Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes: Revised and Complete Edition by Tony Kushner Page A
Authors: Tony Kushner
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Snowfall. An abandoned lot in the South Bronx. Trash around. A Homeless Woman is standing near an oil drum in which a fire is burning; she’s sipping soup from a cloudy plastic container .
Hannah enters, frightened, angry and cold, dragging two heavy suitcases .
HANNAH : Excuse me? I said excuse me? Can you tell me where I am? Is this Brooklyn? Do you know a Pineapple Street? Is there some sort of bus or train or . . .?
(The Homeless Woman looks at Hannah but doesn’t respond. Hannah continues, trying to get through to her.)
HANNAH : I’m lost, I just arrived from Salt Lake. City. Utah?
(The Homeless Woman sips some soup. Hannah tries again.)
HANNAH : I took the bus that I was told to take and I got off—Well it was the very last stop, so I had to get off, and I asked the driver was this Brooklyn, and he nodded yes but he was from one of those foreign countries where they think it’s good manners to nod at everything even if you have no idea what it is you’re nodding at, and in truth I think he spoke no English at all, which I think wouldmake him ineligible for employment on public transportation. The public being English-speaking, mostly. Do you speak English?
(The Homeless Woman nods. Hannah, realizing that the woman is crazy, looks around; seeing no one else in the desolate vicinity, she forges ahead.)
HANNAH : I was supposed to be met at the airport by my son. He didn’t show and I don’t wait more than three and three-quarters hours for anyone . I should have been patient, I guess, I . . . Is this—
HOMELESS WOMAN : Bronx.
HANNAH : Is that—The Bronx? Well how in the name of Heaven did I get to the Bronx when the bus driver said—
(The Homeless Woman turns to the empty air beside her and begins to berate it.)
HOMELESS WOMAN : Slurp slurp slurp will you STOP that disgusting slurping! YOU DISGUSTING SLURPING FEEDING ANIMAL! Feeding yourself, just feeding yourself, what would it matter, to you or to ANYONE, if you just stopped. Feeding. And DIED?
(Pause.)
HANNAH : Can you just tell me where I—
HOMELESS WOMAN (To Hannah) : Why was the Kosciuszko Bridge named after a Polack?
HANNAH : I don’t know what you’re—
HOMELESS WOMAN : That was a joke.
HANNAH : Well what’s the punchline?
HOMELESS WOMAN : I don’t know.
HANNAH (Looking around desperately) : Oh for pete’s sake, is there anyone else who—
(The Homeless Woman turns again to the person she’s hallucinating:)
HOMELESS WOMAN : Stand further off you fat loathsome whore! You can’t have any more of this soup, slurp slurp slurp you animal, and the—I know you’ll just go pee it all away and where will you do that? Behind what bush? It’s FUCKING COLD out here and I—
Oh that’s right, because it was supposed to have been a tunnel!
That’s not very funny.
Have you read the prophecies of Nostradamus?
HANNAH : Who?
HOMELESS WOMAN : Some guy I went out with once somewhere, Nostradamus. Prophet, outcast, eyes like—Scary shit, he—
HANNAH : Shut up . Please! (Taking a step closer to the Homeless Woman) Now I want you to stop jabbering for a minute and pull your wits together and tell me how to get to Brooklyn. Because you know! And you are going to tell me! Because there is no one else around to tell me and I am wet and cold and I am very angry! So I am sorry you’re psychotic but just make the effort. (Another step closer) Take a deep breath. DO IT!
(Hannah and the Homeless Woman breathe together.)
HANNAH : That’s good. Now exhale.
(They do.)
HANNAH : Good. Now how do I get to Brooklyn?
HOMELESS WOMAN : Don’t know. Never been. Sorry. Want some soup?
HANNAH : Manhattan? Maybe you know . . . (Giving up: hopelessly) I don’t suppose you know the location of the Mormon Visitors’—
HOMELESS WOMAN : 65th and Broadway.
