© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Theatre du Soleil
The Castaways of the Fol Espoir
(Sunrises)
A Collective Creation Half-Written
by Hélène Cixous
Loosely based on a mysterious posthumous novel
by Jules Verne
1
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Summer 2009, an attic.
Enter two women, in the darkness.
FIRST WOMAN
Watch the step. It’s hot up here. Heat rises.
What exactly are you looking for?
SECOND WOMAN
It’s for my dissertation. I’m working on a very
ephemeral movement that was called the
People’s Educational and Recreational Cinema
in 1914. I am looking for experimental sound
recordings that my grandfather send from the
front to a certain Mr. Camille Bérard.
FIRST WOMAN
Ah yes! Camille, the musician. My mother knew
him, apparently he died very very old. Come
over here. Do we have a little light over here, my
God! Ah! Here! Here we are! Look! Look! I’m
not really sure what you are looking for.
SECOND WOMAN
Old Bakelite disks.
FIRST WOMAN
Bakelite? Must be very old!
SECOND WOMAN
Yes, indeed. This must be it! Do you have a
gramophone that might...
FIRST WOMAN
Yes, here. Come. I hope it still works! Let’s see!
SECOND WOMAN
My grandfather told me so much about this
attic.
FIRST WOMAN
And so did my mother.
SECOND WOMAN
It works!
She puts on the record and they listen. A voice crackles.
FIRST WOMAN
Yea! Fantastic!
A VOICE
Camille, my dear friend. We are waiting. We are
bored. Inside our leaden uniforms, you can’t
imagine how hot it is. I imagine you’re still in
cotton.
2
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
FIRST WOMAN
Is that your grandfather?
A VOICE
I hope you’re not still determined to sign up.
Don’t be a monkey. Believe me: we will need
your help when we get back, on the only
battleground that counts, the battleground of
art, of the people’s cinema and education. It’s
out of the question to give up on the missing
scenes. What adventures we have had, old boy!
In my hole, I am constantly thinking about it
and I tell our stories to my poor comrades. They
have never heard of anything like it. I had news
from Félix. He has been assigned to the canteen
of the 12th division! They’re lucky ones, they are,
they must eat better than we do. We’ve got
nothing at all. Hey, you’ll never guess who’s
here next to me: listen!
ANOTHER VOICE
Hi there Camille, listen to this, my darling :
“One day soon by the banks of the river
We’ll dance and sing and burden our liver.
But first we need to end all war
And use our arms to feed the poor!”
See you soon, old buddy. I’ll give these
gerboches a licking and I’m on my way!
The recording ends.
A VOICE
You guessed it! That was old Louis. Good bye
now. Give Jean a hug, and Gabrielle. Tell her
that if it wasn’t for Marguerite, I would have
married her.
FIRST WOMAN
Marguerite was your grandmother?
SECOND WOMAN
I get my Italian blood from her.
FIRST WOMAN
You’re very lucky to have found this! It’s
amazing!
SECOND WOMAN
Yes, amazing. Could I borrow them?
FIRST WOMAN
Of course! Of course! What a treasure!
SECOND WOMAN
3
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Oh! Thank you Ma’am.
FIRST WOMAN
I’ll turn out the light and we’ll go down for a
coffee. Come! Oh! I can’t get over it! My
grandmother, Marthe, never told me much. I
only know that Félix Courage, her boss, left the
restaurant and everything to her, just after the
First World War. Watch the step!
4
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 1 – The Mayerling Manifesto
Summer 1914, the same attic. Coming up from the restaurant,
Félix appears at the top of the staircase, followed by all the 'staff'.
FELIX
Careful, gently. Louis! Louis! Ever since he’s had a
role in the film he won’t sit still!
LOUIS
Make way, please, Mr. Félix…
FELIX
Gently. Not a scratch. Don’t bump it. Gently, Louis.
Careful, careful, careful, careful. Careful! Gently!
Precaution! Precaution!
Alix, Louis, Josef and Dauphin, the hairdresser, bring on a desk
that will be ideal for the first scene.
Yes, yes, gently. Put it down, put it down anywhere,
down, down. Not a scratch. Don’t touch anything.
The drawers, the drawers. Alix, you are Mr.
LaPalette’s studio manager: this is a loan. Take good
care of it. It belongs to my wife.
The crew of the Fol Espoir sets up the scenery for the film's first
episode. Jean Lapalette's sister, Gabrielle, busies herself. All are
carried away by the joyful nature of the adventure that is just about
to begin.
THE VOICE
My grandfather’s memories begin at the Fol
Espoir on June 28th, 1914. There had never been
such a luminous summer.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Gabrielle! Where is the camera?
Tommaso has also brought the camera.
THE VOICE
The Fol Espoir was the nicest of the dancehall
restaurants along the banks of the river Marne
outside of Paris. It was owned by Félix Courage,
a little man with a knack for happiness and a
passion for this newborn art form: the
cinematograph.
So naturally he had offered his personnel and
his attic for free to a team of film makers: Jean
and Gabrielle LaPalette, who were siblings, and
their childhood friend, Tommaso.
Because of artistic and political disagreements,
they had left the powerful production house,
Pathé, after a bitter argument, and without Félix
they would have had no place to work and no
future. Félix had collected everything necessary
in the hopes of installing an Artistic Cabaret, as
they called it at the time, in his spacious attic.
5
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Vassili flies about the set, overseeing the arrival of his own work, a
backdrop he wants to try for the first episode.
There was even a Russian painter…
FELIX
Vassili!
Jean surveys everything, and is disappointed with
the backdrop.
Jeannot, Bonheur and Jérôme come up from the restaurant, dressed
as crooks. Enter Marthe, who runs to fetch Félix from the
workshop.
THE VOICE
... who had apparently worked for the great
Diaghilev himself!
JEAN LAPALETTE
It’s much too small…
MARTHE
The clients, Mr. Félix!
FELIX
Miss Marthe is right. The restaurant is opening! The
clients! The clients! The restaurant! We must not
forget the clients!
Jean LaPalette examines the crooks. He has not a care for the
restaurant, he thinks only of the film. The crooks set themselves
behind the backdrop, while the rest of the Fol Espoir staff hastily
run downstairs to serve dinner to the restaurant's many customers.
Gabrielle is trying to work out how this totally useless backdrop can
be used, and gives directions to those who are behind it to carry it
back and forth from stage left to stage right and from stage right to
stage left. She squirms, sorry to disappoint Vassili.
But Vassili hasn't had the last word; he has his so-called
'additions' and goes to fetch them. A screen is brought in
for the 'titles'.
GABRIELLE
Mr. Vassili, we will have to cheat.
It’s too little. It won’t work.
TOMMASO
Jean, do you want the titles before or after?
JEAN LAPALETTE
During!
TOMMASO
During? Sensational! Alix, this is your job…
GABRIELLE
Camille, some music for the two Archdukes, please.
Schubert, Louis, I need a trial run!
Schubert and Louis arrive from the workshop.
THE VOICE
Schubert, my grandfather, who was an actor,
and Louis Demestère, the smooth talker at
6
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Gabrielle frames Schubert. Vassili has at last managed to widen
the backdrop with his 'additions'. The Austrian waiter, Josef,
finishes putting the Archduke's desk in place.
Félix’s restaurant, were to play the two
Archduke cousins.
But while Madam Gabrielle centered him in the
camera with love and professionalism, he
sensed that Jean was pacing nervously back and
forth and couldn’t see him as the Archduke.
Jean found him suddenly too old, too Parisian,
too French… whereas Josef, behind him, was
clearly… Austrian.
Schubert suddenly understands and, reconciling himself to the fact,
takes Josef by the hand. He takes off Josef's apron, and places the
Archduke's white jacket on his shoulders. It is like a dubbing
ceremony. The others watch with gratitude.
Gabrielle is moved to tears by the nobility of this gesture.
Louis comes over to congratulate Josef and takes him off to the
workshop to finish his make-up. Félix is bursting with joy.
“You see,” he liked to say later on “it is the
gods who decide: it is they who give roles to
some and not to others. An actor has to
understand this…”
GABRIELLE
Thank you, Schubert.
FELIX
Josef is playing the Archduke! We have an Archduke
in the house!
A crowd gathers at the top of the staircase – it is the team of the
'Fol Espoir'. Félix takes advantage of the euphoria to introduce the
stuntwomen to the LaPalette siblings.
Come with me. Excuse me Gabrielle. Allow me,
Jean. These two little stuntwomen are stationed in
front of my door every day doing their act. Come…
Watch this!
(to Suzanne and Anita) Go on, the cinematograph is
watching you.
Anita proceeds with the introductions. They begin their stunt
routine. It is a tough routine, and it is immediately evident that the
girls aren't afraid of giving or receiving blows.
ANITA
Suzanne and Anita. Single punch. Double punch.
Alternating double punch… Double punch with
suspension and fall… Triple punch followed by
rage. Whirlwind punch… Whirlwind punch with
vengeance!
It is quickly evident that the girls will be of use.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Good. Thanks you ladies.
GABRIELLE
7
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Jean, in any case they are hired, no? Come take your
meal tickets for Félix’s. Appetizer, main course and
dessert. Bottled wine, not just anything.
ANITA
Thank you.
Félix is radiant.
Already spurred into action, the stunt girls bring on the palace's
French windows.
Schubert sets Josef in place. The others sprinkle some snow on the
railing. Everyone then places themselves behind the camera. Some of
them run the risk of being in the frame – bit by bit, they will come
to realize it.
All are solemn and moved. It is a big day. The journey is just
beginning. The trio of Jean, Gabrielle and Tommaso hug each other.
GABRIELLE
The thanks go to Félix.
JEAN LAPALETTE
And now, everyone in place. The doors!
Lower the main canvas!
THE VOICE
Jean had made a speech to the assembled team.
He had talked of socialism, of cooperatives and
of brotherhood. Of untiring struggle. He had
talked of Europe, of the world to come, of
France, of art, of the cinematograph. He had
talked of new dawns, of aeroplanes, of
telephones. He talked of progress that would
never end, of medicine that would soon cure
every sickness, of the happiness in which future
generations would live.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Gabrielle, turn the crank.
GABRIELLE
I am turning the crank, Jean.
JEAN LAPALETTE (to the musician)
Camille! Let’s go!
Full steam ahead for the first episode. Camille, the musician, with
his very own compositions as well as the compostions of the era, will
accompany all the emotions, passions, outbursts, shipwrecks,
separations and reconciliations to come. The actors begin to play 'in
silent movie mode'.
TITLE CARD
Mayerling, 1889. The hunting lodge of the
House of Habsburg.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Enter Josef the coachman…
JOSEF
8
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Your cousin, the Archduke Jean Salvatore, Your
Highness.
RUDOLF
I had the worst scene of my life yesterday with
the Emperor!
JEAN SALVATORE
What about?
RUDOLF
About this new law. Hungarian officers will be
required to use German.
JEAN SALVATORE
Seeds of revolt! He wants to provoke the
Hungarians!
RUDOLF
That’s what I told him! He lost his temper:
“Unnatural son!” he cried. He accuses you and
me both. We are the RED Archdukes! The
SEDITIOUS Princes who read OBSCENE
books!
JEAN SALVATORE
Obscene books?!
RUDOLF
Marx! That Jew! That Communist! My own
father threatens me with the gallows! He, who
has become Bismarck’s lapdog! Soon Vienna
will be a suburb of Berlin! We are heading
straight for a war with Russia!
JEAN SALVATORE
What do you want to do?
RUDOLF
I want to write an open letter.
JEAN SALVATORE
To the Emperor?
RUDOLF
To the whole Empire!
All the film-makers, whether professional or still green, are tense,
immobile, transported.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The doors!
The French windows disappear.
JEAN SALVATORE
9
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
A real Manifesto then!?
RUDOLF
I want to say everything about everything.
Announce what Rudolf’s Austria will be. You
will help me.
Gabrielle and Jean begin a still as yet rough tracking shot.
GABRIELLE
Jean, slide gently…
RUDOLF
Where do we begin?
JEAN SALVATORE
With the principles.
RUDOLF
I want every freedom. You enumerate.
JEAN SALVATORE
Freedom of thought, freedom of the press,
freedom of religion, we had said: separation of
Church and State.
RUDOLF
My father will explode. Education for all.
JEAN SALVATORE
Capital punishment. We eliminate it.
RUDOLF
All that is cruel and degrading, eliminated!
Write it down. Let’s move on to war!
JEAN SALVATORE
We are pacifists,
nationalisms…
but
in
the
face
of
RUDOLF
I demand a change of alliances. Let us bind our
destiny to those of France and England. Let us
put an end to Pan-Germanism, and thus to the
rampant annexation of Austria by Germany.
Camille makes the sound of a clock chiming.
JEAN SALVATORE
Hurry, it is already one o’clock. What have we
forgotten? The colonial Empires. Shall we
mention them?
RUDOLF
Oh yes! I am fiercely opposed to colonization.
Write it down.
10
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
JEAN SALVATORE
We are going against people’s opinions.
RUDOLF
Whose opinions? Where are the workers’
opinions? The artists’ opinions?
They write feverishly. Josef gets caught up in it all, he is Rudolf.
Louis too becomes an actor, a visionary, a poet, a hero.
JEAN SALVATORE
Europe!
RUDOLF
Yes. Europe! Write an exciting paragraph, a
pedagogical paragraph. A European patriotism
must rise up against bloody nationalisms!
JEAN SALVATORE
Find me Victor Hugo, his speech of 1849 about
the United States of Europe. We won’t do better
than Hugo!
RUDOLF
Where is Victor Hugo?
MARIA
Who are you looking for?
RUDOLF
Ah Marie, you were here my love…
MARIA
I am always here.
RUDOLF
Find me Hugo. His speeches…
MARIA
Here it is.
