The Baker's Wife Script

Stage: ‘Baker's Wife’ Ina Revised Version’: | 2 By STEPHEN HOLDEN The Cast | atta rumors of excerpts topic “Scenes fhuslal ite Baker's Wits” which lost during presreauney ee red eager epost Hones to how i might fare re se | sel New York taut ate YWimsicl’ Galle fable” abouts. Sere | Fomely"miditsaged bnker'end nis” Sarwan Ou esttgntnt Bent, reieas young wife, com Hester ae Surrey it ii ae Ceres gon ar ae ace captivating tines ‘Andis recording Laide hieeiaarte sateen fren fentures ‘boul Sonne Patt Libeoe,eotaine a el classe pevformance’ Sortie “wt mse Exve intense rading of e e dea ang. Meson eee But ins New Vouk obut atthe ‘York Theor directed by the ete Pot and arg Sack Yor es how detent suet ig She eventually returns home toa for alning the cham giving husoand who has boca peo page ettervscence of a French {nig tens : waltz for fo hours." But Joseph ina role hat demands larger chan, Stein's crude, comact‘tnedots book lie emotional seapone eek and Mr. Schwartz's: awicward, plod: 10m falls to suggest ae faeces Ger ding direction make for &produttion pliaty of heute ek agi oe thatisasliclessasfiat glagerale, fracted Gonevions nee ie ae, ine Bakers Wit tart im. easing Gomes he fat pace, lest of tales, Amable Castagner funeess, Joyce Letoh ete oe Gis eon) ad Me wile, ne Rein Gray payne panel ove Goo Leigh Bowen); settiein lovers a caibwiyounbene re eee .Erench hamlet where the vilagers erotic cargo, and thes Rete ee line up to buy Almable's mirecu: love senusicaklie arena ieee SaneeeR Des, el hpeces Venliy MGray ww hates after Genevieve nuns away memotible i the Nock Treaty ots Dominique (Kevin Gray), the vival of “Pacific Ovens eel Fandsome yotng hauteur lor the and. wobbly. “asd hie peste local marguls (Charles Gotf), and Genevieve i bland to the eeeret Aimsbleretuses tobake anymore. as opacity, Mr. Schwarn’y ocoee at ihe frst fiames of pasion star 0 ‘naitferently sung, has beet < Gol, Genevieve bogins missing her * handsomely arsanged tee beatae comfortable a fe, "The fire is gel and Kevin Stes fora tone “hate abe sis, gazing at Dont. Sable that include Mary soe ive, "but where fine warm?” din, and syntheses a 2a Yk [ial Suadlty- Meth 41, 7h:Finish Your Face. Where They Do It Best at Cohen’s Fashion Optical... Js Present this ad and receive a FREE eyeglass examination AND a 20% discount on any regularly priced purchase.| ABOUT TECOMPANY pref erred Manhatten Residence? Pacific Overtures. The theatre has made a particular effort to reach the many senior possible the continuation of iy. ISLES. TOLL PEABODY SENBLOOM SE VZABETH SPAHR you enjoy the show and ‘The York There Company oxox 564366 (24-hour. GALLERY Madison 90 1248 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10128 (212) 348-6528 JAMES MAHON, rectorIE YORK THEATRE COMPANY JANET HAYES WALKER MOLLY PICK Proacng recor rose S: K RK ve JOSEPH STEIN STEPHEN SCHWARTZ Fine Italian Cuisine sme oto and Wine Cellar 1 Atta Tesi Dior jARTIN ‘SALLY SMITH DAVID SIEGEL and KEVIN STITES MICH ‘Tin WE Directed By 1302 Madison Avenue, NYC 10128 534-3016 STEPHEN SCHWARTZVincent A. Stabile Pharmacy, Ine, +1260 Madison Avenue New York, NY. 10128 We at the 91st Street Branch of Citibank, sharing in the cultural past and present of our neighboritood, wish the ‘York Players Company another great season. at Stet a Madaon Avene, ITS YOUR Cir” _ CITIBANCSS’ --. JACK WESTON +: JOYCE LEIGH BOWDEN KEVIN GRAY (CHARLES GOFF HAL ROBINSON JUDITH LANDER ‘GABRIEL BARRE, ‘FLORENCE ANGLIN, BERT FRASER = PAUL O'KEEFE, - tiicsissses: PAMELA CLIFFORD Inez ..... | the Marquis’ “nicees” --.. MAYLA MeKEEHAN Nicole [osseestencee - GAIL PENNINGTON Aimable Castagner . Genevieve Dominique: M, Le Marquis - Claude. Priest Therese Antoine. Phillipe Simone (FRB ee pions are embers of Actors Eauity Assocation, APY) spycag wie bent econ orl The donation st ebrprokionalseton i wihhespecalpemnision of AEA MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT ONE, CHANSON. DENISE VOILA IMABLE, GENEVIEVE BREAD «0... VILLAGERS PROUD LADY... GIFTS OF LOVE..... CHANSON (reprise) SERENADE... MEADOWLARK. GENEVIEVE ACT TWO ANY-DAY-NOW-DAY. AIMABLE & VILLAGERS CHANSON (reprise) pa .. DENISE, ICOULD NEVER GET ENOUGH OF YOU....... GENEVIEVE, DOMINIQUE FEMININE COMPANIONSHIP ... MARQUIS, SIMONE, INEZ, NICOLE, AIMABLE IF I HAVE TO LIVE ALONE AIMABLE NEW MUSKETEERS. MARQUIS & VILLAGERS WHEREIS THE WARMTH? . \GENEVIEVE, AIMABLE, DENISE SETTING: A small village in the South of France.¢ Gift Gallery 1242 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10128/(212) 289-1222 PATRICK MURPHY MKT., INC. QUALITY MEATS POULTRY -SeArGoD ancy Tel: 831-2606 Bet. 92nd and 93rd Sts. Summerhouse 1288 Madison Ave. at 91 Street New York 10028 (212) 269-8062 The Glass Store Inc. 1242 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10128 - (212) 289-1970 The Fine Art of Personalized Banking... The Camegie Hill Branch — ~ @ manine MIDLAND BANK, n.a. Madison Avenue at 88th Street. New York, NY 10128 RUTH ANN FINN er (21a) 722-7779 ORK ws KEITH SHERMAN . Harold Messingse eeevessvessesesess STAN FRIED. \CHAEL ABBOTT TIM WEIL IIIT ANDRE TARANTILES JMSIAUGHIIN 411 MADISON AVE. (BTWN, ‘ls W063 Madison Avenue Grocers GROCERIES — FRUITS — VEGETABLES Frank Vitobello, Prop. hanratty’s FINEST FOOD ON THE EAST SIDE5. Feldman Housewares Dre. cincTve sere OATMRES LOTS New voRK Ny. 10028, umn Aouee 933 OFFICE, SCHOOL & ART Blocker 6 Koby, Stationers THE UPTOWN GALE sane er 212.722.2677 Madison Custom Cleaners DuValle Cleaners Cleaners of Distineti 1270 MADISON AVENUE (at 91st Stre WHOS WHO CHARLES GOFF (M. Le Marauis) Wea le seen nthe ational ous of PAMELA CL IFFORD (Sis otLeisuntle before aud after theirs dining. ‘the Word Tus He wa Songwriter Freiancing Chile's Pay. On television he played Rosson the Pry Duke Show and was vies ‘regular on Hor Hero Sandwich and JU wus Arete ork Theatre Company “peak ea Bim So ae beet Retiro am. tol: ™. \lam to4tpm £6300). Monod, ont goed show desurs avai! See Dud and Lee 722-5900 Suse Sitrondtays Line Shop of Herons JAMES MORGAN Seis Din fn the QE2. He hs designed for Paper Mecarer Theatre, Honorary Board Advisory Board Wesley Addy Brendi Drosnes, Chairman W. David McCoy Barbara Cook Marion Bedrick Margaret S. McGee Joan Fontaine ElgabethB. Blau ‘Tames Morgan tity Toms new show Dr.Mary C: Henderson Lawrence M. Blau Charles F. Morgan MARY JO DONDLINGER (Lighting & 5 ‘Arthur Laurents John Newton aay ‘Joshua Logan EG. Marshall Porta Nelson atin Pendleton Shiney Rich caibe Richardson Jobe Loseth Tanet Hayes Walker Stephen Sondheim ‘nusieal, The Trip, and a book, The ‘Perfect Peach Mi. Schwarts reedOur Next Production The New York Premiere of a New Comedy COUN by Alan Ball In Our Alternate Theatre Space The Mazur Theatre At the Murphy Center, 555 E. 90th St. Opens Mid-May KEEP IN TOUCH... WANT TO BE ON OUR MAILING LIST? 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Y. 10028 2891818 — 831-3010 Free Delivery 9AM- 10 PM MON. - SAT. _the Upper West Side proudly presents 4@ new and improved version of cloice fannin ~ graphics typesetting printing 2463 broadway new york, ny 10025 787-4021 starring CLOICE FANNIN, proprietor NAT EASTON, graphic designer, printer ROBERT KLEMUK, offset printer with excerpts from BROCHURES FLYERS PROGRAMS POSTERS BOOKLETS FORMS and the ever popular STATIONERY “... @ genius at type casting.” ~Allan Miller, The Symphony Space “... perfect timing, I was on the edge of my seat.”” —Charles Dodsley Walker, Canterbury Choral Society ‘., . made a very good impression. . .”” —Jim Morgan, The York Theatre Company“YTEAL od Aq uoRERSSYDIO JeUO} tossayg Peo de UOHFENSaHax0 [euro wnuos jnea ‘ouoanT Ria auoarey aia ‘NOTY a AITO SAVE Tal ‘6 Wosmied MUX 4SLHOTTAG SSATGNA “8 eAV_ANON-XVOEANY *L MUVIMOAVAIN “9 * .aaVNauaIs “¢ skdVT anowd “+ *_S3AOT sO SLID *t ° HINVOWNN ‘Towa : NOSNVHD “Ten THEE ney i HE HEE ul nd i co Gh: 8 any pil Cr e .i!expectations, “They Here can be a new beginning; @ ve. But Genevieve id auickly pursued by Dominique, 4&2 tmorous young villager. The ingredients for the Tn atranged; Dominique and Gener’ t And he pretends E jencvieve has merely gone to I be home very soon.any day the villages find great fun in the cuckolded ine and make to help ai What happens then to Aimable and Genevieve p ¢ Most memorable and touching sadiags in theatre. = Paul Servingsecs Law and Order 9 ‘Weil Get By yRVINO (Aina ihe Oiet Roa i Wetbarrow Closes. ean slurs of The wa ik GOES 4 oo's Deas ‘vabone ‘Bedegrnom, She was Bete etiing Goes. ‘KURT PETERSON (dows ue saree as Tony Beet he oft Breaivey fs dared ing pepe, so Sometine's vou ts a Pishers Revon hag homes i ihe Student Prince, Tab Cabaret Shanes"PRODUCED FOR CD and 7) STEPHEN SCHWARTZ, DORIS CIIU, Mane aad Lyi by Sp Fens du “Boulanger” by au by Thomas Pleo Paul Sorvino Woodwinds:= 5 =A NOTE ABOUT THE SET Most of the action takes place in the village of Concorde, @ small village in the Provence regi0t of Se eer o re that essentially a unit set will suffice. his set needs to encompass: 1) The bakery: A two-floor structure, with the shop downstairs and a snail bedroom upstairs. 2) The cafe, consisting of four tables or so. These is algo a'small bedroom above for the cafe owner and his wife. 3) the village square between the bakery and cafe- yore: For some of the scenes, it is imperative that these locations be visible simultaneously. qhis is the only setting required in the first act. tn the second act, two other settings are called for: the interior of the village church, and = smelt setip hotel room, which consists mostly of a bed, Ole Shssible design solution is to put the church 20 back of possible Gsitvand the hotel in back of the bakery, and the sge'the units when necessary. There also is brief revolve the wy stop outside the hotel, for which the Look Sethe village of Concorde needs to be lost. the look is rural and sun-bleached, perhaps recalling the paintings of Cezanne or Utrillo-ay XCUE CAST OF CHARACTERS Inotder of appearance: DENISE CLAUDE, her husband, the cafe owner BARNABY, the village butcher HORTENSE, his wife ‘THERESE, a spinster ANTOINE, CASIMIR, PIERRE, DOUMERGUE, men of the village M MARTINE, the teacher M. le CURE, the priest M. le MARQUIS SIMONE, INEZ, NICOLE, his “nieces” DOMINIQUE, his handyman PHILIPPE, Dominique's friend ‘AIMABLE CASTAGNET, the baker GENEVIEVE, the baker's wife POMPOM, her cated ok ‘he Babe's Wife ACT ONE Scene 1 SET “The small square of a rural village in Provence, France. The exterior of the cafe. TIME Early evening September, 1935. [AT RISE: Several villagers (to be identified as they speak) are st te tables; others Sete in the course of the opening number. CLAUDE, the cafe owner, arty is wife, DENISE, are setting the tables, serving drinks etc. There is ae desultory conversation as the audience enters. As the house ligh's hin, DENISE sings as she goes about her work. PHILIPPE, a young men about 19, accompanies her on a guitar. DENISE CHAQUE JOUR EST UN JOUR COMME LES AUTRES DOUX JOURS LE POTAGE, L'OUVRAGE PEUT-ETRE L'AMOUR LE SOLEIL, IL VOYAGE LE MONDE FAIT UN TOUR AINSI C’EST TOUJOURS LA MEME... CLAUDE (starply) Denise! Look at this table! BARNABY ‘The air is too peaceful. The mistral is coming soon. CLAUDE ‘Yes, Ihave to fix my rain gutter, its beginning to rot. DENISE EVERY DAY AS YOU DO WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY ‘YOU SEE THE SAME FACES WHO FILL THE CAFE XND IF SOME OF THOSE FACES HAVE NEW THINGS TO SAY NOTHING IS REALLY DIFFERENT. AND THE SHEEP DOT THE HILL WHERE THE OLIVE TREE SWAYS AND THE WORLD SPINS AROUND WITH THE GREENS AND THE GRAYS ‘AND YOU NEVER TAKE TIME OUT TO THINK OF THE WAYS EVERYTHING MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. AND THEN ONE DAY, SUDDENLY, SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN, JY MAY BE QUITE SIMPLE, IT MAY BE QUITE SMALL BUY ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR STEW TASTES DIFFERENT (AND YOU HEAR THE GULLS CRYThe Baker's Wife 12 IN A DIFFERENT KEY, AND YOU SEE WITH NEW EYES, ‘AND THE FACES YOU SEE ‘ARE PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW AT ALL AND THE SOMEONE WHO TOUCHES YOUR HAIR EVERY DAY, TOUCHES YOU NOW IN A DIFFERENT WAY, {AND YOU MAY WANT TO RUN OB YOU MAY WANT TO STAY FOREVER, AND SINCE LIFE IS THE CRY OF THE GULL ‘AND THE TASTE OF THE STEW ‘AND THE WAY THAT YOU FEEL WHEN HE TOUCHES YOU NOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS DIFFERENT NOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS NEW. LALALALALALALALALALA TALALALALALALALALALA CLAUDE Denise! Hortense is waiting! DENISE (Goes back to work) EVERY DAY AS YOU DO WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY VOU SEE THE SAME FACES WHO FILL THE CAFE XQ If SOME OF THOSE FACES HAVE NEW THINGS TOSAY NOTHING IS REALLY DIFFERENT. (PIERRE and DOUMERGUE enter inthe midst ofa heated quarrel) PIERRE Doumergue, I am telling you for the last time. DOUMERGUE No, I will not cut down my oak tree! PIERRE But your tree shades my garden. Spinach cannot grow without sunlight. DOUMERGUE Pierre, I cannot make the sun rise from west to east. Move your garden. PIERRE Where? Into my house? Cut down that tree! [DOUMERGUE Twill cut down my tree when you cut off your nose- That teac Ofc But Yes Itre ne ‘The Baker's Wife _ ANTOINE what time is it? (No one answers...After @ pause) asked what time is i? BARNABY who are you asking? ANTOINE “Anyone. It is the same time for anyone