HANNAH : How do you—
HOMELESS WOMAN : Go there all the time. Free movies. Boring, but you can stay all day.
HANNAH : Well . . . So how do I—
HOMELESS WOMAN
Hannah enters, frightened, angry and cold, dragging two heavy suitcases .
HANNAH : Excuse me? I said excuse me? Can you tell me where I am? Is this Brooklyn? Do you know a Pineapple Street? Is there some sort of bus or train or . . .?
(The Homeless Woman looks at Hannah but doesn’t respond. Hannah continues, trying to get through to her.)
HANNAH : I’m lost, I just arrived from Salt Lake. City. Utah?
(The Homeless Woman sips some soup. Hannah tries again.)
HANNAH : I took the bus that I was told to take and I got off—Well it was the very last stop, so I had to get off, and I asked the driver was this Brooklyn, and he nodded yes but he was from one of those foreign countries where they think it’s good manners to nod at everything even if you have no idea what it is you’re nodding at, and in truth I think he spoke no English at all, which I think wouldmake him ineligible for employment on public transportation. The public being English-speaking, mostly. Do you speak English?
(The Homeless Woman nods. Hannah, realizing that the woman is crazy, looks around; seeing no one else in the desolate vicinity, she forges ahead.)
HANNAH : I was supposed to be met at the airport by my son. He didn’t show and I don’t wait more than three and three-quarters hours for anyone . I should have been patient, I guess, I . . . Is this—
HOMELESS WOMAN : Bronx.
HANNAH : Is that—The Bronx? Well how in the name of Heaven did I get to the Bronx when the bus driver said—
(The Homeless Woman turns to the empty air beside her and begins to berate it.)
HOMELESS WOMAN : Slurp slurp slurp will you STOP that disgusting slurping! YOU DISGUSTING SLURPING FEEDING ANIMAL! Feeding yourself, just feeding yourself, what would it matter, to you or to ANYONE, if you just stopped. Feeding. And DIED?
(Pause.)
HANNAH : Can you just tell me where I—
HOMELESS WOMAN (To Hannah) : Why was the Kosciuszko Bridge named after a Polack?
HANNAH : I don’t know what you’re—
HOMELESS WOMAN : That was a joke.
HANNAH : Well what’s the punchline?
HOMELESS WOMAN : I don’t know.
HANNAH (Looking around desperately) : Oh for pete’s sake, is there anyone else who—
(The Homeless Woman turns again to the person she’s hallucinating:)
HOMELESS WOMAN : Stand further off you fat loathsome whore! You can’t have any more of this soup, slurp slurp slurp you animal, and the—I know you’ll just go pee it all away and where will you do that? Behind what bush? It’s FUCKING COLD out here and I—
Oh that’s right, because it was supposed to have been a tunnel!
That’s not very funny.
Have you read the prophecies of Nostradamus?
HANNAH : Who?
HOMELESS WOMAN : Some guy I went out with once somewhere, Nostradamus. Prophet, outcast, eyes like—Scary shit, he—
HANNAH : Shut up . Please! (Taking a step closer to the Homeless Woman) Now I want you to stop jabbering for a minute and pull your wits together and tell me how to get to Brooklyn. Because you know! And you are going to tell me! Because there is no one else around to tell me and I am wet and cold and I am very angry! So I am sorry you’re psychotic but just make the effort. (Another step closer) Take a deep breath. DO IT!
(Hannah and the Homeless Woman breathe together.)
HANNAH : That’s good. Now exhale.
(They do.)
HANNAH : Good. Now how do I get to Brooklyn?
HOMELESS WOMAN : Don’t know. Never been. Sorry. Want some soup?
HANNAH : Manhattan? Maybe you know . . . (Giving up: hopelessly) I don’t suppose you know the location of the Mormon Visitors’—
HOMELESS WOMAN : 65th and Broadway.
HANNAH : How do you—
HOMELESS WOMAN : Go there all the time. Free movies. Boring, but you can stay all day.
HANNAH : Well . . . So how do I—
HOMELESS WOMAN
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