RUDOLF
“A day will come when the weapons will also
fall from your hands! A day will come when war
will seem as absurd and impossible between
Paris and London, between Petersburg and
Berlin, between Vienna and Torino, as it would
be impossible today between Rouen and
Amiens…”
JEAN SALVATORE
“In the twentieth century, there will be an
extraordinary nation. It will be a great nation. It
11
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
will be rich, thoughtful, cordial towards the rest
of humanity. Its capital will be Paris, but its
name will not be France; its name will be
Europe. In the twentieth century its name will
be Europe, and in the following centuries, even
more transfigured, its name will be Humanity.”
It is now 1889. He said that 40 years ago!
MARIA
My God, what happiness! This night so full of
promises!
JOSEF
My Archdukes! The cock is singing.
RUDOLF
We have not finished.
JEAN SALVATORE
We must finish. Sign.
RUDOLF
How should I sign?
JEAN SALVATORE
Rudolf of Habsburg Lorraine, Archduke of
Austria, Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian
Empire. Are you crying?
RUDOLF
This is the first time I am signing with my own
name, and not with a pseudonym as a secret
agent.
JOSEF
Shall we go, my Archdukes?
JEAN SALVATORE
The entire world will tremble.
RUDOLF
Until tomorrow, dear cousin, in Vienna!
Off the cuff, Jean – out of frame – places a newspaper on the
balcony's railing.
JEAN LAPALETTE
He sees the newspaper!
Rudolf sees the newspaper.
RUDOLF
Germany is tripling its military budget! If in the
future I give in to this arms build-up, we will be
thrown into a war that will ruin all of Europe,
and for a very long time.
12
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
MARIA
I had never seen you angry. You are more
handsome today than yesterday.
They kiss.
RUDOLF
And what if our project was only the dream of
two poets?
MARIA
But there are not only two of you. With me that
makes three. With Josef the coachman, that
makes four. Write.
RUDOLF
I am going to run out of ink!
Maria exits the frame.
MARIA
I’ll get some for you.
RUDOLF
When Karl Marx said that a mole is haunting
Europe, he never suspected it was me, an
Archduke!
Rudolf writes. Suddenly there is a terrible din. The sounds is coming
from Louis and his box of gun-fire. The change in the action is
underscored by Camille's music.
Maria returns, her face covered in blood, and collapses in Rudolf's
arms. Jean calls Jeannot and Bonheur.
Enter two hitmen who kill Rudolf.
GABRIELLE
Maria enters the field of vision!
JEAN LAPALETTE
The assassins!
FIRST ASSASSIN
They’re good and dead.
SECOND ASSASSIN
Well done. Let’s go. What are you waiting for?
FIRST ASSASSIN
For my legs to return. That took it out of me.
Enter the secret agents behind them. They slit the hitmen's throats,
remove their bodies, take all the papers, and disguise the crime as a
suicide. All this happens in an instant, borne magnificently by
Camille's music.
SECOND ASSASSIN
Think of the dough.
TITLE CARD
End of the First Episode.
All breathe a sigh of relief.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Thank you!
13
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 2 – Embarkation
From the restaurant comes the sound of tango music. At that time,
tango was very much in fashion. Everyone pretends to dance the
tango, and it is in dancing that the set is cleared away. Josef's
colleagues congratulate him. They are proud of him. Marthe comes
up with fruit and cake, sent up by Mr. Barrocas, the bandoneon
player. Gabrielle and Jean dance together. Tommaso puts the
camera down and then comes back to dance with Gabrielle.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Go get dressed as a man, Gabrielle, I think we are
going to need more actors…
Gabrielle and Tommaso rush into the workshop.
GABRIELLE
As a man!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Alix, it’s time to begin the casting of the second
episode!
ALIX
Casting, everyone!
The music coming from the restaurant can be heard too loudly.
Close the door, please. The door…
Downstairs, someone shuts the door.
Thank you.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Listen well. When I quit working at Pathé, I swore
that whatever happens I would finish this film on
Jules Verne’s book with whoever would join me…
with the workers, with the unemployed! And that is
what we are going to do!!
Schubert introduces Marguerite to Jean.
Eszther, the Hungarian cashier, brings Tommaso a newspaper.
THE VOICE
And with that, Jean began to allocate roles for
the rest of the film. Ravi, the head clerk, would
play the Captain. The little stuntwoman would
be Amalia. Ulysses the wine steward would be
Ceyrac. Rosalia would play Louise, his wife.
Adèle would inherit the role of Anna, the
teacher. Bonheur, the little Cambodian clerk,
would play the young Indian. Marthe, Félix’s
right hand woman, would be Gervaise. And
Alix, Jean’s studio manager, would play Mr.
Jones, the English emissary, another assassin,
and Antoine, the Gautrain brothers’ chauffeur.
Schubert presented Marguerite. The beautiful
Italian woman who washed the floors in the
restaurant, the slattern as they said at the time,
would be Rachel, the opera singer.
14
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Ezsther and Josef cross the stage, with the newspaper. Chatting
away, they appear very anxious. Jean and Tommaso are left alone.
It was June 29th, 1914. In the afternoon, the
newspapers had announced the assassination in
Sarajevo of Franz Ferdinand, heir to the AustroHungarian throne, and his wife.
No one particularly liked this Franz Ferdinand
who, unlike the Rudolf of the film, according to
Tommaso, was a true bastard. But if this
assassination, aimed at Austria by a Bosnian
Serb, was manipulated by Germany to punish
all of Serbia, it could turn out to be fraught with
menacing consequences.
TOMMASO
Jean, this is a real gift for Wilhelm II. It will push
Austria to crime.
Vassili brings in the painting of the sky.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Tommaso, not again, forget about Germany! We
have a film to make, and I want to shoot the scene
of Rachel’s escape. No, I have not cut it. I know you
don’t agree with me about it, but we’re going to
shoot the scene! Vassili, the canvas!
Louis, the carriage!
LOUIS
Yes, here it is!
The carriage appears. It has been constructed in just one night. In
turn, Gabrielle appears, metamorphosed into a man.
Gabrielle, alias Alexandre, has a gesture of impatience.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Gabrielle…
GABRIELLE
Alexandre.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes. You are Rachel, the famous opera singer,
married to Simon, one of the Gautrain brothers.
You are fleeing the family house to avoid embarking
on this damned ship! Is that clear? All of a sudden,
at the… Saint John Calvary, because we are in
England, who does she see? Her husband, who
bursts into the carriage! It’s Schubert, do you
understand?
Intoxicated with happiness and maybe just a little alcohol, Ravi is
behind Jean.
RAVI
Jean, Jean! I’m going to be the Captain!
JEAN LAPALETTE
15
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
I know you will be the Captain, for God’s sake! I’m
the one who chose you!
Ravi, still in the seventh heaven, lifts Jean in his arms and kisses
him. Jean puts up a struggle.
Another sign of impatience from Gabrielle.
Very well. Gabrielle!
GABRIELLE
Alexandre!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Turn the crank.
GABRIELLE
The driver it too high! Too high…
TOMMASO
Sit lower, driver! Lower still! Your hat! Still lower.
The driver ducks down until he disappears from the frame
altogether.
GABRIELLE
I can see your bum!
Alix leaves on all-fours.
ALIX
I get the point.
GABRIELLE
There! That’s very good.
JEAN LAPALETTE
All right. Schubert, are you ready? Gabrielle!
GABRIELLE
A-LEX-AN-DRE! You told me to dress as a man!
My name is Alexandre!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Turn the crank!
GABRIELLE
It’s turning
Schubert takes an artistic initiative. He positions himself in front
of the camera, arms flung wide open, mouth open.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Camille. Let’s go!
Cut! What are you doing?
SCHUBERT
I’m stopping the carriage!
JEAN LAPALETTE
16
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
You surprise me. You are normally so discreet, so
sober… I don’t understand. Don’t you start joking
around. I will tolerate no lapses.
Ravi interrupts Jean again.
Yes! You’re the Captain! Come, let’s start again…
TOMMASO
Jean, why is he starting so far off?
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes, why are you starting so far off?
GABRIELLE
Because then you enter the frame too late!
Jean becomes more and more impatient. He wants to get his scene
right.
Gabrielle is beside herself.
Ravi, still laughing away, won’t let go of Jean, who then explodes.
Ravi is taken away.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Schubert! Gabrielle!
GABRIELLE
Once more and I’ll castrate you!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Get Ravi out of here!
Alexandre, the crank!
GABRIELLE
It’s turning!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Let’s go! Yes, he appears!
Schubert bursts into the carriage.
She finds him disgusting. Marguerite, he disgusts
her, do you understand? No! No! Cut! Marguerite, I
know it’s difficult for you, but this is a scene of
marital rape in a bourgeois setting! She can’t stand
the sight of him! This corrupt, unscrupulous
industrialist who treats her as he would any
prostitute. Ok, let’s start again. Alexandre! Schubert!
Camille!
GABRIELLE
It’s turning…
JEAN LAPALETTE
Put your hand on her breast! He is abject! She can’t
stand him. She pushes him away violently!
Marguerite, she pushes him away! Away! The
opposite of attraction. No, no, that’s not right!
That’s not right!
Mesmerized, the whole crew watch Schubert and Marguerite falling
in love at first sight. Jean turns desperately in circles.
17
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
No, no, no! Cut! For God’s sake! Marguerite!
What, Tommaso! This is a crucial scene. It serves to
denounce… What? What, Gabrielle, Alexandre!?
That’s why we’re here! After all that is the
cinematograph’s role: to examine the intimate lives
of the heartless capitalists, who exploit their wives
and workers, the housewives, who make children
work in their factories… in England.
(to Ravi, who continues to pester him) Leave me alone!
(to everyone) Do you think this is normal?
Let’s do it again right away. Come on! Schubert, her
breast! Alexandre! Camille, turn the crank!
GABRIELLE
It’s turning!
The lovers fall from the carriage and roll on the ground.
JEAN LAPALETTE
There! She hates him! He makes her sick! He
infuriates her! No, not infatuates, infuriates! No, no.
That’s not it! That’s not it! Cut! Cut!
GABRIELLE
Please cut, madam! Tommaso, cut! Cut! Tommaso!
TOMMASO
But this is where it gets interesting.
Alexandre covers them with a sheet.
GABRIELLE
No! Tommaso, it’s over! It’s over! Madam! It’s over!
Madam! Schubert!
THE VOICE
Aphrodite, goddess of the cinema, had
overcome them and held them at her mercy. No
one could restrain this river of passion that
inundated the stage of the Fol Espoir.
Schubert and Marguerite get up.
FELIX
Fantastic! What audacity! Electrifying, as the
youngsters say! Bravo! Marguerite, you honor the
Fol Espoir!
Schubert starts kissing Marguerite again and carries her off to the
workshop.
GABRIELLE
Schubert! Your pants! My God!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Very well! I give in. I accept.
GABRIELLE
You are all witnesses: he accepts.
18
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
JEAN LAPALETTE
My apologies! Forgive me Tommaso, forgive me
Camille. Rachel will love her husband even if he is a
despicable capitalist banker! We’ll go for
sentimental!
The carriage is taken out. Everyone is tired, except for Camille who
tinkles on his piano, ferreting around for new phrases of music. He
never stop searching for the ideal melody to and the exact rhythm of
every emotional state.
THE VOICE
They would have liked to go to sleep, but it was
all too obvious that they still needed more
actors.
GABRIELLE
Ok, we have Rachel, but we are still missing Toni,
the worker.
LOUIS
The worker? I’ll go see what I can find downstairs.
Louis goes downstairs to the restaurant. Flora brings a tray to
Camille.
FLORA
I kept this hot for you, Mr. Camille.
Félix calls Flora, who goes over to him, but who would like to be
able to one day at last speak to one of the three film-makers. Every
time that she is about to succeed in doing so, Félix stops her. He
makes her go back downstairs.
GABRIELLE
We cannot embark tomorrow without Toni. We are
making a socialist film.
TOMMASO
And the worker…
JEAN LAPALETTE
… who represents the entire working class on the
boat …
GABRIELLE
… we’re still missing him.
Louis comes back up with Vassili who is also dead with
exhaustion. He hands him over to the LaPalette siblings.
LOUIS
This is what I found.
Tommaso unrolls a rug and lies down on it.
GABRIELLE
Mr. Vassili. Here is a text. Come. We will see if you
are capable of doing cinematography. We are
looking for the worker.
19
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Jean, Tommaso, the more we wait, the worse it will
be. Mr. Vassili, stand in the middle, please. In the
middle. Move the rug closer.
Tommaso doesn’t have the strength to pull the rug.
Perfect.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Read, read.
VASSILI
Nou, Ia ne gavariou kharacho po franzuski...
TOMMASO
Peut-être il faut lui souffler, Jean…
GABRIELLE
If you’re going to prompt him you’ll need to be a
crocodile prompter, because the camera gets him
down to his knees. A crocodile very close to the
ground.
Vassili lies down.
Noooooo, not you, not you! Jean, be the crocodile.
Jean gets down on all fours.
Let me explain. The crocodile, here, will read you
your lines. You hear them. You copy the cadence.
Because he reads the lines, you hear them, you act,
you listen, you act, he continues, he doesn’t stop,
you listen, you act. Ok, one thing at a time. I will
play Jean. Jean is the crocodile. And you do what
you’re supposed to do. I’m telling myself to turn the
crank. I’m turning the crank. Get down crocodile!
Action!
JEAN LAPALETTE
“I have something to say...”
Vassili begins to move his arm again.
GABRIELLE
Not your hand! Not hand hand! Careful, let’s start
again, cut. I’m the one who turns the crank. You act.
Don’t let any sounds come out of your mouth. (No!
I mean: when you speak, you don’t make any sound.
Only your mouth. Is that clear?) I ask myself to turn
the crank, I’m turning the crank, action.
JEAN LAPALETTE
“I have something to say…
GABRIELLE
Don’t look at him!
JEAN LAPALETTE
… One day worker, the next convict …”
20
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
GABRIELLE
Stop your arm! Ah! Cut! Sir, if you don’t mind, we
are at the end of our tether. We are going to
become… aggressive. Please. You don’t look at him,
you don’t look at the camera, you look at what you
see! You see? The text gives you visions! You see!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Don’t scream, Alexandre, or he will panic…
GABRIELLE
I have to concentrate. Forget it. I ask myself to turn
the crank…
Vassili is apparently unable to stop moving his arm.
