Читать книгу The Taming of the Shrew - William Shakespeare - Страница 9

Padua, the town square.

STAGEHANDS set two benches stage right and two benches stage left, side by side and facing center stage. Each bench holds four actors. Prior to curtain, the individual actors will place their props below the bench on which they will be sitting.

Enter ALL, excluding LUCENTIO, TRANIO, BIONDELLO, PETRUCHIO, GREMIO, BIANCA, BAPTISTA, and KATHERINE, dancing, waving, and playing instruments. They circle the stage and then sit, four actors to a bench. All cast members return to their respective benches throughout the play rather than exiting offstage. While on the benches, the cast serves as the CHORUS, sometimes leaping up to participate and then returning to their benches.

Enter LUCENTIO and TRANIO separately, walking in from stage left.

LUCENTIO

Tranio, my trusty servant,

To see fair Padua,

ALL onstage cheer.

I am arrived.

But stay awhile! What company is this?

TRANIO

Master, some show to welcome us to town.

SOUND OPERATOR plays Sound Cue #1 (“Drumroll”).

ALL look stage right.

Enter BIONDELLO, PETRUCHIO, and GREMIO from stage right, looking frightened. GREMIO is using a cane. A shoe is thrown at them from offstage right.

Enter BIANCA from stage right, running and ducking from an object being thrown from offstage. A shoe comes flying out, and she ducks. She nearly runs into BIONDELLO, PETRUCHIO, and GREMIO, but they catch her. As soon as BIANCA enters, LUCENTIO can’t keep his eyes off her.

Another shoe is thrown from offstage right.

Enter BAPTISTA from stage right, walking backward with his arms in front of him, protecting himself. ALL look at BAPTISTA, put their arms out in front of them, and gaze expectantly stage right. Nothing happens.

SOUND OPERATOR plays Sound Cue #2 (“Drumroll”).

From offstage right, another shoe is thrown. ALL watch as it bounces across the stage.

Enter KATHERINE from stage right. Her hair looks wild, and she is glaring. She stands center stage, takes a few threatening steps toward the front row, and scowls.

ALL onstage yell in terror.

KATHERINE moves toward BAPTISTA, BIANCA, TRANIO, and BIONDELLO.

HORTENSIO makes his way toward the crowd, staring at BIANCA.

LUCENTIO eyes HORTENSIO suspiciously as he notices that HORTENSIO desires BIANCA.

BAPTISTA (to GREMIO and HORTENSIO)

Gentlemen, I firmly am resolved

not to bestow my youngest daughter

Before I have a husband for the elder.

If either of you both love Katherine

ALL back away one step and yell in fear.

Leave shall you have to court her at your pleasure.

GREMIO (slowly backing away)

She’s too rough for me.

KATHERINE (to BAPTISTA)

Is it your will

To make a stale of me amongst these mates?

HORTENSIO

No mates for you,

Unless you were of gentler, milder mold.

KATHERINE (to HORTENSIO)

Her care should be

To comb your noddle with a three-legged stool.

KATHERINE grabs GREMIO’S cane and threatens to hit HORTENSIO with it.

GREMIO almost falls down. He grabs onto HORTENSIO to keep himself upright.

GREMIO and HORTENSIO both back away from KATHERINE.

HORTENSIO

From all such devils, good Lord, deliver us!

GREMIO

And me too, good Lord.

TRANIO (aside to LUCENTIO)

That wench is stark mad or wonderful froward.

LUCENTIO (aside to TRANIO, gazing at BIANCA)

But in the other’s silence do I see

Maid’s mild behavior and sobriety.

Peace, Tranio.

TRANIO (aside to LUCENTIO)

Well said, master, and gaze your fill.

BAPTISTA (gesturing upstage rear)

Bianca, get you in.

KATHERINE

A pretty peat!

BIANCA

Sister, content you in my discontent.

Sir, to your pleasure humbly I subscribe.

Exit BIANCA to bench.

BAPTISTA

Katherine, you may stay,

For I have more to commune with Bianca.

ALL onstage say, “Aww,” reacting to BIANCA’S cuteness.

BIANCA stands blushingly, with a little curtsy, and then sits back down on her bench.

Exit BAPTISTA to his bench, taking BIANCA with him.

KATHERINE

I may go too, may I not? Ha!

Exit KATHERINE to her bench. Before leaving, she stops, turns around, lunges toward group onstage, and roars.

ALL onstage yell in terror.

GREMIO

You may go to the devil’s dam!

HORTENSIO

There’s small choice in rotten

apples. By helping Baptista’s eldest daughter

to a husband we set his youngest free for a husband.

Sweet Bianca!

ALL onstage swoon and say, “Aww.”

BIANCA stands to reprise her blush and curtsy, then sits back down.

He that runs fastest gets the ring.

How say you, Signior Gremio?

GREMIO

I am agreed. Come on.

Exit GREMIO and HORTENSIO to their benches.

TRANIO and LUCENTIO come center stage.

TRANIO

I pray, sir, tell me, is it possible

That love should of a sudden take such hold?

LUCENTIO (gazing over audience, thinking of BIANCA)

Tranio, I saw her coral lips to move,

And with her breath she did perfume the air.

TRANIO (to audience)

Nay, then ’tis time to stir him from his trance.

TRANIO snaps his fingers in front of LUCENTIO’S eyes. There is no response. TRANIO claps his hands.

I pray, awake, sir!

Her elder sister is so curst and shrewd

That till the father rid his hands of her,

Master, your love must live a maid at home.

LUCENTIO

But art thou not advised he took some care

To get her cunning schoolmasters to instruct her?

TRANIO (thinking)

Ay, marry, am I, sir—and now ’tis plotted!

You will be schoolmaster

And undertake the teaching of the maid.

Take my colored hat and cloak.

LUCENTIO and TRANIO exchange clothes and exit to their benches.