 Marvin Carlson and Frank Henchker for this evening. It's been a wonderful day so far with our first play. And now our second play is The Dictator by Yasson Mahfouz. It's translated by Robert Myers and Nada Saab and directed by the wonderful Sarah Adbacher. Our third play will be happening at 6.30. I hope you can stay and then we have a panel. Please enjoy The Dictator. Thank you. By Yasson Mahfouz. Translated by Robert Myers and Nada Saab. The set. A room which is empty except for some broken pieces of furniture and utensils on a table in the corner. An old ladder. A mirror with a few pieces of glass at the edge of the frame. And a telephone with a cord that is cut. The general is sitting in a chair alone with his eyes on the door. Saadul! Saadul! Saadul! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to hang you by your legs. How dare you run away from me? Aren't you afraid? The whole world is afraid of me. If the world still exists, it exists because of me. It exists because of me, Saadul! Saadul! The door opens and Saadul enters carrying a pair of boots. Yes, my general. Where were you, Saadul? I bought the boots for you. What took you so long? Look, boots fit for a king. Fit for a king? Sorry, for a general. Good for you, Saadul. You brought salvation to the world. You brought the boots. Long live the general. Give me your foot. He takes the general's right foot. The right, Saadul. Why don't you always start with the left? Does it fit? It's hard. Of course it's hard. Your heart. Saadul puts the other boot on the right foot. How's that? Ah! My toe hurts. It kicks Saadul. Shine it, Saadul. Saadul ensigns with his sleeve. Can you see yourself in them? Yes, my general. I see my face pale with hunger. We haven't eaten for two days. Instead of buying bread, we bought boots. Freedom is more important than bread. What freedom? If one of us leaves, the other one has to stay here as a hostage. We haven't paid rent for two months. Instead of buying our freedom with two piasters, your mother sent, we bought boots. One needs boots to knock on the doors of freedom. I understand, my friend. Your friend? My master. Your master? My boss. Your boss? My general. Shine my boots. Saadul kneels and chimes the boots with his sleeve. The sound of a cannon can be heard. Did you hear that? I did. A cannon? Long way off. That's a cannon. A cannon! The whole world heard it. The world's hard of hearing, my general. Especially your friend. I have no friends. You're my only friend. Don't get casual with me. Get up and hang the map on the wall. Saadul hangs the map on the wall in a place he's apparently used to hang it. How far have they advanced? The last we heard, they were at the gates of Ashdod. Market with a pin. I have no pins. The general takes a pin off the collar of his jacket. Saadul takes the pin and sticks it somewhere on the map. I've marked it. Good for you. Mark all the states that have fallen. The state of Mujan. The state of Rehan. You forgot the state of Ansar. The state of Ansar. How many more? Four plus the capital. If the capital falls, all the other states will. Only the capital would fall. Only the capital would fall, my general. The general looks at himself in the mirror. The cap. The cap, Saadul. Didn't you have anything else to buy the cap with? One lira. Give it to me. I bought chocolate. Chocolate? Hand it over. Saadul takes out a few pieces of chocolate from his pocket and gives them to the general. Give me one. No. That will teach you not to be late when I send you on a mission. I've learned my lesson. And it will teach you not to sleep every afternoon. Sleep. How sweet sleep, my general. Sleep. Last time I was in front of the king's palace. There was a huge commotion. Dancing and singing. The king's daughter appeared in the window. She saw me. I waved to her. She laughed. She disappeared and came back with a rope. A long rope knotted with flowers. I climbed the rope and was near the window. Then you shook me. So that you'd answer the phone. It rang twice. You were asleep, though your eyes were open. Did you search the room? Of course, as I do every day. Your top button was shining. Because I've been rubbing it a lot. Maybe they switched a microphone for the cleaners. I haven't changed my shirt in two months. Two months? Since the beginning of the coup. The revolution! Sorry, the revolution! What about the door? It's locked. Open it and lock it again. So I do open the door and lock it. What about the window? Thank God we don't have any windows. The revolution is our only window! Long live the revolution! So you believe in it? The revolution? No, the king. The king who deceived you. Deceived me? Of course he deceived you. He deceived everybody. If people get hungry, he throws biscuits at them. If they get bored, radios, televisions, refrigerators, and cars, he ties their hands with payments. And they think they're free. The dogs. Of course they're free. Free to bark, free to eat the leavings on the table. I came to save them. The dogs. You're a magician, boss. Of course I'm a magician. In the thousand and one nights when the magician became angry with someone, he changed them into a beast or a vice versa. Back to the thousand and one nights again. Its stories are beautiful, my general. What a waste. The effort I spent on you. The time. Sadun, your file. Boss. Your boss? My general. Your file. Discharge from service. Take your stuff and leave. Sadun walks to the bag in which he keeps his things and puts it on his back. He walks toward the door and then turns toward the general. Don't desert me, my general. Did you forget that you saved me? Of course I saved you. That saved me again. Please save me. If you leave me, they'll hit me alive. Save you from whom? People. Which people? All people. Write the names for me. All of them? All of them. Is that possible? A nice game. Which game? The game of names. Come, let's play it. How? Say the first name that comes to your mind. Sadun. That's your name. That's the name of someone else. Nero. Your name's always Ryan Wood Hero. Change. Lassus. Is that a name? Gratus. Bravo. Your turn. Pacificus. Vetus. Aletus. Tractus. Receptus. Lassus. Tantiosus. Sablu Lantus. The phone rings. Sadun picks it up. Hello? This is the General Summer Palace. Who? Masroul. Yes. This is Masroul, my general. The rebels are tired because the siege has taken so long. Tired? The bastards. The traitors. Do