THE STORY OF THE PANDA BEARS TOLD BY A SAXOPHONIST WHO HAS A GIRLFRIEND IN FRANKFURT
Editions Actes Sud-Papiers, Paris 1998
Translated from the French by Marelle Oppenheim
One woman and one man
The premise is that of a romantic comedy: A slacker-ly young man wakes up with a girl in his bed whose name he does not remember. Nor does he remember where and how they met, their journey to his squalid apartment or what they did after they got there. The young woman is happy to explain, however—indeed, so reassuring is her recollection of the facts that he pleads with her to stay. She promises to return that night. He promises to wait for her.
Nine nights are a lifetime to a man and woman brought together under curious circumstances. Bound by a promise and a bottle of wine they travel through a dream like caged lightening. Together they discover sometimes, all you need to approach perfection is a saxophone and a broken alarm clock.
The second night
In semi-darkness. Maybe they have just made love. They are resting on the floor, back to back, their heads leaning against each other. She is eating some grapes. He has an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips, a lighter in his hand.
HER : Say « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : More tenderly: « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : Whisper: « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : I want a soft « a »: « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : Loud but soft: « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » as if to say you love me.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » as if to say you will never forget me.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » as if to say you think I'm beautiful.
HIM : « a »!
HER : Say « a » as if to say you are bloody stupid!
HIM : « a »
HER : Say « a » as if to say you want me.
HIM : « a »
HER : Say « a » as if to say : « stay! »
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » as if to say: “get undressed!”
HIM : « a »!
HER : Say « a » as if you were asking me why I am late.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » to say hello to me.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a» to say goodbye to me.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » to ask me if I have brought you something.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » to tell me that you’re happy.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » to tell me that you never want to see me again.
HIM : « a »!
HER : No, that's not right...
HIM : « a »!
HER : Look, if you don’t do exactly as I say, I’ll stop the game...
HIM : « a »...
HER : Good, say « a » as if you were saying that you never wanted to see me again.
HIM : « a »...
HER : Very good. Now, say « a » as if you were telling me that you slept very badly without me, that you dreamt only of me and that you woke up exhausted with no desire to carry on living.
HIM : « a »...
HER : Hmm. Say « a » to tell me that you have something really important to tell me.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » to tell me to stop asking you to say « a ».
HIM : « a »!
HER : Say « a » to say how wonderful it is to talk only in « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : Ask me to say « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : Ask me to say a soft « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : Ask me to say a soft whispering « a ».
HIM : « a ».
HER : Ask me if I love you as much as you love me.
HIM : « a »...?
HER : Tell me that I'm driving you crazy.
HIM : « a »!
HER : And that you've had enough!
HIM : « a »!
HER : Ok... Do I want a coffee?
HIM : « a »?
HER : Yes, I'd love one.
He gets up and pours her a coffee.
HIM : « a »?
HER : Just a small piece, thank you.
He hands her his cigarette packet.
HIM : « a »?
HER : No, thank you I have my own.
She takes out a packet of cigarettes and takes one.
HIM (he offers her a light) :« a »?
HER : No, not just yet.
HIM : « a »?
HER : I don't know… Though I think I prefer to eat at home.
HIM : « a ».
HER : All right. But do we have any sauce?
HIM : « a ».
HER : We'll go out then.
HIM : « a »!
HER : We'll stay in then.
HIM : « a »...
HER : Come here…
HIM : « a »...
HER : Look me straight in the eyes.
HIM : « a ».
HER : Say « a » in your mind.
HIM : ...
HER : Softer…
HIM : ...
HER : Louder. And clearer so that I can catch it.
HIM : ...
HER : Now, say « a » in your mind as if to say you love me…
HIM : ...
HER : Once again.
HIM : ...
HER : Say « a » in your mind as if to say you'll never forget me.
HIM : ....
HER : Say « a » in your mind as if to say you think I'm beautiful.
HIM : …
HER : And now I'm going to ask you something... Something very
important... And you're going to answer in your mind. Are you ready?
HIM : ...
HER : « a »?
HIM : ...
HER : ...
HIM : ...
Visniec writes charming, nonsugary dialogue, utilizing that rare element in highly romanticized storytelling: silence. And its U.S. premiere is a fortunate one... full of beauty and eeriness.
Tim Lowery: Time Out Chicago
This United States premiere production of Matéi Visniec’s L’histoire Des Ours Pandas Racontée Par un Saxophoniste Qui a Une Petite Amie à Francfort, rendered in Marella Oppenheim’s academic translation under the direction of Bryan White, features heroically focused performances by Kate Cares and Joseph M. Adamczak—most notably during the a cappella adagio dances showcasing Elizabeth Schmitz’s capable choreography.
Mary Shen Barnidge, Windy City Times
First production in France :
Company Pli Urgent, directed by Rémi Rauzier, Festival d’Avignon off 1995
Others productions :
Romania, Moldavia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Spain, United States, Brazil, Japan, Iran…
Romanian
German (translation Katharina Bogensberger)
Ukrainian (translation Neli Nejdanoi)
Japanese (translation Hiroko Kawaguchi)
Swedish (translation Dan Shafran and Åke Nylinder)
Hungarian (translaion Mihály Csaba)
Hungarian (translation Peter-Gyula Tömöry)
Serbo-Croatian (translation Julijan Ursulesku, Sonja Jovanovici)
Bulgarian (translation Vladimir Petkov)
Italian (translation Ivano Bruno)
English (translation Marella Oppenheim)
English (translation Otto Junggeburth)
Danish (translation Julie Kjaergaard and Simon K. Boberg)
Persian (translation Tinouche Namjou)
Icelandic (translation Sigurður Hróarsson)
Portuguese (disponible en format électronique, traduction Rui Mendes)
Brazilian Portuguese (translation Alexandre David)
Arabic (Maroc) (translation Abdelmajid El Haouasse)
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