Breath A
play by
Samuel Beckett lasting for precisely 35 seconds, considered the shortest
play ever written. It was first staged in New York in 1969. Originally written for
Kenneth Tynan's
revue, "
Oh! Calcutta!" Unfortunately, the producer added "including naked people" to the
stage directions and
Beckett withdrew his piece. Considered to be
Beckett's final comment on our state of
existence.
Curtain.
1. Faint light on stage littered with miscellaneous rubbish. Hold for about five seconds.
2. Faint brief cry and immediately
inspiration and slow increase of light together reaching maximum together in about ten seconds. Silence and hold about five seconds.
3.
Expiration and slow decrease of light together reaching minimum together (light as in 1) in about ten seconds and immediately cry as before. Silence and hold for about five seconds.
Rubbish. No verticals, all scattered and lying.
Cry. Instant of recorded
vagitus. Important that two cries be identical, switching on and off strictly synchronized light and breath.
Breath. Amplified recording.
Maximum light. Not bright. If 0 = dark and 10 = bright, light should move from about 3 to 6 and back.