Lilith
Lilith (1892) by John Collier in Southport Atkinson Gallery
Synopsis: Adam and Eve are kidnapped by jealous Lilith who ties them to a tree and harasses them. Eve reasons with Lilith and is sent on a month-long journey to find a mytical city of Eridu. Nobody has ever returned from Eridu alive, but Eve is determined to discover it and to rescue Adam. She meets some very interesting characters along the way and discovers a lot about herself in the process.
‘Lilith’ by Bruno Lovric
Copyright © Bruno Lovric 2010-2015, All rights reserved.
CHARACTERS:
EVE - any age, may be played by several different actresses
ADAM - aged between 19 and 100, must be played by the same actor
LILITH - aged between 18 and 30
SNAKE - may be played by Lilith or Adam
FORREST OF MEN
MOON
Scene 1 - The Cave
A tree is set in the center of the stage. The tree is in bloom and its branches are covered with pages ripped from the books. Naked Adam and Eve are tied to the tree. Their eyes are covered with a black cloth.
In front of a tree Lilith sits at a long table eating an apple. The table is covered with delicious foods served in golden dishes. Lilith stares at the audience. She is wearing a skimpy Victoria Secret-ish outfit with wings.
ADAM:
Lilith?
Pause.
ADAM:
Lilith?
Pause.
ADAM:
Lilith?
EVE:
(Mocking Adam) Lilith, Lilith, Lilith! She is not here!
ADAM:
She’s here.
Lilith gets up and slowly walks to Adam. She makes no noise. She stares at Adam’s penis.
EVE:
She is not here.
ADAM:
Where else would she be?
EVE:
Killing babies somewhere, having orgies with goats…
ADAM:
No, she’s here. You’re here, I can tell. Why won’t you talk to us?
EVE:
What do you want from us?
ADAM:
She wants to piss God off.
EVE:
Lilith, I have nothing to do with god. I didn’t know Adam had a wife before me. They didn’t tell me anything.
ADAM:
Ha! What a loyal wife you are.
EVE:
Don’t give me that! You let Him chase her away because she wouldn’t let you be on top? I mean really?! Who does that??
(Lilith sits at the table)
ADAM:
(pause) It wasn’t just lying on top of her. We had lots of other issues, I told you.
EVE:
Is she here? I don’t think she’s here.
ADAM:
She is here.
EVE:
How do you know?
ADAM:
I can smell her.
EVE:
Oh you can, can you?
ADAM:
Yup.
EVE:
What does she smell like?
ADAM:
Like water.
EVE:
Like water. You can’t smell water.
ADAM:
You can smell moisture in the air can’t you?
EVE:
You can feel the moisture, but you don’t smell it in the air.
ADAM:
I can feel the moisture that eludes from her body and smell a Rock Flower she bathes in. That’s what she smells like – like a Rock Flower and water.
EVE:
A rock flower.
ADAM:
Yup.
EVE:
I don’t think she’s here.
ADAM:
She is.
EVE:
What do I smell like?
ADAM:
(Smells) Onions.
EVE:
Oh yeah? Fried Onions?
ADAM:
Yeah.
EVE:
I hate onions.
ADAM:
I smell like them too.
EVE:
Well you might smell them on yourself?
ADAM:
Maybe.
EVE:
(Pause) I’m cold.
ADAM:
Me too.
EVE:
Where do you think we are?
ADAM:
Somewhere cold.
EVE:
Oh really?
ADAM:
I don’t know where we’re at Eve. I have a black smelly cloth on my face. How am I suppose to know where we’re at.
EVE:
Well where does she normally live?
ADAM:
I don’t know.
EVE:
(With a loud shriek that startles Adam) Can anybody hear me? Hello! Is anybody there?
ADAM:
What are you doing?
EVE:
Yelling!
ADAM:
Quit it.
EVE:
Why, will you get us out of here?
ADAM:
Lilith, will you please stop this? What do you want from us?
EVE:
I told you she’s not here. How come you don’t know where she lives?
ADAM:
Why am I suppose to know where she lives?
EVE:
Well she was your wife…
ADAM:
Well she chose to leave. She got her wings and flew away. She didn’t tell me where she was going.
EVE:
Where you never curious about what happened to her?
ADAM:
(Hesitating) No. Not really.
EVE:
She could have been killed in the desert.
ADAM:
Well she knew that and she had a choice. She chose the desert.
EVE:
Over you?
ADAM:
(Pause) Over me.
EVE:
(Laughs) So if I decided to leave you some day would you not care if I got killed in the desert?
ADAM:
Nope.
EVE:
(Gets serious. Silence).
ADAM:
I wouldn’t let you leave.
EVE:
Why?
ADAM:
Why? Because I love you stupid, that’s why.
EVE:
But didn’t you love her too?
ADAM:
Yes.
EVE:
And you still let her go?
ADAM:
I didn’t have a choice. She blackmailed god and when he gave her wings, she flew away. Like a bird. How can you stop a bird?
EVE:
(After brief thinking) You can shoot her?
ADAM:
Well I didn’t shoot her. Maybe I should have.
EVE:
So did you look for her?
ADAM:
She went to the desert Eve.
EVE:
So?
ADAM:
So, you can’t go into the desert!
EVE:
Why not? She went to the desert.
ADAM:
What do you mean why not? Why are you asking me these questions? Because you can’t go there, you know why. There’s nothing in the desert. Only sand, stones… and dead cities. You know that.
EVE:
And your ‘love’, and she survived! Didn’t you at least try?
ADAM:
She married the desert.
EVE:
She married the desert. How can you marry the desert? She married you.
ADAM:
What is that suppose to mean?
EVE:
What does it sound like? She married you…and then she left?
ADAM:
Yup.
EVE:
Why?
ADAM:
Ask her.
EVE:
(Pause) Why did you leave him? (Pause) Why did you leave him?
LILITH:
Because I wanted to.
ADAM:
I told you.
EVE:
Why did you have to leave him? Didn’t you promise to love him forever? And why are we here?
LILITH:
During this monologue she moves seductively from Adam and Eve to the audience. She addresses them directly and offers some of the food from the table to the few chose ones. She dances for some of them.
Because there are many strange and wonderful things in this world, but none of them more strangely wonderful then man. He travels across the white-capped ocean and wears down the immortal earth. He harasses her, and as years go by, his ploughs move back and forth, back and forth, back and forth…
You know who wrote that?
EVE:
No but it’s beautiful.
LILITH:
It was written by a man called Sophocles.
O resourceful man, whose skill can overcome ferocious beasts!
He’s taught himself speech and wind-swift thought, trained his feelings for communal civic life, learning to escape the icy frost, the harsh life lived under the open sky.
That’s man—so resourceful in all he does! There’s no event his skill cannot confront--
other than death—that alone he cannot escape, although for many curious sicknesses
he has discovered his own remedies - he ….(she laughs)
EVE:
What’s so funny?
LILITH:
Adam. He aged so much... what did you do to him? Look at that face.
EVE:
I didn’t do anything.
LILITH:
Have you seen it lately? (She touches his face) I mean really took time to look at it – that old and loose skin (She pinches his skin and stretches to the point it hurts) shrouded with that unsightly patch of blackness (she tussles his hair, and then discoveres his ears.) ..Attached to those two awful saggy things. It would be funny if weren’t so sad. (Her eyes drop from his face to his penis).
ADAM:
There is no need to be vulgar. Why do you always have to be so vulgar?
LILITH:
Because I’m vulgar.
EVE:
I don’t think you are vulgar at all. I like how you speak Lilith, it’s very pretty, but do you think you could give us a blanket or turn up the heat a little bit? It’s kind of chilly in here and I think I might have a cold (she forces a pitiful cough).
LILITH:
(No answer, She is getting annoyed)
EVE:
Lilith? (Uncomfortable silence) Hello? Lily? Please don’t be mad at Adam, he didn’t mean to offend you.
ADAM:
I can talk for myself, thank you.
EVE:
Shhh!..Lilith? Are you still with us? I like your voice a lot. I wish I could speak pretty like you some day.
LILITH:
Why? You didn’t hear anything I said. She’s a horrible actress.
EVE:
I heard everything but this cold is a bit distracting. Don’t you think we could possibly have blanket or something?
LILTH:
No.
EVE:
Why not?
LILITH:
Because god made you naked like that. Who am I to change the perfect condition he put you in? That would be blasphemous and I’m a simple woman who hates to challenging divine powers.
However, I’ll tell you why I brought you here.
ADAM:
We’re all ears.
LILITH:
I brought you here because I’m very revengeful and because this man here is a pig. He is a selfish son of a bitch who doesn’t care about anything or anyone but himself. You must have figured that out by now in spite of your colossal stupidity?
EVE:
I think that name calling is really immature and unnecessary.
LILITH:
My pride and vanity have been irreparably hurt and the only way for them to heal is through your husband’s excruciating and humiliating death. There. Plain and simple.
EVE:
Wow. No wonder you’re still single and bitter.
Lilith slaps her.
EVE:
Way to show a tied and naked woman whose boss!
ADAM:
Stay away from her.
LILITH:
Or what? I can’t believe you replaced me with somebody like her. She is relatively pretty, but so dull. What were you thinking?
ADAM:
Let go of her. This is between you and me. She has nothing to do with it.
LILITH:
Oh! How romantic of you to defend her!
EVE:
I don’t want to go.
LILITH:
How noble and predictable of you! It keeps getting better and it’s a shame I have to end it now.
Dear Eve, it’s time for you to make your choice. Music please!
(game show music)
You can:
a) Stay for the show and watch Adam die.
b) Skip the show and go home
c) Join the show and die with him
What’s it gonna be?
EVE:
D. I want you to forgive him and to forgive me. I’m not sure what happened between the two of you and I am sorry you were mistreated and all.
But, the past is past and either of us dying will not erase any of the things that happened. Past can’t be changed, but future can and I’m beginning you to forgive us. If you kill him you will make my life miserable and I did not deserve that any more than you deserved to be mistreated by Adam. You would actually be acting like him.
LILITH:
Cute speech but forgiveness is out of the question. Any other ideas?
EVE:
A couple.
LILITH:
Well do tell.
EVE:
It might take a while.
LILITH:
Well start talkin..
LILITH:
You will really hear then out?
EVE:
I will really hear them out. It is not likely that I will change my mind, but you are right. If I am about to change your life forever and make you miserable, the least I can do is to hear what you have to say.
Lights down.
Scene 2 - Desert
Eve crawls exhausted to the beautiful apple tree. The tree is dry and it looks like a giant lopsided plant with roots sticking high above the ground. The snake is sleeping wrapped around a thick tree trunk. Eve tries to get up supporting herself against a tree trunk. She does not notice the snake. She is about to reach the nearest apple when the snake suddenly wakes up and finds itself face to face with Eve.
SNAKE:
Hi.
EVE:
Eve screams, falls to the floor and starts walking backward. She can’t believe her eyes. She thinks she might be hallucinating. She slowly crawls back to the tree to take a closer look. She stares at the snake’s face. A moment goes by.