CasIMIR why do you want to know the time? You're not Boing anywhere ANTOINE (Annoyed) ‘that’s not the question. I just want to know the Sime ‘Anything wrong with that? Eh, teacher? TEACHER Lr, ——— «=~ right to know the time, CASIMIR ut ifhe isnot going anywhere, what difference does it make {0 him what time itis? PIERRE Yes, that’s the question ‘TEACHER “This village is full of idiots. It is half-past seven BARNABY 7 = He's late. TEACHER : He is not late. BARNABY ‘But you said he would arrive tonight: And he's not here, TEACHER It is still tonight. CLAUDE = ‘Then what you mean, my friend, is that i's still too early for him to be here? ‘TEACHER It is neither too early nor too late. He will arrive when he wi SoThe Baker's Wife _ 14 CASIMIR Perhaps sooner. BARNABY How can he arrive sooner than he will arrive? Ask him why he says such stupid things? Idiot! CASIMIR ‘Tell him I mean that perhaps he will arrive sooner than we expect him. (A beat) Or later. Fool! HORTENSE (Timidly) You know what I ‘think? BARNABY No one asked you, my dear. HORTENSE Iwas only going to say. BARNABY (disregarding her) Maybe he changed his mind and won't come 2t all. ‘THERESE In the name of God, don’t even think such things! Seven weeks without bread! CLAUDE Te was a calamity when old Fouget died ‘TEACHER May his soul rest in peace ‘ANTOINE ‘That's all very well, but he could have arranged for another baker. He knew he was going t0 die. ‘TEACHER How did he know? He was drunk, he fell in 2 pit and broke his neck. ANTOINE He knew because ... because we all have to die. ‘That's life! You'll admit that, teacher! ‘TEACHER stupidity! This village has a plague of stupidity! (PRIEST enters.) VILLAGERS (Ad i) Quite You well, Joan But « Th Th sp7 ae ——— rae Baker's Wile Good evening, Father PRIEST ‘ab, teacher, there is a question I wish to raise with you things? Idiot! TEACHER Yes? Or later. Foo!! PRIEST understand that this morning you told the children that Joan of Arc thought she heard voices TEACHER Quite right PRIEST ‘You had no right to mislead the children. You should have said Joan of Arc heard voices. TEACHER Well, I'm not sure she did. I wasn’t there. I wasn’t born in 1431 PRIEST Joan of Arc is a saint! She heard voices! TEACHER But despite her voices, they burned her in Rouen. And she was not incombustible. She died of it THE Mary, Mother of God! Is that any way to talk of a saint? CASIMIR He's entitled to his opinion... HORTENSE vasgoingto THe eildren must be taught faith DOUMERGUE ‘Afterall, he knows. He's a teacher... PIERRE ‘The cure is right. od (Ete) TEACHER ‘This village has a plague of stupidity! (To PRIEST) And you've been spreading the germ! THE GREAT DESCARTES DECLARED: I THINK ‘THEREFORE I AM, THEREFORE I'M HERE SINCE YOU DO NOT THINK AND THEREFORE YOU'RE NOT PLEASE TAKE DESCARTES’ ADVICE AND DISAPPEAR!The Baker's Wife 16 The Bake PRIEST : OUR HOLY SAVIOR TEACHES US: ets . LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR AS HE WOULD YOU ese ‘AND LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR WOULDN'T BE HARD IF ONLY OUR NEIGHBOR WASN'T YOU! aa Thank } OH, THIS WOULD BE THE SWEETEST LIFE ‘A MAN COULD EVER KNOW HERE ‘The new ‘ SWEET AS THE ASPARAGUS ‘AND APRICOTS WE GROW HERE Not yet TEACHER WHERE THE GORGE IS GORGEOUS Mie Me PRIEST AND THE SKY A FEAST OF BLUE I'm sorr BOTH LIFE WOULD BE SO LOVELY IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU! Mle Mi (The MARQUIS, NIECES and DOMINIQUE enter. CLAUDE moves Comen DOUMERGUE and PIERRE from their table) nai CLAUDE If you please .. the Marquis’ table... (fo Marquis) Good evening, M le Marquis. What al OTHERS (Ad lib greetings) Soul! Sc intelligt MARQUIS (TO NIECES) Simone, Inez, Nicole. We are God! NICOLE T/d love a chocolate. May I, Maurice? Disgrac MARQUIS Of course. Some « SIMONE, You're getting too fat, you know that, Nicole? YOU NICOLE YoU Lam not. WH INEZ IM Yes, you are. (to Marquis) You know, every time she has a chance - nibble, nibble, nibble ... ANI Even at night after dinner, she... OHre MARQUIS (cuts her off aise, a chocolate for each of the little ones yes. Del ALL THREE (ad I) thank you, Maurice MARQUIS The new baker has not arived, Claude? CLAUDE syot yet » Denise! The usual for Mle Marquis PRIEST Mt le Marquis . I noticed you were not at Mass again this morning, MARQUIS tim sorry, M le Curé. 1 was in my bath and it was so pleasurable, I'm afraid I lingered. PRIEST Mle Marquis. MARQUIS. 63 Come nov, M. Le Curé, as you've often said: God is everywhere, So while you were with Him ir church, Iwas with Him in my bath. PRIEST What about cleansing your soul? ‘TEACHER oul! Soul! A figment of the theological imagination! What separates us from the animals is ou intelligence MARQUIS We are not separated from the animals at all. We have the same marvelous appetites, thank God! PRIEST Disgraceful! ‘TEACHER Some of us are not animals MARQUIS YOU'RE BOTH SUCH BORES YOU'RE BOTH SUCH PILLS WHERE ARE THE BELLIES UNDER YOUR BELTS? I’M A MAN WHO LIKES TO LIVE AND LET LIVE sole, nibble AND I'D LIKE TO LET YOU BOTH LIVE SOMEWHERE ELSE! ‘MARQUIS, TEACHER, PRIEST OH, ALL REALLY WANT IS ALL THAT ANYBODY WANTS:The Baker's Wife 118 ‘A SIMPLE, PEACEFUL LIFE BENEATH THE PLANE TREES OF PROVENCE TEACHER, MARQUIS PRIEST (two beats later without “no wonder”) NO SPAT TO SPOIL MY SUPPER NO BLOT TO BLIGHT MY VIEW NO WONDER I'D BE HAPPY ALL IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU. PHILIPPE Dominique! Celeste said she will wait for you by the schoolyard. DOMINIQUE Right (To Marquis) Monsieur le Marquis, do you need me any more tonight? MARQUIS ‘Another rendezvous, Dominique? One of the village girls, eh? DOMINIQUE well. ‘MARQUIS Run along... have a good time. DOMINIQUE ‘Thank you, Monsieur le Marquis. (He exits) CLAUDE (Suddenly turns on ANTOINE) You! You had no business letting your dog jump in my well. ANTOINE He jumped into the well himself. He’s a dog, CLAUDE But he’s your dog! DENISE Claude, please! It was seven years ago. CLAUDE Seven years or seven days! What's right is right. The Be True, He fis How The ¢ Sort c \ \ \ ¥ 1 1 PEmi ‘aa he Baxer’s Wife CASIMIR rue, aman should watch his dog. DOUMERGUE ve fished him out, didn’t he? PIERRE ow would you like a dog in your well ANTOINE ‘The dog just likes to swim. ‘THERESE (To Phillipe next to her) DONT SIT SO CLOSE! PIERRE (To someone at his table) DON'T TALK SO LOUD! BARNABY (To HORTENSE) DON’T MIX YOUR PEAS IN WITH YOUR SQUASH! HORTENSE Sorty -. TEACHER HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN ON SCRAPING THAT FORK? MARQUIS (To ANTOINE) HOW LONG ISIT SINCE YOU HAD A WASH? (ANTOINE, annoyed, exits) ALL OH, LIFE IS HARD ENOUGH FOR ME WITH ALL MY CARES AND LABORS WHY MUST I BE BURDENED WITH SUCH IRRITATING NEIGHBORS? FOR I'M A QUIET, GENTLE SOUL ‘AS MILD AS MORNING DEW 1D NEVER EVEN RAISE MY VOICE IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU. ‘THERESE PEST! 19‘The Baker's Wife 1-110 PHILIPPE (To THERESE) PRUNE! PRIG! ‘THERESE PEASANT! MARQUIS. (To TEACHER) PEDANT! PRIEST (To MARQUIS) PAGAN! ‘TEACHER (To PRIEST) PAPIST! DENISE Oxt DOUMERGUE ASS! BARNABY GOAT! INEZ PIG! ALL. (ing in round, softly at frst, but growing louder and louder) FOR I’M A QUIET, GENTLE SOUL IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU .- YF IT WASN'T FOR YOU... IE IT WASN'T FOR. CASIMIR ‘Someone's coming! PHILIPPE Its him. MARQUIS The baker. What IF IT FOR FOR HIS HIS HIS HE Mfaut ANTOINE (Enters, adjusting his trousers) what time is it? ALL ig IT WASN'T FOR YOU! BARNABY FOR HIM CLAUDE (Indicates DENISE) WOMEN FOR THEM! CLAUDE, DOUMERGUE (To ANTOINE) HIS DOG! ANTOINE, PIERRE (To DOUMERGUE) HIS HORSE! CASIMIR, PRIEST, TEACHER HIS WELL! PHILIPPE, ANTOINE HIS WIFE! DENISE, HORTENSE My HUSBAND! CLAUDE, BARNABY HER MOTHER! ‘THERESE, PRIEST (Indicates MARQUIS) HIS NIECES! CASIMIR MY BROTHER!The Baker's Wife 1-12 PIERRE (Indicating DOUMERGUE) HIS OAK TREE! DOUMERGUE (Indicating PIERRE) HIS SPINACH! ‘VARIOUS VILLAGERS ‘THEIR CHICKEN! THEIR CHILDREN ALL FOR THOSE ... AND THAT ROTTEN AND SOME I'VE FORGOTTEN NOW TOO AND YOU! At the end of the song: AIMABLE (Enters) This is the village of Concorde? MARQUIS (Nods) You are our new baker? (AIMABLE nods) Welcome, M. Castagnet ... A thousand times welcome. TEACHER 1am M Martine, with whom you corresponded. This is M le Marquis who is also our Mayor. M le Cure ... Others of our village. (They nod) MARQUIS Sit down, M Castagnet. Have a drink CLAUDE Denise, somé wine! . AIMABLE Thank you, I don’t drink. MARQUIS Really! ... Some coffee, then .. CLAUDE Denise, some coffee! AIMABLE No, thank you. I'd like to get settled. If someone would be good enough to help me with my luggage. OF cor At las Then He loc What Well, Maybs Thadr Oh, yc Myw: Oh, 1 My Ie Not r. T thin’ Vil ta)d times so our Mayor. Ip me with my rr CLAUDE of course Antoine! (AIMABLE exits, followed by ANTOINE) MARQUIS [at last) A bakec! We will have our bread again! ‘TEACHER ‘the nightmare is over, PIERRE He looks like a good baker. DOUMERGUE What makes you say that? PIERRE Well, he's old enough, must be experienced. DOUMERGUE Maybe he's been a bad baker for years. PIERRE [hadn't thought of that. (AIMABLE and ANTOINE enter, carrying luggage. They are followed by GENEVIEVE, carrying a small case containing her cat.) MARQUIS Oh, you have a daughter. AIMABLE My wife (VILLAGERS react) MARQUIS Oh I'm, sorry .. Are you sure you wouldn't care for something .. coffee? G AIMABLE My love? GENEVIEVE Not right now. . AIMABLE I think we'd like to see our new hom ‘TEACHER Vil take you to your new house, monsieur ... The key ~~The Baker's Wife [1-14 The B: (Hands AIMABLE the key .. AIMABLE, GENEVIEVE, ANTOINE, carrying luggage into house, exit.) CASIMIR ‘That's an odd looking couple, isn’t it PIERRE Where did he pick her up? BARNABY Snatched her from the cradle no doubt. Than CLAUDE Or won her in the lottery. (THEY exit, laughing)ACT ONE SCENE 2 Interior: The Bakery |ANTOINE, AIMABLE and GENEVIEVE ort? AIMABLE puts fuggage down, and looks around ‘She sinks into a chair, exhausted. AIMABLE “thank you very Kind of you (ANTOINE exits.) My, it’s dark here, Lets have some light. Oh, it's nice .. and clean ... and homey isn’tit, Genevieve NEVIEVE, Yes, it's nice. AIMABLE ‘and this oven, it’s perfect . (Looks AND Everything in such good shape. 2 cO7Y Foon isn't it, Genevieve? GENEVIEVE Yes, it’s nice. AIMABLE My own house I never had my 9W?. house before ... (to CAT, w Pompom, do you like your new ome? she is holding) And you, GENEVIEVE She says of course she does. . ‘AIMABLE ‘Thank you, Pompom. Just for that, an extra smcer of cream tomorrow morning. (Picks “P luggage) I'd better take these up t0 Out bedroom. GENEVIEVE Yi help you AIMABLE No, no, you rest. You must be tired after that walk from the bus stop .. And these are heavy GENEVIEVE Aimable, you've seen me carrying tays of ‘dishes much heavier than this. AIMABLE, rot a waitress any more, You're Madame Castagnet nov"122 ‘The Baker's Wife GENEVIEVE Please don't call me that. I've asked you before AIMABLE But you are Madame Castagret GENEVIEVE now but it. it makes me sound like a fat old lady. AIMABLE Old lady! (to POMPOM) Poor little old lady. Poor old Ma ryelous, you know, she’s almost dame Castagnet! She's mai thirty. Poor old Madame Castagnet. GENEVIEVE Aimable! Stop! AIMABLE Hove to say it. (Lovingly) Madame Castagnet GENEVIEVE Please, Aimable. Just Genevieve. AIMABLE (Starts up stairs with luggage) My Genevieve! (GENEVIEVE rises, starts looking around room AIMABLE from upstairs) ‘This is a very comfortable room, Genevieve. Come uP and see it It’s a wonderfully soft bed.. (GENEVIEVE goes to door, steps outside AIMABLE descending stairs doesn't’ see her) Genevieve! .» Genevievel Where are you? GENEVIEVE (re-enters) ‘What is it? What's the matter? AIMABLE you leave a room, I miss you. Nothing... I miss you. When The Bake The Boke Aimable I'm sorr gone. I'm her: Poor th (Picks u kiss...» Yes. You re Ireally DIE DIL ou DIL cA BR PHEEQEQw, she’s almost pe GENEVIEVE aimatte, youre BOE 10 SOP WOFTHINE about me AIMABLE rm sorry, it’s just that sometimes I think this is all 2 dream and Tl wake up and you'll be gone, GENEVIEVE Yim here, Aimable (GENEVIEVE collapses into chair.) AIMABLE poor thing, you're 80 tired. Here, let me rub your feet .. (rubs her foot) Pretty, little foot Poo Nap oiher foo. startled!) And ook «te other one fe just as little. (SHE kisses him) A (Pet Merc, Madame .. You do like it here, don’t you, Genevieve? GENEVIEVE Yes AIMABLE You really Like it? GENEVIEVE I really like it AIMABLE DID YOU HEAR THAT ~ SHE LIKES IT! Dib YOU HEAR THAT, POMPOM! OUR DARLING SAYS SHE LIKES IT Dip YOU HEAR THAT POMPOM? CAN YOU SEE HER FACE IS SHINING AND HER EYES GIVE OFF A LIGHT BRIGHT AS THE MOON IS BRIGHT (To GENEVIEVE) COME TAKE A LITTLE LOOK AT OUR BAKERY ALITTLE LOOK AT OUR HOUSE OTHER MEN MIGHT LOOK AT THAT SIGHT AND ONLY SEE A HOUSE BUT I CAN SEE SOME PLACE GRANDER THAN THAT COLISEUM IN ROME ASK ME WHAT... GENEVIEVE ALL RIGHT, WHAT?The Baker's Wife 124 AIMABLE ICAN SEE... A HOME! MERCI, MADAME MERCI, MADAME YOU MAKE A HOME FOR US POMPOM AND I AGREE, MADAME HARD FOR A CAT TO SHOW ITS GRATITUDE AND SOT AM MERCI, MERCI, MADAME. (Dances with POMPOM) Come on, Pompom... (nitates cat's voice, as if POMPOM is speaking to GENEVIEVE) ROWR ROWR ROWR ROWR ROWR RADAME. (Puts POMPOM out) Cut you go, explore your new home. Don’t forget to come back (To Genevieve) KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE THINKING EXACTLY WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND YOU'RE LOOKING AROUND, THINKING WE'VE FOUND THE BEST PLACE WE COULD FIND BUT I CAN IMAGINE SOME PLACE T WOULD RATHER BE, IT’S TRUE ASK ME WHERE GENEVIEVE ALL RIGHT, WHERE? AMIABLE HERE ~ A LITTLE CLOSER TO YOU TO SAY MERCI, MADAME ‘MERCI, MADAME IF YOU ARE THERE, THEN THAT IS WHERE [WANT TO BE, MADAME SIT ON MY LAP AND IM AS HAPPY AS A GIANT CLAM MERCI, MERCI... HERE'S A PROMISE AS WE START OUR BRAND NEW LIFE ‘The Bak FRO? 1wit IW Iwi BRIG you You NOON HASE’ yust V ANDF youv TOM! sO BR PIC PIC sTe LO. Iv. FO IT AS Lc ii cavan iker’s Wife. rebates We yM THE VILLAGE BAKER TO THE BAKER'S WIFE: FRO! WILL TRY TO MAKE YOU HAPPY TWILL TRY MY WHOLE LIFE THROUGH TWILL TRY TO MAKE EACH DAY BRIGHT FOR YOU. GENEVIEVE You DO, AIMABLE. you DO. GENEVIEVE AIMABLE NO ONE ELSE I'VE EVER KNOWN LWILL TRY TO MAKE HAS EVER REALLY SEEMED TO CARE YOU HAPPY JUST WHEN I WAS MOST ALONE IWILL TRY MY WHOLE AND FEELING HOPELESS LIFE THROUGH YOU WERE THERE 0 MAKE EACH EMPTY DAY I WILL TRY TO MAKE EACH DAY 0 BRIGHT FOR ME BRIGHT FOR YOU AIMABLE PICTURE OUR FUTURE LIKE... A BIG CROISSANT FRESH AND WARM AND LIGHT PICTURE US DANCING THROUGH THE DAYS TO COME STARTING FROM TONIGHT (AIMABLE takes her and THEY dance together, whirling faster and {faster and faster...) AIMABLE MERCI, MADAME MERCI, AGAIN LOOK WHAT YOU DID YMLIKE A KID OF... FORTY-THREE AGAIN! TT SEEMS YOUR AGE IS AS CONTAGIOUS AS A CASE OF FLU LOOK AT THIS... (Does a little athletic step) LOOK AT THAT... (Picks her up and spins her around) I'VE GOT A NEW LIFE A SWEET WIFE AND SOMEDAY IF MAYBEete ie The Baker ‘WE COULD HAVE ‘A BABY WHAT ELSE IS ‘THERE TO SAY BESIDES MERCI, ‘MADAME. GENEVIEVE DON’T GO ON THIS WAY YM THE ONE TO SAY MERCI, ‘MONSIEUR ..