Out of the Wings

El tintero (1959-1960), Carlos Muñiz

The Inkwell : ACT ONE Scene One excerpt 1 , ACT ONE Scene One excerpt 2 , ACT THREE Scene Three , FINAL SCENE

The Inkwell, translated by Gwynneth Dowling

ACT ONE Scene One excerpt 1

Context:

This excerpt takes place in Crock’s oppressive office. Frank, the Head of Personnel, has just caught him singing, and reprimands him for his inability to abide by the regulations.

Sample text

FRANK:: Señor Crock … (CROCK stops singing.) Will you be spending all day on such idiocies?
CROCK:: No. No sir.
FRANK:: You were singing.
CROCK:: Yes sir.
FRANK: (Taking the flowers and throwing them in the bin.): Flowers at your age, Crock? Does that seem right to you? And what about the regulations?
CROCK:: It’s springtime!
FRANK:: Where? I don’t see it. Does it mention it in the regulations?
CROCK:: Outside, in the street. Look at the trees, the children, and the girls …
FRANK:: Horny too? You’re on a slippery slope, Crock my dear.
CROCK:: There’s no harm in it, Señor Frank. I promise you.
FRANK:: There’s harm in everything that’s disrespectful! (He has almost left the stage, rubbing his hands together once again.) You’re always disobeying regulations. That’s serious. Very serious.
CROCK:: But why’s it against regulations?
FRANK:: Señor Director’s orders.
CROCK:: But, why?
FRANK:: What do you mean ‘why’?
CROCK:: No, it’s nothing. Apologies.
FRANK:: How’s work?
CROCK:: It’s going very well.
FRANK:: We’ll see. (He exits, rubbing his hands.)
CROCK:: But. Why the hell not? (He makes an exasperated gesture and goes back to his work, in bad form. He works for some time. Long silence.); (The FRIEND enters. His age is indeterminate and he is poorly dressed. He leans timidly into the office from the side of the stage.)
FRIEND:: Psst! Psst!
CROCK: (Without looking.): What is it?
FRIEND:: It’s me.
CROCK: (Seeing him): Come in, come in.; (He continues working at the same speed.)
FRIEND:: You working?
CROCK:: As always.
FRIEND: (Sitting on the edge of a seat.): Don’t stop on my account. How are you?
CROCK:: I’m sad, very sad.
FRIEND:: Why?
CROCK:: There’s no springtime.
FRIEND:: But it’s a beautiful day!
CROCK:: In here. There’s no springtime in here.
FRIEND: (Disbelieving.): Isn’t there?
CROCK:: It’s against regulations.
FRIEND:: What nonsense! The regulations can’t order the sun about.
CROCK:: Oh really? You believe that if you want. They regulate everything. The Director’s decreed it.
FRIEND:: As far as the sun goes, only God’s got control over that.
CROCK:: Well, it’s been forbidden by the Director.
FRIEND:: What’s been forbidden?
CROCK:: Everything. Singing, springtime … Everything. Everything.

Copyright

The above sample taken from the translation The Inkwell by Gwynneth Dowling is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

ACT ONE Scene One excerpt 2

Context:

Crock has just learnt from Livi that he will not be getting a bonus this month. However, his work colleagues – Pim, Pam and Pum – are awarded bonuses simply because they comply with the office’s strict and often nonsensical regulations.