SNAKE:
Hi
The event from the opening repeats itself – eve screams and retreats in bewilderment. She then gathers enough courage to go back to the tree. Snake says ‘Hi’ again. This scene is repeated two more times. The second time it happens, Eve stays away from the tree.
SNAKE:
Are you ok?
Eve just stares at the snake paralyzed with fear.
SNAKE:
Can I help you with something?
Eve shakes her head vigorously – signaling no. Snake stares at her for a moment and then relaxes its head and prepares to fall asleep again. Eve finds a pebble of the floor, gets up to her feet and throws it at the sleeping snake.
SNAKE:
Hey! What is wrong with you woman?!
Eve screams in terror and runs offstage.
SNAKE:
(staring after her) Jesus Christ …
Snake relaxes its head preparing to fall asleep, but then jerks its head up in anticipation of being hit with something again. Looks around. Eve is nowhere in sight. Snake relaxes again but repeats the jerk and looks around one more time before fully relaxing and getting back to sleep. Beat. Eve sneaks up to the tree caring what appears to be a leftover of an old umbrella. She is about to beat the snake up.
SNAKE:
(calmly not opening its eyes or even moving) I am a lot quicker then I seem and my teeth are quite sharp too.
Eve freezes in a midst of umbrella swing. Snake lifts its head. Eve starts backing away.
SNAKE:
Can you speak?
Eve nods approvingly.
SNAKE:
What do you want?
EVE:
I I I…I’m..I..(sighs) Um..Hm. (silence)
SNAKE:
Do you have some kind of speech impediment or disability I should know of?
EVE:
(Offended) No!…
SNAKE:
She speaks! Praise Lord Jesus!
EVE:
What are you?
SNAKE:
Snake. What do I look like?
EVE:
Snake?
SNAKE:
Yes, snake.. You know, serpent, adder, legless lizard… representative of evil and Lord of the Underworld.
EVE:
What? (pause)
SNAKE:
(Snake just shakes its head and rolls its eyes) Never mind.
EVE:
Is there any water anywhere around here?
SNAKE:
Water? (Thinks) Ahm..we’re in the middle of a desert so, no honey, I don’t think so.
EV E:
You don’t think so? What do you mean you don’t think so? Is there a water or not?
SNAKE:
I haven’t seen any water around here in a loooooooong time; But then again I never leave my tree so I really wouldn’t know. Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t.
EVE:
Oh God. How come you never leave the tree?
SNAKE:
Why would I?
EVE:
Well to get some food, water…
SNAKE:
I don’t need them. I have my tree.
(Eve slumps down)
SNAKE:
Are you ok?
EVE:
Do I look ok? I am thirsty..I’m so thirsty.. There’s got to be some water around here, it has to?
SNAKE:
Hmmm.. I doubt it. Why are you here? You know you’re not supposed to be in the desert?
EVE:
I’m looking for the city of Eridu.
SNAKE:
Eridu?! Oh, another crazy? I should have known.
EVE:
Why?
SNAKE:
Because nobody comes back from Eridu. Those who find Eridu never come back to tell about it. Only crazies go looking for it.
EVE:
Well I will find it, trust me. (she gets up) Which way is it?
SNAKE:
What, Eridu? I’m not gonna tell you that. Why would I tell you that?
EVE:
Why not?
SNAKE:
I have my reasons. And I’m doing you a favor. I’m saving you from more horror than you can imagine.
EVE:
Well I don’t need your saving. Just tell me which way to take. (pause) Please.
SNAKE:
And what do I get in return?
EVE:
What do you get in return? What do you want?
SNAKE:
I do not want anything, I’m perfectly happy, but my beautiful tree here needs some water. Just look at it. It needs it desperately. It has not had anything to drink since god knows when.
EVE:
I have no water. I just asked you for some water.
SNAKE:
Oh that’s right. Well, never mind then.
EVE:
Can I get you anything else?
SNAKE:
I don’t think so.
EVE:
Will you please tell me how to find Eridu? It’s a matter of life and death. My husband is imprisoned and he will die if I don’t get him a flame from Eridu.
SNAKE:
Flame from Eridu? Well that’s very ambitious and courageous of you! Good luck. (snake goes to sleep)
EVE:
I really have no water. If I did I would drink it myself.
SNAKE:
I understand.
EVE:
Please help me Snake, I need your help.
SNAKE:
We all need help. Just look at those poor sad branches.. Brittle like a fish skeleton…
EVE:
I will do what ever it takes, but I have no water. Please understand that.
SNAKE:
Oh but you do. You are full of water my child. You are a walking water tank.
EVE:
What?
SNAKE:
Your lean muscles are 75% water, your bones are 22% water and your blood.. Now that is a real treasure: 95% of fresh watery deliciousnessssssssss.
EVE:
Yeah, but that’s not a drinking water. You are talking about fluids in my body.
SNAKE:
Oh I know, I understand that.
EVE:
That’s the water in my body. I can’t live without that.
SNAKE:
Gotcha.
(Long pause)
EVE:
Wait, so you want me to kill myself and water your tree with my blood? Is that what you want? Is that what you’re asking me to do?
SNAKE:
(laughs) Of course not! You are too silly. I don’t want anything, I already told you that. I’m just trying to educate you a bit and test your determination.
See, somebody smart said that walls are there to stop the people who don’t want things badly enough. How badly do you want to get to Eridu? And don’t answer me! Just think about it.
(Knife falls from the sky in front of Eve.)
SNAKE:
Hey look! A knife.
Snake hands Eve a knife that seems to appear out of nowhere. Eve doesn’t take it.
EVE:
I’m hot and your voice is making me feel dizzy.
SNAKE:
It is a very warm day today. My tree would offer you some shade but unfortunately there are no leafs left. It’s hard to imagine it was once covered in green lush and that it bore heavy red droplets, isn’t it? I am sure that even a little bit of water would help it. Maybe just a few drops?
EVE:
I will find Eridu and the Abys of Abzu.. I will. (She sits down, snake slithers closer to her and whispers into her ear)
SNAKE:
You will, it’s for your husband. It’s a matter of life and death.
Snake hands knife to Eve, who takes it almost mechanically.
EVE:
I have to find them and return before the moon is full again.
SNAKE:
It would be selfish not to do everything in your power to save one man that you are eternally bound to. No sacrifice is too small when it comes to love.
EVE:
I will do whatever I have to do.
SNAKE:
You did promise after all?
EVE:
Till death do us part. Yes I did.
SNAKE:
That’s right.
(Eve slowly brings knife to her wrist and then stops)
EVE:
No hesitation now. Do not waste your time.
Eve looks at the snake, then suddenly stabs the tree. Thick red liquid begins to ooze out of the tree trunk.
SNAKE:
My tree!
EVE:
Here’s a nice iron boost for your stupid tree! (she stabs it again) Did you know that normal blood contains about 38% of iron? (another stab) Five percent of salt. (another stab)
You want more unimportant science facts involving percentages? (another stab)
SNAKE:
(Hissing at eve and trying to bite her in sudden moves that Eve successfully avoid) You made a fatal mistake by trying to outsmart me. Say goodbye to the world.
EVE:
Tell me where Eridu is before I shred you and your stupid tree to pieces!
SNAKE:
You will never find Eridu you idiot! If you touch that tree one more time…
EVE:
More threats? (Eve stabs the tree again and again and avoids snake’s attack in one fluid motion) You are not all that smart because you should know by now that intimidation tactics don’t work with starved and desperate. Which way is to Eridu? (She stabs the tree again)
SNAKE:
Stop it! Please. (Eve stops) You do not realize what you are doing.. If you kill this tree..
(Eve slashes the tree again)
SNAKE:
I was not trying to threaten you, you stupid cow! Stop with that! I will tell you how to get to Eridu!
EVE:
I’m listening.
SNAKE:
It’s a three day’s walk from here.
EVE:
Ok.
SNAKE:
East. (Snake points with its tail)
EVE:
Ok. How do I know you’re telling the truth?
SNAKE:
I always tell the truth.
EVE:
Funny. (She breaks a branch off a tree)
SNAKE:
Please stop it! I told you the truth, I told you the truth! I swear!
EVE:
How many people have you buried in this sand?
SNAKE:
I have not buried anyone. I don’t even have hands. How am I supposed to bury anything?
EVE:
How many people have you tricked into feeding this stupid tree?
SNAKE:
I’m not a a magician. I don’t do tricks.
Eve breaks another branch.
EVE:
More than 10?
SNAKE:
I already told you where and how to find Eridu. Will you now please stop molesting me and this poor plant?
EVE:
I won’t. You see Snake, I cultivate a sense of personal responsibility for all the living things of this planet. You and I may be different, but we are ultimately made out of same stuff. We are dirt and water, and even tough we walk around for a breath or two, we always go back to being dirt and water. Always. The two of us will mix Snake just like we mixed before. We will be made into things that breathe and drink water and pee, but we will always go back to our old melting pot. Do you understand what I’m saying?
SNAKE:
No.
Eve breaks another branch.
SNAKE:
Yes! Yes! I was just joking.
EVE: (During this monologue Eve walks around the tree collecting dry branches and burnt grass. She piles them near under the tree trunk) Good. Then you also must understand that by trying to harm me, you also tried to harm the entire Universe and your little slithery self. In other words, you acted like a cancer. You acted like a cancer that devours healthy cells and in the process brings about its own destruction. That makes you one, despicable living being in my mind, and two, a selfish and deviant perv.
SNAKE:
I think you judge me too harshly, you see I was only protecting..
EVE:
Shhh!! You’ve had your turn to speak, now hush! In my book, you deserve nothing but death. (Pause) However, being a morally superior life form as I am, I will be merciful and spare your miserable little self.
SNAKE:
Thank you.
EVE:
Don’t thank me. I’m doing it for purely selfish reasons. I will help you by liberating you from one object that prevents you from becoming empathetic being you were made to be. (Pause) Get off.
SNAKE:
Now look here, there is no need for you to be cruel. I apologize for not helping you right away and I admit that you are far superior to me, but I swear I would have helped you regardless of your donation. I was only testing you to see how far your loyalty goes. Remember my motivational quote about walls? Remember what I said then?
EVE:
I have a little match here and I am ready to make a little fire now. You may choose to stay there if you wish but I will count to three before I proceed.
SNAKE:
This tree has been my home and shelter for over one millennia.
EVE:
One.
SNAKE:
It is a living thing and you are contradicting yourself by destroying it.
EVE:
Two.
SNAKE:
…
EVE:
Three.