they think the revolution is a game? The eyes of the worlds are watching them. Tell them to bribe them with whiskey. The king's passes are full of whiskey, caviar, and cigars. And dollars. Don't embellish. Give them the message. The king's palaces are full of whiskey, caviar, and cigars. And cars. And television sets. And shirts and underwear. He hung up. Masroul hung up, my general. Your fire. Get your stuff and leave. The same games. Adoon at the door with his bag. I'm your only servant. My only servant? The world is full of 99% full of servants. I served you loyally. Discipline comes before loyally. Adoon tries to open the door, but then turns towards the general. What about the telephone? The telephone. Yes, the telephone. This is the last time, my general. Forgive me. He approaches the general and kisses his hand. Oh, for shame. There's no need for that, Sadoon. He gives him the other hand and Sadoon kisses it. I'm kind and humble. Just like the king. The king? You think the king is kind and humble? That's what people say. Have you met him? I've seen his picture. How does he look like? Not bad. Like whom? Like you. Stop kidding. Is he tall? Maybe. What do you mean maybe? What about the picture? He was sitting in the picture. Sitting where? In the middle. The queen was standing and his daughters were around him. The youngest girl was on his lap and he was smiling. How impolite. Did he have dimples? Impols? Did you forget? I spoke about dimples? Yesterday. Maybe. Maybe? Don't you remember? Of course. The dimples, dimples, like yours. God rest her soul. She used to love my dimples. Are you thirsty? No. Hungry? No. Doesn't matter. We have nothing left to eat. The boots? What about them? Polishing. Yes, sir. He bends down in front of the general's feet and spits on his boots to shine them. The general kicks Sadoom. You spin on the boots? I spat to shine them. On the boots, Sadoom? Sadoom puts his bag on his back and walks toward the door. And the revolution? Right, the revolution. Sadoom puts down his bag. My men are late. Maybe he bought them. Bought them? With biscuits and chocolate. Is it possible they sold me up with chocolate? It's sell you out for a lot less, my general. Peter sold the messiah out for supper. Bend the messiah. Thank God for your mother. If it weren't for her head, from time to time, who would have died of hunger? And the revolution would have stopped. That would be the end of the world. And I'd have had no boots. May God be praised for that. What? My mother? No, the boots. Imagine me appearing in front of my men without boots. That would be scandalous. Especially since the king, the phone rings. Hello? Massour? Yes. The captain, my general. The captain has fallen. Tanks are in the palace grounds. Massour wants to talk to you in person. The general jumps out to take the phone, but then he backs away. Go ahead, say something. The general is busy. Who am I? I'm his right hand. No, I don't lick his boots. I polish them. Hello? Hello? Massour hung up, my general. I call him back. How? You know, this telephone only receives calls. He hung up? He really did that? The traitor? The captain, he fell, my general. It's about time. Does that mean we won? Of course we won. You haven't done what we want? Never, my general. Bravo. Take a piece of chocolate. He throws out, doing a piece of chocolate, then faces back and forth. He then stands in front of the mirror, looking at his own reflection. I'm happy, my general. Can it be true? Of course it's true, my general. I heard it in my own ears. It's true. He's my mausoleum. I raised him myself. It's Massour, my general, Massour, like the executioner in a thousand and one nights. Who? His name is the same as the executioner of King Shahraiyah. Back to the thousand and one nights again. As Adul picks up his bag and stands by the door waiting before the general speaks. You're fired. This shard, pick your stuff and leave. I can't stand you anymore. Do you need anything before I leave? The Martial's baton. Where's the Martial's baton? Sadun puts his back down on the floor and begins to search for the baton. Where did you last give your speech? On the ladder. Sadun goes towards the ladder and finds the baton. He brings it to the general who holds it in front of the mirror and begins to wave it. Was the King taller than me, Sadun? Probably two inches taller. The general tries to stand up on his toes. How do you know? From the picture. The picture of the King with the little girl sticking her tongue out. Who was she sticking her tongue out at? Perhaps the photographer. Why the photographer? Or the people. Which people? The people at the photo shoot. Were you among them? General. Well, how did you know there were people at the photo shoot? Imagine it. Your imagination is very accurate, Sadun. Sticking out her tongue at people. The daughter of the King, how shameful. She's young, my general. Young and thoughtless. Are you in love with her? Me, in love with the King's daughter. A wretch such as myself. I'm the general's servant. Love you, the general. Bravo, Sadun. He gives Sadun a piece of chocolate. And the King was laughing? He was smiling. And are you tired? Tired and sleepy. The capital has fallen. The revolution has succeeded. And you're sleepy, Sadun. You're... Destroyed from servants. Fight, Sadun. Don't think. I meant. Don't mean. Execute my orders. Mean what I mean. Think what I think. Understood? Understood. Who's greater than I am? No one, my general. Who's smaller than I am? No one, my general. Who suffered more than I did? I did, my general. That's fair. Bring a pen and paper. Sadun brings a pen and paper. He squads on his deals and puts the paper on a piece of cardboard between his knees. The general climbs two steps up on the ladder. Declaration number one. Right. Declaration number one. Fellow citizens, wretched of this new world. Wretched of this new world. You who seek salvation. You from whom salvation is sought. You who think about life. You who don't think. You who do that, which you do not speak. You who speak of that, which you do not speak. You who have dug up endlessly for nothing. But nothing. Sadun, your words are different than mine. No, my general, your words are my words. Bravo. Right. You who read the sins of your fathers. Rip and rip and drip. You who dine on your fathers' acceptance. And it sticks in your crop. You who drink your