- Bott MERCI BEAUCOUP! aH? AIMABLE AT I must stast the ‘pread for tomorrow. GENEVIEVE 7 111 help you light the over. an AIMABLE AH, No, no. You're tired. Go to bed, my ‘Yarling, I'l be up shortly. J GENEVIEVE, AH, (starts up) Good night, Aimable " AIMABLE ANG himself) Good night .. Madame Castagnet. FRE WH Good night, Genevieve. (Watches her lee To omg thsstagnet, wife ne Baker ACT ONE SCENE 3 (Next morning. VILLAGERS, some not even. completely di to arrive, drawn by the smell of the freshly baked bread.) ‘TEACHER ‘au, THERE'S THAT WONDERFUL SMELL PRIEST AH, THERE'S THAT HEAVENLY AROMA PIERRE AH, THAT DELICIOUS. DENISE AH, THAT INVITING. caste AH, THAT FAMILIAR, AuL AHHH... FRESH, WARM BREAD WHAT IS THERE LIKE FRESH, WARM BREAD? PRIEST WITH A BIT OF BUTTER SPREAD.. MARQUIS SHEER AMBROSIA! CLAUDE WHAT IS $O LUSCIOUS AS A BRIOCHE IS? ALL WHEN YOU'RE FED EVERY DAY ON FRESH, WARM BREAD IT’S FRIGHTENING HOW QUICK YOU GET ADDICTED FRESH, WARM BREAD see the bread, displayed beautifully in the bakery. AIMABLE and GENEVIEVE stand by it proudly.) DOUMERGUE LOOK! THERE!ANTOINE WHERE? DOUMERGUE THERE! ANTOINE OH, MY GOD! DOUMERGUE 11'S ABSOLUTELY .~ HORTENSE YES, THINK IT'S. PRIEST WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE? PHILIPPE sO BROWN... NIECES NO, TAN. ‘THERESE NO, BEIGE. CLAUDE 11'S ABSOLUTELY. DENISE GOLDEN... MARQUIS 1 AGREE, CASIMIR AND WHAT A FRAGRANCE. ‘SIMONE SMELL ITt NICOLE TASTE ITt INEZ NO, JUST LOOK ATIT A MOMENT... MARQUIS [AND THIS CRUST IS REALLY ‘The Baker's Wife LE a £THERESE aM BUT NOT 700 DOUMERGUE yes, 11'S $0: ANTOINE LET ME FEEL! HORTENSE CRUNCHY, YET PIERRE SOFT INSIDE. THERESE HOLDIT! NIECES SQUEEZE IT! CLAUDE ‘SNIFF IT! ANTOINE STROKE IT! WOMEN LOVELY! MEN PERFECT! ALL ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY BARNABY Tell him to stop pushing! CASIMIR Tell him I was here first! (An argument breaks out) AIMABLE Please! Please, you will all be served. (ie breaks a piece of bread and hands one to each to taste.) CASIMIR MMM, THIS...The Baker's Wife BARNABY OOH, THIS... CASIMIR oH My GOD! BARNABY IT’S ABSOLUTELY CASIMIR NO, IT’S BETTER PRIEST LET ME HAVE A BITE CLAUDE sO CRISP.. NIECES NO, SMOOTH. THERESE NO, LIGHT. BARNABY 11's ABSOLUTELY. DENISE GOLDEN... MARQUIS YOU'RE SO RIGHT... PIERRE [AND WHAT A TEXTURE. ANTOINE CHEW IT! NICOLE ‘TASTE IT! MARQUIS ‘THIS CROISSANT’S A WORK OF ART! BARNABY A TREASURE! CLAUDE MELTING IN YOUR... RUN CRE: sTEF rs NO, Gul cH cR~~" yp poner WE orcs DOUMERGUE RUNNING DOWN YOUR. HORTENSE CREAMY SWEET NIECES eteAMY HOT. THERESE irs ASIN! PRIEST xo, 17'S NOT! ANTOINE Gurr PHILIPPE MUNCH IT. NIECES CHOMP IT. CLAUDE CRUNCH IT. WOMEN GORGEOUS! MEN SCRUMPTIOUS! ALL ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY FRESH, WARM BREAD YOU CAN KEEP YOUR LEG OF LAMB. WHO WOULD EVER HOG A HAM? MARQUIS NOW 1 ASK YOU, WHO COULD BE SELFISH OVER A SHELLFISH? ALL AH, BUT BREAD... PRIEST MAYBE WITH A DROP OF JAM...‘The Baker's Wife ALL ‘THERE'S NO OTHER FOOD LIGHTENS: YOUR ™mooD tk LIKE FRESH, iy bee FRESH, WARM BREAD ‘call £0 MY FRESH, W. ARM BREAD. and! (CLAUDE, BARNABY, CASIMIR PIERRE you CAN TAKE MY WIFE INSTEAD DENISE AND HORTENSE TAKE MY HUSBAND! ALL YLL Kiss THE HAND WHICH ‘SANDWICH, Tha HANDS ME A AS WE SAID “TIL WE'RE FINALLY COLD AND DEAD DEAR AIMABLE CAST. ‘AGNET, OUR BELOVED ‘BOULANGER, WON'T YOU GIVE TO ‘US EACH DAY M OUR DAILY BREAD! have! MARQUIS ve tasted bread and pastries in ne world and never ious loaf. PRIEST ' (Draws MARQUIS aside) quis, 2 word with you if you please. MARQUIS Magnificent! I ha any parts of # fasted a more miractl Mile Mar (Annoyed) Yes? PRUEST cow have brought these .- ladies with you. I'm sure our NeW baker th .. several women hat you aze Living wi MARQUIS put ir, you are forgetting -*heY ‘my nieces: PRIEST 4 am most distressed thet y would be shocked to Jearn seing - Tam your confessor You are forger t se Baker's Wife a7 MARQUIS spank it sin poor taste for you to tae ‘advantage of it. (Tums to AIMABLE) Ah, M sin et 1 will require ten no twelve loaves three times a week. My man Dominique will Case nem. Ard Some croissants NICOLE and brioches {could eat a dozen of them. SIMONE and you have: I've seen you. INEZ (To AIMABLE) sat’ true, Nicole really can't control herself when she sees food. Only last night she MARQUIS (Cutting her off) fy little nieces are particularly fond of croissants at breakfast. (MARQUIS and NIECES exit) Nieces, hah! never have I e DENISE (To THERESE) tithe Marquis says they are nieces, they are nieces, Perhaps not his nieces, but what does matter? BARNABY Hey, baker, how come your bread is twice as good as old Fougers? CASIMIR Claude; tell Rian not to talk with his mouth full, spitting bread all over the place. BARNABY 2 aw baker «our new bal Tell him to mind his own stupid business. (AIMABLE looks at them, bewildered.) DENISE They don’t speak to each other. AIMABLE Why not? DENISE ‘You'd better ask them.‘The Baker's Wife st Y phe Bal CASIMIR didn’t speak, nor did ous fathers. TReY didn’t know why Ldon’t know. Our grandfathers 1 oper. But it goes back 2 long Way $° itimust have been serious. Ah th (BARNABY nods in agreement) andr ANTOINE Baker. How does a rum looking ANTTpan like you get such @ good looking wife? Pig! DENISE Antoine! You c AIMABLE How did I get her? I don’t know. God was good to me: Thank PRIEST Well said, baker, God matches each to each with infinite care Let's CLAUDE ‘Then why was he so careless at ™Y wedding? DENISE You will pay for that, Claude a (VILLAGERS laugh. GENEVIEVE centers from the bakery-) oes HORTENSE Have you been married long, baker? ATMABLE No, not long ~- A few months. ‘THERESE C4 pid you know her long before YOu ‘married her? AIMABLE No, not long ~ Ke CASIMIR Where were you married? of AIMABLE where we lived .. in Marseilles BARNABY Were you marsied before, baker? AIMABLE No, this i the ist tine--My, isn't ‘everyone friendly here—— re Bakers Wife Be ese ee PIERRE ow why apore’s nothing ike # beautiful woman to give a man an appetite ANTOINE ana not only for Dread! 5 THERESE Pig! CASIMIR you certainly have good eyes, baker, to have picked such a pretty AIMABLE Thank you: ANTOINE e's ope the rest of you works as well a5 Your eyes, (The MEN laugh) GENEVIEVE (To VILLAGERS) please! My husband not only chose me, I chose him. And I'm happy 1 did. In fact, I've never been happier. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must clean up. 1 smiles at them and goes into the bakery. But once inside , she (s breaks into tears.) TEACHER (To AIMABLE) Come to the cafe. DOUMERGUE (As they start of If T bring you some anchovies, can you bake me a pie by tomorrow morning? AIMABLE Of course. Just leave them at the bakery tonight.The Baker's Wife ee ACT ONE Scene 4 THE BAKERY. SET: Immediately following. GENEVIEVE (fo herself) Stop it for. | WILL TRY TO MAKE YOU HAPPY, TWILL TRY MY WHOLE LIFE THROUGH...” ‘A FRESH-PICKED ROSE BESIDE MY BED ‘THE COFFEE POT THERE WHEN DAYS WERE COLD WHEN NIGHTS GOT TOUGH } THOUGHT HIS SMALL WAYS ALWAYS GH SO NOW WHY SHOULD MY SMILE BE DIM “ACCEPTING GIFTS OF LOVE FROM HIM. YE CHOSEN THIS WITH AIMABLE EYES OPEN WIDE 141 en just stop it. What's the matter W ith me? I have so much to be thankful TL It’s be:wife re Bake jp 1 MISS WITH AIMABLE ANTITLE SPARK INSIDE ett 11's TIME I WAS MAKING THE BEST OF IT... “LL SHARE HIS BED, RETURN HIS TOUCH 1ET OLD DREAMS DIE NOW By NOW PE HOULDN'T MIND SO MUCH St THIS 1 SWEAR BY GOD ABOVE - Sry CHOICE IS MADE 0 be thankful iF HOPE MUST FADE. {eELL.. THAT'S WHAT I PAID FOR GIFTS OF LOVE. (AIMABLE enters. GENEVIEVE turns.) AIMABLE tesamazing, Do you know, I don’t think I've sold so much bread in one morning since 1 became a baker. (HORTENSE enters. AIMABLE greets her.) AIMABLE Madame. (HORTENSE nods to AIMABLE) HORTENSE (To GENEVIEVE) I would like two baguettes, two croissants, and four tarts. (AIMABLE exits to back room.) GENEVIEVE ‘The strawberry ones? (DOMINIQUE enters. GENEVIEVE notices him. Throughout the following, she és unsettled by DOMINIQUE’S presence.) | HORTENSE No, those... the cherry ones. My husband is very fond of those. AIMABLE (Re-entering) There's good wife. Nothing makes for a happier marriage than 2 little love and a Castagnet tart (HORTENSE chuckles.)The Baker's Wife 143 AIMABLE (To Dominique) Can I help you? DOMINIQUE (Eyeing GENEVIEVE) Teame for the Marquis's order...twelve loaves of bread AIMABLE Of course, I'l just..(We hear sound of cat offstage.) Why is she yowling like that? GENEVIEVE (Starts to hand order to HORTENSE) Here you are. HORTENSE No, not those. I did say..the cherry ones. GENEVIEVE (Flustered) Oh, yes. (Hands her order) AIMABLE (Looking out the window) My God, Pompom is caught in the tree, Poor little thing, (He huries out) HORTENSE (As GENEVIEVE turns aoay) 1 didn’t pay you. (Pays her) GENEVIEVE Oh, thanks... (HORTENSE exits.) Twelve loaves, you said? (She turns to DOMINIQUE) DOMINIQUE That's right. (GENEVIEVE starts putting loaves in bag.) DOMINIQUE Your father seems like a nice man. GENEVIEVE (Gives him a look) He's not my father, he's my husband. ont That's 1 coule No, he I just That's Marq, Anyt Mad: Excu That Hos six Irs Yo Vn—. os Wie 5 Bal DOMINIQUE thought because you'Te 0 youns «T= Sorry on tmsony GENEVIEVE pats al ight DOMINIQUE (after a pause) could Help him Bet the cat. e GENEVIEVE wo, he ca manage He's not so old. DOMINIQUE just thought GENEVIEVE shay’ all Hight: Introduces rueutral subject) Tell me, what Kind of work do you do for the Marquis? DOMINIQUE anything. Drive his cartake care sip rorses...whatever he needs, mademoiselle GENEVIEVE Madame! DOMINIQUE excuse me, I'm sorry GENEVIEVE ‘That's all sight DOMINIQUE (Coming to stand closer to her) Tost count. Is that five? GENEVIEVE Six DOMINIQUE ies just that you're so young to be married to GENEVIEVE (Breaks in) You've just said that! DOMINIQUE I'm sorry .. Excuse me, I've lost count again. GENEVIEVE Fight. Why do you keep apologizing? _‘The Baker's Wife 145 DOMINIQUE Idon’t know... I'm sorry. (She laughs. He joins in, more sure of himself) Have you been married long? GENEVIEVE Why do you ask? DOMINIQUE I don’t know. I just asked. Isn’t your husband jealous? GENEVIEVE Jealous? Why should he be jealous? DOMINIQUE ‘secause someone like you... If you were mine, I wouldn't leave you alone for a second. (She doesn't answer.) Do you know what I think? GENEVIEVE Never mind. DOMINIQUE Vil tell you. GENEVIEVE [said never mind! ... Now you've made me lose count DOMINIQUE Eleven... GENEVIEVE Twelve. DOMINIQUE I thin} GENEVIEVE Listen. You came for bread. That's what you get: Thats all you get! AIMABLE (Entering) ‘That silly cat has run off.1 hope she can find her way back. (To Dominique) Did you get everything you wanted? DOMINIQUE (Looks at GENEVIEVE) I think so ... Good day, monsieur. ie Bakers Good 42 Madame A fine-loo Aimable yes? Aren't Yo Jealous? and it is L know y You nev the air, love yoa second. (She vid you get 146 AIMABLE ood day DOMINIQUE Madame (ste nods. He exits.) AIMABLE a finelooking young man, isa’t he? GENEVIEVE Aimeble. AIMABLE yes? (GENEVIEVE ‘aren't you ever jealous? AIMABLE 3? Because other men find you beautiful? Why should I be jealous? I have a diamond Jealow seat is shining in their eyes...Let them be jealous, not me..I love you. GENEVIEVE Tknow you do. AIMABLE You never say “I love you” back. But that's all right. Ill say it for both of us, so it's always in the air..(Mimics a conversation) "I love you"... “Tlove you" .. “Tove you”... "E love you".."1 love you".."1 love you" (GENEVIEVE laughs as he exits.)