?

RICO — Open your eyes.

Heraldo slowly opens his eyes. Silence. He seems ecstatic. Rico comes close. Leisurely.

RICO — What are you so interested in looking at?

HERALDO — Can’t you see?

RICO — What?

HERALDO — No?

RICO — The valley?

HERALDO — I can see the valley. But I wanted more …



RICO — More?...

HERALDO —Vista Chinesa.

RICO — Vista Chinesa?..

HERALDO — It’s a certain place. It is not here. My sister told me of Vista

Chinesa. A place from where you see everything.

RICO — Everything? What?

HERALDO — Everything. Don’t you know what everything is?

Silence.

RICO — The whole world?

HERALDO — Everything...

RICO — The houses? The houses farther down?

HERALDO — Everything!

Silence.

RICO — The other valleys? The city? The other cities?

HERALDO — Everything!!

RICO — The other countries? The two oceans? The countries

farther ahead of the oceans?



Silence.

RICO — The other oceans? (Pause.) The countries farther ahead of

the oceans?

HERALDO — Everything.

Silence. .

HERALDO — Do you know where it is?

RICO — You’re not going to see it from here.

HERALDO — No?

RICO — No one can discern it.

HERALDO — No?!

RICO — From here we can’t see the place from where we see

everything. From here we can’t see all.

Pause.

HERALDO —And what if it is here? What if Vista Chinesa is here? And if

it is from here that we can see everything?

Silence.



RICO —I’ve never heard of a place from where you call see

everything. (Time) I’ve heard that when we are dying we

see all our lives, at once. All life. (Time) Everything ...

Long silence.

RICO —You’re very near the edge. Aren’t you afraid of falling

down?

Blackness.

First Choir:

Light on each one of the Choir Members, alternately.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — No, sir. Nobody knows everything.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — No, sir.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — I can only tell what I believe I saw.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —I can also tell what I was told.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —I was told so much…

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —You are right. We can’t believe everything.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —I didn’t believe it at the beginning. Could I have?

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —That’s right. How many people, here, have already

heard of Serradinho?



CHOIR MEMBER 3 — They call it the rural zone, don’t they?

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —How come, does a city have a rural zone? Can you

understand?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —I’m going to answer what you asked, right away.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —I’m only saying that we could not believe what was

happening at the Serradinho school.

CHOIR MEMBER A 1 —The school is on the valley.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —When it rains a lot the valley floods.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 —The school floods.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —When it rains a lot..

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —And it always does. Mainly at the time classes start.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — No, sir. From what I was told, they’ve never thought of

taking the school from there and moving it somewhere

else.

CHOIR MEMBER 1—No, sir. Nobody explained why.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —What solution have they given?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 —When it looks like rain, nobody goes to school. They

stay at home.



CHOIR MEMBER 4 —No, sir. Not even the teachers.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —When the clouds seize the sky nobody goes.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —Only the ones who know nothing. And the ones who

know everything.

Darkness.

ACT I

SCENE 1.

Light in the small and depredated sports court. A big confusion prevails. The choir

starts occupying the flight of stairs opposite the Director’s Office. Jojó, afflicted, talks

to Sonia, who is selling a puff pastry to a Choir Student.

JOJÓ — Why don’t you believe me? I’ve already said you must go away

and you are still waiting for the employees, the other

students, the teachers, my God!

STEF — You go away. You shouldn’t even have come. You saw the

clouds, as everyone else.



JOJÓ — People need me... I am the class representative, I have to

welcome the new students. What about you? What are

you here for?

IVAN — (Tense) We enjoy seeing the circus on fire.

NACHO — The circus has already caught fire…

JOJÓ —At least you, Sonia.

SONIA —It is the chance to sell more puff pastries. The canteen is

closed.

JOJÓ — There aren’t many on your tray. It’s time to go.

SONIA — My brother is bringing a new batch. He’ll be here in no

time.

NACHO — This part of the city has been very dangerous…

SONIA — I didn’t understand.

NACHO —Much more dangerous.

IVAN — Leave Sonia alone, Nacho.

STEF —Don’t you know yet?

SONIA — What?

STF — Him. He came back.



JOJÓ — Who?

Enter José de Antimatéria.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Today is a great day!

NACHO — Has he arrived?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —All great days are sordid…

NACHO — He has arrived, then...

JOJÓ — Who?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — Every sordid day is beautiful!

STF — The “Serradinho Demon”.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —And today is the day we are going to play the sacred

beauty with our own hands. So spoke José de Antimatéria,

the damned minstrel.

JOJÓ — When did they free Rico?

IVAN — It has already been eighteen years…

SONIA —Are you talking about that boy who killed a blind old man?

STF — The old man wasn’t blind, little mouse.. The “Serradinho

Demon” blinded the old man and broke all his skeleton

bones, before setting him on fire.



J. ANTIMATÉRIA — A master piece.

IVAN — The day when we are playing the sacred beauty…

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — When was it you had the chance to shake hands with

someone who killed someone with his own hands?

NACHO — Isn’ it so?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — There he comes. The quintessence of Reason. The

tenderest and most savory fruit that the best heads of the

Occident have ever produced.. The Master of what makes

us humans, the angel of the final trumpet: him. The

murderer.

Enter Rico. Silence.

Darkness

Scene 2.

Light at the bottom of the Serradinho steep cliff. Brasinha and Fausta enter.

Faraway, a thunderstorm.



FAUSTA — Run, run, run.!

BRASINHA — I can’t go quicker… The asthma.

FAUSTA — If you are out of breath now, remember there will be a lot

of water shortly. The first place to flood is here, at the

bottom of the cliff.

BRASINHA — This is the shortest way.

FAUSTA —And if a rock or something worse falls from up there. I run

from the rain to eat dust! Why did I listen to you?

BRASINHA — Because you never follow you own head.

FAUSTA —You are wrong, miss. My fear is mine. No one convinces

me not to be afraid. I stick to my opinion about that.

BRASINHA —I need a little rest. Carry on alone. With your fear.

FAUSTA —It’s better badly accompanied than alone! I stay.

BRASINHA — Better than badly accompanied and alone …

FAUSTA — You’re thinking of Jojó, aren’t you? She was born to be a

saint.

BRASINHA — She is my friend.

Fausta climbs up among the rocks.



FAUSTA — She is my friend, too. Up to the third thunder. At least I

know myself. Let’s go! I’ve already/...

And she stumbles over something that echoes a hollow noise, deaf, short and

appalling. Silence.

BRASINHA — Did you hear that?

FAUSTA — (Frightened) I don’t even want to see what I stumbled on.

BRASINHA — I’ve never heard of anything like that before.

And she comes closer.

FAUSTA —What was it?