fathers' illusions. They stick in your crop. You who die for the king. You who die. You who are deceived, miserable, and wretched. My friends and beloved ones, the four generals. Hello, Masrur. This is Masrur, my general. Ask him about the king. Where's the king, Masrur? Yes. Masrur says the king has fled, my general. Tell them to rip the king's pictures from the walls, the squares, the houses, the shops, the public and private places. Rip the king's pictures from everywhere. Yes. Masrur says the orders were given and pictures were seized, my general. But they were put up again. They seized them again, but they were put up one more time. They kept ripping them down, but the pictures kept reappearing like magic until the soldiers finally started to cry. Forget about magic. Put a soldier in front of every house and attempt to do battle with the pictures. And go find the king. Attack the pictures. Go find the king. Long live the revolution. Long live the revolution. Zaboud hangs up. The general stands in front of the bearer. Pictures, the people. Those dogs, they love pictures. Think of pictures. Your image in the mirror is wonderful, my general. The most dangerous thing in this world is pictures. Where are we with the declaration? Zaboud goes back to his paper. Friends love ones. They're off the paper. The declaration needs to be tougher. Why not just start from friends, love ones? No, being casual from the beginning is a dangerous thing. That's a good strategy. It's an old strategy. All right. Why don't we just flip the sentence around? Love ones, friends? Never begin with love. But has it not been our love of the world? Love? Of course love. But what matters is how you express yourself. All those who changed the world showed love. The world changed more than it should have, Zaboud. Right. The telephone rang. Hello, Masroul. Yes. Masroul is waiting orders, my general. The green number one. One color and cut of clothes for everyone. Women and men. Which color? Red, my general? No, red is considered safe. What about black? I'm against black. Yellow. It's the color of disease. Blue. It's the color of the heavens. I'm a general, Saloon. Purple, my general. Purple. Purple. Excellent. Purple. Green number one. Make purple a universal color for everyone. The green number two. Nationalize emotions for the good of the state. Nationalize emotions for the good of the state. Long live the revolution. Long live the general. Zaboud hands off. The idea of purple was wonderful. How did you get there? I remember the color of the dress of the king's little girl. Women. They're the source of evil in this world. Money and women. We should make that universal. You apparently haven't experienced love, my general. Love? You say love? If I ask you what's the misery of people, Saloon, what would you answer? Poverty, maybe. I've known many who are rich and miserable. Freedom? I've known many who are free and miserable. Then you tell me. The reason is? The heart, the telephone. Hello? Yes. It's Masroor, my general. They captured the royal family. And the king? And the king? Yes. He escaped, my general. It has, if the earth split open and swallowed him. Then turn the earth upside down and find him. Turn the earth? Yes. Masroor says it's not a good time to turn the earth, my general, because the crops haven't been harvested yet. Then turn the season. Turn the season. Long live the revolution. He hangs up. Long live the revolution. Speaking of love, my general. Love, the telephone room. Hello? Masroor is asking for instructions about members of the government and the prime minister. Hang him. Hang him? Yes? Masroor is asking for instructions about government. On what charge, my general? On the charge of governing. On the charge of governing? Yes. And the finance minister? On financial charges. On financial charges? Yes. And the secretary of justice, my general? On judicial charges. Why is justice a crime? I'm not discussing it. No discussion. Hang him on judicial charges. The communication minister? Hang him for communications. Hang him for communications. The minister of education? Hang all ministers of communication. Hang all the ministers for communications. Yes. What about the members of parliament, my general? Have them issue a proclamation unanimously supporting the revolution. Tell them they will unanimously support the revolution. And the king? They must arrest the king. Don't forget about the king. Long live the revolution. Sadun, have you got it? King, the king? It's not time for the kingdom. Time. Time. I always imagined time as a monster with K-19 as big as a mirror, who would eat 1,000 men for breakfast and 2,000 for supper. Why 2,000 for supper? Heavy supper is good for sleep. When I find it difficult to sleep, my general. The phone rings. Hello? Yes. It's Masrur, my general. The members of parliament support the revolution by a vast majority, all except one. I said unanimously. And I mean unanimously. Fees the parliament. Arrest all of them. But, my general, it's only one vote. That one vote is more dangerous than all the rest. Close the House of Parliament. The general orders the seizure of parliament. Put the members in cages and bury them in public square. Put the members in cages in the public square. Let the people have a good look at them. Let the people have a look at them. Obtain a declaration from the people saying they support the revolution. The unanimous support of the revolution is required. Long live the revolution. Sadun, have you got it? In cages like animals. Political animals. Who? Your adversaries. Our adversaries. Predatory animals with big appetites and bad teeth. The general of Goshen and Miran looks at his good teeth. He smiles. Do you think what we did was right, my general? If we're good people, then our deeds are always bright. Are we good people or are we bad teeth? Good people, of course. The phone rings. Hello? Yes. It's Masrur, my general. He says the political parties are spending all the parties. Arrest their members. Destroy their houses. Seize their thoughts. Arrest the parties. Seize their thoughts. Hang the leaders. Seize their thoughts. Hang the leaders of the parties. Long live the revolution. Long live the revolution. Sadun, hang up. You didn't do anything wrong. Who? Your adversaries. Our adversaries? The loser is always wrong. That's true, but. For what? The Nazarene. Which Nazarene? The one who was