‘ACT ONE SCENES GET: Village square «afternoon, kvo weeks later. |AT RISE: (Some VILLAGERS, roaring with laughter, they look up (ar of tp. some undereear, nclading a pai of Homer, (a petticoat, mgiigoun, etc). are caught on he roof.They are pointing, fauighing «THERESE looks up, distressed.) (CASIMIR rushes on.) CASIMIR What's happened? DOUMERGUE (Pointing) Look...Therese’s underwear ANTOINE ‘The wind..blew them up from her clothes line {CASIMIR bursts into laughter, joined by others.) THERESE Please, messieurs, won't somebody. CASIMIR (Mocking, fake surprise) ‘Therese, those dainty litle pink bloomers are yours? DENISE ‘Aren’t you men ashamed? (GENEVIEVE enters, carrying shopping bag.) CLAUDE We should be ashamed! She shows her underwear in public and we should be ashamed! (MEN laugh) PIERRE, Imagine! We are the frst men in the world actually to see those bloomers! BARNABY ‘And they're still out of reacht (MEN Iaugh..OMINIQUE enters during. following.) HORTENSE Poor Therese! It's nothing fo laugh about. (SHE laughs) all Pigs, Hasn't s what ¥ stop fh Bravo! He has That ¥ Te was Well. No t Whe Yes yesTHERESE sigs, all of You! GENEVIEVE vysomeone got a ladder? Hass (DOMINIQUE notices her concern) PIERRE ' what we want f© know is - who's going to be the first man to get ‘Therese’s bloomers down. THERESE stop that (They laugh..DOMINIQUE stars to climb up. They watch him Silently. He retrioes the underwear. MEN cheer.) MEN Bravo! ANTOINE He has captured the flag! (DOMINIQUE climbs down..hands underwear to THERESE. She Srumbles, embarrassed and hurries off. OTHERS exit.) GENEVIEVE That was good of you. Thank you. DOMINIQUE, It was nothing. GENEVIEVE Well..thank you. DOMINIQUE No trouble, (SHE starts to exit) Are you angry with me? GENEVIEVE What? DOMINIQUE Are you angry with me? GENEVIEVE Angry? No. DOMINIQUE Yes you are- Every time I see you, you turn away. Like when 1 happened to see you shopping . yesterday... ea NSThe Baker's Wife GENEVIEVE fore that and the day before that - And the day b DOMINIQUE So you are angry. GENEVIEVE Well..t don’t enjoy being stared at DOMINIQUE Look - I don’t know what you heard about me GENEVIEVE I’ve heard nothing about you. DOMINIQUE Well, let me tell you - Are you busy at the ‘moment? GENEVIEVE Yes. DOMINIQUE Because I have the Marquis’ car for the afternoon and thought. GENEVIEVE Ym busy. DOMINIQUE There are some nice places around here I could show you. GENEVIEVE You keep forgetting I'm a married woman. DOMINIQUE But what harm is there in a nice litle drive? GENEVIEVE Listen. Once and for all. I'm a married woman. anything to hurt him. Do you understand? My husband is a good man. I would never DOMINIQUE understand. GENEVIEVE Good. (She starts off) DOMINIQUE How about tomorrow afternoon? AHI? rMIN AND ISNT SHOU puTT SHEE SHES 1SEE AND SHE’ HER 1TH ANT THE INI AN AN OH so AD AD AD Dom(GENEVIEVE stops, glares at ie, and exits.) DOMINIQUE MIN LOVE OVE AGAIN MIN LOVE ‘A CRIME? RYING SHAME THAT THE LOVE OF MY LIFE EROULD HAVE TO Be ANOTHER MAN’S WIFE? HOU NALLY FOUND THE ONE TRUE LOVE OF MY LIFE. igs SPLITS MY SENSES AT THE SEAMS SEE SENDS A SHIVER UP MY SPINE [SEE HER BODY IN MY DREAMS, UND IF SHE'S NORMAL, SHE ‘SEES MINE... ty'§ ALL I'M EVER THINKING OF SR MOUTH, HER HAIR, AND ALE ‘THE REST BUNINK ALL WOMAN SHOULD HAVE LOVE UND ONE LIKE HER SHOULD HAVE ‘THE BEST! 1g NO RULE OR LAW IN HEAVEN OR ON EARTH Ig NO WAY TO STOP THIS FIRE ONCE IT STARTS IN LIPS AND HANDS AND HEARTS AND OTHER MOVING PARTS... AND I'M SINGING OH, PROUD LADY YOU AND I BOTH KNOW SOMEDAY YOU WILL BE MINE AND WE'LL GO TO A PLACE WHERE THE GRASS IS COOL AND SHADY SND WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE, YOU'LL COME INTO MY ARMS ‘AND LOVE WILL FLOW LIKE WINE. PHILIPPE (Runs on) would neveré Dominique, Celeste says she will wait for you by... DOMINIQUE Tm not interested. Tell her I'm not interested. PHILIPPE But... DOMINIQUE Ym not interested. In her or any of the others. ‘ (PHILIPPE exits)The Baker's Wife ss DOMINIQUE WHAT WAY IS RIGHT TO TURN HER HEAD? WHAT DO I SAY? WHAT DOT WEAR? WY BELT IS TIGHT, MY SHIRT IS RED ee MOPEN JUST ENOUGH TO SHOW A LITTLE HATS NO OTHER GIRL I'VE EVER KNOWN NAS LOOKED AS HOT AND KEPT AS COOL HENOW SHE CAN'T BE MADE OF STONE TRNOW I CAN'T BE SUCH A FOOL NO MATTER WHAT THE PAIN, NO MATTER WHAT THE PRICE eoaee A MATTER WHAT, L WOULDN'T STOP IT IF [COULD Now CAN A THING BE BAD | WHEN IT FEELS SO GOOD? . AND I'M SINGING (OH, PROUD LADY YOU AND I BOTH KNOW OH, YES, YOU WILL BE MINE SND WE'LL GO TO THAT PLACE WHERE THE GRASS IS COOL AND SHADY AND WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE, YOU'LL (COME INTO MY ARMS On eve ‘AND LOVE WILL FLOW LIKE WINE, Yes, the MIN LOVE twill YMIN LOVE, AGAIN YM IN LOVE, I'M IN LOVE Then T AND ISN'T IT A CRIME ATT TD A CRYING SHAME THAT THE LOVE OF MY LIFE o ou ct SHOULD HAVE TO BE ANOTHER MAN'S WIFE. WELL, IM SORRY FOR THE GUY BUT THERE'S NOTHING I WON'T TRY BO WIN THE ONE TRUE LOVE OF MY WHOLE LIFE! oun YousiADY ACT ONE SCENE 6 EXTERIOR: (the cafe.-Vilages seated at tables, Denise sain Eaimergue and Barna are playing boules.) DOUMERGUE poor shot BARNABY se sun was in my ee CASIMIR es: the sun shies strong today PIERRE (At table bitterly) oon everything but my spinach gardent DOUMERGUE twill not cut down my oak treet PIERRE Then I will cut it down. DOUMERGUE You cut down my oak tree, I will have my horse trample your garden! PIERRE You have your horse trample my garden, I will shoot your horse! DOUMERGUE ‘You ghoot my horse, I will burn your house! PIERRE You burn my house, I will kill your wifet DOUMERGUE ~Playon MARQUIS Denise, another glass if you please and a bottle of Your finest wine to go with this extraordinary treat, this delicious tart, that our genus “of a baker has prepared for us...These past three weeks, each meal has been a feast- I drink to him... _a ‘The Baker's Wife ‘TEACHER ‘And aside from his culinary ability, EAC mabe is most aptly named. He seems @ thoroughly friendly man CASIMIR Who wouldn't be, with a young and pretty wife like that? CLAUDE once had a young and pretty wife ‘TEACHER You did? You had no wife before Denise. CLAUDE ‘That's the one I mean. (All Laugh) DENISE (Sweelly) Well, speaking for myself, I Uke mariag®- not necessarily mine! (They laugh) HORTENSE Well in my opinion..Once you're married. BARNABY ° ‘Did anyone ask you for Your opinion? I didn’t hear anyone ask your opinion. ‘THERESE My father always warned me against mamma sought after in my time: Oh, you may not know it, but E was quite ANTOINE (Slightly tipsy) How could we know it? None of us were ‘born then. (All Laugh) PRIEST of to speak in this unseemly Way about the bonds of matrimony: Please, I ask of you all n take the baker and his wife ‘They are holy. Now you ANTOINE a LrrtC— SC (He laughs) pete Men! 4 Amen you kt long Mie Blasph My th Denis Wher He i163. THERESE st Thank God I never married. oroughly gent a DSH SEVERAL MEN amen! \ MARQUIS 1 gu know what's Wrong with the marriage vows?..”Till death do us part”... That's too | Yeo -mush to0 Tong 1 PRIEST | ste Marais making a mockery of the marriage vows that's close to blasphemy. | — pisphemyt- AB, you men of the cloth...placing such large labels on such small thoughts. MARQUIS (To TEACHER) | sgy thoughts may be ‘Gnall, but unlike you my mind is not narrow. 1M j (GENEVIEVE enters, sits at table.) GENEVIEVE penise, a glass of white wine and 2 coffee please ANTOINE Where, may I ask, is your husband, madame? GENEVIEVE He is joining me shortly. ANTOINE s quite (Rises, holding glass, goes to her) 8 1 Meantime - may I join you? GENEVIEVE 4 No, thank you. I’d rather be alone. ANTOINE Why? (He sits.) GENEVIEVE imony- My husband will be here in a minute, | ANTOINE T'm just being friendly- CLAUDE Antoine. (Indicates he should get up-)‘The Baker's Wife ANTOINE Why? We're having a nice conversation, aren't we, madame? Tl Say something to you arg, Wil say something tome and then Yi say ‘something and... (AIMABLE enters, sits) ANTONE (Sees AIMABLE) ‘sh, M Baker..Have 2 drink? AIMABLE I don’t drink. ANTOINE No? Well, I do... 2 toast. To your iiijexer and to you, Madame Baker May you be happy, have many children. ‘AIMABLE Many children? Well, I hope $9- ANTOINE ‘Do you think you can stil make children, M Baker. AIMABLE Antoine... ANTOINE ecause making a baby is different Ae aking a croissant..(he laugh) Isn't that s0, Madan DOMINIQUE (Rushes over, picks his up) Excuse me, baker. (To Antoine) You wese told to leave. So you're leaving: ANTOINE Lam not! DOMINIQUE ‘Yes you are. (Hits him) ANTOINE (Falls to ground) Hie hit me! He hit me! {DOMINIQUE picks him uP throces him out of the cafe, Others ‘watch, ciecked. DOMINIQUE turns f0 rs TE VIEVE, smiles, bows slightly) who af the ™ rewas Genev knot why welyates Whe JENEVIEVE po asked you € interfere? DOMINIQUE cpa man was insulEng YOU GENEVIEVE savas not your affair! Stay out of my affairs! AIMABLE enevieve, he was only tying GENEVIEVE sunow what he was trying to dol (She exits angrily, followed by AIMABLE; DOMINIQUE signals to PHILLIPE and they also exit.) HORTENSE. why couldn't Antoine just leave them alone? “THERESE well, why couldn’t that boy just mind his own business? CLAUDE what about her? BARNABY Would it have hurt her to let him sit at her table? CASIMIR tes always the way. I? when the hen walks into the bamyard that the roosters start pecking at each other. ‘TEACHER Wise words, my friend. (During the following, the WOMEN become increasingly insulted, and by the end of the song, all have left the cafe, leaving the MEN to themselves. WHEN YOU SEE A PEACE-LOVING MAN IN A’ QUARREL WHEN YOU SEE A MILD-MANNERED GENT IN A BRAWL WHEN YOU SEE A CHAP IN A PIP OF A SCRAP Do YOU WONDER JUST WHAT HAPPENED TO ‘TRIGGER IT ALL? Do YOU WONDER WHAT NOBLE CAUSE BELIEF OR CONVICTION HE IS FIGHTING FOR? LOOK FOR THE WOMAN SLIPPING OUT THE DOOR...gaker's Wife CLAUDE yap KNOWS WE'VE BEEN BURNED CASIMIR ND WHERE SEX IS CONCERNED ‘TEACHER (oU WOULD THINK WE WOULD HAVE LEARNED O AVOID IT BY NOW ALL ut AS LONG AS WOMEN ARE WOMEN | FOLLOWS INEVITABLY {EN ARE MEN HAT LUCK FOR THE WOMAN HEN WE LACK FOR THE WOMAN HEN WE LOOK FOR THE WOMAN \ND WE DOIT ALL AGAIN. 16-7 ~f Ba ANT ‘ANI ANI wr j AN | Ev! on't Gre Just You Uy he’s la You doa A ve met mstil[Missoydon't 1, he’s You don’ emet 172 si ts We DENISE AND THE WIND CHANGES COURSE 4Np THE MOON CHANGES PHASE ND THE WORLD SPINS AROUND. ATH THE GREENS AND THE GRAYS WA YOU NEVER TAKE TIME OUT TO THINK OF THE ways EVERYTHING MIGHT BE DIFFERENT. (DOMINIQUE and PHILIPPE, carrying @ guitar, enter the square outside bakery) PHILIPPE (Whispering nervously) Dominique, you're crazy, you know that? DOMINIQUE Just do as I tell you. PHILIPPE You are you know, you're mad. DOMINIQUE tam. I'm mad about her. I never felt like this before. Play. (PHILIPPE strums a chord on his guitar) DOMINIQUE AHH... AHH... AHHH. (AIMABLE starts, looks towards the window) AIMABLE What's that? GENEVIEVE I don’t know. DOMINIQUE (AIMABLE looks out the window) DOMINIQUE BAKER, DEAR BAKER WE ALL SHOULD KNEEL DOWN TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING TREASURES TO TOWN WE SHOULD KNEEL DOWN...The Baker's Wife 1-73 AIMABLE It's the Marquis’s man... You see, he’s trying to make up for the trouble in the cafe. e ESE DOMINIQUE we THESE TREASURES OF YOURS seDT BOUNTIFUL AND SWEET w AH, YOU DO HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF THEM rs TE BUT TREASURES NEED EYES LB e7 THAT RECOGNIZE A TREAT HANDS THAT VALUE THE FEEL OF THEM NIT DON'T YOU SEE WwitHE THEY NEED A MAN LIKE ME SUCH. WHO CAN REALLY MAKE A MEAL OF THEM. 70 BE GENEVIEVE ‘Aimable... tell them to go away: AIMABLE Boon Just go down and give them some pastries ‘and send them off. BOL WH GENEVIEVE ah Aimable ... TH AIMABLE as Please ... I’m not dressed. Before he wakes up the whole village. Just thank them for me. (She starts down) f DOMINIQUE 7 7 WE'LL HAVE A FEAST OF COUNTLESS PLEASURES WITH ALL MY SENSES AND ALL YOUR TREASURESsy ater IE EE oMINTQUE, PHILIPPE AIMABLE GENEVIEVE ese TREASURES OF YOURS YOURE MUCH TOO KIND YOU'RE SUCH A PEST een THESE LIPS OF MINE BUT I DON’T MIND YM NOT IMPRESSED HAT HUNGER BBE TASTING THEM. VE NEVER BEEN SO FLATTERED IN MY LIFE. poNT LET THEM SPOIL TO FEEL SO STRONG TO BE SO MEAN RATHER ON THE VINE YOU MAKE A SONG YOU MAKE A SCENE CHA SO BE WASTING THEM BUT NEXT TIME, PLEASE SING SOMETHING FOR MY WIFE... -_ LAST WHAT A SERENADE WHAT A SERENADE TREASURES GO SO FAST BUT A SERENADE BUT A SERENADE SOLET'SDO WHAT WE MUST DO DESERVES A GIFT 15 NOTHING ORTWO. NEW TREASU THESE TREASURES OF YOURS AS TREASURE YOU (DOMINIQUE enters the bakery. GENEVIEVE starts to hand him some pastries.) GENEVIEVE Here are some... (He grabs her and kisses her. She pulls away.) Please don’t do this. DOMINIQUE Look at ine! Will you look at me! can’t keep 20a from you. I'l do anything to be with you, GENEVIEVE Stop it, he'll hear you. DOMINIQUE You can’t stay here with him. You'll dry up « you'll die. GENEVIEVE Don't do this. Please!The Baker's Wife 175 DOMINIQUE You're’ still young. We're both young. We belong together. You know it, don’t you? don’t you? (Ele Kisses her. After a moment, she responds) Come away with me, we'll go away together, GENEVIEVE What? DOMINIQUE Now. Tonight. I'l be by the church. In an hour... [love you...