Jean collars him. Tommaso manages to calm him down but, in
doing so, ends up himself ready to fight.
Not you!
Sir, this is not a comedy. Be true and sincere. Watch
what you say. Have the necessary visions. Do not
look at the crocodile. Listen and act! Listen and
act…
TOMMASO
Does he know what he should say? I mean…
JEAN LAPALETTE
I’m telling him what he should say!!
TOMMASO
But the vision? Does he know what a vision is?
Jean sprawls on the ground. He might actually be asleep.
GABRIELLE
That’s what the camera should reveal! Jean! Don’t
get up! Whatever happens, you’re the crocodile!
Lower your arm!
Ok, I ask myself for the crank. I’m turning the
crank. Action.
JEAN LAPALETTE
“One day worker…”
GABRIELLE
Repeat the lines!
JEAN LAPALETTE
“… the next convict.”
TOMMASO
Only with your mouth!
21
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
JEAN LAPALETTE
“I want justice!” Repeat after me! Repeat after me!
Tommaso pulls the rug where Vassili is gesticulating.
GABRIELLE
I’m going to kill him, Jean, I’m going to kill him!
Nooo! Don’t look at him! Stop that arm!
Stop me, Jean! Stop me! I don’t want to break the
camera!
At last Vassili finds the spirit of the worker's true revolt.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes, there it is! There! Raise your fist!
At last! Thank you. Yes! Yes!
Victory! Vassili will be able to play the worker. All hands on deck
to film 'The Embarkation.' The passengers' gangway and the sky of
Cardiff are put into place.
THE VOICE
Everyone wanted a part, everyone would get a
part. Louis had designed the set, Vassili had
painted a sky of Departure. Jean had accepted
everything, there was no time for whims.
Ezsther, the Hungarian cashier, insisted on
playing the nurse, and so did Suzanne. There
would be competition.
Louis jumps onto the platforms and the gangway to test them out.
They were making art, popular art, they were
doing cinematography, they were happy.
Enter Schubert and Marguerite, more in love than ever, arms
linked.
FELIX
Who wants coffee?
JEAN LAPALETTE
Ah Félix! Thank you. Hold the followspot for me,
old buddy…
Anita pulls Jeannot along with a hoist.
THE VOICE
It was time to film the Embarkation of the
emigrants, which took place one fine day in
1895. So many people were leaving from Italy,
from Holland, from Germany that Jean could
have chosen Hamburg, Rotterdam, Palermo,
Genoa, but he chose Cardiff.
Jeannot, the little newspaper boy, would play
Billy, the ship’s apprentice.
FELIX
Jean ? Who should I follow?
JEAN LAPALETTE
22
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Don’t you know? I can’t tell everyone everything all
the time! Ok, take your positions! Ah, yes, the
reflectors! Good. Gabrielle…
Jean cannot at any moment do without Gabrielle. He has to know
at every moment where she is and what she is doing.
GABRIELLE (from the workshop)
Yes Jean… I’m coming!
All are well-behaved, silent, concentrated.
Spell-bound, their eyes wide, they all look on.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Everyone please stop fidgeting and stop whispering.
Miss Mary, I expect better of you. And as for you,
Schubert, keep your hands to yourself. Is everything
clear? Good. Keep calm.
Vassili, that canvas is not in the right place!
The canvas is set behind the gangway.
(to Jérôme) Jérôme, whenever you’re ready with the
reflectors.
Jérôme sets himself while Gabrielle comes back from the workshop,
followed by Tommaso, and positions herself behind the camera.
GABRIELLE
You told me to dress as a man, then I have to turn
back into a woman. We’re getting close to the ship’s
apprentice.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes, we’re getting close to the ship’s apprentice.
Gabrielle, turn the crank.
GABRIELLE
I’m turning the crank, Jean.
Camille gives the note. The ship's apprentice scrubs the deck.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Camille, my friend. Let’s go!
TITLE CARD
Billy, the ship’s apprentice, eagerly polishes the
gangway. This will be his first big voyage.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The Captain.
The Captain climbs up the gangway.
Give him light!
TITLE CARD
The boat’s Captain is worried… He has learned
that
the
Gautrain
brothers,
famous
industrialists, owners of saltpeter mines in
Chile, have paid his ship owner to change his
route. As a result, the ship will have to double
the terrible Cape Horn. Billy is exultant: “Cape
Horn! I’ll be a true sailor!” “You are happy,”
says the Captain, “but I am worried for you,
23
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
boy. You are too young to affront such perils,
and I am too old. As for my beautiful boat, she
was not built for such furors.”
JEAN LAPALETTE
Rachel!
CAPTAIN
Ah, there is Madam Rachel! The famous opera
singer!
Madam, are you embarking for this difficult
crossing despite your fragile health which has
all the newspapers talking?
Simon Gautrain appears on the quay.
RACHEL
Mr. Captain, a woman in love must follow her
husband. I am a woman in love; I will play my
role, unto death.
Ah Simon!
Simon joins Rachel on the gangway and greets the Captain.
CAPTAIN
Mr. Gautrain, could I have a word with you! I
hope that your brother’s gold, in forcing us to
go West to Australia, will not drive us to
disaster!
Simon boards the ship anxiously. The Captain is left mad with
worry.
SIMON
To the West in this season? Why? I had no
idea… But you will manage to avoid disaster,
won’t you Captain…
TITLE CARD
So the Captain began to curse this cargo that
could change a ship’s destiny: money.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Stop!
Ravi is paralysed. He does not move. It is as if he is bewitched.
Ravi…
GABRIELLE
Ravi ! We are here… Come back to us…
Ravi comes to his senses and lets out a hearty laugh.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes! Our ship is about to put to sea.
They cannot stop, there can be no stopping now. All have
understood how the shoot will be an epic with no time for rest.
During the setting-up of the next scene's scenery, Gabrielle teaches
Louis how to use the crank. Snatches of their conversation can be
heard.
GABRIELLE
24
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Come with me, Louis. During the Embarkation, I
will be acting, Jean will be acting, Tommaso will be
acting, Schubert will be acting, so you will be in
charge of filming. Look here…
LOUIS
I’m a leftie…
GABRIELLE
No problem! The difference between a good
cameraman and the rest is the regularity of the hand
movements. Left or right changes nothing. To keep
a good rhythm, we sing “The Regiment of Sambre
and Meuse,” to ourselves.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Gabrielle, are we ever going to begin, for the grace
of God?
GABRIELLE
Oh! What a brute he is. Tommaso, please keep an
eye on Louis.
Gabrielle goes to join the rest of the crew, ready as passengers and
waiting with their luggage, already in their places.
TOMMASO
Louis, turn the crank.
LOUIS
It is turning, Mr. Tommaso.
TOMMASO
Alix let’s go! Camille…
The camera rolls.
THE VOICE
Jean wanted to see all those who would become
the heroes of the film squeeze into the ship’s
hold. Mr. and Mrs. Jones, the Pasteur and his
wife Emelyne. Anna the teacher. Ceyrac, the
geographer, utopian socialist, and his wife,
Louise. Manuel, the teacher who is already
looking for his wife, always worried, already
jealous. The boat took them all into its flanks.
Gervaise the mustard worker and her little
husband Toni, who was so valiant, expecting so
much from the future. Le Paoli family, an old
Sicilian couple… and their daughter, Amalia.
They had lost their son on board and were
looking everywhere for him frantically.
JEAN LAPALETTE
There, this is the fate of the Sicilian, the Welsh, the
French workers and peasants.
25
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
THE VOICE
Father Mathew, already sick. Some sailors had
come down to restore order. A nurse tried to
assuage the passengers’ thirst and anxieties.
The voyage would be difficult. A sailor cried:
Hey! You over there! They had to bring the
three Italians back up, he said, the Captain is
calling for them. They had no right to be there.
Their son has been found. Some passengers
tried to intervene, to protest. But in spite of their
resistance, the three were dragged from the
belly of the ship.
The last notes of Camille's music can be heard. Jean, lying in front,
is subjugated by the sheer force of the very vision he himself had
wished for but which now transcends it. For a moment he is silent,
and behind the portholes those who have become the steerage class of
the Fol Espoir watch him attentively, their eyes wide as they await
his verdict.
Continue, that's the word.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Silence! Let her past, for God’s sake. Silence!
Yes, that’s it. Prepare to continue.
Flora brings Tommaso his newspaper.
THE VOICE
As usual, Flora brought Tommaso his copy of
“L'Humanité,” the socialist newspaper founded
by Jean Jaurès. She wanted to know what was
worrying the clients below. Tommaso, who had
a shrewd understanding of politics, had
predicted what would happen: Wilhelm II had
jumped on the occasion to punish Serbia, and
had informed the Emperor Franz Joseph that
“under all circumstances, he would remain
faithfully at Austro-Hungary’s side.” It was to
give a free hand to Franz Joseph’s offensive.
Tommaso hesitates to show the newspaper and its menacing news to
Jean who is on the first class deck, ready to play Emile Gautrain.
Seeing him so happy, he decides against showing it to him. Gabrielle,
in costume as Madame Paoli, is not yet in the frame; she will direct
the scene right up to the very moment when she herself will enter it.
GABRIELLE
Everyone in position. Louis, the crank.
LOUIS
It’s turning…
Camille acquieses.
GABRIELLE
Camille, I’m counting on you.
Action!
26
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Enter Simon Gautrain, followed by sailors.
Simon abruptly stops the sailors who are carrying his luggage.
TITLE CARD
Emile Gautrain, the famous financier, foresees a
gleaming future for himself…
EMILE
You are very solemn, little brother…
SIMON
Yes, I am solemn.
EMILE
You think that this little detour by Valparaiso
has cost us too dearly…
Simon sends the luggage back, which makes Emile react violently.
SIMON
Not at all, that’s not it. You only think about
money! I am worried for Rachel. Such a difficult
voyage! She is so fragile…
(to the ship’s apprentices) We will not be embarking
after all…
EMILE
Halt! But what are you doing? You want to
leave me?! When the sale of our saltpeter mines
in Chile has exceeded our expectations, and
Australia is offering itself to us? The black gold
is ours, my Simon! An ocean is waiting for us
under the crust of the austral continent. I need
your talents as an engineer. You promised me…
SIMON
But what about her career? Who will she sing
for in Australia?
EMILE
I swear to you that we will construct Australia’s
first opera house for your Rachel! Oh my Simon!
Together, we’ll go further than Rothschild and
Rockefeller. You know your Emile!
SIMON
Ah! Yes, I know my charmer… It is more than I
can resist, I always trust you.
EMILE
Simon, I am in love!
SIMON
You? With a woman?!
EMILE
27
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
No! With progress!
Emile calls back the sailors with a whistle and has them bring the
luggage on board. He leaves a distraught Simon on deck. The
bellboy's little bell announces the ship's departure. Camille rings a
bell.
BELLBOY
Sir, we will depart shortly.
TITLE CARD
As usual, Simon succumbed to Emile’s
magnetism, and embarked for Australia.
The camera moves away from Simon and enters the boat, moving
into the doctor's cabin. Behind the portholes, we see that Rachel is
unwell.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The deckhouse!
DOCTOR
(to the nurse) In her weak state she should not
travel.
(to Rachel) You should not undertake such a
voyage in your state. Take the advice of an
admirer.
She is taken away, out of frame.
The ship's apprentice enters the cabin and dances with joy at his very
first sailing.
RACHEL
I am weak… I am following my husband…
GABRIELLE
The bell!
BILLY
Doctor, we are rounding Cape Horn! When we
return I will be a true sailor!
The doctor throwas him out. Huang Huang Hshing, the launderer,
comes in to collect his laundry and then exits in turn.
The sailors bring in the Paoli family. They are trying to hold down
the son who is struggles against them. The Captain orders the young
man to sit down. At last, he obeys.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The Paoli family!
CAPTAIN
(to the son) No one embarks without passing the
medical exam. Don’t move.
(to the doctor) Examine these poor people for me.
There is no time to send them for a dockside
visit. The ship is loaded. We must cast off. God
keep us!
DOCTOR
This will be quick.
The Captain exits.
Paoli family, please leave us for a minute.
28
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
The mother, the father and their daughter, Amalia, remain in the
doorway.
Any contagious diseases? Have you ever been
arrested? Have you ever taken part in riots or
demonstrations? Have you ever committed or
had the intention to commit a criminal act?
SON (to his mother)
What should I say?
MOTHER
You say no, obviously. My son worked in the
store.
FATHER
We are shopkeepers in Palermo.
DOCTOR
Everything is normal. Your turn, Miss…
SON
Wait! I have a question to ask you, Doctor.
She wants to take her son away, but the doctor intervenes.
MOTHER
You have nothing to ask the doctor. The doctor
is in a hurry.
DOCTOR
Let your son speak, Madam. What is the
question? A little sexual problem?
FATHER
My son’s constitution is perfectly normal.
DOCTOR
Ah! Now the whole family wants to have a say!
You can tell me everything.
SON
I don’t know what to do about the incineration.
DOCTOR
You mean the erection?
SON
Erection? That does not interest me. No, the
incineration. I must know, doctor. Will there be
freedom of incineration in Australia? I do not
want my corpse to be closed into a coffin, alone
under a vast continent. Whereas by incineration
my shadow will pass like a dream through the
doors of ivory and horn. Everyone knows about
this in Italy.
29
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
DOCTOR
Everyone knows in Italy?
SON
Yes, and even the Pope threatened us!
DOCTOR
I suppose he wrote to you?
SON
Wrote?! The Pope communicates otherwise…
FATHER
Doctor, you see my son is drunk.
The father hits the son; the doctor intervenes.
SON
I am not drunk! I am fighting for the freedom to
choose my dissolution.
DOCTOR
There is no incineration in Australia!
SON
I was sure! I will not leave!
The nurse hands over their passports.
DOCTOR
Be reassured, you will not leave.
(to the nurse) Give them back their passports!
