Illyria (TCG Edition), page 3
What is your name?
GLADYS:
Cesario is your servant’s name, fair princess.
MARY:
My servant, sir? ’Twas never merry world
Since lowly feigning was called compliment.
Y’are servant to the Count Orsino, youth.
GLADYS:
And he is yours, and his must needs be yours.
Your servant’s servant is your servant, madam.
MARY:
For him, I think not on him; for his thoughts,
Would they were blanks, rather than filled with me.
GLADYS:
Madam, I come to whet your gentle thoughts
On his behalf.
MARY:
O, by your leave, I pray you.
I bade you never speak again to him;
But, would you undertake another suit,
I had rather hear you to solicit that
Than music from the spheres …
JOE (Stopping her): Very nice, Mary. Really nice. Thank, you … That’s all I think we need, isn’t it, Stuart?
MARY (To Gladys, over this): We’re stopping?
GLADYS (Confused): I guess so …
JOE (Quotes): “… for his thoughts, / Would they were blanks, rather than filled with me.” I love that line.
STUART (Confused): Joe, she just started—
JOE: She’s very good Stuart. You’re right. She deserves better than Stratford. Thank you, Mary. What was it you read in Peggy’s class? Juliet, I think.
STUART:Joe?
MARY: I did do Juliet …
JOE: I remember your Juliet. You’re very good.
GLADYS (To Stuart): Is that all you need?
STUART: I don’t know.
MARY: Is that all …?
GLADYS: I think it is. I think so.
JOE: I’m good. I know the work, Stuart.
STUART: I hadn’t realized Joe knew your work.
MARY (To Gladys): You don’t need to hear—?
GLADYS: No. I don’t think so. I think that’s all we need right now.
STUART: We seem to be happy. Am I right?
JOE (A joke): You’re too good for Stratford.
STUART: I think we’ll be able to let you know very soon. So—that’s it. I guess … Joe?
JOE: I know her work.
GLADYS (A sweater): Is this yours, Mary?
(As Mary collects her things:)
MARY: I seem to have left my stuff all over …
GLADYS: Take your time … No rush. Can I help …?
MARY: Thanks. Sorry … Thank you … Sorry …
JOE: Merle, I think I’ve now got Scott to agree to play Iago for us this summer.
MERLE: That’s good news.
GLADYS: You’re sure he agreed? He’s hoping for a movie, I heard.
JOE: He’s agreed. Merle, George was just telling me that Stuart’s talking to him about doing something at the Phoenix.
(To Stuart) You can’t steal everyone away, Stuart.
STUART (For the tenth time): I’m not trying to, Joe …
(As Mary picks up the last of her stuff:)
(To Mary) Thank you. Thanks. We should be able to let you know very soon. We won’t keep you waiting, I promise …
JOE: Mary, our stage manager is just in the hallway. He can you show you out. It’s a bit of a rabbit’s warren down here. Introduce yourself …
DAVID: They live together, Joe.
JOE: What? Who?
DAVID: Robertson and Mary. They live together.
JOE: Do you? You and John? Really?
(He looks to Gladys who nods.)
Why didn’t I know that? Thank you, Mary. Very nice. Really nice …
MARY: I love the part … I’d love to do it.
(She goes.)
JOE (To Merle): John and … John’s a very good stage manager. Don’t you steal him, Stuart.
STUART: I can stop her. Should we stop her? She’ll be great.
JOE: We’ll talk …
STUART: What’s there to talk about? We won’t do any better.
GLADYS: Should I go get Peggy?
STUART (Confused): What??
GLADYS: Peggy’s here. She’s in Joe’s office. She’s in there waiting.
JOE: She got a friend to babysit. That wasn’t easy. She hardly ever leaves the baby alone …
MERLE (To Joe): She’s two months old.
STUART: Why is Peggy here?
GLADYS: She wants to audition for you.
JOE (To ‘David’): I keep telling her, she should get out. You stay away too long and people forget what you’ve done.
STUART: Joe, Peggy doesn’t have to audition for me.
