Aleksander Fredro: Three Plays,

Revenge; Virgin's Vows; The Annuity

Aleksander Fredro, Noel Clark

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN:
  9780948230646
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781783192595
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

The extraordinary career and impressive literary output of the Father of Polish comedy, Aleksander Fredro, was the subject of much celebration in Poland in 1993, the bicentenary of his birth. These new translations by Noel Clark of three of Fredros best known plays should do much to repair the relative ignorance of his works in this country. Virgins Vows generally regarded as Fredros most accomplished comedy and The Annuity, both reflect the authors awareness of the disadvantages suffered by young women in a male-dominated society. Revenge is a seemingly innocent social comedy about a property dispute, but the Russian censors of his day were not slow to spot the subversive potential of the play. Noel Clarks translations of Revenge and Virgins Vows have been broadcast, to much acclaim, by the BBC World Service

REVENGE
[ŚLUBY PANIÉNSKIE]

This translation of Virgins’ Vows was presented by the BBC World Service in August 1992. The cast was as follows:

PANI DOBRUSKA	Frances Jeater
ANIELA	Julia Ford
CLARA	Zelah Clarke
RADOST	Edward de Souza
GUSTAVE	Robert Glenister
ALBIN	Adam Godley
JAN	Timothy Bateson
DIRECTOR	Gordon House

The play is set in the Polish countryside – mainly at the home of Madame Dobruska, early in the nineteenth century.

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE

Large room in PANIDOBRUSKA‘s house. Two doors at rear and a third door, right of stage, leading to PANI DOBRUSKA‘s own apartments. Fourth door, left of stage, leads to GUSTAVE‘s room. A window.

JAN: (Alone, walking with cape thrown over his shoulders. Looks back through window; yawns as he speaks.)

Be back by three, he says. Don’t go to bed!
I like that! Three! Broad daylight! I’m half-dead:
And my young master whiles the night away,
Gaming or tippling – or – I’d best not say!

RADOST: Gustave sleeping?

JAN: Sound as in the grave …

RADOST: The rascal likes his rest!

JAN: (Barring the way to GUSTAVE‘s room.) Sir, let him be!

RADOST: But why?

JAN: He’s fast asleep …

RADOST: He won’t mind me.

JAN: (Stepping in front of him.)

He gets so angry …

RADOST: Nonsense, let him rave!

JAN: He just dropped off – not half an hour ago!

RADOST: What kept him up?

JAN: He couldn’t sleep –

RADOST: How so?

JAN: Came over faint –

RADOST: Faint?

JAN: Yes … a sudden swoon …

RADOST: What’s wrong with him?

JAN: Some sort of giddy spell –

RADOST: Hmmm –

JAN: Fear of water…

RADOST: Hmmmm –

JAN: A thirst for wine!

RADOST: Come, come! Why, yesterday he seemed quite well!

JAN: (With a shrug.)

But faintness strikes, just when you’re feeling fine!

RADOST: (Aside.)

These fears and cravings? Hmmm? A giddy spell?

JAN: He’ll sleep his fill, get up this afternoon.

RADOST: I meant to go home first – come back – then call;

The way things are, though, that won’t do at all!

JAN: Oh yes, do go, sir! By the time you’re back –

RADOST: He’s sleeping soundly?

JAN: (Barring his way.) Quietly, sir – I pray you!

The slightest noise –

RADOST: I’ll open it a crack.

JAN: The hinges squeak –

RADOST: I must be satisfied –

JAN: (Stepping aside.)

In that case, sir, I’d better not delay you …

No point your looking, though, he’s not inside.

RADOST: Not there?

JAN: No, sir.

RADOST: Where? When?

JAN: Alas, alack!

RADOST: How… ? What?

JAN: He left –

RADOST: Where for?

JAN: Lublin, he said –

RADOST: Lu-lu –

JAN: (Bows as he completes the word.)

– blin.

RADOST: When?

JAN: Yesterday –

RADOST: But why?

JAN: Don’t know –

RADOST: You see? He’s going off his head!

Sneaks out at night and leaves you standing by.

What is all this? You and your fainting-fits!

This talk of hydrophobia and thirst for wine?

JAN: I’m keeping watch, sir, by the window. Its

My job to open up at the first sign –

RADOST: What of?

JAN: That master’s waiting, pray!

As he goes out – so he comes in again.

RADOST: (Wringing hands.)

What? Clambers through the window in broad day?

That proves it! No mistake! The lad’s insane!

(Sarcastic.)

The day he weds, I take it, he’ll be there?

JAN: To be back here by three was what he planned.

RADOST: It’s all too much, far more than I can bear!

I’ve simply got to take that boy in hand…

Tapping is heard at the window.

JAN: That ‘s him, sir, now – so you just have your say.

Opens the window to let in GUSTAVE, in riding-costume. RADOST stands well back as GUSTAVE creeps in.

GUSTAVE: Appalling weather! Devil of a day!

JAN: You’re right, sir. There’ll be hell to pay, I think!

GUSTAVE: All still abed?

JAN: That, sir, would be some sleep!

GUSTAVE: I’m slightly late –

JAN: Sl...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• Revenge [Zemsta]
• Revenge: [Śluby PaniéNskie]
• The Annuity: [Dozywocie]