A Dream

Felicja Kruszewska, Jadwiga Kosicka

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781136475061
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

The translation of Felicja Kruszewska's A Dream introduces a major play by a twentieth-century female playwright to the English-speaking world. On March 7, 1927 A Dream - a large-scale expressionistic drama by an unknown poet - burst on the Polish theatrical scene in a dazzling debut production by the young actor Edmund Wiercinski, who would become one of the outstanding directors of his time. The play's hallucinatory visions of the rise of fascism and the heroine's longing for a providential savior on a white horse spoke directly to Polish audiences about their deepest anxieties. During the next two years A Dream received three additional stagings and became the subject of lively debate and controversy. The play, which has been successfully revived in 1974, is an outstanding example of European expressionism.
The volume also contains An Excursion to the Museum, by the contemporary Polish poet, playwright, and short-story writer Tadeusz Rozewicz. A disturbing account of an utterly mundane visit to Auschwitz, the tale is a brilliant example of the playwright's technique of poetic collage.

A Dream

Felicja Kruszewska

Translated by Jadwiga Kosicka

PICTURE I

(At first there is total darkness. After a moment the light grows brighter and then dims. This is repeated several times. Finally the light comes on and stays bright. The DREAM begins.

The GIRL’s entire cozy, cheerful room can be seen. It is illuminated by a lamp covered with a motley shade. The brightly-patterned rugs covering the floor make the room seem peaceful. But outside the large multi-paneled window it is totally dark.

EVE and the GIRL WHO IS DREAMING are sitting on a sofa. EVE is in a red dress, her hair is black. The GIRL’s hair is short, light-colored, and fluffy. She is very young, almost a child. Pale. She is wearing a bright red dress and red shoes. The two young ladies are winding multi-colored yarn into balls. Balls of yarn are strewn about in profusion everywhere: on the girls’ laps, on the sofa, on the floor and on the rugs. The GIRL’s movements are anxious and unsure; EVE’s movements show a lack of concern.

The atmosphere is ominous. The wind is howling outside the window. A long moment of silence.)

EVE: And you don’t even know where is he now?

GIRL: No, I don’t.

EVE: He should be here. Surely he’ll come.

GIRL: Surely.

(They begin winding the yarn again. They keep on winding the balls without stopping. EVE cautiously turns her head to look back at the window.)

GIRL: Don’t turn to look back. (She turns to look back at the window herself but immediately speeds up the winding.)

EVE: He should be here.

GIRL: He won’t be able to help anyhow.

EVE: Help in what way?

(The GIRL is silent.)

EVE: Do you still love him so much?

GIRL: I don’t know.

EVE: You don’t know. That’s strange.

GIRL: Yes. It is strange.

EVE: (Looks at the GIRL) I don’t understand you.

GIRL: I don’t understand anything either.

(They keep winding the yarn.)

EVE: (After a pause) My hands hurt from all this yarn. I’m not going to wind it any longer.

GIRL: (Terribly frightened) Eve! Don’t stop winding the yarn! It’s my only salvation! Oh, dear God! Eve, it’s my only salvation! You know, if we stop … (She raises her head and looks at EVE.)

EVE: What then?

GIRL: Then … it will happen.

EVE: What will happen?

GIRL: A great misfortune.

EVE: How do you know?

GIRL: I know. I’m required to know everything.

EVE: (Unconcerned) I have an exam in geometry tomorrow.

GIRL: Who cares about your exam!

(EVE slows down in her work and drops her arms.)

GIRL: Eve!

(EVE laughs, resumes the winding, and, after a moment, turns and looks back.)

GIRL: Don’t look back! Looking back is not allowed! (But she looks back herself. Outside the window a red signal light can be seen gliding by as though someone was carrying a lighted torch. EVE doesn’t notice anything. The GIRL begins to wind the yarn more and more hurriedly. She is visibly frightened.)

(The door to the left opens noiselessly. There appears the GREEN JUMPING-JACK WHO SHOULD BE HANGING ON THE LAMP. He is dressed entirely in green. He pauses, then slowly closes the door. He enters the room. The GIRL and EVE continue winding the yarn.)

EVE: He should be here.

GIRL: He won’t be able to help anyhow.

(The GREEN JUMPING-JACK WHO OUGHT TO BE HANGING ON THE LAMP goes over to the young ladies and bows to the GIRL. She raises her head.)

GREEN JUMPING-JACK: Do you like green oranges, Miss?

GIRL: (Looks astonished; after a moment) No! (Angrily) No! I don’t like green oranges! In fact, I don’t like oranges, period! Asking such idiotic questions makes no sense! Go away, don’t bother me while I’m winding yarn.

(The GREEN JUMPING-JACK laughs and sticks out his tongue at the GIRL.)