crucified? They crucified him. But he didn't lose. If he comes back, he will certainly lose. Unless what? Unless he disguises himself in a uniform like mine. Your uniform is our savior, my general. Allow me to kiss his butt, Sadun. Brushes to kiss the brass butt of the general's uniform. You missed the bottom button. The top and the bottom. We've done it, general. I feel like I'm in a dream. Who would have believed it? We were lost. You were lost. Here, but not here. Alive, but not living. Believing. Believing. Believing. You win. Waiting for whom? Your faithful savior. Who savior? The wretched. General, my general. Either live with your head up high or die like a noble man among the waves of spears, sword-wielding soldiers. Where are our soldiers? In the field. Learning seasons and changing places. And men? The foreign friends. Hello? Yes. Masour says the merchants are withholding arrest the merchants. Eliminate trade. Decree number four. Adopt the barter system. Exchange only the necessary. Cancel covers. Yes. Masour says the newspapers. Stop newspapers. Arrest the journalists. Cancel journalism. Yes. Masour says the writers and artists have distributed the statement of opposition. Put them under house arrest. Destroy all means of literature and article. Arrest the writers and artists. Find the king. Find the king. Long live the revolution. Long live the revolution. I don't know how you talk. I didn't object to any degree. Good for you. And I won't object to any degree in the future. Good for you. I do have an observation concerning the writers and artists. Keep it to yourself. It's unfair. Unfair? Tell me what the meaning of literature is. What's it for? To better the world. Excellent. And when the world becomes better, there will be no need for writers. What's more important? Literature or the world? The world, of course. Apologize. I apologize. Say you're sorry. I'm sorry, my general. I've always ranked last in my class. Things were often unclear to me. And now? Now is worse. Give me a hand. Your desire to kill a king who no longer rules. You'll know the reason when the revolution ends. When will that be? When the king dies. And when does the king die? When he appeared before me. Before you? Of course before me. I don't understand. His faith is connected to mine. But what if he doesn't come to you? I'll go to him. You can even get out of the door. I can't. Saloon. If you had the courage, you would have gone out. You would have heard. Heard what? The people cursing. Cursing the general? And the general's soldiers. The dogs. The traitors. They're nothing but lackeys for the king. Why didn't you answer them? I did. I told them the general was here to save them. From whom they asked? From the king, of course. I said. Then they left. You should have said he's here to save you from yourselves. Themselves? Themselves, of course. The bastard. I told them the general suffers so that they might live happily. Instead of thanking him, they curse him. Good for you, Saloon. Here. He gives Saloon a piece of chocolate. The people are never in awe of amazement itself. Prophets always complain about people. That's how the world is. The king's daughter lacks nothing, and yet she sticks out her tongue at the world. Maybe. Shut up! Would she stuck out her tongue with her father-in-law? No. The king only laughs for big things like the minister's speeches. The little things make him cry like a child, losing them all, failing an exam, his tears fall. Saloon wipes his tears. Excellent acting. I no longer which is acting or which is true. True what? The truth, Saloon. The truth. The truth. Since that you're the general and I am her servant. Good for you, Saloon. Here. The gifts are doing a piece of chocolate. If only he had appeared before me on a silver platter. You're full of riddles, Saloon. I can no longer follow you. Are you with me or against me? I'm your servant and secretary. Where are we with the declaration, Saloon? I tore the paper off. Fine, from the beginning. Dear people, the phone rang. Hello, yes. It's Masrur, my general. The referendum was unanimous. Of course unanimous. Did you hear that? Give orders to keep the people under strong surveillance as long as the king is at large. All the people? All the people. Hello, Masrur. Here are orders from his highness, the general. Arrest the people. Long live the revolution. Long live the revolution, Saloon. Hangs up. Your mask with no color or shape. It takes the shape of leaders and influential phone rings. Hello? Hello? Hello? He hangs up. Who was that, Saloon? Where were we? At the people? In order to arrive at their future, the people first must go through their presence. The phone rings. Hello? Masrur. Why did you hang up? Masrur. Yes. Who? Mansur. Yes. It's Mansur, my general. He says that because Masrur committed such terrible deeds against the revolution, this was of him. The general gave the order to kill him. Yes. He's already killed. Bravo, Mansur. Ask him about the king. The general wants information about the king. Yes. The king was seen in the suburbs of Mizra, walking and greeting my general. Capture him. Capture him. Long live the revolution. He hangs up. Where were we? At the people. Talking about the people. Saloon, the phone rings. Hello, Mansur. Yes. Masrur. Where is Mansur? Masrur says, my general, that because Mansur committed such terrible deeds against the revolution, tell him. An order from the general. Yes. He's already killed my general. Bravo, Masrur. Ask him about the king. The general wants information about the king. Yes. Masrur says that the pedestrian saw him on Main Street in the capital, my general. Go after him. Go after him. Go after him. Long live the revolution. He hangs up. Long live the revolution. Where were we? We're still at the people. The people. The people, the phone rings. Hello, Masrur. Yes. This is Mandur, my general. He says that Masrur. Kill him. He's killed, yes. The king was seen near Shabib Palace with the mayor. Go after him. Arrest the mayor. Go after him. Go after the mayor. Long live the revolution. He hangs up. We were at the phone rings. Hello, Mandur. Yes. Hassuna. Some person saw the king on the road to Harjur, my general. Follow him. Follow him. Follow him. Long live the revolution. The phone rings again. Sadul puts his hand on the receiver and doesn't lift it. How many are left on the revolutionary council? The phone rings