Memoirs of a Forgotten Man
D.W. Gregory
Cast of Characters
Kreplev, a government investigator, mid to late 50s
Natalya Berezina, psychologist, mid 40s
Alexei S., a man with an incredible memory, early 30s
Vasily, his brother, late 30s
Sonia, their mother, 40 at first, later about 60
Markayevna, Alexei’s childhood teacher
Utkin, Alexei’s editor
Demidova, a displaced aristocrat, nearly 60
Azarov, a carnival performer, about 50 years old
An old peasant woman
The action moves between an office in Moscow, circa 1957, and various locations in Leningrad in 1937–8.
The play is written so that four actors can double into 10 parts, as follows:
Actor 1: Alexei/the Amazing Azarov
Actor 2: Kreplev/Vasily
Actor 3: Natalya/Madame Demidova
Actor 4: Peasant Woman/Miss Markayevna/Mother/Utkin
It is also possible for Actor 2 to double as Utkin.
The Playing Space
I envision a space that can stand in for various locations—the office of the investigator, Natalia’s office at the psychological hospital, Mother’s kitchen, a schoolroom and so forth. Through the use of lighting, projections and on-stage costume changes, the action is intended to move fluidly from place to place and back and forth through time.
Note on Production
Any production or presentation of the play must include this statement in program materials.
Memoirs of a Forgotten Man was first produced as a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere by Contemporary American Theater Festival (WV), New Jersey Repertory Company (NJ), and Shadowland Stages (NY). For more information please visit www.nnpn.org.
Act One
The set is a stark, stylized playing space that doubles for various locations. It is furnished with a table and two or three chairs, as well as some form of storage for props and costumes. Upstage, a large window—or the representation of one—and beyond it, AT RISE, an enormous image of Stalin, smiling benignly through the window. All we see of Stalin is an eternally staring eye, the tip of a smiling mouth, but the face is unmistakable.
As the action begins, this image fades and Azarov appears: Dressed in a tuxedo, like a magician, holding a blindfold in his hand. In the window we now see a display—about 30 random words in various hands, as if each word has been written on a blackboard by different individuals. An old peasant woman writes one final word as Azarov watches. She hands the chalk to Azarov and walks off. Azarov addresses an unseen audience with a showman’s flair.
Azarov Thank you. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your help in creating this list. I’ve asked you for words and dates that mean something to you. And since we’ve created this list just now—you know that I’ve never seen it before.
Azarov looks at the display for a brief moment, silently mouthing what he sees. He turns to the audience, smiles. A beat, then he repeats exactly the display behind him.
Azarov Story, donut, Petrograd, apple, bottle, Palm Sunday, promotion, sunstroke, organ, June 16, jewelry, kiss, December, drama, railroad, meeting, lemons, handshake, pickles, orange grove, grandchildren, harvest, avenue, perfume, discharge, Feast of St. Stephen, dacha, May 1, tulip.
Applause. Azarov bows.
Azarov Now ladies and gentlemen, shall we try a much longer list?
Lights fade on Azarov and rise full on Kreplev, in a drab government office, with a manuscript in his hands.
The image of Stalin returns to the window.
Kreplev Memory. Madness. How do these things work together? When nothing can be relied upon? Consider a man tormented by a memory he cannot shake. It tortures him. Because he cannot be sure whether he lived it. Or imagined it. On this point, perhaps we can all agree: He must be mad. But consider another man. One whose understanding of the world is shaped by memories of things he knows never happened. Is he mad? Or merely accommodating?
A beat as Kreplev assesses his audience.
Kreplev Perhaps a metaphor will help. Suppose we are married, you and I. And we agree to a shared understanding of our history. We tell the story often. How we met at the ballet. You, descending the grand stair on your lover’s arm. I, at the bottom, bored, waiting for the crowd to clear. Suddenly our eyes meet. And we know at once. Within minutes, we’re in the cloakroom, where we devour each other with a passi...