SILENT COUNTRY
... to the sea with my kids.
It was so stressful! I lost about 4 kilos.
You lost weight? -Yes, look at my blouse!
Sure, you look like you lost 6 kilos!
I lost a lot, anyway. -Let me see.
Cut it out! You've got a one track mind.
Alright, forget it.
Places, everybody. Places!
Colleagues! -Yes!
Yes!
Colleagues!
I'm very pleased to see you all back again,
and to welcome you to the 1989/90 season.
...500 people crossing the border every day.
Imagine how many that makes in 10 days, or a year!
...and to get back to work again.
Have you seen Paul yet?
That asshole still owes me 20 Marks.
But first I'd like to introduce a young colleague...
who'll take up his first engagement at our theater this year.
He's not here yet.
Hello! Could you tell me where the theater is?
Theater? There's no theater here.
But there must be!
If you already know, why ask?
The theater's that way.
Where? -Around the corner.
Thanks. -Are you staying long?
Services are on Sunday. -I'm an atheist.
The premiere of "William Tell" was very well attended.
About 170 people turned up...
So you sat at home all summer writing?
God, you're not right in the head. -...60 and 80 spectators.
One time only 10 turned up, but that was during the UEFA Cup.
"The Little Witch"...
Anything wrong? - Over 20 external shows.
"Sleeping Beauty"...
50, the hit of the season.
"King Quack"... -Let's talk about Hungary instead!
And the Prague Embassy!
This country is SILENT!
Horst!
But it is true. -I can only give you my opinion.
Yes.
What does the Party say, then?
Ah, at last. Our new colleague.
Better late than never.
Please come right up on stage.
Welcome.
Dear colleagues, this is our new director.
Kai Finke.
26 years young. Very gifted.
I'd even say, a talent. -A talent? Here!
Welcome to the stage that's all the world...
I'll look after you.
What about Paul? -Call him, to be on the safe side.
Okay. I'll write the report as usual...
or should I mention the incident?
Let sleeping dogs lie. -Which dogs?
It's just an expression.
Ah, I see.
Don't believe that asshole.
He gets rid of everyone who's better than he is.
The lobby.
A victim of his hobbies.
Drank himself to death.
Ah, the "Tell".
I did it last year.
The Swiss Oath in front of a closed curtain.
The V-effect, so to speak.
Our fleet.
There's a trip on Tuesday.
Well?
Do you like the play?
Sure, in and of itself.
Sure, some people asked, "Why do you want to do that Irish play?
How does it relate to us?"
But we need to be open-minded.
In the arts, at least.
Don't you think? -But...
How can we do the play
so that everyone understands it? I mean...
The important thing is that we put it on stage.
We have to draw attention to ourselves.
Small stars must shine brighter, otherwise they won't be seen.
Whether it's understood or not,
we should be under no illusions in a place like this.
I've already thought out a few ideas...
Concepts?
The stage...
The auditorium.
A graphic black line
cuts right across the stage.
Can I speak to Paul?
He's not home yet?
It's about the show.
To Hungary?
That's the key scene in Act 2 of this version.
For Vladimir, I mean.
But the first version is the best, of course.
I think the stage itself gives it clarity.
And theater must be comprehensible,
otherwise it's not effective, right?
I understand.
Is this the cafeteria?
Can I get some food here?
Nope.
So when does it open?
Evenings.
If at all.
NO LUNCH SERVICE
Two beers!
A tea, please.
Drunken swine!
Give me my money back, you jerk!
I want my money back! -He's peeing his pants.
I'll rip your balls off!
Who ordered the tea?
Tea?
Wasn't it you who ordered tea?
Me?
Ah, yes.
Can I maybe help you?
Here.
Your eye looks pretty bad. It needs ice.
Wait!
Here, lay this on it.
Go on!
Thanks, by the way.
I'm Claudia. The assistant director.
The girl Friday.
Kai. -I know.
Been here long?
A year. -And?
Well, as you can see...
Your first meeting with the natives?
"Volkshaus".
Theo recommended it.
"Good food", he said.
Food! At "Volkshaus"! Hilarious! -And drinking tea!
