INTRODUCTION
Fred Fish isn't happy with his life. He would like to do something more exciting. What's going to happen to him in the future? Perhaps Madame Rosa can tell him. She can read the future in her crystal ball, or in people's hands. Sometimes she can read people's faces, and then she tells them what they want to hear. But sometimes she gets it wrong, and people don't like what she tells them. If they aren't happy, they don't give her any money. And she needs the money.
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
Madame Rosa, a woman who can see into the future
Fred Fish, a teacher
PERFORMANCE NOTES
The scene is Madame Rosa's living room, with a table and two chairs. On the table is a big crystal ball. Madame Rosa is sitting at the table, looking into the crystal ball.
You will need a crystal ball and some money.
ROSA
(Looking into her crystal ball) What's going to happen today? Ah, I can see money! Yes, somebody's going to give me a lot of money! Wonderful! Who can it be?
FRED
(Coming in) Hello. Are you Madame Rosa?
ROSA
That's right. Do sit down.
Fred sits down at the table.
FRED
Thank you. Er, my name's Fred Fish—
ROSA
Let me see, you're a teacher, you live in London, and you want to know about your future. Right?
FRED
Yes, yes! How do you know all this?
ROSA
(Looking into the crystal ball) I can see you here.
FRED
Wow! That's interesting! So can you tell me about my future? What's going to happen to me?
ROSA
I can tell you, but remember, nothing is free these days.
FRED
Oh, I know. I brought some money with me.
ROSA
(Smiling) That's very good! Right, can you give me your hand, please? I'm going to read it. (She takes his hand and looks carefully at it.) I can see love here. Soon you're going to meet a beautiful American girl. You're going to marry her.
FRED
But I've got a very nice girlfriend at the moment! She's Australian!
ROSA
Forget about her! No, you're going to marry the American. I can see it in your hand.
FRED
Can you tell me any more?
ROSA
Yes. Soon you're going to leave London and move to Hollywood, with your American wife.
FRED
Hollywood! Where all the famous people live!
ROSA
That's right. And you're going to stop teaching. You're going to be an actor, and become famous for acting in all the best Hollywood films!
FRED
Wonderful! I'm going to become rich!
ROSA
Well, yes, but things aren't going to be easy for you. Your wife is going to take a lover.
FRED
Oh no! Another famous actor, perhaps?
ROSA
Yes, that's right. And you're going to start drinking, at first in the evening, and then in the daytime.
FRED
Oh dear, that's bad.
ROSA
Yes. And nobody's going to give you any more acting work, because you drink.
FRED
So what happens to me after all this?
ROSA
You kill yourself, I'm sorry to say.
FRED
What? No! I'm not going to kill myself!
ROSA
It's very quick. You shoot yourself one night.
FRED
I didn't come here to hear about dying!
ROSA
It's all in your hand. That's £25, please.
FRED
It can't be right! Can you look at my hand again?
ROSA
Oh, all right. (Looking at his hand again) Let me see – perhaps you marry the Australian girl.
FRED
That's better!
ROSA
Yes, and you leave London to move to Sydney, with your Australian wife.
I didn't come here to hear about dying!'
FRED
Mmm, yes, it's wonderfully hot there.
ROSA
And you're going to stop teaching, and become a very good tennis player.
FRED
I was very good at tennis at school, you know.
ROSA
You're going to meet all the famous players and play tennis with them. People are going to watch you playing tennis on TV.
FRED
Wow! I'm going to become rich and famous!
ROSA
Yes, but things aren't going to be easy for you. Your wife's going to—
FRED
Be careful!
ROSA
Let me see – er – your hand's difficult to read. Ah yes, your wife's going to have a baby.
FRED
Oh, good. I like children.
ROSA
Yes, and then she's going to have a second baby, and then a third.
FRED
Oh! But I'm never going to see the children! I'm going to be on TV all the time!
ROSA
Things aren't going to be easy. I told you that.
FRED
Perhaps I'm going to stop being a tennis player and be a teacher again. Then I can help my wife with the children in the holidays.
ROSA
Er – that's right. It's all in your hand. You're going to stop playing tennis and begin teaching again.
FRED
But am I going to be happy? That's the most important thing.
ROSA
Oh yes. You're going to be very happy with your family, and you're going to live in a beautiful big house in Sydney.
FRED
I can always play tennis with my friends at the weekend.
ROSA
Yes, of course. So there you are. Now you know about your future. Are you happy with that?
FRED
Yes. Yes, thank you. Very interesting. I'm going to ask my girlfriend to marry me at once!
ROSA
Why not? And move to Australia?
FRED
That's right. And before we go, I'm going to play some tennis. I must get better at it!
ROSA
Right, well, that's £30, please.
FRED
Of course. Here you are. (He takes some money from his pocket and gives it to her.) Things are going to be very exciting for me! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
ROSA
(Smiling) Thank you.
She takes the money and Fred goes out.
