E-Book, Englisch, 96 Seiten
Lynn The Patriotic Traitor
Main
ISBN: 978-0-571-33103-1
Verlag: Faber & Faber
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark
E-Book, Englisch, 96 Seiten
ISBN: 978-0-571-33103-1
Verlag: Faber & Faber
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark
Jonathan Lynn's prolific career spans more than four decades as a director, screenwriter, producer and actor in films, television and theatre, as well as best-selling author and novelist. His many movies include Nuns on the Run and Clue (both of which he also wrote), My Cousin Vinny (for which Marisa Tomei won the Oscar), The Whole Nine Yards (Bruce Willis and Matthew Perry), Trial and Error (Jeff Daniels, Charlize Theron), Greedy (Michael J. Fox, Kirk Douglas), The Distinguished Gentleman (Eddie Murphy - Political Film Society Special Award and the Environmental Media Award) and The Fighting Temptations (Beyoncé Knowles, Cuba Gooding Jr. - the NAACP Image Award for Best Film). Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay's BAFTA award-winning political comedy Yes Minister first aired on BBC2 in 1980 and ran until 1984. The sequel, Yes Prime Minister, ran from 1986 until 1988. The programmes have been seen in 84 countries, and both series are now available on BBC DVD. They won a Special Award from the Campaign for Freedom of Information, and numerous other awards. Lynn's novels include Mayday and, with Antony Jay, The Complete Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minster, Volumes 1 and 2 (in paperback combined as The Complete Yes Prime Minister) which cumulatively sold more than a million copies in hardback, were on the British top-ten bestseller list for three years and have been translated into numerous languages. The stage play Yes Prime Minister opened in London's West End in 2010 to great critical acclaim and full houses. Comedy Rules was published by Faber in 2011. I'm Sorry, Prime Minister, I Can't Quite Remember. . . was published in 2023.
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Weitere Infos & Material
Sound: morbid drumbeats.
A ceiling fan slowly revolves.
The First Chamber of the Court of Appeal, July 1945. High windows, shafts of light, window patterns on the floor. Four square columns with Louis Quinze capitals – optional.
Clerk Bring in the accused.
Marshal Pétain enters. He is frail, composed, with a little white hair and a walrus moustache. He stands erect. He is eighty-nine years old. The room falls silent.
He wears his khaki uniform, with just one medal: the Médaille Militaire. In his right hand he carries his kepi with its triple wreath of golden oak leaves on a black ribbon with a red ground. In his left hand, a pair of gloves and a roll of white paper. Seven stars glitter on his sleeve.
He strides forward. Majestically, he salutes. He sits. Photographers surge forward, and take flash photographs.
Accused, stand up.
Pétain stands. The photographers fall back.
What is your surname, Christian name, age and position?
Pétain Pétain, Philippe. Eighty-nine. Marshal of France.
We hear or see the Judge. Pétain faces out front.
Judge You are charged with treason, and with collaborating with the enemy. Have you anything to say?
Pétain A Marshal of France does not ask anyone for mercy. Your judgement will have to face God’s judgement. And that of posterity. That will suffice for my conscience and memory. I leave it to France.
Lights cross-fade to –
Pétain’s bedroom/cell.
Lights: shadows of the window bars on the floor.
Pétain sits alone on the bed, mopping his brow. He fans himself with a document. It is sweltering.
Sound: thunder. A key turns a lock.
A Guard enters.
Pétain I want to see a priest.
Guard The chaplain’s outside.
Pétain (correcting him) Sir!
Guard Sir.
He ushers in Canon Pottevin. The Guard exits.
Pottevin You wanted to see me, sir? Canon Pottevin, at your service.
Pétain I have things to say.
Pottevin Confession?
Pétain No – I just need somebody to talk to.
Pottevin nods and sits in the chair, which he moves from the centre. He is in awe of Pétain. He waits. He mops his sweating brow. There is a rumble of thunder.
Pottevin It’s rather humid.
Pétain takes no notice.
Maybe there’ll be a storm at last.
No response.