Ordering tea, of all things!
And with a script too. Just like you, remember, Theo?
Have you seen the stage manager? -No.
Where's that asshole got to now?
I'll go and look.
Good grief!
You were the one who ordered tea at "Volkshaus"?
At last! Where were you? I need to be announced.
Otherwise I can't get in the mood. -Okay, Uschi.
You really want to do this to yourself? The show, I mean.
Why? Aren't you performing too?
Exactly.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
I'm afraid I have to give you some rather bad news.
We have just found out that Paul Schrader,
who plays the valet, is seriously ill.
To avoid canceling tonight's show,
Claudia Stoll has offered to read the part of the valet.
Thank you for your understanding.
We are truly sorry.
Just wait until he gets back! -He won't.
Want another swig? -Quieten down! We're in a theater.
Once and for all! This matter is serious now.
Gossip about my daughter and the Baron!
My reputation, sullied... The President will hear of it...
In short, I shall buy out the squire!
You didn't talk him into coming here,
nor threw your daughter at him. -Haven't talked him into it
or thrown her at him. Who'll take notice?
Who knows where Paul is...
He's gone.
Maybe he missed the train.
No. He's on the right train.
The asshole still owes me 20 Marks.
Cheer up, he'll pay you back in West Marks someday.
Screw it!
Am I disturbing you?
Your name is Finke, right? Are you any relation to the Finke...
from the Deutsches Theater?
Iris, like the perfume. Last did the Stuart...
My dream role.
Are you related to her, perhaps?
No? Really?
I could have sworn you were related to her.
She was a real slut, let me tell you.
We studied together.
Who'd have thought she'd end up there and I'd end up here?
...and me as Mary Stuart... No, wait,
I was Iphigenia
and Finke was Mary Stuart.
Finke, the old cow.
It's a good thing she's not your mother.
So when will we play "The Mother"?
No, I mean Mania...
Maria! -Closing time!
Okay!
Anyway...
Let's go somewhere else to talk some more.
Coffee?
In Pasewalk, farmers from the "Progress" cooperative
have harvested the grain 2 weeks earlier than planned.
It is one of many initiatives...
undertaken for our Republic's 40th anniversary, contributing to...
A typo!
No. I already wrote it down. Page 4!
Ah, that's right. Yeah.
"Waiting for Godot" with a woman...
Interesting.
Hey! Has Hollywood called yet?
No. But if they did, it would be for me.
Has no one else shown up yet?
In my day we all got here 30 minutes before rehearsals.
Right, Horst?
WAITING FOR GODOT
I don't understand why I should play a man.
There are no female roles. -Ah.
Great! So I have to play a man!
Can you explain how I should do that?
As a man, or as a woman?
Hey! I'm talking to you.
Leave her alone. -Okay, okay.
I'll leave her alone.
I'm sure the "artist" will tell me.
Ah, here you are!
As always. -Then we can start.
Not everyone's here.
Why not? The rehearsal was meant to start at 10!
Good morning, everyone.
Good afternoon!
Listen, I'm sorry.
My alarm clock... -Buy a new one!
Stop that scribbling!
It makes me nervous.
Get going!
Push harder!
Go! Damn piece of junk! Watch out for the dip!
Okay, and now heave!
The first rehearsal is always the most important one!
I couldn't sleep a wink last night.
Sorry kids, I had to shower at the neighbor's.
My hot water heater broke.
This is no way to do theater!
Such sloppiness!
I have to say in all honesty, this is...
It's ignorant!
I'm not prepared to tolerate this in the future.
I'm serious. Otherwise, though it pains me to say it,
I'll have to look for another cast.
Okay...
Let's move on to my proposals.
You've got your work cut out. -"We" have, yes.
"We" have our work cut out. You've read it too.
I think this piece has a certain magic.
Something... -Incomprehensible.
...absurd.
It reflects today's society.
I mean, there are clear parallels.
Nothing's moving anymore,
neither forward nor backward. And so we wait.
But we don't know what for.
Two people are waiting for someone, without really knowing who it is.
And this waiting has a name:
Godot.
