The Height of the Storm Read online

  AndréShow me.

  Madeleine shows them to him. It’s a repeat of a fragment of an earlier scene.

  Oh … Perfect … For years we didn’t eat them. We preferred meat. I don’t know what we were thinking.

  ManI … Maybe I’ll go and give her a hand.

  Nobody knows who he’s referring to.

  Élise. Maybe I’ll go and help her pack. Otherwise we’re going to be late …

  He goes out. Pause.

  MadeleineWhat do you think of him?

  AnneDad?

  MadeleineNo. Him …

  She indicates the Man.

  AnneI don’t know. Nice. Isn’t he? You don’t think so?

  Madeleine shrugs her shoulders.

  MadeleineThe important thing is that your sister seems to see something in him. Anne Yes.

  MadeleineI wonder where she digs them up …

  Brief pause.

  AnneOn the other hand, I don’t think Dad looks well at all.

  MadeleineWho?

  AnneDad.

  MadeleineOh, you’re not going to start that again?

  AnneStart what?

  MadeleineYou know very well. (To André.) Have you finished? You’ve hardly eaten a thing …

  AndréI’m not hungry.

  MadeleineYou say that and in an hour’s time, you’ll come and tell me you’re hungry … And you’ll start snacking!

  Madeleine takes away the breakfast things.

  AnneI’m just giving you my opinion.

  MadeleineI couldn’t care less about your opinion!

  AnneWhy are you reacting like this?

  MadeleineBecause I can get on very well on my own! I don’t need your advice.

  AnneBut I …

  Madeleine groans. But Anne is determined to persist with this conversation.

  All I’m saying is that Élise and I were disturbed to find out things weren’t working out for him and …

  MadeleineAnd what? Is that why you both came this weekend? To run an inspection?

  AnneWe’re worried, Mum, that’s all. We thought it must sometimes be a burden for you. Being here with him on your own …

  MadeleineI just told you: we can get on very well on our own.

  AnneAll the same I think you ought to –

  Madeleine(interrupting her) Did I ask your opinion? No! I mean, what’s all this about? You turn up with your sister, you spend a couple of days here, and then you’re suddenly experts on the way we ought to be living our lives?

  AnneBut …

  MadeleineI know very well what you’re cooking up. What do you think? You think I was born yesterday?

  AndréWhat’s …?

  AnnePlease, Mum … All I’m saying is there might be other solutions.

  MadeleineOh, yes? Go on, explain them to me … What are they?

  AndréWhat’s …?

  MadeleineYou want to have your father to live with you?

  Brief pause. No answer.

  That’s what I thought. What then? You want to put him in a nursing home, is that it? I wish you’d just say things clearly. Is that what you want? You want to get rid of him?

  AnneWhy are you getting annoyed?

  MadeleineBecause I’ve seen through your little game.

  AnneWhat little game?

  MadeleineYour little schemes.

  AnneWhat are you talking about?

  MadeleineRight, that’s enough now! When I need you, I’ll send for you! In the meantime, fuck off! And if you’re not happy about it, all you have to do is go back with your sister!

  Madeleine leaves.

  AndréWhat’s the matter with her?

  AnneNothing.

  AndréNo. I heard … you were arguing.

  AnneNo, no. Don’t worry.

  AndréWas it about the mushrooms?

  Élise comes in.

  ÉliseWhat’s going on?

  AnneNothing.

  ÉliseIs there a problem?

  AnneNo. It’s just …

  ÉliseWhat?

  AnneNo, I think it’s just the fact of being here. Everything’s jumbled up in my head … Don’t you find? I don’t know. All these memories … These …

  ÉliseAre you crying?

  AnneNo, no. Sorry.

  ÉliseYou take things too much to heart, Anne …

  AnneBut don’t you have doubts?

  ÉliseWhat about?

  AnneThe Blue House … I don’t know … Do you really think it’s the best solution?

  ÉliseI can’t see any alternative.

  AnneI’m trying to imagine what Mum would have thought about it. I get the feeling I can see her glaring at me.

  ÉliseShe’d understand.

  AnneI don’t think she would.

  ÉliseYes, she would.

  AnneNo. She’d be furious. I can picture it very clearly … Believe me, she’d judge us very harshly. She’d curse us.

  ÉliseWhat are you talking about?

  AnneI know it. I can hear her now …

  André turns to them.

  AndréWhat’s the matter, my little scorchers?

  ÉliseNothing, Dad.

  AndréHave you been quarrelling again?

  AnneNo, no …

  AndréWell? What’s going on?

