[DR-I-3]

[Deemer]

ILYA: Not even my own wife understands what I have to do around here.

IRINA: Poor Ilya. We all know my brother couldn't manage without you.

ILYA: Maybe your brother doesn't even understand. Or he would show his appreciation more often.

IRINA: I'll tell him to keep you happy before you find a better job.

ILYA: Don't get me wrong, this is a wonderful job. I can't think of a better job. I just want to be appreciated now and again. Especially by people who think I sit around and do nothing all day.

IRINA: Now I'm sure no one thinks that.

TRIGORIN: It's we artists who sit around and do nothing all day!

ILYA: You have your kind of work, I have mine.

IRINA: And the world needs both.

TRIGORIN: Yours first, Ilya. If we don't get fed, if we don't have a horse and carriage to get to the railway station, we starve and we go nowhere.

ILYA: Well, I'm glad you seem to understand. A great writer, of course, must know about all kinds of people.

TRIGORIN: It certainly helps.

ILYA: And artists are special people, whatever their field. I have a great admiration for artists.

TRIGORIN: So Irina has told me.

IRINA: See how famous you are? And how appreciated?

ILYA: By you, perhaps. To my wife, I am nothing.

IRINA: How can you believe that?

ILYA: You don't know what it's like around here, day to day. You come and visit and everyone is on their best behavior to impress the famous actress and the famous writer, but once you're gone, that's when her true colors come out. I get no help from anyone. Not even your brother knows what goes on around here. Without me, he'd be bankrupt.

IRINA: And I'm sure he's aware of that and appreciates how much you do.

ILYA: To hear him complain, it's quite the opposite.

IRINA: My brother is old and set in his ways, is all.

TRIGORIN: Age and flexibility are sparring partners.

ILYA: I wish you could appear here like ghosts, invisible voyeurs who follow everyone around. You'd see what I mean.

TRIGORIN: A house filled with invisible voyeurs! I like that.

(He makes a note of it, writing in a small notebook.)

ILYA: It must be something to be so creative, always finding stories

everywhere.

TRIGORIN: It's not as romantic as it may seem.

ILYA: Seems to me it would be an extraordinary life. So much freedom!

TRIGORIN: Freedom? This little notebook is like a prison.

ILYA: How can that be? It's full of poetry!

TRIGORIN: It's full of demands on my time. Every note is a possible story, yes, and every story is a demand on my time - several weeks to develop this idea, a couple months this other one. When I jot my little notes to myself, I am borrowing against my future.

ILYA: How extraordinary. I never thought of it that way before.

TRIGORIN: My chores are more limiting than yours. At least you get to be outside, breathing fresh air and seeing this wonderful landscape! I am cooped up in my room, writing away, endlessly. What kind of freedom is that?

(A silence, broken by:)

ILYA: Seeing you always gives me many things to think about. That's another reason I like artists.

IRINA: We are all artists, in our way.

ILYA: No, I could never see a story everywhere, the way Boris does, or act on stage with your talent.

IRINA: I had proper training, that's all.

TRIGORIN: Discipline is everything.

ILYA: On this we agree. I wish I saw a little more discipline around here, believe me.

IRINA: (to change the subject) I suppose it's time for the play to start. We don't want to be late or we'll never hear the end of it.

ILYA: Anyone for a little fortification? I have a special bottle in the kitchen.

TRIGORIN: Thank you, I will. My dear?

IRINA: No thank you. I'll save you a seat.

(They all leave the dining room.)

[follow Irina]

[follow Trigorin and Ilya]