MOTHER
Doctor, leave us a chance! Let us escape our
poverty…
DOCTOR
It is pointless, Madam. Return to Italy.
FATHER
To die of hunger?! Never!
MOTHER
My child is not dangerous. He has never
harmed anyone. And over there we will be in the
middle of the desert! His father will work. I will
work. Do you have a son, a child? He was doing
so well yesterday. Look, is silent.
DOCTOR
Madam, mental illness is prohibitive. He could
kill an innocent passenger.
MOTHER
Innocent?! We are also innocent!
30
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
The doctor whistles for the sailors. The Paoli family are forcibly
removed.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Everyone in place!
All prepare to turn the set around. But Amalia refuses to leave.
Held aloft by a sailor, she clings to the doorway.
The set turns, leaving the camera facing the corridor.
AMALIA
I have my ticket! Examine me! I am in good
health.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Turn around!
AMALIA
Am I going to be saddled with this madman all
my life!?
MOTHER
Don’t be cruel, Amalia. Your brother is
suffering!
She brandishes her ticket.
AMALIA
Must I pay for your son? I will not leave this
boat. I have my ticket!
FATHER
I order you to follow us. You know nothing
about life.
AMALIA
I know nothing about life? Who paid for your
tickets? I did! Have you ever asked yourselves
how I did it? I am embarking. When you have
the money, join me in Australia!
MOTHER
Return with us, dear child.
The mother tries once more to take her daughter. But the daughter
violently struggles against her, pushing her into the sailors. The
mother gets up, and Amalia rushes into her arms.
AMALIA
Return to Sicily?! I’d rather die!
My little mummy!
MOTHER
Will you write me?
The mother lets herself be led away. The mad brother embraces his
sister and then leaves. Gabrielle exits the frame and waves her
handkerchief of farewell in front of the lens, leading it in Amalia's
direction. Jean shouts out the directions for the next shot.
Railings indicate the ship's prow, the sail is raised, the flat moves
back and Jeannot is hoisted aloft.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The bow! The flat! The sail! The apprentice!
31
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Louis, pan onto the ship’s name…
LOUIS
What?
JEAN LAPALETTE
The ship’s name!
One by one, the passengers appear on deck.
LOUIS
There is no name, Jean!
GABRIELLE
Tommaso, the ship’s name!
Tommaso brings on a banner which had been lying around. It has
the words Fol Espoir written on it. The banner is fixed to the
railings. The other passengers join Amalia, Toni and Gervaise, who
begin to sing the Internationale. Party streamers are thrown and the
camera pans over the faces of those who have embarked on a voyage
whose final destination is believed to be known. Camille lets the song
run to the end of the chorus.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Thank you all.
All try to catch their breath, after this particularly long and complex
shot, in the style that Jean is fond of. Shots that last entire reels. The
ship is thus christened the Fol Espoir.
32
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 3 – Victoria has an Appetite
Félix is moved to tears.
FELIX
Oh! Thank you, Tommaso, thank you very much.
Thank you Jean, thank you Gabrielle. My restaurant
is going to cross the ocean… What an honor! It is
my dream!
JEAN LA PALETTE
Good, and now, let us go to Windsor Castle !
The guardrail is moved away, the sail is dropped, and all disappear
to get into costume as Englishmen and women. Flora brings Jean
the newspaper, but he is not interested.
Flora hands the newspaper to Tommaso.
THE VOICE
The news of world events did not let up.
In Clémenceau’s newspaper, “The Free Man,”
here is what one could read that morning: “It
would be the greatest mistake to turn the
Sarajevo assassination into the pretext for an
aggressive policy towards the Serbs, and to
thereby bring about precisely what the
murderers wanted: to create a gulf between two
nations of the Empire. To provoke a war
between two peoples, one that would engulf all
of Europe, because of this crime committed by
a small group of madmen and freaks, would be
an even more horrible crime. It would be to
place the destiny of nations and of the entire
human family into the hands of madmen and
criminals.”
The next set is prepared. The crew is making progress, everyone is
beginning to know exactly what they are each responsible for doing.
TOMMASO
What do you think of that? Austria, by threatening
Serbia, is aiming at Russia… There is going to be
war, I’m telling you!
JEAN LAPALETTE
No, there will be no war!
TOMMASO
If the European socialists do not launch a general,
European strike, we’re going straight to war…
JEAN LAPALETTE
War, war! I’ve had enough of your war! I know what
the French are like! I wasn’t naturalized thirty years
ago! I was born here. Tommaso! The French will
not go for it, and there will be no war! This is where
we must fight, for education. Go get ready!
33
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Tommaso, visibly angered, goes to get into costume.
Jean is troubled, worried, upset. He sits on set, the stuntwomen give
him a special home-made treatment. Dressed splendidly in a kilt,
Félix comes up from the restaurant.
The mechanical organ lends rhythm to Félix's lazzi; Félix believes
himself to be king of the drummers during the joyful entrance of all
the actors costumed for the Windsor Castle scene: sikhs from the
Empire's Indian realm, a butler, maids, the duenna, etc. Félix does
want to stop, nor indeed can he stop.
He tells me about war! I want to hear about
imagination, actors, talents, cinema. Not war and
death! And where is everyone? How much time do
you need to get changed, good grief!
FELIX
Camille! They just delivered the new organ! Jean,
listen to this! Marthe, start it up!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Very good Félix! Thank you, old buddy! Félix!
Thank you! Stop the organ!
Not wanting to, Félix stops. Jean discovers that it is Vassili who is
the veiled duenna.
Gabrielle, what is that?
The duenna whispers something to Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
Lady Bottom…
The duenna corrects her, in silence, and hiding from Jean under her
mantilla.
Ah, forgive me, Lady Blossom … I'm sorry.
JEAN LAPALETTE
And whose idea is that?
GABRIELLE
It’s the idea of the freedom you give your actors.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Of the freedom I give my actors.
(indicating the stool to his right) And what is that?
GABRIELLE
It is the little stool upon which Lady Bott… ah,
Blossom will sit.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Alright, take her away, put her on her little stool and
let’s begin the scene.
He notices Lady Blossom's book.
And what is the book?
“The Viscount of Bragelonne”! No relation. All
correct, you may stay, but you are not my idea!
Alright, that’s enough!
Enter Tommaso transformed into Darwin.
34
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
He notices an empty chair.
Although this is an amusing scene, it is above all a
serious scene, a political scene, an anti-colonialist,
anti-imperialist scene! The entire earth is weighed,
carved up, colonized! Let us be political!
Somebody is missing.
Enter at last Miss Mary, now the Empress of India, followed by
the young Churchill. Jean reprimands her for being late. We sense
that he softens the longer he looks at her. He is falling in love with
her. The others get a little impatient. Jean comes back to earth.
Schubert, do you want to turn the crank, my dear?
SCHUBERT
I’m turning the crank.
Camille doesn't have to hear it said twice.
Darwin and Victoria play at a game of Conquest. The scene is a
farce, fashionable at that time.
Enter Louis, as Salisbury “puffing and running”. He is completely
unrecognizable. He has quickly become chief make-up artist, as well
as an ingenious props-master. Jean sometimes has difficulty in
holding him back.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Camille! “Drums and music” !
TITLE CARD
The Queen and Empress of India and her
famous friend Charles Darwin play imperial
conquest war games.
BUTLER
The Prime Minister!
VICTORIA
You seem to be out of breath, Lord Salisbury?
LORD SALISBURY
They’re gone!
VICTORIA
Who?
LORD SALISBURY
The German spies! For five years they have
been digging around here, persuaded that we
were hiding your relative the Archduke of
Habsburg-Tuscany!
VICTORIA
Jean Salvatore? But he disappeared when
Rudolf, my nephew, was assass… forgive me…
committed suicide. We were hiding him?!
LORD SALISBURY
Not at all! We didn’t even know where he was!
He slipped through their fingers after the
35
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
assass… forgive me, the suicide. We have just
learned that he perished when his ship sank off
the Falkland islands! That was five years ago!!
They spent a fortune… Ha! Ha! Ha!
VICTORIA
… chasing after a dead man! Ha! Ha! Ha! We
are amused!!
LORD SALISBURY
You will observe, Majesty, that he died on our
territory! The Falklands are ours, after all. But
twenty thousand leagues from London!!
VICTORIA
On our lands, twenty thousand leagues from
London. But where are they, exactly? Show us,
Mr. Darwin.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes! The game is over and now it is very serious,
Victoria, very serious.
The entire crew is carried along by the same musical rhythm as the
protagonists and “dances” about, moving like an excited swarm.
DARWIN
They are in red, Your Majesty. Everything that
is red is your Empire.
VICTORIA
But I cannot see them…
DARWIN
Further down, Your Majesty. We cast off at
Montevideo and continue down the entire tail of
South America.
VICTORIA
It looks like India, only skinnier.
DARWIN
And here we are in sight of the archipelago.
Here, south of the famous Straits of Magellan,
you see the Tierra del Fuego…
VICTORIA
And all of this?
LORD SALISBURY
Belongs to no one.
VICTORIA
36
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
No one? The Tierra de Fuego belongs to no
one! All that for nothing? And there, those
countless crumbs?
DARWIN
Thousands of
Magellania.
The Queen falls backwards from her chair. All rush to fan her.
islands
with
no
master.
VICTORIA
Those bits of planet belong to no one? Makes
one dizzy.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The domesticity. The domesticity, bordel de Dieu!
What must I say? Enough! Out the domesticity!
DARWIN
These places have seen the demise of so many
vessels that they have become supernatural.
And there, just north of the terrible Cape Horn,
the Beagle Canal! Named after the boat that
discovered it, with myself aboard. It is there,
beyond the end of the world, that I had my
illumination.
VICTORIA
Cape Horn? That’s it? This little rock? It seems
to be very low on the Earth. What is the weather
like?
DARWIN
Of all the regions of the world, this is the
coldest, the windiest, the most violent, the most
desolate. The sun is as rare there as in a prison.
The trees grow crooked and flattened by the
perpetual gale, and yet…
LORD SALISBURY
Your Majesty is cold.
VICTORIA
I am frozen!
JEAN LAPALETTE
She is cold...
A shawl is brought on, along with tea.
GABRIELLE
A shawl for Madam! A shawl…
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes, thank you domesticity. No tea! No tea!
37
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
VICTORIA
Is it geographical? Is it human? What you
describe is not a country!
DARWIN
Indeed, Your Majesty, we have never seen a
country like this. The waves fly over the greatest
ships and upend them in an instant. You are an
insect, Your Majesty, a cod, an earthworm. It is
a land for Titans, and the Indian who survives
such powers is a superman, as Mr. Nietzsche
would say.
VICTORIA
Indians, Mr. Darwin?
DARWIN
Gracious, rare individuals, with supernatural
velocity.
CHURCHILL
Are you speaking of the Alacaluf? You described
them as hideous! Barely human!
DARWIN
I was young and foolish!
VICTORIA
This land belongs to no one! We want it!
Salisbury!
LORD SALISBURY
Another new… colony… Majesty?
VICTORIA
Enough stuttering! You are making me
impatient. We want a memorandum, tomorrow.
Precise and with all the figures. The price of
such an enterprise. For. Against.
SALISBURY
Tomorrow, at your hour, Your Majesty.
CHURCHILL
Precise and with all the figures, understood!?
VICTORIA
But above all, Sirs, discretion.
JEAN LAPALETTE
To the camera!
38
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
VICTORIA (to the camera)
If Argentina and Chile see us move, they will
immediately put an end to their stupid quarrel
and unite themselves against us. Therefore:
secrecy in the name of the Empire!
Oh, I am hot. We have made good progress
today.
She exits, followed by Salisbury, the page boy, etc. Jean does not
wish to interrupt filming.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Out of the way! She is exiting! The Sikhs, out of the
film!!
We stay on Darwin!
The entire crew put themselves to work on the unexpected scene that
Schubert and Gabrielle are beginning to improvise, turning around
the sleeping Darwin.
SCHUBERT
Wind on Darwin, snow on Darwin!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Mary, smoke!
DARWIN
How I would love to have seen those violent
shores again.
SCHUBERT
The ice floe behind!
GABRIELLE
The canvas!
JEAN LAPALETTE
A bit of ice in front, right away!
SCHUBERT
An Indian!
JEAN LAPALETTE
No! No Indian! No Indian!
GABRIELLE
Yes! The canvas diagonally
Darwin disappears from the horizon of the ice-floe.
GABRIELLE AND SCHUBERT
Tommaso, he’s exiting! No! From the back. Turn
around! There.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Thank you ! And tomorrow… in Magellania!
Oh Mary !
Braving all eyes, Jean carries Mary off to the workshop.
39
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 4 – The Forced Partition
Tommaso is delighted with the scene, and with the new physicality
that the actors have found. Schubert too admires their work, as does
Gabrielle, joyful and relieved. Enter Jeannot, holding a copy of
l'Humanité. He goes to Gabrielle, and then to Tommaso. While
Tommaso reads the newspaper, the set of the following scene is
installed. This set-up, along with the accompanying music, in itself
evokes the epic nature of the piece.
THE VOICE
There was also some good news from time to
time! On July 16th, 1914, Jaurès had just spoken
to the Socialist Party Congress. In a few words,
he had defined the internationalist goal of the
Congress. The millions of European socialists
were resolved to combat imperialism and war.
Yes, there were millions in Europe, united by
the words of Jaurès. And all agreed that war is
the fruit of social unrest which is itself the
inevitable fruit of capitalistic appetites. They
would not vote for the budget of the bourgeois
State! They would not grant credit facilities to
the work of death. International demonstrations
would be organized. There was talk of a general
European strike! The abyss would be avoided.
Jean returns to the set. Victoria has once more given way to Miss
Mary who, once again, thinks only of her smoke machine and her
special effects.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Alright, it’s as simple as that. We are before the
Governor’s cabin, on the shores of the Beagle
Canal. He is waiting for the two commissioners:
from Argentina and Chile. Is what I am saying clear?
He wants to get them to sign a treaty that will
definitively fix the famous contested border, and we
just saw why it would be in their best interest to do
so. My dear Gabrielle, would you please put me in
position. The crank, Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
I am turning the crank.
