Canadian
Play
Series
My Sister’s Keeper
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Ted Allan
This edition was first published in 1976 by University of Toronto Press.
© Copyright 1969 by Ted Allan
This play is fully protected by copyright. All enquiries concerning professional or amateur rights, readings, or any other use of this material should be directed to the author through University of Toronto Press, or outside Canada to the author c/o Howard Hausman, William Morris Agency, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019.
Canadian Play Series
General Editor: Jack Gray
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Allan, Ted.
My sister’s keeper.
(Canadian play series)
Bibliography: p.
I. Title.
PR9199.3.A384M9 812’.5’4 76-45644
ISBN 0-8020-2208-1
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Photograph by Paul Lindell
Printed in Canada
‘My Sister’s Keeper’ was first presented under the title of ‘I’ve Seen You Cut Lemons’ at the Fortune Theatre, London, England, on 5 December 1969.
Sarah – Diane Cilento
Robert – Robert Hardy
Directed by Sean Connery
Designed by Sean Kenny
The revised version under the title of ‘My Sister’s Keeper’ was first presented at the Lennoxville Festival during the 1974 summer season.
Sarah – Patricia Hamilton
Robert – Roland Hewgill
Directed by William Davis
Designed by Maxine Graham
Costumes designed by Janet Logan
Lighting environment by Vladimir Svetlovsky
The play is set in the London, England, flat of Robert, a university lecturer from Canada. His sister Sarah comes from Canada to visit. We learn she has a history of mental illness. We learn they have been deeply emotionally involved and that he feels guilty for her illness. We also learn to ask a question: which one of them is the mentally ill one?
PREFACE
It is the absence of love which leads to madness.
Doctors have made up their categories of insanity. So have I. I have five:
1. Paranoids
2. Charlatans
3. Schizophrenics
4. Manic-depressives
5. Normal people
Some paranoids and charlatans are also manic-depressive. To add to the confusion most doctors today lump all mental illness under the label of schizophrenia.
Stalin was a classic sadist paranoid, Hitler a classic charlatan. They serve as models for similar ‘leader types’ who too often become heads of governments, business corporations, trade unions, political parties, terrorist groups, armies, gangster organizations, as well as the smaller fry who become husbands and fathers and victimize only their immediate families. They are rarely hospitalized because their delusions are shared by society which considers them either ‘normal’ or ‘genius’ as long as they are ‘masterful’ and ‘successful.’
Meanwhile the most sensitive amongst us, unable to bear our stupidities and cruelties, continue to fill our mental hospitals, and are described as dissociated schizophrenics and manic-depressives.
Sarah is such a victim, a barometer of what we do to one another, particularly what our society does to women. Robert, on the other hand, is normal – like you and me.
CAST
ROBERT WALLER, a university lecturer
SARAH LAWSON, his guest
The play is set in Robert Waller’s bachelor flat in London, and takes place over a period of a month.
ACT I
Scene 1 The present.
The London bachelor flat of Robert Waller, a Canadian university lecturer. The place is tastefully, if Spartanly, furnished. A large studio window overlooks the Thames from where we occasionally hear tugs and gulls. The sun floods the room with dazzling light.
We can see part of the kitchen; a hallway, which leads off the main room, leads to two unseen bedrooms. The place is sane and pleasant, with bookshelves, recordings, a hi-fi set, TV set, and radio. Picasso reproductions and Chinese paintings are on the wall, here and there a small Chinese sculpture.
At rise, Robert is busy packing, answering the telephone, and reading from his thick manuscript – totally abstracted and dissociated.
The phone rings. He’s busy reading and doesn’t hear it at first. Finally he hears it.
ROBERT
Hello…Hi Albie…I’ll be on time…Don’t be nervous…I don’t have to leave for thirty minutes yet…Right son, see you…Bye…
(He starts packing again, gets distracted and starts reading the manuscript again. Gets an idea and starts to type.
The front door bell rings. He doesn’t hear it, and keeps on typing. It continues to ring. Finally, he hears it, and goes to answer it. He is joyous when he sees Sarah, but thoroughly surprised)
ROBERT
Sarah! What the…how…wha…
SARAH
I heard the typing. I knew you were in.
ROBERT
But Sarah, I wrote you I was leaving for Corsica with Albie today!…I even wrote you the exact time of the charter flight!
SARAH
I thought it was next month. Oh dear.
ROBERT
Today! Oh Sarah!
SARAH
I’ll come with you.