JOE: That’s what I told her. But you know Peggy … She wants to ‘earn’ it. Always has to do things right. (To Gladys) She told me last night that she’s not even sure she wants to act anymore.
GLADYS: I know.
JOE: I told her, what a loss that would be. Then this morning, Stuart, she says: I know there’s so much more to life than just being a mother … Back and forth. She goes back and forth … Gladys, I’ll get her. She’s nervous …
(Stands.)
And Stuart—I don’t think she knows about—this Mary … That someone else …
GLADYS (To Stuart): She wants to audition for Olivia.
JOE: So—you understand. Thanks.
(He goes.)
GLADYS: It’s all right.
STUART: That son of a bitch. (To Gladys) Did you know about this?
GLADYS (Over this): Stuart, just let her audition.
STUART: He knows I won’t do this play with his wife.
GLADYS: If you’ve told him, then he knows. Calm down.
STUART: I’ve done five plays with his wife … We went through this last summer.
DAVID: Maybe she just wants to audition. An excuse to get out of the house.
STUART (Again to Gladys): You knew about this.
GLADYS: You should have choices. You say that.
STUART: Shit …
(Joe and Peggy enter. He holds a couple of copies of Twelfth Night.)
JOE: Here she is …
STUART: Peggy …
PEGGY: It’s a crowd … (To David) You’re here too.
DAVID: Look at you. You look great. How’s the baby?
PEGGY: She’s beautiful, David.
(They hug.)
(To Joe) Isn’t she beautiful?
MERLE: Miranda is a very beautiful child.
JOE: She’s beautiful. So that’s settled. (Smiles)
PEGGY: Stuart. Good to see you.
STUART: And you, Peggy. It’s been a while.
(They hug.)
PEGGY: You should come over and see her.
STUART: I plan to, Peggy. I look forward to it.
PEGGY (To Stuart): Merle’s been.
STUART: I knew I wouldn’t beat Merle.
MERLE: What does that mean?
(Peggy has started to sit at the table.)
GLADYS: Peggy, we’ll be there …
PEGGY: Of course. It’s been a while.
GLADYS: No, I didn’t mean … When you’re ready. And I’m reading with you.
PEGGY: Good. (To the others) We’ve been rehearsing together. I’m a little nervous, Stuart.
STUART (Over this, to Gladys): Have you?
JOE (Over this): And there’s no reason to be. (To Stuart) Is there? We’re family …
PEGGY: Let’s do this … (Organizing herself, to Stuart) Congratulations on the Phoenix. You got my note? Joe said he’d give you my note …
JOE: I’ll give it to you later. I have it in the office.
PEGGY: They’re very lucky to have you. That’s what I wrote. They got smart. Joe’s jealous.
STUART: He shouldn’t be.
PEGGY: Friends are saying they really hope they can audition now for things at the Phoenix. (To Joe) They can do both. No one’s ‘betraying’ anything. I tell him (Joe) that.
STUART: Keep doing that. Please. Please.
JOE (Holds up the copies of the play): We found our copies. Gladys …
(Gladys takes them from him, as:)
STUART: Are you all right doing this, Peggy? We all know your work so well.
PEGGY (Repeats): It’s been a while. We haven’t done anything together for some time. Last summer, I knew I wasn’t your idea of Kate. I’m not my idea of Kate. And you got Colleen so—and she was amazing. (Smiles) And it’s just been so much fun rehearsing with your wife. I think I like the rehearsing part best. (Smiles)
GLADYS: The baby in one hand, the script in the other …
PEGGY: Not always. I’m afraid I’m a bit rusty.
JOE: It’s been nearly a year—year and a half …
STUART: Gladys are we ready?
MERLE: You have somewhere to go?
JOE: She kept up with her classes … She still took classes. Even when— (Gestures: pregnant) David, put that down.
(David puts down his guitar.)
(To Peggy) I don’t know how you did it. (To Stuart) She did a scene—the balcony scene in class—six months pregnant—
PEGGY: I had to stop the classes. I’m thinking of starting up again.
JOE (To Merle, smiling): It was something to see.
MERLE: You told me. I would have liked to have seen that.
STUART: Anytime, Peggy. Gladys.
