SCENE 5: DECISIONS

A forest in denmark.

The architect is taking a walk. His daughter, a young girl (10), rides her bike onto the stage ringing the bell.

DAUGHTER

Papa, Papa

Papa, Papa.

ARCHITECT

Be careful

The forest is not the place for

Bicycles.

DAUGHTER

I had to find you,

To tell you...

You've won!

ARCHITECT

What have I won?

DAUGHTER

The opera house.

You won the competition.

She throws the bicycle away

You have no excuse now

For not giving me

A white horse.

ARCHITECT

I don’t believe it...

My God!

How will I...

Where to start?

DAUGHTER

When can I have it?

ARCHITECT

Have what?

DAUGHTER

The horse!

ARCHITECT

You can have two horses

One white

One black

Two horses

She hugs him and he whirls her around.

Would you like to live on the other side of the world?

DAUGHTER

Do they have horses?

ARCHITECT

Horses,

And kangaroos,

And parrots:

White parrots

With yellow combs,

And blue skies.

Blue skies,

Blue water

And golden sand.

It’s always summer there;

A new world.

An exciting new world.

Is your mother home?

DAUGHTER

Not yet.

ARCHITECT

Let’s not tell her.

We'll start packing

And when she asks

We'll tell her

We're going sailing...

To the other side of the world.

They don't exit. The stage brightens to a blinding blue and Alex enters running followed by a breathless Stephen. They are dressed for the beach.

STEPHEN

Alex!

Where are you going?

ALEXANDRA

To see the view from the other side.

STEPHEN

It's just the same

ALEXANDRA

How do you know if you've never seen it?

He catches her and kisses her. They pull apart, hands still locked together.

STEPHEN

You're the only sight worth seeing round here.

She laughs

Come here

He pulls her to him again.

Here in the sunlight

Your hair, your eyes, your face:

They’re like a perfect summer.

Your hair shines like the sun on sand,

Your eyes glitter like the sun on water,

Your face glows like the sun on fire

And my heart burns for the touch of your lips;

My heart yearns to dive into the sea of your eyes

I love the sun

And the sea.

And summer.

And you,

Here in the sunlight.

You.

They kiss again.

Don't leave me Alex,

ALEXANDRA

I won't darling

I won't

STEPHEN

Alex, you know I love you.

Stay with me .

ALEXANDRA

I won't leave you Stephen.

How could I leave you?

I love you.

Magda enters followed by the maestro of the conservatorium

MAGDA

She's a fool!

She'll fade here in the sun.

There's no shade here

Only light;

Too much light.

No protection.

And she will burn out

Like the others:

All the wives of all the men

Living in suburbs.

Baked brains!

MAESTRO

You don't understand, my dear.

We know how to live in this country.

MAGDA

Country?

It's a colony!

An outpost for people like me

To escape to.

MAESTRO

Don't be so hard on yourself.

It's a practical land;

No place for dreamers.

No complications,

Down to earth, this land.

This practical land

They'll be all right, you'll see.

MAGDA

All right? All right?

The world is not “all right”

And one day this place

Will be part of the world.

One day...

MAESTRO

When that day comes we'll be ready

Thanks to people like you.

MAGDA

Ha.

MAESTRO

You'll stay?

MAGDA

I'll stay.

What will she learn here without me?

How to be good enough?

When she could be the best...

The best in the world.

MAESTRO

We'll see, we'll see...

ARCHITECT

Blue water,

Golden sand,

It’s always summer there.

A new world.

An exciting new world.

DAUGHTER

On the other side of the world

There are parrots with yellow combs.

On the other side of the world

There are blue skies

And blue water.

MAGDA

There's no shade here,

Too much light.

No protection,

Everything burnt out.

All the wives of all the men

Living in suburbs with

Baked brains!

MAESTRO

We know how to live in this country:

It’s a practical land,

No place for dreamers.

Down to earth, this land.

ALEXANDRA

I want to see the view

From the other side.

I want to see it.

I want to see everything.

I want it all, I want it all!

STEPHEN

Here in the sunlight,

You're like a perfect summer.

Your hair shines like the sun,

Your eyes glitter like the sun on water.

I love the sun,

I love the sea.

I love the sun, and the sea,

And summer,

And you‘re all this to me.

STEPHEN, MAESTRO

Here in the sunlight...

ARCHITECT, DAUGHTER

On the other side of the world...

ALEXANDRA, MAGDA

Here in the sunlight...

ALL

In the sunlight.

Scene 6