Slow Motion: The snake leaps in a karate move and starts falling towards Eve. Eve raises the knife high above her head and snake falls onto the blade. Snake falls on the ground. The light changes. Snake begins condensing and morphing until it turns into a little golden key. Eve picks up the key. The light around the tree changes. A big unnaturally heavy downpour falls onto the tree and Eve without touching anything else on stage. Eve opens her mouth and greedily drinks the water. During this downpour, tree’s wounds heal all of a sudden and its dry branches become full of fresh green leafs and white flowers. The rain stops. Eve walks over to the tree and kisses its trunk. A chunk falls from the kissed spot revealing a key hole. Eve puts a golden key into the keyhole and steps away. Very slowly, a small door opens up in a tree trunk revealing spiral staircase. Eve steps in and starts going down. Lights fade out as we hear her careful footsteps.
Scene 3 - Underground Lake and Eve’s Dream
Empty stage. Suddenly from stage left a boat starts drifting towards center stage. Interior of the boat is facing the audience. Eve is lying in the boat in a long white dress. Her legs are straight and her hands are clasped on her chest. She is asleep. Sound of waves. A slow music starts. Music does not have any discernible notes but it sounds more like a wind blowing through the rocks. It’s sweet, dark but it almost sounds like organ. Eve’s boat stops at the center. Arms and legs start emerging from the dark. They are caressing eve’s boat and swaying in the same direction. Gradually, a number of arms increases to the point where is seems that Eve’s boat is floating on the fingertips.
Music sounds like it’s made out of whispers of hundreds angels who are all whispering a different lullaby which still sounds harmonic (good luck sound designers). One of the male voices slowly begins to stand out until we hear the words of a sweet song:
ADAM’S VOICE:
Let me kiss her with the kisses of my mouth, for her love-making is sweeter than wine;
EVE:
(With Eve’s sudden jerk, all the hands and music disappear) Adam?
(Distant singing slowly returns)
Female laughter is heard from the dark bellow Eve
ADAM’S VOICE:
(Singing) Draw me in your footsteps, let’s run.
EVE:
Adam is that you?
Singing fades away again. She stares into the dark below her.
ADAM’S VOICE:
(The voice is very close and very clear now) How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves.
EVE:
Adam! Is that you?
No answer. Eve throws a long piece of fabric into the dark bellow her. She uses it as a rope and starts climbing down. As she is lowering herself down the boat is floating up, so it seems she is going further down than she really is. There is a lot of movement in the dark bellow Eve and lots of whispering. She finally gets down. By the time her feet touch the ground she is alone in a narrow pool of light.
EVE:
(Whispering) Adam?
ADAM’S VOICE:
(Distorted whisper keeps moving around the stage and it becomes unnaturally deep by the end of the sentence) Take no notice of my dark coloring, it is the sun that has burn me.
Dull light slowly comes up. Eve is in front of the forest of tall men dressed in black. All Eve sees are their backs and they are all completely still. She looks at them.
EVE:
Adam? (She whispers, but her voice echo’s for unnaturally long time)
Light slowly dims down while Eve is looking up. Light comes back up. Eve turns to the audience.
EVE:
Hello?
Lights go down again and return back quickly. The forest of the man is in the same formation as before but on the opposite side of the stage. Lights go down again and return quickly back up. Forest of the man is now very close to Eve. They are in a very tight formation now and they are all hovering over much shorter eve. They speak in unison.
MEN:
Hello Eve. Lovely night, isn’t it?
EVE:
How do you know my name?
MEN:
You told us. I’m Forrest. Would you care for a dance?
(They all arrange their hands for a tango, in unison)
EVE:
No.. I’m actually just passing through. I am looking for someone.
MEN:
Oh come on, one dance won’t kill you.
EVE:
Okay. She carefully arranges her arms in a manner similar as men and they dance without touching each other or even getting closer to one another.
MEN:
Why do you look so sad?
EVE:
I am not sad. (She smiles). I am just thinking.
MEN:
Thoughts are dangerous.
EVE:
You never get sad?
MEN:
All the time.
EVE:
What do you do then?
MEN:
I wait for them to go away and then I dance.
EVE:
By yourself?
MEN:
Sometimes.
EVE:
I don’t like dancing by myself.
MEN:
Who do you dance with?
EVE:
With this one guy.
MEN:
Where is he?
EVE:
That’s what I would like to know.
MEN:
You shouldn’t be thinking about him right now because I’m here. It’s rude.
EVE:
I know. I’m awful.
MEN:
I sometimes get very jealous.
EVE:
Me too.
She stops dancing and puts a hand on her chest. It hurts.
MEN:
What’s wrong?
She doesn’t answer. She looks very unhappy, but she tries to muster a smile. Attempt of smiling makes her look even more miserable.
EVE:
I’m fine. I just need to be alone for a little bit.. Is that’s ok?
MEN:
Of course.
Lights fade over men and they get swallowed into darkness. Eve grabs her chest and we see that she is in terrible pain. The pain is overwhelming, but she tries to suppress her moans and cries, She slowly falls on the ground. Sky full of starts appears over her. Eve’s pool of light gets smaller and smaller until it only covers her body. A long black arm hugs eve. She holds tightly onto it without opening her eyes. Another hand starts caressing her head. Blue light covers everything. From this point on, all of Eve’s speech and movement is stylized.
EVE:
His left arm under my head, his right embraces me.
Another arm starts caressing her legs and another one her belly. Her pain dissolves instantly as she slowly starts floating and raising in the air. She is floating in a sea of caresses as invisible men carry her around the stage and make her appear as if she is floating under water. All of her motions are slow and even her long dress is controlled by invisible men so it floats up and down in the air at the same speed as Eve’s movement Music starts again. Eve thoroughly enjoys being touched by the arms carrying her and her pleasure keeps growing.
EVE:
I hear my love. See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over the hills?
A large glowing moon with mouth appears over Eve.
EVE:
My love is like a gazelle, like a young stag. See where he stands behind our wall? He looks in at window, he peers through the opening.
EVE:
My love lifts up his voice, he says to me, ‘Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come.
Pause.
EVE:
(Pleadingly) My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock, in the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.
Moon speaks to her with Adam’s voice.
MOON:
How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves.
MOON:
We shall make you golden earrings and beads of silver.
MOON:
As a lily among the thistles, so is my beloved among girls.
Eve giggles, she is still floating in the air and her eyes are still closed.
EVE:
As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my love among young men. In his delightful shade I sit, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
Eve starts floating towards the Moon.
MOON:
Your lips are a scarlet thread and your words enchanting.
MOON:
Your neck is the Tower of David built on layers, hung round with a thousand bucklers, and each the shield of a hero.
MOON:
Your two breasts are two fawns, twins of a gazelle that feed among the lilies. You are wholly beautiful, my beloved, and without a blemish.
EVE:
On my bed at night I sought the man who is my sweetheart: I sought but could not find him!
EVE:
So I shall get up and go through the city; in the streets and in the squares, I shall seek my sweetheart. I sought but could not find him!
Stars start crowding around the moon and they all whisper things to one another. Eve starts floating downward now.
ADAM:
I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, by all gazelles and wild does, do not rouse, do not wake my beloved before she pleases.
Eve stops floating downwards as the starts hush up.
EVE:
I sleep, but my heart is awake. I hear my love knocking. 'Open to me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the drops of night.'
MOON:
Come, my promised bride, come on your way. Look UP from the depths of Amanus, from the haunt of lions, the mountains of leopards.
EVE:
Awake, north wind, come, wind of the south! Breathe over my garden, to spread its sweet smell around. Let my love come into his garden, let him taste its most exquisite fruits.
Wild wind starts blowing and eve’s dress slowly starts floating up.
MOON:
I come into my garden, my sister, my promised bride, I pick my myrrh and balsam, I eat my honey and my honeycomb, I drink my wine and my milk.
EVE:
I sleep, but my heart is awake. I hear my love knocking. 'Open to me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the drops of night.' My love thrust his hand through the hole in the door; I trembled to the core of my being.
Moon is hidden with clouds..silence.
EVE:
I have taken off my tunic, am I to put it on again? I have washed my feet, am I to dirty them again?
Silence.
EVE:
I opened to my love, but he had turned and gone. My soul failed at his flight, I sought but could not find him, I called, but he did not answer.
MEN:
Who are you talking to?
Eve suddenly falls on the ground with a loud thud. Lights come up as the forest of men stares at Eve who is curled up on the floor. Her eyes are tightly closed and she is in fetal position.
EVE:
I opened to my love but he turned and left. I looked for him but I could not find him, I called him, but he didn’t answer.
MEN:
You must have had a nightmare. Here.
They hand her the dress.
EVE:
Thanks.
MEN:
Are you ok?
EVE:
Yeah, I’m fine.
MEN:
He is not here.
EVE:
I know.
MEN:
You are shivering.
Forest of men hugs Eve – in a non-threatening and non-sexual way.
EVE:
You smell good.
MEN:
Thanks.
EVE:
What is it?
MEN:
Bvulgary. I ordered it off the internet by mistake but then decided to keep it.
EVE:
It’s very nice.
MEN:
May I kiss you?
EVE:
No.
MEN:
Is it ok if I hold you for a few minutes longer?
EVE:
Yes please.
MEN:
I think I could fall in love with you.
EVE:
Don’t.
MEN:
Why not?
EVE:
Because I like you, but not as much as I like Adam. I would only make you miserable and leading you on would not be ok.
MEN:
It would be ok if I died tomorrow. I would feel loved and happy for at least one day of my life.
EVE:
You want me to lie to you?
MEN:
I want you to be here with me right now and to forget about the world.
EVE:
I like you.
MEN:
Are you lying to me?
EVE:
Do I sound like I’m lying to you?
MEN:
No, but you don’t have to be the greatest liar to convince me of something that I hope is true.
EVE:
Fine then, you will get one night of happiness in exchange of eternal misery. I can give you only that. Stop smelling my hair. It must smell like mud and sweat.
MEN:
It smells like the sweetest perfume to me.
EVE:
Better than Bvlgary?
MEN:
Well, maybe not better than bvulgary.
EVE:
You are funny.
MEN:
You are beautiful.
EVE:
Love is blind.
MEN:
Yes, but I’m not. I never told you that I love you. And your hair does smell like mud and sweat, but I don’t mind. My ‘infatuation’ and need for affection has transformed it into the sweetest perfume.
EVE:
I feel like I’ve known you forever. This is very comfortable.
MEN:
I feel the same, it’s very odd because I’m usually never this relaxed with women.
EVE:
Maybe I should hit the road.
MEN:
Stay for a minute longer.
EVE:
Ok.
MEN:
That was hard.
EVE:
Shut up.
MEN:
You were right.
EVE:
About what?
MEN:
You will bring me misery.
Lights down.
Scene 4 - Candlelight Supper at the End of the World
Adam and Eve are at a fancy restaurant. Audry Hepburn’s Moon River is heard playing while Adam and Eve are slowly dancing. Everything is really romantic except for the fact that Adam is carrying dead Lilith on his back. Neither of them pays much attention to it, but it’s making Adam’s dance moves really clumsy.
ADAM:
I had no clue how much I missed you until two days ago.
EVE:
I missed you too baby. (Pause) Why did you miss me in the last two days more than usual?
