Cariola they sent you water
Duchess you don’t have to stay with me
Cariola I heard Isabella –
Duchess that was his game
Cariola no, she is near. That is what they say, in the palace somewhere.
Duchess here?
Cariola I think so, yes
Duchess and alive?
A bell rings.
The video plays again.
Duchess STOP!
She stands up. The video stops.
A bell rings.
Ferdinand say you see your mistake. That you were poisoned by the devil
Duchess I wasn’t though, I loved him
A bell rings.
The Duchess walks up and down wringing her hands.
She goes to sit again. The video starts up once more.
A bell rings.
Duchess I LOVED HIM
A bell rings.
Cariola madam you’re distressed
Duchess every time I sit down, look
She goes to sit, it starts up.
days without end he has kept this up.
The images start.
A bell rings.
Duchess I can’t sit, I can’t sleep
he wants to torture me.
Cariola but if you don’t rest, you’ll die –
Duchess no, not death but madness like him.
Is that it, brother? Have I worked you out?
A bell rings.
Duchess how mad do you think I will be by the end?
Then another tune plays.
Then another.
A bell rings.
Duchess I thought death would be bad, but Cariola madness scares me.
Then other people start singing it. Rowdy and frightening.
Until they are all singing on top of each other.
A bell rings.
Cardinal is it done?
Ferdinand nearly, she’s nearly there
A bell rings.
Duchess I WON’T BREAK, FERDINAND
I WILL NEVER BREAK
A bell rings.
Cardinal but is it over?
Ferdinand what do you mean, over?
Cardinal I mean over over over
A single guitar note is heard.
Duchess can you hear that?
The Duchess steps out of her cell.
Cariola hang on to sanity, madam
Duchess do you think we shall know one another in the other world?
Cariola who are you talking to?
Duchess I believed I met the dead all around me
Cariola there is no one there
Duchess not in this world but I hear their footsteps
women
I almost see their shape
look, they sit or –
Cariola what do they sing?
Duchess I can’t tell, but it seems a song of sorrow
can’t you see them?
Cariola no nowhere
Duchess but all around
Cariola ghosts?
Duchess they sing songs of how they came to be free
Cariola how is that?
you said they were dead?
Duchess perhaps not from the past but from tomorrow then
Cariola you are fevered
Duchess yes
I am and in sorrow like I never knew but
will we know when we are dead too?
Bosola comes in, also standing out of the box.
Bosola I come to build your tomb
Duchess so I am right, I am to die?
Bosola you know you are.
Duchess do you know me –
Bosola yes
Duchess who am I then?
Bosola to the tomb-maker you are worm seed, at best a box of medicine. A little curdled milk, fantastical puff-paste. Feet worn, body weak
Duchess who am I to you?
Bosola some great woman, sure, for there is turmoil on the forehead, lots of grey hairs, and dying twenty years sooner than she should
Duchess you said you knew me –
Bosola only as a prison bird
everything I knew before I forgot
Duchess I am the Duchess of Malfi
you can’t forget that
Bosola forgive me, you don’t shine like you used to
Duchess you speak very plainly
Bosola I prefer not to flatter the dead
I am a tomb-maker.
Duchess today. Today you are
a while ago you were my horseman
Bosola what do you want on your tomb?
Duchess that I died twenty years from now, with my daughter around me
Bosola the executioners are early then
Duchess shush, did you say that to frighten me, the executioners are here?
Bosola I am the common bellman
that usually is sent to condemn people the night before they suffer
Duchess you said you were the tomb-maker?
Bosola that was to break it to you gently.
Duchess so it is now – my time
Bosola I am the bellman, to summons you to death
Duchess and soon the undertaker?
Bosola yes, that too
Duchess you know I know you well
this game is no defence
you were my servant, a friend I thought
Bosola I was never your servant, I always worked for your brother –
Duchess how easily you remove yourself of choice
Bosola choice, what choice has a man like me?
I am the bellman now only, madam, and here’s the bell
A bell rings, they snap back to reality.
Cariola villains, tyrants, murderers! Help! What will you do with my lady? Call for help
Duchess what’s the point – no one will hear.
Bosola remove the maid
Cariola I won’t go
Duchess no, go, Cariola –
Cariola I’ll stay, I’ll die with her
Duchess find Isabella and look after her –
Cariola I’ll let her be wild and free.
She is forced out by the two executioners.
The Duchess is left with Bosola.
