A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

James Joyce, Arthur Riordan

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781350096837
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medios de comunicación y artes escénicas
• Subtopic: Escritura de obras de teatro

The spiritual rebellion of Stephen Dedalus and his restless search for self-expression is brought to life in a thrilling theatrical adaptation by Arthur Riordan. Based upon James Joyce's novel of the same name, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a reworking of the classic coming-of-age story. Charting Stephen's transformation into a man, we follow him through the major milestones and stumbling blocks of his life: his school days, his first romance, his loss of faith and finally to his initiation into the world of writing. In Arthur Riordan's witty and poignant adaptation of 'Joyce's manifesto', A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man challenges perceptions of family, homeland, and the Catholic Church. This edition of the adaptation was published to coincide with Rough Magic's world premiere of the production at the Dublin Theatre Festival in autumn 2018.

Act One

Prologue

Simon and Stephen 1 appear.

SimonOnce upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby Tuckoo . . .

Narrator 1His father told him that story.

Stephen 1His father looked at him through a glass: he had a hairy face. He was baby Tuckoo. The moocow came down the road where Betty Byrne lived: she sold lemon platt. When you wet the bed first it is warm then it gets cold.

May appears.

Stephen 1His mother put on the oilsheet. That had the queer smell. His mother had a nicer smell than his father. Dante had two brushes in her press.

Dante appears. She holds up two brushes.

DanteThe brush with the maroon velvet back is for Michael Davitt and the brush with the green velvet back is for Parnell.

Stephen 1 (sings)O the green wose botheth, the green wose botheth – the Vances lived in number seven. They had a different father and mother. They were Eileen’s father and mother.

Narrator 1When they were grown up he was going to marry Eileen.

Eileen appears. She and Stephen dance and run around. Stephen bumps into Dante.

MayStephen! O, Stephen will apologise.

DanteO, if not, the eagles will come and pull out his eyes.

Stephen 1 and Eileen (sing)

Pull out his eyes

Apologise,

Apologise,

Pull out his eyes.

Apologise,

Pull out his eyes.

MayNow, you won’t speak to the rough boys, will you Stephen?

Stephen 1No.

Narrator 1He pretended not to see that she was going to cry. She was a nice mother but she was not so nice when she cried.

SimonHere, Stephen. Ten shillings. And if there’s anything you want, write to me.

Stephen 1I will.

SimonGoodbye. And Stephen . . . whatever you do, never peach on a fellow.

Stephen 1No.

Simon/MayGoodbye, Stephen, goodbye! Goodbye, Stephen, goodbye!

Scene One

Clonglowes. Nasty Roche appears.

RocheWhat is your name?

Stephen 1Stephen Dedalus.

RocheWhat kind of a name is that? What is your father?

Now Wells and Fleming appear too.

Stephen 1A gentleman.

RocheIs he a magistrate?

WellsTell us, Dedalus, do you kiss your mother before you go to bed?

Stephen 1I do.

WellsO, I say, here’s a fellow says he kisses his mother every night before he goes to bed.

Stephen 1I do not.

WellsO, I say, here’s a fellow says he doesn’t kiss his mother before he goes to bed.

Narrator 1Wells shouldered him into the square ditch because Stephen wouldn’t swop his little snuff box for Wells’s seasoned hacking chestnut, the conqueror of forty.

FlemingThat was a mean thing to do, Wells.

RocheI saw a big rat jump plop into the scum in that ditch.

Narrator 1The cold slime of the ditch covered his whole body.

FlemingWhat’s up? Have you a pain or what’s up with you?

Stephen 1I don’t know.

FlemingSick in your breadbasket, because your face looks white. It will go away.

Narrator 1But he was not sick there. He thought he was sick in his heart if you could be sick in that place. Christmas vacation was very far away: but one time it would come because the earth moved round always, a big ball in the middle of clouds.

Stephen writes in his geography book.

Stephen 1Stephen Dedalus. Class of Elements. Clongowes Wood College. Sallins. County Kildare. Ireland. Europe. The World. The Universe.

Narrator 1What was after the universe? It was very big to think about everything and everywhere. Only God could do that. It pained him that he did not know where the universe ended. His bed was very hot and his face and body were very hot.

Lights up. It’s morning.

FlemingHe’s sick.

RocheWho is?

FlemingI’ll tell McGlade you’re not well.

WellsGet Simon Moonan to go – he’s McGlade’s suck.

Narrator 1Suck was a queer word. Once he washed his hands in the lavatory of the Wicklow Hotel and his father pulled the stopper up by the chain after and the dirty water went down through the hole in the basin. It had made a sound like that: suck. To remember the white look of the lavatory made him feel cold and then hot.

WellsDedalus, don’t spy on us, sure you won’t? I didn’t mean to. Sure you won’t?

Stephen 1I won’t.

WellsI didn’t mean to, honour bright. It was only for cod. I’m sorry.

Narrator 1His father had told him, whatever he did –

Stephen 1– never to peach on a fellow.

FlemingHe’s sick, he’s not foxing.

Father Arnall appears, gives Stephen a cup.

Father Arnall We must pack off to the infirmary because we have the collywobbles!

Narrator 1Father Arnall was very decent to say that. That was all to make him laugh. But he could not laugh because his cheeks and lips were all shivery.

Father Arnall Drink this up, it’s beef tea,

Narrator 1That was the infirmary. He was sick then.

Athy Hello! It’s young Dedalus! What’s up?

Father Arnall The sky is up. You’ll get your walking pap...