Louis plays the Governor of Patagonia, and Marthe plays his
secretary, Rodrigo.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Let’s go. The wind, the snow, the bird… the
Governor…
TITLE CARD
The Governor’s Palace in Patagonia, last
province before the untamed worlds.
GOVERNOR
40
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Look at this telegram, Rodrigo! London! The
English have their eyes on Magellania! I have
summoned the Commissioners of Chile and
Argentina. They must make up their minds to
sign the border demarcation treaty. England
must not be allowed to pretend that this land
belongs to no one!
RODRIGO
Here they are, Governor!
JEAN LAPALETTE
And now the two Commissioners enter. Take your
time.
Suzanne and Anita, dressed as Commisioners, enter the frame.
Anita punches Suzanne.
The talk, they discuss, they argue.
Cut! Anita! I said “argue.” Why did you punch him?
ANITA
I am Argentina. Chile insults me.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Even so! Don’t hit each other. No. They talk,
discuss. You are Commissioners, you are political
civil servants. They did not send anyone to
negotiate. Take two, please.
Everyone gets back into place.
Gabrielle, turn the crank.
GABRIELLE
I am turning the crank, Jean.
Anita punches Suzanne.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Entrance of the two Commissioners. Take your
time, meticulous, meticulous, they advance. They
negotiate, discuss. Even if they have a minor
disagreement, it is not very important.
Cut!
Gabrielle looks at Jean anxiously.
Cut!! I’m ok with a bit of burlesque, a bit of fantasy,
but this scene is political. Suzanne and Anita are two
diplomats. They are diplomats! They have university
diplomas. There are universities in Santiago and in
Buenos-Aires. This scene must denounce the
nationalistic stupidity of the South American
colonists.
Anita, apparently acquiescing, opens her arms as if to say “yes!”
And at the same time, the iniquity of colonists
everywhere on earth!
Jean returns to the camera, while Anita and Suzanne get back in
place.
41
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Silence, please. This time, we’re in agreement. This
will be the good take. Camille, you are with us.
Gabrielle, turn the crank.
GABRIELLE
It’s turning.
Anita punches Suzanne...
JEAN LAPALETTE
The Commissioners from Chile and Argentina enter.
They defend their claims…
Cut! Cut!
…and continues to punch her, despite everyone's protests.
Suzanne lets out a cry of rage and runs to the stairwell.
Suzanne returns and punches Jean.
Suzanne punches Anita.
Anita! Suzanne! Cut! So you cannot act!? It that’s
how it is, we have to change the casting. This is a
political scene, it has an anti-colonial message. I’m
sorry, but I am not going to repeat it a hundred
thousand times.
It’s okay, Suzanne, you will have another role. There
are 72 roles in the film. Suzanne, it’s okaaay!
ANITA
Suzanne, you punched Mr. Jean!
TOMMASO
But this is great, Jean. A bit of burlesque: it’s the raw
truth. I’m for it… It’s a film for the people, after all..
Suzanne punches Tommaso. Tommaso punches her back and leaves
the fight to direct the filming with Gabrielle. A farcical fight scene
ensues.
Turn, Gabrielle!
GABRIELLE
Yes, let’s try! It’s turning!
TITLE CARD
Try as the Governor might to negotiate a
compromise… They cannot be convinced!
Nothing can be done. Diplomacy, gentle
coaxing, seduction. The two mules refuse to
listen. There is no way to get the treaty signed.
Two enraged fanatics!
The fight begins in front of the cabin...and continues inside.
Lieutenant Laurence enters the frame.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Look who has arrived! That’s what they need. The
English!
TITLE CARD
But English Imperialism will make
nationalists forget their differences.
the
JEAN LAPALETTE
There it is: English imperialism is going to make the
nationalists agree!
42
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
GABRIELLE
The Englishman is looking for the house! He can’t
find it!
JEAN LAPALETTE
There! At last they understand! They have to sign
the treaty! They have to sign! They understand!
Little by little the scene goes out of control, until all are fighting left,
right and center. Camille, like a demon, has found a music which
leads this rather joyful fighting on.
GABRIELLE
They have to sign.
JEAN LAPALETTE
You have to sign it, prodigious morons! Cut! Let me
through! This is not pedagogical enough! There has
to be meaning! We have to make them understand
that these two retards, because that’s how you’re
playing them, must accept to divide up the land and
agree on the demarcation of the border. Otherwise,
the English will take over!! Come on! This must be
clear! Okay, once more, Camille! Crank! The
Englishman arrives. The most imperial ghost of
imperialism.
GABRIELLE
Careful Jean, you are almost in shot!
JEAN LAPALETTE
(to the Governor and the Commissioners) They see him. They
stop.
(to Laurence) No! not you! You are lost. The English
are lost in the storm.
GABRIELLE
They have to sign!
And now even the title cards get involved. Félix, who has been
sorting them, gets them all in the wrong order!
TITLE CARD
We are jhabckzs ennemi bajehzfgkl brothers,
includ jedfring the island but Spanish brothers.
If you recokpnngnize allnhhagefizf of our
islands, Hoste... Signlqkcnoétrns, sign,eadjhons
djkkhvaùng, signonvrovh!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Stop! Stop! This is not clear, it is not at all clear, for
God’s sake!
Jean enters the cabin....
...and gets a custard pie in the face.
Jean returns to the camera.
Sign the treaty! Yes!
Come on, let’s do it again. I promise not to keep you
too late, but we have to get this scene. Let’s go.
43
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
The scene becomes grandiose, allegorical.
GABRIELLE
It’s turning!
TITLE CARD
In the end, Argentina and Chile, faced with the
English threat, suspended their stupid and
bloody quarrel, and signed the first border
demarcation treaty. Argentina would have the
North bank of Beagle Canal, while the South
bank, along with Hoste island, would go to
Chile. Remember this name: Hoste island. The
Tempest.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Now the tempest! Now you can hit each other as
much as you like, I couldn’t care less. The storm is
gathering. Careful, everyone in place. Félix! We
don’t have enough hands!
GABRIELLE
We need help! More people!
“More people!” Yes, more people are needed to make this wonderful
picture, and to let loose a storm in the rafters of a riverside
restaurant. The entire restaurant staff leave stunned customers in
front of their plates as they rush up to obey Jean's command.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Make that cabin airborne. There! Yes! Yes!
GOVERNOR
The storm is gathering. I feel sorry for the ships
still at the mouth, the sea will be their cemetery!
Camille is having difficulty stopping his drum-beat. He at last
manages to as Tommaso signals to him in desperation, and then
suddenly, all is silent.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Down with imperialism! Down with colonization!
GABRIELLE
That’s good. It’s very good.
ALIX
Jean, what are we doing next?
FELIX
Roast beef and green peas…
Intermission for the audience, but not for the actors who immediately
begin to get the set ready for the fifth episode.
THE VOICE
For once, everyone went down to dinner at
Felix’s restaurant… Which gave the audience
the ten minutes of intermission necessary to
recover from all this madness.
Intermission.
44
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 5 – The Patagonian Mission
As the audience return to their seats, Jean is leading the meeting to
prepare the shooting of the next episode. Félix comes up from the
restaurant, still dressed in a kilt, but now having added a deer-stalker.
Tommaso points out Gabrielle to Jean. She is sitting cross-legged in
front of Camille's piano, and she is now an Alakaluf Indian. Nothing
will make her come out of character until this episode has been filmed
in its entirety.
Jean and Tommaso go towards her.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Where is she?
Ah, there you are!
Listen to me, please. We are about to shoot a
terrible episode, an episode we will call The
Conquest of the Desert … This is the name of the
long massacre of the Argentinean Indians,
perpetuated by the general Roca and his army. They
conveniently called this land a desert, because they
wanted it to be inhabited by… nobody! These
nobodies were of course the Indians. We are in the
middle of the tragedy.
Why are you looking so glum?! Come! Get to work!
Everyone in place.
Where is the bird? Vassili! That canvas is not in the
right place.
Giving his instructions only in Russian, Vassili directs the
positioning of the backdrop.
Everyone at your posts. Camille!
Camille is present, hidden in his corner, from whence come all those
rhythms and melodies so indispensable to everyone's inspiration.
Yes, the bird is there.
A bit of silence, please. The bird is there?
Tommaso, turn the crank.
TOMMASO
Is it good, Jean? Hey, Jean, that’s good.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The snow. What do you have in the background?
TOMMASO
If no one moves, I have total darkness… If no one
moves!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Let’s go!
Misses Adèle and Marguerite, who during the auditions, had won
the parts of the two Salesian nuns, now enter the frame.
TITLE CARD
On the South bank of the famous Beagle Canal.
SISTER AUGUSTINE
We must find the Indians before the storm hits!
45
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
SISTER MAGNANIME
And before the bounty hunters locate them!
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Bounty hunters?
SISTER MAGNANIME
Yes, the Argentinean colonists, Indian hunters,
are coming further and further south!
The nuns exit the frame.
TOMMASO
They exit. Adèle, you’re almost out of shot!
JEAN LAPALETTE
MacLennan
(to Tommaso) go find him.
The camera pans onto the murderous Octavio MacLennan, hunter
of Indians. Schubert loves to play baddies.
TITLE CARD
MacLennan, an Argentinean “bounty hunter”…
JEAN LAPALETTE
Don’t hurry… be meticulous…
He is holding a necklace of ears which are still dripping with blood.
He counts them.
TOMMASO
I want to see your eyes…
Schubert rolls his eyes, with an anxious and furious expression.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Yes, he heard… He doesn’t want to be seen… He
exits.
Tommaso makes a forward tracking shot onto Louis who is playing
Jean Salvatore.
TOMMASO
He doesn’t stay at the edge of the shot, he exits!
TITLE CARD
At that moment, the character given up for dead
by the entire world suddenly reappeared.
He sees the blood on the snow.
A snow-ball appears from nowhere. Enter Yuras who rolls on the
ground with laughter.
Blood… So the rumor was true. The Indian
hunters had reached the last territories of the
first nations.
JEAN SALVATORE
Yuras, where are your mother and your sister?
YURAS
They are fishing, over there.
JEAN SALVATORE
46
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Quickly, we must find them. They are in great
danger.
They exit the frame.
YURAS
Anju!
JEAN LAPALETTE
And we zoom out!
Tommaso follows the backdrop as it moves upstage. He zooms to a
close-up on MacLennan, who is camouflaged and looking out for his
next victims. Then Tommaso pans onto the two Indian women at
the edge of the frozen stream. Anju is fishing. The mother signals to
the girl that she is leaving but that she will return. She exits.
Octavio MacLennan approaches the young Indian girl. She is
frightened at first, and almost throws herself into the water.
MacLennan holds up a shiny fish, and the girl is tempted to go
towards him. Suddenly, he throws himself upon her. She struggles
against him. The assassin brandishes his knife. Enter the two nuns.
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Stop, vampire!
She pulls the child from the murderer's grip.
MACLENNAN
You mustn’t get excited like that! I am saving a
lonely, abandoned child!
SISTER AUGUSTINE
With knife raised!
MACLENNAN
What of it? I was going to cut off a piece of my
coat!
SISTER MAGNANIME
Like Saint Martin perhaps?!
MACLENNAN
I wanted to bring her to the mission out of the
cold!
SISTER MAGNANIME
I do not believe you. We are the mission!
MACLENNAN
You see evil everywhere. I am sickened.
JEAN LAPALETTE
He can’t find anything to say. He prefers to flee…
MACLENNAN
I am on my way.
He exits the frame.
SISTER MAGNANIME
She is trembling like a leaf.
47
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Come with us, you can eat and get warm.
ANJU
Mother!
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Come quickly my dear, come with us.
Gabrielle, who has become more of an Indian than ever, enters the
frame.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The mother returns.
MOTHER
Anju! Anju!!
SISTER MAGNANIME
I recognize those clothes. She must have spent
time at the mission.
The mother goes towatds her daughter.
The mother tries in desperation to get her daughter back, but each
time the nun intervenes again. Like a giant, Gabrielle lifts up the
nun…
… jostles her…
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Fear not. We will not take her from you! Give
her to us to make a Christian out of her!
At the mission. Always eat well.
With us she will be saved. Otherwise she will be
killed!
… and makes her fall down.
A sudden gut-shot (as always, the sound comes from Louis' box of
gun-fire). A second gun-shot. Enter the two hunters into the frame.
MOTHER
My child! My baby! Not killed!
Anju, my child…
Mortally wounded, the mother falls down dead. The girl huddles
against her.
MACLENNAN
There we go! That way she will do you no more
harm!
SISTER AUGUSTINE
But she did me no harm!
MACLENNAN
She was about to cut your throat!
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Not at all!
SISTER MAGNANIME
48
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
You stupid pagans! May God punish you! You
and your guns!
LUSCONI
You should be thanking our guns. If we had not
fired, you would no longer be here!!
SISTER AUGUSTINE
The poor woman is dead! I will never be able to
forgive myself. Killing innocent people.
MACLENNAN
These dirty Indians are never innocent. That
one too, let’s finish her off.
SISTER AUGUSTINE
In the name of Christ! Don’t shoot!
A gun-shot rings out. MacLennan falls to the ground. The other
murderer flees, pursued by Yuras. Jean Salvatore comes back.
(to Jean Salvatore) What have you done? You
shouldn’t have!
JEAN SALVATORE
I had to.
SISTER MAGNANIME
You saved us! Thank you Sir!
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Sister Magnanime, what are you saying?
SISTER MAGNANIME
You heard me! We have been saved!
Jean Salvatore throws the necklace of ears to Sister Augustine.
JEAN SALVATORE
Here, my Sister, these are the beautiful
necklaces these men wear around their necks…
SISTER AUGUSTINE
But what is this?... They look … like…
JEAN SALVATORE
You daren’t say it? You daren’t think it?
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Like… ears?
JEAN SALVATORE
This necklace represents twenty Indians
mutilated alive and then killed. These criminals
bring their atrocious trophies to the big
landowners who pay a bounty for each Indian
killed.