Sample text

LIVI:: Come in, come in, Señor Pim. Come in, Señor Pam. Come in, Señor Pum.
PIM, PAM, PUM:: Good morning everyone.
LIVI:: And to you.
FRANK:: Likewise.
PIM, PAM, PUM:: We’ve come for our bonuses, if it isn’t too much trouble.
LIVI:: Absolutely no trouble! (He takes out an envelope.) Pim! (One of the three men approaches LIVI, takes the envelope, bows and stands beside the other two.) Pam! (The second man repeats the operation.) Pum! (The third repeats the operation.)
PIM, PAM, PUM:: Thank you.
FRANK:: So, what now? You going to celebrate?
PIM, PAM, PUM:: We’ll celebrate after work. We’ve got to finish up here first to keep our glorious Señor Director happy.
LIVI: (To CROCK.): Are you going to go with them?
CROCK:: No.
PIM, PAM, PUM:: We never take Crock. Crock’s the black sheep of the office and smokes in the toilet when nobody’s looking. And when he’s alone at his desk. And he thinks thoughts, without our glorious Señor Director’s permission.
FRANK:: It should upset you Crock, hearing your colleagues talk about you like that. It should upset you. A young man, abandoned by all those around him. Shape up, Crock. Shape up and I promise I’ll put in a good word so that they treat you like one of them. You’ll promise to let Crock go with you, right guys? Promise you’ll treat him like one of the gang?
PIM, PAM, PUM:: If he goes to the football, then yes. If he talks about football, then yes. If he doesn’t smoke in the toilet, then yes. If he doesn’t think thoughts, then yes. If he doesn’t read books, then yes.
FRANK:: See how nice they are? Now forget about all this and go toast your friendship.
CROCK:: To hell with their friendship! I like reading books and talking to my friend about the weather, and, and … writing poetry. Yes, poetry! About the green trees and the freshwater streams that are so very, very far away from all of you. To hell with football! To hell with you! You’re all jealous. Because you’d love to be like me – smoking cigarettes and thinking and having a friend. But why are you jealous of me? You’ve made your choice. I haven’t chosen this. You’ve got houses with toilets, and bedrooms and kitchens. I haven’t got a house. I live in my mother-in-law’s, out in the country. And there’s no toilet. But my sons can use the fields for that. Why are you jealous?
PIM, PAM, PUM:: We’re not jealous, because you’re crazy.
FRANK:: Excellent answer. I’ll speak to the Director to see about a pay rise.

Copyright

The above sample taken from the translation The Inkwell by Gwynneth Dowling is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

ACT THREE Scene Three

Context:

Crock has taken unauthorised time off to look for a house. Unsuccessful, and feeling unwell, he returns to his lodgings, where his unsympathetic wife surprises him with a visit. She brings news of a handsome teacher who is pursuing her. She also reveals that the bosses in his office have found out he was absent.

Sample text

CROCK: (Nervously. Very low.): I’m sick, Frida.
FRIDA: (Putting her hands on her head.): Here we go again!
FRIEND:: It’s true.
FRIDA:: You can shut your mouth.
CROCK:: Frida!
FRIDA:: And that goes for you too. You’re always sick, but your days of using that excuse are numbered. People are getting wise to you – in your office they know you’ve been absent … and that you weren’t here when they sent the doctor out.
CROCK:: The doctor!
FRIDA:: The doctor they sent to check on you. While I was at the office he phoned to say you weren’t home. You should’ve seen the look on your boss’s face!
CROCK: (Extremely interested.): What did he say?
FRIDA: (To the Friend.): You see? He’s only interested in himself. He couldn’t care less about that teacher chasing after me.
CROCK:: Come on, Frida. What did he say?
FRIDA:: He didn’t say anything. He just made a funny face. A very angry funny face. And he was laughing.
CROCK: (Terrified.): Laughing?
FRIDA:: Yes. And he rubbed his hands together.
CROCK: (To the Friend.): He was laughing and he rubbed his hands together!
FRIDA:: Well, so what? The teacher is coming round again tonight.
CROCK:: Tell him to go away!
FRIDA:: He won’t!
CROCK:: Throw him out!
FRIDA:: He’ll come in!
CROCK:: Tell him I know about this.
FRIDA:: He’ll laugh.
CROCK: (Bemused.): Why?
FRIDA:: He’s got no fear. He’s young and strong.
CROCK: (Threateningly.): That man doesn’t know me …
FRIDA:: Yes he does. They’ve told him about you.
CROCK: (Defeated.): They’ll have told him I’m weak.
FRIDA:: That’s why he laughed. And guess what he said? That a woman like me needs a man who’ll hold her close and who’ll chase her when the time is right. He says he’s the one to do it … (Admiringly.) And perhaps he’s right. He looks like a young man who knows his own mind. He’s tall and strong. (Lowering her voice.) You’re always tired when you come. I don’t even get a kiss from you. Crock, I need a husband, understand? And you’re not a husband.
CROCK: (Irritated.): If I wasn’t a husband you wouldn’t have had two children!
FRIDA:: So marriage is over once there’s two children?