ROBERT
Yes! No! You can’t.
SARAH
Why not.
ROBERT
Oh I’d love you to, but I can’t do this to Albie. Oh Sarah…We haven’t seen each other in five years and you come exactly thirty minutes before I have to leave. I’ve been promising Albie this holiday for three years and I’ve postponed it three years running for one good reason or another. I’ve promised him a holiday alone with me…I can’t hurt him like this. You do understand don’t you?
SARAH
Of course. But why should my going along hurt him? I like Albie. He likes me…although he hasn’t seen me since he was nine…But he and I get along fine.
ROBERT
I know you do. But he’s disturbed, Sarah. He needs to be alone with his father. He hates having to live with Agnes…He feels I’ve abandoned him. I must do this for him. Please try to understand. Why didn’t you write or cable me you were coming?
SARAH
I wanted to surprise you.
ROBERT
You surprised me. Where’s Debbie?
SARAH
With Jack’s parents. Jack and I are divorced.
ROBERT
Divorced. I didn’t even know you’d separated! Why didn’t you tell me?
SARAH
I was ashamed to. I don’t know. I didn’t want to bother you with my problems.
ROBERT
Would you like some tea? How long are you planning to stay?
SARAH
Two weeks…
ROBERT
But I’ll be gone two weeks! You have to stay longer!
SARAH
All right. I will.
ROBERT
I forgot how attractive you look.
SARAH
Don’t lie. God, it’s good to see you!
(They hug warmly. The phone rings. He answers it)
ROBERT
Hello…Sarah Lawson?…Just a…
(She hurriedly places her hand over the mouthpiece)
SARAH
(Hurriedly) Tell them I’m expected in half an hour.
ROBERT
She’s expected in half an hour…Yes.
(He replaces the receiver)
That was Montreal.
SARAH
Jack. I didn’t feel like talking to him now. Besides, you’re leaving in a few minutes. What a beautiful apartment. What a fantastic view!
ROBERT
We call it a flat here.
SARAH
Oh, so sorry! But I am allowed to call it a fantastic view.
ROBERT
Yes. That’s allowed. Let me show you the bedroom you’ll be sleeping in. It’s small…You can use my room until I get back.
SARAH
The small one will be fine…
ROBERT
How are you fixed for money?
SARAH
All right. Jack’s been generous and I’ve been working.
ROBERT
At what?
SARAH
The usual…Secretary…Modelling…Ran an employment agency for a little while…You name it. I tried it.
ROBERT
Been doing any painting?
SARAH
No. Haven’t been in the mood. But I might get into it here. We’ll see.
ROBERT
Shall I phone some of my friends and tell them to drop in on you…help you see the town?
SARAH
No. There’s plays I want to see, museums and concerts I will go to. The two weeks will pass quickly.
ROBERT
All right.
SARAH
Is that the book? Is it finished?
ROBERT
Almost! I’m up to page two hundred and thirty. About another fifty to go…First book I’ve finished in five years, Sarah!
SARAH
What are you calling it?
ROBERT
Encyclopedia of Ignorance…It’s my major opus.
SARAH
Great title. You kept writing you had started a book but never told me about what. It’s funny how neither of us writes about what really matters in our lives.
ROBERT
I suppose neither wants to inflict any anxieties on the other…I hate to sound immodest, pretentious or pompous…
SARAH
However…
ROBERT
However, I’ll risk it. Yes. I am hoping this will be the first book by a Canadian that will establish itself internationally as a breakthrough in the understanding of love.
SARAH
An understanding of love! Explain it to me! Quickly!
ROBERT
(Chuckling) You’ll read the book!
SARAH
That’s mean. Tell me now!
ROBERT
I haven’t the time now. I forgot your tea.
SARAH
Damn the tea. I’ll make my own tea. Explain about love! Give me a hint!
ROBERT
It has to do with the differences between real love and stress sex…
SARAH
Yes…Go on…
ROBERT
Darling, you have to read the book. Damn, you do understand about my having to go now. If I postponed it even a day I wouldn’t get the charter flight…
SARAH
It’s all right. Stop going on about it. When do you become a full professor?
ROBERT
In two years. I feel like hell leaving.
SARAH
Will you stop talking about it?
ROBERT
I cancelled it three times before. You do see that, don’t you?
SARAH
You’re so sweet when you feel guilty. I love you Bobby. You’ve been so good to me.
ROBERT
Oh don’t say that. I feel terrible leaving the moment you arrive.