49
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
JEAN LAPALETTE
That’s it! And in Morocco the killers are French. In
the Congo, they are are Belgian…
SISTER MAGNANIME
You did not believe it, my Sister.
JEAN SALVATORE
Well now she has seen it.
SISTER AUGUSTINE
But all the same, one must not kill.
JEAN SALVATORE
One must not let others kill.
SISTER MAGNANIME
I agree entirely with the gentleman.
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Sister Magnanime!! There are also human laws!
It is not for the subjects to decide, but for
Caesar!
JEAN SALVATORE
We are not in Rome. Here, you are in a free
land, without a master, which belongs only to
the Alacaluf Indians. I have been defending
them for five years from every species of
predator. But the storm is approaching.
JEAN LAPALETTE
The wind! The snow! The smoke! The storm is
rising.
JEAN SALVATORE
You should take shelter.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Cannon!
The cannon fires. Camille never misses the firing of a cannon.
JEAN SALVATORE
The distress signal! A shipwreck!
A second cannon shot.
They are calling for our help! Yuras, leave your
sister with them for now. We will return for her
later.
The nuns try to clothe the child.
SISTER AUGUSTINE
Let’s put some clothes on her quickly and go.
JEAN SALVATORE
50
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
The nuns exit the frame with the girl on their backs. A third
cannon shot.
No. Leave her naked. Clothes retain humidity.
She would fall ill.
Yes, yes, poor vessel. You have been heard.
Quickly, to the skiff, my Yuras, there is not a
minute to lose!
Yuras and Jean Salvatore exit the frame. Enter another assassin
who appears from amidst the snowstorm. He cuts off the mother’s
ears, steals the necklace of ears and the ears of the dead assassin.
The snow slowly ceases falling. All are silent. Félix enters on tip-toe.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Thank you.
FELIX
Madame Gabrielle, if you wouldn’t mind being an
Indian a little longer, there is a couple downstairs
who would like to take a photograph. They have
never seen any Indians.
Gabrielle gets up and, a good sort, goes downstairs, half Indian, half
she doesn’t quite know what. The others tidy up.
THE VOICE
Schubert was happy: he had successfully argued
that the Salesian missionaries should not be
treated too badly. It was an old quarrel. In his
opinion, Jean was too anti-clerical. For once
Jean had yielded. Vassili’s décor had been just
the thing. It was the 18th of July. The film was
making progress.
ALIX
We have to collect all the snow, it’s worth a fortune.
Thank you.
THE VOICE
Nothing must be allowed to stop them.
Everyone sensed that time was short, but no
one dared say it. Tomorrow they would begin
the shipwreck.
Anita and Suzanne rush towards the restaurant.
All go downstairs, apart from Félix and Flora.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Well, for once I’m the one who’s going to call
everyone to eat!
Anita, Suzanne, don’t start without us! Wait for the
others!
51
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 6 – The Sinking of the Fol Espoir
FELIX
You want to act, you want to act… If Jean hasn’t
noticed you, what can I do? He’s the one who
decides. He has the eye. You are too discreet. Look
at Ravi. Ho ho… Captain. And who do you want to
play?
FLORA
Just a passenger.
FELIX
A passenger? Have you ever been on a boat?
FLORA
With my uncle, on the Nièvre.
FELIX
A passenger, that’s asking a lot at this point in the
film! No. One must always begin with what one
knows. Waiting tables, Flora! There! It’s
simple.Always be ready, and become indispensable.
There is going to be a shipwreck, at the first hour.
So you must be indispensable at the first hour. You
are there in the middle of the shipwreck. Suddenly,
“Dring!” Cabin 42. There’s an order! A platter, a
cup, the coffee, the infusion. Everything in hand,
there, on your platter, and off you go… Through
the porthole… the doctor. Good heavens! An
operation. In the middle of the shipwreck! Will he
save her? Imperturbable, you continue on your way.
Children are playing. They don’t know that death is
about to pounce. Here we see sailors jumping
overboard, abandoning the ship in your hands. And
with your platter, you show the example. You are
the ship’s faithful mast. Even numbers, the roll and
pitch, everything. Cabin 42! You listen. Never
disturb the clients. A woman is weeping! Quick, the
infusion! Knock, knock, knock. She opens: Rachel!
The opera singer! Let nothing show. Madame…
You enter the cabin discreetly. You put the platter
down. You take the cup, and the saucer. You serve:
the millefeuille, the little vermeil spoon, the sugar,
the sugar tongs. All around, the shipwreck, and you
withdraw. Rachel weeps. The elegance breaks your
heart. You take out a handkerchief, discreetly,
white… lace. You place it on the table, you bow and
take your leave. You close the door. The ship rolls a
bit, and back you go.
52
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
The filming must go on. Everyone arrives, bringing a yard, the
cannon and a pool. Gabrielle, wearing wellington boots, gets into
position in the pool. They are about to film the shipwreck.
JEAN LAPALETTE
To your posts! To your posts! Listen to me. Listen
well. This scene is a battle! The absolute equality of
human beings is only revealed in extreme danger.
Man is little! How small we are in the face of
Nature! We should be humble before such a giant.
Right. Enough talking, let’s act. Stand tall! Camille…
Gabrielle, turn the crank.
Complete darkness. We can see only the tiny model boat, lit by
electric followspots. As if they are demons intent on carnage, the crew
follow the boat.
GABRIELLE
I’m turning the crank, Jean.
TOMMASO
Let it move! The distress cannon!
In the walkway, the Captain fires the distress cannon.
TITLE CARD
The Fol Espoir drifts in distress. Not a sailor
aboard. All are dead!
CAPTAIN
Impossible to furl the sails!! They are taking us
to the mortal Cape Horn reefs! The sea is
unforgiving!!
TOMMASO
And Emile!
Emile Gautrain joins him on deck. The storm rages about them…
EMILE
I beg you Captain, try a last maneuver! We must
find the entrance to the Beagle Canal!
CAPTAIN
It’s too late! This route, in this season, is fatal! I
knew it!
EMILE
Please, my friend… Launch a lifeboat. I will pay
you!
CAPTAIN
Your money!! Your money is the cause of all
misfortune!
The Captain and Gautrain fight and the Captain knocks Emile
out. Suddenly a wild spar of a broken yard knocks out the
Captain. Enter the ship’s apprentice, sliding all over the deck. He
clings to his wounded Captain and witnesses his agony.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Lift his head, apprentice! His face! I want to see his
face!
53
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
The Captain climbs onto the guardrail.
CAPTAIN
Adieu my Fol Espoir! It is not the storm, it is
the cupidity of men that has killed us…
Ravi really relishes the moment; he rolls his eyes, clinging to
the rail, moaning and wailing.
JEAN LAPALETTE
He dies… Ravi, he dies!
GABRIELLE
He falls to the ground, please.
The Captain collapses down dead into the arms of the ship’s
apprentice.
BILLY
Captain! Captain! Must one live through all this
to become a real sailor? Will someone come to
help us?
Guided by the bird, the swarm of film-makers discover Yuras on his
canoe. Rowing furiously, he has come to the rescue of the Fol Espoir.
Madam Gabrielle follows his movements with a beautiful
backwards tracking shot, which is mastered admirably by
Tommaso, who suddenly abandons his post, handing it over to
Schubert's no less expert hands, in order to once more assume the
part of the doctor who is making a desperate attempt at furling the
sails.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Keep going! The guardrails!
Whose idea was it to transform the voice-over, which, in any case,
would have been inaudible in the din of the shipwreck? Whose idea
was it to project the text onto the sail? Was it is 1889, 1914 or
2009?
Yuras manages to climb up on deck.
Jean Salvatore has hoisted himself to the top of the mainsail.
TITLE CARD
On this 26th of July, 1914, like a black spider, war
was balanced above their heads. But then Jaurès
went to Berlin. He wanted to be certain that the
German socialists were determined to oppose
every warlike inclination. He would not let them
down! The rulers would not be allowed to shed
the blood of 37 peoples. Despite the reactionary
press, which slandered the just popular cause,
and despite the police, the great Socialist peace
demonstrations had had a success worthy of
their great object. No, there would be no war.
This century would be the most beautiful
humanity has known.
TITLE CARD
Then Yuras appeared, at the helm of a large
canoe. Yuras was at home: these were his
islands, he knew his Canal!
The unknown savior managed to furl the sails
and Yuras managed to beach the Fol Espoir on
the least dangerous of Hoste island’s shorelines.
54
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
JEAN SALVATORE
Bear to starboard! Yes, that’s it! You are a brave
man, Yuras!...
Camille, like the Neptune of an Ocean of music, keeps on
playing. They cannot stop, they must keep going.
JEAN LAPALETTE (shouting)
Keep going.
The set of the convict's hold is brought in.
FELIX
Madame Gabrielle, I am running to prepare us a
snack!
GABRIELLE
Than you Félix.
THE VOICE
The news had become calmer. Reason seemed
to be gaining ground. Rumor had it that Austria
was now ready to negotiate with Serbia. There
was hope.
JEAN LAPALETTE
It’s ready! Gabrielle! Come, children! Now we are
going to descend into the obscure depths of the
beached ship, where the miserable convicts are still
in chains. But is it already too late? Gabrielle, turn
the crank!
GABRIELLE
I’m turning, my dear Jean!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Let’s go! And you behind, no one should be in shot!
Onward!
Filming begins. Gabrielle is turning the crank. A little fish appears
behind the porthole, along with the stuntwomen’s bubbles. The
convicts are drowning. Yuras begins to rescue them.
That’s good. Take your time.
Two convicts are dragged from the wreck.
GABRIELLE
We have everything we need, Jean.
JEAN LAPALETTE
No, I want to save the third convict.
GABRIELLE
You do!?
Jérôme and Ulysse come out from behind the set. They are arguing
and beginning to fight. Schubert intervenes.
Jean, what’s that, to the left?
JEAN LAPALETTE
Halt!
55
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
The convicts are still in place. Jean gets up.
GABRIELLE
But what are you doing?
JEAN LAPALETTE
Jérôme, Ulysse, come with me! You too, Schubert…
They go towards the workshop, they enter inside as Alix, Miss
Mary and Akira, looking somewhat bothered, are leaving it.
Sound of glass breaking inside the workshop.
Jean, angry and flustered, appears once more.
What is this madness?
MISS MARY
Please! Be careful! It’s inflammable.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Install the ice floe. We’re continuing.
Jean disappears again. We hear snatches of an argument
inside the workshop.
Jean comes back, followed by the two others and by Schubert. He
continues to lecture them.
THE VOICE
Jérôme had called Ulysse a pacifist. He had
thereby introduced into the house the great
quarrel that had been smoldering in France for
a long time. Could one be a pacifist without
being a traitor and a deserter? Could one be a
patriot without being a nationalistic and obtuse
bourgeois? Marx had said that the workers have
no homeland. Jaurès said that they had one,
since they shared a language and a memory.
The world is preparing to enter a long tunnel of
blood and shadows.
Jérôme, Ulysse and Schubert get back to work.
JEAN LAPALETTE
… and members of the same families call each other
thugs, deserters, cowards, renegades, or else fanatics,
imbeciles, exploiters. I’ll have none of that here!
Stupid caricatures. Here we are doing art cinema.
Are you cinema workers? Then come do some
cinema.
I will not abandon you!
Jean runs to them upstage.
It is the dawn of the twentieth century… Anything
is possible now, airplanes exist, the cinema is here,
we have the telephone. We will fly above the Earth,
we will go twenty leagues beneath every sea. We will
discover new riches. We will push back poverty…
And now you come to pester me? Pacifist?! Yes, of
course I am a pacifist. But just try to cut Gabrielle’s
throat and I’ll rip you to pieces! I will take up arms
to defend my pacifism. You think that’s paradoxical?
So it is! I warn you, I will protect the ambition and
56
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
the holy poverty of this place against any
degradation.
GABRIELLE
Calm down, calm down, we are filming, calm
down…
JEAN LAPALETTE
The real struggle is here. And there will be no war
under this roof. At the first fight I’ll stop everything
and leave. I’ll go do cinema in… America! Do you
hear me? Did everyone hear me?
All of a sudden a fire breaks out in the workshop. Miss Mary
notices it and cries out.
THE VOICE
They had heard. They were relieved, they were
reunited. And there would be no war under this
roof.
ALL
Jean! Fire!
ALIX
Water!
GABRIELLE
Make a chain!
SCHUBERT
Make a chain! A chain!
They make a chain for the water. Little by little, the fire dies down.
All are motionless on the sound stage. Schubert crosses himself twice.
Suddenly...
Jean appears from behind the backdrop.
Jean? Where is Jean? Jean? Jean! He’s not there.
GABRIELLE
Jean! Schubert, he’s here!
Schubert comes back up and throws himself into Jean’s arms. Then
he makes up with Ulysse and Jérôme, who in turn makes up with
Ulysse.
ALIX
Jean, we have lost a reel…
JEAN LAPALETTE
Which episode?
ALIX
Victoria!
MISS MARY
Oh! Bloody hell!
Jean goes downstairs after Miss Mary, followed by everyone else.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Miss Mary! We’ll shoot it again! Miss Mary!
57
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 7 – The Governor’s Good Idea
A few seconds later, Gabrielle comes back up to the for once
apparently silent and deserted attic. She is carrying a bunch of
burning sage. She may well be carrying a manual for performing
exorcisms. She begins her ritual of expelling evil spirits.
GABRIELLE
Away, Satan, away! I crush you! I contort you! I
chase you off! I send you far from here! Away,
villain! I caress you, I caress you! I crush you!
Gabrielle goes behind the backdrop; we can hear her performing the
exorcism.
Suddenly Schubert and Marguerite come out from behind the
backdrop, driven from their love nest by Gabrielle’s ritual.
then out come Eszther and Josef too…
She goes into the workshop and out come another pair of lovers,
Jerôme and Fernanda.
She returns to her ritual.
Go away! Depart, little monster!
Oh! forgive me… that was not my intention…
Away, evildoer!
Oh! excuse me! I’m sorry
Mephistopheles, leave this house!
my
God…
Oh sorry!