Duchess how am I to die?
Bosola I told you this business is not my doing
Duchess it is your doing, if you are doing it
Bosola not my design then
Duchess how am I to die?
Bosola that is up to you, if you mean serene –
Duchess serene, how can this be serene?
Bosola quick and easy, no struggle
Duchess I think if we are to honour being alive we should make it hard
Bosola hard then
Duchess no, easy please
oh hell, I’m frightened now
Executioners we’re ready
Duchess might I have a last moment with my daughter if she is here?
no, I know the answer. Tell her I died bravely then –
I am the Duchess of Malfi still.
I am the Duchess of Malfi still.
I will die like a hero
is this the way you mean to do it?
Bosola yes
Duchess alright, yes, I see, a rope.
She backs away. Bosola gets her.
I am not frightened, don’t think I’m frightened
tell my brothers I wasn’t
I am the Duchess of Malfi still
but why does the rope scare me so much?
to be strangled, is it worse than any other way?
what did I expect, my throat to be opened with diamonds?
death is death, however it is delivered.
tell my brothers, that I was in sound mind,
this death is the best gift they can give me and that I can take.
Executioners shall we do it, sir?
Duchess give my body to my women, after, will you?
Bosola yes
Duchess yes. I see, the chord goes around my neck
pull and pull strongly
, for your strength must pull heaven down
come, violent death
serve as a potion to make me sleep
I am the Duchess of Malfi still
but I die as I was born, Giovanna.
but wait, wait, one more moment of life –
They start to strangle her.
She struggles.
And struggles.
Bosola can’t you pull tighter?
Executioners we are
Bosola tighter still
Executioners she has a strong spirit
Bosola fools, you don’t know your art.
Bosola picks her up.
He takes her to a trough of water, and drowns her.
She sags.
Silence.
He wipes the water about himself.
Looks at the blood on his hands.
Notices the blood on the floor.
And the blood on the Duchess.
He looks at the Executioners.
why did she bleed?
this was a bloodless death
Executioners she hasn’t
Bosola looks at the Executioners.
Bosola I see blood, clear it up
A guitar string beats.
He looks over.
did you hear that?
Executioners no
Bosola well, where is the waiting woman?
somebody else needs to strangle the daughter
Cariola is brought in.
Cariola you are damned perpetually for this –
why should I die?
Bosola I am glad you accept that you have to
Cariola I do not accept, I won’t die
Bosola come, dispatch her
Cariola I’ve done nothing wrong
Bosola you kept her secret that’s what you did
Cariola as you keep one for your masters
Bosola but bad luck, you will die for it –
Cariola you won’t kill me, I know you won’t
Bosola then why am I here holding this rope?
He shows her the noose of rope.
Cariola let me speak to them then, if they want to accuse me –
Bosola they won’t like delay, throttle her
Executioner she bites and scratches
She clutches Bosola.
Cariola please, sir
there is a good man in there, I know there is
Bosola don’t clutch at me like this
Cariola who else can I clutch at?
if you loved me, even for a second –
He breaks her neck gently.
Both the Duchess and Cariola are dead and at his feet.
Bosola aye.
He looks at Cariola.
He looks at the Duchess.
Bosola she bleeds too.
Executioner no?
Bosola can’t you see it?
Executioner perhaps there was something of the witch about them after all.
Bosola no witches.
Bosola looks around.
Executioner the daughter, sir, is dead too as you asked.
A small child is brought in and put beside her mother.
The walls are starting to bleed. The blood pools around their feet.
Bosola why is there so much blood?
even my own clothes are bleeding –
He speaks to the Executioner.
you’ve done your bit, away
Ferdinand comes in.
He comes over and looks at the Duchess.
Ferdinand cover her face, my eyes are dazzled. It’s too bright in here.
Bosola covers up her face.
she and I were twins, but now I will always be older.
He takes the cloth away.
He holds the Duchess.
Ferdinand by what authority did you execute her?
Bosola what?
Ferdinand I just asked by what authority you executed her.
Bosola by yours.
Ferdinand mine, and was I her judge?
Bosola yes, sir.
Ferdinand but did any form of actual law condemn her to death? You need a judge and jury for an execution. Did a judge and jury convict her?
Bosola now wait –
Ferdinand because if not, you bloody fool, you’ve murdered her –
Bosola at your bidding
Ferdinand you’ll die for it –
Bosola you want to tell a court what has happened here?