  ÉliseI promise you, Dad. Everything’s fine.

  AnneWe were just talking.

  AndréLife’s too short for arguments. Believe me.

  AnneYes, yes …

  AndréIt’s short … Come on … Anne … Dry your tears … Mm? And make up. All right? My little darlings …

  The Man arrives. He has a suitcase in his hand.

  ManSorry, I … I didn’t want to disturb you, I … Where shall I put this?

  ÉliseLeave it there for the minute.

  He crosses the room and puts it by the front door.

  AndréSure you wouldn’t like to have lunch with us before you go?

  ÉliseIt’s nice of you, but …

  AndréYou’d make your mother very happy …

  AnneDad …

  AndréWhat?

  Pause. They’re all hesitating.

  Man(to the daughters) Aren’t you going to say anything to him?

  AndréWhat about?

  ManHow much longer is this going to go on?

  ÉliseStop it.

  ManWhat?

  André(to his daughters) What’s he talking about?

  Pause.

  What’s happening? Tell me.

  Pause.

  Is there a problem?

  Pause. The Man spots a little square of cardboard on the floor. It must have fallen out of the bouquet. He picks it up.

  ManMust have fallen out of the bouquet.

  AndréWhat is that?

  André takes it out of his hand and reads it.

  ÉliseNo!

  AndréWhat is it?

  It’s a condolence card. Everyone watches him reading it. Pause. He slips it into a pocket, as if nothing had happened. His face remains expressionless, apparently at least. He stands in silence for a moment.

  AnneDad?

  Pause.

  ÉliseDad?

  Interminable pause.

  Blackout.

  Epilogue

  Epilogue. A little later, André is at the window, as at the beginning of the play. Madeleine is sitting down. She’s peeling the mushrooms. The suitcase has been left behind. It’s still standing by the front door.

  MadeleineI prefer it when they’re gone. It’s nice of them to come and see us … But after two days, I’ve had enough of it. Don’t you think?

  He doesn’t answer.

  I don’t know how we put up with it all those years. I’m not saying I can’t stand them. No, they’re nice girls. Especially Élise … But they have their lives. And we have ours. Isn’t that right? It’s better when we don’t mix them up. You disagree?

  He smiles at her, as if to say she’s right.

  When it’s just the two of us …

  Pause.

  In the end, Anne de
cided to go with them. Thank goodness. It’s slightly my fault. I had a quarrel with her. Maybe I was a bit … You know me, I don’t always pull my punches! But I can’t bear people telling you what you ought or ought not to do …

  Pause.

  What are you looking at? Wouldn’t you rather come and sit down?

  He doesn’t respond.

  They don’t understand the situation. They can’t understand that we don’t need anyone. Because we don’t need anyone. Don’t you agree? We’re fine just the two of us, aren’t we? Why should we need to change anything?

  Pause.

  Just what is it you’re looking at? They’ve been gone a long time. What’s the use of staying stuck over there? Come and sit down beside me.

  André smiles tenderly at her and comes over to sit next to her.

  That’s it.

  Pause.

  AndréFunny colour these mushrooms, don’t you think?

  MadeleineYou think they’re not edible?

  AndréYou’re not planning to poison us?

  She smiles. Pause.

  MadeleineThis morning, when I was doing the shopping, you know what I was thinking about? I was thinking about our wedding. You remember it?

  AndréYes.

  MadeleineAt the Lutetia.

  AndréI can see your dress now, yes. Your smile … I can see our room … I can see our bed.

  MadeleineIn those days, you always used to recite poems to me. I was thinking about that just now and trying to remember … You know, something about an unknown bird …

  André

  ‘At the height of the storm

  There’s always a bird to reassure us,

  The unknown bird:

  It sings and then it flies away.’

  MadeleineYes. That’s it. ‘It sings and then it flies away …’ Beautiful.

  AndréYes. Very beautiful.

  MadeleineIt was such a long time ago … They say life is short, but it isn’t true. It’s terribly long.

  AndréSometimes, it seems endless.

  MadeleineYes. But when it does end, it can only be a deliverance. Don’t you think?

  Pause.

  Are you hungry? I’m not surprised, you hardly had any breakfast. It’s always the same with you … I’m nearly finished. In a minute, we can sit at the table. Afterwards, if you like, we can go for a walk. Through the forest. That appeal to you? After that storm we had, it’ll smell good … I have to be back about three o’clock, because Jean is coming to repaint the shutters. And you can have your siesta. While you’re resting, I can do some work in my garden and –

  André(interrupting her) What would I do without you?