Away, evil one! I caress you! I contort you.
Louis comes out from the workshop, his face completely hidden by a
statue of Christ. This disconcerts Gabrielle a little, epecially as the
statue seems to be pursuing her. The statue crosses the stage, and
from the top of the stairwell, watches Gabrielle as she becomes more
and more confident in her battle against Satan. She dances like a
dervish.
Tommaso comes back up, happy with the new suspended cradle. He
installs it while Gabrielle finishes her ritual like a Diaghilevian
faun! She discovers Tommaso and his cradle.
I contort you, I uncontort me! Away, evil one! Come
out of the piano, Satan! Leave us alone! Asshole!...
TOMMASO
Gabrielle! Look at this!
GABRIELLE
What are you concocting, Tommaso?
TOMMASO
Get in. They would be green with envy at Pathé!
Tommaso invites Gabrielle to sit in the cradle. The two old friends
have a quiet moment to themselves, where we must feel their immense
reciprocated affection. These two have had many fits of laughter
together over the years.
GABRIELLE
Tommaso, are you sure you know what you are
doing? My God! You’re a real torturer, I’ll do
whatever you desire… This will be perfect for
filming the next scene…
58
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Tommaso pretends not to be able to hoist her up.
He finally hoists her up.
TOMMASO
No hands! Yes, no hands…
GABRIELLE
You are an idiot. You’re so silly!
It’s wonderful, it’s ingenious.
Tommaso gives her the rope, and Gabrielle hoists herself up all on
her won. She is having fun.
I am independent, an autonomous alpinist.
Enter Schubert behind them to set out the ice-floe. The Fol Espoir
crew takes their places for the filming of the next episode. Jérôme
and Fernanda are assigned to the hoist. Tommaso moves Gabrielle’s
cradle forwards; Gabrielle asks Fernanda to give a little slack.
TOMMASO
Ready! Silence!
Jean and Miss Mary come back up from the restaurant, intoxicated
with joy and with each other. After making his excuses, Jean,
hopping about, goes to get ready in the workshop.
Gabrielle turn the crank.
GABRIELLE
I’m turning the crank, Tommaso.
TOMMASO
Camille! Snow,
Governor!
The Governor and Rodrigo, on the ice floe, are on route for the Fol
Espoir. A sleigh loaded with things for the refugees.
wind,
tempest…
Onwards
TITLE CARD
An extraordinary proposition…
GOVERNOR
It seems that a mysterious hero guided the ship
to Hoste island. Naturally, England will
demand that we repatriate them. It’s the last
thing we needed.
RODRIGO
These shipwrecks on the Canal cost us an arm
and a leg! Last year, we were ruined by the cost
of the repatriations. We will have to charter the
Gracias…
GOVERNOR
We will charter nothing at all. We will leave
them there.
RODRIGO
Leave them there? What do you mean?
GOVERNOR
We want to populate the region? A population
falls from the sky. We must jump on the
59
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
occasion. Chile will do something that has never
been done. Hoste island where they ran
aground, will be given in perpetuity to the
passengers of the “Fol Espoir.” Let me explain,
Rodrigo. I give you Hoste island…
RODRIGO
You give me Hoste island? But I don’t want it!!
GOVERNOR
Today, they become the sovereign colonists of
the island. Its kings, its cultivators, its soldiers.
They prosper. They grow rich…
RODRIGO
What does Chile get out of it?
GOVERNOR
Development engenders development. Imagine
Hoste island in twenty years, in 1914! It is
flourishing. And all our archipelagos have
imitated the pioneers I had the idea of
establishing there! Understand? Ah… here is
the Englishman…
TOMMASO
The Englishman enters!
Alix continues to play the English emissary with passion.
Gabrielle's cradle is manipulated with virtuosity by Tommaso, who
makes it do rather dizzying ups and downs.
LIEUTENANT LAURENCE
The Governor of Patagonia, I presume?
GOVERNOR
Himself. To what do I owe the honor…?
LIEUTENANT LAURENCE
In the name of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, I
have come to take possession of Magellania,
which belongs to no one…
GOVERNOR
Oh! What a pity! Too late! Lieutenant Laurence,
you will inform Her Majesty that what belonged
to no one yesterday, not even to the Indians who
have lived there for 5000 years, belongs today to
Chile…
LIEUTENANT LAURENCE
Damned!
Laurence exits the frame.
GOVERNOR
60
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
My respects to Her Majesty! Come, Rodrigo,
let’s go.
TOMMASO
They go towards the boat, out of shot, higher,
Gabrielle! Higher! Gently! And now the ship comes
back in! Move the canvas back! The ship enters!
Higher, Gabrielle! Up! Move back the canvas!
Everyone on the canvas! Halt! The ship retreats! The
ship!
The ice floe backdrops move back, and disappear behind the silk,
which has been raised for this moment. The other ice floes enter, then
the ship, pulled by Suzanne. The sky canvas enters, following the
ship.
Félix brings in the visible part of an iceberg, while the sky is
rotated.
Gently! The ship comes back into shot. Everyone
move out of the way. A ladder! The Governor must
board! Bring a ladder. Higher, Gabrielle, a little
more! No higher! Félix! The iceberg! The sky!
Ulysse, turn the sky for me! More! Yes!
Are you ready, Louis? Gabrielle, turn!
GABRIELLE
It’s turning.
TOMMASO
Wind, snow, the Governor arrives at the foot of the
ship.
GOVERNOR
But where are they? Hello! Anyone there? All
dead?!
The Governor climbs aboard the boat.
No one! Ah, below, keeping warm! They are
huddling in the hold…
TOMMASO
Rodrigo climb up! The followspots on Rodrigo !
Rodrigo in turn climbs the ladder onto the decks of the beached ship.
(to Anita who is doing Rodrigo’s wind) Drop the thread!
Hey, wind… drop the thread! Drop the thread! And
he disappears.
GABRIELLE
Rachel…
Rachel appears on deck. Simon joins her.
TOMMASO
Rachel entre dans le champ…
RACHEL
61
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
I am sick, sick. Simon, I want a boat to come
get us. Ask the Governor to take us immediately
to the capital. I feel I am dying.
SIMON
I’ll bring you back, my Rachel, I promise.
Today the crew has two cameras. Félix is operating the second
camera.
Enter Emile on the ice floe.
TOMMASO
Félix, you take Emile…
Schubert…
Gabrielle, stay
on
Simon...
SIMON
Ah! Emile! I need to talk to you.
EMILE
So do I.
SIMON
We must leave immediately with the Governor.
EMILE
What do you mean “leave”?
SIMON
You don’t intend to stay here?
EMILE
Come down. I want to show you something.
SIMON
Emile, don’t try to lead me on, I am at the end
of the line.
EMILE
Listen to me, and look at this island.
SIMON
Rachel will never endure this icy thorn. Your
idea was Australia. That’s where I’m going.
(to Rachel) Don’t worry, my darling.
RACHEL
He will convince you, as usual…
SIMON
No, not this time. I will be unshakable.
EMILE
Listen to me, Simon, listen to what I’m telling
you: our future is Host island.
62
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
SIMON
I am not listening.
EMILE
Gold, Simon, Gold!
SIMON
Gold? Here?
RACHEL
Simon! He is hypnotizing you!
SIMON
Wait! Wait…
Simon joins his brother.
EMILE
Come here… Look!
SIMON
You found some?!
EMILE
I found some. I verified it. You know me.
SIMON
Oh, my Emile! But Rachel…
GABRIELLE
Félix, go to Rachel…
EMILE
Everything on earth is made to be sublimated
by Industry.
SIMON
But this wind, for her, is deadly.
EMILE
Gold is stronger than the wind! I will build her a
grandiose and comfortable home. I will have
sofas and chandeliers and silverware brought
from London. The port of Hoste will make
Valparaiso green with envy. And we will baptize
it Port Rachel! This is the future, and it will
happen here!
SIMON
Did you hear, Rachel?
RACHEL
You are digging my grave!
63
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
SIMON
Who will construct the port?
EMILE
The convicts who are still aboard: I’ll round
them up and name them foremen. I noticed one
who’s very clever… But prudence! I want to
know what he is made of before unchaining
him…
SIMON
And I will train the indigenous workers.
RACHEL
Simon! Your brother has taken hold of your soul
again! Come back to me!
EMILE
Don’t listen to her! Look! We are before the
busiest gateway to Antarctica. We have enlarged
the planet, and we are driving it to the triumph
of Industry. We will have everything: above,
below, factories and mines. We will unite
Capital and Happiness.
SIMON
You are a genius, Emile.
Rachel, look, this is the future.
Anna appears on deck.
Anna takes Rachel into the boat.
Simon too goes down into the boat. Yuras appears on the ice floe.
Emile sees him from up above.
He throws tie, jacket and hat down to him. Then a little bottle of
alcohol, which Yuras tastes at once.
Yuras is delighted by the shower of gold falling down
upon him.
RACHEL
I see my death and your ruin!
ANNA
It’s decided! We are staying! We are drawing up
a Social Contract! Rousseau’s dream realized!
Come join us!
EMILE
Rousseau’s dream realized?! Ha! Ha! Ha! What
do you say, Simon? Let’s go sign this Social
Contract everyone is dreaming of!!
Ah, who do I see there? Hey, boy, catch this,
and this, and this, you want it?
And this? Do you know what it is? It’s pretty,
no? Do you like it?
Come up, boy. Come see king Midas…
64
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Yuras climbs onto the boat.
YURAS
King Midas!
TOMMASO
End of the Seventh Episode …
This episode has exhausted everyone. Breathless, they all sit or lie
down on the floor. Gabrielle has been forgotten up in the cradle.
SCHUBERT
Right. Let’s get out of the ship…
65
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 8 - The Social Contract or The Other Dream
THE VOICE
The film took on a darker color that did not
displease them. On this July 29th, they had been
so busy on the ice that they hadn’t noticed the
heat. In the evening, Jean had not called out his
famous “Back to work.” So everyone hoped for
a good dinner at the restaurant and a swim in
the river. They had earned it.
Still perched on the deck, Adèle directs the removal of the ship.
ADELE
Good bye, Madame Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
I would like to come down from here, please…
Gabrielle is helped down. The ice floe canvases are taken off-set and
the sky is lowered. Jean sits down at his worktable.
SCHUBERT
Everyone into the river!
All follow him to go swimming. Full of joy, Gabrielle, Tommaso
and Alix also intend to go.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Halt! Wait! What day is it?
TOMMASO
28... 29 July…
JEAN LAPALETTE
And what time is it?
TOMMASO
Ten o’clock… in the evening.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Impossible! Ten o’clock? In the evening? You want
to go for a swim?
TOMMASO
We would like to, yes…
GABRIELLE
What’s the problem now?
JEAN LAPALETTE
I have an idea…
TOMMASO
What idea?
JEAN LAPALETTE
Listen: suddenly there is a terrible misunderstanding!
A fateful misunderstanding!
66
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Enter Jeannot, pale, who gives the newspaper to Tommaso. His
entrance stops the others from going downstairs.
GABRIELLE
Oooooh no, no… No terrible, fateful
misunderstandings tonight! Tomorrow! Tonight:
swim!
THE VOICE
Austria had just presented Serbia with a rude
and humiliating ultimatum. The future was full
of threats, and in “L'Humanité,” Jaurès wrote:
“If war breaks out between Serbia and Austria,
which seems inevitable, the conflict will
necessarily spread to the rest of Europe…
There is not a moment to lose. There will be no swimming, no rest
tonight.
TOMMASO
Schubert, Louis, we have to keep going…
THE VOICE
At the present moment there are terrible forces
working against peace and human life against
which the European proletariat must attempt to
mobilize every possible effort of supreme
solidarity.
Schubert takes charge of putting the scenery in place. But he is
nervous, tense, and, for the very first time, impolite.
SCHUBERT
Push back the sky!
THE VOICE
Austria will invoke the treaty that allies it with
Germany; but then Russia will invoke the treaty
that allies it with France, and will say to France:
“I have been attacked by two adversaries,
Germany and Austria. France must come to my
defense.” Then Europe will be ablaze; the world
will be ablaze.”
We hear cries of 'Bring on the deckhouse!'
You can sense the tensions in the air. Josef is jostled by the events.
Schubert goes down to the restaurant.
Jean goes down to, followed by the other men. The stage is left bereft
of men. Only the women are at work, in silence. Then Jean comes
back up with Schubert. He has managed to calm him down.
They all understood that there was not a minute
to lose. No one would sleep before the film was
finished.
SCHUBERT
I’m going to have a drink!!
JEAN LAPALETTE
Schubert! Schubert!
67
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Listen closely, Ladies and Gentlemen. Is everyone in
place? Very well, thank you. Mr. Alix is going to
make a declaration.
ALIX
We only have two reels left. I’m not sure I’ll be able
to find more tomorrow. So everyone please be
vigilant, please be serious. If we don’t stop
everything will be fine. Thank you.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Gabrielle, turn the crank.
GABRIELLE
I’m turning the crank, my dear Jean.
TITLE CARD
The Other Dream.
The extraordinary proposition made by the
Governor had raised hopes…
Behind the porthole, Ceyrac and his wife can be made out. They
enter the walkway. Salvatore, out of shot, is already on the
walkway.
CEYRAC
Things have never been this favorable. No
State, no History, no monuments. We are at the
beginning of the world. All is blank! Now is the
time to found the first truly socialist City!
LOUISE
You have finally found companions and the
occasion!
CEYRAC
We must draw up the list of passengers, who
will be the first Hostians!
JEAN SALVATORE
You are not the first Hostians! The first men
here, for thousands of years, are the Alacaluf
Indians. There are only fifty-four families left,
but as long as I live, they will remain the
masters of their island.
Enter Anna, followed by Emelyne and Gervaise, into the walkway.
CEYRAC
Of course! All the inhabitants of Hoste will be
declared free men and citizens by right from
this day on.
ANNA
Free men and women too?
CEYRAC
68
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Free men means free women, naturally.