SARAH
If you don’t stop that I’ll leave this minute. I warn you.
ROBERT
Maybe you’ll stay longer than just a couple of more weeks. Maybe you’ll move to London…and we can be in the same city. Is that possible?
SARAH
I was hoping you might suggest that.
ROBERT
Why not? You’d find work easily enough here. We’ll talk about it when I get back.
SARAH
Fine. You get handsomer as you get older. Some men are like that. Women just sag in all the wrong places!
ROBERT
Stop fishing for compliments. You know you look great.
SARAH
I know I look like I feel.
ROBERT
How do you feel?
SARAH
Battered. Ugly. My hair’s a mess.
ROBERT
Your hair is fine. You are not ugly. You are very attractive. And you look tired, not battered.
SARAH
Feel ugly and battered and my hair is a mess. But I shall overcome. When do you leave?
ROBERT
Taxi will be here any minute.
SARAH
Hey. Let’s try sending messages…and see if it works again. We’ll keep a record, like we used to.
ROBERT
All right. It hasn’t worked in some time. It only worked when we were in Montreal.
SARAH
Let’s try it. When two people are very close they have ESP…and very few people have been as close as we have.
ROBERT
All right. I’ll send you some messages and you send me messages…and we’ll see if any get through. Before I forget…There’s a pleasant grocery shop on the corner…and a good shopping area on the high street…I’m sorry…
SARAH
I’ll have a wonderful time seeing London! So shut up!
(The door bell rings)
ROBERT
That must be the taxi.
(He throws things into his suitcase)
SARAH
Have a good time and give Albie my love.
ROBERT
I’ll bring him here to meet you when we get back. I’ve left a list of some of my friends, you can phone them…I’ve told them about you.
SARAH
I’ll see how I feel, two weeks, right? If anyone calls? Get suntanned and don’t fool around with too many bikinis. I’ll get jealous.
ROBERT
Albie can have the bikinis. Sorry about leaving like this.
SARAH
Will you stop that?
(They kiss goodbye. He leaves. She goes into the kitchen to make tea)
What? My God, I’m hearing voices.
ROBERT
(O.S.) Sarah?
SARAH
Yes.
ROBERT
(O.S.) I left the door keys on the desk.
SARAH
Fine! Thank you. Have a good time!
(She pours herself some tea. Goes to the window to look out, studies his furniture, his books…
The phone rings.
She answers it)
Hell…This is she…Yes…Hello Jack…I am fine…There is nothing to worry about…Robert’s had to go away on a business trip and he’ll be back in two weeks…I will be fine…No, I don’t think I should talk to Debbie yet. I’m still too upset. I’ll telephone her when I’m feeling calmer…I am fine…I just don’t want Debbie to hear me being anxious, that’s all…Where is she? In that case you’d better put her on…Hello darling…How’s my girl?…I’m well, darling… Are you having fun at granddad’s and grandma’s? That’s lovely…I’ll write you a nice letter and send you some postcards…I don’t know when I’ll be coming home, darling…I’m glad you’re happy and having fun… (She’s holding back her tears) …That’s nice…That’s very good…Bye now… Hello…She sounds fine…That’s good. Just a little husky. Is she catching a cold?…Yes, I’m glad I talked to her…Don’t worry about me. I am fine. Goodbye…
(She replaces the receiver.
Her conversation with her daughter has upset her badly. She tries to control herself. She sits down and closes her eyes and starts deep breathing exercises)
Scene 2 An evening two weeks later.
Curtains are now hanging, flowers sit in vases, new pictures hang on the walls.
Robert enters, carrying his bags.
&nbs
p; ROBERT
Sarah?
(He looks for her in her bedroom, returns and notices the curtains, flowers, etc.
He brings his bags to his room. The phone rings. He answers it)
Hello…Sue!…I just walked in this second!… Where are you calling from?…You’re back…But you said you weren’t due for another three weeks… How lovely…When can I see you?…Lovely…I’ll come over in about an hour…Great…Sarah’s here. Yes, my lovely Sarah I’ve talked so much about… Arrived just before I left for Corsica…Another week or so here, but she’s planning to find a room or small flat somewhere and look for work. She’s divorced now and is thinking of settling here…Don’t be silly. She’ll love you…She won’t be jealous of you and you won’t be jealous of her…The work went well but I’ve got a lot of rewriting to do…I’ll tell you all about it when I see you…I love you…Mmmmm…How was your trip? All right, see you in about an hour…