Don't Say It's Life-by saurabh karamchandani

7/29/2019 Don't Say It's Life-by saurabh karamchandani

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DON’T SAY IT’S LIFE

(A PLAY IN 3 ACTS)

PROLOGUE

(CURTAINS OPEN.)

FADE IN

The stage is set in an unorthodox fashion. The era or the time line of the

events seems to be of past decades but properties present on stage are of

present times. The stage is dimly lit around the center with a glow of orange

and on the outlines (forestage) there is a sharp glow of white light. The current

scene takes place in Anna’s new house. On the left side upstage lies a table

drawer with new fresh cook wares and older porcelain implements. Extremity

of left side upstage leads to the washroom. The right side has a passage of

stairs leading to upper bedroom. Anna’s room which she refers to as a

thinking room is vibrantly colored and exceptionally decorated. It gives rather

awkward appearance to the room. An oddly placed blue vase is present

between the chairs and opposite couch (near the bed), on which she and Dr.

Philip are sitting respectively. Every entrance acts as an OPEN ENTRANCE-

UNBOUNDED BY THE BOUNDRIES OF STAGE DURING

SURREALISTIC AND OTHER SUPERFICIAL ACTS. On the right side the

main entrance to the central room is located. It is evening time and Anna is

going through the journals which Dr. Philip has presented her. She seems to



be amazed by them yet unwilling to completely believe it. This strange

evaluation of her life has resulted in temporary change of her temperament

and makes her gloomy. Anna sits reading her biographical accounts where she

finds the unimpressive truth about herself. Dr. Philip is smoking and uses the

vase as an ashtray. The strange phenomena seems to have changed both of

them but invariably Anna’s transformation in lifestyle, her desperate attempt

to realign and recreate her previous life is visible through oddly decorated

room and vast geometrical figures with extending boundaries on the backdrop

of stage. She is wearing a peculiarly attractive red dress but her face looks

tired, wrinkled a bit as if the substantial elements of her persona are partially

destructed yet hope through her will remains for their reform and

reconstruction.

Dr. Philip: Did you read it?

Anna: (Pondering) Yes…..Yes (Stares at Philip)

Dr. Philip: What do you think?

Anna: I don’t know…..I always knew that something inside me was

deliberately forcing me to the down hill. But this is … Entirely different.

(Disappointingly shifts her head away to the blue vase)



Dr. Philip: not entirely. Don’t worry about the past. What’s done is done.

Anna: (smiles) I know...

Dr. Philip: (tries to change the mood) so, how was your trip? Better yet how is

your aunt?

Anna: (Suddenly bursts into laughter) she is great! As a matter of fact she still

thinks gravitation is a conspiracy theory!

(Both laugh aloud)

Dr. Philip: how old is she?

Anna: probably pre-Newtonian... (Laughing continues) no, oh god… huh...

She is 75.

Dr. Philip: 75..!Oh, the nitty-gritty of time over humanity. One moment you

are all set to sail into the new world, next you know you are just running

behind chunks of bread left on by life on the road…to just follow…nowhere.



Anna: (chuckles) sometimes I wonder how she has always been nice to me.

What if she hadn’t kept these with her? She has this thing about her; you

know … where she always tries to shut herself away from the people she

likes.

Dr. Philip: (smiles whimsically) sounds perfect to me…

Anna: (smiles recalling) Back when I was a child, I used to go visit her in the

holidays and the first thing she did was ask me(chuckles)how goes the poem I

asked of you to write about my sister, the one which makes fun of her..!!

I never understood why…she still does that!!

Dr. Philip: (smiles) hmm... well she does make you happy, right?

Anna: yes…oh, yes she does!

(Pause) there are times to happy for the future and times to dwell upon…

(Stares at the vase)...I must have been a hell lot of a burden… (To

Philip)...Wasn’t I?

Dr. Philip: (interrupts) Anna! No you were not!! And it is time to move on.

Your father would have wanted you to. (Thinking leans forward)Anna you are

the strongest woman I have seen in my entire life. So, I ask you now, would



you have rather preferred the truth or simply something oblivious that could

have made you happy..?

Anna: (smiles) truth… definitely truth.



ACT I

(Fade in

The attire of the stage has been rearranged. On the right side downstage is a

window. It’s evening time. The surrounding of the forestage is considerably

dark with a dim aura of yellow. All the properties in the prologue have been

moved extremely upstage. The bed however has been moved towards right

side away from the center. A chair lies beside her bed. Dr. Philip is currently

conducting a session with Anna. The left side of the stage is has a desk and a

chair. Behind it lies a book shelf, on the further left side of which is a window.

The blue vase now lies on the top of bookshelf. Near Anna’s bed lies a small

table with a book, pen, a glass of water and a jug. Anna is under what is

sometimes referred to as auto-hypnosis. Dr. wears a checkered mask in black

and white)

Dr. Philip: Anna, what troubles you today?

Anna: the water…deep…burns…

Dr. Philip: would you like to drink some water?

Anna: yes…. (He passes her the glass she takes it to her lips but then hesitates

and keeps it back)

Dr. Philip: why won’t you drink?

Anna: it’s (hesitates) … it’s disgusting…



Dr. Philip: (thinking, makes a note of it) why not? Tell me more about it.

Anna: it … germs…filthy…dirty water. Breeding generati…tions …cities of

filth…

(At this point left side upstage a lady dressed in red walks in. A dim spot in

red follows her. She starts to react to Anna’s story. Her face is colored in blue

and walks fancy, attractively. At this point Anna has become more moody and

disgusted.)

I don’t talk about…cities and its mistress. She dreadful…I loath her (angrily)

… (Shouts) loath, loath…loath her…

(The woman starts waking towards her, subsequently Anna grows nervous)

Her children feed …on...on …water….filth…stay back…stay back… (Starts

praying but hesitates then starts saying verses from bible meant for

children…)

“Watch, stand fast in the faith …be brave, be strong. Let all that you do…

(sobs) be done with love.”(The woman still keeps walking, giggling) stays

back…stay back… (At the top of her voice) you bitch!!