ANNA
No. Not always! The feminine must be
stipulated each time. And we want the right to
vote!
GERVAISE
Yes, the right to vote, not a minute too soon!
EMELYNE JONES
Yes! Do you hear, John?
JOHN JONES
(from behind the porthole) If we must stipulate the
feminine each time… that will complicate
things greatly.
EMELYNE JONES
We must dare to complicate!
JEAN SALVATORE
They are right! One day, women will vote.
THE WOMEN
One day? No! Today!
CEYRAC
All citizens of Hoste, men and women, are
equally eligible for all public functions.
JEAN SALVATORE
This applies to the Indians as well. That must
be specified.
They are joined by Jenkins, the farmer, and Toni, the worker.
JENKINS
Does that mean that one of your Indians can be
elected?
JEAN SALVATORE
Yes, like you.
TONI
That makes me laugh!
GERVAISE
What makes me laugh is your look when I will
be elected!
JEAN SALVATORE
(reading) “Hoste will have a policy of hospitality
that will have no other limits than its natural
right to resist hostility.” Ha! Is that possible?
69
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
TONI
So people will come to eat our bread? We can’t
take in all the tramps of the world, now can we?
Fr. Matthew also enters the walkway.
ANNA
No, not all, but some of them…
MATTHEW
They want to proclaim the principle of the
separation of Church and State! Isn’t that to
establish the domination of human laws over
divine law?
Jones joins them in the walkway.
Fr. Matthew exits the walkway.
JEAN SALVATORE
Yes, absolutely! In your heart you are free to
obey God. In society, you must obey the
common will!
JOHN JONES
After all, what does it matter? Some say “my
brother,” the others say “my comrade.” That’s
alright with me.
TONI
Come! We must talk about the right to strike!
JENKINS
And common pasturage. For my cattle.
Toni and Jenkins exit the walkway.
TONI
We must talk about class warfare.
JOHN JONES
Class warfare! What use do we have for that
here?
Only the Joneses, Ceyrac and Jean Salvatore remain.
TOMMASO
They let their thoughts evolve. They reflect.
A long tracking shot.
CEYRAC
In this century of ours, everything in society will
change. This book has already changed our
thinking, in twenty years it will change the
Universe.
EMELYNE JONES
Are you suggesting
communist?
that
Hoste
will
be
JEAN SALVATORE
No. You are painting the century that is ending.
But we come afterwards. We can write the
70
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
sequel. And just as Marx was so brilliant at
summing up the historical process and
describing the reality of class warfare, we will
formulate the society to come, beyond class
warfare – isn’t that it?
JOHN JONES
That’s it! That’s it!
JEAN SALVATORE
We have no need for a Revolution, because
Hoste could already be beyond the Revolution.
It’s up to you to prosper beyond class
antagonisms.
CEYRAC
And you think that’s possible!
JEAN SALVATORE
Yes. If your economy is bound by the general
interest, everything is held in common. Those
whose only property is their capacity to work,
you, for example, you, but who participate in
the augmentation of the common capital, will
also benefit from the common advantage.
Because your society will be just. Right?
Behind the portholes, the other passengers watch and listen.
Anna and Louise interrupt.
CEYRAC
Neither dictatorship, nor anarchy, but
communal management. Let us be providential
towards each other. Liberty shall be the base,
Equality the means, and Brotherhood the aim!
LOUISE AND ANNA
We would prefer…
JEAN SALVATORE
What now? Brotherhood isn’t good enough for
you?!
ANNA
No, not quite. We would prefer Humanity, quite
simply.
JEAN SALVATORE
Humanity the aim… yes, I understand, why
not…
CEYRAC
We will arrive at Humanity through an absolute
faithfulness to our laws.
71
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Toni re-enters the walkway, and stands between Salvatore and
Jones. He is followed by Jenkins. The ship’s apprentice and Amalia
are perched on the deckhouse guardrail.
TONI
What does the Law say?
JEAN SALVATORE
It says: I respond. I will not let poverty set in,
nor injustice, nor inequality, nor insecurity…
CEYRAC
… nor ignorance, nor obscurantism, nor racism,
nor contempt, nor hatred of the foreigner.
LOUISE
Hoste will be the lighthouse of Hope.
ANNA
It will be Happiness.
JOHN JONES
Let us have no illusions. It will be complicated.
Manuel, the teacher, enters the walkway.
MANUEL
They are discussing capital punishment!
JEAN SALVATORE
We eliminate it, naturally.
They exit hurriedly to join the others 'down below'.
JOHN JONES
Oh my God! Abolish capital punishment… That
will be complicated!
Jones exits to join them. Amalia and the ship’s apprentice kiss.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Anita, Jeannot. Okay. That’s enough kissing!
Tommaso…
Enter Tommaso as Razine. From the very first rehearsal, he had
taken hold of this part and never let it go.
TITLE CARD
An escaped convict had observed them from
afar…
RAZINE
What idiots! They are not thinking! They know
nothing! Abolish capital punishment! What will
they do with the saboteurs? What will you do
with the traitors? The opponents? What will you
do with people like me? You’ll see, you will
need capital punishment, and in the meantime
you will need a penal colony!
Enter Ceyrac and Louise.
Ah, Mr. Ceyrac, I was looking for you. I am a
convict, but a true socialist. Like you, I hate the
72
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Church, the State, Capital. Liberate me and my
companions. I will be helpful to you.
He frees the convicts.
CEYRAC
There will be no men in chains on Hoste island!
Now you are free. Mister…?
RAZINE
I took Marat as a first name and for surname…
Razine!
CEYRAC
Like the very famous Cossack rebel!?
LOUISE
Like the very bloody Cossack rebel!
CEYRAC
Comrade Razine, now has come the moment of
brotherhood.
RAZINE
Ooooh... brotherhood takes time. We need
authority. It would be more prudent to surprise
them. Imagine it: the Governor goes away.
Everyone is a bit lost. Suddenly they hear
gunshots.
CEYRAC
Gunshots?
RAZINE
Say there are troubles. People are frightened.
They panic. At which point we arrive. In short,
we save them from the disorder and at noon we
install a protective, authoritarian, socialist
government. Naturally, you and I take the reins.
All this in twenty-four hours. Very economical.
One could also take power more directly. A
shootout, and regime change.
CEYRAC
You wouldn’t think of it!
RAZINE
Of course not.
hypotheses.
But
I
am
bringing
up
CEYRAC
But Sir, with your hypotheses, we will head
straight to a dictatorship.
73
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
RAZINE
And so what? First a Popular Dictatorship. They
would hardly have noticed by the time we arrive
at total Freedom.
CEYRAC
Even a popular dictator never gives up power.
He must be brought down. No dictators. If any
International Brotherhood has a chance of
coming into being, it is here.
Ceyrac takes Razine by the collar.
RAZINE
What brotherhood!? I am speaking for the
oppressed! I am offering you a plan for the
conquest of power. I am proposing a way to
guarantee your success. And you are hesitating?
Are you afraid?
CEYRAC
I speak to you of democracy and you propose a
coup d’état to install a tyranny!
Razine headbutts him. Ceyrac is injured.
Alert! Alert! A putsch! There’s already a putsch
afoot! Al…!!
He wants to go down to raise the alarm. Suddenly, Razine strikes
him in the back with the axe. All are aghast by the violence of
Tommaso, who is suddenly possessed by the assassin he incarnates,
or by a fear that comes from one knows not where.
GABRIELLE
Tommaso! But what happened to you? That’s not it,
it was only supposed to be a fight.
Meanwhile, Félix has come up to talk to Jean. The news he
announces hits him like a dagger. They exit.
Gabrielle, who witnessed Jean’s initial reaction, goes downstairs
after them. Schubert follows her, as do the others. We hear murmurs
coming up from the restaurant. The stage is deserted. One by one,
they come back up, the LaPalette crew onto the stage, the Fol
Espoir staff on the stairs.
Jean? Jean?
THE VOICE
Jaurès had been assassinated.
Louis goes upstage and opens the window. We hear murmurs from
the street and snatches of the Internationale. Louis takes his jacket
and leaves the stage.
JEAN LAPALETTE
Louis, you can’t leave like that. Come back! Louis!
Louis comes back up.
THE VOICE
Jean proposed a secret vote to decide if they
would continue or not.
SCHUBERT
Why a secret vote, Jean? For me it’s clear: I say we
keep going.
74
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
A vote is taken. They decide to keep going.
JEAN LAPALETTE
If that’s the case, we have to hurry…
Josef, the Austrian, his draft order in hand, exchanges a few words
with Félix, goes to say goodbye to Louis, then goes downstairs,
followed by Ezther, the Hungarian. Gabrielle calls him and waves
at him from afar.
THE VOICE
Many scenes had to be cut. The scene of the
terrible misunderstanding would not be filmed,
nor that of Billy, the ship’s apprentice, and
Amalia, the lovers frozen in the wind, nor that of
the feast for the Indians, Thanksgiving, as Miss
Mary called it. The military draft would begin
tomorrow, in two days at the latest. The young
would go within a week, the elders within a
month. Some were already in their barracks. Of
course, they wouldn’t be gone for long, they’d
be back before Christmas, but all the same,
what a blow!
What was needed now, according to Louis, was
a concentrate of concentrates. All the final
catastrophes would be treated in a single
episode. And the film would finish with the
construction of the lighthouse at the end of the
world.
75
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
Episode 9 – The Gold Rush, or Adieu to Hoste
GABRIELLE
Everyone to your posts. Camille, I’m counting on
you. The crank please! The crank is turning. Action!
Gabrielle films the apparition of a Grey Rhea which flaps its wings
and disappears on the horizon.
The brothers come into shot…
In the wind, the Gautrain brothers wind mark out their new Gold
Route.
TITLE CARD
The Gold Route had to be marked out at once.
Simon thinks he hears a voice calling him from afar.
RACHEL
(out of shot) Si-mon! Si-mon!
SIMON
I thought I heard Rachel’s voice!
Emile succeeds in convincing Simon, who wants to turn around, to
go on. They exit the frame. Rachel has followed them. She is
advancing on the ice floe with difficulty.
EMILE
You are having austral hallucinations!
RACHEL
Simon! Simon! Come back to me!
She falls down and dies of exhaustion in the ice. Simon returns
along the new trail and discovers Rachel, who has now become an ice
statue. Film-makers and actors alike are seized by the elemental
forces.
SIMON
A curse on this gold and my weakness!
Emile returns in turn, laden with gold. Simon attacks him. Emile
kills Simon, but, before he dies, Simon kills Emile. Enter the two
convicts in search of gold.
TITLE CARD
The Gautrain brothers’ extraordinary revelation
had aroused every passion…
The first convict hands his axe to the second, and begins to strip
Gautrain’s corpse.
FIRST CONVICT
I found his gold!
SECOND CONVICT
Let’s share it! I said: let’s share!
Twice he refuses. The second convict kills him with an axe-blow to
the back. He throws away the axe and pounces on the corpse to
take the purse. Enter Razine, on the Gold Route behind him. He
kills his companion with an axe-blow to the back. Absorbed in his
greed, he does not notice at first that the hand of the dead man has
caught hold of him.
RAZINE
Let me go, corpse!
76
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
He first tries to free himself from the corpse of his former companion,
then tries to lift the corpse and take it with him in order to free
himself later. Then, he stumbles and falls onto the axe which had
remained on the ice. Enter Manuel, who too has been contaminated
by the unhealthly quest for gold.
TITLE CARD
The Gold epidemic struck indiscriminately…
Manuel crosses the frame. The camera awaits Anna's entrance.
Enter Anna, chasing after her husband.
She stumbles and collapses on the ice. The camera pans to Jean
Salvatore, who is searching for Yuras.
ANNA
Manuel! Manuel! Do not give in to this madness
as the others have!
JEAN SALVATORE
Yu-ras! Yuras!
Salvatore sees Anna, almost dead from the cold, on the ice floe. He
tries to revive her, then undresses her in order to rub her body down
to keep it warm. Manuel comes back and, wild with jealousy, he
flings himself onto Salvatore, who knocks him senseless. Anna
resumes consciousness .
ANNA
Why did you save us from the Fury of the
oceans, if it was to abandon us to the Cupidity
of men? I thought it was the care of peoples that
motivated you.
JEAN SALVATORE
The care of my people. The poorest and the
most fragile in the world. The Alacaluf people,
nomads of the sea, so vulnerable, so strong, so
courageous. I have chosen them.
ANNA
One does not choose one’s people. You cannot
save one without looking after the others. There
is only one human people…
Jean Salvatore lifts up Manuel and orders him to take his wife back
to the beached ship.
JEAN SALVATORE
I did what I could. What I must do now is save
my Indians. They will be the first to fall under
the power of the greedy.
Return to the boat, find those who have not lost
their heads… I will send you help as soon as
possible.
Manueal carries back to the boat.
Yuras! Yu-ras!
Yuras appears, overjoyed. He is holding the purse
containing the gold.
Who gave you all of this?
77
© Theatre du Soleil – 2010 all rights reserved
YURAS
King Midas’ corpse gave me a gift.
JEAN SALVATORE
The white man gives no gifts. We will talk about
this again when we are far from Hoste.
YURAS
Why? I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to
leave!
The sail of Yuras’ long-boat is hoisted. Gabrielle keeps on turning
the camera's crank. The whole crew, film-makers and staff of the
Fol Espoir alike, find themselves sailing on board the long-boat,
which, navigated by Yuras and Jean Salvatore, sails on, in search of
a salutary rock where the light-house will be built.
JEAN SALVATORE
Yuras, do you see this sparkling dust? It is gold.
That is what is driving us away. Hoste is lost.
Wherever gold raises its head, darkness falls on
the souls of men. Gold is stronger than love.
Gold supplants wisdom, faith, virtue, reason.
Gold is the terrible Ayayema who kills all that
adore him.
Are you trembling, Yuras? But we will not
witness this tragedy. We are leaving
immediately. Abandon all of this. Let’s return to
the skiff. In these days of darkness, we have a
mission… to bring the obstinate glimmer of a
lighthouse to vessels drifting in the night.
78