Pirandello's Henry IV by Luigi Pirandello & Tom Stoppard

Author:Luigi Pirandello & Tom Stoppard
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
Published: 2004-09-05T16:00:00+00:00

ACT THREE

The throne room is dark. The canvasses of the two paintings have been removed, and in their place, inside the frames, are Frida, dressed as “Countess of Tuscany,” as we’ve seen her in Act Two and Carlo Di Nolli, dressed as “Henry IV,” frozen in the same postures as the paintings. Henry IV enters, holding the lamp.

FRIDA Henry!

Henry stops at the sound of the voice and turns, frightened.

HENRY Who’s that?

FRIDA (slightly louder) Henry!

Henry shrieks and drops the oil lamp, puts his arms around his head, and makes as if to run away. Frida jumps from the frame yelling like a madwoman.

FRIDA (cont.) Henry! Henry! I’m scared!

Di Nolli jumps down, rushing to Frida, who keeps on screaming, almost fainting.

DI NOLLI It’s all right, Frida, it’s me, I’m here . . .

From the door everybody rushes in: the Doctor, Matilda (dressed as “Countess of Tuscany”), Belcredi, Landolf, Harold, Ordulf, Bertold, and Giovanni. One of them switches on the lights in the room. Henry IV stands there watching, confused. The others, ignoring him, rush to help and comfort Frida, who is sobbing in the arms of her fiancé. They are all talking in great confusion.

BELCREDI Finita la comedia!

DOCTOR All over!

MATILDA He’s made fools of us, Frida! Do you see?—he was cured all along!

DI NOLLI Cured?

BELCREDI It was all an act. Everything’s all right.

FRIDA I’m so scared!

MATILDA There’s nothing to be scared of now—look at him!

DI NOLLI What do you mean, cured?

DOCTOR So it seems, the two-faced . . .

BELCREDI That’s right—(pointing to the four Counsellors) they told us all about it.

MATILDA He’s been cured for ages—he confessed.

DI NOLLI But he’s only just—this moment—

BELCREDI It was all put-on, he was laughing at you up his sleeve—us, too, for all our pains.

DI NOLLI I can’t believe it!—making a fool of his own sister right up to her death?

Henry has remained, all hunched up, peeping out at them. He stands up and shouts at Di Nolli.

HENRY Go on! Yes? Keep going! Tell me more! Go on!

DI NOLLI (startled) Go on what?

HENRY She wasn’t just “your sister” was she?

DI NOLLI My sister? I said your sister—you made her come here to the bitter end dressed up as your mother, Agnes!

HENRY Don’t you mean your mother?

DI NOLLI Of course I mean my mother!

HENRY But your mother’s been dead for centuries—you’ve just arrived fresh from there . . . jumping out newborn from your frame . . . How do you know I haven’t been mourning her for years, in my heart, even dressed as I am?

MATILDA What’s he talking about?

DOCTOR Calm down, everyone, please . . .

HENRY What am I talking about? I’m asking you, wasn’t Agnes the mother of Henry IV? (turning to Frida) You should know, Countess, if anyone does.

FRIDA Me? I don’t know anything!

DOCTOR He’s having a relapse—stand back everyone.

BELCREDI Relapse, my eye! He’s playing games again.

HENRY Me? Who was in the picture frames? Himself? Look at him, standing there—Henry IV.

BELCREDI We’ve had enough of this joke.

HENRY Who said it was a joke?

DOCTOR Don’t provoke him, for God’s sake.

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