Resurrection Blues Read Online Free PDF

sake!
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    EMILY, clapping hands over ears: Please stop talking!
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    A soldier starts up a chainsaw. She rushes to him,
waving her arms.
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    Prego, Signor . . . No, that’s Italian. Bitte . . . not bitte . . . stop, okay? What’s Spanish for “stop”?
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    HENRI: Stop.
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    EMILY: Yes. To the men: Stop!
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    They stop.
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    Gracias. Muchos. To Skip: I’m sorry, Skip—I think maybe I’m just out.
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    SKIP: Now you stop being silly!
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    CAPTAIN: This is going to be a very good thing, Madame. It will frighten the people, you see.
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    EMILY: And that’s good?
    CAPTAIN: Oh yes . . . it’s when they are not frightened of the government is when they get in trouble. Of course, it would be even better if they were allowed to say whatever they want. Like in the States.
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    HENRI: Well that’s a surprise, coming from the police.
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    CAPTAIN: Oh, but is a very simple thing—if the troublemakers are allowed to speak they are much easier to catch.
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    His handheld intercom erupts. He holds it to his ear.
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    The General has arrived!
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    Captain rushes out.
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    HENRI: You may start a bloodbath in this country, sir, I hope you realize that.
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    SKIP: You are endangering this woman’s career! To Emily: This could move you into a whole new area. I mean just for starters, if you shot him against the view of those incredible mountains . . .
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    EMILY: You mean on the cross?
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    SKIP: Emily dear, you know I adore you. Have I ever steered you wrong? This is a door to possibly Hollywood. There’s never been anything remotely like this in the history of television.
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    EMILY:—And when are we talking about? For it to happen? Just out of curiosity.
    SKIP: Toward sundown would be best, but it has to be today.
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    EMILY: Why?
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    SKIP: . . . Well, basically . . .
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    EMILY: Don’t tell me “basically,” just tell me why.
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    SKIP: Well, basically because the story is bound to jump the border and we’ll have CNN here and ABC and every goddam camera in Europe. So it has to be done today because we have an exclusive.
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    HENRI: I beg you both, let us discuss this rationally.
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    EMILY: My head is spinning.
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    SKIP: I share your feelings, believe me, but . . .
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    EMILY: . . . I mean there’s something deeply, deeply offensive, Skip.
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    HENRI: That’s the point precisely.
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    EMILY: Really. I think it like . . . disgusts me. Doesn’t it you?
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    SKIP: In a way, I suppose, but realistically, who am I to be disgusted? I mean . . .
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    Suddenly, the gigantic cross is raised, dominating the
stage. Emily, struck, raises her hand to silence Skip,
who turns to look as it rises to position while soldiers
observe to figure if it is the right height.
    All right, dear, let’s parse this out head-on, okay? She is staring into space now, into herself. Sudden new idea . Showing it on the world screen could help put an end to it forever! Warming . Yes! That’s it! If I were moralistic I’d even say you have a duty to shoot this! Really. I mean that.
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    Soldiers take down the pole and start up a chainsaw
again, which stops their talk.The pole is sawed shorter.
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    In fact, it could end up a worldwide blow against capital punishment, which I know you are against as I passionately am. Please, dear, come here . . .
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    She doesn’t move.
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    Darling, please!
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    He goes upstage of the soldiers and the beams. Half
in a dream she reluctantly joins him and he holds
arms out.
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    Look at this!—if you shot from here, with that sky and the mountains . . .
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    EMILY: But, Skip, I’ve never in my life shot anything like . . . real—I do commercials!
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    SKIP: But your genius is that everything you shoot becomes real, darling—
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    EMILY: My genius is to make everything comfortably fake, Skip. No agency wants real. You want a fake-looking