Brasinha startles, but she refrains. Fausta stumbled on Heraldo’s corpse’s head. His

lifeless arm slides softly behind the stones.

FAUSTA — So, Brasinha? Can I run away and you are not pursuing ?

Say it soon!

BRASINHA — No. Not pursuing.

Darkness.

SCENE 3.

Light in the Court. Sonia tries to sell a puff pastry to Rico, Jojó stays beside. Some

members of the Choir and Choir Members 1, 2, 3 are in a corner, facing Rico. José de



Antimatéria drums rhythmically on his own body... Nacho, Stf and Ivan play basket-

ball.

SONIA —Are you sure? The cheese is cured and I sprinkle it on top

till it looks golden and is crunchy.

JOJÓ — Nothing is better than one of Sonia’s finger food.

RICO — I have no money.

SONIA — You pay part of it now, the other one later on.

RICO — I don’t have “later on”.

Nacho throws the ball that reaches Rico. Silence. They stare at each other.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Two clocks ticktack, one of air, one of water/ They run

on the unanimous seconds, without considering neither

tick nor tack/ And does the little rabbit say? It’s always

late. And does the crow answer? Never more. So spoke

José de Antimatéria.

JOJÓ —Stop this nonsense. And you, too, stop that nonsense, what

are you staring like that for?

STF — They know who he is.

IVAN — They already know…

RICO — (To Jojó) You, too, know who I am.



JOJÓ — A new student on his first day at school.

RICO — The others are not facing the new student. They are

staring at the “Serradinho Demon”...

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — And for this, welcome Master!

SONIA — Are you sure you don’t really want the puff pastry?

RICO — What is your name?

SONIA — Sonia.

RICO — Thanks.

JOJÓ — (To the Choir) Can you see? He is like us, what are you

afraid of?

RICO — Do you think they are afraid of me?

NACHO — Not even near fear...

RICO —Do you know? Do you feel the same thing?

A stronger thunderstorm.

IVAN — (Bitter) If only they knew...

JOJÓ — What?



RICO — Yes. It is always like that. Wherever I go. They keep

looking at me. Only this. It is not fear.

JOJÓ — Are they accusing?

RICO — (He denies) They just can’t take their eyes from me.

NACHO — (Pause – to Rico) Is it always like that?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — You don’t understand. Those hands killed someone.

That is glory!

RICO — (To Nacho) Do you want glory?

NACHO — Glory is nothing for me.

RICO — My glory. Do you want it?

JOJÓ — (To Rico – afflicted) Say it is over, that your life begins

today. Please. Say it.

IVAN — Or say what killing a person is like...

STF —When you broke the little old man’s legs... . What is the

sound of bones breaking? And the blood? The blood!

The Choir is disturbed.

JOJÓ —Stop that. The new students are becoming very agitated.



J. ANTIMATÉRIA— This is the cathedral’s ridge the modern heart raises:

the lynching. So spoke José de Antimatéria. I’m going to sit

down to see the windsock turning round with the gale

that brings hate…

RICO —(Foresees) No. They’re like that for another reason...

Enter Brasinha, panting.

BRASINHA — Sonia!

The Choir’s disturbance becomes terrifying. All turn their back to the scene, looking

towards the school entrance.

SONIA — Brasinha! And I kept a puff pastry for you.

And she takes the finger food from the basket, offering it.

BRASINHA — (Gasping for air) You have to listen to me...

SONIA — What was it?

The choir grumbles in dismay.

BRASINHA — Life…Life is really … a …

And she can’t speak because she gasps. The Choir makes space so enter Choir

Members 4, 5 and 6, followed by Faustae carrying Heraldo’s corpse. Silence. Pause.

Calmly Sonia keeps the pastry back in the basket. Only then she walks towards the



corpse. She looks at her brother without showing any reaction. Suddenly she attacks

him tapping.

SONIA — You can’t do anything right. Is it possible? Nothing.

The others run to help and withdraw her from the corpse.

SONIA —Did I ask for anything difficult to understand? Nothing!

Sonia disengages from the others and withdraws a little. Time. And she screams in

pain.

Darkness.

Second Choir:

Light on each one of the Choir Members, alternately.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —They brought the puff pastries’ seller’s brother to the

church, yes sir.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — They found the corpse in the valley. And if they had

left the poor there, the flood would take him.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 —That’s what they told me. There was no time left to

take him to town.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — He fell from the ravine.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — He was pushed, of course!



CHOIR MEMBER 6 — How is it that I know?

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —Everybody said that he was pushed from the top of

the ravine, yes sir.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — No sir. I don’t know who was the first one to say

that.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 —I was told it was certain. They had pushed him. I

believed it. Why not?

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —And isn’t it like that? If he was pushed, someone did

it.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —Well… Whoever performs something so evil has to

pay. Or doesn’t he?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — You will excuse me, sir. The police do not show up

so much there. They don’t come close when it looks like

rain.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —That’s what I was told. At least, on that day they

didn’t appear.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — It was on us.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Then they started saying those things.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Things!



CHOIR MEMBER 5 — Me?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — No, sir. Not me! Them!

Darkness. A terrible thunder can be heard.

ACT II.

Scene 1.

Light on a public telephone. Jojé and Brasinha, who is trying to call.

JOJÓ — I’m worried... Where has Rico gone? I know he is still at

school.

BRASINHA —Aren’t you worried about the new students, on the court?

(She hangs up) Nothing.

JOJÓ — Rico needs help.

BRASINHA — And them?

JOJÓ — They can always count on me…

BRASINHA — They didn’t listen to you. They’d better stay and grumble

about who killed Heraldo, while the storm comes nearer.

Nobody says the name, but I know it is about him they are

talking. They want it to be him, don’t you understand?

After all, he is the “Serradinho Demon”...



JOJÓ — Why do they insist on that story?

BRASINHA — (She shrugs her shoulders) Don’t you believe the Demon?

JOJÓ — I believe in God.

BRASINHA — (She insists) No?

JOJÓ — I believe in God. I have to help Rico.

BRASINHA —Do you think you’ll be able to hold all those people, if they

go against him? I’m not going to abandon you but I’m not

going to stay here, either - I’m going to get someone to

help us.

JOJÓ — What about your asthma, Brasinha? And the storm? You’ll

be carried by the torrent.

BRASINHA — It’s the only way I know that I can help. Alive. I have to

run. (Pause) I feel this is the worst time of all.

A dreadful noise, of a structure yielding, is heard.

BRASINHA — (Terrified) Did you hear?

Darkness.

Scene 2.

Light in the court. The Choir, José de Antimatéria, Stef, Ivan and Nacho chat.