(At this point light changes to bright, the whole stage lit as evening glow of

orange, yellow; meanwhile, the lady quickly walks away laughing.)

Dr. P: Anna! Calm down!! Calm down…!!

Anna: (exhausted) she brings disease…she torments…torments… me!!!(Sobs

but eventually calms)

Dr. P : (sits back) tell me more about it…



Anna: she … my maid…her disgusting dog drank from my glass one day…

when I asked her ….she didn’t apologize…but fought…..that creepy bitch!!!

Bitch!!! Bitch!!

Dr. P: you don’t have to worry Anna. She is not here neither is her dog…

water is safe to drink. (Insists) why you don’t give it another try… (As she

tries she faints, falls into sleep)

As she sleeps he leaves her to rest, moves to the door in the center which leads

to his office. No mask here)

(Enter Dr. Bert )

Dr. P: (to B) she’s is sleeping …after one of her states. The contractures in the

left part of her body are beginning to disappear. The one in the right arm still

exists. She is one hell of a strong girl.

Dr. B : the procedure went well I believe.

Dr. P : we will know in the morning..(stares at B ,smiles) by the way what’s

up with the tie!! I thought blue’s not your color.

Dr. B: (astonished, nervously) oh! Nothing at all, why do you ask?

Dr.P : relax young man! I am just pulling your leg.

Dr. B : (gathering himself) with all due respect, is it really a time to …pull

legs around…

Dr. P : (surprised, smiles)geez!! Mr. Bert , that’s bold. Good for you!

Dr. B: (acknowledges yet changes topic) sir I read the file and I must say

,quite different…



Dr. P : (grimly)indeed, winds are turbulent amidst the sea.(pause) not a day

has passed when I have seen your face screaming to relax. Sit down! Would

you fancy a drink?

Dr. B: (surprised, hesitantly) perhaps another time…

Dr. P : (chuckles) and I had so much hopes for you.!! Tell me dr. B why do

you suppose I requested for you to assist me? Huh..

Dr. B : ( looks up) (pause) I am sorry…i don’t understand the objective of the

question.

Dr. P :did you find anything(wonders) unusual in the file?

Dr. B : (hesitates) as a matter of fact, I did notice some…

Dr. P : (interrupts) for heaven’s sake!! You are to become a doctor. Perhaps

you should tell me what worries you.

Dr. B : sir nothing worries me. I mean she is my first subject for a case

study…I don’t want to mess it up. I don’t want to fail!!

Dr. P : fail you say. Let me tell you something , it’s not about success or

failure. There is nothing here that can be defined with such precise,

absolutely. This girl is never going to be the same. She has and will undergo

extremely unexpected changes of the most unfitting and incongruous nature.

(exhales) if we are unable to do what we do ,this girl may live like an empty

vessel for the rest of her life.

(Smiles again) so you ought to relax, be patient, calm!!



Dr. B : (observantly) is this why you opted for this case? I mean…it’s about

the expected and unexpected!

Dr. P : (grimly, uncomfortable) perhaps ,yes!!

(Pause) now, for your business here. You had some questions!!

Dr. B: yes…I see that the source of her anxiety is not known?

Dr. P: not entirely…because there are multiple of those!!

(Dr. B stares in confusion) confused… (Pauses, gets up goes to his desk, pulls

out a diary) this is her diary written during and before the manifestation of her

illness. I drew some conclusions out of it; perhaps you would like to read it.

Dr,. B : of course, what did you find out?

Dr. P : her illness started somewhere around 6-8 months ago. Since then she

has shown a variety of symptoms, read the file for those. I met her once

before-which I suspect to be her incubation period. (sighs) she had gifts-

imaginative gifts, intellect, reasoning, pretty much normal. Now when she

speaks in English she understands what she speaks but doesn’t know what

‘English’ is! She doesn’t know how to speak Hindi but can understand it.

Dr. B : (sympathetically wondering) what an irony! Did she suspect or knew

about it when you met her before?

Dr. P : no, didn’t have a clue!!

Dr. B : hmm…such hardships in life at a tender age!!

Dr. P : 18!...she is only 18.

(silence)



Dr. B : what else there is to know?

Dr. X : well, 2 states of consciousness exist. Between the two, during

transition absolute amnesia. Rest… I think you should gather from the diary

and the case file I gave you.

Well, Mr. B I will be out of town for a couple of days. Keep me posted.

Goodbye , I leave her in your good hands.

Dr. B : no need to worry sir.

(dr. P exits) B takes up the diary reads it then calls up the nurse .

Dr. B : (to nurse) follow me..(they move to Anna’s room, Anna is murmuring-

tormenting, tormenting…faintly audible)

Do as I say…I will give you some questions to ask her…ok.(she nods

yes)

Alright…ask her about her father. Did she like him?

Nurse : Anna do you(stares back at B)…do you like your father?

(Anna looks blankly, then moves away)

Dr. B : ask again, firmly!!

Nurse : (louder) do you love your father?

(Anna stares in anger this time, then looks away)

Dr. B : ask her does she know this place?

Nurse : (nurse looks at B confused) (to Anna) do you know where you are?

Anna : (nervously) ho…home…home…(keeps repeating)

Dr. B : (takes her journal and gives it to nurse) ask her to read this?



Nurse : (placing the diary open in front of her) Anna ,read this for us, girl!

Anna : (smiles dumbly) a test…test…?

(looks into the book, attempts to read but is unable to pronounce words

correctly…grows anxious – starts murmuring the children verses loudly)

Dr. B : (interrupts) go on Anna ,read it!!

