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Jon Fosse Too Late Libretto Translated by May-Brit Akerholt

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CHARACTERS Older Woman, around sixty-seventy years of age Middle-Aged Woman, around forty years of age Man, around fifty years of age Shadow Younger Woman, around thirty years of age

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A bed at the front, well lit, and at the back, a painting on a wall, painting equipment on a table next to it OLDER WOMAN stands by the bed And the day has begun quite short pause a day like all days All days begin like this Short pause Always this pain Always this longing Always this waiting Short pause And it’s all just phrases said before and then I should do something I must always do something She makes the bed And such a lot it turned out to be And so breaks off. Short pause That’s life the way it is you must want to you must strive short pause how empty all the words are quite short pause want to quite short pause strive A Middle-Aged Woman and a Man enter, hand in hand, behind the Man walks another man, his Shadow. The Older Woman looks at them And it was such a good time Yes it was good The Man embraces the Middle-Aged Woman And how kind he was quite short pause sort of childish The Older Woman smiles So simple yes really simple and a little stupid yes perhaps The Man lets go of the Middle-Aged Woman MAN Do I get a kiss MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN No you don’t get a kiss

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MAN as if disappointed I don’t get a kiss MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN No you don’t get a kiss Never again MAN Don’t I MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN No you don’t MAN Don’t you love me anymore Pause. The Middle-Aged Woman walks towards the Man, they kiss each other, a long kiss OLDER WOMAN They were my best years She looks at the bed, stands motionless My best years Quite short pause And why did I breaks off Why did I do it Why Because I breaks off because I because Louder voice Because Because Because Quite short pause Because I had to The Man and the Middle-Aged Woman let go of each other, and walk forwards hand in hand MAN I love you so much MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN And I love you MAN And those beautiful children we have quite short pause MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Two are already grown-up

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Quite short pause But then the little one came Short pause It’s quite incredible I can't believe it SHADOW Everything just happens everything becomes what it becomes Short pause MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN And I’m so old MAN No no you’re not old But that it can happen That we can happen They kiss each other MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN That we could happen MAN That we happened MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN But we happened SHADOW Why do I say things like that Quite short pause Everything happens everything just happens Short pause And I’m so tired MAN And then the children happened MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN And now you’re earning good money yes you have for a long time of course SHADOW Everything had just happened short pause and I’m so tired just tired MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN continues yes we have everything we need

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We have plenty of room We have each other We have our children Pause. As if a little doubtful No how could it have happened MAN But it has happened MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN It has happened But I don’t like it when you leave me I always want to be with you MAN But quite short pause yes you know yes my work claims me the day claims me MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN a little sullenly Yes SHADOW Always the same Every day the same But soon I shall sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Yes well MAN So breaks off MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Yes MAN I must do what I must I just have to yes earn money so we can live quite short pause yes here too yes in these rooms MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I suppose you must Short pause But that

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SHADOW I am so tired so tired I just want to sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN continues yes that you go out and are important out there out there in the big world quite short pause and I I have to stay in here here here in these rooms MAN I suppose that’s how it is breaks off MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN You go out quite short pause and there are other women out there they are young younger than me MAN I only care about you SHADOW Always the same again and again But soon I shall sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I hear you say that MAN Always only you MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN But those young beautiful women they are there MAN Yes MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN You think they are beautiful MAN No not like that short pause

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why can’t you breaks off MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN And I have to stay in here always here always here with the children quite short pause they’re noisy they’re screaming they’re messy they breaks off, short pause nappies yes it’s a few years ago now but now it is exactly the same all over again Always nappies Year after year and always nappies And you quite short pause you go out out in the world out in the world and there you are important important to the other women to the young women they look at you quite short pause do you wonder what they think quite short pause and how can I know what you think what you do for I am here you are there I am here in these rooms and you are there out there in the big world and I am here always here always here always you are there I am here you are there there with the young beautiful women and I am here in these rooms I am here with the children