JOE (To Stuart): Are we in a rush?
STUART (Nods to David): We’re going to the movies.
JOE: With him? (To David) You looking for a job too?
DAVID: We’re going to the movies, Joe.
STUART: Gladys …
GLADYS (To Peggy): You want to sit or stand?
PEGGY: I’ll stand. Is that all right?
JOE: Of course …
GLADYS (To Peggy): Stuart wants us starting—here I think … Same place?
STUART: The same.
PEGGY: I know. Joe just told me.
JOE (Leans over to Stuart): Give her suggestions, if you want.
STUART: We’ve worked together umpteen times.
JOE (To Stuart): Tell her that she can move around … I didn’t think that other girl moved very well.
STUART: We didn’t have two scripts.
PEGGY (To Gladys): What other girl?
GLADYS: Go ahead … Go ahead …
PEGGY: I’m going to begin … (Points)
JOE (To Merle): We worked on this …
PEGGY (Reads):
Let the garden door be shut, and leave me to my hearing.
Give me your hand, sir.
GLADYS:
My duty, madam, and most humble service.
PEGGY:
What is your name?
GLADYS:
Cesario is your servant’s name, fair princess.
PEGGY:
My servant, sir? ’Twas never merry world
Since lowly feigning was called compliment.
Y’ are servant to the Count Orsino, youth.
GLADYS:
And he is yours, and his must needs be yours.
Your servant’s servant is your servant, madam.
PEGGY:
For him, I think not on him; for his thoughts
Would they were blanks, rather than filled with me.
GLADYS:
Madam, I come to whet your gentle thoughts
On his behalf.
PEGGY:
O, by your leave, I pray you.
I bade you never speak again of him;
But, would you undertake another suit,
I had rather hear you to solicit that
Than the music from the spheres.
STUART (Stopping her): Very nice, Peggy.
JOE: What are you doing?
STUART (Over this): Really really nice. (To Joe) That’s where we’re stopping. (To Peggy) You don’t seem rusty at all.
PEGGY (Confused): Thanks.
STUART (Over this): Thank you so much, Peggy. We know your work so well.
JOE: Stuart, what are you doing?
STUART (Over this): Be quiet. I’m the director. I really appreciate you taking the time … We all know how difficult that is these days for you. Motherhood … Can you give us a day or two to decide?
PEGGY: Of course.
MERLE: You sure you’ve heard enough, Stuart?
STUART: I think it’s really important, Peggy, your getting out and auditioning. That’s very courageous of you. The baby’s how old, Gladys?
GLADYS: Two months.
STUART: Two months. Good for you. Welcome back.
PEGGY: Thank you, Stuart. I told Gladys, how much fun it was just rehearsing with her.
DAVID: Really nice, Peggy.
STUART: When are you and Joe going to bring Miranda around so we can all fawn over her? My wife’s been asking that, haven’t you? We can’t wait to fawn.
GLADYS: We should go and visit them, Stuart.
STUART: Let’s find a time.
PEGGY: Whenever you’re free. Come any time, I’m always there. I’m always free. (To Joe) Aren’t I?
JOE: You’re getting out.
STUART: Thank you, Peggy.
PEGGY (To Joe): Should I go?
JOE: Peggy ordered us all a little lunch.
PEGGY: You did that. Just sandwiches.
JOE: It was Peggy’s idea.
MERLE: What a nice idea.
GLADYS: Maybe it’s here. Peggy, maybe we should go and check. See if it’s here.
(Peggy starts to pick up her purse.)
Leave that. We’re coming right back.
PEGGY: Just sandwiches and some sodas … (To Joe) I only have the sitter until three.
DAVID: Joe’s showed us some baby pictures, Peggy …
PEGGY: Oh, I have lots more. In my purse … I carry a stack of pictures about this big …
(Peggy and Gladys go.)
MERLE: I’ve seen them. I’d like to see them again.
DAVID: Sandwiches and sodas that’s really great.
MERLE: You could have let her finish, Stuart.
STUART: That’s where we stopped before, Merle. (To Joe) How long have they been rehearsing? Never mind. You really needn’t have done this. You should not have gotten her to do this.