(He exits from the bakery.) DOMINIQUE, PHILIPPE TO TREASURE THESE TREASURES OF YOURS: AS TREASURE YOU AIMABLE Thank you for the song. Good-night. (calls dawn to GENEVIEVE ) They've gone... We can gp to bed, love. GENEVIEVE (From downstairs) Ina minute. AIMABLE You know, it’s so late .. (yawns, gets into bed) Good night, my love GENEVIEVE, Good-night. WHAT DOES HE THINK I AM? WHAT SORT OF A WEAK WILLED SENTIMENTAL SHEEP DOES HE THINK I AM? WELL, I WON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT HIM, TLL JUST GO-TO SLEEP! WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS? WHO COULD BE AS HANDSOME WHO COULD BE AS SMART AS HE THINKS HE IS? HE JUST HAS TO SNAP HIS FINGERS WOMEN FALL APART! WHAT DOES HE THINK? THAT I'LL SLINK AWAY WITH HIM? THAT I'LL FOLLOW HIM RIPE AND DROOLING? WHO DOES HE THINK HE 1S? AND WHAT DOES HE THINK I AM? ‘AND WHO DOI THINK (sighs) I'M FOOLING?WHEN TWAS A GIRL HAD A FAVORITE STORY OF THE MEADOWLARK WHO LIVED WHERE THE RIVERS WIND Og VOICE COULD MATCH THE ANGELS’ IN ITS GLORY. Ret Sie WAS BLIND. THE LARK WAS BLIND. BROLD KING CAME AND, ‘TOOK HER TO HIS PALACE AveRE THE WALLS WERE BURNISHED BRONZE AND GOLDEN BRAID Wp HE FED HER FRUIT AND NUTS FROM AN IVORY CHALICE ) AND HE PRAYED, ANNG FOR ME, MY MEADOWLARK (Xo FoR ME OF THE SILVER MORNING, Sey ME FREE, MY MEADOWT ASE: SND [LL BUY YOU A PRICELESS JEWEL AND CLOTH OF BROCADE AND CREWEL ANDILLLOVE YOU FOR IEE, fF YOU WILL SING FOR ME.” © can go THEN ONE DAY AS THE LARK SANG BY THE WATER GOD OF THE SUN HEARD HER IN HIS FLIGHT ND HER SINGING MOVED HIM SQ ANCAME AND BROUGHT HER THE GIFT OF SIGHT, END SHE OPENED HER EYES TO THE SHIMMER AND THE SPLENDOR: Of THIS BEAUTIFUL YOUNG GOD, SO PROUD AND STRONG AND HE CALLED TO THE LARK Aa VOICE BOTH ROUGH AND TENDER "COME ALONG FLY WITH ME, MY MEADOWLARK, FLY WITH ME ON THE SILVER MORNING PAST THE SEA WHERE THE DOLPHINS BARK ES WILL DANCE ON THE CORAL BEACHES, MAKE A FEAST OF THE PLUMS AND PEACHES JUST AS FAR AS YOUR VISION REACHES FLY. WITH ME.” BUT THE MEADOWLARK SAID NO, FOR THE OLD KING LOVED HER SO oF COULDN'T BEAR TO WOUND HiS PRIDE 0 THE SUN GOD FLEW AWAY AND WHEN THE KING CAME DOWN THAT DAY fiz FOUND HIS MEADOWLARK HAD DIED. EygRY TIME I HEARD THAT PART I CRIED. AND NOW I STAND HERE STARRY-EYED AND STORMY On JUST WHEN I THOUGHT MY HEART. WAS FINALLY NUMB O BEAUTIFUL, YOUNG MAN APPEARS BEFORE ME, SINGING “COME OH, WON'T YOU COME?” an ERThe Baker's Wife AND WHAT CAN [D0 IF FINALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME THE ONE I'M BURNING FOR RETURNS THE GLOW? IF LOVE HAS COME AT LAST IT’S PICKED THE WORST TIME STILL 1 KNOW Y'VE GOT TO GO. FLY AWAY, MEADOWLARK FLY AWAY IN THE SILVER MORNING. IETSTAY, I'LL GROW TO CURSE THE DARK SO IT’S OFF WHERE THE DAYS WON'T BIND ME 1 KNOW I LEAVE WOUNDS BEHIND ME BUT I WON'T LET TOMORROW FIND Mi BACK THIS WAY BEFORE MY PAST ONCE AGAIN CAN BLIND ME FLY AWAY. AND WE WON'T WAIT TO SAY GOOD-BYE MY BEAUTIFUL YOUNG MAN AND I (SHE exits) The Ba“rue Baker's Wife 7 : ea ACT ONE SCENE Early moming. Smoke is rising from the oven in the bakery. VILLAGERS gather outside. PIERRE smell smoke. DOUMERGUE something's burning TEACHER it’s the bakery BARNABY ‘fire in the bakery ANTOINE A fire in the bakery (ANTOINE, CLAUDE, BARNABY, DOUMERGUE rush in.) CLAUDE tvs the oven .. Something's burning . (calls) Baker .. M Aimable ANTOINE Baker... BARNABY Are you there. DOUMERGUE Wake up. AIMABLE (Coming down) What? DOUMERGLE The oven! AIMABLE What is it? BARNABY The oven ... There’s smoke.The Baker's Wife 182 AIMABLE What time is it? I must have overslept .. (Opens oven. There is « gush of smoke. He shovels out and? een purnt loaves.) That's really well-done, isn’t’ i? I'm sorry, Tl have to sat another batch ‘Tm surprised my wife didn’t wake me. She's usually an early ri Where is she? gne CLAUDE We haven't see her oe AIMABLE (Opens door, calls out) Genevieve ... Genevieve. CASIMIR Bl (Holding a burnt loaf) It’s all ruined. wh AIMABLE Where can she be? wh CLAUDE, We haven't seen her, AIMABLE I ear’t imagine .. Wait. I know. Our cat, Pompom, has run off and she's out looking for her. (hurries out) Genevieve. BARNABY What about the bread? f AIMABLE Later. later...(collides with PRIEST as he goes out the door. He goes off, calling.) Genevieve... Genevieve (OTHERS have come out, are wat 1g as PRIEST goes into bakery.) PRIEST (To MEN in bakery) What's going on? Where's today’s bread? Isn't ready yet? CASIMIR It's all burned. BARNABY ‘The baker's wife has disappeared. PRIEST ‘That's terrible! You mean all of it is burned? CLAUDE You know, when a woman disappears in the middle of the night i5 out patch ic her. 's Wife i Ba — DOUMERGUE and yours: pretty woman like that BARNABY, ne certaindy didavt g0 to 8H her mother. (They exchange glances. Music unt ALL THREE inmmin (They whistle. OTHERS who have overheard hurry cafe.) VILLAGERS BUZZ ABUZZ DENISE what? ANTOINE when? VILLAGERS. (Whisper) P55 PSS PSS PSS PSSSSS. NICOLE Really? HORTENSE How awful! PIERRE Terrible! VILLAGERS. POOR MAN! THAT POOR UNHAPPY MAN TEEEL SO SORRY FOR HIM, MY HEART 1S SORE [JUST CAN'T BEAR TO THINK ABOUT IT TELL ME MORE-. (VILLAGERS break into groups of gossipers.) VILLAGERS [REALLY SHOULDN'T TALK I REALLY SHOULDN'T TELL. BUT EVERYONE ELSE IS, SO 1 MIGHT AS WELL. LISTEN, ABOUT THE BAKER AND THAT WIFE OF HIS, THOUGH IT’S NONE OF OUR BUS.SHHH! THERE HE IS! tThe Baker's Wife 184 (AIMABLE comes back, sees VILLAGERS looking at him.) AIMABLE Good morning VILLAGERS sat (Smile nervously) uM Good morning AIMABLE By any chance, have any of you seen w NICOLE Bu (Quickly) No.. Thaven’t seen her... (AIMABLE re-enters bakery as Villagers cluster again.) Mor VILLAGERS AIMABLE BUZZ A—BUZZ A-BUZZ I don't understand it PSS PSS PSS PSS PSSSS 1 Where in the world can she be? ‘TCH TCH TCH TCH TCH, AIMABLE . Unless, of course, she left a note, Of course! A note! Why didn’t I think of it before? (Starts upstairs) * CLAUDE But what about the bread? TEACHER Aren't you going to prepare a new batch? AIMABLE (Calls from upstairs) Soon... I just want to find the note. VILLAGERS ISN'T IT AWFUL NEWS? ISN'T IT ALL TOO SAD? 1 DON’T REMEMBER WHEN I FELT SO BAD WHEN YOU HEAR NEWS LIKE THIS YOU WISH YOU HAD NO EARS I'M NEARLY IN TEARS THIS IS THE.— wife re ING TO HAPPEN IN THIS TOWN IN TWENTY YEARS. gest 7 (MARQUIS enters followed by PHILIPPE) VILLAGERS MM. MMM... MMM. MARQUIS (To PHILIPPE) wait here VILLAGERS U2Z ABUZZ ABUZZ. MaRQuis (Enters bakery) ur Aimable.. (PHILIPPE hurries over to group of VILLAGERS) VILLAGERS PSS PSS PSS PSS PSSS AIMABLE (Descending stairs) Maybe the note blew out the window. I can’t imagine what else... Wait! Of course! I know where she went! MARQUIS You do? AIMABLE Of course! She went to visit her mother! (MEN exchange glances) MARQUIS Her mother? AIMABLE Of course! She cannot sleep... she is upset, confused...suddenly a mood will hit her... 1 must talk to my mother MARQUIS (To OTHERS in bakery) Gentlemen, I wish to speak with the baker. (THEY nod, crowd around) Alone.186 Tie Baker’s Wife ) ne 82 VILLAGERS a“ PSS PSS PSS PSS PSS. (Others exit bakery to joining rest of VILLAGERS. They begin talons a sonny in groups as MARQUIS falls to AIMABLE. We carno! hear al eT MARGUTS and AIMABLE are saying, only see ther reactions ~) VILLAGERS. YM NOT A BIT SURPRISED, I KNEW IT ALL ALONG YM ONLY SORRY NOW I WASN’T WRONG DIDN'T I TELL YOU JUST LAST WEEK T HAD MY FEARS NOW SHE DISAPPEARS. x THIS IS THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN IN THIS TOWN IN FORTY YEARS Cin the bakery, AIMABLE shakes his head, laughs. The VILLAGERS outside crowd close to eavesdrep.) AIMABLE I tell you it's ridiculous! MARQUIS ‘And I tell you it’s true. Your wife has run off with mj they took my car! My Peugeot! yy man, Dominique. And what's more, AIMABLE What are you talking about? She went to visit her mother! MARQUIS Philippe, tell him what you told me AIMABLE (Laughs) How would he know anything? MARQUIS Philippe...(sings) : WHERE IS DOMINIQUE? PHILIPPE HE'S GONE. MARQUIS WITH, PHILIPPE HIS CLOTHES. MARQUIS AND WITH...2ore, ee MARQUIS PHILIPPE MARQUIS AND WITH..? PHILIPPE YOUR PEUGEOT. MARQUIS AND WITH? AND WITH? AND WITH? PHILIPPE (Mumbles) THE BAKER'S WIFE. MARQUIS WHAT? PHILIPPE THE BAKER'S WIFE! (MARQUIS turns to AIMABLE with a “There, you see” gesture) (VILLAGERS outside react.) AIMABLE No, I don't believe it, I¥s not true, not true...Ifs.. i's a coincidence, Yous met may have left Neay, that’s true. And my wife, she went to her mother’s on the same day. And this makes people's tongues wag and they jump to all Kinds of tracy conclusions. (Turns to PHILIPPE) Grrat are you standing around for? Get out! Get out! (Advances om him) Ruining a good woman's reputation! Get out of here! (PHILIPPE runs out. VILLAGERS surround him) VILLAGERS (Ad lib) Philippe! What happened? SOME THINGS ARE BEST UNSAID. SOME THINGS ARE BEST WE MISS SOME THINGS ARE BEST KEPT PRIVATE BUT NOT THIS! TELL US THE GORY DETAILS EVERY AWFUL WORD WHAT DO YOU KNOW? OR AT LEAST - WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD? (THEY huddle in groups and whisper as scene continues in bakery.)The Baker's Wife MARQUIS: My friend, I understand how you feel. About your wif thit’s his business..-but the Peugeot, that’s my business police. Dominique will go to prison AIMABLE Tt would serve him right MARQUIS ‘And your wife, She might also go to prison. AIMABLE 188 fe, that's your business...Dominique, { Tintend to make a complaint t0 thy what? Leave my wife out of this, She has nothing to do with it MARQUIS. Very well. But if my car isnot back in two days, Iwill go tothe police AIMABLE ‘That's your affair, that has nothing to do with my wife start another batch of bread. MARQUIS ‘Ah, the bread..Of course..of course. (HE exits, joins OTHERS.) VILLAGERS ‘THE BAKER AND THE BAKER'S WIFE 1 NEVER HEARD IN ALL MY LIFE. (THEY laugh loudly) MARQUIS Quiet, you foolst He's baking again ' VILLAGERS. SHH. SHH. (inside bakery, AIMABLE starts Now, if you'll excuse me...I must work, but HE is clearly very preoccupied. At one point, HE stands staring into space ‘while HE pours erage quantity of salt into a batch of yeast. Meantchile, outside. begun as a whisper, gradually gets louder) CLAUDE 1 HEARD HE HAD A GUN... ‘THERESE 1 HEARD SHE KILLED THE CAT.gue, to the ust ANTOINE HEARD THEY STOLE HIS MONEY. ALL AT! 1 KNEW = 1 SEARD THE BAKER TRIED TO STAB HIM WITH A KNIFE vEN EyRELY WOULD BREAK TO BITS! fyrTH THE DISTRESS I FEEL ALL ICAN SAY IS, IT'S Aig BEST THING TO HAPPEN IN THIS TOWN. HE BAKER AND THE BAKER'S WIFE T NEVER HEARD IN ALL MY LIFE AIMABLE hat am T doing? Salt I forgot the salt. “(Pours more salt) ALL THE BEST THING TO HAPPEN IN THIS TOWN IN ALL MY LIFE... cuRTAIN nets ie 18.9The Baker's Wife hoes ACT TWO Scene 1 nen ® SET: The cafe. Exterior of the bakery . Later the same day. of co" (VILLAGERS are seated at tables, or drift on in the course of the scene (OITOINE is peeking through the windove of the bakery.) DENISE wry! AND THEN ONE DAY, SUDDENLY evel SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN TT MAY BE QUITE SIMPLE IT MAY BE QUITE SMALL BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN YOUR WORLD SEEMS DIFFERENT AND YOU HEAR THE GULLS CRY IN A DIFFERENT KEY Yor AND YOU SEE WITH NEW EYES ‘AND THE FACES YOU SEE ‘ARE PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW AT ALL. TEACHER iG What is he doing? ANTOINE : He's at the stove, working i CLAUDE ‘Thank God, we'll have our bread after all ANTOINE 'A cuckold for a baker! I think we'll find homs in our breadt (He laughs) MARQUIS ‘Antoine, don’t mention such a thing in front of him... Not a breath, not 2 whisper, you understand? He doesn’t believe it ANTOINE How can he not believe it? The whole village knows it MARQUIS ‘You want your bread, don’t you? { ANTOINE \ Yes, but, 'wz TEACHER ren not a whisper, You understand? ANTOINE of course! (Puts something on his hen to look like horns. Some VILLAGERS laugh.) CLAUDE why’s everybody surprised? There is only one place where you will find a woman who will wer deceive you. The cemetery! DENISE laude! Are you suggesting I would deceive you? CLAUDE (Looks at HER.) you? No (OTHERS laugh.) ‘TEACHER (Calming her) Just a joke, Denise, just a joke. DENISE {still angry) Yes, he is! BARNABY (To HORTENSE) You, on the other hand, are quite capable of deceiving me. I'm sure of that. HORTENSE What??? BARNABY imics her) “What? What???” I see ow men look at you and Row You smile at them How you smiled at Doumergue before... And at Pierre ou HORTENSE was not smiling. I'm mazried to you, what have I got to smile about? BARNABY Hortense!!! HORTENSE Ym... Yim sorry. ANTOINE You never know, Barnaby, one day you might be 2 cuckold, ike the baker.The Baker's Wife 13 MARQUIS Antoine! ANTOINE L know, I know, but he's not here PRIEST , “Antoine, this is not a laughing matter ‘Committing adultery is a terrible sin. wi NIECES ; (Mock shock) BI It is? PRIEST (To MARQUIS) Perhaps you se@ NOW ‘what comes from your example of immorality. : MARQUIS Come on now, Father. Iam not a modest man, but cannot claim to have invented adultery Tehas been a popular sin for ages. PRIEST ‘You see, thats just what I mean. (Sings) ‘THE BAKER'S WIFE HAS RUINED HER LIFE SPOILED HER NAME, SOILED HER SOUL Sie CAME TO OUR TOWN AN INNOCENT GIRL i SEND QUICKLY YOUR CORRUPTION TOOK CONTROL! OH, PITY THE DISGRACE THAT ‘ SHE FOREVERMORE MUST LIVE IN i NEVER SHOW HER FACE AGAIN, NEVER BE FORGIVEN SHE'S A FALLEN WOMAN ‘AND WHAT IS SAD BUT TRUE OUR JEZEBEL WOULD HAVE NOT FELL IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU! TEACHER (Overlapping) WHAT NONSENSE! WEAMNEW HER OWN MIND - AND IN THE END, \ ‘A WOMAN WILL DO WHAT SHE \ ee — TNO