Rehearsals for War (Teatro di guerra)

Not the end result,

but being aware of what our condition is, right?

We should really keep in mind what our situation is...

a hospital, a closed space.

It might be good for us to focus on that, so we don't lose it...

REHEARSALS FOR WAR

Let's form... a circle.

Concentrate on your joints, not your muscles.

We're going to do something easy.

- How did it go? - Fine.

We started to get acquainted, and warm up.

Vittorio's coming tomorrow.

- Luisella? - No problem.

She was real cool. She hit it off with everybody.

You hungry? I'll make some spaghetti.

I'm going to shower first.

Vittorio!

- Leo! - Let's go.

Right, let's go...

- Remember Rosario? - Of course.

- How're you feeling? - Much better.

You're Luisella.

Giovanna.

Vincenzo.

- Francesca, nice to meet you. - Antonello.

- I saw one of your plays years ago. - You did?

- Talk about... - What are you doing now?

I'm teaching, and this character just roped me in!

My God, it's fabulous!

- You're really doing it? - You kidding? To go to Sarajevo?

Leo's incredible. When you meet him, you say to yourself,

"Here's a guy who's really serious about doing theater"!

- I needed something like this. - Didn't you have other work?

No.

I have to do two more shots for a film I'm in.

Then I have a gig for the radio, because they really pay well.

I can work it all in. What about you?

I'm rehearsing with Turco, "Taming of the Shrew".

Shakespeare! That's great! What role are you doing?

It's a minor role. It's good though, it pays well.

I'm going upstairs.

- You coming to the rehearsals? - Sure, if I can.

He's not in here...

Let's look next door.

Here he is.

Can I interrupt for a second?

A beautiful girl like you? Whenever you like.

My friend's a director. He's preparing a play for Sarajevo.

He'd like the two theater managers there to come here.

But they'll need press cards for the U.N. plane.

You think Foreign News could use an article... on theater in Sarajevo?

We've done a full page with that American writer

who did a play in Sarajevo.

- Susan Sontag. - That's right.

We couldn't use another article about the theater.

The press is full of these eye-witness accounts.

It's hard to find something new. Who are these two people?

He's a director and she organizes things.

Before the war, they participated in international festivals.

They've been here in Italy, too.

- Are they okay? - In what way?

Have they been injured? Was the theater bombed?

We need something that can grab our readers.

- That's fine. No problem. Thanks. - Look, I'm sorry, but you know...

No point suggesting things they're going to turn down.

Let's try Entertainment.

- Loser! - Don't forget what just happened!

We got rid of a ham! We got rid of a ham!

- I gave him his start! - What happened?

I'm sorry, this is your first day here.

No, it's not that, I'm worried. We only have a few rehearsals.

Look, it's all under control! I'll take care of this.

I want every young actor in Naples here tomorrow!

- No problem. - Readings to text. To text!

- I hope you can be here tomorrow. - Sure, if you like.

We'll choose this guy together. I want you to be satisfied!

Sara, can you come up to Wardrobe?

Riccardo, do whatever you like!

I don't ever want to see that guy in here again!

Come off it!

- I said, come off it! - He can't treat me like that!

- He does that to everybody. - But not to me.

- Especially not for this crap. - Know what he did the other day?

He pointed a red spot on the shrew.

He said when Kate gets mad, she's got to be lit in red.

That's bad! You know how much this thing's costing?

You've chopped down a whole forest

just to build all those footboards, ceilings, walls!

He's never had one real rehearsal with the actors!

That's true.

The only thing he cares about is the packaging.

Besides, all the others act like it's not their problem.

What's the point?

Would you be willing to work for practically no pay?

And come with you?

Sure, I'd be willing to. Except that at this point

it wouldn't be fair to the others.

We're really just beginning, we're doing improvisations.

- You can play the Herald. - Isn't that your role?

I've decided to concentrate on directing and do a smaller part.

Let me have the script.

What about you and Luisella...