ADAM:
I just thought about everything we’ve been through together and all the things you had to go through to find me. (She stares blankly). It’s awesome.
EVE:
You would have done the same for me.
ADAM:
Of course, but you were so brave and courageous.
Eve smiles.
ADAM:
A drink?
EVE:
Sure.
Adam goes to the bar.
ADAM:
What would you like?
EVE:
The same.
ADAM:
It’s a perfect evening, isn’t it? The stars are out, the air is cool, and you are here with me.
EVE:
I am, everything is exactly I imagined it would be.
ADAM:
But something’s still bugging you.
EVE:
No, what would be bugging me?
ADAM:
I don’t know, but your mind has been somewhere else all night.
EVE:
I don’t want to talk about it.
ADAM:
Ok.
EVE:
When I came to pick you up, you were amazed that I came.
ADAM:
Of course, I never heard of anyone ever surviving a journey to Eridu. I wasn’t sure you would even try.
EVE:
You weren’t sure?
Silence.
EVE:
How could you not know that nothing could stop me from finding you?
ADAM:
I’m an idiot, forgive me.
He hands a cocktail with big umbrella.
EVE:
You were certain I would not make it.
ADAM:
I wasn’t certain, but it was reasonable to expect that you wouldn’t make it.
EVE:
Is that the reason you went back with her?
ADAM:
I went back with her because I had no choice. She would have killed me.
EVE:
She could have killed you. Or not.
ADAM:
Yes. Would you have preferred that she did?
EVE:
No.
ADAM:
You don’t sound so certain.
EVE:
I’m not certain of anything anymore.
ADAM:
Why? I love you like I’ve always loved you and the fact that I pretended to get back with her should not make you jealous. I had no choice. She forced me and threatened to kill me.
EVE:
She believed you?
ADAM:
What?
EVE:
That you loved her?
ADAM:
She wanted to believe me.
EVE:
I want to believe you too.
ADAM:
But you don’t?
EVE:
I don’t know.
Adam sits down. Silence. He puts his head in his palms.
EVE:
You are a good actor and you win in all scenarios. I die, you have Lilith, Lilith dies, and you get me. You never lose because everyone always wants you.
ADAM:
So you wish I died.
EVE:
It’s not that simple.
ADAM:
It’s simple as day! Why don’t you just say that you are pissed because I chose to live in hell hoping to see your face some day again, instead of acting like an angry teen and choosing dramatic death? I love you woman! I love you and living without you was like a torture! I am sorry if I seem fake to you or dishonest because I wanted to survive, but the only reason I survived was because the picture of your face burned in my mind through the every second of every day! You are my light, my air, my stars, my moon, my planets and plants, my flower, my teddy bear, my beautiful woman and nothing exists without you! You are the one for me!
He grabs a knife.
The power is in your hands. Tell me what you want? You want me gone?
EVE:
I want you to stop with dramatics and just talk to me.
Did you or did you not let her go to the desert on her own because she would not let her lie on top of her?
ADAM:
Are we going to go back to that again??
EVE:
Yes or no?
ADAM:
You are really determined to ruin this beautiful night?
EVE:
Yes or no?
ADAM:
Yes! Yes! Yes! Among other things, that was one of the reasons I didn’t go after her. I could tell you millions of other reasons and try to explain myself but you are not interested in hearing that, aren’t you? All you want is a simplistic explanation to accuse me and create more drama.
EVE:
Did you not convince her that you loved her and then betrayed her for the second time?
ADAM:
My answer does not matter since you will hear whatever you wish to hear.
EVE:
(Snapping) Stop laying blame on me! Stop trying to make this about yourself! This is the woman you called your air, your water and your sun before you pushed her into that oven of a desert! This is the woman you promised to take care of for the rest of your life and lured into death for wanting to be with you again. You convinced her that you loved her and that you forgot all about me. How can you expect me to believe the same tings? Do you expect me to ignore all the facts and just jump into the old routine as if nothing happened?
You laid with her, you caressed her hair and her breasts. You told her you love her, you swore that you will love her forever and you never once mentioned my name to her. If I stayed dead, you would be eating dinner with her right now and telling her the same things you are telling me. Words, words, words.. River of beautiful words constantly flows from your mouth and it makes the air smell like a perfume, it gives the world a magic glow and warms up my insides until they swell with love for everything you do, say or think. You are my god and I am not exaggerating! Your image kept me alive when I should have been dead, as I crossed rivers, seas and deserts. And what do I get in return? Words. Words and more words. What can I do with your words? Write a book?
ADAM:
You can do two things with them. You can choose to believe them or you can choose not to believe them. Which is it going to be?
EVE:
You sound so cold…
ADAM:
Are you listening to yourself? First you say you want me to stop with dramatics and then when I do, you accuse me of being cold.
EVE:
I am not accusing you of anything. I only said that you ‘sound’ cold, I didn’t say you were.
ADAM:
Words, words words.. Why don’t you just tell me what you want? What is the point of this conversation?
EVE:
I don’t know. A drink?
ADAM:
Yes, but don’t switch the topic.
EVE:
I won’t, but let’s make a quick digression and talk briefly about something trivial before we dive into deeper subjects?
ADAM:
Ok. Like what?
EVE:
Like, you can tell me I look lovely tonight.
ADAM:
You look lovely tonight. You tell me something nice about me now.
EVE:
Do you smell that?
ADAM:
What?
EVE:
It smells like something is rotting.
ADAM:
Is that the nicest thing you can come up with?
EVE:
Darling, I love the dinner you organized for us, the wonderful table and your… your..charming ways.
ADAM:
Thanks. I guess.
EVE:
But seriously, you don’t smell that?
ADAM:
Nope. All I can smell is the evening dew, flowers and you.
EVE:
And our dinner.
ADAM:
And our dinner.
EVE:
Here.
ADAM:
Thanks.
EVE:
Let’s make a toast.
ADAM:
To what?
EVE:
To all the happy trivial things in life. May they be plentiful, frequent and entertaining enough to keep us away from gloom of all the things worth experiencing?
ADAM:
Here here!
EVE:
Dance for me.
ADAM:
No way.
EVE:
Come on..please? And sing too. I am dying to see something silly and entertaining.
ADAM:
Only if you return the favor.
EVE:
Deal!
ADAM:
Naked.
EVE:
Deal! The floor is yours sir!
ADAM:
What would you like me to sing?
EVE:
Something happy and stupid.
He sings something ridiculously happy and stupid and dances to it.
EVE:
You are ridiculous. I love it.
ADAM:
I love you.
EVE:
I know you do.
ADAM:
Do you love me back?
EVE:
I do. And I love you too, yes. Yes!
ADAM:
You do? Because, honestly, I was starting to wonder.
He goes to her and tries to kiss her. She turns her head away.
EVE:
You smell.
He looks at her in amazement.
ADAM:
Is that all you have to say to me? I smell?
EVE:
I don’t know what else to say to you.
ADAM:
Don’t say anything; just kiss me.
EVE:
I wish I could...
ADAM:
You can, it’s really simple.
EVE:
I can’t because it would be a lie, and I don’t tell lies. I don’t want to.
ADAM:
So you don’t love me anymore, great.
EVE:
I wish I could see the world the way you do – black and white.
ADAM:
Do not be hypocritical! Do not! You can’t tell me that you don’t love me anymore and then accuse me of being an idiot for saying it out loud. I do not deserve to be handled with plastic gloves and I wish you stopped pretending to be all mysterious and strange and just act normal. What happened to my Eve? Where is my wife?
You look like her and you sound like her, but you are not her. I don’t know who you are..Who is this woman who talks to me like a diplomat and complicates things for no reason?
I do admit that I made a mistake when I lied to Lilith and agreed to stay with her. I do, and I can understand that you would be mad at me. But how many times do I have to repeat that I love you and that I am begging you for a chance to prove my loyalty? If you only give me one chance, I would prove that you can trust me and that we can continue being happy together.
EVE:
But you had your chance and you blew it. It’s gone. Poof. How can me expect you to believe you ever again? It’s broken.
Listen, you are right. I am changed and it is understandable that you don’t recognize me anymore. That is the reason you need to realize that you can’t possibly love me as much as you say you do. How can you be in love with a stranger?
ADAM:
Stranger? You think you’re a stranger? You are my wife and my love. I will love you no matter what.
EVE:
Phew. I’m tired of this conversation.
ADAM:
Well too bad, because we’re having it. (He grabs her shoulders.) What do you want? I think I made my wishes clear, now is your turn. What do you want?
EVE:
I want you to let go of my hand.
Thank you.
EVE:
I don’t know what I want..
ADAM:
Great.
EVE:
.. But I know what I don’t want. A guy I met in the caves on the way to Eridu told me that trust was like a mirror. He said that broken trust could be glued together –like a mirror- and I think that he was right. We could glue it up or patch it up or whatever, and it would hold together, but it would still be the same cracked mirror. I don’t want to see cracks in your face whenever I look at you.
ADAM:
Who is this guy? Because I would love to crack his scull.
EVE:
I will never trust you like I used to and I will always doubt you.
ADAM:
Well doubt me and keep testing me and checking me. I don’t care.
EVE:
I do. I can’t agree to that because I remember the mirror when it was whole. The second best just won’t do.
ADAM:
I don’t understand any of this stupid mirror analogy.
EVE:
Forget it.
ADAM:
Where are you going?
EVE:
Away from you.
ADAM:
What? Hold on, calm down.
EVE:
Let go of me!
ADAM:
You can’t just leave. Are you crazy? I love you and I know that deep inside, you have to love me to. We can work this out.
EVE:
We cannot work this out because you don’t know how to listen. We are too different. Let go of me.
ADAM:
Where can you go?
EVE:
Into the desert.
Adam smiles.
EVE:
There’s more out there than you can imagine.
ADAM:
Ok, is this a test? Are you testing me to see if I will let go of you?
EVE:
No, this is not a test.
ADAM:
I am not letting you go.
EVE:
I didn’t ask for permission.
ADAM:
I promised to stay by you and you promised too. I plan to follow my promise no matter what.
EVE:
Well, you should have thought about that promise before you laid with her. You already broke it, it’s done. So let go.
I choose the desert.
He stands in front of her and blocks the way.
EVE:
Move out of my way.
Adam slaps her.
Eve slaps him back.
He tries to slap her again, but she ducks and punches him in the stomach. He falls down.
EVE: You idiot.
She turns to leave, but he grabs her by the foot. She falls onto the table knocking dinner down. They struggle on the floor. It looks really messy and not choreographed. Finally he grabs a piece of plate and leans it against her throat.
EVE: I’m pregnant!
She uses his surprise to punch him unconscious. She fixes up her dress and hair.
EVE: Idiot.
Lights down.
Scene 5 - Lilith Dances With Herself
Eve is walking on a giant treadmill that looks like a giant catwalk. Billy Idol’s song dancing with myself begins playing. She gradually breaks into dance (or just continues walking and simply looks sexy). Wind, sand and water find their way onto the stage and she is having such a good time that the audience almost wants to join in (but they won’t).This can be choreographed.
