Maxim Titovets "The Maiden Forest. A play in two acts"

The Maiden Forest. AВ play in two acts
Maxim Titovets

“Envy is a time bomb. There is no such thing as unfortunate love since only lack of love can be unfortunate. You can’t be really happy unless you love and are loved in return”. The Maiden Forest, Maxim Titovets, 2019.Parts of this book were published as separate books “Two Plays”

The Maiden Forest

AВ play in two acts

Maxim Titovets

© Maxim Titovets, 2021

ISBNВ 978-5-0055-5702-5

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

www.maximtitovets.com (http://www.maximtitovets.com/)

maxtitovets@mail.ru (mailto:maxtitovets@mail.ru)

DedicatedВ to

Vasily Radchenko, Anastasia Semenova.

Cover byВ Andrey Klimak.

Translated byВ Ekaterina Zudova.

«Envy is a time bomb. There is no such thing as unfortunate love since only lack of love can be unfortunate. You can’t be really happy unless you love and are loved in return.» The Maiden Forest, Maxim Titovets, 2019.

Maxim Titovets

THE MAIDEN FOREST

AВ PLAY INВ TWOВ ACTS

CHARACTERS

Fyodor Kolosov,В 57
Artyom Kolosov (Jacket), his stepson,В 29
Alexey Khromov,В 55
Veniamin (Venya) Frostin,В 54
Tatyana Yaseneva, pediatrician,В 34
Ignatych, retired Kolosov’s neighbor
Chopper, unknownВ age
Ivan Rybin (Moray), Artyom’s former classmate, 30
Slav, 30—35
Natalia, aboutВ 27
Khlora,В 23
Local police officer, hunters, and others

The action takes place inВ Russia.

ACTВ I

SceneВ 1

June. Pentecost.

Early morning. Fyodor Kolosov’s summer cottage in the Maiden Forest settlement.

In the center of the stage is an open-air summer terrace with a wooden table, a bench, and several chairs. The front lawn is covered in grass. There is a flowerbed. On the left, there is an old apple tree and high fence with a gate, the exit into the street. Fyodor’s two-story house is on the right. A paved path runs from the porch. A carved wooden signpost stands near the path featuring the following signs: «Banya – 12 meters», «Water well – 15 meters», «New York – 8,321 km», «Tokyo – 6,132 km». A birch grove can be seen in the background.

Tatyana leaves Fyodor’s house. She comes up to the gate, turns around, and looks at the house, tidying up her hair. Fyodor opens a window on the first floor. Tatyana waves at him and leaves through the gate.

Fyodor leaves the window wings aВ little ajar and goes out on the porch. He is bare-chested and strongly built. He comes up toВ the washstand near the gazebo, humming an unsophisticated melody, washes his face and hands, grunts loudly. Then he takes aВ towel off the hook and wipes his face, chest, shoulders, and back. He puts the towel back. He does some morning exercises as he is going back inside.

Venya and Alexey walk up toВ the gate. Venya wears aВ trendy T-shirt with aВ print, aВ lightweight jacket, and jeans. AВ small bright backpack is slung over his one shoulder. Alexey is dressed inВ aВ decent-looking summer suit, with aВ hat on his head. He carries aВ small travelingВ bag.

Venya. He put up aВ new fence. How can IВ even get it open? [He keeps charging at the gate but cannot open it.] Alexey, give me aВ hand!

Alexey. Hang tight, Veniamin. [He gently pulls the gate open and lets Venya inside.]

Venya. Mer-seeВ boh-koo, mon amee.

Alexey. Move it, Frenchman. I’m famished.

Venya. There, what did IВ tell you? We should have taken some sandwiches withВ us!

Alexey. So why haven’t you?

Venya. I didn’t feel like bothering with it. [He gets an apple out of his backpack and a penknife from his pocket, cuts the apple in two, pockets the knife again, and offers half an apple to Alexey.] Help yourself.

Alexey. Meat is what IВ want.

Venya. Fyodor must be cooking breakfast for us. [He takes out aВ mobile phone and presses the call button.] Hi, mom. We are here. Yes, everything is as planned. LoveВ you.

Alexey. Lizaveta Nikitichna must be worried about her sonny Venya.

Venya. Oh, come on, give it aВ rest. She asked me toВ phone her when we arrive.

Alexey. And why did we have toВ come here so early inВ the first place?

Venya. The early bird gets the worm.

Alexey. But it’s the second mouse who gets the cheese.

They approach the front door. Venya is munching on his apple. He tries toВ get inside but Alexey holds him back.

Venya. What’s up?

Alexey. Let’s knock on the window first.

Venya. Why bother?

Alexey. What if he is with aВ woman?

Venya. My foot!

Alexey. Just toВ be on the safe side, Venya.

Venya. Our Fyodor lives a hermit monk’s life.

Alexey. [Giving Venya a shove and forcing him downstairs.] «Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace. Thou talk’st of nothing…»

Venya comes down from the porch, steps up toВ the window, and taps on the glass with his knuckles.

Venya. Anybody home?

Fyodor opens the front door and goes out on the porch. He is dressed inВ aВ striped vest and holds an electric shaver inВ his hand.

Fyodor. What’s up with you, fellas? The door is open.

Alexey. Hi there, Fyodor.

Fyodor. Alexey, what’s new? [They hug.]

Venya. Ah, we knocked just to be on the safe side. What if you are with a lady? [He sneaks a glance over Fyodor’s shoulder, trying to see if someone else is inside.]