Copyright

The above sample taken from the translation The Inkwell by Gwynneth Dowling is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

FINAL SCENE

Context:

After being unfairly dismissed from his job, seeing his only friend unjustly sentenced to hanging and returning home to face his wife’s admirer, Crock jumps under – or is hit by– a train. In this final fantastical scene all the characters who made his life a misery stand over his lifeless body.

Sample text

DIRECTOR:

He looks dead.

SEÑORA SLAMB:

Poor lamb!

DIRECTOR:

We could try mouth to mouth …

FRANK:

I’ve got an aspirin.

LIVI:

It’ll be his liver. I’ve got liver problems. He needs tablets for his liver. I’ve got some, they’re really good.

SEÑORA SLAMB:

A poultice. He’d be best with a poultice. Poultices work very well indeed.

BUSINESSMAN:

He needs a plaster on that wound. And vitamins. He needs a lot of vitamins.

PIM, PAM and PUM:

Give him a cigarette. He could do with a cigarette.

TEACHER:

Could it be his heart? Give him some Cardiazol.

FRIDA:

My God! The poor man.

SECRETARY:

And he’s quite handsome.

SEÑORA SLAMB:

He’s leaving two kids behind!

BUSINESSMAN:

Everyone leaves kids behind!

CONCIERGE:

We need to revive him. Here, give him this loaf of bread.

BUSINESSMAN:

A plaster!

SECRETARY:

So handsome!

PIM, PAM, PUM:

A cigarette!

CONCIERGE:

Bread!

LIVI:

Tablets!

SEÑORA SLAMB:

Poultice!

FRANK:

Aspirin!

TEACHER:

Cardiazol!

DIRECTOR:

Oxygen!

WARDEN:

Air! Air!

FRIDA:

My God! The poor man.

(They all speak at the same time while they throw the various items – bread, aspirin, etc. – on CROCK’s body.)

(Long silence. From the other side of the stage the FRIEND appears. The rest do not notice him. He stands still in the background.)

[…]

FRIEND:

Leave this man in peace. He’s dead.

DIRECTOR:

How do you know?

FRIEND:

I can see him. The train hit him head on.

DIRECTOR:

How could he not have heard the train?

EVERYONE: (As if reciting a mass.)

How could he not have heard the train?

DIRECTOR:

Daydreaming!

EVERYONE:

Daydreaming!

DIRECTOR:

Walking along, his head full of nonsense!

EVERYONE:

Walking along, his head full of nonsense!

DIRECTOR:

God forgive him!

EVERYONE:

God forgive him!

OFF: (After several sharp blasts on the whistle.)

All passengers please board the train!

FRIEND:

Ladies and gentlemen, please board the train. You must continue on with your journey.

DIRECTOR:

Aren’t you coming?

FRIEND:

No, I’m staying here. I’ve already arrived.

(The DIRECTOR leaves. The three employees PIM, PAM and PUM are the last to go. They light a candle, set it on CROCK’s head, and then leave.)

PIM, PAM, PUM: (Singing.)

Long live life! Viva la vida!

(The FRIEND watches them go. He then approaches CROCK and kicks over the candle. The music stops.)

FRIEND:

Crock … Crock, it’s me. (CROCK gets up. The FRIEND helps him.) Have you noticed how beautiful the night is?

CROCK:

Look at those stars! Look! Look over there, over the garden. (The train’s whistle sounds again. There is a sound of chains creaking and screeching. The train starts to move away.) The moon’s coming out! What’s that?

FRIEND:

The passenger train.

CROCK:

What train?

FRIEND:

Just a train. It doesn’t matter.

CROCK:

You’re right, it doesn’t matter. Shall we take a walk?

CROCK:

It’s fine, we’re not in any hurry now. (Pause.) What’s that?

FRIEND:

It looks like the sea.

CROCK:

The sea! Shall we go?

FRIEND:

Let’s go.

(They exchange a look. A brief silence and then they start to laugh. Their laughter gets louder. The sound of waves. They take each other by the arm and, as they go to leave, the curtain falls quickly.)

Copyright