The end of the song turns into curtain call with other actors joining in – either individually or together.
The end.
EVE - any age, may be played by several different actresses
ADAM - aged between 19 and 100, must be played by the same actor
LILITH - aged between 18 and 30
SNAKE - may be played by Lilith or Adam
FORREST OF MEN
MOON
Scene 1 - The Cave
A tree is set in the center of the stage. The tree is in bloom and its branches are covered with pages ripped from the books. Naked Adam and Eve are tied to the tree. Their eyes are covered with a black cloth.
In front of a tree Lilith sits at a long table eating an apple. The table is covered with delicious foods served in golden dishes. Lilith stares at the audience. She is wearing a skimpy Victoria Secret-ish outfit with wings.
ADAM:
Lilith?
Pause.
ADAM:
Lilith?
Pause.
ADAM:
Lilith?
EVE:
(Mocking Adam) Lilith, Lilith, Lilith! She is not here!
ADAM:
She’s here.
Lilith gets up and slowly walks to Adam. She makes no noise. She stares at Adam’s penis.
EVE:
She is not here.
ADAM:
Where else would she be?
EVE:
Killing babies somewhere, having orgies with goats…
ADAM:
No, she’s here. You’re here, I can tell. Why won’t you talk to us?
EVE:
What do you want from us?
ADAM:
She wants to piss God off.
EVE:
Lilith, I have nothing to do with god. I didn’t know Adam had a wife before me. They didn’t tell me anything.
ADAM:
Ha! What a loyal wife you are.
EVE:
Don’t give me that! You let Him chase her away because she wouldn’t let you be on top? I mean really?! Who does that??
(Lilith sits at the table)
ADAM:
(pause) It wasn’t just lying on top of her. We had lots of other issues, I told you.
EVE:
Is she here? I don’t think she’s here.
ADAM:
She is here.
EVE:
How do you know?
ADAM:
I can smell her.
EVE:
Oh you can, can you?
ADAM:
Yup.
EVE:
What does she smell like?
ADAM:
Like water.
EVE:
Like water. You can’t smell water.
ADAM:
You can smell moisture in the air can’t you?
EVE:
You can feel the moisture, but you don’t smell it in the air.
ADAM:
I can feel the moisture that eludes from her body and smell a Rock Flower she bathes in. That’s what she smells like – like a Rock Flower and water.
EVE:
A rock flower.
ADAM:
Yup.
EVE:
I don’t think she’s here.
ADAM:
She is.
EVE:
What do I smell like?
ADAM:
(Smells) Onions.
EVE:
Oh yeah? Fried Onions?
ADAM:
Yeah.
EVE:
I hate onions.
ADAM:
I smell like them too.
EVE:
Well you might smell them on yourself?
ADAM:
Maybe.
EVE:
(Pause) I’m cold.
ADAM:
Me too.
EVE:
Where do you think we are?
ADAM:
Somewhere cold.
EVE:
Oh really?
ADAM:
I don’t know where we’re at Eve. I have a black smelly cloth on my face. How am I suppose to know where we’re at.
EVE:
Well where does she normally live?
ADAM:
I don’t know.
EVE:
(With a loud shriek that startles Adam) Can anybody hear me? Hello! Is anybody there?
ADAM:
What are you doing?
EVE:
Yelling!
ADAM:
Quit it.
EVE:
Why, will you get us out of here?
ADAM:
Lilith, will you please stop this? What do you want from us?
EVE:
I told you she’s not here. How come you don’t know where she lives?
ADAM:
Why am I suppose to know where she lives?
EVE:
Well she was your wife…
ADAM:
Well she chose to leave. She got her wings and flew away. She didn’t tell me where she was going.
EVE:
Where you never curious about what happened to her?
ADAM:
(Hesitating) No. Not really.
EVE:
She could have been killed in the desert.
ADAM:
Well she knew that and she had a choice. She chose the desert.
EVE:
Over you?
ADAM:
(Pause) Over me.
EVE:
(Laughs) So if I decided to leave you some day would you not care if I got killed in the desert?
ADAM:
Nope.
EVE:
(Gets serious. Silence).
ADAM:
I wouldn’t let you leave.
EVE:
Why?
ADAM:
Why? Because I love you stupid, that’s why.
EVE:
But didn’t you love her too?
ADAM:
Yes.
EVE:
And you still let her go?
ADAM:
I didn’t have a choice. She blackmailed god and when he gave her wings, she flew away. Like a bird. How can you stop a bird?
EVE:
(After brief thinking) You can shoot her?
ADAM:
Well I didn’t shoot her. Maybe I should have.
EVE:
So did you look for her?
ADAM:
She went to the desert Eve.
EVE:
So?
ADAM:
So, you can’t go into the desert!
EVE:
Why not? She went to the desert.
ADAM:
What do you mean why not? Why are you asking me these questions? Because you can’t go there, you know why. There’s nothing in the desert. Only sand, stones… and dead cities. You know that.
EVE:
And your ‘love’, and she survived! Didn’t you at least try?
ADAM:
She married the desert.
EVE:
She married the desert. How can you marry the desert? She married you.
ADAM:
What is that suppose to mean?
EVE:
What does it sound like? She married you…and then she left?
ADAM:
Yup.
EVE:
Why?
ADAM:
Ask her.
EVE:
(Pause) Why did you leave him? (Pause) Why did you leave him?
LILITH:
Because I wanted to.
ADAM:
I told you.
EVE:
Why did you have to leave him? Didn’t you promise to love him forever? And why are we here?
LILITH:
During this monologue she moves seductively from Adam and Eve to the audience. She addresses them directly and offers some of the food from the table to the few chose ones. She dances for some of them.
Because there are many strange and wonderful things in this world, but none of them more strangely wonderful then man. He travels across the white-capped ocean and wears down the immortal earth. He harasses her, and as years go by, his ploughs move back and forth, back and forth, back and forth…
You know who wrote that?
EVE:
No but it’s beautiful.
LILITH:
It was written by a man called Sophocles.
O resourceful man, whose skill can overcome ferocious beasts!
He’s taught himself speech and wind-swift thought, trained his feelings for communal civic life, learning to escape the icy frost, the harsh life lived under the open sky.
That’s man—so resourceful in all he does! There’s no event his skill cannot confront--
other than death—that alone he cannot escape, although for many curious sicknesses
he has discovered his own remedies - he ….(she laughs)
EVE:
What’s so funny?
LILITH:
Adam. He aged so much... what did you do to him? Look at that face.
EVE:
I didn’t do anything.
LILITH:
Have you seen it lately? (She touches his face) I mean really took time to look at it – that old and loose skin (She pinches his skin and stretches to the point it hurts) shrouded with that unsightly patch of blackness (she tussles his hair, and then discoveres his ears.) ..Attached to those two awful saggy things. It would be funny if weren’t so sad. (Her eyes drop from his face to his penis).
ADAM:
There is no need to be vulgar. Why do you always have to be so vulgar?
LILITH:
Because I’m vulgar.
EVE:
I don’t think you are vulgar at all. I like how you speak Lilith, it’s very pretty, but do you think you could give us a blanket or turn up the heat a little bit? It’s kind of chilly in here and I think I might have a cold (she forces a pitiful cough).
LILITH:
(No answer, She is getting annoyed)
EVE:
Lilith? (Uncomfortable silence) Hello? Lily? Please don’t be mad at Adam, he didn’t mean to offend you.
ADAM:
I can talk for myself, thank you.
EVE:
Shhh!..Lilith? Are you still with us? I like your voice a lot. I wish I could speak pretty like you some day.
LILITH:
Why? You didn’t hear anything I said. She’s a horrible actress.
EVE:
I heard everything but this cold is a bit distracting. Don’t you think we could possibly have blanket or something?
LILTH:
No.
EVE:
Why not?
LILITH:
Because god made you naked like that. Who am I to change the perfect condition he put you in? That would be blasphemous and I’m a simple woman who hates to challenging divine powers.
However, I’ll tell you why I brought you here.
ADAM:
We’re all ears.
LILITH:
I brought you here because I’m very revengeful and because this man here is a pig. He is a selfish son of a bitch who doesn’t care about anything or anyone but himself. You must have figured that out by now in spite of your colossal stupidity?
EVE:
I think that name calling is really immature and unnecessary.
LILITH:
My pride and vanity have been irreparably hurt and the only way for them to heal is through your husband’s excruciating and humiliating death. There. Plain and simple.
EVE:
Wow. No wonder you’re still single and bitter.
Lilith slaps her.
EVE:
Way to show a tied and naked woman whose boss!
ADAM:
Stay away from her.
LILITH:
Or what? I can’t believe you replaced me with somebody like her. She is relatively pretty, but so dull. What were you thinking?
ADAM:
Let go of her. This is between you and me. She has nothing to do with it.
LILITH:
Oh! How romantic of you to defend her!
EVE:
I don’t want to go.
LILITH:
How noble and predictable of you! It keeps getting better and it’s a shame I have to end it now.
Dear Eve, it’s time for you to make your choice. Music please!
(game show music)
You can:
a) Stay for the show and watch Adam die.
b) Skip the show and go home
c) Join the show and die with him
What’s it gonna be?
EVE:
D. I want you to forgive him and to forgive me. I’m not sure what happened between the two of you and I am sorry you were mistreated and all.
But, the past is past and either of us dying will not erase any of the things that happened. Past can’t be changed, but future can and I’m beginning you to forgive us. If you kill him you will make my life miserable and I did not deserve that any more than you deserved to be mistreated by Adam. You would actually be acting like him.
LILITH:
Cute speech but forgiveness is out of the question. Any other ideas?
EVE:
A couple.
LILITH:
Well do tell.
EVE:
It might take a while.
LILITH:
Well start talkin..
LILITH:
You will really hear then out?
EVE:
I will really hear them out. It is not likely that I will change my mind, but you are right. If I am about to change your life forever and make you miserable, the least I can do is to hear what you have to say.
Lights down.
Scene 2 - Desert
Eve crawls exhausted to the beautiful apple tree. The tree is dry and it looks like a giant lopsided plant with roots sticking high above the ground. The snake is sleeping wrapped around a thick tree trunk. Eve tries to get up supporting herself against a tree trunk. She does not notice the snake. She is about to reach the nearest apple when the snake suddenly wakes up and finds itself face to face with Eve.
SNAKE:
Hi.
EVE:
Eve screams, falls to the floor and starts walking backward. She can’t believe her eyes. She thinks she might be hallucinating. She slowly crawls back to the tree to take a closer look. She stares at the snake’s face. A moment goes by.
SNAKE:
Hi
The event from the opening repeats itself – eve screams and retreats in bewilderment. She then gathers enough courage to go back to the tree. Snake says ‘Hi’ again. This scene is repeated two more times. The second time it happens, Eve stays away from the tree.
