Reunion Dark Pony by David Mamet

Author:David Mamet
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grove Press

DARK PONY

This play is dedicated to Lindsay Crouse

Dark Pony opened on October 14,1977, in a Yale Repertory production, New Haven, Connecticut, with the following cast:

THE FATHER Michael Higgins

THE DAUGHTER Lindsay Crouse

This production was directed by Walt Jones; set by Kate Edmunds; lighting by William Connor.

The Characters

THE FATHER

THE DAUGHTER

The Scene

An automobile.

The Time

Night.

FATHER: Once upon a time there was an Indian.

(Pause.)

In the days when wild things roamed the land, and long before the White Man came here.

DAUGHTER: When was this?

FATHER: A long, long time ago.

(Pause.)

DAUGHTER (to self): Long ago.

FATHER: He was a Brave, and very handsome.

DAUGHTER: What's a Brave?

FATHER: A man who fights in war.

A young man.

And his body was like Iron.

and he could see like an Eagle.

And he could run like a Deer.

You ever see a deer run?

DAUGHTER: Sure.

FATHER: And swim like a fish.

DAUGHTER: And he ran like a deer?

FATHER: Yes.

DAUGHTER: Hopping?

FATHER: No. Not hopping. But as fast as deer run when they run.

DAUGHTER: And could he hop a fence?

FATHER: He could jump over it. Yes.

DAUGHTER (to self): Good.

FATHER: His name was . . .

FATHER and DAUGHTER (simultaneously): Rain Boy.

FATHER: And he was beloved by all his tribe, because he was both brave and gay.

And he brought happiness to all around him just by smiling.

If the times were bad.

Or singing songs he used to sing.

Or telling stories.

Then he would act out the parts.

He was a renowned fighter.

DAUGHTER: Who did they fight?

FATHER: Other tribes.

DAUGHTER: The Germans?

FATHER: No.

And Rain Boy had a special friend.

DAUGHTER: I know.

FATHER: Who?

DAUGHTER: Dark Pony!

FATHER: Yes, Dark Pony.

When he was in trouble or whenever he found that he needed help, then he would call his friend Dark Pony.

He would say:

“Dark Pony . . .”

FATHER and DAUGHTER (simultaneously): “Dark Pony, your friend Rain Boy calls to you.”

FATHER: Then he'd look up, if they were down in a valley, or around, if they were in a culvert, or a stream; or if they were high on a meadow.

He would see a speck. A dark red speck . . .

DAUGHTER (to self): Like blood.

FATHER: Red. Like a rose—like sunset in the wheat or grass.

Galloping towards him.

(Pause.)

Dark Pony.

Come to help him.

DAUGHTER (to self): “Your friend Rain Boy calls to you.”

FATHER: If he was wounded, pick him up and carry him away upon his back.

If he was thirsty, bring him cool stream water in a hide.

If he was hungry, bring him food.

DAUGHTER (to self): Something to eat.

FATHER: One day he was bound home after many moons of fighting in a foreign province.

He had not seen his wife or baby in a long, long while.

DAUGHTER (to self): He missed them.

FATHER: And he longed to see her.

Up they went.

Up through the mountains.

Climbing home.

Until the snows came.

Falling early on the homebound Braves—It trapped them.

DAUGHTER (to self): In the snow.

FATHER: Up in the mountains.

Cold.

Alone.

Until his enemies all stole away one night; They took his food, and told his friends that he had died, and crept on through the mountain ‘til he was alone.

(Pause.)

In the mountain woods.

(Pause.)

Starved and weak.

As he trudged on alone to see his young wife and his child.

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