MORE AND NO LESS THAN FREE WILL \ MAR QUIS HER WILL AND HER MIND HAD NO SAY AT ALL \ ee ELESH MAKES ITS OWN DEMANDSaltery. tat gEMEMBER, SOME PEOP HAVE GLAND’ ‘THERESE op! DISGRACEFUL TO EVEN. DISCUSS IT AT ALL OF ALONE TAKE HER BEHALF! ANTOINE, wHO CARES IF 17'S GOOD FOR A LAUGH? PRIEST BUT HER SOUL. TEACHER NO, HER MIND. MARQUIS NO, THE FLESH... DOUMERGUE No, YOU SEE THAT THE TEACHER IS RIGHT. . BARNABY, PIERRE THE CURE! CASIMIR, NIECES ‘THE MARQUIS! ALL AND THEY ALL WOULD SHARE MY POINT OF VIEW GROUP IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU. GROUP It IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU... ALL IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU. IF IT WASN'T FOR. (THEY break off as AIMABLE enters from: bakery) ‘TEACHER You were baking, Aimable? AIMABLE Naturally. I'm a baker, so I bake. The bread will be ready shortly. (As HE sits) May Ihave a cognac, please?The Baker's Wife CLAUDE I thought you dida’t drink ‘AIMABLE Soa I'm thirsty. sal DENISE aa Would you like some water? AIMABLE I'm thirstier than that, (DENISE pours him a drink) Leave the bole (HE drinks. OTHERS watch him) CLAUDE Listen my friend, that's strong stuff, especially for someone who doesn’t drink \ AIMABLE I've had stronger: CLAUDE When? AIMABLE Just now in the bakery. I found a bottle that old Fouget left had a nip or two...Or five or six. didn’t count MARQUIS ‘Aimable...Shouldn’t you be checking your oven? AIMABLE Plenty of time..Plenty of time: (ALL watch him take another drink.) ANTOINE \ So, baker, how does it feel being a cuckold? } MARQUIS Antoine! ANTOINE 1 forgot! AIMABLE Oh, you heard that foolish rumor. Such nonsense cuckold! (Chuckles) Cuckold! Cuckold! (He is tipsy) 1 ‘TEACHER (Rises) Listen, my friend. You are respected by our whole village Your baking is delicious, extraordin:ix ordinary AIMABLE TEACHER atortanatey, Tundestand that a the moment you are t tee your wile AIMABLE went to her mother's? Why should that upset me? TEACHER understand, but. AIMABLE yi you jin me ina toast tO my wife's ‘mother? TEACHER t right now. AIMABLE ity not? What have you got against my Ws mother? ‘TEACHER Nothing, nothing at all. AIMABLE Good. To my wife's mother..(Sings) COME ON AND FILL UP YOUR GLASSES LET'S DRINK A TOAST HERE'S TO THE PERSON YOU LOVE THE MOST MINE MAY BE..MISSING BUT LET IT COAST ‘A PERSON MAY LEAVE ‘A: PERSON MAY ROAM LET'S DRINK TO THAT, ANY-DAY-NOW DAY WHEN SHE COMES HOME PRIEST (Approaches AIMABLE) My son..my som. AIMABLE (Throws arms around him) My father..mmy father pset thatThe Baker's Wife PRIEST L know how you feel but..findicating bottle) this is no rem AIMABLE It's not bad. PRIEST ‘The only true remedy is prayer. Pray, my son. Pray to Saint Cecilia, AIMABLE Why Saint Cecilia? PRIEST She is the patron saint of our village. She is here among us AIMABLE {don't see her..Oh, I know! Of course. She went to er mother’s! PRIEST What? AIMABLE Let's have a drink, To Saint Cecilia's mother! To my wife's mother! To everybody's mother! (Sings) OH, ISN'T IT DANDY? ISN'T IT GREAT? SHE'LL BE HOME EARLY UNLESS IT’S LATE 50 WHAT BETTER REASON TO CELEBRATE? JUST BRING ME A GLASS NO, MAKE IT AN URN LET’S DRINK TO THAT ANY-DAY-NOW DAY SHE WILL RETURN. ANTOINE Beker, what about the bread? Isn't it ready yet? AIMABLE I CLOSE MY EYES AND SEE HER CLIMBING THE HILL. TEACHER THIS IS SERIOUS! AIMABLE OR SCURRYING DOWN THE STEPS AGAIN. GE aot‘ner! se Bakers Me 18 PRIEST E'S DELUDED. MARQUIS HE'S DELIRIOUS. AIMABLE wot FOR ONE MOMENT DOT DOUBT SHE WILL $uT 1 WISH | KNEW WHEN: MEN cOMEONE GET HIM SOME STRONG BLACK COFFEE QUICK! AIMABLE 50 ICOULD BE READY... AIMABLE VILLAGERS GETTING EVERYTHING SPARKLING BAKER, CONT. AND SIT DOWN EVERYTHING NICE SOBER UP NOW CAKE IN THE OVEN HERE’S YOUR COFFEE CHAMPAGNE ON ICE HAVE A CUP NOW AND MUCH ASI HATE TO BAKER MAY SHAVE TWICE BAKER 50 WHAT D’YA KNOW? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH HEY, WHAT D'YA SAY? CUSTOMERS ARE WAITING, BAKER! SHALL WE DRINK TO THAT ANY-DAY-NOW DAY NOW THAT'LL BE THE DAY! CLAUDE, ‘Aimable! The bread...What about the bread? . AIMABLE ‘Ah, the bread...of course, the bread. (Sings) FRESH, WARM BREAD COME AND GET YOUR FRESH WARM BREAD IN QUANTITIES UNLIMITED COME AND GET IT... (They have folacsed him into the bakery. Suddenly the VILLAGERS top and gasp.. The bakery is a mess..dough and flour all op J CLAUDE, LOOK! THERE!The Baker's Wife pee ANTOINE WHERE? CASIMIR, PIERRE, PHILIPPE THERE! ANTOINE OH, MY GOD. CLAUDE IT'S A DISASTER! PRIEST CHAOS! TEACHER UHOK... MARQUIS I'VE A SINKING FEELING. DENISE FLOUR ON THE FLOOR. CASIMIR AND IN THE PLASTER. ‘TEACHER UHOH, HORTENSE DOUGH IS DRIPPING FROM THE CEILING. BARNABY AND THIS LOAF IS LIKE A ROCKt 7 PIERRE ‘THIS ONE'S LIKE LEAD! ALL HEY, BAKER WHAT ABOUT THE BREAD? AIMABLE don’t believe it... Phaked as Talways do... (Sings, hesitanty) CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT... NEVER BEFORE. I MUST NEED A REST OR A VACATION... OR MAYBE I WON'T BAKE AT ALL ANYMORE.WHY SHOULD INNOCENT PEOPLE HAVE TO PAY [gg DRINK TO THAT I'S THE WORST THING TO HAPPEN TO L THIS TOWN IN FORTY. anv-DAY NOW DAY JUST WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMED IDEA ABW THAT'LL BE THE I WERE FACING ANOTHER BREADLESS MEAL pay TODAY! VILLAGERS: BAKER, HOW CAN YOU BE SO HEARTLESS (AIMABLE collapses into the arms of some VILLAGERS. Blackout)ACT TWO SCENE 2 e whet SET: Exterior of bakery..cafe.afternoon era bes. .THER F em (Several VILLAGERS ae seated at tables THERESE knocks at bakery door.) ‘THERESE gre st He hasn’t opened at all today? CLAUDE Hes Not a sound from him BARNABY My God, I think he meant it. He's stopped baking we THERESE We are the victims of that woman's lust NS PIERRE A ‘This village is cursed. We'll be without bread forever. b TEACHER ' (Entering) He's still not opened?... You haven't seen. him? i CLAUDE No one has. Not since yesterday: DENISE Maybe he's il. He drank so much last night ‘TEACHER ; You'te right..(Knocks on door) M Castagnet (Opens door) 4 ‘Aimable...(He goes into bakery) \ (Others follow him, as set opens to reve bakery ) TEACHER Baker. BARNABY M Castagnet. CASIMIR Aimable. PHILIPPE Anyone here?. |pers Wife oe pee a DOUMERGUE nore is He? BARNABY epee upstairs) CLAUDE (Opens stove) gre stove is cold ‘THERESE, e's not been baking BARNABY (Descends) e's not up there. TEACHER ty God, he’s disappeared. CLAUDE Aimable BARNABY Baker. DENISE M. Aimable (AIMABLE sits up in trough suddenly. OTHERS serean: startled.) ‘TEACHER My God, you gave us a turn. What are you doing in there? AIMABLE Ym resting. DENISE ‘Are you sick? AIMABLE I don’t think so. BARNABY What do you intend to do? AIMABLE, ‘As soon as you leave. I will start resting again ‘THERESE saints preserve us! He's in a bad way. I'l go for the priest.The Baker's Wife 023 (SHE exits) CLAUDE You should get up, Aimable. You should start baking again 8 8 AIMABLE No, I’m in the wrong mood for baking. (OTHERS have entered during above.) CLAUDE Listen, Aimable, you're taking this all wrong. I know you miss you wife..naturally, after you're practically newlyweds. You haven't had time to get used to her, to get bored by her (DENISE glares at him.) I mean at first it’s exciting...The passion flows like a torrent...But soon it slows down ... toa thin stream..to a tricle. DENISE Toa drip! CLAUDE ‘Aimable... listen to me ... [have only your welfare at heart. (Sings) OH, I HATE TO SEE YOU LOOK SO LOW, AIMABLE, MY FRIEND SO LET ME SAY A WORD ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM, MY FRIEND YOUR WIFE HAS LEFT YOU THAT IS... | MEAN. YOUR WIFE HAS... GONE AWAY WHICH LEAVES ME ONLY ONE THING TO SAY. YOU ARE THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD YOUR TIME WILL STAY FREE AND YOUR PURSE WILL STAY FAT HOW COULD YOU BE ANY LUCKIER THAN THAT? CASIMIR AND WHAT YOU'RE FEELING ARE ONLY THE PAINS THAT COME WHEN THEY FIRST REMOVE CHAINS BARNABY YOU MISSED THE BILLS AND THE BABIES BEFORE THEY BEGAN CLAUDE, CASIMIR, BARNABY SO YOU'RE THE WORLD'S LUCKIEST MAN. TEACHER Its been true since Adam and Eve, my friend.er all toa 24 ow WHEN A MAS YOUNG DOES HE KNOW? < We GETS HIM A WIFE, A FAMILY DOUMERGUE THEN HE GETS A LITTLE OLDER PIERRE = KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS FROM LIFE xow ALL THERE'S JUST ONE PROBLEM Tig STILL GOT THAT WIFE! CLAUDE, BARNABY, CASIMIR, TEACHER 0 YOU'RE THE LUCKIEST ‘MAN IN THE WORLD PIERRE, DOUMERGUE, ANTOINE THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD ‘TEACHER 11’ NOT VERY OFTEN A MAN ‘WILL AWAKE To FIND HE'S CORRECTED HIS STUPIDEST MISTAKE CLAUDE AND YOU WILL NEVER FEEL PASSION GROW COLD BARNABY, ANTOINE, PIERRE xO YOU WON'T, NO, NO YOU WON ‘xO YOU WON'T CLAUDE WATCHING HER SLOWLY GROW OLD BARNABY, ANTOINE, PIERRE io YOU WON'T, NO YOU WON'T ALL BEFORE THE FIGHTS AND THE BOREDOM. SHE UPPED AND SHE RAN Se YOU'RE THE WORLD'S LUCKIEST MAN: (MARQUIS and NIECES have entered diving above, AIMABLE Gtarts to sink. MARQUIS quickly steps forward) MARQUIS Monsieur Aimable, wait! My good friends mec well, but they have nothing 0 offer Yo" but sorte and words —fond of them as 1am = 6 no what you need now. No, my friend YOu word, gomuocity that is far more... tangibie NIECES (ing seductively)The Baker's Wife 0-25 FEMININE COMPANIONSHIP MARQUIS ‘Yes, my friend, when one is accustomed to the presence of & woman * the sound of a Yes, mY the scent of a woman, the very essence of a woman... one Ras developed a is impossible to break... (Sings) habit uy : FEMININE COMPANIONSHIP WHAT A DREADFUL DRUG OH, THE AWFUL TUG ONCE YOU'RE IN ITS UGLY GRIP MORPHINE WIELDS A GENTLER WHIP « THAN FEMININE COMPANIONSHIP. ‘You see, my friend, T understand, And so do my nieces ~you iow my mises of course NIECES SIMONE... INEZ... NICOLE... AIMABLE ‘They really are your nieces then? MARQUIS My dear friend, what is a niece? The daughter of a brother ‘And since I consider all men my brothers (Shrugs) AIMABLE Monsieur le Marquis, do I understand you are offering me a gift of your nieces? ' MARQUIS, No, no.» Call it.. a loan. To help you get on your feet again. Now I think you'll find each hay her own charming qualities. Simone for instance (Brings SIMONE forward - sings) SIMONE READS BOOKS AND SHE COOKS ‘AND DELUXE ARE THE LIKES OF HER LOOKS ‘AND NOW SHE ACHES FOR A MAN WHO BAKES THAT'S ALL IT TAKES 50 START YOUR BREAD, START YOUR CAKES SING, SIMONE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKES! SIMONE, MARQUIS FEMININE COMPANIONSHIP GIVE A GIRL A RING WHSST! YOU'RE ON A STRING \that my wRAPPED AROUND HER FINGERTIP. Wht NOW YOULL GIVE THAT NOOSE THE SLIP MARQUIS AND END YOUR F AMINE IN AOMININE COMP ANIONSER? MEN LALALALALA LALA. NIECES ONELL BEA PIP, TWO'LL ADD A ZIP AH, BUT THINK OF TRIP-LICATE! MARQUIS As YOU WORK, YOU'LL FAIRLY. DRIP WITH FEMININE COMPANIONSHIP. (NIECES dance for AIMABLE as MEN cheer and whistle) MEN YOU ARE THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WORLD. NICOLE ‘TELL THE SAME STUPID JOKE TLL ALWAYS START TO LAUGH MEN THE LUCKIEST MAN IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD. INEZ, TELL THE SAME BORING STORY 1 WILL NEVER STOP YOU. ‘SIMONE WHEN YOU HAVE AN ITCH HE! THAT YOU CANNOT REACH 10~ MEN WITH LADIES WHO GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU LACK |AND NEVER EXPECT YOU 40 GIVE THEM SOMETHING BACK: NIECES PLL BE THERE TO SCRATCH YOUR SPINE AND YOU WON'T HAVE 70 SCRATCH MINE!“The Baker's Wife _ MEN YOU HAVE AVOIDED THE WEAR AND THE TEAR THAT SUDDENLY COMES WHEN YOU CARE NIECES NONE OF US WILL EVER CARE MEN. NO, YOU COULD NOT HAVE DONE BETTER IF YOU HAD A PLAN, NIECES, MARQUIS NOW YOU HAVE THE ATHOS, PORTHOS, D'ARTAGNAN OF FEMININE COMPANIONSHIP, ALL YOU LUCKY MAN! (The NIECES are fondling AIMABLE Following the number, PRIEST, THERESE, OTHERS enter... PRIEST (Shocked) What is this? What is going on here? AIMABLE Monsieur le Marquis was graciously offering me the companionship of his nieces ifI started baking agein. PRIEST What? I came here to offer this man solace in prayer and Tfind you. ’ MARQUIS Offering him something far more attractive PRIEST ro spread corruption is a great sin, ard Lam compelled fo take steps MARQUIS What are you talking about? PRIEST 1 must report your behavior to my bishop, M le Marquis. AIMABLE Please, his intentions were good, even if I don’t want prest ack roD oOPRIEST reson 19 all's PAY ed with good intentions MARQUIS preserve mer O Lord, from the sweet smell of sanctity. VILLAGERS ee only tying. The Father is right, you can't. We only want hin LL ‘You hear what he said? et. a AIMABLE (Suddenly shouts losing his temper) cout! Out! All of you! (Picks up rolls and starts to throw them at VILLAGERS.) VILLAGERS (Retreating) e's gone mad..He's raving.We only wanted to help..We lost our baker! AIMABLE ut! Out! (OTHERS run off)The Baker's Wife s¥ —~ paker’s acT TWO SCENE 3 SET: Village Square...early evening. (PHILIPPE, beating di During it, VILI shouts the following announcement \ a A start hurrying towards the church.) \ PHILIPPE \ sate Mangus the Mayor of oe Wage Ras sbed \ \ following proclamation: my fee Nous’? nent £ (reads) Lam hereby summoning the citizens of Concorde to a community meeting. The | cor purpose of the gathering is to ‘8 sider the dire consequences that have befallen out elovea | Caan Village as an unforeseen result of @ Gomestic tragedy, namely the loss of our daily bread, ang | foo thir vilage fine together what appropriate solution may accrue som He wants