(Anna grows more anxious, starts breathing heavily)

(Again) go on Anna, what’s the matter?

(She stares more anxiously at B, then to the book, suddenly doesn’t recognizes

the place)

Runs to the door, snatching the key from the nurse and as she reaches the

door, faints)

Nurse: oh Anna, wait!! Anna

(Fade off with nurse still calling her name)

SCENE II

(Anna not present on stage. Dr. B and Dr. P sit in his chamber. The stage is

well lit with no particular spots. Dr. P takes out a bottle of scotch from his

bag; oddly the bottle is blue in color. Takes out 2 glasses, pours in them.

Offers one to B.)



Dr. B: (taking the glass) how was your trip?

Dr. P: (drinking) nothing fancy actually…

Dr. B: (picks the report from his desk) here… summary of the patient’s

treatment.

Do you think that there could be a possibility that her behavior is not

dependent on her states? I mean behavior is a machinery of actions desired

and committed.

Dr. P: ok. What’s your point?

Dr. B: it occurred to me as a, possibility, that instead of multiple sources of

anxiety are basically the same, she just…sees them as different, you know?

Dr. P: well, it is a possibility but not a mystery.

Dr. B: I think that it is something that she desired for a long time and simply

didn’t get it.



Dr. P: (smiles) simply!! You think she wanted something and didn’t get it!!

Let me ask you, what does any woman or girl wants?

Dr. B: I don’t see the point of this question?

Dr. P: my point is if she were simply to be given what she wants still this

would not have been over. Because you see, sometimes it’s not about what

you simply want, it’s more about what should be and what is needed which

determines the source of her anxiety…

Do you follow?

Dr. B: (making an effort) I think I do.

(The phone the desk rings. Dr. P picks up, listens; drops the glass out of his

hand and ‘falls’ into his chair.)

Dr. P: (baffled) thank you, yes…I will.

Dr. B: what…what is it? (P does not answer)

Dr. Philip, are you alright!! What happened, who was on the phone?

Dr. P: (grasping his senses back) life is a strange box of chocolates. Not all of

them are sweet.



Dr. B: (anxious) what? What are you talking about? What happened!! You are

scaring me, sir? (P looks at him) what happened? .what…

Dr. P: (interrupts shouting) Anna’s father is dead…he is dead!!

Dr. B: (shocked) oh shit, this is bad!!

(Pause)

Wait, you are not going to tell her, are you? She doesn’t have to

know…she can’t afford to know!!

Dr. P: (stares blankly then looking away) she has to… this is our only option.

We have to deal with it this way.

Dr. B: (confused and angered) deal with it!! Deal with…sir do you listen to

yourself? Are you taking this as seriously as I am? I mean you have seen sir,

any more bad news And she might simply disappear inside oblivion!! Who

knows she might even try to kill herself!!

Dr. P: (gets up) don’t tell me what I already know. If I don’t tell her now, it’s

only gonna blow into our face later! This is her recovery period; so all and any

trauma that comes in her way must be treated now.



Dr. B: (unconvinced) I am sorry sir but I disagree…

Dr. P: just think for a moment, if she doesn’t get to know now, she will

afterwards eventually. She already worries about her father too much, what do

you suppose is going to happen!! She will obviously sink back into it!

(Calming himself) The stage she is in is extremely critical, I am very well

aware of that.

But that doesn’t give us the flexibility or liberty to decide her fate like that.

Dr. B: (forcibly) if that is what you think is right, I am willing to oblige to it.

But tell me in my face, that you have a plan if this goes south!!

Dr. P: (looks into his eyes, gravely) strange and unacceptable as it may sound,

sometimes you have to swim against the tide. I know I am about to throw this

girl into an ocean of raging turmoil; it will be hard, quite rough actually but

not for a moment have I thought that there is a possibility that she won’t make

it; I have Bert!! But I also know she will make it through. I can’t anchor the

ship in the middle of a storm so that it simply tumbles onto itself.

Dr. B: (strongly insists) sir, I admire you confidence in her, I will however ask

you to reconsider your decision.

Dr. P: I have… (Walking away) B moves to the chair and simply sits in it.



(Dr. Philip exits)

(Fade off)

ACT II

SCENE I

(FADE IN)

Anna sits near her father. The stage setup resembles with the pre-

manifestation period of her illness. She seems happy, content and healthy. She

shows no physical discrepancy in her movement and language but has bruises

and marks which virtually at the moment don’t seem to exist for her. In the

centre is an arm chair. Her father sits on it. He has a painted face (Red and

blue & white – shades) She has a kit of shaving. The background music

consists of Chopin’s nocturnal#2 (E flat op.9-2 andante) playing slowly. Her

father is extremely relaxed and sits humming to the tune. He has a cloth

rapped around him. Anna is a bit cheerful and in a moody nature. She dances

sometimes playfully (NOT TO THE MUSIC IN BACKDROP) while she



attends her father. But on the overall, takes extreme aesthetic pleasure out of

it. The upstage and the backdrop have now dim light focus on stage. Two

spots focus on the father & daughter. Both the spots are deeply blue in nature.

The forestage shows an angry glow of yellow or orange.

Anna: (chuckles) you haven’t shaved for a long time, papa

Father: (smiles) I know love, I have missed you.

Anna (swaying): I have missed you too.

Father: (smiles)wherever you have been, you still haven’t lost that touch of

kittenish spirit about you!! Oh, careful (chuckles) or you would carve this

spoiled decaying piece of flesh!!

Anna : (amused and astound) papa! Don’t talk like that! (softly mocking) you

are the most handsome man there ever will be(giggles)!!

Father: (same sense of mockery) second most handsome man!, After your

future husband. I can’t wait for the day you would be another man’s

responsibility!!

(Laughs aloud)



Anna: (hitting on his arm) papa! You are terrible! You just want to get rid of

me, don’t you! And I don’t want to marry some stupid half-wit imbecile

moron!! I like it here. That way I can see you get better.