Don't worry. That's no problem.

- Then we come back, right? - We will...

Who is it?

Peace! Peace!

Father! My father never touched me!

My father never saw me naked! Father!

Where the hell were you? Father!

- Please, don't let Dad see them. - Thank you.

Heard you came back to work 'round here.

- That's right. - What're you doin'?

We're preparing a play to take to Yugoslavia.

Jesus, where the war's on? Take him, he's a gun freak.

- Let's have a beer. - I've got a rehearsal now.

I wanted to tell ya. Couple of days ago

that painter pal of yours showed up, a weirdo.

A liter of gas is 1.800 lire. I'd have blown 'em sky high.

Then they call you a racist, they haul you into court...

- You had some changes in here. - Like it?

Gave it a coat of paint to make it look nice.

I like this green.

- It's a nice shade. - Luciana!

- Can we have two beers? - The captain's here.

Now we'll see who's in charge, him, me or you. Wait a minute.

He thinks he's the Pope, stretches out on that bed, gives orders...

Why doesn't he hire a maid? Like I'm his slave...

This one's five years old, they're getting me a musical one.

The chronograph that plays a little tune.

If your friend doesn't mind...

Your daughter's goin' out lookin' like a slut.

I told ya, I don't give a damn about this woman stuff!

See what's goin' down here?

Don't get her riled up, okay? Come home early.

- How old is she? - Thirteen. Beautiful, right?

Carmela... I got somethin' for ya.

- Like it? - Super.

These who grew from the same seed together are sown upon the ground

and in mad jealousy their quarrel reached its end.

Now their enmity is over, and their lives mingle

where a pool of gore soaks into the earth.

Now they are truly of one blood.

Eteocles, in recognition of his devotion to this city,

shall be interred in his own native soil.

Well?

Don't get mad at me, rehearsals start on time.

- You sleep in the morning? - Yeah, right...

Well, I work. You think I could feed my wife and son

with the miserable pay we get at the theater?

You asked me to get us a generator. How are we going to pay for it?

We need more money.

If I have to get a costume, or something...

Any little thing, like a map...

Same old song every time.

You all knew the situation, though.

All of this affects our creativity.

I know, but there's just no money now.

We can't do everything ourselves, it keeps throwing us off.

We need someone who can take care of the stage.

We can't hire anyone else, we're flat broke.

- Talk to Riccardo Donati. - He's at the National Theater!

What difference does that make?

We'll do that tomorrow.

- What time do we start tomorrow? - Five o'clock, as usual.

Look, I did everything I could. I gave you a rehearsal space.

You write them up as shows, and take the subsidies.

But we have overhead and management costs.

Are you kidding?

The phone's disconnected and we do the cleaning up!

You guys don't realize, we get paid for renting the downstairs hall.

And we're loaded down with debts!

Where do we find the money? How can we do theater?

Go see Franco Turco.

The only way to get any money is from the National Theaters.

It's the only possible way!

Do you have any shots of the Sarajevo theater?

- No, I'll have them send some. - Maybe we can adapt things...

do some work on the space itself, like where you're working.

We can reverse the point of view, make use of the balcony, the stairs,

the backstage door and you've got the sets.

- Good idea. - I'll come down and have a look.

- You sure it's no problem? - God no, I get so bored here.

Some water, here, what...

Come, Kate, and wash, and welcome heartily.

You whoreson villain! Will you let it fall?

- 'Twas a fault unwilling. - Oh, no?

A whoreson, beetle-headed, flap-ear'd knave!

Come, Kate, sit down.

I know you have a stomach. What's this? Mutton?

Who brought it? 'Tis burnt!

And so is all the meat! What dogs are these?

How durst you villains bring it from the dresser?

Why do you do it?

How durst you serve it thus to me that love it not?

The meat was well, if you were so contented.

For God's sake, we can't work if you keep stopping like this!

What are you thinking about?

Why...

Why he's doing this, maybe he doesn't like me...

What do we care?