Silence of God
Rent from DeepDyve- Silence of God
to jean randich
All that must be done for evil to flourish in this world is for the good man to remain silent.
Edmund Burke
Cast of Characters
Sarah Holtzman, journalist, late thirties/early forties. Sometimes when she appears with the poet, Heng Chhay, she is younger.
Heng Chhay / Pol Pot, Asian, forties. Sometimes when Heng Chhay appears with Sarah, he is younger. Pol Pot is older.
Faceless Man / Man 1 / Translator / Ta Mok / Pol Pot’s Guard / Heng’s Brother / Brother’s Guard, played by one actor.
Man 2 / Male Journalist / CIA Guy / Christopher, a war crimes diplomat / Father’s Ghost / Shadowy Figure (Ieng Sary), played by one actor.
Notes on the Play
Scenes are set in Cambodia, the U.S., and Thailand; locales are suggested by light and sound. The year is 1998, with flashbacks.
Act One
Scene One
Cambodia, 1998. Faceless Man is seated in a chair, holding a book in Braille. Across from him is Sarah Holtzman. She is disheveled, wearing glasses, and holding colorful sheets of paper and an envelope. She turns away from him.
When it came time to pay me, the customer took acid and threw it in my face. Then he stole my moto. I lost my eyes and my nose, my mouth, ears. Dissolved in the acid. My face. [listens for her, unsure] I became a member here—the Center for the Disabled—the director here nominated me for the scholarship. [faces in her direction] I would like to appeal to you, on behalf of all the people here, to help Cambodia’s blind to have opportunities. Help us to open the door. [Sarah turns to him; they are in silence] You’re writing about acid attacks? They use it because it’s harder to get guns and grenades now—the government’s made it harder—and acid is easy to find. Cheap. [a beat] Is it because of the acid attack on the famous karaoke [End Page 1] singer Tat Marina that people in America want to know about me? I had six operations. [with delight] They trained me so well here. I can do anything other people can do! Clean, sew. Even sharpen knives! [he seems to smile at Sarah; she takes a step, reaches out to comfort him, but then steps back and turns away; he is puzzled] You write for an American paper. [trying to pronounce] Washington ...?
Yes, the Post.
You’re famous, right? You interviewed Pol Pot! [she stares off into space; Pol Pot appears in a pool of light; he is at a stupa near a destroyed wat; he wears a costume: part black Khmer Rouge pajamas with red scarf, part orange monk’s robe] Are you still there?
She looks down at the paper she is holding and begins to read aloud, chanting.
I dream at night
That I see you . . .
She moves toward the stupa, reciting a traditional Khmer “Hopping Crow” poem,* except that the words are in English. A flute plays when she recites the poem. She is simple and open, concentrating only on chanting. Pol Pot slowly transforms into the poet, Heng Chhay.
Standing As you are standing the day You are packing your things For a moment
I reverse it Look, Sarah As we walk to the top of the world And go over And disappear, you say
And just then, in that moment I take the step
What mistake do I make? What mistake?
Heng takes a step toward her.
Glass breaks: The wall of time.
Scene Two
Nantucket, summer 1985. Sarah and Heng are much younger, and she does not wear glasses. She is eating an orange.
Khnhom châhng kleye jia-nek nee-pon. [End Page 2]
Khnhom châhng kleye jia-nek nee-pon.
Yes. “I want to be a writer.” [patiently correcting her] Nek nee-pon.
Nek nee-pon. [writes it in Khmer script]
This is very good. [corrects her writing, and she tries again]
It takes longer to write, in your language. But I like it, I like the time it takes . . . It’s like a window.
To...
