American Political Plays after 9/11: #REF!

Three Nights in Prague

186 THREE NIGHTS IN PRAGUE Allan Havis Production Notes THREE NIGHTS IN PRAGUE had performance readings in September 2003 at New York’s Rattlestick Theatre (Artistic Director David Van Asselt, Director Suzanne Agins; featuring Daoud Heidami); February 2004, Duke University (Director Jody McAuliffe); July 2005, New York’s Labyrinth Theatre (Director John Gould Rubin, co–artistic director of Labyrinth); and May 2007, University of California, San Diego’s Center for the Humanities (Director Cynthia Stokes; featuring Peter Wylie). Characters atta, Egyptian Al Qaeda member, age thirty-seven, ringleader of the 9/11 Trade Towers terrorist flight pavel, Czech citizen, age forty-five to fifty, hired by Al-Ani for odd jobs and favors al-ani, Iraqi consulate official, age fifty-three, under suspicion for spying by the Czech government dolni, Czech youth, age seventeen, who sells drugs, does sexual favors, and steals (The play takes place within the city of Prague, and the time is April 2001. Scenes are not in proper chronology. The prologue is also optional and can be omitted for production.) Prologue—Atta’s Will This is what I want to happen after my death. (Pause.) I am Mohamed, the son of Mohamed El Amir Awad El Sayed. I believe that the prophet Mohamed is God’s messenger and God will resurrect those in their graves. I want my family and everyone who reads this will to fear Almighty God and don’t fall to deception and to follow God and his prophets. I don’t want any women to go to my grave at +DYLV&KLQGG 30 Three Nights in Prague 187 all during my funeral. In my memory, I want all people to do what the prophet Ibrahim told his son to do, to die as a good Muslim. Scene 1 (The second night. Atta’s hotel room. atta, just out of the shower, is in a bathrobe . There is a knock at his door. He goes over.) atta: Who is it? dolni: Dolni. (Pause.) A friend of Pavel’s. Not really a friend, but I work for him. atta: What do you want? dolni: You asked for a woman. atta: I changed my mind. dolni: That’s not right. atta: Go! dolni: Don’t be an asshole. Open the door. Fuck! You asked Pavel, and he sent me. The whole night is wasted now. (Pause.) Hey! Come on! atta: (Opens door slowly.) Are you alone? dolni: Yes! atta: Keep your voice down. dolni: Okay. atta: I need some cigarettes. dolni: I don’t smoke when I work. atta: Go out and buy me a pack. dolni: It’s raining out. atta: So? dolni: It’s raining out! atta: Rain is a beautiful thing. dolni: I don’t want to get wet! atta: Put a bag over your head. dolni: It’s going to rain all night. atta: How old are you? dolni: Seventeen. atta: Fourteen? dolni: Does it matter? atta: I don’t know. I’m not used to doing this. +DYLV&KLQGG 30 Allan Havis 188 (dolni enters.) dolni: You have money? atta: Of course I have money. Sit down. dolni: (dolni sits on a chair by the bed.) You look angry. atta: Call me, Mr. Atta. dolni: Mr. Atta. atta: I saw the man who came with you downstairs. dolni: So? atta: You said you were alone. dolni: Now I am. atta: I’ll kill your friend if he comes to the door. dolni: Pavel’s not my friend. So kill him. atta: Take off your jacket. dolni: Do you have money? atta: Yes. dolni: Show me. And your passport. Put it on the table. (atta slowly takes out cash. dolni removes his jacket.) atta: You don’t get to see my passport. I am sorry to be so rude. dolni: No, you’re not. atta: I need to frisk you for weapons. (dolni submits with a degree of flirtation. atta is quick and thorough.) dolni: That man won’t bother us tonight if I come down in an hour. He’s my father. atta: What? dolni: Pavel’s my stepfather. Same thing. His business failed. atta: You are a liar. dolni: Yes, I am a fucking liar, but this happens to be true. He had a video shop. Why would I lie? His customers never returned the inventory. Never rewound the tapes. He caught me having sex with a very big boy in the back room, too. And I...