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SHADOW Always the same The same and the same MAN There are almost only men there yes out there in the big world as you say MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN And then the young women MAN Yes quite short pause yes before breaks off MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Before they get locked inside with children with children in rooms like this SHADOW Always the same But soon I shall sleep MAN Don’t MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Isn’t that how it is Why can’t I go out and be important in the big world MAN It’s breaks off MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN It’s because that's how it is Quite short pause You’re always saying that Why can’t you say something else MAN I must go I must go to work I mustn’t be late MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Yes well yes you go

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SHADOW I must go but tonight I can sleep And sleep is so good Soon I shall sleep Just sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN continues Just go Go Go MAN Why can’t we part leave each other as friends Pause MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Yes alright then She gives him a hug, and the Man exits. Pause. The Middle-Aged Woman stands there looking down. The sound of a crying child. The Older Woman walks towards the Middle-Aged Woman, stops. The Older Woman and the Middle-Aged Woman look at each other, they look down, they look at each other again. The Middle-Aged Woman exits OLDER WOMAN Was I right Was I wrong Was life better She laughs to herself As if life was better Quite short pause As if life was better Quite short pause. The sound of a child crying stops I did what I did I did what I had to do I did what I thought I had to do that was all I could do that was all I could think I didn’t think I could do anything else that’s what I thought that’s what I did The Middle-Aged Woman enters MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN First it was my father and then it was him my husband the man I’m married to

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My mother who walked around in those rooms and my father who walked around out there in the big world in the proud world quite short pause those fine things quite short pause those expensive things my mother between all those expensive and fine things just things just my mother and me between those fine things in those expensive rooms And my father who was out there And my mother and me My mother who walked around there I who walked around there And my father who paid for it all and we just walked around there quite short pause And now Now its’ me me who just walks around here walks around here with the children and he who walks around out there out there with all his money with all those young girls What happened to me Short pause I used to draw I used to paint I was so good at drawing I went to art school I wanted so much I saw something Quite short pause I wanted something I breaks off, short pause and then he was there he stood there quite short pause and then everything was changed everything was something else I was no longer myself I was someone else I was him as he always says

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I am you and as I always answer I am you OLDER WOMAN I am you Short pause I am me Now I am only me Silly talk I am only me I wanted so much and then it turned out breaks off. The Middle-Aged Woman exits I am too old I was too old I couldn’t paint I couldn’t do it couldn’t paint how I wanted to It was too late I couldn’t do it It wasn’t how I thought it would be It wasn’t what I wanted quite short pause but I tried you could say that yes that I tried quite short pause I wanted to I tried quite short pause but what does it matter that you want to that you try quite short pause that’s not how it is The Man enters, and the Older Woman looks at him And he was beautiful And he was not a bad man But bright quite short pause no that he wasn’t Perhaps he was even a little stupid smiles a little to herself. The Man walks around MAN But where are you Aren’t you here Pause Don’t go and hide now We’re not kids anymore

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We don’t play hide and seek anymore where are you The Middle-Aged Woman enters There you are So good to see you again So good to be back home SHADOW I am so tired so tired And I shall soon sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN And your work went well MAN Yes yes everything was good quite short pause but tiring it is tiring yes as always MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Yes SHADOW I am so tired But I can soon sleep MAN And you MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN It’s all been as usual I’ve got nothing to tell quite short pause as usual MAN No no me neither Short pause Can I give you a hug She doesn’t answer You don’t want a hug Short pause Not a hug Not MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN No MAN

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You don’t want to MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN No The Man goes and sits down on the bed, and the Older Woman goes and stands next to him and strokes his hair. He looks down You are out there between the beautiful young women SHADOW I am so tired so tired But I can soon sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN continues and I walk around in here in these rooms in these expensive rooms with the rowdy boisterous children quite short pause the same quite short pause day in and day out day in and day out SHADOW I am so tired so tired But sleep is so good And I shall soon sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN continues yes I know I keep saying it I repeat myself and repeat myself quite short pause these rooms these children these expensive rooms these rowdy boisterous children quite short pause and you who go you who come MAN What can I do What can I do to make it better MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN What you can do Pause. The Man stands up MAN What can I do

