2025 Workshop Text in English
Part 4: In the park.
Olímpico, Macabéa, Rodrigo
In a large city park. Macabéa is walking and hears the “sweet sound” of Olímpico’s northern accent. He stops her, they introduce themselves, and go on an awkward stroll. We experience the entire lifecycle of their relationship during this walk.
Music Director (Eduardo):
The following is just an attempt to reproduce three pages I wrote and that cook, seeing them lying around, threw away to my despair—may the dead help me bear what is almost unbearable, since the living aren’t much use to me. I won’t even manage to match the attempt at artificial repetition of what originally wrote about when Macabéa met her future boyfriend. It’s with humility that I’ll now tell the story of the story. But if anyone asks how it went I’ll say: I don’t know, I missed the meeting.
In the middle of the pouring rain she met (explosión) the first thing she could call a boyfriend in her life, her heart beating as if she’d swallowed a little fluttering and captured bird. She and the boy looked at each other in the middle of the rain and recognized each other as northeasterners. He had looked at her wiping his wet face with his hands. And for the girl, seeing him was enough to turn him immediately into her guava preserve with cheese. He…
He came to her with a singsong northeastern voice that moved her, asked her:
O: And I beg your pardon, missy, can I invite you for a stroll? (They walk awkwardly together) And, if you’ll allow me, what’s your name?
M: Macabéa.
O: Maca what?
M: Béa, (she had to finish).
O: Sorry but that sounds like a disease, a skin disease.
They continue their awkward stroll. Things happen: a failed kiss, Olímpico tries to pick Macabéa up and she falls...etc.)
Music Director: They didn’t know how to take a walk. They walked through the heavy rain and stopped in front of a hardware store where the window display featured piping, tin cans, large bolts and nails. And Macabéa, afraid that the silence might already mean separation, said to her new boyfriend:
M: I just love bolts and nails, what about you, sir?
Olimpico is confused and silent.
M: I didn’t get your name, Olímpico?
Olímpico is a show-off. He loves to talk about himself and always exaggerates.
O: Olímplico de ..Jesus ..Moreira ..Chaves
Macabéa struggles to say something.
M: Good manners are the best inheritance.
O: Well I think the best inheritance is lots of money. One day I’ll be very rich. (He said with a demonic grandeur)
O: Anyway...
M: Anyway what?
O: I only said anyway!
(much softer) M: But “anyway” what?
O: Let’s change the subject because you don’t understand me.
M: Understand what?
O: Mother of God, Macabéa, let’s change the subject this second!
M: And talk about what?
O: You, for example!
M: Me!?
O: What’s the matter? Aren’t you a person? People talk about people!
M: Sorry, but I don’t think I’m really people.
O: But everyone is people. Just stop talking!
M: Fine, whatever you want.
During this speech, the two “namorados” emerge from the park and Olímpico sees Gloria helping her father in the butcher shop. Meanwhile, Macabéa recieves a text message from Rodrigo. He tells her she needs to come to his apartment right away.
O: There’s no solution for you. As for me, people have called my name so many times that I became myself. In the backlands of Paraíba everbody knows who Olímpico is. And one day the whole world will know about me. Do you believe me?
(Olímpico exit).
Macabéa remains on stage, which transforms into Rodrigo’s office.
Part 5: Macabéa signs a contract.
Rodrigo, Macabéa
In Rodrigo’s office.
Rodrigo is waiting for Macabéa in his apartment. He tells her that she now works for him. The meeting ends with Rodrigo forcing a kiss on Macabéa, who is terrified. It takes place in darkness.
R: It’s an important day, Macabéa. From now on you work for me.
M: Two jobs, like important people. I don’t know what to do first.
R: You don’t have to do anything, Macabéa. Nothing you do matters.
M: The schedule?
R: Normal. Don’t change anything. All we need to do now is kiss…on the mouth. Or whatever…don’t be afraid.
ACT II
Part 7: In the office.
Raimundo, Gloria, Macabéa
In Raimundo’s dingy office. Gloria is at her desk, Macabéa is in the bathroom.
R: Gloria, come here. Please. These letters are horrible, crumpled, stained with dirty hands, and poorly written words. Macabéa thinks they look good.
G: Macabéa has such a sad life. She doesn’t know or think.
R: Gloria, Gloria.
G: The only thing she got in life was..
R: Gloria, come here.
G: ...two or three typing classes and she gives off...
R: Gloria.
G: She gives off...
R: Gloria.
G:...a monumental passivity.
Part 8: In the office bathroom.
Macabéa has been in the bathroom for too long. Gloria walks to the very (absurdly) small office bathroom to see what she has been up to. She barges in and startles Macabéa.
G: Macabéa, what are you doing? All this time in the bathroom? Did you come to hide, to think? All this time to put on make-up? And look at how you turned out, a disgusting mess.