Father: (surprised) careful young lady! Watch your mouth!(chuckles) you

don’t say such things about my favorite man!!(Chuckles)

Anna: (hits him again) (imitates) ha ha! Very funny old man-don’t tease the

lady who holds a blade to your moustache! I might smother it and make you a

Chaplin!!

(Takes the blade away)

Father : (happily) always tricky with words she is!!

Anna: (plays along) yes! She is and she doesn’t like talking about marriage.

(Pause) I don’t want to get married …ever!

Father: (anxious) why not? Wouldn’t you like a man taking care of you? ;

Someone to count on for the good and bad times.

Anna: (slightly sorrowful and agitated) no...No! I don’t…



(Forcibly smiling) let me get you some breakfast. You haven’t eaten

anything!

(Takes the kit away and covers him with a shawl. Goes to the table near

her bed and picks up a tray with breakfast-consists of fruit, a loaf of

bread, a jar of jam, and cutlery.)

Father: (looking at her) are they treating you well here?

Anna: fairly, yes! (Smiles) you shouldn’t worry about me! You have enough

on your plate.

Father: (witty smile) oh, I don’t! but well, too much worry makes you an old

man! then why worry!

Anna: (chuckles) you and your old wisdom! Here eat your fruit.(cutting the

orange)

Father: (take a slice, eats in a hurry) no, no! I must go; I have to be

somewhere.

Anna: (confused) go where, father you are ill! You should be in bed!

Father: (exhales) oh sweetheart, it’s you are in pain-(concerned) you should be

in bed.



Anna: (smiles nervously) no, I ma not! Is this another one of your wisdom

spells…?

Father: (euphorically) you should rest now! Let them look after you!

Anna: (tensed and confused) who…what? Papa! Don’t go- (desperately) at

least eat something...

Father: (still euphoric) no, I think I am going to skip today! Take some rest,

let them look after you! Goodbye, love!

(Waves, then suddenly drags the chair with him and exits through left side

forestage/downstage-simultaneously Dr. P and Dr. B enter in her chamber

through the right side downstage-this moment ‘OPEN’ to all fictions.)

Anna: (scared shouts) papa! Papa! Papa! (Starts crying in pain and eventually

stops after the doctors come to her rescue.)

(The dim spots ‘disappear into brighter ones’ while Anna still cries.)

Dr. P: (to B) she’s under an anxiety attack. Prep her meds, fast.

(To Anna) Anna! Anna! Listen to me, can you hear me!!

(Dr. B has already brought the nurse who hands over an injection and is

already restoring her to her bed)



Dr. P: (hurryingly) Anna! Anna!

(Fade off as soon as the light reaches a maximum illuminating point; Dr. P

stops shouting simultaneously)



SCENE II

FADEIN

(The venue is Dr. Philip’s office. Same attire although now it is a bit more

stretched towards and henceforth will be in the next stage setups. The door

separating his chamber from Anna’s ward has been moved a little backwards

(upstage). Dr. P is standing near his office window staring outside. The space

created by this changed setup in the right side forestage is used as a part of his

office with a second desk for Dr. B. the desk is colored blue in a partial format

of oddly shaped figures. Anna is sitting staring in the ceiling or outside her

window experiencing absolute nothingness. Dr. B sits staring away from the

audience into the journal)

(Nurse walks in with a report places on dr. P’s desk and exits-she enters and

exits from the usual entrance of office)

Dr. B: (to P) aren’t you going to read it?

(P doesn’t respond)



Gets up moves across the stage, places the journal on his desk and picks up

the report

Well, her fmri indicates slight hyperactivity in temporal lobe causing that

seizure…this is strange…intensive activity in amygdales even after we have

used good amount of psychotherapy and antidepressants… dr. Philip any

thoughts,(looks at dr. P) (louder) dr. Philip!!(Looks back at him) the report…

any thoughts?

(Dr. P pulls out a cigarette out of his drawer, lights up)

Dr. P: (takes the report) her nutrition looks abrupt…

Dr. B: (concerned) let me handle it. I will personally monitor it.

(Irresistibly) What’s on your mind? (Moves to the couch)

Dr. P: (walking towards center, wondering) I am wondering if we are looking

at this the wrong way. I mean we have exploited all textbook

approaches….even some non-textbook ones…

Dr. B: I know but I can’t seem to think of anything…

Dr. P: (takes the report again) it’s time…we should tell her



Follow me…

Dr. B: (follows) now is not a good time!!

(They move to her room/ward-subsequent shift of lights)

Dr. P: (sits near Anna on chair, B standing) Anna, what do you feel today?

(Anna doesn’t answer for a moment then turns towards him)

Anna: (giggles) happy but I feel angry …you… (Points at P)

Dr. P: why so? What did I do?

Anna: (thinking-stares into the wall) I don’t remember…remember…]

Dr. P: you don’t. Would you like to try?

Anna: (inattentive and nervous) papa…papa…how is he?

(Suddenly scared) I can’t remember… room is different…

Dr. P: different? How so? Tell me



Anna: (anxious, confused) these beds …different…not mine… window …

wrong…where have you…what place is this?!!(Shouts) What have you done!!

What have you done!!

(Dr. P and Dr. B rush towards her)

Dr. P: (takes her) calm down, Anna!!

Anna: (looks at him, takes his hand then recognizes him. At this point, B

rushes away in anger) this…different…this place… (Sobbing) I don’t…don’t

recall it…

Dr. P: (sits back) it’s alright, nothing’s wrong. It’s just a room!! So…Relax…

ok.

Anna: (slowly stops crying) (swallows deeply) relax…Same…same...it is

same… (Looks around) same…

Dr. P: (hiding grief) I have something to tell you Anna and I want you to

listen carefully!

