receptacle: a container, from the Latin receptaculum
glooming: from the Middle English gloumen, to become dark
envious: malicious
sweet prince: used here as a term of endearment. Walter may also be reflecting on Donald’s relative youth.
crackèd cheeks: puffed-out cheeks. Maps and illustrations of the period depicted winds in the form of clouds blowing over the land and possibly on freshly-painted toes.
travesty: exaggerated, debased, or grotesque parody
deadly-standing: death-dealing. The Knave is also referring to Walter’s war story as his ‘standing,’ or constant, refrain.
ales of oat-brew: beers. In general, Elizabethan-era beer was weaker and flatter than today’s product, with a bitter taste often masked with flavourings like berries or pepper.
rent: tore
fall: death
semifinal games: two matches in the penultimate round of a tournament. Also, perhaps, the Chorus’s acknowledgement that the Knave’s team without Donald is only half-complete.
gutters: troughs dug to carry away rainwater and garbage
shadows: spirits, but also actors, who exist only as representations of the characters they portray
catch thee down the trail: i.e., see you again in the future. The Chorus paints Two Gentlemen of Lebowski as a fairy tale, encouraging us to forget the grim undercurrents of the story (deception, vandalism, kidnapping, theft, and Donald’s senseless death) and embrace the cycle of life. By giving us his promise to rejoin us, the Chorus assures us that all will be well. He ends with a statement that the story is over, signaling a request for the audience’s applause.
Acknowledgments
People sometimes ask me which part of Two Gentlemen was the most rewarding to write. This page is the answer.
I am grateful to:
Lindsay Edgecombe, my literary agent and fire warden, for unerring grace and indefatigability in shepherding my 15,000-word play and my 30,000-word e-mails.
All those at the Levine Greenberg Literary Agency who held the author’s hand during this project’s twisted road to publication.
Michael Szczerban, my ever-reassuring editor, for shaping a good idea into a better one.
All those at Simon & Schuster who had faith that offering me a book deal would probably not usher in the apocalypse.
Frank Cwiklik and Michele Schlossberg, for dinner in.
The New York achievers, for doing the impossible.
The goons of Something Awful, for spreading the virus.
Alyssa Milano, for upending my life in under 140 characters.
Kent Sanderson, for a phone call when I really needed one.
God, for having a sense of humor.
The fans, for obvious reasons.
And finally, my long-suffering parents, for abiding.
Illustration Credits
Courtesy of Walter Inkster, the Devil’s Artisan (http://devilsartisan.porcupinesquill.ca): pages 68, 108, 116, 146, and 150.
Courtesy of Liam Quin (http://www.fromoldbooks.org): pages 2, 14, 22, 24, 30, 32, 34, 38, 40, 74, 82, 84, 90, 98, 122, 126, 132, 138, 148, 152, 154, 156, 166, 172, 180, 186, 188, and 190.
From Manners, Customs and Dress During the Middle Ages and During the Renaissance Period by Paul Lacroix, scanned by Project Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.org): pages 6, 8, 44, 48, 52, 72, 76, 88, 96, 110, 118, 124, 128, 134, 140, 142, 160, 170, 176, 178, and 184.
Courtesy of contributors to Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org): pages 4, 10, 12, 18, 20, 26, 28, 36, 42, 46, 50, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 70, 78, 80, 86, 92, 100, 102, 104, 106, 112, 114, 120, 136, 144, 158, 162, 168, 174, 182, and 192.
By permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library: page 16.
About the Author
Adam Bertocci is an award-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, and freelance Bardolator working in and around New York. He is a proud graduate of the film program at Northwestern University, with a surprisingly useful minor in English literature.
A despairingly prolific creator and speedy typist, Bertocci has written and/or directed more than a dozen short films for the festival circuit. He has also written and spoken extensively on fan-created media and fan culture. Two Gentlemen of Lebowski is his first book and easily his best so far.
Visit him on the web at www.adambertocci.com.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
The Persons of the Play
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski Act 1
Prologue
Act 1
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski Act 2
Act 2
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski Act 3
Act 3
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski Act 4
Act 4
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski Act 5
Act 5
Epilogue
Afterword
Notes
Acknowledgments
Illustration Credits
About the Author
Two Gentlemen of Lebowski Page 10