everybody to come to the church right away. \ NOTE: (PHILIPPE has difculty reading above, stumbles over Big \ gre is words..then gives up.) perheloved Uand W41 ACT TWO SCENES SET: The Church. (VILLAGERS are gathered. The MARQUIS és chairing the meeting.) MARQUIS wwe all knovr the purpose of this gathering, Because of corait unfortunate riences, we ace faced with a man in torment for lack of his wife, and our village in for lack of our bread. I should also, in passing ‘mention the lack of my Peugeot, but ent personal matter...Now we all know the ‘problem, The solution is equally clear. The tat gh woman must be induced to rene to that hysterical husband of hers before he does fookgthing feally serious, like leave our village without a baker. THERESE, (Calls out) she is not fit to be with decent people. He is better off without her MARQUIS perhaps, But we certainly are not! PIERRE They may be very far by now. MARQUIS {don’t believe so. A man on such an errand a5 his will spend as little time as possible traveling. Any suggestions? ANTOINE Why don’t we shoot the baker in the leg, Then he won't be able to leave MARQUIS (After a pause) ‘Any other suggestions? (Silence.) Good! I have a proposal..that we divide into pairs each to investigate a different area. (General agreement.) AD LIBS Good idea...Right..te MARQUIS rm glad you agree. I will now give you your assignments...Barnaby, Casimir will you £0 ¥ the area around Valois?The Baker's Wife 7 W42 CASIMIR (Breaks in) what g I will not go with him. 8 sit BARNABY We don't speak re MARQUIS You don’t have to speak ie alt CASIMIR v (Annoyed) all What if see them? I will eal out, “I see them”. To whom as I speaking? To no one? “ MARQUIS My He will hear you BARNABY {will hear but I will not answer. I will not say, “I see them too”... Or, “That's not them, idiot"! L CASIMIR A ‘You see, he called me an idiot. Just because I saw them first! BARNABY He is an idiot! He saw nothing! \ CASIMIR i If I say I saw them, I saw them. BARNABY Idiot! y CASIMIR Fool! (General hubbub.) AD LIBS He shouldn't call names..They’te both crazy..What can you expect from those tw0.~elc MARQUIS Please, please..M Martine, perhaps if you went with, ‘TEACHER Please do not include me in this enterprise. Going after them defies all logic.-Clearly, if & and Bare mismatched and B decides to go off with C, it is not for us to..m3, “The Baker's Wife HORTENSE what is he talking about? DOUMERGUE git down, teacher, this isn’t 2 classroom ANTOINE wait. Yd like to hear more about A and B. (Hubbub.) MARQUIS all ight - Pierre, will you and Doumergue go to the area around valois? PIERRE All right - if he cuts down his oak tree. DOUMERGUE My tree stands! I will bury you under that tee PIERRE What about my spinach plot? It's dying. DOUMERGUE Let it die. And you too. PIERRE You hear that? He curses me and my spinach! (General hubbub,) PRIEST Quiet, please, Even if this is a secular gathering, we are still in the house of the Lord. What case cbt be forgotten is the seriousness of that woman's transgression, And | might add that USE that unfortunate couple have been in this village, not once..not once has that woma been to Mass and... (AIMABLE enters. As PRIEST notices him, HE trails off, embarrassed. There is a moment's awkward silence.) MARQUIS M Aimable, Iam delighted you joined us. As I'm sure you know, we are discussing Your Muu and considering how we can be of help. If you would care to say anything. AIMABLE (Rises and comes forward) just wanted to apologize for my outburst. It was wrong of me. Tow you all mean well. But you see, Tam not myself these days, without my Genevieve. Wither Oy Genevieve. 1 sont know how to say it..without my Genevieve, the days are flat and heav} ‘without any yeast. Without my Genevieve, everything is grey and cold, like ashes in the stove...Withou! my Genevieve. (HE stops, unable to continue.)The Baker's Wife Wt DENISE (After a pause, quietly) Would you ever talk about me like that, Claude? CLAUDE Perhaps..if you leave me (She turns away, hurt.) CLAUDE I didn’t mean that. Bad joke. ANTOINE Don't worry, baker. Everything will be all right. And I'm sorry Teaid you were a cuckold... only meant... meant AIMABLE ‘You meant that I was a cuckold. But you were wrong, A cuckold i & husband whose wife woe Reeived him and he doesn’t know it. But you see, I know i ‘And don't you think I always knew that this might happen to me?..1 know how we look together, that I am so alwaX’ der than she is..1 ar not blind. I know who Lam. And f know who she is..[ always iat she is beautiful, that she is an angel. I know there are others TOT beautiful... sane that she is not such an angel-But what do you do if you love someone? You take a Thence. you hope..you gamble..Sometimes you win. (He Starts to exit slowly..then stops, faars to MARQUIS) Here..my savings.-for the car.-Now no more talk about prison! (He exits) (A pause.) CASIMIR M le Marquis, I wish to make myself clear. I did not say that Iwas unwilling to go to the Valois area, but he BARNABY (Rises, indignant) Did { say I didn’t want to go? Did I say that? CASIMIR You said you woulda’t go with me. That's what you said. BARNABY (Startled) ‘Are you talking to me? CASIMIR (neasy) 1am talking, If you hear me, that’s your business: That (sha took comMARQUIS wall, will you two go together? BARNABY will go- Tort know about him CASIMIR said Iwill go. MARQUIS ‘hen if he goes and you go, it means you will be going together. BARNABY (Reluctantly) That's one way of putting it HORTENSE (sharply) Barnaby, stop it! Stop talking nonsense! You will go with Casimis and yoW will both oa for the baker's wife and if you see her you will tel Casimir, and you will ask her f0 come home to her husband. Stop being a fool! BARNABY (Meckty) As she says..we can take the river road. HORTENSE Casimir! CASIMIR Yes, that would be best. PIERRE Mle Marquis, I know the mountain area to the west. DOUMERGUE So do I... hunt there often. MARQUIS You two will go there together? DOUMERGUE Well, under the circumstances. (They look at each other, nod.) MARQUIS Good. Now the others.The Baker's Wife ALL Tcan take the Veuville section... The woods to the west, there The Saint-Andre sector to the east...ete. are many caves there. MARQUIS (As they crowd around him) One at a time, one ata time. (They start to exit as scene dims out.) Con esACT TWO SCENE 4A SET: The bakery 41 Timmediciely following. AIMABLE looks wanly about the room. AIMABLE (To himself.) Come on, Aimable, old friend, just get on with it ‘THE HOUSE SEEMS SMALLER SINCE SHE'S BEEN GONE THE LIGHTS STAY DIM AND THE SHUTTERS DRAWN BUT THE CLOCK KEEPS RUNNING AND TIME RUNS ON AND THERE'S TIME ENOUGH HAS FLOWN If | HAVE TO LIVE ALONE. JHE LEAVES STILL RUSTLE THE WIND STILL WHINES THE SUN SHINES COLDER BUT STILL IT SHINES 1 DO MY LIVING BETWEEN THE LINES LIKE THE SILENT TIMES I'VE KNOWN WHEN I HAD TO LIVE ALONE. BEFORE I KNEW HER. [HAD MY WAYS TO FILL THE HOURS TO KILL THE DAYS HAVE A MEAL AT THE CAFE EVERY NIGHT AT TEN TAKE A WALK, TALK A NAP PERHAPS A CARD GAME NOW AND THEN Y'VE LIVED ALONE BEFORE ANDI CAN DOIT AGAIN... [STILL HEAR LAUGHTER ISTILL SEE STARS |AND THOUGH IT’S TRUE THAT A SMILE COMES HARD WELL, THAT'S THE REASON THAT GOD MADE SCARS TO PROTECT US ONCE THEY'VE GROWN LET THEM HARDEN NOW LIKE STONE LET THEM HARDEN NOW LIKE STONE IF | HAVE TO LIVE ALONE.The Baker's Wife AcT TWO SCENE 5 SET: The Cafe (VILLAGERS are gathered. The MARQUIS at table.) CLAUDE It's no use, M le Marquis. We looked everywhere, as far as Maussant, We asked everyone. No one saw them. ERGUE enter. All are (BARNABY, CASIMIR, PIERRE and DOU! slightly tipsy.) BARNABY Wonderful news, everybody...wonderful news MARQUIS ‘You found the baker's’s wife? CASIMIR Even better! We found friendship! BARNABY ‘Yes, we are the best of friends. We had 2 wonderful talk. CASIMI About everything. We're friends! ‘TEACHER What about the baker's wife? ALL FOUR Who? MARQUIS You're drunk! PIERRE We all met up at the Chateau Virant, and had a few drinks MARQUIS Yes, I can see that: PIERRE ‘Asked around, really sociable you know. DOUMERGUE Definitely, no word about her! But everyone had a good laugh about it we yes. Totse Baker's Wife u52 PRIEST aen't you ashamed! You were sent on an important mission, to help 2 fellow human being: casn ye did! helped him and he helped met... Now we're friends! BARNABY yes. Friends! (They hug.) DOUMERGUE Jomorrow morning I’m cutting down that tree. W! rhy should I kill your beautiful PIERRE No, don’t touch that tree of yours. I love it ... Next year, ji! plant somewhere else DOUMERGUE You'te a wondezful person .. [never knew such a wonderful p (He cries.) TEACHER ‘as Tsuspected, it’s no use, M le Marquis. Either they are well hidden or they've driven off and are a long way from here. It’s hopeless. (ANTOINE enters.) ANTOINE (importantly) Thave found the baker's wife! MARQUIS Antoine! We forgot about him... OTHERS (Crowd around him) You have?... Wonderful... Where is she? ANTOINE (His big moment) ided to take the river road yuld I take the river road if! So instead, I went Wait! Let me tell you how I found her! It wasn’t easy. First, I deci towards Boubard ... But then I thought, why the river road?... Wot didn’t want to be seen?... No, there are people you can meet there, towards the canalThe Baker's Wife _ MARQUIS impatiently) Yes? Yes? ANTOINE Lwent towards the canal. And there I happened to meet old Bernard, the hunchback whose left eye is missing. PIERRE His right eye is missing ANTOINE (Annoyed) His left eye. PIERRE His right eye. ANTOINE I saw it with my own eyes. His left eye is missing! MARQUIS Left eye..right eye..where is the baker's wife? \ ANTOINE I'm trying to tell you... Where was I?... I'd bett would take the river road to Boubard but. er start from the beginning, First I thought | TEACHER Antoine! You met old Bernard. ANTOINE Oh. yes! (Sharply, to PIERRE) Whose left eye is missing! . When | told him the story, he laughe! Soi aua 1 thought his other eye would drop out. Wel. he didn’t know anything about where they were. So then I went along the canal and MARQUIS Where is the baker's wife? ANTOINE ‘Then I went along the canal and I met the Mouret brothers. They were Ym telling you. night and they said they had. fishing. | asked them if they had seen a couple at any time last the coe megs where ymte vigee wher wh ¥ MARQUIS ‘Yes? Yes? ANTGINE ‘And where were they headed, Tasked. And they said they were headed towards Beaulieu. MARQUIS Beaulieu, eh?> laughed where re abers Wie ANTO! 4g who were they, I asked? What did they look like? They were tSpbler and his son, Michel, probably going for supplies, Wel: the good, oF COUFSE, 0 MARQUIS where is the baker’s wife? ANTOINE tim telling yout Just as I was leaving, young Michel caught the biggest fish I ever .. MARQUIS, (Grabs his throat) where is the baker’s wife? ANTOINE (Startled) What? MARQUIS (Throttling hi Where is the baker's wife? And Dominique? ANTOINE Help! He's choking me! PRIEST M le Marquis! MARQUIS Where are they? Or you will now take your last breath! ANTOINE ‘They're in that small hotel in Marichon. MARQUIS How do you know? ANTOINE Isaw them go in there. (MARQUIS releases hint.) MARQUIS Well, finally! We know where they are .. Now comes the real problem..How do we get to come back? they said old Malcolm, chat didn’t do me anyThe Baker's Wife_ BARNABY she won't come back. HORTENSE She has to.. I mean, everything depends on it MARQUIS Perhaps it would be best if go there and demand, as our Mayor, that for the welfare of cur village, she must \ ‘TEACHER i No, no, no - The lady must be appealed to with logic, with reasoning, and since, in all | Goo modesty, I am best equipped for that purpose. \ PRIEST \ No, no, no - Logic indeed! I think I should speak to her. to remind her of her religious obligations i Al TEACHER : : (Groans) its ‘Oh Godt \ PRIEST tT Exactly! OTHERS 1 (Babble) ‘The Marquis has the most authority. I think the Father should... The teacher knows how to r talk CLAUDE My friends, we can't afford to do this wrong.. DENISE Thave a suggestion MARQUIS Yes? DENISE Why don’t all three of you go, together? MARQUIS Together? ‘TEACHER What? PRIEST \ With them?py Bees ——— (They hesitate.) DENISE ze wasting time, you know you MARQUIS come ~ Lets hurry (MARQUIS, PRIEST, TEACHER exit.) OTHERS ood luck! .. Bring her back HORTENSE (Sarcastic) tite hotel in Marichon where they can be all alone How romantic THERESE, y's disgusting, ; DENISE they should be ashamed ...al the trouble they've caused ‘THERESE Isay good riddance. HORTENSE { guess they don’t care about anything but themselves.