INTRODUCTION
This play is about a young person who wants to change his life. Chris would like to see new places and learn new things, but the older people in his life don't like his plan. They can only see problems. Chris finds that he, too, is a little afraid of change.
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
Chris, a young person who wants to travel
PERFORMANCE NOTES
At the beginning of the play Chris's friends are in a room. Cox is reading a book, Mills and Harris are talking quietly to each other, and Wright and Dean are looking out of a window.
You will need six chairs, a book, a bag and a map.
Cox, Mills and Harris are sitting in a room. Dean and Wright are standing by a window. Chris comes in.
CHRIS
(Smiling) Well, goodbye, everyone.
Well, goodbye, everyone.'
COX
(Putting down his book) Are you going?
CHRIS
Yes, I must.
MILLS
When are you going?
CHRIS
Now.
COX
Now? So soon?
MILLS
Don't go!
CHRIS
But I must. I need a change.
HARRIS
What are you going to do?
CHRIS
I'd like to travel for a time.
HARRIS
Travel? How wonderful!
DEAN
Yeah, think of us when you're travelling.
COX
Yes, think of us – we have to stay here.
MILLS
It's the same old thing, day after day—
HARRIS
The same old faces.
WRIGHT
The same old problems.
MILLS
Nothing different for us!
DEAN
But someone has to do it.
COX
Yes, that's right. We can't all go!
CHRIS
Why not? You can travel too.
COX
Us? (He laughs.)
MILLS
How can we travel?
HARRIS
We have things to do here.
CHRIS
What things?
WRIGHT
He says, 'What things?'
DEAN
What a question!
COX
(To the others) He's tired of us.
CHRIS
No, I'm not. I'm not tired of you. I'm happy here.
MILLS
Are you?
CHRIS
Well, I was happy here. It's a good place, and I—
HARRIS
Yes?
CHRIS
Well, I like you. I'm one of you – one of the group.
WRIGHT
That's nice.
DEAN
So where would you like to go?
CHRIS
I don't know. Spain, perhaps, or Greece... maybe even Canada—
Spain, perhaps, or Greece...'
COX
Canada?
CHRIS
Yes. I'm very interested in Canada.
MILLS
Canada, well!
HARRIS
That's interesting.
WRIGHT
You're very adventurous, Chris.
COX
We're not adventurous at all, I'm afraid.
DEAN
But then you're young—
COX
You have your life in front of you.
MILLS
You want to see exciting places—
HARRIS
Like Canada!
WRIGHT
The lakes and the forests...
The lakes and the forests...'
COX
The great St. Lawrence River...
DEAN
How wonderful!
COX
Lucky Chris!
MILLS
It's different for us. We have to stay here. We can't go to Canada.
HARRIS
I'm one of you,' you said, 'one of the group.' But you're not!
DEAN
No, Chris, you're different from us—
CHRIS
No, I'm not! Stop talking like this. I'm not different from you. Sometimes I'm happy, sometimes I'm not. I work and eat and sleep, like you.
MILLS
Ah, but you are going away—
HARRIS
And we are staying here.
WRIGHT
And that makes you different.
CHRIS
I'm not different!
COX
But what about Canada?
CHRIS
Stop talking about Canada! I'm not going to Canada – I'd like to go there, that's all!
COX
So you aren't going there now?
CHRIS
I don't know. Perhaps. I need some time to think about my life.
WRIGHT
Oh, yes.
DEAN
Everyone does.
MILLS
It's usual for people to do that.
HARRIS
And there's lots of time. You're young.
CHRIS
That's right. I have my life in front of me.
HARRIS
So, take your time.
CHRIS
Right.
WRIGHT
You can stay here as long as you like—
DEAN
And think about it.
CHRIS
Yeah. (He sits down.)
ALL
Mmm...
Everyone is quiet for a moment.
COX
So what are you going to do?
CHRIS
Sorry?
MILLS
Are you leaving today?
CHRIS
Leaving? Er, not today. I want to think about it first.
MILLS
Of course.
HARRIS
When are you going, then?