again. They're all gone. The people are seized. The soldiers are wreaking havoc. What do we do now? We wait for the king. Wait for the king? Wait for the king. Let's play the game of the bee and the bumblebee. I hear you. You carry me. You go first. Sadul carries the general on his back. You're back to back. Your turn. Whose turn, Sadul? My turn. The curtain closes with the general on Sadul's back, looking at the audience with a wicked smile on his face. And the last one. Act two. Sadul prepares food in the corner. It smells of fried sausage. The general faces anxiously. He turns around the telephone. He walks toward the door and comes back. Find him. He stands in front of the mirror and looks at himself. The telephone no longer rings, Sadul. Sadul. Yes. What day is it? It's Tuesday. Yesterday's, you said it's Thursday. Yesterday was Thursday, then today must be Friday. I didn't ask you to count the days. Yes, you did. I counted them, and I got tired of counting. The days are all the same. How can the world be changed by someone who doesn't care about days? Do you know anything about what happened to the world? Of course I do. The revolution succeeded. The general succeeded. The king is at large, Sadul. The food is ready. I don't feel like eating. Clean my foods before eating. Before eating and after eating. Remember, you're my servant. What if the sausages get cold? I'm thinking about the world, and he's thinking about food. I'm thinking about you, my master. Your master? My general. I'm distressed. So am I. But why am I distressed? The revolution succeeded. The world has changed. The general is at my side. I'm the general's servant. The general is master of this world. Then why are you distressed? Because the general is distressed. And why is the general distressed, Sadul? Right. Think. What do you think for him? The general orders you to think. Think. I thought it best, and I suffered because of it. Think. I thought. Think out loud. If only she would stick her tongue out in the world. Her tongue was like a reed hanging in the wind. She stuck her tongue out at the world, and I thought of the world. I hadn't met her yet, then. The world was in ruins. People were living in chaos, like the parties. The parties. When I first met the president, he was still a self-connected. It made me think of honey. It's been a long time since I had honey. The image of the beehive always came to my mind. We were in a meeting once, and the president opened the book and started reading. I said, I wish we could get honey from the party. Everyone felt silent. They remained silent. I was afraid they were angry with me. I said, the party has become like honey, brothers. The owner of the house suddenly frowned with me. He left the room and came back with a plate of honey. He put it in front of me. He said, eat. I was happy at first, but looked into their faces and realized I was being tested. I knew what they were thinking. There was saffron in the honey, bitter honey. They told me this is the party. They carried me in, threw me in the street. When they let me join the party, I said, God has created the world upside down so that man becomes pleased when he straightens it out. The president laughed and gave me a piece of chocolate. And the king was handing out chocolate? The people are recipes because they eat the king's chocolate? By the way, do you still have chocolate? I'm going to ban chocolate and all kinds of sweets. You're hard on me, Gemma. You used to be different. When I first met you, things were calm and the weather was nice. You put your hand on my shoulder and said, are you happy with your life? I answered, no, and I began to cry. I couldn't do anything. I thought of doing many things, but wasn't able to do them. I was alone when you put your hand in mine and told me, walk with me so we can save the world, sadhu. I looked at you and didn't know that you had an army. But when I found out, I followed you. I followed you like a dog. I loved you, my Gemma, as much as I loved the whole world. When you're distressed, I'm distressed. Really? Of course, my Gemma. But why? You're with me. The whole world is with me. If you're with me, then why am I so distressed, my Gemma? Thank you. I have only bad memories now. A long time ago, when I was small and the world was large, it made me happy to discover the world. What did you discover? When the world got smaller, I got bigger. When I no longer expected anything, I got sad. What did you discover? What did you discover? Disasters, my master. Disasters. People above people, people below people, houses on top of houses, houses without people. Strange things. So you're knocking on the door, so I didn't go in open the door, but there was no one there. He shuts the door. Who was it? No one. Was there knocking on the door or wasn't there? I think there was no knocking. What do you mean there was no knocking? Did you hear the knocking or not? I heard, my friend. Your friend? My general. If you heard the knocking, then there must have been someone there who knocked. If the person who knocked does not exist, then he don't either exist. Is that logical or not? It's logical, my general, logical. But I do exist. You're talking to me. Talking is not evidence enough. I wrote your memoirs. Writing is like talking. There are so many writers who do not exist. But I exist, my general. I'm your servant. That's true. If the general exists, then my existence is beyond any doubt because the servant of the general exists. That's true, my general. Who else is with me? No one, only me. Then you are my servant. What's your name? Sadun, my general. Sadun what? Sadun, your servant. Have you been my servant for long? Since I was born. Good for you, Sadun. If you're knocking on the door again, Sadun pretends he doesn't hear. No. I heard knocking. I didn't. If I heard knocking, then the whole world heard knocking. Open the door. You opened it. That's an order. Sadun walks towards the door and stops. Are you sure you heard something? Your enemies may have discovered your hiding place. I have only one image. Who? The king. How did the king know? His heart led him. He caught my scent just as I caught him. My general. Shut up. I can smell him. Open the door for him. Sadun opened the door and there was no one there. Sadun looks at the general with malicious joy. The general is bewildered. The phone rings. Sadun shuts the door and rushes