Who Godot is, his appearance,
why they wait, is totally unimportant.
What matters is that they are waiting ...
So when does this Godot come? -...for him or...
for something else.
Where does this hopelessness take place?
In their heads,
or due to the circumstances?
That's a very good question.
I mean, the...
the hopelessness...
I have a question.
My suggestion would be that I appear at the start,
not the middle of Act 1.
You know?
I'm on stage with my leash around my neck,
waiting for my master.
I'm waiting too, you see?
You just want to be seen.
That's not true!
I just make a suggestion, try to contribute, and you...
I'll get to you later.
Let's look at the two lead roles first.
Okay, we've got Vladimir and Estragon. I'd like...
Estragon to be a woman.
They will play an old couple.
They've been through it all, but now...
they have nothing to say to each other.
GDR citizens fled to the West German embassy...
Now the weather: A low front from the Atlantic to Scandinavia.
The outlook: little change.
That was the news on "Deutschlandfunk".
Hello.
I've brought the sketches.
Ah, great. I needed them.
Okay, then... -Come on in.
You know,
I was thinking...
we could put a car on stage.
With a tree growing up through the hood.
Here.
The possibility of movement...
has landed on the scrap heap. You get me?
And the wheels lie around on stage? - Yes.
The question is, what kind of car? I mean...
it might sound silly,
but when you think about it, I mean...
To good teamwork!
Ultimately, it's political. Have a seat.
Technical problems aside... -Oh, my goodness!
I have to show these to the set designer!
Shit! Shit! Shit!
I'm sorry.
It took me ages to do these.
I'm sorry.
Careful! You're making it worse!
It's not too bad, is it? -"Not too bad?"
It's totally smeared! And you say, "it's not too bad."
Man, oh man.
Claudia?
Claudia!
...GDR citizens who, in accordance with the Madrid Accord,
were allowed to travel to West Germany and West Berlin,
have applied to return to the GDR.
The authorities declared that such a request,
though understandable, cannot be met.
Did you read it?
Faster!
Here, pig!
Excuse me. -Wait!
What's wrong?
What's with the hat? -The hat?
I think it's good. -But not in my rehearsal.
I think it's good!
Take it off, then start again!
Excuse me, but on the notice board outside...
Here, pig!
I told you to take the hat off. -I did!
Get rid of it. Completely. Do it without the hat.
If you don't like how I take it off, I can throw it.
Look, like this!
It adds some atmosphere, eh? -No!
We could put a hat stand here, for example.
Or just the tree.
I'll hang the hat...
on the tree.
Okay?
Okay, okay... I try to contribute, and you...
Very well, have it your way.
There's a note on the board. You have to read it.
What's wrong?
I can't do it...
without the hat.
But it was here before!
Who took it down?
The show begins in 15 minutes.
A propman to the stage, please.
Who took the note down?
He's writing a thesis, Uschi says.
I feel sorry for him, in a way.
Why?
And...
what brought you here?
A train.
My first time in a theater was...
The curtain rises...
the actors, lights, the stage...
You're suddenly in a different world.
My parents wanted me to get
a proper job. We fought about it.
Then I wrote to some theaters.
The only offer came from Mr. Walz.
And now I'm here.
Let's see if Godot comes.
Good morning to you all!
Certain West German groups are planning further provocations
on the GDR's 40th anniversary, to disrupt peace and order.
Such as the current spectacle
at West Germany's embassy in Prague.
How this can serve West Germany's alleged efforts...
to improve cooperation with the GDR...
You could maybe clean the showcases. They're dirty.
It's still there. -I told you so!
... in the interests of peace...
It won't work.
The band is marching up front!
East TV!
...a media event that the East Berlin powers
wanted to avoid...
It's very strenuous...
I told you! -We had it for a moment.
Protuberances. -What?
Protuberances!
We need a bigger antenna.
I have one.
In Berlin.
I just don't get it!
It's not working. I can't play this anymore.
It...it was good.
Just run through it again.
It...it was really good.
Really depressing.
Do it once more. Please!
There!
We can't!
Why not?
We're waiting for Godot!
Ah!
That was it!
-It was really good.