CHRIS
Well, not now. Later, perhaps. I can stay here a bit longer. There's lots of time. (Laughing) Canada can wait, can't it?
WRIGHT
Yes, it can. It certainly can!
DEAN
You're one of us really, aren't you, one of the group?
CHRIS
Yes, I am, I think.
COX
(Laughing) But, you know, you say—
CHRIS
Yes? Say what?
COX
Well, you say some funny things sometimes!
CHRIS
Like what?
COX
Well, Canada!
Cox, Mills, Harris, Dean and Wright all laugh.
CHRIS
(Looking at them) What's so funny about that?
MILLS
(Laughing quietly) It doesn't matter.
HARRIS
Forget it.
COX
Look at the time – I must go!
MILLS
Me too. I have a lot to do.
HARRIS
And me.
WRIGHT
Let's all go.
DEAN
Yes, let's leave Chris with his dreams—
COX
About Canada!
They all laugh at Chris.
COX
See you later, Chris.
ALL
Bye-bye.
COX
(To Chris) Bye-bye, traveller!
Chris's friends laugh, and then go out. Chris stands and
watches them go. He doesn't look happy. He opens his bag
and takes out a large map. He opens the map on the floor and
looks at it carefully.
CHRIS
Thailand...Malaysia... Indonesia... Australia... (He looks up, smiling.) Mmm, Australia!
Mmm, Australia!'
travel v. to go from one place to another, or to several places, especially ones that are far away 旅行
wonderful adj. making you feel very happy 令人高興的,使人愉快的
tired of bored with something, because it is no longer interesting, or has become annoying 對……感到厭倦的
adventurous adj. eager to go to new places and do exciting or dangerous things 有冒險精神的,喜歡冒險的
exciting adj. making you feel excited 令人興奮的
carefully adv. in a careful way 仔細地
內容簡介
本劇是關于一個年輕人想改變生活的故事??死锼瓜胍娮R新地方、了解新事物,但他周圍年長一些的人不喜歡他的計劃。他們看到的只有問題??死锼拱l(fā)現(xiàn),他自己也有點害怕改變。
劇中人物
克里斯,一個想旅行的年輕人
場景說明
在本劇一開始,克里斯的朋友在一個房間里??伎怂乖诳磿?,米爾斯和哈里斯在小聲談話,賴特和迪安正望向窗外。
你將需要六把椅子、一本書、一個背包和一張地圖。
考克斯、米爾斯和哈里斯坐在房間里,迪安和賴特站在窗戶旁邊,這時克里斯走進來。
克里斯:
(露出笑容)那么,再見了,各位。
考克斯:
(放下手中的書)你要走了嗎?
克里斯:
是的,我一定要走。
米爾斯:
你什么時候走?
克里斯:
現(xiàn)在就走。
考克斯:
現(xiàn)在就走?這么快?
米爾斯:
別走!
克里斯:
但我一定要走,我需要改變。
哈里斯:
你打算做什么?
克里斯:
我想旅行一段時間。
哈里斯:
旅行?多愜意??!
迪安:
好吧,你旅行的時候要想到我們呀。
考克斯:
是啊,要想到我們——我們得待在這里。
米爾斯:
每天都是相同的那些事——
哈里斯:
相同的老面孔。
賴特:
相同的老問題。
米爾斯:
對我們來說沒有任何變化!
迪安:
但必須有人作出一些改變。
考克斯:
是的,沒錯。但我們不能全都去!
克里斯:
為什么不可以?你們也可以旅行。
考克斯:
我們?(他笑起來。)
米爾斯:
我們怎么能旅行?
哈里斯:
我們在這里有事情要做。
克里斯:
什么事情?
賴特:
他問,“什么事情?”
迪安:
好一個問題!
考克斯:
(對其他人)他厭煩我們了。
克里斯:
不,我沒有。我沒有厭煩你們。我在這里很開心。
米爾斯:
是嗎?
克里斯:
嗯,我過去在這里很開心。這是一個不錯的地方,而且我——
哈里斯:
什么?