NACHO — And did I say anything? I only wanted to be sure you said

what you said… That is, if you said something. Did you or

didn’t you? This way you confuse me.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —Nobody here wants to accuse anyone…

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —You keep remembering him all the time.

NACHO — Who?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Who!..

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — The Serradinho Demon.

NACHO — He already killed once, didn’t he?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — He did...

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — Do you think he can kill again?

NACHO — You are saying that..

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — Nobody said anything!

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — Anything can have happened.

STEF — The boy was pushed. He knew the place well. He stayed

there for hours, the whole day. Looking. Looking … at

nothing…



J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Yes… Heraldo also didn’t have imagination to kill

himself. Only people who have imagination kill

themselves.

STEF — So, you too believe they killed the boy?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —And what do I know? I wanted to be far from here. But

am I able to move ? The cold in this court step fits me. .

(Almost to himself - sincere) Everything has become ... so

serious ... so ... truthful.

NACHO —Did José de Antimatéria speak?

IVAN — (Anxious) He is right, Nacho, we have to keep our heads

cool.

STEF — (Mocks) Whose head was, little mouse?

IVAN — Stop it! Murder is not a joke. (Frightened) It is ... it is an

accusation ... a serious one…

NACHO — (On top of it) Are you talking of the Serradinho Demon?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Only from hearing it I feel a strange sensation here...

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Only from seeing it ...

NACHO — What do you mean? That he really has the face of

someone who can kill?



CHOIR MEMBER 5 — He is strange …

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — He frightens...

NACHO — He can, can’t he?

IVAN — (Nervous) Stop it, Nacho, please!

NACHO — (Cold) Can’t he?

IVAN — We have to talk...

NACHO — (Insists) No?

IVAN — (Explodes) Do you want to listen to me?

Silence.

NACHO — (Calm) Do you have anything to tell?

IVAN — (Anguished) I can’t...

NACHO — (On top of it) I know. It is very difficult to speak about it…

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — What is it?

NACHO — You wouldn’t bear to hear.

STEF —Nacho? ...

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —Is it related to the boy’s death?

NACHO — Maybe.



CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Is it or isn’t it?

NACHO — It is related to whoever may have killed the boy.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — The Serradinho Demon?

NACHO — You are saying it.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — If you know anything ...

NACHO — Only what I was told.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — What did the “Demon” do?

NACHO — Or what he still does, who knows…

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — How come?

NACHO — I talked too much. Better stop at this point.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — No!

NACHO — You are insisting.

CHOIR MEMBER 3— If you know anything, if he can threaten us…

NACHO — I don’t know if it would be right to say “what”, as you are

saying it; perhaps the most frightening is ‘how’ he does it.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — “How” he does what …?



NACHO — How he pierces the eyes, how he breaks the bones, how

he sets fire …

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — Are you talking of the boy’s murder?...

NACHO — You say that he killed Heraldo. I want to speak of facts. I

was going to tell you how the “Demon” killed that old

man...

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — The old man?

NACHO — You already know everything! Do you remember how you

found the old man’s body? The corpse disjointed as a

baby’s Punchinello. The skinny leg making a circle in the

air – at nothing…I didn’t see it. I was told.

Tense silence. The Choir exchanges looks, frightened. The storm comes closer.

STEF —Have you ever thought of a bone’s crack?

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — What kind of a person kills like that…

STEF — An old man’s bone must crack in a different way.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — An old man...

STEF — What will it be like? What will it be like?!

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — And he is around, near us.



NACHO — Do you think he should be free, thereabout?

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — A murderer!

NACHO — They freed the “Demon”… And the old man… Dead.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — Yes. Dead.

NACHO — Do you think it is fair?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —Whoever does it is a monster!

NACHO — You are saying it is not fair…

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — The old man couldn’t defend himself...

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — The “Demon” had no pity…

NACHO — The Law says he can remain free.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — A danger !

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — And who protects us?

NACHO — It is on us...

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — And each one for himself, isn’t it?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — That is not fair.

NACHO — Do you think you would apply justice in a better way if

the "Demon” was in your hands?



CHOIR MEMBER 1 —You must be tough with a person who does this...

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — And he can do it again ...

NACHO — He can already have done it again. Heraldo’s corpse is still

warm; like the puff pastries that Sonia sells. You said that

he killed the boy in the ravine...

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — So everybody is in danger!

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — How are we going to defend ourselves ?

NACHO — From only one “Demon”?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — How come?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — He is a murderer.

NACHO — Andy you are many –you are a legion!

The Choir speaks at the same time, each time more brutal. Time..

NACHO —Wait! Wait a little...Have you asked yourselves where the

“Serradinho Demon” is? Have you asked yourselves what

the “Serradinho Demon” is doing? Now?

Darkness.

Scene 3.



Light in the canteen kitchen. Sitting on the floor, Sonia has her dead brother in her

lap. From the darkness, Rico appears.

RICO — So, you came here...

SONIA — I sell puff pastries. I came to the canteen. Were you

pursuing me?

RICO — I wanted to know about you.

SONIA — (Simple) Did you decide to buy a puff pastry?

RICO — I only wanted to know where you were..

SONIA — They brought Heraldo here. They wanted to keep the

corpse in the fridge. My brother hated the winter days.

The winter days are colder, here in the Serradinho.

Silence.

SONIA — Have you ever felt very cold?

RICO — I have.

SONIA — It’s strange. When you are very cold, you can’t even

remember there is heat in the world.

RICO — Cold is a step-father. Hell must be cold. What do you

think?



SONIA —When we burn, we feel a huge cold, at the very beginning.

This always happens to me, when I take the puff pastries

molds out of the oven. It does not ache at that time. A

second, a second and a half – a calm second and a half - it

even feels good! We feel well. Then the pain comes. It is

unbearable...

Silence.

SONIA —Funny. When I saw my brother entering, being carried, I

felt the same. Later on, I even had a look at my hand, to

see if I had not burnt my fingertips...

Silence.

SONIA — (Simple – unbiased) So you want the puff pastry?

RICO — I can’t pay.

SONIA — My brother was bringing more puff pastries. I felt sure

that today I would sell a lot. The storm. The canteen

people are not coming. Today I can do good business.

RICO —Do you believe they killed your brother to steal the puff

pastries?



SONIA — My puff pastries are the best in Serradinho. I know how

to stop a burn pain. But, this pain... Do you know how to

stop this pain?

Silence.

RICO — I think I know how to stop your pain.

Darkness.

Scene 4.

Light in the Sciences classroom. Nacho and Ivan. Stef enters.

NACHO — Did you find him?

STEF — No! The Demon is free!

And she laughs, nervous.

IVAN — (Anguished) This is no joke..

NACHO — I know. And you, do you know?

IVAN —Everyone is after him. Nobody knows what can happen.

NACHO —What has to happen will happen.