to answer the phone. Hello, hello, hello, hello. He hangs up. That's strange. The one's at the door or on the phone. That's strange. The general goes to the door. He opens it suddenly and finds no one. He shuts the door. Strange. What sort of game is this? His game. Is it possible? What do you mean possible? He's like God. He's everywhere. There, you see? You yourself are admitting the king exists. I said he exists everywhere. That means he may be with us. That's strange. I don't find it strange. I know his game. He may have a sneak day and a night. I smell him. He looks around the room and begins searching. Search with me. Sadun and the general search around the room. The general bumps into Sadun and stops suddenly. He stares at Sadun. I smell him as well, my general. You're a liar. Me, my general? Take off your shirt. My shirt? I said take off your shirt. Why? Take it off now. Sadun takes off his shirt and gives it to the general. The general lifts it and throws it away. That's strange. Didn't you tell me that your name is Sadun? Why have you called me all this time? Where are you from? Answer me. From here about. You said you were from there about last time. I said there about? Maybe. What do you mean maybe? My memory became much worse in prison. Who got you out of prison? You did. Who stood by your side in court? I'm innocent, my general. They confused me with someone else. I had lost my ID card. And they told me, you did it. I said no. They beat me. I said no. And they beat me more. They dunked me in piss and pulled out my fingers. Sadun, who chose the general and his fingers? I've been declawed, my general. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. Who told you to say yes? I forget. Think. Force me. What a magical word. I was supposed to say yes. I wish I would have known from the beginning. I thought the matter was for real. I thought the case was true. The court. Which court? The government, the state. Why didn't I say yes? Because I'm innocent. And because I'm another person. It was supposed to be me, but it turned out to be him. I didn't understand. Why didn't you understand? Who are you? I am. I am. The general walks away towards the mirror and keeps glancing at Sadun. How clever. Kani, where did he first meet? I forget. Remember, on the street, within his... Hassan? No. Hassan. No, no, no. Hassan? No, no. Mohsen, Hassan, Hassan, Hassan. At the port on the road to our friend's house. What was his name? They had an age. Mohamed? No. No. Mahmoud, Hamid, Hamada. Anyway, he was already dead. What? When I pulled you out from underneath the car. What car? The car, you were underneath. Me? Underneath? On the bottom? I was on top. One was under the other. Blood came out of your nose, blood with no wound. You told me, let this country bleed. That's strange. Someone was crushed. Only his hair remained on his head. He died? He was dead, but kept moving. What a scene. I carried you on my shoulders. Why did you came here? Your friend turned out to be my friend as well, and we laughed. I have no friends. You were following me, watching me. I didn't know you. Yes, you knew me. You knew I planned to put it up. You had no soldiers. You were retired. On which court in the road did the accident happen? On that of the palace. The palace? I see you. Admit it, your hand. Who? The king. Strange. Everything about you is strange. Me, the king? Admit it, your hand. My father used to say, if the king's well, we're well. Had I been the king, I would have known what well is. Stop being around the bush. Is this a joke? Impostered. I never thought about deceiving you. Me, deceive you? Is that possible? In school they used to call me. Enough. He's a good actor, but I'm better than him. There's nothing on the door. I didn't hear anything. Neither did I. The phone no longer rings, and no one knocks on the door anymore. As if bygone were bygone. All that remains is his voice and mind. You were the one who knocked on the door, Sadoom. Why didn't you stop knocking? I didn't knock. Yes, you did. You were the one who was knocking, Sadoom. So I'd be confused about the truth. He walks towards the mirror and talks to himself. Capturing the general. It's time. Is it possible that now is the time? What day in the month is it, Sadoom? Maybe 13? That's the number. 13 once a month. May? Maybe April? April? April 13. April. The month of birth. It's time to give me a sign. I wait for a sign from no one else but you. Not from above, but from below. It's love, Sadoom. Love gives the general. Love gives the revolution. Good for you. He looks for chocolate, but he doesn't find that. Vicious, but you're more vicious than him, the general. He approaches Sadoom. Yes? I know you. You've known me for a long time. Do you have a rope? A rope? A rope, any rope. Sadoom looks around the room. He finds a rope and gives it to the general. Stretch out your arms. Sadoom stretches out his arms and the general ties them up. Is this a new game, my general? In prison, we used to play the game of flies. One cigarette for five flies. The general takes two steps back. In the name of the general, in the name of the revolution. In the name of the general, in the name of the revolution. OK. I command you to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Which truth? Your truth. My truth. That you're the king. You're mistaken, my general. Mistaken? Me, mistaken? No, never, my general. The confess. I did. You confess to being the king? I confess. I am the king. Good for you. It would have been better if you said so from the beginning. You said I was the king. And so did you. No, it was you. Don't raise your voice in front of me. Have you forgotten who I am? No, I haven't. I sacrificed in order for the revolution to succeed. You knew the state the world was in. I knew. Had it not been for me. Had it not been for you. Was it possible for the world to change had? They say they've gone up the moon. So what? Does that make them less miserable? No, my general. And why is that? Because the king is in their heads. God damned the king. The general burst into tears. He kneels at Sadun's feet. Confess. Confess you're the king. My general. Are you afraid? I'm afraid for you. For me? I'm afraid you'll regret that you believe me. I do believe you. I believe you if you are the king. Isn't it possible for you to believe me that you're the king? Of course. You said. That means you're