克里斯:
嗯,我喜歡你們。我是你們當中的一員——這個群體中間的一員。
賴特:
說得好。
迪安:
那么你想去什么地方呢?
克里斯:
我不知道。也許去西班牙,或者希臘……甚至有可能去加拿大——
考克斯:
加拿大?
克里斯:
是的,我對加拿大很感興趣。
米爾斯:
加拿大,真想不到!
哈里斯:
有意思。
賴特:
你很有冒險精神,克里斯。
考克斯:
恐怕我們一點兒都不愛冒險。
迪安:
不過你還年輕——
考克斯:
你的人生還在前頭。
米爾斯:
你想見識令人興奮的地方——
哈里斯:
就像加拿大!
賴特:
那些湖泊和森林……
考克斯:
壯闊的圣勞倫斯河——
迪安:
太棒了!
考克斯:
幸運的克里斯!
米爾斯:
我們就不同了。我們得待在這里,不能去加拿大。
哈里斯:
這可是你說的,“我是你們當中的一員,這個群體中間的一員”。但你并不是!
迪安:
不,克里斯,你和我們不一樣——
克里斯:
不,我沒有!別這樣說了。我和你們沒有什么不同。有時候我開心,有時候我難過。我工作、吃飯、睡覺,和你們一樣。
米爾斯:
啊,可你要離開了——
哈里斯:
而我們要待在這里。
賴特:
這就讓你顯得不一樣了。
克里斯:
我沒有不一樣!
考克斯:
可你不是要去加拿大嗎?
克里斯:
別再提加拿大了!我不是要去加拿大——我只是想要去那里,就是這樣!
考克斯:
那么現(xiàn)在你不去那里了?
克里斯:
我不知道,也許吧。我需要一些時間思考一下我的人生。
賴特:
哦,是的。
迪安:
每個人都需要這樣做。
米爾斯:
人們那樣做是很平常的。
哈里斯:
而且你還有大把的時間,你還年輕。
克里斯:
說得對,我的人生還在前頭。
哈里斯:
所以,慢慢來。
克里斯:
沒錯。
賴特:
你想在這里待多久就待多久——
迪安:
好好想想吧。
克里斯:
好的。(他坐下來。)
所有人:
嗯……
一時間所有人都陷入沉默。
考克斯:
那么你打算做什么?
克里斯:
你說什么?
米爾斯:
你今天會出發(fā)嗎?
克里斯:
出發(fā)?呃,今天不會。我想先考慮一下這事。
米爾斯:
當然。
哈里斯:
那你什么時候動身?
克里斯:
這個嘛,反正不是現(xiàn)在。也許過些時候。我可以在這里多待上一陣。還有大把的時間。(笑起來)加拿大可以等,不是嗎?
賴特:
是的,可以,當然可以!
迪安:
你確實是我們當中的一員,不是嗎,這個群體中間的一員?
克里斯:
是的,我覺得我是。
考克斯:
(笑起來)不過,你知道,你說——
克里斯:
嗯?說什么?
考克斯:
嗯,有時候你會說些很奇怪的話!
克里斯:
比如什么?
考克斯:
嗯,加拿大!
考克斯、米爾斯、哈里斯、迪安和賴特都笑起來。
克里斯:
(看著他們)有這么好笑嗎?
米爾斯:
(竊笑)無所謂了。
哈里斯:
別在意。
考克斯:
看看都幾點了——我得走了!
米爾斯:
我也是,我有好多事情要做。
哈里斯:
還有我。
賴特:
我們都走吧。
迪安:
好,留克里斯自己在這里做夢吧——
考克斯:
做加拿大的夢!
他們都嘲笑克里斯。
考克斯:
回頭見,克里斯。
所有人:
拜拜。
考克斯:
(對克里斯)拜拜,旅行家!
克里斯的朋友笑著走出房間??死锼拐驹谀抢锟粗麄冸x開。他看起來不太高興。他打開自己的背包,拿出一張大地圖。他把地圖攤開放在地板上,認真地看起來。
克里斯:
泰國……馬來西亞……印度尼西亞……澳大利亞……(他抬起頭,露出笑容。)嗯,澳大利亞!