SNAKE:
Are you ok?
Eve just stares at the snake paralyzed with fear.
SNAKE:
Can I help you with something?
Eve shakes her head vigorously – signaling no. Snake stares at her for a moment and then relaxes its head and prepares to fall asleep again. Eve finds a pebble of the floor, gets up to her feet and throws it at the sleeping snake.
SNAKE:
Hey! What is wrong with you woman?!
Eve screams in terror and runs offstage.
SNAKE:
(staring after her) Jesus Christ …
Snake relaxes its head preparing to fall asleep, but then jerks its head up in anticipation of being hit with something again. Looks around. Eve is nowhere in sight. Snake relaxes again but repeats the jerk and looks around one more time before fully relaxing and getting back to sleep. Beat. Eve sneaks up to the tree caring what appears to be a leftover of an old umbrella. She is about to beat the snake up.
SNAKE:
(calmly not opening its eyes or even moving) I am a lot quicker then I seem and my teeth are quite sharp too.
Eve freezes in a midst of umbrella swing. Snake lifts its head. Eve starts backing away.
SNAKE:
Can you speak?
Eve nods approvingly.
SNAKE:
What do you want?
EVE:
I I I…I’m..I..(sighs) Um..Hm. (silence)
SNAKE:
Do you have some kind of speech impediment or disability I should know of?
EVE:
(Offended) No!…
SNAKE:
She speaks! Praise Lord Jesus!
EVE:
What are you?
SNAKE:
Snake. What do I look like?
EVE:
Snake?
SNAKE:
Yes, snake.. You know, serpent, adder, legless lizard… representative of evil and Lord of the Underworld.
EVE:
What? (pause)
SNAKE:
(Snake just shakes its head and rolls its eyes) Never mind.
EVE:
Is there any water anywhere around here?
SNAKE:
Water? (Thinks) Ahm..we’re in the middle of a desert so, no honey, I don’t think so.
EV E:
You don’t think so? What do you mean you don’t think so? Is there a water or not?
SNAKE:
I haven’t seen any water around here in a loooooooong time; But then again I never leave my tree so I really wouldn’t know. Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t.
EVE:
Oh God. How come you never leave the tree?
SNAKE:
Why would I?
EVE:
Well to get some food, water…
SNAKE:
I don’t need them. I have my tree.
(Eve slumps down)
SNAKE:
Are you ok?
EVE:
Do I look ok? I am thirsty..I’m so thirsty.. There’s got to be some water around here, it has to?
SNAKE:
Hmmm.. I doubt it. Why are you here? You know you’re not supposed to be in the desert?
EVE:
I’m looking for the city of Eridu.
SNAKE:
Eridu?! Oh, another crazy? I should have known.
EVE:
Why?
SNAKE:
Because nobody comes back from Eridu. Those who find Eridu never come back to tell about it. Only crazies go looking for it.
EVE:
Well I will find it, trust me. (she gets up) Which way is it?
SNAKE:
What, Eridu? I’m not gonna tell you that. Why would I tell you that?
EVE:
Why not?
SNAKE:
I have my reasons. And I’m doing you a favor. I’m saving you from more horror than you can imagine.
EVE:
Well I don’t need your saving. Just tell me which way to take. (pause) Please.
SNAKE:
And what do I get in return?
EVE:
What do you get in return? What do you want?
SNAKE:
I do not want anything, I’m perfectly happy, but my beautiful tree here needs some water. Just look at it. It needs it desperately. It has not had anything to drink since god knows when.
EVE:
I have no water. I just asked you for some water.
SNAKE:
Oh that’s right. Well, never mind then.
EVE:
Can I get you anything else?
SNAKE:
I don’t think so.
EVE:
Will you please tell me how to find Eridu? It’s a matter of life and death. My husband is imprisoned and he will die if I don’t get him a flame from Eridu.
SNAKE:
Flame from Eridu? Well that’s very ambitious and courageous of you! Good luck. (snake goes to sleep)
EVE:
I really have no water. If I did I would drink it myself.
SNAKE:
I understand.
EVE:
Please help me Snake, I need your help.
SNAKE:
We all need help. Just look at those poor sad branches.. Brittle like a fish skeleton…
EVE:
I will do what ever it takes, but I have no water. Please understand that.
SNAKE:
Oh but you do. You are full of water my child. You are a walking water tank.
EVE:
What?
SNAKE:
Your lean muscles are 75% water, your bones are 22% water and your blood.. Now that is a real treasure: 95% of fresh watery deliciousnessssssssss.
EVE:
Yeah, but that’s not a drinking water. You are talking about fluids in my body.
SNAKE:
Oh I know, I understand that.
EVE:
That’s the water in my body. I can’t live without that.
SNAKE:
Gotcha.
(Long pause)
EVE:
Wait, so you want me to kill myself and water your tree with my blood? Is that what you want? Is that what you’re asking me to do?
SNAKE:
(laughs) Of course not! You are too silly. I don’t want anything, I already told you that. I’m just trying to educate you a bit and test your determination.
See, somebody smart said that walls are there to stop the people who don’t want things badly enough. How badly do you want to get to Eridu? And don’t answer me! Just think about it.
(Knife falls from the sky in front of Eve.)
SNAKE:
Hey look! A knife.
Snake hands Eve a knife that seems to appear out of nowhere. Eve doesn’t take it.
EVE:
I’m hot and your voice is making me feel dizzy.
SNAKE:
It is a very warm day today. My tree would offer you some shade but unfortunately there are no leafs left. It’s hard to imagine it was once covered in green lush and that it bore heavy red droplets, isn’t it? I am sure that even a little bit of water would help it. Maybe just a few drops?
EVE:
I will find Eridu and the Abys of Abzu.. I will. (She sits down, snake slithers closer to her and whispers into her ear)
SNAKE:
You will, it’s for your husband. It’s a matter of life and death.
Snake hands knife to Eve, who takes it almost mechanically.
EVE:
I have to find them and return before the moon is full again.
SNAKE:
It would be selfish not to do everything in your power to save one man that you are eternally bound to. No sacrifice is too small when it comes to love.
EVE:
I will do whatever I have to do.
SNAKE:
You did promise after all?
EVE:
Till death do us part. Yes I did.
SNAKE:
That’s right.
(Eve slowly brings knife to her wrist and then stops)
EVE:
No hesitation now. Do not waste your time.
Eve looks at the snake, then suddenly stabs the tree. Thick red liquid begins to ooze out of the tree trunk.
SNAKE:
My tree!
EVE:
Here’s a nice iron boost for your stupid tree! (she stabs it again) Did you know that normal blood contains about 38% of iron? (another stab) Five percent of salt. (another stab)
You want more unimportant science facts involving percentages? (another stab)
SNAKE:
(Hissing at eve and trying to bite her in sudden moves that Eve successfully avoid) You made a fatal mistake by trying to outsmart me. Say goodbye to the world.
EVE:
Tell me where Eridu is before I shred you and your stupid tree to pieces!
SNAKE:
You will never find Eridu you idiot! If you touch that tree one more time…
EVE:
More threats? (Eve stabs the tree again and again and avoids snake’s attack in one fluid motion) You are not all that smart because you should know by now that intimidation tactics don’t work with starved and desperate. Which way is to Eridu? (She stabs the tree again)
SNAKE:
Stop it! Please. (Eve stops) You do not realize what you are doing.. If you kill this tree..
(Eve slashes the tree again)
SNAKE:
I was not trying to threaten you, you stupid cow! Stop with that! I will tell you how to get to Eridu!
EVE:
I’m listening.
SNAKE:
It’s a three day’s walk from here.
EVE:
Ok.
SNAKE:
East. (Snake points with its tail)
EVE:
Ok. How do I know you’re telling the truth?
SNAKE:
I always tell the truth.
EVE:
Funny. (She breaks a branch off a tree)
SNAKE:
Please stop it! I told you the truth, I told you the truth! I swear!
EVE:
How many people have you buried in this sand?
SNAKE:
I have not buried anyone. I don’t even have hands. How am I supposed to bury anything?
EVE:
How many people have you tricked into feeding this stupid tree?
SNAKE:
I’m not a a magician. I don’t do tricks.
Eve breaks another branch.
EVE:
More than 10?
SNAKE:
I already told you where and how to find Eridu. Will you now please stop molesting me and this poor plant?
EVE:
I won’t. You see Snake, I cultivate a sense of personal responsibility for all the living things of this planet. You and I may be different, but we are ultimately made out of same stuff. We are dirt and water, and even tough we walk around for a breath or two, we always go back to being dirt and water. Always. The two of us will mix Snake just like we mixed before. We will be made into things that breathe and drink water and pee, but we will always go back to our old melting pot. Do you understand what I’m saying?
SNAKE:
No.
Eve breaks another branch.
SNAKE:
Yes! Yes! I was just joking.
EVE: (During this monologue Eve walks around the tree collecting dry branches and burnt grass. She piles them near under the tree trunk) Good. Then you also must understand that by trying to harm me, you also tried to harm the entire Universe and your little slithery self. In other words, you acted like a cancer. You acted like a cancer that devours healthy cells and in the process brings about its own destruction. That makes you one, despicable living being in my mind, and two, a selfish and deviant perv.
SNAKE:
I think you judge me too harshly, you see I was only protecting..
EVE:
Shhh!! You’ve had your turn to speak, now hush! In my book, you deserve nothing but death. (Pause) However, being a morally superior life form as I am, I will be merciful and spare your miserable little self.
SNAKE:
Thank you.
EVE:
Don’t thank me. I’m doing it for purely selfish reasons. I will help you by liberating you from one object that prevents you from becoming empathetic being you were made to be. (Pause) Get off.
SNAKE:
Now look here, there is no need for you to be cruel. I apologize for not helping you right away and I admit that you are far superior to me, but I swear I would have helped you regardless of your donation. I was only testing you to see how far your loyalty goes. Remember my motivational quote about walls? Remember what I said then?
EVE:
I have a little match here and I am ready to make a little fire now. You may choose to stay there if you wish but I will count to three before I proceed.
SNAKE:
This tree has been my home and shelter for over one millennia.
EVE:
One.
SNAKE:
It is a living thing and you are contradicting yourself by destroying it.
EVE:
Two.
SNAKE:
…
EVE:
Three.
Slow Motion: The snake leaps in a karate move and starts falling towards Eve. Eve raises the knife high above her head and snake falls onto the blade. Snake falls on the ground. The light changes. Snake begins condensing and morphing until it turns into a little golden key. Eve picks up the key. The light around the tree changes. A big unnaturally heavy downpour falls onto the tree and Eve without touching anything else on stage. Eve opens her mouth and greedily drinks the water. During this downpour, tree’s wounds heal all of a sudden and its dry branches become full of fresh green leafs and white flowers. The rain stops. Eve walks over to the tree and kisses its trunk. A chunk falls from the kissed spot revealing a key hole. Eve puts a golden key into the keyhole and steps away. Very slowly, a small door opens up in a tree trunk revealing spiral staircase. Eve steps in and starts going down. Lights fade out as we hear her careful footsteps.