STEF —All seem incorporeal beings, they seem to be the demons.

IVAN —Will you let this craziness go on, Nacho?



NACHO —While they after him, what is the problem?

STEF —Shall we go? When the storm falls down, nobody manages

to leave it here.

NACHO —That’s good...

IVAN —What are you doing? Are we going to leave everything as it

is?

NACHO —What is happening to you? Of course, we are.

IVAN —Will you let these people attack this boy?

STEF —The Demon?... A boy?

IVAN —He is our age.

NACHO —The Demon is a boy. I never thought of it...

IVAN —So, think! We are cowards!

NACHO —What I really care about is not to be coward enough…

STEF —(To Ivan) Come, my little mouse! We have already enjoyed

a lot.

IVAN —Lynching is not an enjoyment.

STEF —(She mocks) On second thoughts, I’ve never seen one. And

such a happening - the Demon’s lynching…



IVAN —He is not a demon; he has a name.

NACHO — He is nothing. With or without a name. It would be better

if he didn’t have one. A useless disguise... Nothing is

nothing’s name.

IVAN — He was still alive.

NACHO — So , I said : nothing.

STEF — Little mouse, little mouse… Come to your large rat’s arms,

in mourning. The guy is a murderer.

IVAN — And what about us? What are we?

A terrible noise of structure yielding. Time.

NACHO — (Pause - calm) Murderers.

IVAN —We still have time to elucidate everything. It was an

accident. It was, wasn’t it? (Time) So?

NACHO — What do you want to do? Go to the police?

IVAN —They will understand. We didn’t want to kill Sonia’s

brother. We only wanted to have fun. Eat some free puff

pastrie ... A spree...

STEF —We have already got someone to blame for. All will be fine

in the end, little mouse…Forget it.



IVAN — The blame was ours. I can’t forget.

NACHO —The blame was mine. If this is the problem …I pushed the

foundling.

IVAN — It was thoughtless, an impulse...

NACHO — (Almost to himself) How is it possible? Heraldo walked as

if his own arms were not his - in the air: so elegant…

STEF — (To Ivan) Let’s go, little mouse.

IVAN —No. I’m not going. You can remain calm. I won’t denounce

anyone. But I will do everything to protect Rico.

And he leaves.

STEF —

NACHO —Demons protect demons. Or... demons hunt demons… On

second thoughts, it may be fun to stay here. .

STEF —Anyway, we can’t trust that frightened little mouse,

carrying so much guilt, can we? He is going to open his

mouth...

And the rain falls. Violent.



NACHO —Now, nobody leaves the school any longer. What a

glorious night. If the demons are the students, who will

the teacher be?

Darkness.

Third Choir:

Light on each Choir Member, alternately.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — It was all at once...

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — It seems a dream now...

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — It seemed a dream, at the time!

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — A nightmare.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — I don’t remember anything right.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — It was all so quick...

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — What can I say?

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —How can I speak of what I didn’t see?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Yes, I believe I was there.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — But I didn’t see…

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —I can’t even say I was there, for sure!



CHOIR MEMBER 6 —If I force my memory, my head fills up with spots.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — I can remember better what I heard.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —Thunders, people panting, a buzz that makes my ear

ache until now!

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — A dream, I said.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —Suddenly, I don’t know exactly when…People started

talking in a different way.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —Once I was told that the demon makes us speak

languages that we don’t know.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — No, sir. I understood everything. It was the language

we speak every day. But… it was also another language…

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —From what I heard, I can say where I was.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — Only ...how I arrived there...

CHOIR MEMBER 3 —Everyone started looking for the Demon..

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Rico, yes sir.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — But disorderly. We entered and went out of a room

several times. We were a swarm of bees.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — I think we broke into the doors, yes sir…



CHOIR MEMBER 1 — Suddenly, everyone knew that it was Rico who killed

the boy in the ravine.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — We knew knowing. We thought we knew.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Rico had disappeared.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Well, we are talking of the “Serradinho Demon”!

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — No, sir. I have no idea what we wanted to do with

him – with the demon...

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — It was all so quick. Have I already said this?

Darkness.

ACT III

Scene 1.

Light in the court. The storm is more violent, each time. We can hear the Choir’s

confused voices, running after Rico. Nacho and Jojó come from opposite sides and

meet in the center of the stage.

JOJÓ — They are destroying the school.

NACHO — When destruction destroys the destruction, who knows

what can happen?



JOJÓ — What do you expect from all this?

NACHO — Nothing.

JOJÓ — Then, why did you inoculate the illness?

NACHO — Jojó... The illness is love. Your love. This - this is the fever.

Enter Stef.

STEF — (Enchanted) They go and come back. The little mice. The

little mice go and come back! When am I going to see

blood, Nacho? When am I going to see the blood that you

read in the clouds this afternoon?

The Choir gets together on the stage, coming from everywhere. Excited and panting

they speak almost at the same time.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — The demon disappeared.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — He can’t disappear.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — He is around.

NACHO — The Demon is everywhere... It’s what is said.

JOJÓ — God is everywhere!

NACHO — Do you believe God is at this school, tonight?

STEF — Ah, is he the little mice’s conductor?



CHOIR MEMBER 4 — This murderer can’t flee!

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — We are wasting time, here!

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — Let’s go after the “Demon”!

JOJÓ — And what are you going to do with the demon? (She

immediately corrects herself, annoyed with herself) With

Rico! What are you going to do with him?

A terrible noise of structure yielding is heard. Time.

JOJÓ — (Almost to herself) Brasinha is right. Here, speaking of the

ones who will die, we forget that the ones alive are going

to die. And we are still alive...

Enter Fausta, panting.

FAUSTA — (Without interruption) Did you hear? This ceiling! This

ceiling is not heaven; and you can see: heaven is falling

down – the storm! Just imagine if this ceiling doesn’t fall

down, too! I don’t like staying here. Besides! (And she

starts leaving) Besides, besides, besides... What am I doing

here if... (She looks up) What is that, pierced in the

beams?..

All turn to the ceiling.

CHOIR —The Demon!



Darkness.

Scene 2

Light in the library. José de Antimatéria drums on his own body, gloomy. Ivan enters.

IVAN — (Anxious) I was after you.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — Me, too... But you found me.

IVAN — Did you see the hell outside?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Outside? Does this mean we are in heaven?

IVAN — I know how to stop this.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — All these books haven’t discovered it yet and people go

on cutting down trees for a millennium to have books that

will celebrate your failure.

IVAN — I know. I know!

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — And does hell disturb you?

IVAN — It is unfair!

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Strange. Hell should be fair.

IVAN — It is a mistake!