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to make it better for you quite short pause we have everything we need and more is there something you want shall I buy you something MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Maybe SHADOW I am so tired so tired MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN continues Yes maybe MAN What do you want MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN reluctantly I don’t know I don’t quite know I have to think about it MAN Just say it MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I want freedom MAN What do you mean SHADOW The good sleep’s freedom short pause the good sleep MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN continues yes freedom yes I want to be in the world out there I don’t want to be locked inside in these rooms Quite short pause I want to make those paintings I want to make breaks off, quite short pause MAN But can’t you make them here

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MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Who’ll look after the children then MAN Someone else can do that we can breaks off. Pause You don’t enjoy being with the children Pause You don’t want to be with the children with our children with our beautiful children Pause. The Man walks towards the Middle-Aged Woman Now Now I want a hug SHADOW Why do I say that I don’t mean it I am so tired so tired MAN continues And quite short pause tomorrow tomorrow when I get home I’ll bring something beautiful something beautiful and expensive for you Something you’ll like SHADOW Why do I say that MAN continues Something I know you’ll like MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN How can you know that MAN I know you MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN You knew me But I’m not the one you used to know MAN puzzled I don’t know you anymore

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MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN You knew me MAN You’re no longer the same MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I’ve begun to understand MAN You’re still young young and beautiful even if breaks off MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Even if I’m close to forty MAN You look much younger Short pause And it’s not that long ago since our youngest child was born MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN But the others they manage themselves they go to school they don’t need me anymore MAN Of course they need you Pause But now I want a hug SHADOW Why do I say that I don’t mean it The Man and the Middle-Aged Woman look at each other, he walks to her, embraces her, she doesn’t put her arms around him. Why do I do that The Man lets go of her, and he leaves OLDER WOMAN walks to the Middle-Aged Woman Why was I like that Why am I like that MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Why am I like that Why do I say things like that He only wants what’s best for me OLDER WOMAN He only wanted what was best for me

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MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I don’t understand myself OLDER WOMAN I have never understood myself MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN He only wanted a hug OLDER WOMAN I don’t understand me I didn’t understand me then and I don’t understand me now I breaks off MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN For he is beautiful For he is kind and he always says that he is away so much away just to earn what we need for me and the children to live well quite short pause he is away out there with those beautiful young women and I quite short pause I am no longer young And what has become of me I have walked around here I walk around here I can’t take it and the children quite short pause yes apart from the little one The sound of a crying child, and the Middle-Aged Woman exits. Pause. The crying stops. The Man enters MAN She’s not here But where is she Where can she be And why is she like that quite short pause before quite short pause yes when I came home from work always yes always

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we gave each other a hug and we kissed each other and then quite short pause where is she she is so beautiful so good I love her so much SHADOW But it isn’t true It isn’t like that quite short pause It is just breaks off. Pause. The Man walks around, and the Older Woman walks over to him, strokes his cheek, his back, embraces him, stands and holds him. The Middle-Aged Woman enters. The Man walks towards her, and the Older Woman goes and sits down on the bed MAN Now I want a hug MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN You want a hug MAN Yes MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN So you want a hug The Man goes and embraces the Middle-Aged Woman and holds her, she keeps her arms hanging down. They stand like that for a long time SHADOW Why do I do such things The Man lets go of her and leaves. The Older Woman stands up, smooths the bedclothes, walks into the room OLDER WOMAN And now quite short pause now I’m alone and the children quite short pause they yes they quite short pause I don’t understand why they visit me so rarely why they ring me so rarely it’s as if there was something wrong with me as if something was wrong Quite short pause And I am alone