(Anna isn’t paying attention) Anna! Anna!

It’s about your father!! (She turns back immediately)



Anna: (anticipating and scared) papa! What? Did you…give…medicine...he…

always forgets…

Dr. P: (extremely sympathetic) Anna, I am sorry. (Pause) I am so sorry…

Anna: (smiles nervously) sorry…sorry…why…sorry?

Dr. P: (embracing her hands) sorry that your(exhales) your father’s gone to a

more peaceful place…(Anna sits dumbfounded, tears start rolling down her

eyes, then suddenly)

Anna: (shouts loudly) no!! No! No! (Cries loudly and extremely)

Papa!! Oh..!! (Controlling herself looks out the window) (Sobs quietly)

(Dr. P gets up and starts walking away. Anna sees him going, gives him a look

of despair and raises her hand towards him)

Dr. P: on the other hand, I think I must sit for a while…(embraces her)

Anna: thank you…



Dr. P: (embracing) it will be alright. Everything’s going to be fine.

(They sit - fade off)

SCENE III

(Anna sits alone on her bed. The lighting on the interior of the stage near

Anna’s room is well lit. The woman in red dress walks in from forestage (left

side). She looks older now. The face paint seems to have withered. Behind in

the backdrop stand ‘black and white statues’ carrying huge black and blue

surfaced geometry figures. Their heads move in synchronization and

‘reinforce the objective of the woman’. Her hair is messier than before

although her outfit remains the same. She carries a bag out of which drops a

thick liquid. She smokes as she speaks. Walking towards Anna stares deeply,

leans forward)…

Woman: (screams) Anna! Anna! Anna!(continues monotonously)

Anna: (wakes up terrified, retreats immediately) who are you? Who are you?

Woman: me, me you say?

Anna: yes! You!

Woman: (laughs) you, you silly!!(Keeps the bag near her bed)

St’s: (St’s laugh…look at Anna) silly!

Anna: (scared) me, what about me?



Woman: I mean, you!!

Anna: (confused, terrified) me!! What about me?

Woman: you? (Shouts) what about us!!...silly girl (laughs loudly)

(St’s laugh-the woman turns to them- they stop)

(Looks back at Anna; suddenly scares her by jumping towards her, takes the

pillow from the bed, tears it apart and starts dancing vivaciously around. At

which point the St’s follow her lead.)

Anna: (sees all of them) stop it! Stop it! Stop dancing around!! (Shouts

loudly) Why are you doing this?

(Woman suddenly stops dancing, then throws the pillow at her)

Woman: (shouts) you did this!! You!!

Anna: (scared – crying) me? Did what? (Sobs loudly) what did I do?!!

Woman: (pretends) oh honey! Look at you, you are a mess!!(Walks back at

her)

St’s: (imitate woman)

We should get you a pretty dress!!

St’s: oh….!!

Woman: oh! Come on! It’s not like he is going to come back to life, just to see

such a gloomy face waiting for him!

Anna: (offended) don’t talk about my papa!

Woman: right!!(Imitates) your papa!



Anna: (angry) stop it!!

Woman: (imitates innocently) stop what! (St’s react) (Smiles) oh honey!

Don’t feel bad, I know you miss him!! That’s why I brought a gift!!

Anna: (retaliates) I don’t want your gifts! Leave me alone! Leave my papa

alone!

Woman: (chuckles, offended) oh! You don’t mean that?

(Her face grows blank, calls St’s) Oh, boys!!(They come running towards

her)

(Suddenly shouts) leave us alone, you are scaring her!!

(St’s leave) now, where were we, ah!! Your gift, look at you swell for it. You

would be delighted! (Walks to her bed, picks up the bag and takes a

disturbingly damaged head/skull leaking blood, on which hangs a napkin

filled with blood. As she does that, lights change to few spots rotating around

in synchronization with ironic music in-Benny moiré’s concai la paza, at the

climax.)

Anna: (shouts at the top of her voice continuously for few seconds, then

finally jumps out of the bed, runs past her)aa!! Papa!!

(Extremely terrified) (Finally faints as she runs; the woman throws the head

towards her.)

Woman: (laughs loudly) poor bitch!! Wait till she sees snakes coming out of

it!!(Giggling, singing)



(FADE OFF-CURTAINS GO DOWN WITH MUSIC STILL PLAYING AS

IT FAINTS WITH CURTAINS.)

ACT III

(FADE IN)

(Dr. B and Dr. P are in Dr. P’s office. P stands in the free space created in the

previous scene. There are full lights the blue desk is still present. B is sitting

on the couch wearing his blue tie. Dr. P has a glass of water in his hand and is

moving on the stage. It seems that they are already engaged in conversation as

lights fade in. Anna sits on her bed looking into a book which she tries hard to

read but keeps murmuring which is visible not audible. This is the act of finale

where all the elements in blue seem to appear in quick succession.)



Dr. P: let me ask you, when you said you thought that since this girl belongs

to extremely Puritanical family, you considered it a reason of her anxiety.

Dr. B: (agrees) absolutely sir, I still do!

Dr. P: what led you to that conclusion? (Moves to his desk to take out the blue

bottle of scotch)

Dr. B: (acknowledges unwillingly) I believe that the conflict in her raising and

her personality which can only be moved by arguments is the reason. She is

forced to believe in something which nobody can provide an argument for its

existence!

Dr. P: (smiles, interrupts)for its existence- is that it!!

Dr. B: precisely, sir!

Dr. P: (hands a glass to him)tell me Mr. B are you a man of faith or a man of

facts?

Dr. B: (pauses) a man of facts sir, but quite frankly I don’t see its relevance.

Dr. P: (chuckles) relevance! Relevance! Well now I know the elephant in the

room!!

Dr. B: (offended) excuse me sir!

