Partner

Sir...

Sir...

Sir, what do you want?

- Sorry? - What do you want?

I'm sorry?

What do you want?!

You must have something if you're sitting at a table.

It's written over there.

Sorry, I had my earplugs in, I couldn't read.

- You mean "hear". - No... I mean "read".

What do you mean?! You were reading...

No, I was looking at the pictures.

Bring me a tea with milk...

Petrushka.

If something infernal and truly diabolical

exists in the world,

it's the aesthetic lingering on forms

rather than being like martyrs at the stake

making frantic gestures.

Petrushka...

Let's abolish the difference between the stage and stalls

and replace them with a single space

so that direct communication will be re-established

between the audience and the piece,

between actor and public.

Petrushka...

There won't be a set anymore,

there will be ten metre high mannequins

representing King Lear's beard in the storm,

and musical instruments... as big as men.

Petrushka!

We won't recite written texts,

we'll just improvise mis en scene experiments on themes,

events or well-known theatrical works.

Petrushka!

The idea of the integral piece has to be recreated.

The problem is how to allow the space to speak,

to be fed, to be filled.

Although the film image is poetic,

it's limited by celluloid,

and you can't compare it with the theatrical image

that obeys all the demands of life.

Without a touch of cruelty as the basis of a piece,

theatre is no longer possible!

Petrushka, my trousers!

Mum, give me the sun.

Give me the sun, mum.

That's what was called "to prompt" in the past.

That beast Petrushka would sell his mother

for a 1000 lire, and his mastertoo.

And he sold me...

Oh, I'm sure he sold me for less than 1000 lire.

There are no more prompters.

The world's going to pot,

because no-one knows how to prompt anymore...

and what's worse is they have nothing to prompt.

Petrushka!

Petrushka!

Petrushka!

Petrushka!

What are you doing?

I've been waiting for my trousers for an hour.

Dinner won't be served before... 8.30 or 9.00.

Perhaps I've arrived a little early, but so what?

It's not even an official dinner,

so you can arrive a bit early,

I'm almost part of the family, as everyone knows,

that's right Clara?

Good evening professor.

Clara... Clara.

Good evening madam!

Why does he always follow me... like a black cat?

Good evening... is the professor in?

Yes, he's at home... I mean no, he's not at home.

How's that possible? He invited me, I know him.

Yes, I know sir, but they told me not to let you in.

You've made a mistake.

My name is Giacobbe and I was invited to dinner

for Clara's birthday.

That's impossible, they told me not to let you in.

Impossible? What do you mean it's impossible?

Well now...

- Good evening. - Good evening.

The professor sends his apologies

but he can't receive you this evening.

But... what's going on?

Please...

I assure you that I...

Please don't insist.

But...

- Good evening. - Good evening.

Alright, I'll come back later... so good evening.

What's going on? What's wrong with Giacobbe?

- What's up? - Nothing at all.

I came here on my own account. It's about my life, my private life.

Private life?

That's right. A deliciously private parenthesis!

Please calm down!

Come in. Close the door.

Giacobbe.

Giacobbe...

Don't be so tense, Giacobbe.

I'm... not tense.

Yes you are...

Feel the blood running through your veins?

In my veins?

In your arms, Giacobbe.

In my arms?

How it beats in the temples.

In the temples.

Giacobbe... don't you feel like you're going to faint?

You're going to faint, aren't you, Giacobbe?

No.

Ah, Giacobbe...

Look at me, Giacobbe.

Yes...

Your eyes are closing, Giacobbe... Closing...

You're in my hands, Giacobbe.

Go back to the professor's house,

use the servants' entrance,

go through the garden,

then the games room,

then the ballroom...

Go, Giacobbe, go!

No, I'm scared.

You're just a coward, Giacobbe, a big coward!

It's not my fault I'm scared.

Giacobbe... you'll be close to Clara.

You want to dance with her, huh?

Dance with her and hold her in your arms?

Yes...

Well, go then!

Yes... Yes, I'm going.

Bye then...

Clara... Clara?

Hi!

I want these stairs to collapse,

so I could rush to save Clara.

"Don't be scared", I'd say,

"I'm here, my love".

Clara? Clara?

Hi!

Clara? Clara?

She loves me... She loves me...

I swear I'll shoot myself in the mouth, tonight.

I'm here for private reasons.

Shame on you, Giacobbe, shame on you!

What have I got to be ashamed of?

It's a deliciously personal parenthesis.

There's someone asking for you at the entrance.

Who wants me?

I don't know, they just said it was urgent.

Urgent?

No, my friend, no-one wants me.

Please, sir, come with me.

No-one's looking for me.

You've made a mistake, just like before

when you said the professor, who's like a father to me,

didn't want to let me into the house.

You're wrong, as servants always are!

Wanna dance?

You're all wrong, as servants always are!

Leave me alone.

I said leave me alone!

Son of a bitch!

You were good at being crafty just now,

but now you're scared!

Take that!

And you... And you!

I want to see what you can do...

you were talking before, there were fifty of you,

you needed fifty of you!

Come on, try it again now!

And you, you ugly dirty shit?!

And all of you, I know you're hiding behind there!

Bastards!

But I'm the strongest!

So now you're on your knees,

good, you're asking for my forgiveness, huh?

Come on, ask me... Ask my forgiveness... louder!

Louder, because I want to hear it...

Get up... yes.

Now you're crying, fine, you can cry...

Let go... let go of my leg, you... let me go!

Now you're hiding again, eh?

But I'll get you.

Come out... you bloody cowards... cowards!

Bastard!

Blood, blood, blood!

Othello... blood!

I told you not to touch my son.

Maria Caffarel, an old work, "The Two Little Orphans".

Leave her alone.

You might make me forget her

or not see her again,

but you can't take her from my heart.

That's ham-acting from the past.

Numbers...

Numbers spoken with violence and sensuality, with disgust.

One...