Bus Stop by William Inge

Author:William Inge
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2018-02-21T16:00:00+00:00

Together

VIRGIL: “No more just now. I’m ready to see the rest of ya do somethin’.”

BO, to VIRGIL: “A lot she cares how tender I am!”

ELMA, coming forth again as Master of Ceremonies: “That was swell, Virgil.” Turns back to DR. LYMAN. “Are you ready?”

DR. LYMAN, preening himself: “I consider myself so.”

ELMA, taking the book to VIRGIL: “Will you be our prompter?”

VIRGIL: “It’s kinda funny writin’, but I’II try.”

ELMA, back to DR. LYMAN: “Gee, what’ll we use for a balcony?”

DR. LYMAN: “That offers a problem.” Together they consider whether to use the counter for ELMA to stand on or one of the tables.

BO, to VIRGIL: “What is it these folks are gonna do, Virge?”

VIRGIL: “Romeo and Juliet . . . by Shakespeare!”

BO: “Shakespeare!”

VIRGIL: “This Romeo was a great lover, Bo. Watch him and pick up a few pointers.” CHERIE comes running out from behind the counter now, a dressing gown over her costume, and she sits at one of the tables.

CHERIE: “I’m ready.”

BO, reading some of the lines from VIRGIL’S book: “ ‘But soft . . . what light through . . . yonder window breaks? It is the East . . . and Juliet is the sun . . . Arise, fair . . .’ ” He has got this far only with difficulty, stumbling over most of the words, VIRGIL takes the book away from him now.

VIRGIL: “Shh, Bo!” ELMA comes forth to introduce the act.

ELMA: “Ladies and Gentlemen! you are about to witness a playing of the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet. Dr. Gerald Lyman will portray the part of Romeo, and I’ll play Juliet. My name is Elma Duckworth. The scene is the orchard of the Capulets’ house in Verona, Italy. This counter is supposed to be a balcony.” DR. LYMAN helps her onto the table where she stands, waiting for him to begin. “O.K.?” DR. LYMAN takes a quick reassuring drink from his bottle, then tucks it in his pocket, and comes forward in the great Romantic tradition. He is enjoying himself tremendously. The performance proves to be pure ham, but there is pathos in the fact that he does not seem to be aware of how bad he is. He is a thoroughly selfish performer, too, who reads all his speeches as though they were grand soliloquies, regarding his Juliet as a prop.

DR. LYMAN: “ ‘He jests at scars, that never felt a wound. But soft! what light through yonder window breaks?

It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!’ ”

He tries to continue, but ELMA, unmindful of cues and eager to begin her performance, reads her fines with compulsion.

“ ‘Arise . . . fair sun, and . . . kill the envious. . . .’ ”

ELMA, at same time as DR. LYMAN: “ ‘O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou, Romeo?

Deny thy father, and refuse thy name:

Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,

And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.’ ”

DR. LYMAN: “ ‘She speaks, yet she says nothing: what of that?

Her eye discourses; I will answer it.

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