Shall we pray for God’s forgiveness?
Pétain You can, if you like. Not me. It’s de Gaulle’s forgiveness I need. He is full of hatred, he’s a man whose heart can’t be touched. Do you think I’ll be shot?
Pottevin stays silent. He doesn’t know.
I sacrificed myself to France but France doesn’t seem to appreciate it. (Emotional.) My power was legal, you know. I didn’t seize it. They came to me and offered it. You think de Gaulle will shoot me?
Pottevin Doesn’t that depend on the jury’s verdict?
Pétain It depends on de Gaulle.
He stands.
And you know what? I made him! I gave him his big opportunity. (Indicating the tiny bedroom.) You see how he thanks me?
We hear strange music – Pétain appears lucid, but he is confusing the past and the present.
An ambitious fellow. Pride will destroy him … mark my words, pride will destroy him.
He turns.
This young man has done very well. A first-rate officer. I thought very highly of him. But he lacks experience of government, he has a great deal to learn, a great deal. He wants to govern without my advice – it’s a mistake.
He recovers his senses.
Pride was always his problem … from the first day he joined my regiment. It was the eve of the Great War. France has suffered many calamities in her history, but the Great War was the worst of all … (Testy.) Of course, that’s something else he disagrees with me about!
Lights up. A parade ground.
Lights: green shadows of tree branches. A sunny day. The bed and chair remain stage left.
Sound effects: troops marching. A distant marching band plays the ‘Soldiers’ Chorus’ from Gounod’s Faust.
De Gaulle enters and strolls across the parade ground, his nose in a book and two or three other books under his arm. He is in his early twenties, slim and studious.
Simultaneously Pétain sheds thirty years. He stands. He is fifty-nine years old.
Pétain Lieutenant?
De Gaulle stops, turns and sees Pétain.
It is customary to salute your commanding officer, or hadn’t you heard?
De Gaulle Sorry, sir.
Pétain What’s your name?
De Gaulle De Gaulle, sir.
Pétain takes the book from him, slightly curious.
Pétain What’s the book?
De Gaulle Poetry, sir.
Pétain Poetry?
De Gaulle Yes. Oscar Wilde. An Irish poet, sir.
Pétain is surprised, and not particularly impressed.
Pétain Irish poet?
De Gaulle Yes, sir. I’m interested in poetry, sir. And my maternal ancestors were Irish.
Pétain And what does this Irish poet have to say?
De Gaulle I’ve been rather struck by something I just read. ‘Each man kills the thing he loves.’
Pétain (prosaically) Well, that’s not your job, Lieutenant. Your job is to kill the enemy – the Bosches, more than likely.
De Gaulle (stiffly) I appreciate that, sir.
Pétain And what are those other books?
De Gaulle Thucydides the Greek historian and Nietzsche. The German philosopher.
Pétain Bit of an intellectual, are you?
De Gaulle Yes, sir.
Pétain A little learning is a dangerous thing, you know.
De Gaulle I would agree with that, sir. But as I have a lot of learning, it is no problem in my case.
Pétain I see.
Amused, Pétain turns to go.
De Gaulle Colonel, may I just say that … I don’t care what anyone says, I’m proud to be in your regiment.
Pétain (turns back) Are you being impertinent?
De Gaulle (surprised) No, sir. Certainly not, sir.
Pétain surveys him.
Pétain How old are you, de Gaulle?
De Gaulle Twenty-three, sir.
Pétain And do you hope to be a success in the army?
De Gaulle Yes, sir. I hope to be a general and commander-in-chief.
Pétain Is that all?
De Gaulle Sir?
Pétain I was joking.
De Gaulle (uncomprehending) Ah.
Pétain De Gaulle … have you no sense of humour?
De Gaulle No, sir. It seems to worry other people but it doesn’t bother me.
Pétain sits on a bench or a wall.
Pétain Tell me, why did you ask to be posted here?
De Gaulle Because of you, sir, your belief in heavy artillery.
Pétain The General Staff don’t share my belief.
De Gaulle (with confidence) I know, but we both know they’re...
