Catastrophe

By Samuel Beckett
For Vaclav Havel
Written in French in 1982. First performed at the vi!non Festival in 1982. First
pu"lished in #n!lish "y Fa"er and Fa"er$ %ondon$ in 198&.
'irector (').
His female assistant ().
*rota!onist (*).
%uke$ in char!e of the li!htin!$ offsta!e (%).
Rehearsal. Final touches to the last scene. Bare stage. and % have just set the lighting.
' has just arrived.
' in an armchair downstairs audience left. Fur coat. Fur toque
to match. Age and physique unimportant.
A standing beside him. White overall. Bare head. Pencil on ear.
Age and physique unimportant.
* midstage standing on a blac bloc !" inches high. Blac
wide#brimmed hat. Blac dressing#gown to anles. Barefoot.
$ead bowed. $ands in pocets. Age and physique unimportant.
' and contemplate *. %on! pause.
+ ,Finally.- %ike the look of him.
'+ So so. ,Pause.- Why the plinth.
+ /o let the stalls see the feet.
,Pause.-
'+ Why the hat.
+ /o help hide the face.
,Pause.-
'+ Why the !o0n.
+ /o have him all "lack.
,Pause.-
'+ What has he on underneath. ,A moves towards P.- Say it.
, halts. -
+ His ni!ht attire.
'+ 1olour.
+ sh.
,' taes out a cigar.-
'+ %i!ht. , returns% lights the cigar% stands still. ' smoes.- Ho02s the skull.
+ 3ou4ve seen it.
' + 5 for!et. , moves towards *.- Say it.
, halts.-
+ 6oultin!. fe0 tufts.
'+ 1olour.
+ sh.
,Pause.-
'+ Why hands in pockets.
+ /o help have him all "lack.
'+ /hey mustn2t.
+ 5 make a note. ,&he taes out a pad% taes pencil% notes.-
Hands e7posed.
,&he puts bac pad and pencil.-
'+ Ho0 are they. , at a loss. 'rritably.- /he hands$ ho0 are the hands.
+ 3ou2ve seen them.
'+ 5 for!et.
+ 1rippled. Fi"rous de!eneration.
'+ 1la0like.
+ lf you like.
'+ /0o cla0s.
+ 8nless he clench his fists.
'+ He mustn2t.
+ 5 make a note. ,&he taes out pad% taes pencil% notes.-
Hands limp.
,&he puts bac pad and pencil.-
'+ %i!ht. , returns% relights the cigar% stands still. ' smoes.-
9ood. :o0 let2s have a look. , at a loss. 'rritably.- 9et !oin!. %ose that !o0n. ,$e
consults
his (hronometer.-
Step on it$ 5 have a caucus.
, goes to *$ taes off the gown. * submits% inert. steps bac% the gown over her arm.
* in old grey pyjamas% head bowed% fists clenched. Pause.-
+ %ike him "etter 0ithout. ,*ause.- He4s shiverin!.
'+ :ot all that. Hat.
, advances% taes off hat% steps bac% hat in hand. Pause.-
+ %ike that cranium.
'+ :eeds 0hitenin!.
+ 5 make a note. ,&he taes out pad% taes pencil% notes.)
Whiten cranium.
,&he puts bac pad and pencil.-
'+ /he hands. ,A at a loss. 'rritably. - /he fists. 9et !oin!. , advances% unclenches fists%
steps
bac. - nd 0hiten.
+ 5 make a note. ,&he taes out pad% taes pencil% notes.-
Whiten hands.
,&he puts bac pad and pencil. *hey contemplate *.-
'+ ,Finally. - Somethin! 0ron!. ,+istraught. - What is it.
+ ,*imidly.- What if 0e 0ere . . . 0ere to . . . ;oin them.
'+ :o harm tryin!. , advances% joins the hands% steps bac.- Hi!her. , advances%
raises waist
high the joined hands% steps bac.- touch more. , advances% raises breasthigh the
joined hands.- Stop< , steps bac. - Better. 5t2s comin!. %i!ht.
, returns% relights cigar% stands still. ' smoes.-
+ He2s shiverin!.
'+ Bless his heart.
,Pause.-
. ,*imidly.- What a"out a little . . . a little . . . !a!.
'+ For 9od2s sake< /his cra=e for e7plicitation< #very i dotted to death< %ittle !a!< For
9od2s sake<
+ Sure he 0on2t utter.
'+ :ot a s>ueak. ,$e consults his chronometer.- ?ust time. 54ll !o and see ho0 it looks
from the
house.
,,-it '$ not to appear again. subsides in the armchair% springs to her feet no sooner
seated% taes out a rag% wipes vigorously bac and seat of chair% discards rag% sits again.
Pause.-
'+ ,.ff% plaintive.- 5 can2t see the toes. ,'rritably.- 52m sittin! in the front ro0 of the stalls
and can2t
see the toes.
+ ,Rising.- 5 make a note. ,&he taes out a pad% taes pencil% notes.- @aise pedestal.
'+ /here2s a trace of face.
+ 5 make a note.
,&he taes out pad% taes pencil% maes to note.-
'+ 'o0n the head. , at a loss. 'rritably.- 9et !oin!. 'o0n his head. , puts bac pad
and
pencil% goes to *$ bows his head further% steps bac.- shade more. , advances% bows
the head further.- Stop< , steps bac.- Fine. lt2s comin!. ,Pause.- 1ould do 0ith more
nudity.
+ 5 make a note.
,&he taes out pad% maes to tae her pencil.-
'+ 9et !oin!< 9et !oin!< , puts bac the pad% goes to *$ stands irresolute.- Bare the
neck. ,
undoes top buttons% parts the flaps% steps bac. - /he le!s. /he shins. , advances% rolls
up to
below nee one trouser#leg% steps bac.- /he other. ,&ame for other leg% steps bac.-
Hi!her.
/he knees. , advances% rolls up to above nees both trouser legs% steps bac.- nd
0hiten.
+ 5 make a note.
,&he taes out pad% taes pencil% notes.- Whiten all flesh.
'+ 5t2s comin!. 5s %uke around.
+ ,(alling.- %uke< ,Pause. /ouder.- %uke<
%+ ,.ff% distant.- 5 hear you. ,Pause. 0earer. - What2s the
trou"le no0.
+ %uke2s around.
'+ Blackout sta!e.
%+ What.
, transmits in technical terms. Fade#out of general light. /ight on * alone. in
shadow.-
'+ ?ust the head.
%+ What.
, transmits in technical terms. Fade#out of light on P1s body. /ight on head alone. /ong
pause.-
'+ %ovely.
,Pause.-
+ ,*imidly.- What if he 0ere to . . . 0ere to . . . raise his head . . . an instant . . . sho0 his
face . . .
;ust an instant.
'+ For 9od2s sake< What ne7t. @aise his head. Where do you think 0e are. 5n
*ata!onia. @aise his
head. For 9od2s sake< ,Pause.- 9ood. /here2s our catastrophe. 5n the "a!. Ance more and
52m off.
+ ,*o %.- Ance more and he2s off.
,Fade#up of light on *2s body. Pause. Fade#up of general light. -
'+ Stop< ,Pause.- :o0 . . . let 4em have it. ,Fade#out of general light. Pause. Fade#out of
light
on body. /ight on head alone. /ong Pause.- /errific< He4ll have them on their feet. 5 can
hear
it from here.
,Pause. +istant storm of applause. * raises his head% fi-es the audience. *he applause
falters% dies.
/ong pause.
Fade#out of light on face.-