Dr. P: (apologizing) oh no! no offense Mr. B, I just…

Dr. B: (interrupts) don’t ‘read’ me-or judge me! Isn’t that supposed to be

unprofessional?!



Dr. P: (smiles) pardon! My apologies,(serious) but I don’t think I can let

someone who honestly believes that 95% of the world population is in effect

of mass delusion,( aggressively) handle a critical patient whose entire life and

willpower has rested on that very belief and concept!

Dr. B: (embarrassed and shocked): I don’t think I had any intentions like that!

Frankly Dr. P I am beginning to enjoy less working with you! Besides it has

nothing to do with this girl!

Dr. P: (aggravated) it has everything to do with it!

Dr. B: no it has not! You are acting eccentric and delusional! (pause) I am

sorry, that came out wrong...

Dr. P: (stares at him) do you have children, Mr. B!

Dr. B: (slight frustration) no.. No... I don’t.

Dr. P: I have a daughter, same age as her. (Chuckles) did I have ever tell you

the story of my daughter’s dead dog! (Sits on the couch, light up a smoke) one

day so happened she just stopped talking to me...just like that! I bet you can’t

guess! She had a dream where I killed her dog! She was upset; I know I would

be if somebody killed my dog. But, hell, I didn’t kill her dog! We didn’t even

have a dog!! You know how I finally got her to talk to me!!

(Leaning forward, smiles) I had to buy her a new dog, not just any dog-the

one that looked exactly like her ‘DREAM DOG”!!

Dr. B: quite the story sir, but at this point I have simply stopped thinking Dr.

Philips!



Dr. P: my point being she was strong but sensitive to her –‘likings’ and so

might be Anna!!

Dr. B: (confused) I don’t understand why did you tell her about her father

then?

Dr. P: because there we had no option but only a perspective to minimize

psychological damage and perspective is all that matters in such situations Mr.

B-not personal opinions or responses to a situation!!

Dr. B: (offended-feels insulted) right, your ‘OPINIONS’ are

‘PERSPECTIVES’. I simply can’t believe how can one be so centric and not

consider anyone’s rational opinions objectively!!

Dr. P: (aggressive) Mr. B, once again, I don’t feel I should discuss the

‘OBJECTIVITY’ of beliefs, opinions and perspectives! , but when it comes to

treating this patient you will not treat the subject according to your personal

‘rationales’!! (Louder) and if you can’t believe in something than bloody

hell- pretend to!!

(Long pause. P has moved to the centre stage near B’s desk, B keeps the glass

he hasn’t drank a drop)

Dr. B: (humiliated and offended): sir, I think you are the one who is

personally involved, not me!!

(Pause. B picks up his file) I think I am going to leave now. (Places the glass

on the P’s desk loudly! P looks at it)



Dr. P: you are gonna’ finish that?

(B starts to walk away by looking at P as if he doesn’t recognize him. P walks

to the desk engulfs it in one go. Then suddenly smashes it on the floor in a

‘civically agitated form’.)

FADE OFF.

SCENE II.

(Anna sits on her bed. She is playing with objects brought to her by nurse. She

is in a relatively cheerful mood. The nurse attends her. There is a well lit glow

of orange around forestage and center stage. The backdrop is dimly it. The

blue desk has been moved away towards left side but not too far.)

Nurse: Anna, you girl, stop playing with your food!

Anna: (playful-unwilling) I don’t want this. I am not hungry!

Nurse: at least eat something! Here... (Offers some orange)

Anna: (alarmed) no orange...tormenting...tormenting...

Nurse: (vigilant) it’s ok! No oranges! How about apple...you like it!! Don’t

you?

(Anna takes the apple, tries to identify) good girl! See you can eat whatever

you like!

Well, look we also have some bread here and jam. You like jam!

(Anna alarms when she sees the loaf of bread, throws away apple.)



Anna: no! No! Tormenting...tormenting... (Starts reciting children verses

hesitantly)

Nurse: (irritated, gets up to clean the mess) ok! Ok! No fruit, no bread, no

food for Anna and no life for Maria!! Every few days, same story. She doesn’t

want to eat, then suddenly next day she suddenly wants it all!(curses as she

works)

(Enter Dr. B)

Dr. B: (tensed, murmuring) what is wrong?

Nurse: (startled) oh...el Diablo!

Dr. B: sorry, didn’t mean to scare you!

Nurse: nothing, same story- she doesn’t eat anything today!

Dr. B: why not? What doesn’t she eat?

Nurse: bread, jam... you know!

Dr. B: how’s her health? Show me the chart. (Nurse picks it up and gives him-

reads observantly) what is this?! Who gave her these meds!! This is highly

irresponsible! You should have consulted me first! How can you do this!

Nurse: (taken aback) you don’t need to shout. I gave her those meds because

she was coughing a lot and complained of feeling very cold but when I

checked she was normal.

Dr. B: (exhales) alright, what else did you notice strange?!

Nurse: (bluntly) she keeps repeating tormenting...tormenting... as before. She

tells numerous stories in a ...awkward way!



Dr. B: what stories? Anything specifically interesting about those stories?

Nurse: no! Nothing! But I am sure you would like them!!

Dr. B: (angered) hey! Who do you think you are talking to! Next time you

better be drunk or nuts or have a good excuse! Do you understand me!!

Nurse: (pretends) yeah! ... (Walks away with the food tray) she kept talking

about a woman...she scares the hell out of her!

Dr. B: (stares, then suddenly realizes) send Dr. P in, Now!!

(Dr. P comes rushing in)

Dr. P: what is it?

Dr. B: remember the session where she told you about a woman that scares

her.

Dr. P: yeah, why?

Dr. B: she still seems to... see her!

Dr. P: (almost spontaneously picks the glass of water and offers her) here

Anna! Would you like some water?

(Scared, then looks at P – signals to take it away just before drinking)

Dr. P: (intrigued) why won’t you drink it, Anna?