You're going to become a very good tennis player.
crystal ball n. a round glass ball, in which some people think they can see the future 水晶球
actor n. a man who acts in plays or films 男演員
內(nèi)容簡介
弗雷德·菲什對自己的生活不滿意。他想做些更刺激的事情。他的未來會怎樣呢?或許羅莎夫人能告訴他。她能從她的水晶球里或是人們的手掌上看到未來。有時她還會觀察臉色,然后說些人們想聽的話。但有時候她也會弄錯,說些人們不愛聽的話。如果人們不高興,就不會給她錢。而她需要那些錢。
劇中人物
羅莎夫人,一個能預(yù)見未來的女人
弗雷德·菲什,一個老師
場景說明
場景是羅莎夫人的客廳,有一張桌子和兩把椅子。桌上有一個大水晶球。羅莎夫人坐在桌旁看著水晶球。
要準備一個水晶球和一些錢。
羅莎:
(看著水晶球)今天會有什么事情發(fā)生呢?啊,我看到錢了!對,有人要來給我好多錢!太好了!會是誰呢?
弗雷德:
(走進來)你好,你是羅莎夫人嗎?
羅莎:
是的,快請坐。
弗雷德坐到桌旁。
弗雷德:
謝謝。呃,我叫弗雷德·菲什……
羅莎:
讓我看看,你是個老師,住在倫敦,想知道你的未來,對不對?
弗雷德:
對,沒錯!你是怎么知道的?
羅莎:
(看著水晶球)我能在這里面看到你。
弗雷德:
哇!真有意思!那你能告訴我我的未來嗎?我會怎樣?
羅莎:
我可以告訴你,不過要知道,如今沒有什么是免費的。
弗雷德:
哦,我知道。我?guī)Я隋X。
羅莎:
(微笑)那太好了!好了,請把你的手給我,好嗎?我要看看你的手。(她握住他的手,仔細地看起來。)我在這兒看到愛情。很快你就會遇到一個漂亮的美國姑娘。你會跟她結(jié)婚。
弗雷德:
可我現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)有個很好的女朋友了!她是澳大利亞人。
羅莎:
忘了她吧!不,你會跟那個美國姑娘結(jié)婚。我在你的手上看到了。
弗雷德:
你能再多告訴我一些事嗎?
羅莎:
好。很快你就會離開倫敦,跟你的美國太太搬到好萊塢去。
弗雷德:
好萊塢!那個名人聚居的地方!
羅莎:
對。你以后不會再教書了,你會成為一個演員,出演好萊塢所有頂尖大片,成為大明星!
弗雷德:
太棒了!我會變得很富有!
羅莎:
唔,是的,但是你的生活不會一帆風(fēng)順,你的妻子會有情人。
弗雷德:
哦,不!或許是另一個明星?
羅莎:
是的,沒錯。而你會開始酗酒,開始是在晚上,后來連白天也酗酒。
弗雷德:
哦,天哪,那太糟糕了。
羅莎:
是的。而且因為你酗酒,沒人會再找你演出。
弗雷德:
那這以后我會怎么樣?
羅莎:
我很遺憾,你會自殺。
弗雷德:
什么?不!我才不會自殺!
羅莎:
事情發(fā)生得很快,一天晚上你朝自己開了一槍。
弗雷德:
我來這兒可不是聽什么死訊的!
羅莎:
這都寫在你的手上。一共25英鎊,付錢吧。
弗雷德:
肯定不對!你能再看看我的手嗎?
羅莎:
哦,好吧。(又開始看他的手)讓我看看——或許你會娶那個澳大利亞姑娘。
弗雷德:
還是這樣好!
羅莎:
是的,你會跟你的澳大利亞太太離開倫敦,搬到悉尼。
弗雷德:
唔,這樣呀,那兒天氣熱得很。
羅莎:
你不再教書,而是成為了一個很棒的網(wǎng)球運動員。
弗雷德:
你知道嗎,我上學(xué)的時候,網(wǎng)球打得很好。
羅莎:
你會見到所有的著名球星,跟他們打球。大家會在電視上看你打網(wǎng)球。
弗雷德:
哇!我會名利雙收!
羅莎:
是的,但是你的生活不會一帆風(fēng)順。你的妻子會——
弗雷德:
看好了再說!
羅莎:
讓我看看——呃——你的手相有點復(fù)雜。啊,是的,你的妻子會生個孩子。
弗雷德:
哦,好啊。我喜歡孩子。
羅莎:
對,然后她還會生一個,之后又生一個。
弗雷德:
哦!可我根本不會有時間見到這些孩子!我會一直在電視上!
羅莎:
我告訴過你,你的生活不會一帆風(fēng)順的。
弗雷德:
或許我不當網(wǎng)球運動員,又重新當老師了。這樣我就可以在假期里幫我妻子照顧孩子。
羅莎:
呃——是的。這都寫在你的手上。你不再打網(wǎng)球,又開始當老師了。
弗雷德:
可是我會開心嗎?那才是最重要的。
羅莎:
哦,會的。你會幸福地跟家人生活在一起,你們一家會住在悉尼一座漂亮的大房子里。
弗雷德:
反正我周末還可以跟朋友們打網(wǎng)球。
羅莎:
對,當然。就是這樣了?,F(xiàn)在你知道了你的未來,你滿意嗎?
弗雷德:
滿意,滿意,謝謝你。真有意思。我要馬上去向我的女朋友求婚!
羅莎:
好哇。然后搬到澳大利亞?
弗雷德:
對。我們走之前,我要練習(xí)一下網(wǎng)球。我得打得再好一點兒才行!
羅莎:
沒錯,好了,一共是30英鎊,請給錢吧。
弗雷德:
當然,給你。(他從口袋里掏出錢給她。)我的生活會變得很精彩!謝謝,謝謝,太謝謝了!
羅莎:
(微笑)是我謝你才對。
她接過錢,弗雷德離開了。