JOE: I didn’t ‘get’ her to do anything. She asked to audition. It’s been a while. She was a little nervous. I thought she did great. She’s a very good actress. We all know that. We’ve all seen that. And I agree she wasn’t right for your Shrew last summer. I understood that.
STUART (To Merle): I thought Mary Bennett read rather well. I’ve seen her onstage. And she’s more my idea of Olivia. Young. Too young to be mourning. That’s what I’m after. I want to cast her.
MERLE: Why are you saying this to me?
STUART (To David): What did you think, David?
JOE: So you already had your mind made up?
STUART: I told you I wanted to cast this girl from Stratford. And you said, you have to see her first. Well, now you’ve seen her. And now I’m going to cast Mary Bennett.
JOE: I think you’re prejudiced.
STUART: Against what? That makes no sense.
JOE: Because she’s my wife.
STUART: What are you talking about? Peggy just isn’t my idea of Olivia. Okay? Let’s just leave it at that, can we? Come on.
JOE: She wasn’t your idea of Kate—
STUART: And I told you that then. And I told her.
JOE: And she accepted that. I did too.
STUART: Anyway, isn’t she now really too busy being a mom? She looks so great. She looks happy.
JOE: One big reason I started this theater, Stuart, was to give Peggy a place to act. I’ve told you that. She’s a wonderful actress.
STUART: Actually you never have. Not like that. Is that true? I don’t think it’s true. I hope it’s not true.
JOE: Haven’t I told you that Merle?
MERLE: All the time.
STUART: Please don’t make me hurt her.
JOE: I don’t want her hurt.
STUART: What you’re asking is unfair to me. To all of us. For god sake, is this a real theater or not?
(Looks at the others.)
You know they all agree with me … Merle?
MERLE: Leave me out of this, Stuart.
STUART: Okay, I’m glad we saw her. Maybe this helps her get back used to auditioning. I hope so. She did great. Happy to be of some help to Peggy, who is a friend. So—now let’s cast Mary Bennett as our Olivia. All right?
JOE: I don’t agree.
STUART: Then get another director.
MERLE: Stuart—
JOE: Then I will.
MERLE: Joe …
STUART: Really? Good. Good. Thank god. It’s off my back.
JOE: Someone better.
MERLE: Stop it.
STUART: Good luck. I couldn’t be happier.
MERLE: Stuart—Where’s lunch, I think we’re hungry?
JOE: Merle, you know what this is about?
STUART: This has nothing to do—
JOE: He’s looking for any excuse—David, he thinks he doesn’t need us anymore.
STUART (Hundredth time): I can do both jobs—
JOE (Over this): T. Edward Hambleton bought him off! Poached him like a goddamn whore and bought him off! You know there’s a name for that kind of person.
STUART (Trying to make a joke to Merle): A name besides ‘whore’?
(Having heard the argument, Gladys and Peggy enter with the lunch.)
PEGGY: We have pastrami. And turkey.
GLADYS: Peggy and Joe bought us sodas too.
(They take out the food from the bags.)
STUART: Thanks, Joe. Thanks, Peggy.
DAVID: Stuart was just telling us about his wonderful new job.
PEGGY: Sounds really great. You’ll be great.
DAVID: We’re all ‘sucking up.’
STUART: Not everyone.
(As food is set out:)
DAVID: We’re all now ‘sucking up’ to Stuart …
PEGGY: Stuart, I was just telling Gladys, I’m not sure I’m even right for the role. Actually, I, and Joe knows this …
JOE: What?
PEGGY: Half the time I wake up and think, should I really be doing this anymore?
GLADYS: Every actress friend I know wakes up like that once, twice a week.
JOE: That’s what I tell her.
PEGGY: Anyway, I know you’ll want to have choices. You always should have choices …
DAVID: Where are all those baby pictures, Peggy? May I see? Please.
(She gets them out of her purse.)
STUART (To Merle): I can do both the Phoenix and the festival. If that’s what Joe wants.
PEGGY: Joe wants that. He needs you. The two of you have built this.
MERLE: Pastrami?