Ferdinand oh I’ll tell you how the crime shall be revealed.
wolves shall find her, yes packs of them that smell out all butchered corpses, will find her grave and will dig her up not to eat her body, but to tell all that this was MURDER
Bosola that you asked for –
Ferdinand MURDER MURDER
Bosola sir, that you ordered
Ferdinand leave me
can we turn the lights down please?
Bosola I cannot leave without my payment
Ferdinand payment? The only payment you will get is not to be sent to the gallows yourself
Bosola but I need no pardon
Ferdinand you’re a villain
Bosola when your ingratitude is the judge, I am a villain but others will call me a servant
Ferdinand your only obedience is to the devil.
Bosola if that is what you call yourself, then yes.
you have a grave rather than a heart, and your brother is the same.
Ferdinand is this a man with no heart? Crying for his sister?
Bosola I feel like I am just waking up out of a dream.
a nightmare
oh God, what have I done?
get away from here
Ferdinand no you get away from here
He starts to pick up the body of his sister.
Bosola leave her
Ferdinand she is my sister
Bosola no brother asks for this. Away from her
Ferdinand you don’t scare me
Bosola well I should – get out.
Ferdinand looks frightened for a second. He leaves.
Bosola sits with the Duchess’s corpse.
Beat.
this is sorrow then
He finds the emotion uncomfortable.
remorse.
I did this.
not them, they asked for it but
me.
me.
me.
dear Duchess. I see what I am. I won’t hide.
jesus, I won’t hide. fucking hell.
scorch me. sun. wind, moon. what have i been?
oh God, hang on, did you –
what, you moved?
come back –
you are warm, still breathing.
Duchess? Take my life, swap with me.
is anyone there? we need some water, something for her to drink
anything I can do to reverse this I’ll do –
The Duchess stirs.
Duchess Antonio?
Bosola yes, he’s alive
and your son –
Duchess they were shot
Bosola no, the images were made falsely to put pressure on you.
your husband is alive, and your boy
Duchess they’re alive?
Bosola yes, in hiding, we think
Duchess tell them I love them
Bosola stay with me, lady, we’ll find them together
Duchess will you tell them?
Bosola no, tell them yourself
no, don’t close your eyes
I’ll take you there –
madam
your son and husband –
live for them –
please, madam. no.
help
I need help
madam? Can anyone hear
He tries to resuscitate her.
please live –
He tries again.
She is dead. He holds her.
no. no no.
The Woman with the guitar starts to sing.
Woman (singing)
&
nbsp; hark now, everything is still
the screech-owl and the whistler shrill
call upon our dame aloud
and bid her quickly don her shroud
strew your hair with powders sweet
don clean linen, bathe your feet
and the foul fiend more to check
a crucifix let bless your neck
’tis now full tide between night and day
end your groan and come away.
She comes over to the Duchess and cleans off the blood from her.
She gives her something warm to wear and dries the water.
She does the same to Cariola.
And the little girl. The Duchess sits with her
Antonio comes on.
Antonio Delio? Friend, are you here?
He looks about, can’t see anyone.
Delio –
I said are you here?
Duchess here
Antonio where?
Duchess where?
Antonio that doesn’t sound like you, it sounds like –
Duchess sounds like
Antonio Giovanna?
Duchess Giovanna
Antonio are you there?
Duchess there
Antonio which way do I hear you?
Duchess you
Antonio you’re like an echo
Duchess echo
Antonio but an echo is a dead thing
it sounds like life but has none
Duchess has none
The Duchess comes very close to Antonio.
He feels her.
She breathes on him.
Antonio oh God, you are dead.
She undoes his shirt and puts her hand inside.
Duchess dead
He moans with the touch.
Antonio I saw your face a few days ago, on a clear night presented with sorrow
Duchess sorrow
Antonio how come you can talk to me?
Duchess talk to me
Antonio all these months I have feared it, hearing your death
Duchess death
Antonio make love to me
Duchess love
Antonio you’re so cold
Duchess cold
Antonio Giovanna
Beat.
don’t go.
I’ll kill the bastards that did this to you.
the fiends.
Beat.
no echo there
is that because we agree?
Duchess we agree.
we agree.
Delio comes on.
Delio sorry I gor held up –
Antonio doesn’t matter –
Delio what do you need?
Antonio I have to go tonight, find the Cardinal
Delio tonight?
Antonio she’ll help me
Delio who?
The Duchess (of Malfi) Page 6