J. ANTIMATÉRIA — Strange. Are you sure outside is a hell? It is not said

that hell makes mistakes, either. Heaven, yes, makes

mistakes. All the time.

IVAN — Antimatéria, you have to help me.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Beforehand, I tell you I am not going to help you out;

but, please say what you want so that I can tell you why I

said beforehand that I’m not going to help you out.

IVAN — Stop confusing me!

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —I believe that is beyond my mind. I would never manage

to confuse you more than you do it to yourself. Who

entered here saying he could stop hell – the hell outside?

If you know, what are you waiting for? What do you want

from me, besides what I cannot give you?

IVAN —I don’t know...I don’t know if I have courage… I don’t know

if I should.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — And you came to ask me if you should?

IVAN — (Agrees) I’ve looked for you everywhere...

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —(Pause - gloomy) And you found me here.

IVAN — I’ve never imagined. You always say we should burn all

the books .



J. ANTIMATÉRIA —I am a lier, Ivan. I could say that I came here because

books frighten geniuses and beasts and nobody would

enter here and I would be safe. But I came here because

the door here is the most resistant of the school: bronze.

And he starts drumming on the door.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —The librarians are afraid that in the nighttime

something is taken away, as nobody wants to do it in

the daytime… Do you know how I know that this is a

bronze door?

IVAN —Do you...do you come ... to drum? Is it?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — I come to read.

IVAN But you say...

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — I know, burn the libraries! I say it because the sound is

good! How do you think I get the marks I get? I study

hidden, Ivan. Everything I say is because the sound is

good. I am a lie. If you came to ask me what to do - ask

me!... You already know the answer.

Darkness.

Scene 3

Light in the sciences classroom. Nacho and Stef.



NACHO — When the storm moves to town, somebody will call the

police.

STEF —The police also have their references. Rico was born a

suspect.

NACHO — Without a witness, yes.

Silence. Only the storm.

STEF — Do you mean, the little mouse?

NACHO — A frightened little mouse...

STEF —Do you think he can talk about what happened in the

ravine?

NACHO — A frightened little mouse, I said.

STEF — He wouldn’t do that. To Ivan you are God!

NACHO —Not the devil. He comes with me in my despise for

everything, up to that point! We killed. This he can’t bear.

This he can’t understand.

STEF —But it was unintentionally that you pushed Heraldo...

NACHO — Unintentionally? These two hands still belong to my body,

through the two arms, receiving orders from a head…



STEF — I meant unthinkably. Without planning ...

NACHO —It was. But these two hands deprived a boy of life. And

sometimes I feel my palms burning, as if volcanoes

opened their way. Only that, instead of craters, mouths

would bud... And do you know what they would say?

“Again, again...”

STEF — Kill?

NACHO — “Again, again...”

STEF —You know. Now, little mouse, it is your choice.

NACHO — “Again, again...” The lava tongues haven’t budded yet and I

can already hear: “again, again…”

STEF —I was promised blood. The blood was promised.

NACHO —“Again, again...”

STEF — Is it time?

NACHO — Again...

A sound of structure yielding.

NACHO —Rico has to live. Murderers have to live. Death has more

load to withdraw tonight. But Rico is only going to sign

the receipt.



Silence. Only the storm.

NACHO —Ivan is going to speak. He is a weakling. Only the weak

believe that acts must have property. The true murder has

no face. The true murder must incriminate an innocent. So

that everyone understands that nobody is innocent.

STEF — (Time) I remain thinking... These clothes ... What can be

darker than a blood stain? (Pause) You promised me.

NACHO — Large rat... So many mourning years. Now, at last, a

widow.

Darkness. A terrible noise of structure yielding is heard and it moves to the next

scene.

Scene4.

Light in the court. Rico is sitting on the basketball basket, at the top of the tower. Jojó

and Fausta. The Choir tries to swing the tower to knock Rico down. Everyone speaks

at the same time, covering the noise that goes on in a crescendo…

JOJÓ — Stop that!

FAUSTA — (Over the noise) Can you hear, Jojó?

JOJÓ — This way he will fall down!

FAUSTA — (Startled) Can’t you hear?!



COREUTA 1 — Where is the puff pastries’ seller?

COREUTA 2 — Do you think he will escape?!

FAUSTA — Isn’t anybody hearing?

COREUTA 3 — Coward! Coward!

COREUTA 4 — He must pay!

JOJÓ — Think coldly !

COREUTA 5 — Let’s knock that murderer down from there.

COREUTA 6 — Don’t stop swinging...

FAUSTA — (Almost to herself) Isn’t anybody hearing?!

And she shrinks in a corner. The noise suddenly stops. Only the storm. The Choir

goes on in their anger, as if nothing had happened.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — Let’s go there.

CHOIR MEMBER A 2 — Help here!

FAUSTA — Doesn’t anyone want to know what noise this is?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Come down!

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Or do you want to fall down?

FAUSTA — Nobody?!



CHOIR MEMBER 5 — You’ll pay in a way or another!

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — You just won’t choose!

FAUSTA — Nobody... Me, huh? I’ll certainly go.

JOJÓ — Fausta, stay here, I need help!

FAUSTA — Ah, you do need it! Good luck with those ears that are no

good, not even to fan!

JOJÓ — Nobody is going to attack an innocent person!

Rico bursts into a laughter. The Choir mumbles among themselves.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — Did you hear that laughter?

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — I’m frozen up to my soul.

FAUSTA — Besides, beside, besides...

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — I’ve never heard anything like this.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — It’s not a mockery...

FAUSTA — Right now, when I can’t even move...

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —It’s the laugh of someone who despises life.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — The laugh of a murderer.



RICO —Take care of your other ninety nine sheep, Jojó. It’s better.

My pasture grows farther than Vista Chinesa.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —(To Jojó) Why do you protect a murderer?

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — He is the Serradinho Demon.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — And the puff pastries’ seller’s brother?

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — It was him!

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — Who else could it have been?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — Why not?.. Why can’t it have been him?

Silence. Only the storm. .

RICO — So? Why not?

JOJÓ — (Time) It could have been anyone...

RICO —It’s ugly to lie... You know well that only some of them

here can have murdered the boy. Many, maybe. But not

all, not anyone. Not even you believe what you say.

FAUSTA — Besides, besides, besides...

JOJÓ — Only the police ... only the police can solve ... this.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — And when are they coming?



CHOIR MEMBER 2 — None of the telephones is working.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Nobody can leave it here.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Nobody can arrive.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —For the time being he is free and goes on killing.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —Whereabouts is the puff pastries’ seller?

CHOIR —It was the demon. The Demon killed the puff pastries’

seller! We are going to finish him off!

Rico bursts into another evil laughter. No one speaks. Frightened, the Choir

withdraws.

RICO — Do you want to kill the “Demon”?