Awful. -What?
Awful and anachronistic.
You, perhaps. -Do it again, Horst!
Exactly the same!
I don't see what the problem is.
Waiting, waiting!
I can't stand it anymore!
Nothing more comes to mind.
But you just had it. Precisely the despair I wanted.
As if you wanted to tear down the walls around you.
I don't see what your problem is. It's simple.
Do it again. Go on!
Keep the aggression! -Don't yell!
You amateur!
What's with him today?
We're all a bit on edge.
RESISTANCE!
Well?
What should we do now?
After consultations with the CSSR, it was decided
that visa-free travel between the GDR and CSSR
would be temporarily revoked for GDR citizens.
I can't concentrate on the rehearsal!
This damned ignorance.
We should cancel today's rehearsal.
I suggest we sit all down...
and draw up a letter, a resolution.
And you, of all people, dare accuse me of opportunism!
You just sit there all day with your writing.
When did you ever speak out?
In the old days, maybe!
A damned long time ago, anyway. -He didn't mean it.
Can't we... -I don't think Felix is all that wrong.
Fine. I won't say another word!
Have a drink first.
Maybe we can find a way to agree on the wording.
If not "demand", then...
Embarrassing!
Prattle! If you write "please", you can count me out!
Write: "We demand open discussion!"
Exactly!
"Pub. Disc."
I won't say another word!
But if that falls into the wrong hands,
they'll close us down.
That'll be a result for your resolution!
But do what you want!
Who do we want to send it to?
What do I know? To Honecker.
The Party, Politburo, press...
It must be made public.
Maybe we should talk to Walz first? What do you think?
He'd shit in his pants, the asshole.
I think we should start from the bottom up.
Theater, local and then regional management...
Man, get off me!
You can all kiss my ass!
Okay, I'll read it again:
"The situation in our country has become
critical in recent weeks.
Thousands are fleeing to the West
because they feel life here is unbearable.
Instead of seeking the reasons here, the official and media reaction
has been denial and insinuation."
I'll check on Felix.
So, where was I?
We'll discuss it tomorrow.
Don't be mad. It'll be fine.
Maybe we should make it a bit more personal.
"Dear Erich, we're sick and tired of it.
We wanted to say that for a long time.
So why don't you grab that Margot of yours,
and enjoy your retirement in Beijing."
Made any progress?
Tomorrow...
Tomorrow's another day, right? -Right!
Come on, Theo!
Theo!
Finished?
Good evening!
I...
Here.
That's the opinion of the whole ensemble.
We have to go public immediately.
Now the Party's signature.
Thanks.
I'll forward it.
VIGIL
One ... One, two.
One, two. One, two, three.
Okay? One?
Almost all atheists. Like you.
Won't He object?
Not Him.
Thinking of Godot again?
You mean we have to start all over again?
The whole shit, all again?
It was good before, the...
The hopelessness.
We build up, we tear down; it keeps us in work.
Let him finish!
Oh, man... it's so obvious!
It's the couple's own fault that they're stuck.
I can't see what you don't understand.
Hopelessness...it's nonsense.
It doesn't exist. Only in their heads.
The question is rather: why don't they finally move on?
What are they waiting for?
This Godot is...
Maybe somewhere he's God.
God? Why God?
Well, Godot almost sounds like...
Why not God? I mean, he doesn't show up.
I mean, in case you don't believe in God,
which I don't. That is, one never knows.
Everything remains in flux, see?
I mean, it's up to oneself.
I mean, we have to be God ourselves.
Don't we?
That would suit you.
Did you notice that Horst didn't comment on your new concept?
I think it's better now.
Come on, come here.
C'mon. Come here.
Look, tasty milk.
Don't spill it. -Throw that animal out!
Be a good cat!
Can't you do something? Your staring makes me nervous.
I like looking at you.
You look so intense when you work...
Please!
Shall we go to the Baltic next weekend?
It would do you good
to think of other things.
Excuse me, but I've no time to go to the sea.
I have to change the entire concept, the stage, the arrangements!
Throw that animal out!
I've told you so often that cats drive me crazy.
