by Martin Crimp
She’s patting her hair with a towel.
MUM. Clair? Are you there?
JAMES. She wants to speak to you.
MUM. Clair?
At the moment of the train’s maximum impact, blackout. The rush and whine of the train continues – extremely loud – fading away as the light comes up on the final scene.
By the Same Author
MARTIN CRIMP PLAYS ONE
Play with Repeats
Getting Attention
The Treatment
MARTIN CRIMP PLAYS TWO
No One Sees the Video
The Misanthrope
Attempts on her Life
The Country
MARTIN CRIMP PLAYS THREE
Cruel and Tender
Fewer Emergencies
The City
Definitely the Bahamas
Play House
In the Republic of Happiness
Three Attempted Acts
(in Best Radio Plays of 1985)
TRANSLATIONS
The Chairs (Ionesco)
Rhinoceros (Ionesco)
The Misanthrope (Molière)
Roberto Zucco (Koltès)
The Maids (Genet)
The Triumph of Love (Marivaux)
The False Servant (Marivaux)
The Seagull (Chekhov)
Pains of Youth (Bruckner)
TEXTS FOR MUSIC
Into the Little Hill
Written on Skin
Lessons in Love and Violence
MARTIN CRIMP
Martin Crimp was born in 1956 and began writing for the theatre in the 1980s. Attempts on her Life, written in 1997, established his international reputation, and the plays that followed – among them, The Country, Cruel and Tender (written for director Luc Bondy), The City and In the Republic of Happiness – have been seen by audiences across the world. In 2006, an encounter with composer George Benjamin led to the creation of three operas, Into the Little Hill, Written on Skin and Lessons in Love and Violence. His most recent work, The rest will be familiar to you from cinema, commissioned by the Schauspielhaus Hamburg in 2013, and directed by Katie Mitchell, was voted foreign author’s best play of the year.
A Nick Hern Book
Dealing with Clair first published in Great Britain as a paperback original in 1988 by Nick Hern Books Limited, The Glasshouse, 49a Goldhawk Road, London W12 8QP
This new edition published in 2018
Dealing with Clair copyright © 1988, 2018 Martin Crimp
Martin Crimp has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work
Front cover: © Shutterstock
Designed and typeset by Nick Hern Books, London
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 978 1 84842 808 9 (print edition)
ISBN 978 1 78850 123 1 (ebook edition)
CAUTIONThis ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. edition)
Amateur Performing RightsApplications for performance, in excerpt or in full by non-professionals in English throughout the world should be addressed to Samuel French Ltd, 24–32 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD, tel +(0)20 7387 9373, or their overseas agents.
Professional Performing RightsApplications for performance by professionals in any medium and in any language throughout the world should be addressed to Judy Daish Associates Ltd, 2 St Charles Place, London W10 6EG, email [email protected]
