Free The Other Shore by Gao Xingjian

We’d be able to return to our homes, see our families, our wives and husbands, our children and parents, and all our loved ones and those who love us!
    ( Young Girl appears again from behind the Crowd. ) Who are you?
    ( Blocking her way .) Wait, your name is on the tip of my tongue! It seems like I used to write poetry for you, that we used to go to the movies together and I held your hand in the dark, those tiny frail hands of yours…( She turns and gets away from his grasp. She is now behind him, becoming more illusory. He turns around but cannot see her, no matter how hard he tries. )
    She always appeared in my dreams to torment me whenever I was worried and couldn’t set my mind free. I couldn’t recall her name, I couldn’t see her face clearly, I couldn’t even get hold of her presence in any way, but she still kept on tormenting me.
    ( Speaking to the shadowy Crowd. ) Why do you keep following me? I need some peace and quiet, I need to be alone! I don’t need to be stared at by a crowd, I don’t need you, just as you don’t need me. What you need is someone who can guide you, to show you the way, even though once you’ve found a way out, or think you have, you’d put on a spurt, darting away faster than rabbits. And you’d abandon your guide without even taking a second look, just like throwing away a worn-out shoe. I understand, I understand it only too well. You’ve all experienced loving and being loved, possessing and being possessed. I, too, have a right to be in love, to love a woman and to possess a woman, and to be loved and possessed by her. I’m human just like you are, so full of desires and ambitions, I’m what you may call a career-minded man, a man who is competitive yet extremely weak sometimes, and a man who is righteous, compassionate, willing to sacrifice himself and…( He rolls on the ground and wails loudly like a fretting and self-indulgent child. )
     
    ( The Crowd is stunned. When Man has had enough wailing and is totally exhausted, he settles down and gets up from the floor. He continues his way forward and the Crowd follow silently behind him. A faint light in the dark becomes brighter. A man is seen drinking and playing cards alone under an oil lamp. Man mimes knocking on the door. The Crowd clap their hands three times. )
     
    Man:
    Sorry to bother you.
    Card Player:
    ( Without lifting his head .) Come in. Take a seat.
    Man:
    May I ask—
    Card Player:
    ( Tosses a card from his hand. Looks up. ) You play cards?
    Man:
    I’ve played before.
     
    ( The Crowd try to squeeze in through the door .)
     
    Card Player:
    Come in, come in. Do you all want to play cards? Close the door for me. I hate draughts, they make the light flicker, which is bad for a card player’s eyes. Alright, let’s form a circle, I’ll be the banker here. All of you will each take a card, and I’ll take one myself, only one, just like you. That’s only fair. The card in my hand will be the trump, there’s got to be a trump, right? And it’s better if I choose the trump card instead of you, it’s more convenient that way. ( Turns over his card. ) My card is the two of spades. I’m not trying to fly low, luck is all you need when you’re playing cards. Now if you pick a spade, any spade, you’d have a higher number than mine and I’r be the loser and you’d be the winner. But if you didn’t pick a spade, you’d lose no matter what, it doesn’t matter which card you’ve picked. You got me?
    Man:
    What happens if one wins or loses?
    Card Player:
    The winner gets to drink the wine in this pot.
    Man:
    And the loser?
    Card Player:
    There’ll be a penalty.
    Man:
    I have no money, no land, no property, and no wife.
    Card Player:
    But you do have a face, haven’t you?
    Man:
    I don’t get it.
    Card Player:
    You’ll find out soon enough. All of you, anyone who loses will stick a piece of paper on his face for me.
    Crowd:
    That’s easy enough.
    How big is the paper?
    Any paper?
    The thing is, have