  Madeleine smiles at him. André remains serious. He’s looking at her with some intensity.

  What would I do? What would become of me without you?

  MadeleineDon’t worry. Here I am.

  He doesn’t look very convinced of this.

  I’ll always be here. Don’t worry. I’m not going to let you down. You know very well I’m not the kind of person who doesn’t keep her promises. Mm? You know that very well, don’t you?

  AndréYes.

  MadeleineSo? Don’t be afraid of anything. I’m taking care of you. I’m taking care of you, my darling boy …

  She smiles at him. Pause. She goes on peeling the mushrooms. He fetches the little condolence card out of his pocket and reads it again. Suddenly, he takes her hand and squeezes it very hard – as if he was clinging on to her. Pause.

  Blackout.

  About the Authors

  Florian Zeller is a French novelist and playwright. He won the prestigious Prix Interallié in 2004 for his third novel, Fascination of Evil. His plays include L’Autre, Le Manège, Si tu mourais, Elle t’attend and La Vérité, La Mère (The Mother, Molière Award for Best Play in 2011) and Le Père (The Father, Molière Award for Best Play in 2014), starring Robert Hirsch and Isabelle Gelinas (Molière Awards for Best Actor and Actress, Prix du Brigadier in 2015). Une Heure de tranquillité (A Bit of Peace and Quiet) opened with Fabrice Luchini, and has since been adapted for the screen, directed by Patrice Leconte. Le Mensonge (The Lie) was staged in 2015 and L’Envers du décor opened in January 2016 at the Théâtre de Paris, starring Daniel Auteuil, and Avant de s’envoler (The Height of the Storm) at the Théâtre de l’Oeuvre in October 2016. His most recent play, The Son, completing his ‘Family Trilogy’, was produced in Paris in 2018 (Molière nomination) and will have its London premiere at the Kiln Theatre in Spring 2019.

  Christopher Hampton was born in the Azores in 1946. He wrote his first play, When Did You Last See My Mother?, at the age of eighteen. Since then, his plays have included The Philanthropist, Savages, Tales from Hollywood, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, White Chameleon, The Talking Cure and Appomattox. He has translated plays by Ibsen, Molière, von Horváth, Chekhov and Yasmina Reza. His television work includes adaptations of The History Man and Hôtel du Lac. His screenplays include The Honorary Consul, The Good Father, Dangerous Liaisons, Mary Reilly, Total Eclipse, The Quiet American, Atonement, Cheri, A Dangerous Method, Carrington, The Secret Agent and Imagining Argentina, the last three of which he also directed.

  By Christopher Hampton

  also by Florian Zeller

  translated by Christopher Hampton

  THE MOTHER and THE FATHER

  THE TRUTH

  THE LIE

  also by Christopher Hampton

  CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON: PLAYS ONE

  The Philanthropist, Total Eclipse, Savages, Treats

  APPOMATTOX

  screenplays

  COLLECTED SCREENPLAYS

  Dangerous Liaisons, Carrington, Mary Reilly,

  A Bright Shining Lie, The Custom of the Country

  TOTAL ECLIPSE

  THE SECRET AGENT & NOSTROMO

  translations

  Yasmina Reza’s

  ‘ART’

  THE UNEXPECTED MAN

  CONVERSATIONS AFTER A BURIAL

  LIFE X 3

  THE GOD OF CARNAGE

  Ibsen’s

  AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

  Chekhov’s

  THE SEAGULL

  Ödön von Horváth’s

  JUDGMENT DAY

  also available

  HAMPTON ON HAMPTON

  edited by Alistair Owen

  Copyright

  First published in 2018

  by Faber and Faber Limited

  74–77 Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DA

  This ebook edition first published in 2018

  All rights reserved

  © Florian Zeller, 2016

  Translation © Christopher Hampton 2018

  The right of Christopher Hampton to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 All rights whatsoever in this work are strictly reserved.

  All rights whatsoever in this work are strictly reserved. Applications for permission for any use whatsoever including performance rights in this translation must be made in advance, prior to any such proposed use, to Casarotto Ramsay and Associates Ltd, 4th Floor, Waverley House, 7–12 Noel Street, London W1F 8GQ ([email protected]). Florian Zeller is represented worldwide by Suzanne Sarquier, Drama Paris, 24 Rue Feydeau, Paris 75002 (www.dramaparis.com)

  No performance may be given unless a licence has first been obtained

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly

  ISBN 978–0–571–35059–9

  rm