I feel kind of ...kind of...
threatened!
I just have to concentrate, you understand?
I...I don't have time to fool around.
For walks, pointless talks, cats...
Oh, man!
To think we open in three weeks...
Then you shouldn't have come!
It's really mean of you.
You can have fun. You only have to plan rehearsals.
Don't move!
It won't get any better.
...the police are ruthlessly beating some of the demonstrators...
Can you come, please? He's already upset.
I can't believe this!
It's the third time!
I'll throw him out! Really!
He's in Berlin. To get the antenna.
He should be back by now. -Work is work.
Tina, you read Theo's lines.
Okay, now let's get going!
Go, Go! What am I, a circus horse?
Please!
Faster!
Back!
I can only do it with Theo.
Do it again. You have to stumble and fall.
Faster!
Back!
Very good.
Even better!
Come, now.
But...
He's scared stiff, the asshole.
Ladies and gentlemen, dear audience.
The times we're living in require...
that we speak out.
We can't remain silent
or continue to stand by and watch what's going on here.
Therefore, before the performance...
"And we therefore demand, for us and our country, open discussion!"
WE ARE THE PEOPLE!
Well? What should we do now?
Well...
WE ARE THE PEOPLE!
THOUGHTS ARE FREE!
Piece of crap!
It's about to start.
What?
Berlin Soccer Club vs. Monaco.
DEMOCRACY!
Dear citizens of the German Democratic Republic.
The central committee of the SED Party
has today appointed me general secretary.
I've thanked them for their confidence.
I am aware of and accept this tremendous responsibility.
With today's session, we will initiate a change
and will regain the political and ideological offensive.
If you were to ask me what has moved me the most at this time...
there would be only one answer:
The thought of all our work together.
To talk with each other and to argue is important...
and it's essential that we find a way to communicate.
But to work together, to plan our future prospects,
and to govern sensibly, remain
the decisive factors.
A mountain of work lies before us and all our citizens.
No one possesses a magic formula...
to deal with if overnight... -Here!
That stupid thing got me locked up!
And you sit around! Don't you know what's going on?
We had a demo too. - You know what's going on in Berlin?
I never saw so many cops in all my life.
More cops than people.
With real water cannons, clubs, helmets...
...we cannot live beyond our means,
and false promises were never... -Come, have a drink first.
The following...
So I'm on the train with my antenna,
wondering why we're not moving.
Suddenly: "Everyone out!"
The platform was packed with cops.
So I got off the train.
ID check. Well, I didn't expect trouble.
It was a holiday, after all.
A cop came up and asked me what was in the package.
"A TV antenna", I said.
"Where are you taking it?" he said.
And I say, "On the train. Home."
"Aha", he says.
"Then come along with me."
They emptied half the car.
I even told him I was an actor and so on.
"I have a performance", I said.
You know what he said?
"There's a different show today, and we decide which piece."
Four whole weeks? For such a short piece?
It's...
The concept's no longer up to date. We can't help it!
We have a schedule here.
A week at most. Then we have to give the premiere.
The car will go here. We have to spray it black.
And of course we'll have to change the graphic line at the back.
It can't be black, but rather white.
And the rest will be black.
And the tree... -I won't find a workshop to do it.
Come here, quick! They're opening the Wall!
Move aside.
Give me a bigger hammer!
Come here!
Pass me the ashtray.
Shut up, will you? We can't hear a thing!
Be quiet!
Madness, sheer madness! It's wonderful!
It's not working!
It makes me sick!
And we sit here!
We could get there in 2 or 3 hours.
It's too late for a train.
What about our van?
To the center of world history, everybody!
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall...
-Freedom!
Go! Come on!
Don't blow it, Norbert. -Go, you stupid thing!
Everybody out!
You can't be serious!
Everybody push!
Heave! Heave!
This isn't how I imagined it.
Hey, give us a hand! -And so on, to Berlin...
We could've been in Pasewalk by now. -That piece of crap!
Can you make anything out?
Make anything out? It's all old junk.
It's indescribable. The crowds...
Are we going soon? -Our moment has come!
The moment of freedom!
Now, now...
It's true!