Dr. B: her previous eating habits also surface sometimes, then...seem to

disappear.(hands over the chart)

Dr. P: (reads- then to Anna) Anna is there something you would like to share

with me?



Anna: (Anna doesn’t answer at first; then starts mumbling) no good...well...I

don’t like ...it!

Darkness...I can’t eat!

Dr. P: (embraces her hand) there is no darkness Anna, we talked about it

before! Besides I just want you to drink some water!

(Observes) strange, I had previously cured her of these symptoms using

therapy!

Alright! Mr. B in my office! (Exit through door; Anna gets indulged in silence

again and feels lost. The lights shift their brightness to the office.)

Dr. B: I think it’s a pattern! I think...

Dr. P: (interrupts) I want to check her records for past six months.

Dr. B: I think you should also talk to Maria...she would tell you in detail.

Dr. P: tell me what? (Beeps the telecom) Maria, in my office, urgent! Bring

her past records as well!

(Takes out the diary from his shelf; enter Nurse Maria)

Good Maria, you are here! Mr. B tells me you have something to tell me about

Anna?

(Maria stares coldly at B, then back at Dr. P-hands over the records)

Maria: she kept telling stories...lots of them. She complained of being cold,

sometimes doesn’t eat food just like a few months back! She doesn’t

understand what she speaks, other times she does! She talks about her father a



lot. But the strangest of all things... (Extremely disturbed) when she tells

stories she ...tells to herself...BACKWARDS!!

(Simply takes off after being extremely uneasy)

(at this point a set of quick conclusions. Both pace around not looking into

each other-at the end of it pick the diary up in anticipation).

Dr. B: strange, out of the box!

Dr. P: being cold.

Dr. B: speech impairment...

Dr. P: coughing...

Dr. B: reconfiguration of stories.

Dr. P: rejecting food.

Dr. B: convergent squint.

Dr. P: (intuitively opens the diary to a page, and then starts reading): here,

last winter. I was sitting in my room with papa. I suddenly felt a chill. I must

have slept. As I woke up something felt strange, the room felt smaller and

distorted. In confusion I turned back facing the mirror, where I saw a lady in

red that smiled at me and suddenly threw a snake. I suddenly woke up in my

chair. I felt scared and then I saw...Mr. Philips stood at the door calling me.

He had picked up the orange from father’s...tray. I couldn’t help but feel bad

and angry at him! ..... (Suddenly sits, tears roll down his eyes)

Dr. B: Dr. Philip ... are you ok?



Dr. P: life is a strange box of chocolates!(wipes his face) she is reliving her

past-a year back when everything was normal!! These are the reason for

everything!

Dr. B: (concludes) hence the segregation of symptoms in 2 sets.

Dr. P: this must have been triggered with her father’s illness. She shared

duties of nursing him with other maids. She must have overwhelmed herself

with it... eventually she was forced to give all of that up because of her own

health!!

This must have been unbearable for her, after all her mother passed when she

was young. Rest you know is ...history.

That evening when I showed up (at this point blue spot on Anna and her father

who comes, lays down beside her on her bed. Immediately a person

resembling Dr. P also follows carrying a blue colored orange) She was sitting

beside him...she got angry just looking at me... (The right side characters in

Anna’s room follow the narration. Then both Dr. Ps see each other eye to eye.

Dr. P with Anna rolls down the orange towards the one with the diary. He

watches as the orange roll, spots fade away.)

Dr. B: (wondering) one hell of a coincidence!!

Dr. P: no, Mr. B, god doesn’t play dice and believe in coincidences!

Dr. B: sir, you can’t blame yourself sir! You had nothing to do with this!

(pause) what next, sir?

Dr. P: whatever needs to be done, Mr. B, whatever need to be done?



(fade off as he glances back at the blue coloured orange)

SCENE III

(The stage is now the same except Anna’s room virtually covers the whole

stage as if has expanded. Anna sits in the arm chair that her father used. She is

asleep but aware of what surrounds her. Her father waiting for her to wake up

lies in her bed. THE OTHER CHARACTERS ENTER AS IT

FOLLOWS.THE LIGHTS ARE OFF WITH ONLY THREE

STATIONAERY WHITE SPOTS, ONE OF WHICH FOCUSES ON Anna-

BEING ACTIVE.)

FATHER: Anna! ANNA! WAKE UP!



(Anna WAKES UP FROM A SLEEP-BY THIS TIME THE WOMAN AND

THE ST’S HAVE ALLIGNED THEMSELVES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF

THE STAGE.THE ST’S CARRY A BLUE FRAME. IN FRONT OF IT

STANDS THE WOMAN IN RED PREPPING HERSELF, SHE LOOKS

FAR MORE OLD NOW BUT PHYSICALLY ACTIVE, LIKE A YOUNG

WOMAN.)

Anna: (SEES HER FATHER, RUNS TOWARDS HIM) PAPA! PAPA!

(HUGS HIM)

FATHER: IT’S ALRIGHT!

(SEEING THIS, THE WOMAN INSTRUCTS ONE OF THE BOYS TO

TAKE AWAY THE BREAKFAST AND GIVE A BLUE COLORED

ORANGE TO FATHER.)

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN! I AM SO GLAD TO SEE YOU!

Anna: ME TOO!!(SEES AROUND) WHAT’S HAPPENING?!

PAPA I DON’T UNDERSTAND! WHAT IS HAPPENING? WHAT HAS

HAPPENED TO YOUR FACE?!

FATHER: DON’T WORRY ABOUT ME. IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO BE

YOURSELF AGAIN. OF WHAT YOU NEED AND WHAT YOU

DO...LAY THE BRIDGE OF WHAT YOU WANT...DESIRES...TAKE THE

ROAD... (TAKES THE ORANGE KEEPS IT IN HIS POCKET AND

WALKS AWAY CROSSING WOMAN.)



