The Legacy of Sarah Kane Considered by Raymond Burke
A hospital. Doctor Prove it. 7EVEL
2MRIXIIR QMRYXIW XS ½ZI 1EVMI
-W XLMW KSSH IRSYKL#
(Pause) (SGXSV ;LEX [IVI ]SY HSMRK YT XLIVI#
)MKLXIIR QMRYXIW XS ½ZI Marie
There’s something wrong with the light bulb.
(Pause) (Pause.)
7IZIRXIIR QMRYXIW XS ½ZI Marie (Pause)
7M\XIIR QMRYXIW XS ½ZI
Doctor Look into the mirror.
(Pause)
Marie
*SYVXIIR QMRYXIW XS ½ZI
(SGXSV 2SX XLI VI¾IGXMSR
(Pause)
Marie
8LMVXIIR QMRYXIW XS ½ZI
Doctor Through the image.
Sarah climbs up on top of a giant golden pill bottle. She stretches to reach a noose but cannot. She falls off. Sarah
That’s not me.
It’s not right.
Marie and Doctor step into the mirror as it expands and becomes an hotel room near Leeds. Ian enters and throws the complete works of Sarah Kane on the bed. Cate follows him and sits looking into a foil food container.
Fuck. The lid of the bottle unscrews and a Doctor crawls out.
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I’m not scared of the dark. Just the things that might be in the dark.
'EXI
;ERX WSQI#
Doctor Sarah.
Ian
Muck.
Sarah
'EXI
,S[ PSRK LEZI ]SY FIIR E FMKSX#
Doctor That’s what it says on your prescription.
-ER
,S[ PSRK LEZI ]SY FIIR E GIPIFVMX]#
Sarah
Cate
We need each other.
My name is not Sarah.
My name is not Sarah.
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Ian
I hate you.
'EXI
'ER - OMWW ]SY#
Ian
No.
'EXI
'ER - LEXI ]SY#
Ian
No.
'EXI
'ER - [VMXI EFSYX ]SY#
Ian
I wish it would rain. I’m going for a walk.
Hippolytus grabs Ian and starts to kiss him TEWWMSREXIP] 8LIMV PMTW VIQEMR ½\IH MR E PSRK embrace as XLI] WLYJ¾I MRXS XLI FEXLVSSQ Cate eats the sausage and smiles. Cate XLVS[W YT SR XLI ¾SSV Cate sleeps with her head resting in her own vomit. Stinker appears at the window, typing his report. Stinker
Ian leaves through the main door. Cate removes a large German sausage from the container. She puts it on the chair. She sits on the edge of the bed and laughs at it. Ian returns through the bathroom door, dripping with water. Ian
Bitch. Cate slaps Ian. Ian slaps Cate. Cate slaps Ian. Ian slaps Cate. Cate slaps Ian. Ian kisses Cate.
‘If this is a typical example of what we are promised from the new ‘In Yer Faeces’ movement’. Ha ha ha. ‘I would suggest the establishment withdraws funding immediately. Not a single penny of public money. Not a single subsidised seat. Not a single inch of column space should be given SZIV XS XLMW JIEWX SJ ½PXL ¯ XLMW FSYUYIX SJ bollocks -–this menu of menstruation. No one should be subjected to this rubbish and anyone who publicises it in any way should question their own sanity. Run continues until next Tuesday. Each night seven thirty and Saturday matinee. Tickets £12 and £11.95 concession. Marie pulls the covers away and sits up in bed.
Marie
Get out. All of you. Nurse takes Cate away. Doctor sits on the edge of the bed.
Cate
You fucking horrible cunt. Why did you do XLEX#
Ian
It’s the price.
1EVMI
Ian kicks her between the legs. As Cate folds over he knees her in the face, breaking her nose. Hippolytus enters dressed as a Nazi.
(SGXSV -W XLEX ER SJJIV#
Ian
Oh, piss off.
Doctor Each patient is ...
,MTT
8LI]´VI KSMRK XS OMPP LIV (SR´X ]SY VIEPMWI#
1EVMI
Ian
It was her.
Doctor Similar. I have ‘In’ patients and I have ‘Out’
Marie
(S ]SY JYGO ]SYV TEXMIRXW# 8EOI EHZERXEKI#
Pisser.
(MJJIVIRX#
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43
patients and on occasion I have ‘In-out-inout’ patients. Marie
I want my clothes.
Doctor You can’t have your clothes. You have visitors. Hippolytus, Theseus and Theramenes enter.
the noose around your neck. And you’d get blood on the pills. Not very hygienic. Marie
Leave me.
Doctor If we left you alone would you harm ]SYVWIPJ# Marie
I wouldn’t harm you.
Doctor You might. 41
– Dog
THERAMENES Alas. Her evil that has haunted you Is left or so diminished as is none In consequence what cause have you to fear
Marie
It’s your job.
(SGXSV 'V] JSV LIPT [SYPH ]SY#
8LI H]MRK JIQEPI TVE]MRK LIVWIPJ KSRI#
Marie
I don’t want to be remembered.
Woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof woof.
Doctor Most people who really want to die are dead.
THESEUS +S ½RH WSQI JVMIRHW [LS [MXL XLIMV GPSXXIH claws With praise your base betrayal and incest 4MQTW [MXL XLMIZIW ERH ½PXL] ZEKEFSRHW Must welcome such as you as of their best.
Marie
You don’t know what ...
(SGXSV 8LMRO ]SY´PP KS XS ,IEZIR# Marie
Fuck Heaven.
Doctor Sounds like an interesting place. 12.00
HIPPOLYTUS Hypocrisy my father spits like sludge This journey need not sweat the hoof nor tiller So if ye seek the root of sacred vice No need to look much farther than Ca ...
Marie
Doctor If you really meant that, you wouldn’t have used a capital ‘G’. 1EVMI
Hippolytus is chased off by Theseus and Theramenes.
Fuck God.
,S[ HS ]SY ORS[#
Doctor I’ve read your plays. How about a TERXSQMQI#
(SGXSV =SYV TPERW# Marie Marie
Hang myself, slash my wrists and take an overdose.
Doctor You’d never be able to swallow the pills with
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Fuck panto.
Doctor Dick Whittington. Marie
Fuck Whittington.
Woyzeck Andres. Wake up. The dream. Again. Doctor Sleeping Pill Beauty. Andres Doctor and Marie open pill bottles and throw sweets into the audience. Doctor I am going to prescribe you something to keep you alive.
Go to sleep, Woyzeck. What good does it HS XS XIPP ]SYV WXYTMH HVIEQW XS QI# (S E soliloquy.
Woyzeck Out of the question. %RHVIW ;EW MX XLI ORMJI EKEMR#
1EVMI
*PSYI\SXMRI#
Doctor No.
Woyzeck Andres! You’ve ruined my dream. The knife was mine to reveal.
1EVMI
Andres
'LPSVSXETVSQ#
I was merely adding another level to the exposition.
Doctor No. Woyzeck Oh. Go to sleep. 1EVMI
7IVSWEXMRI# Woyzeck sees Marie watching him.
Doctor No. ;S]^IGO ;MPP ]SY XEPO XS QI EFSYX Q] HVIEQ# 1EVMI
8LSVE^MRI# 8LSVE ,MVH# Marie
Just taken some drugs. Go away.
Doctor N ... no. Woyzeck Then I shall listen to your dream. 1EVMI
;LEX XLIR# 1EVMI
- LEZI NYWX XEOIR ½JX] JSYV EWTMVMR
(SGXSV ;L] HS ]SY EWO# Woyzeck I once lived on peas for three months. Marie
Fuck you. 1EVMI
;L]#
Doctor A trilogy. Night night. Woyzeck Doctor’s orders. Night. Two more beds are brought into the ward. Woyzeck and Andres are asleep. Silence. Silence. A dog barks. Silence.
Marie
You must have an incredibly stupid doctor.
Woyzeck Yours doesn’t sound too clever. Fifty-four EWTMVMR# -W LI QEH# 1EVMI
%PP VMKLX ;LEX MW XLI HVIEQ#
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45
Woyzeck I keep seeing a knife.
100 paracetamol and a bottle of Rioja.
1EVMI
Patient woke in a pool of vomit.
% KSSH ORMJI SV E FEH ORMJI#
Woyzeck There is no hand upon it.
1EVMI
7PIIT [MXL E HSK ERH VMWI JYPP SJ ¾IEW
Marie
Dog
Sleep with a human and rise covered in vomit.
No use without a hand.
;S]^IGO - [MPP FY] XLI ORMJI XS ½RH SYX 8LERO ]SY There are gypsies dancing outside the town. You should join them. Marie
I feel sick.
Woyzeck Exactly. Woyzeck goes. Morning.
Woyzeck and Hippolytus return. Woyzeck I once had a dog who kept trying to hang himself. Hipp.
I’ve never heard of such a dog as this.
Marie
Perhaps he was depressed.
Hipp.
A dog depressed must simply bark it off.
Melleril, 50mg.
Citaloprom, 20mg.
Woyzeck This one just wanted to hang himself. You should see the way he pulled at the lead when I took him for a walk. I thought he was trying to get away but when released he would always come scurrying back. Then one day he found a length of rope.
Prozac, 20mg.
,MTT
Fight with Doctor.
Woyzeck Just the right length to hang a dog.
Lofepramine, 70mg. Fight with nurse.
Nurse – 20 mg Prozac.
%RH [EW MX PSRK IRSYKL XS LERK E HSK#
Pause. Woyzeck and Hippolytus look sad.
Doctor – 140mg Lofepramine and a large gin.
1EVMI
2YVWI LEW ½WX½KLX [MXL HSGXSV
;S]^IGO %RH [LEX#
Police.
1EVMI
Police – Citaloprom 30mg each.
Woyzeck No. He couldn’t tie knots. He just bit the rope, shook it about violently and growled for a few hours. Until it fell to pieces.
