[I-13]

[Chekhov]

IRINA: What's the matter with him?

SORIN: You hurt his feelings.

IRINA: But he told us the play was for our amusement. I was just being amused.

SORIN: You hurt his pride.

IRINA: So I'm supposed to be impressed that he wrote a masterpiece? He fumigates us with sulfur and preaches at us. This isn't for our amusement but to teach us a lesson. He thinks he knows the best way to write a play and act on stage. Well, I'm sick of it. He's always trying to show me up. He's selfish and conceited.

SORIN: He just wants to please you.

IRINA: Is that so? Then why doesn't he write a real play? I don't mind listening to rubbish now and again if I'm entertained, but this high pretension to a new kind of theater, ushering in new forms, a whole new era of theater, is ridiculous. He's acting like a conceited brat.

TRIGORIN: Every writer has his own method.

IRINA: Let him write what he likes, as long as I don't have to listen to it!

DORN: The Goddess of Theater is angry.

IRINA: I'm not angry. (She lights a cigarette.) I hate to see him wasting his time like this. I didn't mean to hurt his feelings.

MED.: There's no grounds for his premise of separating Matter and Spirit. But you know, somebody should write a play depicting the life of a teacher. We have such a hard time.

IRINA: It's too beautiful an evening to argue. Listen - do you hear someone singing?

POLINA: It's coming from the other side of the lake.

IRINA: Boris, sit next to me. (Trigorin does.) A decade ago, we had music and singing on the lake every night. So much laughter and noise and love. The doctor here (nodding toward Dorn) broke many a young girl's heart. He was irresistible. (A pause.) I feel so guilty. Why did I upset him? (She calls:)

Konstantin! Kostya! Come join us!

MASHA: I'll get him.

IRINA: Thank you.

MASHA: Konstantin!

(She leaves to look for Treplev.)

[follow Masha]

[continue]