WOMAN: (SUDDENLY TURNS.HER EYES MEET Anna; SHE STARTS

LAUGHING LOUDLY AND WALKS TOWARDS HER WITH THE ST’S

FOLLOWING HER. Anna GETS SCARED, SHOUTS, RUNS

BACKWARDS AND FALLS. ENTER- DR. P WHO HANDS HER BACK

THE NORMAL ORANGE.SIMULTANEOUSLY WOMAN SHOUTS IN

TERROR -AS SHE PREPARES TO THROW A SNAKE AT HER ; THE

FRAME DROPS.ST’S FALL STRICTLY BACKWARDS. WITH THIS THE

LIGHTS SUDDENLY GO BRIGHT AND FADE OFF WITH HER

SCREAM IN THE BACKGROUND.) NO!!!

(FADE OFF)

EPILOGUE

(THE INITIAL SCENE OF THE PROLOGUE-SAME STAGE SETUP,

SAME LIGHTS AND SAME ARRANNGEMENT.ALTHOUGH THE

BACKDROP IS CLEARED WHITE. A BLUE VASE LIES ON THE

CENTER TABLE, NEAR PHILIP. THEY ARE HAVING DINNER.

BACKGROUND SCORE-AM I BLUE-BILLIE HOLIDAY)



CONTINUED FROM PROLOGUE AMIDST...

FADE IN

DR. P: (BOTH CHUCKLE) SO, AFTER THAT I LEFT MY JOB. I

THOUGHT, IT’S BETTER THAT WAY.

Anna: (SMILES) REALLY, OH WELL! EVERY JOB has UPSIDE TO IT!

DR. P: OH, BELIEVE ME I HAD MY UPS AND DOWNS.THIS WAS NOT

ONE OF THOSE!

Anna: (PAUSE) THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR...

DR. P: (INTERRUPTS) IT WAS MY JOB! BESIDES I LIKED SPENDING

TIME WITH YOU!!

Anna: HMMM... (LAUGHS) MY FATHER ALWAYS USED TO SAY LIFE

IS A STRANGE BOX OF CHOCLATES! I NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY

HE SAID IT OR WHAT IT MEANT... BUT I THINK I DO NOW!!

DR. P: (STARES IN ANTICIPATION) DID YOU LIKE IT?

Anna: YEAH... I THINK SO.

(P SMILES)

DR.P: (SMILES) I LIKED YOUR JOURNALS TOO!

Anna: (REALIZING) WELL, THANK YOU!

HOW DO YOU IT?

P: DO WHAT?

Anna: WHATEVER YOU DO, AT WHICH YOU ARE... GOOD!!



P: I dare do all that may become a man;

Who dares do more is none!!

Anna: MACBETH!

P: AH!! I SEE YOUR GUNS ARE FIRING AGAIN!

(Anna SMILES AS SHE COLLECTS THEIR DISHES AND TAKES THEM

TO THE RIGHT UPSTAGE EXIT. AND COMES BACK. HE LIGHTS UP

A CIGRATTE.)

P: HMM... FEELS LIKE UTOPIA!!

(AMUSES) DID YOU KNOW THAT GREEKS HAD TWO MEANINGS

FOR UTOPIA-‘YOU-TOPIA’ MEANING THE PERFECT PLACE? AND

‘OO-TO-POS’ MEANING THE PLACE THAT CAN NEVER BE!!

Anna: (AMUSES) IF YOU LIVE IN A PERFECT WORLD, YOU HAVE

NEVER LIVED!!

(BOTH SMILE) (OFFERS HER ONE-SHE DECLINES POLITELY)

Anna: YOU ARE DIFFERENT…MEN LIKE YOU ARE NOT COMMON.

(HE BLOWS OFF THE CIGARATTE. Anna COMES AND SITS NEAR

HIM)

DR. P: (NERVOUS) SHOULDN’T BE! WOULD BE A DISASTER!

Anna: I NEVER HAD PERSUASIONS FOR... MYSELF.



THOUGHTS ABOUT LOOKING IN THE MIRROR AND SMILING AS I

DRESS MYSELF, PLAY WITH MY HAIR.(STARTS CURLING WITH

HER HAIR) THOUGHTS ABOUT PLEASANT SENSATIONS...

(RIGHT ABOUT THIS TIME, I SPOT ON FACE AND I ON DR. P( AND

Anna). NO LIGHTS AT ALL. BACKDROP IS CLEAR WHITE. A BRIGHT

LOW-HEIGHT SPOT LOOKS UP TO THE SCENE CASTING THEIR

SHADOWS-FROM THE BOTTOM OF FORESTAGE.ANNA SLIPS HER

HAND ON HIS THIGH AND LEANS IN.THE SPOT FAINTS GENTLY

PUSHING THEIR SHADOWS AWAY ON THE BACKDROP.) (THE SPOT

IF MOVABLE CAN ALSO MOVE BACK.)

P: (PUSHING HER BACK GENTLY) I THINK I MUST LEAVE...

Anna: (IMPULSIVELY GETS UP) WHY? YOU DON’T FIND ME

ATTRACTIVE?

(EMBARRASED) I AM SORRY; I DON’T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER

ME.

(GETS HIS COAT AND HANDS OVER TO HIM)

P: IT’S ALRIGHT (PROCEEDS TO RIGHT SIDE FORESTAGE EXIT.

STOPS THEN LOOKS BACK) DID I EVER TELL YOU THE STORY OF

MY DAUGHTER’S DEAD DOG?!

(SHE STARES IN EXTREME CONFUSION AND WONDER)

(SUDDEN FADE OFF-MUSIC EXPLODES CONTINUES TILL

CURTAINS DROP)



THE END

-saurabh karamchandani

Documents

Don't Say It's Life-by saurabh karamchandani