- DENISE So selfish... THERESE Terrible... HORTENSE ‘What can possibly make people act that way? (The WOMEN are sitting at tables, drinking wine. D: following number, THEY are observed and overheard soya stale off indignantly at appropriate times throughout, Of coarse, we WOMEN knew they are being overheard and plan their remarks accordingly... WOMEN AHH AHH AHH SHE IS SEARCHING FOR ROMANCE AHH AHH AHH WHAT ELSE CAN WOMEN DO IN FRANCE? AH, ROMANCE.The Baker's Wife U57 FLOWERS AND CANDY PRINCES ON STEEDS THESE ARE THE DREAMS A SCHOOLGIRL NEEDS. THEN YOU MEET A MAN AND QUICKLY IT LEADS. HORTENSE STRAIGHT TO THE THING FAMILIARITY BREEDS! NIECES WHEN YOU HEARD OF PRINCE CHARMING YOU WEREN'T AWARE HIS BREATH SMELLED OF GARLIC w THERESE - AND VIN ORDINAIRE (THEY laugh) | . WOMEN YOU MEET WHAT'S IN PANTS 5 AND ADIEU TO ROMANCE, YES, THERE ARE RULES WE LEARN IN LIFE THAT DON'T REQUIRE THINKING THERESE A SKUNK WOULD BE A KITTY IF If WASN'T FOR IT STINKING. HORTENSE AN EGG COULD BE GIGANTIC BUT NOT FROM A SICKLY HEN, WOMEN, [AND ROMANCE WOULD BE ROMANTIC IF IT WASN'T FOR MEN! ‘THERESE (To NIECES) Now wait ~ I know what you're thinking: (sings) WHAT DOES SHE KNOW ABOUT MEN THIS DESICCATED PRIG? NICOLE No.Baker's Wife sp Babe's Wie —_— INEZ ot tall THERESE put remember, ladies (Sings) IZE A PIG! yoU DON'T HAVE TO SLEEP IN THE STY TO RECC (THERESE and NIECES laugh and toast) TENSE WHATEVER THEIR AGE, THEY'RE STILL LITTLE BOYS. ‘THERESE THEY PLAY THE SAME GAMES. NIECES. WITH DIFFERENT TOYS WOMEN, HALF OF WHAT THEY DO 18 SO THEY GET BACK AT THEIR MOTHER HALF OF WHAT THEY DO 1S SHOWING OFF FOR ONE ANOTHER: |AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THE REASON FOR ALL THEIR BOASTS AND LIES IS? HORTENSE UNLESS IT’S SOME CONCERN WITH RELATIVE SIZES! DENISE AND MEANWHILE WE LIVE LIVES OF QUIET COMPROMISES. WOMEN (Nod and toast one another) ‘TOO TRUE. WE DO. WIVES YOU'RE LEFT IN THE HOUSE NIE IN THE STORE. ‘THE IN THE LURCH...The Baker's Wi 2 NIECES FILL TIME WITH YOUR HAIR-DO. WIVES AND CHILDREN. THERESE AND CHURCH. WIVES AND WHATEVER MEMORIES, YOU HAD OF ROMANCE BEGIN TO RECEDE AS THE YEARS ADVANCE IF ONLY WE'D SEEN WHEN IT ALL WAS STARTING THE YEARS SPENT IGNORING THE SCRATCHING. DENISE AND SNORING. HORTENSE AND FARTING. (THEY all laugh) WIVES FF OF THE ROSE HOW QUICKLY THE BLOOM IS DENISE HIS PASSION SHRINKS HORTENSE AS HIS BELLY GROWS DENISE YOU CAN'T SEE HIS SMILE HORTENSE HE CAN'T SEE HIS TOES DENISE LESS HAIR ON HIS HEAD HORTENSE AND MORE IN HIS NOSE!a's Wife or NIECES paRTS TO GET LISTLESS HES START 10 GET KISSED LESS. HORTENSE HICH JUST PROVES THAT LOVE I LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE Vou WANT IT DONE RIGHT. WOMEN “TER DO IT YOURSELF! (THEY laugh) WOMEN ets face it ladies (sing) WHEN IT COMES TO LOVE... TWO CHOICES EXIST ; ‘THERESE AGIRL CAN EITHER BE A VIRGIN... NIECES OR A REALIST! (By now, the last of the MEN have stalked of) WOMEN ‘AH, ROMANCE. SIMONE SHALL WE DANCE..? (NIECES and THERESE do a tango. HORTENSE joins in. As THEY continue behind DENISE, SHE sings to herself... WOMEN AHH AHH AHH... DENISE 0 SHE’S SEARCHING FOR ROMANCE WOMEN, AHH AHH AHH ... DENISE 2 WHO AM I TO LOOK ASKAN( ONCE LONG AGO YES, IT SEEMS LONG AGOaker's Wife FOR THE BRIEFEST OF MOMENTS. ‘A ROMANCE WAS MINE HE THOUGHT I WAS BEAUTIFUL 1 THOUGHT HE WAS FINE AND WE HAD A SHINING TIME THAT NOW I CAN BARELY RECALL OR DIDI IMAGINE IT ALL... WOMEN AHH AHH AHH DENISE STILL WHAT WOULDN'T I GIVE... WOMEN AHH AHH AHH DENISE FOR JUST ONE LAST CHANCE TO RECAPTURE ROMANCE. WOMEN AH, ROMANCE ROMANCE. (They sigh.) AHHHH par rw firACT Two SCENE 6 SET: Hotel Room ... Day (DOMINIQUE lying on bed... GENEVIEVE looking out wi | DOMINIQUE | jou know what I'm thinking? GENEVIEVE Hama? DOMINIQUE yrat do you say we go t0 Paris? I've always wanted to see Paris. GENEVIEVE Paris DOMINIQUE ive got a pal who went there, He can get us.a place to stay, find us some work GENEVIEVE Yes, but. DOMINIQUE But? You have a but about Paris? GENEVIEVE I didn’t think we'd go somewhere .. so far DOMINIQUE, So far from what? GENEVIEVE Nothing. I was just thinking... nothing. DOMINIQUE 1 think it’s a good idea. GENEVIEVE Look!... There’s a girl with a cat that looks just like Pompom. DOMINIQUE 0? GENEVIEVE Our cat. Remember, we had a cat.. I miss Pompom. (Laughs) I used to talk to her ask het adviceThe Baker's DOMINIQUE ‘The cat? What are you talking about? GENEVIEVE Not really ask her... ust make believe..Never mind DOMINIQUE (Puzzled) Why would you talk to 2 cat? GENEVIEVE It was just make believe. (She gets shawl and puts it on.) DOMINIQUE ‘A shawl? In this weather? GENEVIEVE Ym cold. DOMINIQUE (Yawns) You're always cold lately. Maybe something's the matter with you. GENEVIEVE I don’t know... Maybe I just got used to living where there was an oven going all the ' time...Would you like some coffee..? (She turns to look at him. He is asleep.) GENEVIEVE LOOK AT HIM THATS A FACE , THAT'S A PROFILE TO ADMIRE i LOOK AT HIM THAT'S A TORSO THAT'S RARE. WHEN I LOOK AT HIM HOW I BURN TO BE TOUCHING HIM THE FIRE IS THERE BUT WHERE IS THE WARMTH? LOOK AT US, DON'T YOU THINK WE FIT BEAUTIFULLY TOGETHER? LOOK AT US, CAN’T YOU SEE HOW WE SHINE? WHEN YOU LOOK AT US DO YOU NOTICE IM SHIVERING ‘THE WEATHER IS FINE BUT WHERE IS THE WARMTH?w GROW FEVERISH, FLUSH THAT COMES ME HE HOLDS ME EXT URALLY YOU'D SUPPOSE I'D BE WARM NqEN 1M HOT LM NOT. AnD JUST LOOK AT ME you WOULD THINK THIS THE CRUELEST OF DECEMBERS [OOK AT ME 100 WOULD THINK WE'D HAD SNOW. AEN HE LOOKS AT ME TD FOR A MOMENT, I MELT AGAIN tote EMBERS DO GLOW. gut OH, WHERE 1S THE WARMTH? FIRE IS THERE jut WHERE IS THE WARMTH? ‘A LITTLE LAUGH ND A.SMALLER SIGH Sty BEAUTIFUL YOUNG MAN, GOODBYE! (SHE has gathered her few things and leaves DOMINIQUE sleeping there. 63The Baker's Wife L “The Baker's Wife ae — act TWO SCENE 7 SET: A village street rdor MARQUIS ore Hurry ... The concierge at the hotel said she was going to the bus stop: A ‘TEACHER wee ‘And it leaves at two. We only have a few minutes PRIEST wee ‘A moment, please. (They stop.) I must consider what to say to her. com neve ‘TEACHER Come now, M. le Curé. The holy vows of matranan}y the adulterous woman..they'te clase subjects. They must be among ‘the first you studied at the seminary. ae ca PRIEST Yes, easy subjects. A sermon would be simple But this is a real person. I don’t want to hurt Ye Mee” fs it enough to ask: “Do you realize you have sinned?”~ MARQUIS : But you are her religious leader. What else can YOu ask... Did you have a good time? TEACHER ‘There she is. (GENEVIEVE enters, looks off s if waiting for the bus..They ‘approach her...) MARQUIS Genevieve! (She is startled, alittle frightened.) GENEVIEVE What..what are you doing here? What's happened? MARQUIS We came to find you. GENEVIEVE I don’t understand. ‘TEACHER ‘Where were you going?lassic aurt GENEVIEVE ont know. to Marseilles, think... 1 aon TEACHER alone? GENEVIEVE yes PRIEST rr GENEVIEVE come back home?... How could I? After what happened. I could never do that. PRIEST she Good Lord forgives the sinner.. Surely we who are human cannot do less. (PEACHER and MARQUIS look at him, surprised.) TEACHER ‘yes.. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. (PRIEST looks at TEACHER with surprise and delight) mean .. logic has its limits, I suppose. Perhaps that's why ive have poets..(He looks at PRIEST)... and Priests GENEVIEVE 1. [don’t know what to do. MARQUIS just think of your marriage vows... "Till deathr do us part” . Those are holy words... (They look at him, startled.) mean... for one who takes the vows. To take such a vow, to love one Bre always, one Tmean.~ fos song, Perhaps that is why some people, who are unable fo ‘ove one, play at love with many... GENEVIEVE “But how can | face...him... and all the others? PRIEST ‘As for facing him, that is for you to decide..But as for the rest of us. the Lord: "Forgive us our sins..” .. Come my child. ap out his hand to her... After a moment she takes it.. They start off)“The Bake’ Wife 173. oS MARQUIS (To himself) “Forgive us our sins” It has a nice ring, (THEY exit)‘The Baker's Wife 8-1 ACT TWO. SCENE 5 SET: Village Square. Evening. PHILIPPE (Runs on excitedly) she’s coming home... The baker's wife is coming back...They found her..We'll have our bread again. TEACHER (Enters) Everyone off the street, please! Back to your homes. BARNABY why? TEACHER Mle Curé has requested it. So that the lady should not be embarrassed. Everybody off the street (They start to leave.) CLAUDE Everybody home! (AIL leave except THERESE, who plants herself firmly.) THERESE 1/m staying right here. So I can see her and she can see me! I shall watch the return of the sinner! CLAUDE But, mademoiselle... ‘TEACHER (Calls him aside) What's happening? CLAUDE She refuses to leave. ‘TEACHER Leave her to me. (CLAUDE exits.) TEACHER (Seductively) My dear lady...The Baker's Wife W182 ‘THERESE No use talking to me. I'm staying right here. If committing adultery makes you the queen of the village, what's the use of virtue...tell me that? . ‘TEACHER (Amorously) How right you are; my dear Therese. What good is virtue, after all? How many years we've wasted worrying about virtue. Let's make up for it now..right now.(He grabs. her...tries to kiss her.) THERESE (Startled, pulls away) You're mad. TEACHER (Tries to grat her) Yes, Lam. I'm mad about you. How I’ve longed for you. Give me your lips.-Let me kiss you caress you. : (She runs of, frightened. He starts to exit, laughing to himself..She returns.) ‘THERESE Monsieur. ‘TEACHER (As before, starts towards her) ‘Those lips...those ruby lips... ‘THERESE Stop that. If you have a serious proposal to make, I will receive you at home tomorrow morning. After breakfast...There will be a chaperone present, (She exits, with dignity. Off stage, we hear a delighted giggle.) TEACHER exits, opposite, very troubled. Set remains empty for a moment. Then GENEVIEVE enters, timidly..escorted by PRIEST and MARQUIS...She slowly walks across the square to the bakery, looks back at the PRIEST and MARQUIS...They nod to her and exit. She starts to open the door.)en of nany abs. you, oe Baker's Wile 9-1 ACT TWO SCENE 9 SET: The bakery. The table has been neatly set for a meal. (AIMABLE has his back to the door. GENEVIEVE appears int the doorway and AIMABLE stops moving, aware of her presence. A beat Then he turns to her.) AIMABLE you're back. GENEVIEVE Yes (There is an auwkeoard moment of silence.) Forgive me. AIMABLE Forgive you? That's easy to say - “Forgive me.” I was worried sick about you Why didn’t you lene you were going to your mother's? You were afraid I might stop you, is that i? GENEVIEVE Dor't...don’t forgive me like that. AIMABLE Like what? What do you mean? GENEVIEVE Let me tell you the truth. AIMABLE ‘Truth! I know enough truth Too much truth can be hard to digest It ean make you sick GENEVIEVE But I want you to know... AIMABLE Lunow enough. And stop talking so much about forgiving, I'l begin to imagine things You must be hungry, no? GENEVIEVE Yes, am. AIMABLE, And cold? GENEVIEVE A little...The Baker's Wife Bi Tee AIMABLE Well, here is a little meal I was making for myself. I didn’t know you were coming, But Im : not too hungry. So go ahead...eat. GENEVIEVE Tr (Sits at table) ee You... you seem different AIMABLE Different? Oh, well, I must confess something. While you were away, I did something B foolish. 1 got drunk. Out of boredom, I guess. I'm just getting over it. T 1 GENEVIEVE ¥ No, you seem ...better looking... AIMABLE Better looking? Maybe I should drink more, hah? Go ahead..Eat. (Sound of CAT meowing, AIMABLE looks out window.) Well..Look who's back. (Opens window and brings in POMPOM.) So... you're back. you alley cat..you rotten thing..Tired of running around, you come back Where its nice and safe, hah? You good-for-nothing..You don’t care who misses you, who oF | loses sleep over you, do you? Where did you go, running after some tom cat, hah? Some | strange eat that looked good in the moonlight? What did he have that was so wonderful you had to leave home? You stupid creature..you selfish animal..you slut! n (He puts cat down next to a saucer of milk.) Here... here's some milk...’ been waiting for you..1s that why you came back, Pompom? Because you were cold and hungry? And then, Pompom...Will you leave again? t GENEVIEVE She will not leave. AIMABLE (Still to POMPOM) Because if you want to leave again, do it right now. It would be less crucl.. GENEVIEVE She will not leave. i (GENEVIEVE begins to cry. He goes to her, speaks gently.) AIMABLE Genevieve... (She waves him away. Slowly, she raises her head and looks at him.)ut I'm ng. back who nme ful you om? GENEVIEVE HOW WELL WE KNOW TLL NEVER BE [1uE PERFECT ANGEL. THE PRINCESS. YOU TRY TO SEE IN ME. (Stands, faces him.) UT I WILL TRY 70 MAKE YOU HAPPY [WILL TRY MY WHOLE LIFE THROUGH. (They stand a moment, unsure of what to do. She walks to kim slowly, stands before him. MUSIC SWELLS as they embrace.) BOTH AND MORE THAN THAT NO ONE CAN DO... AIMABLE Well..I must start the bread for tomorrow. GENEVIEVE ril help you light the oven. AIMABLE (After a beat) All right..if you like, Genevieve..(extends his hand to her.) GENEVIEVE (Takes his hand) Madame Castagnet... (They begin to prepare the oven together.) DENISE, AND SINCE LIFE IS THE CRY OF THE GULL AND THE TASTE OF YOUR STEW AND THE WAY THAT YOU FEEL WHEN HE TOUCHES YOU NOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS DIFFERENT NOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS NEW SET: The cafe. (Direct segue) (VILLAGERS begin to enter, singing very friendly; old enmit forgotten. At some point, AIMABLE and GENEVIEVE join them, ‘greeted warmly)ie Baker's Wife Seren eee VILLAGERS. LALALALALALAETC AIMABLE AND THE SOMEONE WHO TOUCHES YOUR HAIR EVERY DAY GENEVIEVE TOUCHES YOU NOW. IN A DIFFERENT WAY DENISE AND YOU MAY WANT TO RUN SR YOU MAY WANT TO STAY. (CLAUDE hands her a rose. SHE is moved) FOREVER. (THEY hug) ALL LALALALALALAETC. EVERY DAY AS YOU DO. WHAT YOU DO EVERY DAY yOu SEE THE SAME FACES WHO FILL THE CAFE, YNID THOUGH NONE OF THOSE FACES HAVE NEW THINGS TO SAY NOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS DIFFERENT NOW YOUR WHOLE LIFE IS NEW, CURTAIN

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