Scene 3 - Underground Lake and Eve’s Dream
Empty stage. Suddenly from stage left a boat starts drifting towards center stage. Interior of the boat is facing the audience. Eve is lying in the boat in a long white dress. Her legs are straight and her hands are clasped on her chest. She is asleep. Sound of waves. A slow music starts. Music does not have any discernible notes but it sounds more like a wind blowing through the rocks. It’s sweet, dark but it almost sounds like organ. Eve’s boat stops at the center. Arms and legs start emerging from the dark. They are caressing eve’s boat and swaying in the same direction. Gradually, a number of arms increases to the point where is seems that Eve’s boat is floating on the fingertips.
Music sounds like it’s made out of whispers of hundreds angels who are all whispering a different lullaby which still sounds harmonic (good luck sound designers). One of the male voices slowly begins to stand out until we hear the words of a sweet song:
ADAM’S VOICE:
Let me kiss her with the kisses of my mouth, for her love-making is sweeter than wine;
EVE:
(With Eve’s sudden jerk, all the hands and music disappear) Adam?
(Distant singing slowly returns)
Female laughter is heard from the dark bellow Eve
ADAM’S VOICE:
(Singing) Draw me in your footsteps, let’s run.
EVE:
Adam is that you?
Singing fades away again. She stares into the dark below her.
ADAM’S VOICE:
(The voice is very close and very clear now) How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves.
EVE:
Adam! Is that you?
No answer. Eve throws a long piece of fabric into the dark bellow her. She uses it as a rope and starts climbing down. As she is lowering herself down the boat is floating up, so it seems she is going further down than she really is. There is a lot of movement in the dark bellow Eve and lots of whispering. She finally gets down. By the time her feet touch the ground she is alone in a narrow pool of light.
EVE:
(Whispering) Adam?
ADAM’S VOICE:
(Distorted whisper keeps moving around the stage and it becomes unnaturally deep by the end of the sentence) Take no notice of my dark coloring, it is the sun that has burn me.
Dull light slowly comes up. Eve is in front of the forest of tall men dressed in black. All Eve sees are their backs and they are all completely still. She looks at them.
EVE:
Adam? (She whispers, but her voice echo’s for unnaturally long time)
Light slowly dims down while Eve is looking up. Light comes back up. Eve turns to the audience.
EVE:
Hello?
Lights go down again and return back quickly. The forest of the man is in the same formation as before but on the opposite side of the stage. Lights go down again and return quickly back up. Forest of the man is now very close to Eve. They are in a very tight formation now and they are all hovering over much shorter eve. They speak in unison.
MEN:
Hello Eve. Lovely night, isn’t it?
EVE:
How do you know my name?
MEN:
You told us. I’m Forrest. Would you care for a dance?
(They all arrange their hands for a tango, in unison)
EVE:
No.. I’m actually just passing through. I am looking for someone.
MEN:
Oh come on, one dance won’t kill you.
EVE:
Okay. She carefully arranges her arms in a manner similar as men and they dance without touching each other or even getting closer to one another.
MEN:
Why do you look so sad?
EVE:
I am not sad. (She smiles). I am just thinking.
MEN:
Thoughts are dangerous.
EVE:
You never get sad?
MEN:
All the time.
EVE:
What do you do then?
MEN:
I wait for them to go away and then I dance.
EVE:
By yourself?
MEN:
Sometimes.
EVE:
I don’t like dancing by myself.
MEN:
Who do you dance with?
EVE:
With this one guy.
MEN:
Where is he?
EVE:
That’s what I would like to know.
MEN:
You shouldn’t be thinking about him right now because I’m here. It’s rude.
EVE:
I know. I’m awful.
MEN:
I sometimes get very jealous.
EVE:
Me too.
She stops dancing and puts a hand on her chest. It hurts.
MEN:
What’s wrong?
She doesn’t answer. She looks very unhappy, but she tries to muster a smile. Attempt of smiling makes her look even more miserable.
EVE:
I’m fine. I just need to be alone for a little bit.. Is that’s ok?
MEN:
Of course.
Lights fade over men and they get swallowed into darkness. Eve grabs her chest and we see that she is in terrible pain. The pain is overwhelming, but she tries to suppress her moans and cries, She slowly falls on the ground. Sky full of starts appears over her. Eve’s pool of light gets smaller and smaller until it only covers her body. A long black arm hugs eve. She holds tightly onto it without opening her eyes. Another hand starts caressing her head. Blue light covers everything. From this point on, all of Eve’s speech and movement is stylized.
EVE:
His left arm under my head, his right embraces me.
Another arm starts caressing her legs and another one her belly. Her pain dissolves instantly as she slowly starts floating and raising in the air. She is floating in a sea of caresses as invisible men carry her around the stage and make her appear as if she is floating under water. All of her motions are slow and even her long dress is controlled by invisible men so it floats up and down in the air at the same speed as Eve’s movement Music starts again. Eve thoroughly enjoys being touched by the arms carrying her and her pleasure keeps growing.
EVE:
I hear my love. See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over the hills?
A large glowing moon with mouth appears over Eve.
EVE:
My love is like a gazelle, like a young stag. See where he stands behind our wall? He looks in at window, he peers through the opening.
EVE:
My love lifts up his voice, he says to me, ‘Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come.
Pause.
EVE:
(Pleadingly) My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock, in the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.
Moon speaks to her with Adam’s voice.
MOON:
How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful you are! Your eyes are doves.
MOON:
We shall make you golden earrings and beads of silver.
MOON:
As a lily among the thistles, so is my beloved among girls.
Eve giggles, she is still floating in the air and her eyes are still closed.
EVE:
As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my love among young men. In his delightful shade I sit, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
Eve starts floating towards the Moon.
MOON:
Your lips are a scarlet thread and your words enchanting.
MOON:
Your neck is the Tower of David built on layers, hung round with a thousand bucklers, and each the shield of a hero.
MOON:
Your two breasts are two fawns, twins of a gazelle that feed among the lilies. You are wholly beautiful, my beloved, and without a blemish.
EVE:
On my bed at night I sought the man who is my sweetheart: I sought but could not find him!
EVE:
So I shall get up and go through the city; in the streets and in the squares, I shall seek my sweetheart. I sought but could not find him!
Stars start crowding around the moon and they all whisper things to one another. Eve starts floating downward now.
ADAM:
I charge you, daughters of Jerusalem, by all gazelles and wild does, do not rouse, do not wake my beloved before she pleases.
Eve stops floating downwards as the starts hush up.
EVE:
I sleep, but my heart is awake. I hear my love knocking. 'Open to me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the drops of night.'
MOON:
Come, my promised bride, come on your way. Look UP from the depths of Amanus, from the haunt of lions, the mountains of leopards.
EVE:
Awake, north wind, come, wind of the south! Breathe over my garden, to spread its sweet smell around. Let my love come into his garden, let him taste its most exquisite fruits.
Wild wind starts blowing and eve’s dress slowly starts floating up.
MOON:
I come into my garden, my sister, my promised bride, I pick my myrrh and balsam, I eat my honey and my honeycomb, I drink my wine and my milk.
EVE:
I sleep, but my heart is awake. I hear my love knocking. 'Open to me, my sister, my beloved, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my hair with the drops of night.' My love thrust his hand through the hole in the door; I trembled to the core of my being.
Moon is hidden with clouds..silence.
EVE:
I have taken off my tunic, am I to put it on again? I have washed my feet, am I to dirty them again?
Silence.
EVE:
I opened to my love, but he had turned and gone. My soul failed at his flight, I sought but could not find him, I called, but he did not answer.
MEN:
Who are you talking to?
Eve suddenly falls on the ground with a loud thud. Lights come up as the forest of men stares at Eve who is curled up on the floor. Her eyes are tightly closed and she is in fetal position.
EVE:
I opened to my love but he turned and left. I looked for him but I could not find him, I called him, but he didn’t answer.
MEN:
You must have had a nightmare. Here.
They hand her the dress.
EVE:
Thanks.
MEN:
Are you ok?
EVE:
Yeah, I’m fine.
MEN:
He is not here.
EVE:
I know.
MEN:
You are shivering.
Forest of men hugs Eve – in a non-threatening and non-sexual way.
EVE:
You smell good.
MEN:
Thanks.
EVE:
What is it?
MEN:
Bvulgary. I ordered it off the internet by mistake but then decided to keep it.
EVE:
It’s very nice.
MEN:
May I kiss you?
EVE:
No.
MEN:
Is it ok if I hold you for a few minutes longer?
EVE:
Yes please.
MEN:
I think I could fall in love with you.
EVE:
Don’t.
MEN:
Why not?
EVE:
Because I like you, but not as much as I like Adam. I would only make you miserable and leading you on would not be ok.
MEN:
It would be ok if I died tomorrow. I would feel loved and happy for at least one day of my life.
EVE:
You want me to lie to you?
MEN:
I want you to be here with me right now and to forget about the world.
EVE:
I like you.
MEN:
Are you lying to me?
EVE:
Do I sound like I’m lying to you?
MEN:
No, but you don’t have to be the greatest liar to convince me of something that I hope is true.
EVE:
Fine then, you will get one night of happiness in exchange of eternal misery. I can give you only that. Stop smelling my hair. It must smell like mud and sweat.
MEN:
It smells like the sweetest perfume to me.
EVE:
Better than Bvlgary?
MEN:
Well, maybe not better than bvulgary.
EVE:
You are funny.
MEN:
You are beautiful.
EVE:
Love is blind.
MEN:
Yes, but I’m not. I never told you that I love you. And your hair does smell like mud and sweat, but I don’t mind. My ‘infatuation’ and need for affection has transformed it into the sweetest perfume.
EVE:
I feel like I’ve known you forever. This is very comfortable.
MEN:
I feel the same, it’s very odd because I’m usually never this relaxed with women.
EVE:
Maybe I should hit the road.
MEN:
Stay for a minute longer.
EVE:
Ok.
MEN:
That was hard.
EVE:
Shut up.
MEN:
You were right.
EVE:
About what?
MEN:
You will bring me misery.
Lights down.
Scene 4 - Candlelight Supper at the End of the World
Adam and Eve are at a fancy restaurant. Audry Hepburn’s Moon River is heard playing while Adam and Eve are slowly dancing. Everything is really romantic except for the fact that Adam is carrying dead Lilith on his back. Neither of them pays much attention to it, but it’s making Adam’s dance moves really clumsy.
ADAM:
I had no clue how much I missed you until two days ago.
EVE:
I missed you too baby. (Pause) Why did you miss me in the last two days more than usual?
ADAM:
I just thought about everything we’ve been through together and all the things you had to go through to find me. (She stares blankly). It’s awesome.
EVE:
You would have done the same for me.
ADAM:
Of course, but you were so brave and courageous.
