Free Happy Days by Samuel Beckett Page A

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    First published in the United States by Grove Press
    Design, composition, and textual supervision by Laura Lindgren
    Printed in the United States of America
    ISBN 978-0-8021-9839-6
    Grove Press
    an imprint of Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
    154 West 14th Street
    New York, NY 10011
    DISTRIBUTED BY PUBLISHERS GROUP WEST
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Happy Days

The world premiere of Happy Days was presented by Theatre 1962 (Messrs. Richard Barr and Clinton Wilder) at the Cherry Lane Theatre, New York, on September 17, 1961, directed by Alan Schneider and designed by William Ritman, with the following cast:
    WINNIE

Ruth White
WILLIE

John C. Becher

Winnie, a woman about fifty
    Willie, a man about sixty

ACT I
    Expanse of scorched grass rising centre to low mound. Gentle slopes down to front and either side of stage. Back an abrupter fall to stage level. Maximum of simplicity and symmetry.
    Blazing light.
    Very pompier trompe-l’oeil backcloth to represent unbroken plain and sky receding to meet in far distance.
    Imbedded up to above her waist in exact centre of mound, Winnie. About fifty, well preserved, blond for preference, plump, arms and shoulders bare, low bodice, big bosom, pearl necklet. She is discovered sleeping, her arms on the ground before her, her head on her arms. Beside her on ground to her left a capacious black bag, shoppingvariety, and to her right a collapsible collapsed parasol, beak of handle emerging from sheath.
    To her right and rear, lying asleep on ground, hidden by mound, Willie.
    Long pause. A bell rings piercingly, say ten seconds, stops. She does not move. Pause. Bell more piercingly, say five seconds. She wakes. Bell stops. She raises her head, gazes front. Long pause. She straightens up, lays her hands flat on ground, throws back her head and gazes at zenith. Long pause.
    WINNIE [ gazing at zenith ] Another heavenly day. [ Pause. Head back level, eyes front, pause. She clasps hands to breast, closes eyes. Lips move in inaudible prayer, say ten seconds. Lips still. Hands remain clasped. Low. ] For Jesus Christ sake Amen. [ Eyes open, hands unclasp, return to mound. Pause. She clasps hands to breast again, closes eyes, lips move again in inaudible addendum, say five seconds. Low. ] World without end Amen. [ Eyes open, hands unclasp, return to mound. Pause. ] Begin, Winnie. [ Pause. ] Begin your day, Winnie. [ Pause. She turns to bag, rummages in it without moving it from its place, brings out toothbrush, rummages again, brings out flat tube of toothpaste, turns back front, unscrews cap of tube, lays cap on ground, squeezes with difficulty small blob of paste on brush, holds tube in one hand and brushes teeth with other. She turns modestly aside and back to her right to spit out behind mound. In this position her eyes rest on Willie. She spits out. She cranes a little further back and down. Loud. ] Hoo-oo! [ Pause. Louder. ] Hoo-oo! [ Pause. Tender smile as she turns back front, lays down brush. ] Poor Willie—[ examines tube, smile off ]—running out—[ looks for cap ]—ah well—[ finds cap ]—can’t be helped—[ screws on cap ]—just one of those old things—[ lays down tube ]—another of those old things—[ turns towards bag ]—just can’t be cured—[ rummages in bag ]—cannot be cured—[ brings out small mirror, turns back front ]—ah yes—[ inspects teeth in mirror ]—poor dear Willie—[ testing upper front teeth with thumb, indistinctly ]—good Lord!—[ pulling back upper lip to inspect gums, do ]—good God!—[ pulling back corner of mouth, mouth open, do