Catastrophe Practice by Nicholas Mosley Page A

dooropen behind him: he touches the food-hatch, the bar, as if they might not be real
.
    Through the gothic door which Geordie has left open there can be glimpsed the figures of the two Hostesses, off-stage. The younger Hostess seems to have her hand on a light switch. Then the older Hostess ducks out of sight
.
NORBERT
What’s the treatment?
BERT
See if you can spot it —
    The neon lights go off
.
    There is a dim light from beyond the plate-glass window
.
    After a time, the older Hostess comes in through the gothic door. She stands in the centre of the stage, with one hand across her chest, as if posing. Then a spotlight comes on her from the flies
.
HARRY
Hullo —
HOSTESS
Hullo —
HARRY
I was afraid you might not remember me —
HOSTESS
Oh yes. I believed everything you said, you see —
HARRY
What did I see?
HOSTESS
I loved you, would never leave you —
HARRY
I said that?
    The light from behind the window becomes brighter
.
    The older Hostess begins to undress
.
    Harry says as if amused —
HARRY
— The front knee slightly bent. The arms in the position of a man in —
HOSTESS
— Power —
HARRY
— Pain —
HOSTESS
— Power! —
    She stops undressing
.
    Harry is looking up at the flies
.
    After a time the Hostess turns to the bar at the back
HOSTESS
This is impossible!
    The spotlight goes off
.
    At the bar, the Barman and the Char, together with Norbert, seem surreptitiously to have been having a drink. They seem to try to hide their glasses. Then they gather round Geordie, who seems to be ill
.
HOSTESS
He wants to keep all his balls up in the air at the same time —
WALDORF
— Bitte, wo ist die Toilette —
SMUDGER
— Chocolates, cigarettes — !
NORBERT
— Son équipe de football a gagné une grande victoire —
    The Hostess turns to Bert —
HOSTESS
The curtain —
BERT
Customs —
HOSTESS
Curtain!
    From the bar, there is a sound of giggling
.
    The plate-glass window has become brighter
.
    Harry looks towards the plate-glass. He calls —
HARRY
Sophie — !
    The younger Hostess answers from the wings,
    right —
SOPHIE
Yes?
    Harry looks at the audience
.
HARRY
War has been declared!
    The light from behind the plate-glass becomes brighter
.
    Harry goes and stands with his back to the plate-glass window. He turns and faces the older Hostess, to the left. He puts a hand to his eyes, as if to shield them from light, but the light is behind him
.
    The Hostess turns to Harry. She is in her underclothes. She strikes a seductive pose, her hands behind her, leaning back against the tables and chairs
.
HOSTESS
Do you want me blindfold?
    Harry takes his hand from his eyes and puts it inhis pocket. It is as if he might hold a pistol there. He is smiling. Then the Hostess leans forward with her arms behind her like a bird
.
    Shall I say my prayers?
    Bert leaves his chair and goes to the wings, front left, and picks up a rifle there and seems to load it. Harry murmurs —
HARRY
We’ve only got ten minutes!
    He seems about to take his hand out of his pocket Then the light from the plate-glass window becomes blinding. Harry leans forward peering at the Hostess
.
HARRY
You’re my wife?
    Bert sits on the ground with his rifle, with his back against the proscenium arch, left
.
    The Hostess, with her back to Bert, and facing Harry, stretches her hands out towards him
.
HARRY
You’re my child?
    A second CURTAIN, the colour of gold, comes down
.

ACT II
    Bert is still sitting with his back against the proscenium arch, left. He holds the rifle on his knees. He appears to doze
.
    The CURTAIN rises
.
    SCENE: the same. The stage is still lit, but not so brightly, from light beyond the plate-glass window. Waldorf, Smudger and Norbert are by the window looking out. They cast long shadows to the opposite wall. Geordie is sitting against the wall by the machine, right
.
    The Barman and the Char are at the bar, as if poring over