Eve smiles.
ADAM:
A drink?
EVE:
Sure.
Adam goes to the bar.
ADAM:
What would you like?
EVE:
The same.
ADAM:
It’s a perfect evening, isn’t it? The stars are out, the air is cool, and you are here with me.
EVE:
I am, everything is exactly I imagined it would be.
ADAM:
But something’s still bugging you.
EVE:
No, what would be bugging me?
ADAM:
I don’t know, but your mind has been somewhere else all night.
EVE:
I don’t want to talk about it.
ADAM:
Ok.
EVE:
When I came to pick you up, you were amazed that I came.
ADAM:
Of course, I never heard of anyone ever surviving a journey to Eridu. I wasn’t sure you would even try.
EVE:
You weren’t sure?
Silence.
EVE:
How could you not know that nothing could stop me from finding you?
ADAM:
I’m an idiot, forgive me.
He hands a cocktail with big umbrella.
EVE:
You were certain I would not make it.
ADAM:
I wasn’t certain, but it was reasonable to expect that you wouldn’t make it.
EVE:
Is that the reason you went back with her?
ADAM:
I went back with her because I had no choice. She would have killed me.
EVE:
She could have killed you. Or not.
ADAM:
Yes. Would you have preferred that she did?
EVE:
No.
ADAM:
You don’t sound so certain.
EVE:
I’m not certain of anything anymore.
ADAM:
Why? I love you like I’ve always loved you and the fact that I pretended to get back with her should not make you jealous. I had no choice. She forced me and threatened to kill me.
EVE:
She believed you?
ADAM:
What?
EVE:
That you loved her?
ADAM:
She wanted to believe me.
EVE:
I want to believe you too.
ADAM:
But you don’t?
EVE:
I don’t know.
Adam sits down. Silence. He puts his head in his palms.
EVE:
You are a good actor and you win in all scenarios. I die, you have Lilith, Lilith dies, and you get me. You never lose because everyone always wants you.
ADAM:
So you wish I died.
EVE:
It’s not that simple.
ADAM:
It’s simple as day! Why don’t you just say that you are pissed because I chose to live in hell hoping to see your face some day again, instead of acting like an angry teen and choosing dramatic death? I love you woman! I love you and living without you was like a torture! I am sorry if I seem fake to you or dishonest because I wanted to survive, but the only reason I survived was because the picture of your face burned in my mind through the every second of every day! You are my light, my air, my stars, my moon, my planets and plants, my flower, my teddy bear, my beautiful woman and nothing exists without you! You are the one for me!
He grabs a knife.
The power is in your hands. Tell me what you want? You want me gone?
EVE:
I want you to stop with dramatics and just talk to me.
Did you or did you not let her go to the desert on her own because she would not let her lie on top of her?
ADAM:
Are we going to go back to that again??
EVE:
Yes or no?
ADAM:
You are really determined to ruin this beautiful night?
EVE:
Yes or no?
ADAM:
Yes! Yes! Yes! Among other things, that was one of the reasons I didn’t go after her. I could tell you millions of other reasons and try to explain myself but you are not interested in hearing that, aren’t you? All you want is a simplistic explanation to accuse me and create more drama.
EVE:
Did you not convince her that you loved her and then betrayed her for the second time?
ADAM:
My answer does not matter since you will hear whatever you wish to hear.
EVE:
(Snapping) Stop laying blame on me! Stop trying to make this about yourself! This is the woman you called your air, your water and your sun before you pushed her into that oven of a desert! This is the woman you promised to take care of for the rest of your life and lured into death for wanting to be with you again. You convinced her that you loved her and that you forgot all about me. How can you expect me to believe the same tings? Do you expect me to ignore all the facts and just jump into the old routine as if nothing happened?
You laid with her, you caressed her hair and her breasts. You told her you love her, you swore that you will love her forever and you never once mentioned my name to her. If I stayed dead, you would be eating dinner with her right now and telling her the same things you are telling me. Words, words, words.. River of beautiful words constantly flows from your mouth and it makes the air smell like a perfume, it gives the world a magic glow and warms up my insides until they swell with love for everything you do, say or think. You are my god and I am not exaggerating! Your image kept me alive when I should have been dead, as I crossed rivers, seas and deserts. And what do I get in return? Words. Words and more words. What can I do with your words? Write a book?
ADAM:
You can do two things with them. You can choose to believe them or you can choose not to believe them. Which is it going to be?
EVE:
You sound so cold…
ADAM:
Are you listening to yourself? First you say you want me to stop with dramatics and then when I do, you accuse me of being cold.
EVE:
I am not accusing you of anything. I only said that you ‘sound’ cold, I didn’t say you were.
ADAM:
Words, words words.. Why don’t you just tell me what you want? What is the point of this conversation?
EVE:
I don’t know. A drink?
ADAM:
Yes, but don’t switch the topic.
EVE:
I won’t, but let’s make a quick digression and talk briefly about something trivial before we dive into deeper subjects?
ADAM:
Ok. Like what?
EVE:
Like, you can tell me I look lovely tonight.
ADAM:
You look lovely tonight. You tell me something nice about me now.
EVE:
Do you smell that?
ADAM:
What?
EVE:
It smells like something is rotting.
ADAM:
Is that the nicest thing you can come up with?
EVE:
Darling, I love the dinner you organized for us, the wonderful table and your… your..charming ways.
ADAM:
Thanks. I guess.
EVE:
But seriously, you don’t smell that?
ADAM:
Nope. All I can smell is the evening dew, flowers and you.
EVE:
And our dinner.
ADAM:
And our dinner.
EVE:
Here.
ADAM:
Thanks.
EVE:
Let’s make a toast.
ADAM:
To what?
EVE:
To all the happy trivial things in life. May they be plentiful, frequent and entertaining enough to keep us away from gloom of all the things worth experiencing?
ADAM:
Here here!
EVE:
Dance for me.
ADAM:
No way.
EVE:
Come on..please? And sing too. I am dying to see something silly and entertaining.
ADAM:
Only if you return the favor.
EVE:
Deal!
ADAM:
Naked.
EVE:
Deal! The floor is yours sir!
ADAM:
What would you like me to sing?
EVE:
Something happy and stupid.
He sings something ridiculously happy and stupid and dances to it.
EVE:
You are ridiculous. I love it.
ADAM:
I love you.
EVE:
I know you do.
ADAM:
Do you love me back?
EVE:
I do. And I love you too, yes. Yes!
ADAM:
You do? Because, honestly, I was starting to wonder.
He goes to her and tries to kiss her. She turns her head away.
EVE:
You smell.
He looks at her in amazement.
ADAM:
Is that all you have to say to me? I smell?
EVE:
I don’t know what else to say to you.
ADAM:
Don’t say anything; just kiss me.
EVE:
I wish I could...
ADAM:
You can, it’s really simple.
EVE:
I can’t because it would be a lie, and I don’t tell lies. I don’t want to.
ADAM:
So you don’t love me anymore, great.
EVE:
I wish I could see the world the way you do – black and white.
ADAM:
Do not be hypocritical! Do not! You can’t tell me that you don’t love me anymore and then accuse me of being an idiot for saying it out loud. I do not deserve to be handled with plastic gloves and I wish you stopped pretending to be all mysterious and strange and just act normal. What happened to my Eve? Where is my wife?
You look like her and you sound like her, but you are not her. I don’t know who you are..Who is this woman who talks to me like a diplomat and complicates things for no reason?
I do admit that I made a mistake when I lied to Lilith and agreed to stay with her. I do, and I can understand that you would be mad at me. But how many times do I have to repeat that I love you and that I am begging you for a chance to prove my loyalty? If you only give me one chance, I would prove that you can trust me and that we can continue being happy together.
EVE:
But you had your chance and you blew it. It’s gone. Poof. How can me expect you to believe you ever again? It’s broken.
Listen, you are right. I am changed and it is understandable that you don’t recognize me anymore. That is the reason you need to realize that you can’t possibly love me as much as you say you do. How can you be in love with a stranger?
ADAM:
Stranger? You think you’re a stranger? You are my wife and my love. I will love you no matter what.
EVE:
Phew. I’m tired of this conversation.
ADAM:
Well too bad, because we’re having it. (He grabs her shoulders.) What do you want? I think I made my wishes clear, now is your turn. What do you want?
EVE:
I want you to let go of my hand.
Thank you.
EVE:
I don’t know what I want..
ADAM:
Great.
EVE:
.. But I know what I don’t want. A guy I met in the caves on the way to Eridu told me that trust was like a mirror. He said that broken trust could be glued together –like a mirror- and I think that he was right. We could glue it up or patch it up or whatever, and it would hold together, but it would still be the same cracked mirror. I don’t want to see cracks in your face whenever I look at you.
ADAM:
Who is this guy? Because I would love to crack his scull.
EVE:
I will never trust you like I used to and I will always doubt you.
ADAM:
Well doubt me and keep testing me and checking me. I don’t care.
EVE:
I do. I can’t agree to that because I remember the mirror when it was whole. The second best just won’t do.
ADAM:
I don’t understand any of this stupid mirror analogy.
EVE:
Forget it.
ADAM:
Where are you going?
EVE:
Away from you.
ADAM:
What? Hold on, calm down.
EVE:
Let go of me!
ADAM:
You can’t just leave. Are you crazy? I love you and I know that deep inside, you have to love me to. We can work this out.
EVE:
We cannot work this out because you don’t know how to listen. We are too different. Let go of me.
ADAM:
Where can you go?
EVE:
Into the desert.
Adam smiles.
EVE:
There’s more out there than you can imagine.
ADAM:
Ok, is this a test? Are you testing me to see if I will let go of you?
EVE:
No, this is not a test.
ADAM:
I am not letting you go.
EVE:
I didn’t ask for permission.
ADAM:
I promised to stay by you and you promised too. I plan to follow my promise no matter what.
EVE:
Well, you should have thought about that promise before you laid with her. You already broke it, it’s done. So let go.
I choose the desert.
He stands in front of her and blocks the way.
EVE:
Move out of my way.
Adam slaps her.
Eve slaps him back.
He tries to slap her again, but she ducks and punches him in the stomach. He falls down.
EVE: You idiot.
She turns to leave, but he grabs her by the foot. She falls onto the table knocking dinner down. They struggle on the floor. It looks really messy and not choreographed. Finally he grabs a piece of plate and leans it against her throat.
EVE: I’m pregnant!
She uses his surprise to punch him unconscious. She fixes up her dress and hair.
EVE: Idiot.
Lights down.
Scene 5 - Lilith Dances With Herself
Eve is walking on a giant treadmill that looks like a giant catwalk. Billy Idol’s song dancing with myself begins playing. She gradually breaks into dance (or just continues walking and simply looks sexy). Wind, sand and water find their way onto the stage and she is having such a good time that the audience almost wants to join in (but they won’t).This can be choreographed.
The end of the song turns into curtain call with other actors joining in – either individually or together.
The end.
