Drama in two acts “Waiting For Survivor”
Author: Kārlis Anitens (Translated from original, titled “Norma”, (in Latvian) 2010, translator A.Uzulena ), facebook.com/karlisanitens. For full information about rights and full text of play please contact: karlisanitens@gmail.com.
SYNOPSIS
What it should be: living or surviving? Writer Vit Reno has grown up an orphan, which is the reason this dilemma arises before his encounter with his suddenly found mother; seriously ill airline super star Norma is torn between the same alternatives not being able to forget the love of her life; seemingly confident Henry – saving his reputation, Wolbert – living his entire life in wife’s shadow, Lydia – haunted by a single irreparable mistake of the past. It is only for Cora that the answer to every problem lies in money.
These characters find themselves in airport, on their way to Paris where a decades-long conflict awaits solving. Its chief subject is Norma and Henry’s “illegitimate” child, Vit, who, protected by others’ oblivion regarding his familial identity, gets into the center of heated existential wonderings. The question of Living versus surviving is put to dramatic test with people in the play getting personal. Three characters board the ill-fated airplane heading to catastrophe soon after the take-off. One of them will survive. The question, of course, is – who? Waiting to find it out, those left on the land ask themselves whether this turn of events will let them live or just to survive in the world that has turned honesty to oneself and to the others into a There-was-once-upon-a-time myth. When the catastrophe survivor arrives, the question has to remain unanswered for his miracle escape from death is but a chance to avoid confronting the truthfulness issue once again.
Who of the play’s characters to sympathize with, the author leaves for the reader or the viewer to decide as there are no good and bad ones in this tale; just the living human being with his longing for life’s fulfillment and his sometimes relentless reality…
One act tragicomedy “POWER MAKES PERFECT”
Author: Kārlis Anitens (facebook.com/karlisanitens). For full information about rights and full text of play please contact: karlisanitens@gmail.com
Length: one act, 16 pages
Cast size: 2 male and 1 female roles
Summary : The events of the play encompass the time as far back as the period it took for the USSR to crumble and touch upon the present focusing the spotlight on a small funeral service, which grounds its success in some water-tight cooperation with the top echelons of power. Disturber of the operation’s peace Mister X’s expensive offer not to be refused is to neutralize its locomotive in the Government. The funereal business professionals are unfazed by the tricky situation and masquerading as innocent old-timers they manage to prevent an attack on their Minister as well as counteract to Mystery man who turns out to be an ambitious investigator with his eye on hitting a high-ranking post in the public sector. But there is still space for drama on the way to finale: the old couple are not without far-reaching plans themselves and, taking the lead from Mister X, they get rid of their man in Government to have a taste of governing themselves.
Drama “Kristine Lavransdatter”
Length: 2 acts
BASED ON NOVEL BY SIGRID UNDSET’S
© 2008 Kārlis Anitens
© 1961 Zvaigzne
© 1922 Aschehoug Agency
For full information about rights and full text of play please contact: karlisanitens@gmail.com.
SYNOPSIS:
Norway, the 13th century. At the age of fifteen the happy early youthful years of Kristine are shocked by the death of her childhood friend Arne, and the mother of the boy blames Kristine for it. To find peace of heart, Kristine travels to a nunnery in Oslo supported by her parents Lavrans and Ragnfrid, betrothed Simon, godmother Ashild and priest Friar Edvin who is close to her soul. However an accident in the city brings Kristine together with knight Erlend who has a disgraced reputation in the eyes of public. Their affair grows into an unstoppable and contradictory passion that erases Kristine’s spiritual values leading the main character to a deep inner conflict regarding her attitude towards life. When desire between Kristine and Erlend becomes evident, the previously strong relationship between the father and the daughter is irreversibly shattered with Lavrans taking the side of her lawfully betrothed Simon. This watershed leads to a true insight and actual disruption of the interrelationship between Lavrans and Ragnfrid.
In order to escape disapproval from people and family, Erlend and Kristine decide to flee to Sweden, involving also her godmother Ashild in this plan. However, the secret trip is interrupted by Eline, the previous concubine of Erlend’s and the mother of his two children. A quarrel arises, Eline kills herself, but manages to carve an irremediable wound between Kristine and Erlend. In order to hide what has happened godmother Ashild decides to sacrifice her life for Kristine and Erlend which alienates Erlend and Kristine even more.
A year later when Kristine is already pregnant, her spiritual teacher Friar Edvin dies in her hands. Affected by the tragedy, Lavrans stops opposing the relationship between Kristine and Erlend allowing them to become lawful husband and wife. Wedding takes place, however there is no emotional connection between Kristine and Erlend anymore, and it isn’t revived by the birth of their child. As the only way out for her life in the future Kristine sees the rejuvenated connection with God. Although it seems that she has succeeded, the wounds of the soul do not heal, and Kristine’s life further on turns into an endless ball of inner anger, and there is no beginning or end to it. As the black thread in this ball of yarn is her husband Erlend’s successful career and his reconciled relationship with Lavrans which annoys Kristine. Only when Lavrans dies there is a possible ray of light in Kristine’s life.