GIRL: Stop spinning around! Don’t bother me while I’m winding yarn! Just look, Eve, why, it’s my Green Jumping-Jack who was hanging on the lamp!

EVE: (Looks up) Yes! It’s your Green Jumping-Jack who was hanging on the lamp.

(The GREEN JUMPING-JACK moves away from the sofa but shows no intention of leaving. He keeps spinning around the room. He pokes his nose into everything. He finally sinks down into an armchair and crosses one leg over the other. Both the young ladies behave as if he were absent. EVE turns to look back at the window.)

GIRL: Don’t look back!

(She does it herself. The red signal light glides by again.)

GIRL: (Shrinks into herself) Oh, dear God!

EVE: My hands hurt. I’m not going to wind this yarn any longer.

GIRL: (Frightened) Eve! My dearest precious one, I beg you. It’s my only salvation! It really is my only salvation! If we stop, it will happen …

EVE: What will happen?

(The GIRL, frightened, keeps silent.)

EVE: All this is a stupid joke! Do you really expect me to keep winding these stupid balls of yarn all night long just to please you? (She gets up and tosses a ball away.)

GIRL: (Terrified) Eve! Just a little longer. Please, oh, please … (She grabs EVE by both hands.)

EVE: (Laughs and shakes her head negatively) No! No! I have an exam in geometry tomorrow.

GIRL: (Grabs EVE’s dress) Eve! Please! Otherwise it will happen. Help me wind the yarn! Don’t go, Eve! – She doesn’t understand anything!

(EVE laughs, pries open the GIRL’s hands. She kicks a ball of yarn, starts to hum a cheerful tune. She goes out to the right. She disappears in a closet. Lacking the strength to stop EVE, the GIRL extends her arms after her and sighs loudly. She runs her hands over her face. Then she turns to the window. She remembers that it is dark out there. She covers her eyes with her hands, puts up a momentary struggle, and then looks back. The GREEN JUMPING-JACK gets up from his armchair, goes over to the window and leans against its frame. He looks out and starts to tap on the window with his fingers. The GIRL turns back, notices the JUMPING-JACK, rushes to the window and grabs him by his clothes.)

GIRL: (Cries) Get away! Get away! Why did you come here? Don’t look out the window! Don’t look out, I’m telling you! Why aren’t you hanging on the lamp? I’m going to spank you!

(The GREEN JUMPING-JACK turns to the GIRL and laughs. He raises his arms. The GIRL becomes quiet, and as if under a spell, lets go of his clothes. She remains silent, and finally walks away slowly. She sits down on the sofa. Suddenly she remembers the yarn, grabs it and starts winding feverishly. Silence. The GREEN JUMPING-JACK looks out the window. He taps his fingers on the window panes again. The GIRL raises her head, turns around angrily, and throws a ball of yarn at the JUMPING-JACK. He turns around and smiles. He picks up the ball of yarn, bows, and throws it back to the GIRL. Silence again. The GIRL continues winding the yarn. Suddenly the tolling of bells is heard outside the window. At first a single bell, then gradually others join in.)

GIRL: (Starts, terrified) Who woke those bells up?

(The GREEN JUMPING-JACK comes back to his armchair and sits down. The tolling of the bells stops abruptly. A small clock standing on the table starts ringing.)

GIRL: (Turning in that direction) Who started the clock?

(Loud knocking at the center door is heard repeatedly.)

GIRL: (Covers her eyes with her hands) Oh!

(The GREEN JUMPING-JACK laughs. The GIRL uncovers her eyes, looks around mortally afraid. The knocking is heard again.)

GIRL: Come in.

(The door opens, disclosing the MESSENGER. He is an old man with a kind face and a long, gray beard. He is wearing a baggy gray coat and high boots. His head is uncovered. Through the door, which remains open for an extended moment, the wind can be heard gusting and blowing clouds of dry sand. The MESSENGER slowly closes the door behind him.)

GIRL: (Crying out) Who are you?

MESSENGER: I am the Messenger.

GIRL: What messenger? What sort of messenger?

MESSENGER: I’ve come to you, my child.

GIRL: From whom?

(The MESSENGER is silent.)

GIRL: (Masters herself) Come in, please.

(The MESSENGER comes forward several steps from the threshold. He stops not far from the armchair in which the GREEN JUMPING-JACK is sitting. The wind outside the window dies down. It becomes quiet.)

MESSENGER: I’m tired, my child.

GIRL: Oh, my God. Sit down. Please. (She goes to the armchair in which the GREEN JUMPING-JACK is sitting.) Get out!

(The GREEN JU...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction to the Series
• Acknowledgements
• List of Plates
• Introduction: Kruszewska and A Dream
• A Dream by Felicja Kruszewska
• Introduction: Różewicz and “An Excursion to the Museum”
• “An Excursion to the Museum” by Tadeusz Różewicz