JOJÓ — (Unwilling) Rico... Please... We need to talk.... (Pause –

ashamed) Where is Sonia?

Rico only smiles.

FAUSTA — (Time) Can you feel it? What a good smell...

Enters Sonia with a tray, slicing a bread with the knife.

SONIA —I did what I could. I only found a little flour and potatoes in

the canteen kitchen.

And she goes on distributing the bread slices.



SONIA —It is not like my puff pastries. But I think they quench your

hunger. You can take. I’m not going to charge this time. I

never charge when I’m trying a new recipe. You can take.

You must be hungry. Such a long time pursuing a

person…

People start taking the slices, dizzy, while Sonia comes near the tower.

SONIA — (To Rico) Thank you. You were right. Cooking made me

forget the pain. Aren’t you coming to take your slice?

Rico jumps. And takes the slice.

RICO — (Friendly) It is hot...

SONIA — (Smiles – nicely) My mother used to say: it was made on

the fire …

Pause.

CHOIR — Now!

And they attack Rico.

Darkness.

Scene 5.



Light in the sciences classroom. Nacho, with his basket ball. Stef and Ivan.

IVAN —They are out of control. I need help.

NACHO — Do you know why I like this ball? Can you hear, Ivan?

When it hits the floor?

IVAN —We must do something.

NACHO — The air chamber... That ... echo...Who is out of control,

Ivan?

IVAN — Everyone! They ...

NACHO — Wasn’t it what you wanted?

IVAN — Me?

STEF — We dreamt of this for so long, little mouse…

IVAN — Of what?

STEF — The school in ruins....

IVAN — How to make debris from debris? Everything is

happening because we live in the midst of debris.

NACHO — Ah, I see you are back, Ivan. Go on with your speech...

Silence.



IVAN —No... I am tired of using my language. “Everything”,

“everybody”, “somebody ”, “we”, “a person”,

“nobody”, “nothing”. Tired. I didn’t create these words,

but they created me. I am tired. You killed the puff

pastries’ seller’s brother. Stef keeps quiet. Rico is

innocent. I am a coward.

NACHO —Not the coward I need...

IVAN — (Pause) No...

And he goes out.

NACHO — Are you going to denounce us, Ivan?

IVAN —Nacho I would go with you as far as my thirst dried my

eyes. And even so I’d go on walking. I gave up my old

language and haven’t learned new words. How am I going

to say what listening to your voice was like? I wanted

what you wanted, my friend. But I did not know what you

wanted…

And he goes out again. Nacho throws the ball that reaches Ivan violently. Nacho gets

the ball back.

NACHO —Not even a good-bye short game?

STEF —Come on, little mouse. You and me...



IVAN — (Time) Here is not a place to play...

Ivan starts to take a distance from the door, to protect himself.

NACHO —Don’t worry. I’m not going to break anything.

Nacho reaches Ivan violently again and regains the ball once more.

NACHO —I have great respect for the sciences classroom ...

Nacho throws the ball on Ivan yet again and regains it quickly. .

NACHO — I love these old equipments. The ones on working

conditions and the ones out of order – almost all. Heaters,

test tubes…

And, with Stef, goes round Ivan, without stopping throwing the ball.

STEF —And that little thing that shocks!

NACHO —My favorite one is the vacuum chamber. The stone and the

feather falling down at the same time, remember? Have

you thought of it, Ivan, you and a stone and a feather –

falling down at the same time?

IVAN — (Surprised ) Nacho...

Stef embraces Ivan.



STEF —No, little mouse. You can go down and tell everything.

Today is our glory night. Today is our honey-moon.

Stef immobilizes Ivan and takes him to the ground. Nacho rests his feet on Ivan’s

shoulders and holds his head

NACHO — (To Stef) Hold on tight.

Nacho attempts to free himself.

STEF —Take it easy, little mouse. It’s me, your mourning large rat.

NACHO — Hold on!

IVAN — (Pause – distant, unwillingly he says ) The leak in the

ceiling…Drew an archipelago.

Nacho pulls Ivan’s head, with all his strength. We hear a crack. Ivan breaks up over

Stef. Nacho lets fall, panting. Time.

STEF — (Pause – perplex) What was it? What was that crack?

What?

NACHO — It’s over...

Darkness.

FOURTH CHOIR:



Light on each of the Choir Members, alternately.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — I was told…

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — I’m only repeating.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — No, sir. It was later on...

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Where was I?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — Not even I know right.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — With the others...







CHOIR MEMBER 1 — Who was it?

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — How can I say?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — It was a confusion....

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —I don’t remember any longer where I was.



CHOIR MEMBER 5 —I had the impression I was in the whole school.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —I had the impression that the whole school thought

the same thought...

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —I mean... a thought.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —I don’t know how to tell I know what was happening

in other parts of the school.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — I remember as if I had lived…

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — The memory is confusing, but it is as if I had really

lived that, do you understand?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —As confusing as what I know I lived. Or I believe I

lived...

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —It was very quick. Quicker each time. When I noticed

it ... it was late…(Time) What for?

Darkness.

ACT V

Scene 1.



Light in the court. Choir Members immobilize Rico under some members’ feet. Fausta

is in a corner. Jojó and Sonia.

SONIA —This way he can’ manage to breathe…

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —And if doesn’t even deserve to breathe?

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — A rope! Something that can be used as a rope!

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — Let’s tie up the murderer...

Choir members move excitedly in the space.

RICO — (To Sonia) You cook so well ... My mouth is sweeter.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —That wire!

SONIA —I am sorry. I shouldn’t have offered you the bread…

RICO —I came down because I wanted. Look at them. I only

anticipated what is going to happen, somehow or other.

JOJÓ —They don’t know what they do Rico… Try to understand...

RICO —You are already trying to understand for me, Jojó…

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —The wire!

They tie up Rico’s wrists, immobilizing him.



CHOIR MEMBER 6 —So? If you really are the Demon, why don’t you get

loose?

JOJÓ —Unfasten Rico at once!

SONIA —Jojó... Pay attention, Jojó... They are not going to do

anything else with him. Are they? Are they? They only

want him not to disappear while the police don’t come,

isn’t it?

Pause.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —And who can trust the police? …

CHOIR MEMBER 2 —And if they let him free…

JOJÓ —And what if he is innocent?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — And what if he is not?

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —Yes. If he is not? What would you do?

JOJÓ — Justice is in God’s hands.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —Do you hear God speak?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —Does he say this demon is not guilty?

JOJÓ — (Avoids to answer) Nobody…Nobody is certain…

Appear Nacho.



NACHO — I am.

Everyone turns round.

NACHO —I can say: he is a murderer. He continues to be a murderer.

The recent ice of a new corpse still burns in his hand.

