Dealing with Clair Read online

  She’s patting her hair with a towel.

  MUM. Clair? Are you there?

  JAMES. She wants to speak to you.

  MUM. Clair?

  At the moment of the train’s maximum impact, blackout. The rush and whine of the train continues – extremely loud – fading away as the light comes up on the final scene.

  By the Same Author

  MARTIN CRIMP PLAYS ONE

  Play with Repeats

  Getting Attention

  The Treatment

  MARTIN CRIMP PLAYS TWO

  No One Sees the Video

  The Misanthrope

  Attempts on her Life

  The Country

  MARTIN CRIMP PLAYS THREE

  Cruel and Tender

  Fewer Emergencies

  The City

  Definitely the Bahamas

  Play House

  In the Republic of Happiness

  Three Attempted Acts

  (in Best Radio Plays of 1985)

  TRANSLATIONS

  The Chairs (Ionesco)

  Rhinoceros (Ionesco)

  The Misanthrope (Molière)

  Roberto Zucco (Koltès)

  The Maids (Genet)

  The Triumph of Love (Marivaux)

  The False Servant (Marivaux)

  The Seagull (Chekhov)

  Pains of Youth (Bruckner)

  TEXTS FOR MUSIC

  Into the Little Hill

  Written on Skin

  Lessons in Love and Violence

  MARTIN CRIMP

  Martin Crimp was born in 1956 and began writing for the theatre in the 1980s. Attempts on her Life, written in 1997, established his international reputation, and the plays that followed – among them, The Country, Cruel and Tender (written for director Luc Bondy), The City and In the Republic of Happiness – have been seen by audiences across the world. In 2006, an encounter with composer George Benjamin led to the creation of three operas, Into the Little Hill, Written on Skin and Lessons in Love and Violence. His most recent work, The rest will be familiar to you from cinema, commissioned by the Schauspielhaus Hamburg in 2013, and directed by Katie Mitchell, was voted foreign author’s best play of the year.

  A Nick Hern Book

  Dealing with Clair first published in Great Britain as a paperback original in 1988 by Nick Hern Books Limited, The Glasshouse, 49a Goldhawk Road, London W12 8QP

  This new edition published in 2018

  Dealing with Clair copyright © 1988, 2018 Martin Crimp

  Martin Crimp has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work

  Front cover: © Shutterstock

  Designed and typeset by Nick Hern Books, London

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN 978 1 84842 808 9 (print edition)

  ISBN 978 1 78850 123 1 (ebook edition)

  CAUTIONThis ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly. edition)

  Amateur Performing RightsApplications for performance, in excerpt or in full by non-professionals in English throughout the world should be addressed to Samuel French Ltd, 24–32 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD, tel +(0)20 7387 9373, or their overseas agents.

  Professional Performing RightsApplications for performance by professionals in any medium and in any language throughout the world should be addressed to Judy Daish Associates Ltd, 2 St Charles Place, London W10 6EG, email [email protected]