Patient discharges herself into the community.
1EVMI
%RH #
(MH LI LERK LMQWIPJ#
7S LI HMHR´X WYGGIIH#
Police issue warning not to do it again. Woyzeck A frayed knot. But the very next day he
46
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was run over by a carriage containing Count Wilhelm III of Battenberg and the Greek Ambassador.
I do not want to die. I do not want to hang about.
Hipp.
Poor thing. It must have been an accident.
1EVMI
3V HMH LI NYQT#
I do not want to ...
Woyzeck Neither. I kicked him on to the road. For wasting such an expensive length of rope.
Hammering at the door. Marie returns to her bed. Woyzeck (Off.) Wake up you old Jew.
Woyzeck and Hippolytus go their separate ways. Marie
Old Jew enters.
Everything has to die some time. I will choose my own time.
Old Jew In the name of God. What on earth do you [ERX EX XLMW XMQI SJ RMKLX#
I cannot think.
Woyzeck (Off.) In the name of God. I want the knife. In the window.
I cannot write. 3PH .I[ 'ER´X ]SY GSQI FEGO MR XLI QSVRMRK# I cannot spell. Woyzeck (Off.) No. I may dream. I cannot. I carrot.
Old Jew opens the door and lets Woyzeck in.
I canrot.
3PH .I[ 7S HIWTIVEXI# ;L] RSX YWI E TMWXSP#
I can rot.
;S]^IGO 8SS I\TIRWMZI ,S[ QYGL JSV XLI ORMJI#
I car not.
Old Jew That depends what you want to cut.
I care not.
;S]^IGO &VIEH#
I care knot.
Old Jew Easily.
At 4.48 I shall hang myself while my lover sleeps.
;S]^IGO &VIH# Old Jew Just as well. Zwei Groschen.
At 4.47 I shall kill my lover while my lover sleeps. Lover. Over.
;S]^IGO 3RI IEGL# Woyzeck leaves. A shaft of light pours in from above. The Old Jew WLYJ¾IW SJJ Stinker descends.
I do not want to live.
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7XMROIV %R] PEWX [SVHW#
1EVMI
;LEX XLI JY #
Stinker
I’ve come to review your suicide. It’s a new feature we’re running. Tried a few assisteds abroad and we’re going to run with it. Do ]SY QMRH MJ - XEOI E JI[ TMGXYVIW# &IJSVI and after.
7XMROIV ,S[ EFSYX GLIIWI# A
Don’t.
Stinker takes pictures.
B
Leave.
Talking about an award ceremony too. Suicide of the year. Chris Eubank’s up for presenting. A bit like ‘This is your life’ but with more of a climax.
C
Us.
Stinker
1EVMI
(Silence.)
Doctor Worry not. She has a trilogy to complete. Marie
I’m going somewhere you can never follow.
M
To leave us here immortal and fucked up.
B
Nameless.
You’ll never be forgotten that easily.
M
Vowelless.
Marie climbs on the dressing table. She prepares the noose. Hippolytus returns.
A
Consonantless.
=SY´VI E HMWKYWXMRK TMIGI SJ ½PXL Marie smashes the camera into Stinker’s
face. Stinker
Hipp.
But wait. Phaedra is dead. You must remain.
Marie
She was dead before I killed her. Euripides, Seneca, Racine ... Benjamin fucking Britten.
B, M, A and C start to lick Marie’s legs. Marie puts her head in the noose. Marie
89
23 13 12
46
4 Hipp.
9
But you who warmed her heart. Made her alive.
1
34
99
16 Others enter. Marie
73
I am not responsible.
All
Bingo!
I am not connected.
P.A. System
I am leaving you all behind. Hipp.
Marie
If you destroy yourself her memory will be forever coloured with your death. Her character and faith will darken then to pace a worthless shadow on your breath.
Others stand back.
I do not know you.
(Pause.)
I will not know you.
Stinker
Get on with it!
I do not know me.
Hipp.
Eternal God in heaven punish me.
-ER ERH 'EXI Marie
Please take your positions. Anyone not committing suicide – please return to the platform immediately. Thank you for travelling Planet Earth and we apologise again for any delay.
&YX [LEX EFSYX#
Woyzeck I once had a dog who only ever barked in iambic pentameter.
Fuck off. Doctor Attention seeker. Ignore her.
Ian and Cate
We ate the baby. Stinker
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woof Woof woof Woof woof Woof woof
Woof woof Woof. Nurse
440mg of Racuptinal. 60mg of Phrenolinine. 2 litres of Dascuptimilobidnumierniumtricinipolopholecyne.
Cate
C*@t! Marie jumps from the table and hangs on the rope. She is still alive and smiles at the others who watch in a semicircle. Woyzeck climbs up behind her with the knife.
1EVMI
;S]^IGO# Woyzeck shoves the knife in to her back. Marie dies.
;S]^IGO 1EVMI# ;EW MX KSSH SV FEH# 1EVMI# 7EVEL#
The end.
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