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Always alone The Middle-Aged Woman exits But I like to be alone Of course I do I prefer to be alone Short pause But that’s just something I say Something I must say I must say that I prefer to be alone I must say that I was right I must say that I did the only right thing What I had to do The only thing I could do The only thing short pause yes the only Pause. The Man enters, hand in hand with a Younger Woman MAN happy Yes this is how it is YOUNG WOMAN happy My how lovely it is such nice big rooms MAN Yes Yes they’re alright YOUNG WOMAN It’s not it’s not that the rooms are important it’s what fills the rooms it’s love which is the most important SHADOW I shall never leave you MAN Yes yes YOUNG WOMAN And love is what we have MAN We have love

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YOUNG WOMAN And love shall we have MAN Love we shall always have love YOUNG WOMAN We shall never part MAN Never shall we part YOUNG WOMAN I shall never leave you Not like she did The other one short pause Imagine leaving your husband your children But I shall never leave you quite short pause or the children quite short pause yes if we quite short pause have children MAN And I shall never leave you YOUNG WOMAN I shall never leave you like the other one did I can’t bear to think about her the other one SHADOW I shall never quite short pause leave you YOUNG WOMAN continues she who is the mother of your children short pause, questioningly is it really true that suddenly she just stood there with two suitcases and said she wanted to leave The Man nods SHADOW Don’t say her name Short pause

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YOUNG WOMAN continues And then she left The Man nods. I don’t want to say her name I don’t want to remember her name I don’t want to mention her I don’t want to think about her MAN Don’t think about her don’t say her name YOUNG WOMAN But the children quite short pause yes they remind me breaks off MAN The children are themselves That’s life at its greatest that is the greatness of life that people are born completely as themselves quite short pause from the time they enter this world they are themselves they have their own soul look like themselves are themselves YOUNG WOMAN Yes MAN I can’t understand it SHADOW It is the wonder of life It is the light of life It is breaks off. Short pause YOUNG WOMAN No quite short pause no no it is breaks off. The Man embraces her, and she embraces him, they kiss each other, they stand like that for a long time, they let each other go, they move away a little. I’m so grateful for you

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I was so alone all alone and alone you are like no one I was no one I was no one until we met MAN And I was no one Pause YOUNG WOMAN I feel whole I feel no not like myself yes like myself like myself in you MAN It is you who is I SHADOW Always the same quite short pause but the same is never the same nothing is the same everything changes quite short pause and a word never means the same YOUNG WOMAN And I am you Short pause You said that to the other one too her yes breaks off SHADOW Don’t think about it YOUNG WOMAN questioningly You did MAN Don’t think about it YOUNG WOMAN I can’t help it

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SHADOW Don’t think about it MAN Now it’s you only you who are my world YOUNG WOMAN Yes They embrace each other, and exit, hand in hand. Long pause. The Middle-Aged Woman enters with two suitcases, she puts them down, walks around, looking. The Man enters MAN What is it Why have you packed MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I’m going MAN You’re going MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Yes MAN Where are you going MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Home to my parents MAN To your parents MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Yes Short pause MAN But you’ve never liked your parents you’re always saying that your father yes that he yes treated as you say both you and your mother as if you were dolls as if yes as if you weren’t human beings MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN

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I’m going MAN How long will you be gone And who’ll look after the little one MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN You’ll have to find someone who can look after him one of those young women out there in the world one of those beautiful young women one of those you look at drool over MAN You’re going MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I’m going And I’m not coming back MAN You’re not coming back MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN I’m never coming back I want to be alone MAN But the children You have three children quite short pause you have a small child The sound of a child crying MIDDLE-AGED WOMAN Do you hear what I’m saying Don’t you understand anything Don’t you understand a thing You want me to say it word for word yes I can do that Short pause I short pause am short pause going short pause and short pause I short pause am short pause

