Przedstawienie teatralne "The Pearl"

„The Pearl” by John Steinbeck
The characters of the play
1.Narrator
2.Kino, a poor fisherman
3.Juana (his wife)
4.Doctor
5.Doctor”s servant
6.Pearl buyer 1
7.PB2
8.PB3
9.Kino”s brother
Act 1
The narrator :This is a story told by the villagers on the western coast of Mexico. No one remembers where it happened or when , but they say it was in a little fishing camp somewhere up or down the coast. They say that the ocean had been angry for six days and the people cut off from the harvest of the sea were excious and hungry.
They tell the story of the great pearl- how it was found and how it was lost again. They tell of Kino, the fisherman and or his wife, Juana, and of the little baby Coyotito. And because the story has been told so often, it has taken root in every man”s mind. And ,as with all retold tales that are in people”s hearts, there only good and bad things and black and white things and good and evil things and no in-between anywhere.
In Kino”s house
Wife: How is the sea?
Kino: The sea is rough. It may smooth later.
Wife: Six days without diving?
Kino: Do not worry! I will dive tomorrow. And we will get shells. We will get a lot of shells and maybe a pearl... a good pearl!
Wife: A pearl like that?
Kino: I have a feeling. I have a feeling.
Are these only beans?
Wife: Yes ,we have no more.
( Suddenly Juana sees a scorpion near the baby. It stings the baby. Kino kills the scorpion. Juana takes the crying baby.)
Wife: Kino, go for the doctor!
Kino: Do you think he will come? No, he will not come. He never comes.
Wife: Then we will go for him.
Act 2( At the doctor”s house)
(knocking at the door. The servant opens the door)
Kino: We need to see the doctor.
Our baby has been stung by the scorpion.
Servant: Wait, please. I will see what I can do for you.
(talking to the doctor)
It”s two Indians with the baby. They say it has been stung by a scorpion.
Doctor: You “re fool!!! What do they think? Am I a vet? Which should I treat, the Indian or the scorpion? People expect me to spend all my time on little troubles. They never know what it costs me! Ask them if they have any money.
Servant: Have you got any money? (Kino gives her a small bag with shells)
(to the doctor )
They gave me this ( She shows him 8 small misshapen seed pearls. The doctor looks at it and thows it away).
Doctor : These Indians have no money. They will never have any money.
Servant (to Kino): The doctor is not in.
Wife : But my little son is very sick. Please, when will the doctor be in?
Servant: (going out) He will not be in. He was called to a serious case.
(baby crying all the time).
(Juana sitting on the floor , cleaning her baby”s forehead with a handkerchief)
Kino: Will it work?
Wife:( being worried, shouts at Kino) Don”t be a fool.
Kino: (looks really worried)
Wife: I’m sorry. I”m really worried.
Kino: It will work. I know.
Wife: You are such a boy. It”s all I know. Go, I”ll watch him.
Kino: I will go to the doctor.
Wife: He just doesn”t want to help us. Go! Do your work! Find pearls! Time! We will see!(touching his hand. Kino is leaving towards the sea.)
Wife(starts praying) Dear Mother! My baby is sick! Please, help us to find the way out. Please, help us to cure our baby- son.
(Kino is looking for a pearl in the sea. He finds the pearl, comes up to his wife with a pearl in his hand).
Wife: Kino, you look strange!
Kino: How is the boy?
Wife: He”s the same.
Kino: I’m afraid to touch it! It is closed. I think there “s a pearl.
LA PERLA LA PERLA LA PERLA LA PERLA ( the actors saying together and leaving the stage)
Wife: (Looking at the pearl and smiling) It”s so beautiful! Is it real?
Kino: Yes, of course!
Wife: I don”t believe it. ( baby crying and then smiling)
Wife: He”s better(running up to the baby and taking it)
Kino: This is the pearl of the world! With this we will have everything, everything!!!
Act 3
Narrator: The news spreat very quickly .It is told that Kino”s luck was his neighbours” joy. They put on their best clothes and remembered forgotten songs. (Kino with his wife on the stage . A man comes up to him . The rest of the actors are near them}
. A man: Show us your pearl. (Kino shows and everybody is astonished)
What will you do , when you are so rich ,Kino?
Kino: We will have new clothes. And we will have new shoes(looks at his wife”s feet)
My son will read and he will open the books. My son will write and he will know writing. My son will know numbers. (a pause) These things will make us free! This what the pearl will do(looking proud at his wife) The pearl will make us free!
Narrator: The old men say that happiness fell on the people like rain .And they forgot for a while about their difficult life and problems They were happy together with Kino and they were envious too.
(all the actors sitting on their knees in Kino”s house .The doctor comes in)
Doctor: Where”s the baby? I’m the doctor. I came as quickly as I could .
Kino: The baby is nearly well.