him. I no longer know who to believe, myself or the general. The general, of course. The general. Sadun does not speak. You're a good man. And the world is anxiously waiting. Don't you feel pity for the world? Yes, I do. That means you're the king. No. The general rises. Clean my boots. Sadun comes down to clean the boots, but the general walks away and then comes back. What time is it? I don't have a watch. Where's your watch? Which watch? Your watch. I never carried a watch. I saw you look at it an hour ago. You're mistaken, my general. You're saying I'm mistaken again? I'm sorry, my friend. Your friend? My general. You hit it because your initials are engraved on it. Where did you hide it? You're confusing me with someone else. Someone else? Don't play games with me. I would never do that. I swear on your life. Don't swear on my life. You're my enemy. You're the enemy of the revolution. You thought that if you were with me, I was with you because your existence was with you. Your existence negates the revolution. My general. Your existence negates the future. I'm ready to withdraw from the game. The game? The revolution is a game? Fine. A fight with me. Or kill me if you like. Get out of my face. Sadun puts his back on his back and walks towards the door. He puts his hand on the door knob, and the general attempts to say something. Sadun looks at him, but the general looks away and keeps glancing at Sadun. Sadun puts his back on the floor. He comes back and stands straight in front of the general. General, sir, I confess. I am the king. I am the king of this land and its people. So you're the king? I am the king. And you come to surrender yourself? Yes. I've come to surrender myself. Don't expect me to have mercy on you. Let justice take its course. The general walks away. His tops and stands prepared. He walks towards Sadun with firm steps. He stands straight up in front of Sadun. You're charged with grand treason. So be it. You must officially surrender yourself. Certainly. But since we're only enemies on a theoretical basis, and you were my friend, there's no need for formalities. It's enough to document this for the purpose of history. Right. The king surrendered to Europe. General looks at Sadun and casts and confused. Sadun takes out a pen and paper and begins to wait. The king surrendered to the general on the 13th of April. What's that? I don't have a watch. Why don't you have a watch? That's OK. Right. At dawn on April 13th, still night, dawn is more suitable for revolution. At dawn on April 13th? He was charged with high treason and sentenced to death by hanging. Hanging? Of course. Your conscience is clear about this accusation? My promise belongs to the people. What if I ask you for clemency? The case is no longer in my hands. Are you determined to carry out the sentence? You know what the situation is. If the sentence isn't carried out, it will be as if I did nothing. Can you imagine? Think of the thousands of victims. It's impossible. Are you certain my death is necessary? As certain as I am the general. I agree. But with one condition. That. I don't know if I can. You can. You can. Granted. Since I voluntarily surrendered, allow me to choose the way I got. I have no objection to that. I don't like hanging. It's the easiest way. No. A bullet is easier. You know we don't have any guns. Wait, do you have a knife? Of course. Get it. Sadun does not know. I told you to get the knife. Did you hear me? I heard you. Is the person in front of you, Sadun, or the king? The king. Then treat me like a king. Your height is the king. Your height is the king. Your royal height. Your royal height. If only he knew I asked to see you a long time ago. There were so many things in my mind that I wanted to tell you. Oh, your height. It wasn't early summer when I requested an audience. I waited three months for the approval to go from the supervisor to the secretary. I took another two months to go to the administrative office. And that's where my request sat. I used to invent a new life to my wife every day. She was the one who had requested I see you. As soon as I did, she began calling me the general. She would proceed the future. She was a great woman. You were too busy. And she had great hopes for me. She was ill, so I lied to her. One time, I said you were traveling. Another time, you were too busy or you were too ill. I know it wasn't possible to meet you. Our lives turned into waiting. She was afraid. She died before he came to visit us. Your picture was always in front of her eyes. She lived by hope. When the doctor let us visit us, he was surprised to see that she wasn't there. It was probably hope that made her live long. We had more children on the day, like us, lived on human hope. Every day, she would speak of the food that she was going to cook and became honored by us with his presence. Every day, she changed the positions of the chairs. Once, she said it would be better to receive you under the trainers, where we drove out the only car that we had. She talked to you and asked you questions and you'd respond to them. She memorized all your answers by heart. She had one request for each child. She wanted a student for the elder girl, a blue-eyed officer from the cabinet. She pictured all officers with blue eyes. She loved blue. Only when she was about to die, or maybe when she had lost hope, did she realize she'd been living in illusion. The children were seated around her, eyes tied to her head. Even now, I can't forget the stress that she appeared in her eyes. She knew. She knew I had lied to her. She probably knew who she had lied to herself. She forgave me because I believed the lie. And like her, I lived in an illusion. When I shut her eyes, it was like shutting the eyes of all those who liked her, but lived in an illusion. He stopped talking. He has an absent mind and gaze. He walks away from talking. Suddenly, he stands in front of the mirror and talks to the question. Here. He's right in front of me. He's going to his death. Are you satisfied? Are the people satisfied? Is the world beneath? He walks towards the ladder and climbs up two steps to where he usually gives his speeches. Comrades! The past is dying in front of you. The old illusion, the old hope. I will ban hope in the future. Affection and hope. I will ban the illusion. I will cancel the game. Every person will become a game. I will abolish