Darkness.

Scene 2

Light in the library. Jose de Antimateria prepares a barricade with books. Enter Stef ,

confused.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Are they arriving?

STEF — (Time) The students? The other students?...

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —They. Those people are going to destroy everything. I

have to protect myself. You, too... Sometime they’ll find us.

STEF — (Time) Are you afraid?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —I know, I know… I said it was necessary to destroy the

school, that what is rotten has to fall down…

STEF — (Distant – completes)... and if it is rotten it is necessary to

swing the branch….



J. ANTIMATÉRIA —It is madness to be afraid when the day I have always

said I dreamt about arrives.

STEF — (Distant) Have you dreamt, too?. ..

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — (Time) Are you all right?

Silence.

STEF — How can it be so dry?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — (Finds it strange) What?

STEF —I don’t know well...what... I heard it before. Mineral water

sealing wax. That. Do you know that crack of sealing wax

breaking? Plastic sealing wax.... of the bottle...of the bottle

lid… The water is not alive, is it? It finishes, but it does not

have life, does it?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —What are you talking about?

STEF —Blood has life. It does, doesn’t if? While it does not clot. I

think… Isn’t it like that?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —What happened Stef?



STEF —It means, the sealing wax of the lid cracks and one drinks

the water. There is water inside the bottle, isn’t there? It

cracks. It is water. Simple. Why wasn’t it like that? ...

There? ...

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — (Afraid of listening) What crack is that you are talking

about?

STEF — I was promised...

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — What?!

SONIA — The blood, poet! The blood…Isn’t it beautiful when the

blood is springing?

José de Antimateria has a chill.

STEF — I don’t know. This is what I am talking about. I don’t

know! And I have dreamt of it so much! That greedy red

soaking the black clothes. Yes, that. That is glorious.

Whoever dies this way, dies in the cradle of glory!

The terrible sound of structure yielding is heard.

STEF —To bleed until death…You have heard of it before, haven’t

you? To die should be a glory. To die should be glorious. .

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — (Frightened) Stef...



STEF — You said that. But it is not. It is broken sealing wax. A

crack. Dry. A crack is not glorious, is it? It is very speedy

to live, like that. To kill a little mouse is more glorious. But

to kill that little mouse was very quick. .

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —Who are you talking about?

STEF —I’m still hearing it. The crack... It’s deaf and dry. It is quick

and scowlful.. But it holds back all the rest! I’ll never

more hear only the rain!

Silence.

STEF —I helped kill Ivan… Ivan is dead. His life finished. In a

crack.

Darkness.

Scene 3

Light in the court. Everyone pays attention to Nacho, who hits the ball while he

speaks – possessed.

NACHO —It was, it was him. I’d rather have pulled away my two

eyes, but with my two eyes I saw once what for one eye

only would already be too much. That…being…

that...substance...killed my friend – the substance of my

being…



CHOIR MEMBER 1 — He is crying...

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — (Confused) What did he say?...

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — He is suffering, can’t you see?

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — He is crying.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — Shut up.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —Tell us, my friend. Talk about your pain…

NACHO —My throat hinders the air, my modesty denies the word.

CHOIR — He is suffering!

Rico bursts into a laughter.

CHOIR — The Demon laughs!

RICO — So, now, am I really the Demon?

SONIA —So... I am, too... I feel like laughing, like him. (And she points

at Rico) And I had to hold, like him.(And she points at

Nacho)

JOJÓ — Stop it! The Demon does not exist!

RICO — But you believe in God…



JOJÓ — (She breaks off the conversation, hesitant) I’ll pray for your

soul.

RICO — And abandon my body in their hands.

NACHO — (On top) I am not asking for revenge! I only want you to

listen to me. Because my pain, as it is so great, I myself

can only hear through your ears – and see it in the scare

on each one’s face! Or the pain would break up my

tympanums...

JOJÓ — (Yields) He is suffering...

And she goes to a corner, where she starts praying, whispering.

NACHO —Suffers all Nature! Can’t you hear the storm? It still seeks

what to knock down with winds and heavy tears! Nobody

can prevent its weeping, but soon it will be over with the

cloud that brought it. But…and my weeping? Ivan was my

friend, my pulse, the air that abounds after they robbed

his breath , and that now the one who mocks wastes!

Rico bursts into another laughter..

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — The Demon laughed again…

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — (Confused) It must be about that, that Nacho is

talking.



CHOIR MEMBER 3 — He knows what he talks about.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — (To Nacho) What do you want?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — What should we do?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — Say what and we’ll do it.

RICO —I don’t want your hands to be more stained than they

already are. I say that because your hands – like the liquid

hands of the storm for which Nature claims for justice -

your hands, my friends, were insulted! They were insulted

for the prohibition of giving back to Nature the

equilibrium stolen by Ivan’s murderer. (Points at Rico)

What Nature asks for, the Man denies – for sheer envy.

Without breathing the Choir Members speak almost all at the same time.

CHOIR MEMBER A 1 — (Confused) I don’t understand...

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — (Confuse) We must act, I know...

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — (Confused) The revenge is ours..

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — (Confused) That is what he wants to say.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — (Confused) What are we going to do?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — (Confused) We’re going to make an end of the

demon.



NACHO — (On tor) You chose. But how much does this aberration

have to be far from the soil in order not to dirty the

honest people.

And he throws the ball into the ring.

NACHO —I don’t know. As much as the bedroom where the

conscience sleeps can run from the gate, from where the

movement runs.

Short silence.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — There, there at the summit!

SONIA — Are you crazy?

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — A rope! Something that can serve as a rope!

SONIA — Mad!

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — We’re going to hang the murderer!

SONIA — Can you hear me?

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — That wire!

SONIA — Can’t you hear me?!

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — The wire!

SONIA — Are you going to stay there motionless, Jojó?



Jojó continues praying.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — (To Rico) If you are the demon, why are you going to

die?

RICO — I am the “Serradinho Demon”. I am what they say about

me.

Maddened Choir members carry Rico to the tower of the basket court. Sonia tries to

hold on him.

SONIA — I won’t let you! I won’t let you!

Rico finds a way to get rid of Sonia, without violence.

RICO — I am leaving, my friend. I’ll never smell the perfume of

your puff pastries any longer.

Enter José de Antimateria and Stef.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — (Anguished) What are you doing?

NACHO — (To him) This is no time for poetry!

CHOIR MEMBER 1 —(To José de Antimatéria) Don’t interfere!

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — We are doing justice.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — He didn’t kill Ivan!



The choir members are confused, for a moment. Very subtly, without neither them

and, maybe, nor the public noticing, Rico gets lost in the darkness.

NACHO —(Suddenly nervous – drops a word) Why did you stop?