Doctor: The scorpion poison is the most dangerous! And the complications sometimes are very serious. It can be blindness or something like that. I know how to cure the baby . Let me do it.(the doctor takes the baby carefully from the woman”s hands, gives the baby a pill taken from the pocket)
He is so little . Perhaps I was on time.(gives the baby back to the woman) It is a shame I couldn”t come earlier. We shall see. We shall see. (saying this leaves) (the actors sitting on their knees start hitting the floor with their hands quicker and quicker)
The narrator: We do not understand how mean and practical sometimes people can be. They forget about moral aspects of people”s life. Money make them cruel and false. ( the actors stop clapping the floor , the baby starts crying. The doctor appears again. Takes the baby)
Doctor: Why didn”t you call me? You should always call me when you need me.
(gives the baby a pill taken from his pocket. The baby stops crying.)
Doctor: Now your son is safe. (taking Kino goes aside) When do you think you could pay me for my work?
Kino: When I sell the pearl, I think.
Doctor: You”ve got a pearl? A big pearl? I have not heard. Do you keep your pearl in a safe place?
Kino: It is safe. I”ll sell it and then I”ll pay.
Doctor: Tomorrow, then... Are you sure it”s safe? ... Till tomorrow then(the doctor leaves. All the actors sitting on their knees around the main actors)
Wife: Are you afraid , Kino?
Kino: Yes, I’m afraid of everyone.
Wife: Even the doctor? He made the baby well.
Kino: I think everybody wants to have my pearl.
Wife: You shouldn”t think all the people are bad.
Kino: Perhaps you are right. Let”s have a rest. Tomorrow is a very important day.
(Kino and his wife lay down on the floor. “Dangerous” melody. The actors walking on their knees come up to Kino. They are trying to get his pearl. Kino runs away. His wife starts crying and runs towards Kino. Helps him to stand up. The actors leave the stage).
Wife: Are you alright?
Kino: It”s alright. They have gone.
Wife: Kino, they could kill you! Throw the pearl to the sea or they will destroy us.
Kino: No! My wife, no! In the morning we will sell it. Everything will be alright.
Please, don”t worry! I promise you, everything will be alright!
Act 4
The narrator: The day was beautiful. This was a day that everyone would remember. Today Kino would sell the Pearl. The pearl of the world, the most amazing Pearl! It was a lovely day, but there was darkness flying across the sky.
(all the actors coming back to the stage standing in the background, Three pearlbuyers standing aside)
Brother: Kino, you must be careful. Very careful. They are white men and will look down upon us.
Kino ( keeping the Pearl in his hand): I will. The crowd is here to witness me selling the Pearl. They will not dare to cheat me.
Brother: But still, Kino. Be careful!
PB1: Good morning! What can I do for you?
Kino: I have a pearl.
PB1:Everyone who has entered here has one pearl or a few. Show me the pearl and I will see for myself. (after a while)
Sorry, friend (raising shoulders). It”s worthless. Lier
Kino: You are a lier. It”s the Pearl of the World.
PB1: No, no! Your pearl is like fool”s gold. It looks nice but it is not gold.
I can give you (deep thinking) a thousand pesos. Lier
Kino: ( his face becomes angry) It is worth 50 thousand.
PB1: Don”t blame me! Ask the others! Let them come here! Now!
PB2:Mr, look at this. Look at the surface of the pearl. It will lose it”s colour and die in a few weeks. Lier
Kino: What? This is impossible!
PB2: Yes, it is possible! (looking at PB1) My friend was right. This is an abnormal pearl.
PB3 (looking at the pearl): One of my clients likes such things. 500 pesos. That”s my offer. Lier
Kino (taking the pearl angrily): I’m cheated! I will leave. This is no place for my pearl to be sold.
PB1 (in panic): What about 1500?
Kino: I will only take 5000 pesos. Not less. (buyers leave)
Brother: I did not know how to advise you. But now I know. You must go away. They will not leave you alone., if you stay. You must go away.
Kino: No, I can”t leave my place!
Brother: I will pray for you !
Kino: I don”t want to leave my home. I will sleep now. May be tomorrow I will know.
Wife: Kino, my husband! I have always tried to be a good wife. For the first time I’m going to ask something.
Kino: Yes, my wife!
Wife: Throw the pearl to the sea or they will destroy us.
Kino: I will do anything to you. But in this pearl I see the better life for our son. Our son must read, he must open the books. In this pearl I have seen freedom.
Wife: And I have seen death and loneliness. Throw the pearl into the sea
( crying) throw it, Kino, please! (shooting in the background)
Brother (runs up to Kino and wife with a sack in his hand) You must leave.
They are chasing you.
Kino: Why?
Brother: The pearl. The doctor”s men want to kill you and take your pearl.
You should run away now. Go! I”ll pray for you.( they go away to the opposite sides) (in a while Kino and his wife appear on the stage again)
Wife ( sitting down on her knees) I can”t walk any longer! I’m so tired!
Kino (keeping a knife in his hand): Rest!
Wife : But they will come!
Kino: Rest ! Don”t be afraid. I will be watching you.
(shooting in the background)
Wife: What shall we do? (baby starts crying)
Kino: Stay here! Don”t be afraid! Watch the baby! (Kino leaves)
Wife(another shooting) No!!!
Kino: (comes back, looks at the dead baby and crying wife, is full of sorrow)
(all the actors appear on the stage, Kino and wife among them. Kino throws the pearl away)

LA PERLA LA PERLA LA PERLA