Kean Page #6

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All I do is strangle her.

If you dislike her, you'll enjoy that!

Don't joke. That girl

must not appear. I don't want it.

Okay, I promise. But I don't want

you to go into the prince's box.

My divine!

May I?

- One moment!

You'll be back after the show?

- Yes, give me back the shawl.

No, after the show.

I want your collateral. Bye!

Come in!

Master, they've already given

the second signal.

So, we do the beard?

- No, no beard tonight.

Salomon,

come here and listen to me.

Send for a bouquet of flowers for me.

I advise,

the most beautiful flowers in the world.

Understand?

While you're at it, get another

for La MacLeish. Small,

cheap.

- La MacLeish's not here, you know.

You're playing with the little Damby.

- No, with her,

you well know, I'm not going to play.

And if the first time I said no,

now it's no, no and no!

I promised. Understand?

- But La MacLeish isn't here.

At this hour I can't find anyone.

You're playing with La Damby.

No, I'd rather play with you.

Get ready.

Me, Desdemona?

- What's wrong with that?

None.

In Shakespeare's time

there were often young men in

women's parts, and it went very well.

First of all,

it's been 300 years.

Second,

I'm no longer a young man.

Look,

take off this earring!

Listen, the people,

till proof to the contrary,

come to the theater to hear me,

only me. Clear?

Get away!

Clear?

I think I've done for you

more than a mother

could for a son,

but you will not drag me

into abjection. - No? - No.

Then tonight I won't go on.

Tell Cochrane.

Ah, no. - Not that either?

Wait, I'll do it.

Cochrane! Cochrane!

Curtain up!

- Curtain down!

Understand?

- How so, "curtain down"? - I said down!

Mr. Cochrane, what do I do?

What's with you?

- Tonight I don't go on.

The audience's already in the theater!

- No matter!

Send them away. - As you like,

the boxoffice isn't mine. - Fine!

I'm happy to liberate the theater

of your beggar friends! - Fine.

Come here.

- What is it? - Come here!

Look, they're all here

Old Bob, Peter, Easton, all of them.

We're here. Thanks, thanks!

Wig!

Quick! Wait, you! Go ahead!

I don't remember anything!

I'd like to go over it again.

Come with me.

Listen, little one:

look at me, look at me, all the time.

- Cape!

Little one, are you afraid? - No.

- You mustn't be afraid.

Watch me always. If you make a slip...

Where's the front of this wig?

If you slip,

cut out your line, okay?

If you forget... Look

how you brushed this wig!

If you don't remember, say "I love you!"

In love dramas it always works.

The earring, quick! Voice, just

the voice. I'll take care of the rest.

Go get ready. Leave me!

The word's yours, Brabantio.

- Pardon me, Excellency.

Courage, old clod!

Go tow your Shakespeare.

Someone with vile means,

has abducted your daughter.

He'll be judged

according to the laws.

This...

What can you say to this, Othello?

Most grave and potent signiors,

My very noble and approved

good masters,

it is true, I have ta'en away

this old man's daughter,

but it's also true

I've married her.

The very head and front of my offending

hath this extent,

no more.

Rude am I in my speech,

And little bless'd with the soft phrase

of peace:
for since the age of nine

these arms of mine have used their

dearest action in the tented field.

And therefore little

shall I grace my cause

in speaking for myself..

Yet, by your gracious patience,

I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver

of my whole course of love.

Her father loved me; oft invited me;

Still question'd me

the story of my life,

the battles, the sieges I witnessed,

the victories brought back.

And I related them to him...

You don't think there's a mis-

understanding? Perhaps Elena's waiting

for me to come for her?

We might send someone.

No, it's just that my wife is

the least punctual woman in the world.

I apologize for her.

- ... of my life as a nomad.

Of vast caverns I spoke,

and squalid deserts,

of the cannibals that each other eat,

the Anthropophagi

and men whose heads

do grow beneath their shoulders.

This to hear

would Desdemona seriously incline:

But still the house-affairs

would draw her thence:

Which ever as she could

with haste dispatch,

She'd come again,

and with a greedy ear,

And often did beguile her

of her tears,

When I did speak of some distressful

stroke that my youth suffer'd.

My story being done,

She gave me for my pains

a world of sighs:

She swore my story wondrous,

truly wondrous,

'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful.

As you see,

there's a misunderstanding.

The countess doesn't know

you're my guests.

Excuse us, Highness.

...if I had a friend that loved her,

I should but teach him

how to tell my story.

And that would woo her.

When he wants,

he can recite, this damn man!

You'll see, within 10 seconds

there's applause.

She loved me for the story of

the dangers I had pass'd,

Go away!

And I loved her that she did pity me.

We can't

make His Highness wait.

Nothing discourteous.

I'm sorry of seeing the show

from the shelter of the proscenium.

Ask the prince to excuse me.

Elena, at times

I really don't understand you.

I don't want to go

in that box, okay?

Here comes the lady;

let her witness it.

Enter,

but with your back to me. Your back!

My noble father,

I owe you my life

and my education.

But like my mother...

- Desdemona!

...so I can do it legitimately,

with the Moor, my lord!

I changed my mind. Let's go.

- Thanks..

Get off the stage.

You speak! "Decide..."

Decide between you,

either for her stay or going:.

Honest Iago,

my Desdemona must I leave to thee:

Go! Time presses!

Jump to the finish!

Look to her, Moor,

if thou hast eyes to see:

She has deceived her father,

and may thee.

My life upon her faith!

O, finally!

I feel so guilty, Highness,

for recommending this mediocre show,

that I didn't dare pay my respects.

It's a show for the curious.

We're here to see the new actress.

And this is

an aristocratic audience?

The audience at our tavern

is more educated!

...to accompany

my wife to Cyprus.

Quick, the curtain.

Even the cat on stage! Give me it!

What were thinking,

letting the cat loose?

Down! Down!

We're here to be insulted

by Mr. Kean, Highness.

A show like this

is an outrage for the spectators.

Don't be so hard

on poor Kean.

Besides, his best moment

is at the end of the last act.

Can I help?

Please, countess.

Thanks.

Look! Lord Mewill! Lord Mewill!

Perhaps more man

than actor! - What you say!

I saw him also in Richard III.

Did you like him in that too?

A lot!

- I don't argue, a question of taste.

You've come to applaud

your ex fiance.

Let's see what face he makes

when Kean strangles her.

Silence, it's starting!

It is the cause

- Louder!

Louder.

It is the cause,

the cause,

my soul,

let me not name it to you,

you chaste stars.

...the cause...

I don't want to shed her blood,

but she must die,

else she'll continue to sin

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