Macabéa was putting on lipstick and made a mess out of her face. The music begins like Melisande’s tune from Pelleas and becomes like a broken music box. The ladies sing like children.
M: -No, no...no, nothing, nothing. I came practice typing and put on some make-up.
G: -You can’t do that here, Macabéa. There isn’t enough room and it’s so dirty.
Macabéa (who is always sick) has dry-mouth and trouble speaking. Gloria thinks she is ridiculous and pretends to want to help her.
M: -Oh no. I came to the bathroom because Rodrigo asked me to. He told me not to do anything out of the ordinary, and that I should go to the bathroom and do whatever I wanted.
G: -Who is Mr. Rodrigo, Macabéa? I thought his name was Olímpico.
M: -I don’t know if I can tell you. I should ask.
M: -Nemorino….no, Nemorino, no. (Macabéa sings in Italian, for a moment she forgets which opera she is in) di..più..non…non chiedo, non chiedo. (Switching back to Portuguese, and to Lispector) Rodrigo is my new boss with two Rs. Raimundo, Rodrigo. Gloria, I like the letter R. Gloria, Gloria, has an R.
G: -Oh yes? And how does this “Rodrigo” send you instructions? Does he tell you at night, or through his thoughts?
M: -No, on my cellphone. I have a headache. I need to ask you for more aspirin.
G: -Macabéa, you already ask for so many. (The women leave the bathroom and Gloria gives Macabéa an aspirin from her purse, which is on her desk).
M: -And I need to ask for more. I like aspirin. They are spicy, like a firm promise. They calm my nerves and take away my hunger. I like to chew them and smoosh them with my tongue.
Part 9: The Plan.
Rodrigo, Raimundo, Gloria, Carlota, Olímpico
Rodrigo, Raimundo, Gloria, Carlota, and Olímpico are all gathered to discuss Macabéa’s future. Rodrigo leads the conversation.
R: Dear Friends, we are here to discuss Macabéa’s future. The truth is, it looks difficult (Rodrigo holds up her x-ray).
Rai: We could solve this through literary methods.
Gloria: Her tuberculosis?
R: No, I want something worse, out in one instance, vomiting something luminous.
G: We were friends. I feel like I stole her boyfriend. Olímpico, here present. He’s a disaster.
Olímpico: I didn’t like her, either. Hahaha. She always seemed insignificant to me, I was always about to make fun of her. Haha. There is nothing funnier than laughing at a clueless person. My hunger turned to Gloria.
Rai: By doing nothing, he has put us into a disjunct drama.
(The characters think).
Carlota: I know. Gloria can send Macabéa to see me.
Gloria: Okay.
Rod: Tell her to go see Carlota. I will arrange the driver.
END OF ACT II (SHORT PAUSE)
Part 11: A phone call.
Macabéa is outside Carlota’s studio, the sun is shining brightly in her eyes. She approaches the sidewalk and gets a call from Rodrigo on her cellphone.
M: Hello?
Rodrigo: Macabéa, what happened?
M: I was waiting for my turn at Carlota’s office. Suddenly, a woman came out crying as if she were in danger because the cards said that she would be run over by a car. Without knowing why, I felt for her. Her eyes were swollen, as if she had spent the night crying. I, on the other hand, was reborn.
Macabéa drops her open phone and keeps walking into the bright light.
The yellow Mercedes barrels down the street like an ocean liner. It does not slow down. The driver sees her, for an instant. Macabéa is struck and falls to the ground.
Part 12: Macabéa’s Blood.
Violin solo, Rodrigo
On the street. Macabéa is dying. Her blood is a striking red. A video consumes the scene with beautiful, abstracted color. The other characters begin to arrive to the stage. A stranger strokes her hair. The violinist stands on the streetcorner.
Tutti: If one day God comes to earth, there will be great silence.
M: I am. I am.
Rod: Okay, it’s over.
Part 13: And now what?
Macabéa, Rodrigo, Gloria, Carlota, Raimundo, Olímpico, Aparecida
On the street. Macabéa has died. The Music Director leaves the podium and begins to read from The Hour of the Star. All the characters are there, surrounding Macabéa’s body.
Music Director: Was the ending grandiloquent as you required? Dying she became air. Energetic air? I don’t know. She died in an instant. In the end, she was no more than a music box that was slightly out of tune.
I ask you: What is the weight of light?
Rodrigo: Now I understand this story. She[1] is the imminence in those bells that almost-almost ring.
Men: Badalam.
Women:: The greatness of every one.
Men: Pray for us? Badalam.
Women: Now I remember…
Tutti: …that people die.
-Amen.
Women: Don’t forget that for now
Tutti: it’s strawberry season.
-Yes.
[1] Moser translates to “it”, rather than “she”.