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Rouge de la guerre
Randal Douc
Rouge de la guerre
Actes du théâtre n° 21.[ imprimer ]
Free elections are to be held in a far-off Asian country, while soldiers called “Black Scarves,” responsible for appalling massacres, are still a threat. In the aftermath of the war, there is not a single man who does not have permanent marks in his heart and on his soul. Some want to erase them at any cost, others to calm them. Still others strive to turn them into a life force, through a digestion process that is almost biological.

“I often get unpublished plays from young playwrights. To be honest, I only linger over them when I spot a real writer. I’m talking about the kind of writing that is needed in the theatre today – poetic, intense, compact and vital, with its own mysterious underlying rhythm. In short, before all the rest – the plot, theme, narrative, etc. – there has to be a real piece of writing that isn’t apologetic about its own existence. I spotted it right away in Randal Douc’s work. I’ve followed his writing since then, and I’m sure this playwright will continue to surprise and delight us.”
Jean-Pierre Siméon

The two-part work composed of Les Hommes désertés and Rouge de la guerre is to be staged in France in 2007 by Christophe Maltot.

Characters : 2 women - 4 men -

THE BOSS I said be quiet.
TCHAN She was in the village we went through yesterday. When she saw me, she threw herself into my arms thinking I was her son too.
THE BOSS Oh. You, her son?
TCHAN She’s not too clear-headed anymore.
THE BOSS This pleases me more. We resemble one another so much that she mistook both of us for her son.
TCHAN I don’t resemble you.
THE BOSS Don’t be sad because you resemble me. I’m not that ugly. In fact, I am going to give you, my new lieutenant, the chance to become like a brother to me.
TCHAN Your brother?
THE BOSS My blood brother. According to custom you must be tested before fighting at our side. (Pointing to the old woman.) There is your test.
TCHAN I don’t understand. Let her go, she’s just a poor woman.
THE BOSS I wanted to finish with her myself, and you refused, breaking the silence despite my words. So you will have the honour of cutting short her madness.
TCHAN You can’t do this!
THE BOSS I can’t, but you can. Indeed, so as to develop your imagination, you will have no weapon. Don’t worry, it’s not so hard. And I’ll leave you alone. My friends will go off into the forest and become invisible to you. But listen carefully. From where they are, they’ll consider your every gestures and intention. If you haven’t accomplished your task in ten short minutes, your spirit will be hanging from those trees.
TCHAN No, I beg you!
THE BOSS I have no mercy. Meanwhile, I’ll deal with the present you so kindly brought me. Don’t waste your time on this old woman. She’s neither your mother nor mine, and she sold her own child. Remember: ten minutes. It has already begun.