Can't you cut that shit out?
Okay, okay. I'm going.
I'll be in the cafeteria. Call me.
The Wall will be closed again by then.
And all because this dump can't afford a decent bus!
I just want to go and take a look, then come back home.
Listen, how about we hitchhike to Berlin?
There's a lot of cars going there.
And back? There's rehearsal tomorrow.
Today, actually.
We can take the train. Come on!
Come on. We'll freeze stiff here.
This bus is going nowhere. -It's not worth it.
We'll have to leave as soon as we arrive.
How about you cancel the rehearsal?
It's a special occasion.
Cancel it?
Postpone the premiere? Again?
Now listen...
Please!
Do something crazy for once, and forget the dumb rehearsal.
Excuse me for touching you.
No problem.
Then I'll go alone.
Have fun.
...a day such as this should never pass...
"This'll be fun", I thought. Hundreds of cops on the platform.
One comes up and wants to see my ID.
"Something's fishy", I thought.
I told myself, "Keep cool,
or they'll be onto you."
But I flipped out anyway. I couldn't help it.
Just imagine, the cop's asking, "What's in the package?"
"That's my business", I say.
Can you imagine his face? -Can't you just shut up?
Hey, don't use that tone of voice!
I was the one in jail for that bloody TV.
Oh, you can all just kiss my ass.
MECKLENBURG REGIONAL THEATER
The Wall, the Wall must fall...
This is the end.
Now we can go anywhere we want.
Hello.
We just made it. -You could've at least called.
Four days, and nobody knew where you were!
I'm sorry.
There's no rehearsal anyway.
No heating. -They're working on it.
For you.
This is Thomas.
He's from West Berlin.
He's in theater too, he worked with Strasberg.
Could he look around a bit?
I'm the manager here,
so to speak.
I'd like to warmly welcome you as the first herald of a new age, so to speak.
Sorry, but this is an important run-through.
We're all a bit nervous so close to the premiere.
I'd rather you didn't stay.
Don't be angry, but... -No, sure. I understand.
Well then, good luck!
Okay, let's start. Let's go back to the beginning.
I'll freeze my ass off.
Did you remember the suitcase?
Yes. We dug out a new one.
Want to see it? -Felix, show me the new suitcase.
Just a minute.
Here.
This is it. -Such a big one?
I wanted a suitcase, not a wardrobe!
What were you thinking of?
Nobody can do knee-bends with that!
I thought we cut that. -Nonsense!
The other one was too heavy. Listen when I say something. Think!
Oh, man. If you want something done...
That's how I understood it too...
Sure! Besides, it's in the script. You can all see for yourselves.
We need a new one by the next rehearsal.
But write it down please, if you can't remember.
So, let's finally get started.
Quiet, please!
The lobby!
He was one of our best.
Ah, the "Tell".
I directed it last year. A big success.
Our fleet. -It spends most of the time parked up!
Okay, tomorrow in Hollywood!
It was awful.
I found it very good.
Considering you changed so much.
You have to give them some time.
Plus I felt... -I just don't know
how else to explain it to them.
You see, they're so...
I mean, they try hard but...
they just can't do it.
Maybe I can't do it either.
I'm probably just...
mediocre.
Don't think about it too much.
Think about... what do I know, the river Peene.
Or that the leaves are falling or something...
You're too tense.
It's only a play,
and it's sure to be good.
Claudia!
Sorry, about before.
Ah, forget it.
It was...
It was unfair.
It's okay.
Bye!
Well, then... -I wanted...
That is...
It's over.
Because of him?
But...
You usually have such good taste. I don't get it. I mean...
Sure, he has a car. But what else?
I mean, he...he...
What are you two going to talk about?
Mickey Mouse comics and bubble gum pictures?
It's better than Bloch, Fromm and the Leap of Faith.
Idiot!
A real theater!
It's got all you need!
A big stage, dressing rooms, a prop room... Even a fleet!
Many of us can only dream of that.
I don't understand you. What more do you want? It's great!
What do you need for theater? A stage and imagination.
And you've got that!
And now anything is possible!
You just sit around... I don't get it.