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — (To Nacho) Quiet!

CHOIR MEMBER 4 — (To José de Antimatéria) Speak!

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — Neither the puff pastries’ seller’s brother.

NACHO — Are you going to let Justice by half?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — And who killed?

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — Someone killed.

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — (Agrees) And he is here, among us.

NACHO — You are wasting time!

SONIA — Why are you so troubled, Nacho? Why don’t you want him

to speak?

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — Yes. We want to hear...

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — (To Nacho) Are you in a hurry?

NACHO — No!

CHOIR MEMBER 3 — You seem nervous...



CHOIR MEMBER 4 — Is there anything else to be told?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA — (Advances) Only what he can’t tell.

NACHO —(Not convinced) True: the pain caused by my friend’s loss

was not told yet - which would be impossible in men’s

language. (Insecure) But I’ll let you all listening to other

voices. I notice that mine has already become old. I’m

leaving you. And suffer far from here in order not to

disturb the break-time. Later on, when life goes on... I …

Pause. The Choir is still mistrustful, looking at Nacho.

STEF — Go... You are not going alone. You’ll never be alone for the

rest of your life. I know.

Nacho hurries up and leaves.

CHOIR MEMBER 5 —Very strange.

CHOIR MEMBER 6 —Who killed the puff pastries’ seller’s brother, after

all, and his friend? You?

J. ANTIMATÉRIA —I haven’t even raised my finger in the direction of those

two ill-fated boys. And even so I am so guilty of the

murder as the true murderers. (Sad) So spoke José de

Antimatéria. The damned ...minstrel.



José de Antimatéria tries to drum on his own body, but doesn’t manage, moved.

Suddenly, the noise of structure yielding is heard. Everyone looks up, scared.

FAUSTA — (From her corner) We have lost such a long time

pursuing a criminal…

Darkness. The sound continues during the darkness and follows up to the next scene.

Scene 4.

The noise of structure yielding continues. Light in the sciences classroom. Ivan’s body

lies on a chair, opposite a microscope. Time. Nacho enters, running, panting. He

gathers breath. Time. The noise of structure yielding stops. And, from the

background, Rico appears, his hands behind his back.

RICO — I knew you would come here.

Nacho has a start, but cannot answer.

RICO — I knew everything had happened in this classroom.

NACHO — How did you come here?

RICO — I am the Demon, remember?

NACHO — Your hands were tied, I saw.

RICO — Now they are free. And one of them brings a knife.



And he shows the knife.

RICO —Now they are free to do what needs doing. To do what the

Demon needs to do

NACHO — Even you believe that... I invented you.

RICO — And I am here.

NACHO — I! I made everything happen. I had those boys in my hand.

I could feel their breathing creaking lowly, guilty for

disturbing the sound of my voice.

RICO — You believed what you said.

NACHO — No! I was lying! I laughed inside.

RICO — Only I laughed. You believed what you said. Even so, you

were lying, you are right. That’s why I laughed. What do

you think? That you have the power to give birth to new

murderers?

NACHO — It was almost... It was almost!

RICO —Your words don’t even kill an old man.

NACHO — What are you talking about? Of the old man you killed,

“Serradinho Demon”? I admired you...



RICO —Keep the title that you want. But there is something you

should know. The old man was already dead when his

eyes were pierced, his hollow bones were broken and

they set fire to the corpse.

NACHO —Wasn’t it you?...

RICO —They found the body... Someone did. Before the police did.

And decided to have fun with that. The Demon has little to

do these days. With so many people offering to act in his

name…

And he forces a hammer-lock immobilizing him, just in front. Then, slowly, he places

the knife on Nacho’s jugular.

NACHO —What are you doing? What is this for, just now? When they

know the truth they will come after me.

RICO — You will go on this trip without a companion.

NACHO —Why do you think I did what I did? Why? You can kill me!

I don’t believe anything.

RICO —Nothing?

NACHO —I’m not afraid of death. Death for me is nothing!

RICO —(Pause) But you are still alive.



Nacho understands the horror that waits for him and reveals an expression of

absolute fright on his face. He opens his mouth to shout, but the noise of structure

yielding comes back suddenly, and surpasses his yelp. We only see his mouth open.

Darkness.

And the fury of the sound of structure falling to pieces fills the environment. Silence.

Last Choir:

Light on each one of the Choir members alternately, tired of answering the questions

– the same questions. .

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — I was told, yes sir.

CHOIR MEMBER 2 — No, I don’t know if he was there.

CHOIR MEMBER 3 —I don’t even know if I was there, I’ve already said.

CHOIR MEMBER 4 —They said things, as if it wasn’t them, do you

understand?

CHOIR MEMBER 5 — Things...

CHOIR MEMBER 6 — Things I cannot manage to repeat.

CHOIR MEMBER 1 — I only know that.







CHOIR MEMBER 6 —I only know that.

Darkness.

Epilogue.

Light goes up slowly over Fausta, Jojó and Sonia, waiting under the school ruins. In a

corner, grouped together, crouched, each one embracing his own legs, the Choir

trembles with fear. Silent.

JOJÓ —They are at their normal level now. The new students.

FAUSTA —Yes. They are at their normal level: fearful. Besides,

besides, besides... When will someone come here to take

us from down here, under all this junk?! I’d give

everything to have your tranquility, Sonia. I swear. Can we

know what you think about so much?

SONIA —About my brother. I wanted to say something to him… I

really did!

FAUSTA — What?

SONIA —That from down here we also see Vista Chinesa. I really

did ...



Suddenly, a noise of ruins being removed. A spotlight of a lantern cuts the scene.

FIREMAN — (From the outside) Are you alright there?

BRASINHA — (From the outside) Let me pass!

And Brasinha enters, followed by the Fireman.

FIREMAN — You cannot come in!

FAUSTA — Brasinha!

The four of them embrace themselves.

FIREMAN — (To the outside) There are people alive here!

And he starts work to remove the rubbish.

JOJÓ — (Confused and obsessed) Now you represent us, did you

hear? You welcome the new students, say what we have

to do…Tell me you are doing this!.. Tell me!

FAUSTA — (Breathless) It’s OK...Calm down... Just let me breathe…

SONIA — (Pause) Yes...

And she sweetly frees from the embrace.

FAUSTA — Where are you going?

SONIA — I have what to do. (To the Fireman) Are you hungry?



FIREMAN — (Sincere) It’s twelve hours non-stop…

SONIA — I knew... I’ll manage.

And she goes.

Stage curtain.

The end of

Far from Vista Chinesa

Rio de Janeiro, 2008/2009.

FAR FROM VISTA CHINESA - Conexões Projeto Teatro Jovem · Far from Vista Chinesa – Bosco Brasil...

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