Title: “The Odyssey of Ulysses”.
Author: Silvina Carrasco
9 Characters:
- Ulises as a kid : He is a boy of about eleven years old. He looks neglected. His clothes are old and torn. Beyond his appearance, his attitude is calm and reflective.
- Santiago as a kid : He is a boy of about seven years old. He is Ulises’ brother. He looks just as unkempt as his brother, but his attitude is different: he is rebellious and his frustration is noticeable.
- Carlitos: He is a boy of about three or four years old. He is Ulises’ younger brother.
- Isabel: Ulises, Santiago and Carlitos’ mother. She is a woman of about 32 years old but the weight of a difficult life and her addiction to alcohol have taken their toll on her appearance and she looks older.
- Young Ulises: He is a young man in his twenties. Although his appearance is still austere, he wears clean and wholesome clothes. His manner is still calm and thoughtful, though more confident than Ulises the child.
- Santiago as a teenager: He is about sixteen years old. He dresses in rapper’s clothes and his attitude is even more rebellious than that of Santiago as a child.
- Ulises adult: He is a man in his forties, confident and calm.
- Aracelis: Ulises adult’s secretary.
- Voice-over: Recites the poetry at the end.
ACT I
It is important for the verisimilitude of the play that Ulysses as a kid, young Ulysses and adult Ulysses -as well as a kid Santiago and adolescent Santiago- share physical features: same hair and eye color, similar features, etc.).
Ulysses’ childhood
Characters involved in this act: Ulises as a child, Santiago as a child, Carlitos and Isabel.
Scenery: An environment of a very precarious house. Stained walls, poor lighting, a broken and dirty sofa, a table, some chairs and some furniture. Everything looks old and neglected.
Ulises is sitting at the table, trying to study with his notebooks and pencils on the table. All around him everyone is shouting and there is loud music coming from the street.
(Carlitos hits a pot with a spoon near his mother who is lying on the sofa, disheveled and with her makeup smeared).
-Santiago: (in a loud voice to be heard among so much noise) Ulises, I need money for the bus.
-Ulises: I don’t have any, I had to pay the grocery bill.
-Isabel: Well, Ulises, go to Mr. Armando’s again, see if he has more work for you.
-Ulises: I can’t, mom, I have a lot of studying to do.
-Isabel: (shouting) Stop studying and find yourself an occupation. Books are not for people like you.
-Carlitos: (continues hitting the pot) I’m hungry, mom! Mom, I’m hungry!
-Isabel: Quiet, Carlitos, I have a headache!
-Santiago boy: If you wouldn’t drink until you drop, you wouldn’t have a headache, and you’d have money to buy food!
-Isabel: If you want food, ask your father, if you can find out where he lives! (Carlitos continues shouting and making noise with the pot) My head! Quiet that boy! (He covers his head with a blanket on the sofa).
(Ulises stands up, carefully takes the pot and spoon from Carlitos and gives him something to eat that he takes out of his backpack. He sits down, takes a deep breath and continues studying with a sad face. The music continues to play at full volume.)
ACT II
Youth of Ulysses
Characters that intervene in this act: young Ulises and Santiago as a teen.
Scenario: The same environment of the house of ACT I. It has some new decorations and the arrangement of the furniture is different (nine years have passed). The sofa, chairs and table are the same, but it is clean and tidy.
(Ulysses is sitting at the table studying. Santiago arrives, arrogant.)
-Santiago teenager: What a surprise, you’re still studying, why don’t you leave that story and come have a drink with me and the guys?
-Young Ulises: I’m sorry brother, after school I have to go to a meeting at Carlitos’ school and then to work.
-Teenage Santiago: Sorry! I forgot that you’re the perfect guy and you don’t have time to party.
-Young Ulises: (very embarrassed. He stops what he is doing, approaches his brother, rests his hand on his brother’s shoulder and looks him in the eyes) Santiago, brother, you didn’t learn anything from our mother’s end, do you plan to end up like her? We can have a better life!
-Santiago teenager: (furious) The good life is not for people like us and don’t compare me with that drunk! (he violently pulls Ulysses’ hand from his shoulder and goes to the door) (he stops at the door and looks at him) Leave those books and be content with this Ulysses, you are not better than me! (he leaves).
(Ulises takes a portrait with his mother’s picture. He takes a deep breath, wipes a tear, puts his books in a backpack, takes it and leaves).
ACT III
Adulthood of Ulysses
Characters that intervene in this act: Ulises adult and Aracelis.
Scene: Doctor’s office. Desk, sliding chair, double armchair, lamp, small table, vase with fresh flowers, framed diplomas on the wall, portraits with photos. Everything looks impeccable, cozy and comfortable.
(Ulises sits in the chair behind his desk, impeccably dressed in a white smock, dress pants, shoes and a phonendoscope around his neck).
-Aracelis: (looks out the door) Doctor Ulysses, your next patient.
-Adult Ulysses: Send him in, please.
(Aracelis exits)
Ulysses takes a deep breath and smiles (for the first time in the play) with serene glee.
(While adult Ulises, sitting at his desk, takes a deep breath and smiles.)
Voice-over: He lived his own Odyssey, fought his own battles sleeping among poverty and marginality.
He was not a hero of other times immortal and superhuman frustration hurt him like all the others.
He did not believe in destiny, he made his own way, his inner faith and fortitude gave him freedom.
THE END