Just picture it: a real touring company.
There's a huge market for that.
After all, everyone wants to be entertained.
And it's no bad thing.
Especially out here where there's nothing else.
It's really great: a theater in this area.
You just have to seize the opportunity.
And now you can do totally different plays.
All the world's literature is open to you now.
"Waiting for Godot" is pretty impressive.
You need publicity!
And decent posters, and maybe flyers to give out in town.
And we have to invite the press.
I'll call Bressler tomorrow.
He's a friend of mine, from TV. Culture Dept.
They always need something new. Oh, they'll come. For sure!
Everyone on stage for the dress rehearsal, please.
A technician to the signal box, please.
The rehearsal begins in 10 minutes.
All participants on stage for the dress rehearsal, please.
Everyone on stage, please.
WAITING FOR GODOT PREMIERE
Super! Any phone calls? -No.
We can't leave this thing standing around.
Hot off the press: posters and flyers. -So fast?
No problem. Just the driving... -Let's see!
Did you think about press photos? -With or without autograph?
WAITING FOR GODOT
What are we doing here?
That is the question.
And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer.
Yes, in this immense confusion one thing alone is clear.
We are waiting for Godot to come.
Ah!
Yes!
Or for night to fall.
We have kept our appointment,
and that's an end to that.
We are not saints,
but we have kept our appointment.
How many people can boast as much?
Billions.
You think so?
I don't know. -You may be right.
Help!
All I know
is that the hours are long
under these conditions,
and constrain us to beguile them with proceedings which,
how shall I say,
which at first sight
seem reasonable
until they become a habit.
You may say it is to prevent
our reason from foundering.
No doubt.
But has it not been
long straying in the night without end of the abyssal depths?
That's what I sometimes wonder.
You follow my reasoning?
We all are born mad.
Some remain so.
That was...it was... I'm at a loss for words.
I'm... what can I say? I'm touched!
It had wit! It had momentum! It was dramatic!
Just as I always imagined it. It seems like a miracle to me.
What got into you? All of a sudden! Fantastic!
You have to do it exactly that way tonight!
Exactly the same! I don't know...Wow, Uschi!
Good work.
And, er...
do wear something different tonight.
Bressler, yes! Listen, I've been trying for days!
I don't see why it's so complicated.
It is 7:30 pm. 7:30 pm.
Third bell. The show is... -What do you mean "overloaded"?
I only want to call Mainz, not the Maldives!
Maybe a bus was canceled.
A traffic jam. I'm sure of it.
Well?
Let's start.
The performance has started.
Philistines!
Here.
You were fantastic.
Not bad...for an atheist.
Really. You have more faith than you think.
As for the rest, don't be upset. It's empty at my place too.
God doesn't need a full house.
Where's that TV team of yours?
Why? I didn't say it was absolutely sure.
I did send a telegram but... -A telegram?
You wanted to call! -How? With that phone of yours?
I thought you were well connected?
Leave him alone!
He doesn't have a clue either. -Exactly.
What can he do about it? He did all he could.
He organized the posters... -Telephone! For Rautenberg. From Mainz.
Dressel or something...
There, you see?
"Computer". -"Publicity".
Hello?
Is anyone there?
Hello?
But someone was on the line? -Sure.
Hello?
Disappointed?
You shouldn't be.
It was really good.
So what?
Aren't you coming over?
Did the critic find you?
He liked it. -Great.
What about him?
So I got off the train with my package.
Everywhere you looked: cops, cops, cops!
You write and write.
And no one can read it.
...how he stared at me, the birdbrain.
The cop checked my papers and suddenly asked me,
"What's in your..." -"What's in your package, comrade?"
And I said, "Do you see a comrade here?"
Can you imagine his face?
To Hamburg?
Well then, good luck!
Thanks.
It's disgusting that he took it off so soon.
It wasn't his production.
Okay, we'll be off...
If you want to call there again...
Waiting for Bressler.
Waiting for Godot...
All pigs on stage for scene 4. Pigs please!
I'll write to you.
If you get fed up of it, just come back.
If not, see you in Hollywood!
Thanks.
Best of luck with your next production.