government. Every person will become government. There is no place for affection, brother. No place for illusion. There is no place for hope or disappointment. I'll build our system. The phone rings. Sadhu the Luc said to him, call me to remind him that things have changed between them. The general understands and steps down from the ladder. He walks towards the phone and picks up the receiver. Hello? Hello? He hangs up. Are you certain my death is necessary, General? It is as necessary as life. Your life? The lives of hoping. Untie the rope. What if you escape? Untie the rope. Swear that you won't escape. I swear on my honor. You swear on your honor? On the king's honor. Untie the rope. The general unties the rope on Sadhu's wrists. Then the general takes a few steps back. You swear on your honor. You surrender. You confess in writing. Where are you going? I want to look at myself in the mirror. I want to see what the king looks like. The mirror is the king. Believe me. I believe you. Get out of my way. I'm your friend. We were the best friends. We were different. I was Sadhu and you were the general. Sadhu arrives in front of the mirror, pushing the general out of his way. I look just like him. I told you so. I thought of myself as anyone but the king. And today? I am the king. A real king. I never in my life. How old were you? Thirty-three. That's strange. When I asked you two days ago, you said you didn't know. There was no time then, but now I've changed. Time and I are now tied together. Your time is up, Your Highness. Choose the most horrible death for me. Your Highness, please. A death would suffer you. You said something else before me. Time has changed, General. No matter how large the king's suffering is, his sins will remain larger. I want to do penance for everyone's sins. Don't make things difficult for me, Your Highness. I'm willing to swear that you suffered. You'd perjure yourself? Clean my shoes. What? I'm the general. And I am the king. You're my prisoner. You're condemned to death. The final wish of a condemned man is sacred. Leave my shoes. Yes, sir. The general kneels down and cleans Sadoom's shoes. Since everything is going to end, sing me the song you were singing when we first met. The general attempts to rise, but Sadoom holds him down. Don't get up. All my life, I thought I was fine. Nothing was wrong with me. I was walking with time. It pulled along. My friends asked what happened. Nothing, I said. My happiness darkened and died. When I saw you, destiny, giving to some and taking from others, I told the fire in my heart to go gray and my eyes to go blind. There's more. It's finished. Everything is finished. The general starts to rise and Sadoom keeps him down before. Don't get up. Since everything is finished, taking strolls, eating, singing, loving, playing chess. By the way, I'm an excellent chess player. What about you? I don't have time to play. All I had was time. The only thing I ever owned was time. I am the king of time. The general tries to rise and Sadoom pushes his shoulders down. Don't get up. As long as I have time, and since I am losing everything, memories, blue runes, drinking and fortunes, love, anger, since everything is going to disappear, glory, fame, singing, music, poetry, pictures, waiting, window shopping, swimming in pools, lanterns, candlesticks, tents, palaces. Again, the general tries to rise. Stay. Since everything is disappearing, slavery, freedom, hope, disappointment, treason, fidelity, sacrifice, betrayal, love, hate, since everything is disappearing, since the dream is disappearing, I'm disappearing. Since my death will bring happiness to people, bring the night. The general rises suddenly to cut the night. Since? Since? He returns holding the night. Allow me one last question. Go ahead. Did you love her? More than anything you can imagine with your eyes. Since you loved her, clean the night. The general cleans the night with his cold. I've cleaned it. Since everything is disappearing, clean it again. The general cleans it a bit. Since the people are happy, stab me. The general tries to stab Sadoom, but his hand freezes. He tries again, and he's unable to stab me. Fear is appearing on his face. Help me. Help you? Help me. Please. I'm afraid. You're afraid of me? I'm afraid of killing. You killed thousands on the telephone. Killing on the telephone is easy, Your Highness. Are you certain that killing me is necessary? Of course it's necessary, Your Highness. Of course. Are you sure? Please. Help me. Striking. Remember that it was I who ruined the world. I am the citadel of the old world. Remember the imprisoned people. Don't you want to free them? Remember yourself. Remember all the years you've lived waiting for this moment. Remember her eyes. Remember the eyes of all those who lived as she did. Remember the suffering, the misery, the disappointments. Remember the world. Remember the woman you loved. Remember the general who gets irritated and stabs Sadoom. Sadoom falls slowly to the ground. The general throws the knife down and stands screaming. I killed the king! I killed the king! The general looks at Sadoom and signals him to come closer. The general walks to Sadoom and kneels above him. Tell the world. The world? Of course, the world. The general leaves Sadoom suddenly and rushes to the door, then comes back to Sadoom. Don't you have anything to say? I love him, my general. I love the world. I love the girl who stuck her tongue out at the world. Sadoom shuts his eyes. The general looks at him and lets Sadoom button down slowly. He rushes to the door and tries to open it, but it will not open. He tries to open it again. I killed the king! Open up! Who locked the door? I killed the king! I killed the king! The door doesn't open. He rushes to the telephone. Hello? Hello? He throws the receiver down and goes back to the door, knocking on it with both hands. Let me out! Let me out! I killed the king! I saved the world! Open up! Sadoom, this has happened with a little smile on his face. The general tires are knocking on the door and looks at Sadoom. Sadoom lies down again and shuts his eyes. The general walks to Sadoom. He shakes him, but Sadoom does not move. The general rises. He walks slowly to the mirror and looks at himself. You saved the world, my general, but the world doesn't like to be saved. He strikes the mirror with his fist with all his might. The end.