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never short pause coming short pause back The Man goes and sits down on the bed, next to the Older Woman. The Middle-Aged Woman picks up the suitcases and exits. Pause. The Man stands up and exits. The Older Woman stands up, moves into the room OLDER WOMAN I had to I couldn’t take it I couldn’t bear it it wasn’t breaks off, quite short pause but is it true quite short pause is it really true yes that yes that I couldn’t bear it quite short pause and then quite short pause. The child stops crying yes I don’t want to think about it rather not but quite short pause my father He said I was mad The OLDER WOMAN laughs You’re not right in the head You’re mad Go back home to your husband to your children You have a good husband good children Short pause And my mother quite short pause she said nothing almost nothing just a few quiet words Quite short pause And my father who quite short pause got me two rooms He said I don’t want you living here Fend for yourself Here’s the key Here’s the address Quite short pause And my mother quite short pause

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my mother who gave me money She said my father had asked her to do it But he didn’t want to come himself No I don’t want to think about it Quite short pause And here in the rooms my father bought here here short pause always here just always here always here The Older Woman walks over to the painting, begins to paint. The Man enters, walks over to her, stands a few metres away from her MAN You got a better life You set yourself free you set yourself free from me from your children And you set me free Quite short pause You gave me love I look up to your strength SHADOW I’m not telling the truth Why aren’t I telling the truth I breaks off MAN I look up to your ability to do what you had to SHADOW Why am I lying How can I bear to do that But why don’t I hurt her as much as I can MAN You did what you had to That’s all you could do He puts a few notes on the table. SHADOW That is my greatest joy She is so free so free The Young Woman enters

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YOUNG WOMAN I’m so grateful for you for our child for our beautiful child that it turned out like this that it turned out to be you and our child MAN And I’m so grateful for you SHADOW I am so grateful for you MAN I don’t know who to thank yes you yes you most of all you beautiful you SHADOW I want to thank God MAN continues I shall thank you quite short pause but that it turned out like this that we of all of all those who exist of all those who are there all so many that of all of all those that it should be you that it should be you and me quite short pause and our child YOUNG WOMAN You and our child and me MAN That which rules in secrecy that is what I thank YOUNG WOMAN I thank God Pause I must look in on our child

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MAN But first a kiss YOUNG WOMAN Yes They kiss each other, they hug each other for a long time and she exits MAN I am so grateful God for her for all she has given me for the love that exist the love that fills everything that is in everything and everyone the love we are and which is why we exist I thank you God I thank you for the grace you have given me SHADOW I thank you God for the grace you have gave The Man and the Shadow take up positions, stand and look straight ahead, into nothingness. The Older Woman lifts up the painting, looks at it OLDER WOMAN It is beautiful I was good at something I was good at something if only I was given the time if only I was given the time to do it If I only could be on my own I could paint And the paintings are larger than I am The paintings are larger than I could be that was what I wanted I wanted to be larger than myself not to be myself but to be something other than myself something totally other I wanted to be part of the other part of the greater just a part Short pause But was it worth it

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How much pain haven't I caused And now he is dead And my parents are dead how ugly quite short pause how ugly am I and then the inheritance from my father quite short pause yes and from my mother of course from her too quite short pause. The Young Woman enters and goes and takes the Man with one hand and the Shadow with the other and the paintings yes how ugly yes they are ugly I can’t paint and no one almost no one laughs wants to buy my paintings no one wants to exhibit them almost no one quite short pause and not without reason laughs so I laughs paint over one painting after the other I paint one painting And then I paint over it I always start over again over again quite short pause over again quite short pause over again quite short pause and that is right for nothing shall remain everything shall come into being and everything shall disappear short pause. She paints over the painting with white paint. Then she goes and sits on the bed. Pause And now he’s dead He is gone Forever gone Quite short pause It’s several years now since he died quite short pause the years go so fast

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quite short pause and I was told that I wasn’t welcome at his funeral Short pause Everything disappears Pause. She lies down on the bed, pulls the doona over her MAN You are my happiness YOUNG WOMAN And you mine Only you SHADOW You are my happiness I thank you MAN Yes yes yes only you The kiss for a long time. Black