Tom Stoppard Plays 3 by Tom Stoppard

Author:Tom Stoppard [Tom Stoppard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780571301195
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2013-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

4. INT. ANDERSON’S ROOM. MORNING

Close-up of the colloquium brochure. It is lying on Anderson’s table, Then ANDERSON picks it up. His dress and appearance, and the light outside the window, tell us that it is morning. Dressed to go out, ANDERSON picks up his briefcase and leaves the room.

In the corridor he walks towards the lifts.

At the lifts he finds CRISP waiting. ANDERSON stands next to CRISP silently for a few moments.

ANDERSON: Good morning. (Pause.) Mr Crisp … my name is Anderson. I’m a very great admirer of yours.

CRISP: (Chewing gum) Oh … ta.

ANDERSON: Good luck this afternoon.

CRISP: Thanks. Bloody useless, the lifts in this place.

ANDERSON: Are you all staying in this hotel?

(CRISP doesn’t seem to hear this. CRISP sees BROADBENT emerging from a room. BROADBENT carries a zipped bag. CRISP has a similar bag.)

CRISP: (Shouts) Here you are, Roy – it’s waiting for you.

(BROADBENT arrives.)

ANDERSON: Good morning. Good luck this afternoon.

BROADBENT: Right. Thanks. Are you over for the match?

ANDERSON: Yes. Well, partly. I’ve got my ticket.

(ANDERSON takes out of his pocket the envelope he received from the hotel CLERK and shows it.)

CRISP: (Quietly) You didn’t pull her, then?

BROADBENT: No chance.

CRISP: They don’t trust you, do they?

BROADBENT: Well, they’re right, aren’t they? Remember Milan.

CRISP: (Laughing) Yeah –

(The bell sounds to indicate that the lift is arriving.)

About bloody time.

ANDERSON: I see from yesterday’s paper that they’ve brought in Jirasek for Vladislav.

BROADBENT: Yes, that’s right. Six foot eight, they say.

ANDERSON: He’s not very good in the air unless he’s got lots of space.

(BROADBENT looks at him curiously. The lift doors open and the three of them get in. There is no one else in the lift except the female OPERATOR.

Interior lift.)

BROADBENT: You’ve seen him, have you?

ANDERSON: I’ve seen him twice. In the UEFA Cup a few seasons ago…. I happened to be in Berlin for the Hegel Colloquium, er, bunfight. And then last season I was in Bratislava to receive an honorary degree.

CRISP: Tap his ankles for him. Teach him to be six foot eight.

BROADBENT: Leave off – (He nods at the LIFT OPERATOR.) You never know, do you?

CRISP: Yeah, maybe the lift’s bugged.

ANDERSON: He scored both times from the same move, and came close twice more –

BROADBENT: Oh yes?

(Pause.)

ANDERSON: (In a rush) I realize it’s none of my business – I mean you may think I’m an absolute ass, but – (Pause.) Look, if Halas takes a corner he’s going to make it short – almost certainly – push it back to Deml or Kautsky, who pulls the defence out. Jirasek hangs about for the chip to the far post. They’ll do the same thing from a set piece. Three or four times in the same match. Really. Short corners and free kicks.

(The lift stops at the third floor. BROADBENT and CRISP are staring at ANDERSON.)

(Lamely) Anyway, that’s why they’ve brought Jirasek back, in my opinion.

(The lift doors open and MCKENDRICK gets in. McKendrick’s manner is breezy and bright.)

MCKENDRICK: Good morning! You’ve got together then?

ANDERSON: A colleague. Mr McKendrick …

MCKENDRICK: You’re Crisp.

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