me, sir, but I am a doctor too â indeed, I am a specialist in this very field, and I do know about nephrosclerosis.
Bulgakov It does not simply disappear!
Doctor Except in your case, it would appear that it has. A miracle! Or more prosaically, the original diagnosis was wrong.
Bulgakov I donât think so. The blood tests were unequivocal.
Doctor That leaves the miracle. Anyway, all you need, sir, is building up. Some meat on your ribs, some iron in your bloodstream.
He lifts out a printed pad, writes on it, then completes the job with a big stamp.
Take this. Your driver will know where to go.
Bulgakov How did you know I have a driver?
Doctor Good day, Mr Bulgakov. Your life is saved!
Yelena Doctor â
Doctor Madame â thank you, and farewell.
He kisses her hand.
Doctor and Nurse exit.
Music begins.
Doctor and Nurse return, now dressed as a butler and maid.
They each draw a trolley laden with fruit, meat, delicacies, wine, etc.
Bulgakov and Yelena watch, astonished, as the table is set for a sumptuous feast.
All choreographed to the music.
Vasilly, Praskovya, Sergei enter to assist with the setting, the men bringing more chairs. All three are dressed up in previously unseen finery.
With a final flourish of music and dance, Doctor and Nurse depart.
A beat.
Vasilly lifts a banana. Peels it. Takes a bite.
Vasilly Nice work, Bulgakov.
End of Act One.
Act Two
The set is as before.
Grigory, Anna, Vasilly, Praskovya and Sergei are all gathered round the table, dressed up for the big dinner, sipping champagne.
Yelena helps Bulgakov with his bow tie near the bed.
Enter Vladimir and his wife Eva, also dressed up for dinner.
They cross the stage, followed by Stepan, who is dressed the same as usual.
Vladimir Relax!
Eva I am.
Vladimir Just because heâs show-business â it doesnât mean heâs better than us. Socially, I mean. Weâre not punching above our weight here. I am a respected representative of the organ of state security and you are my wife. We are not intimidated by fancy-pants intellectuals.
Eva I know that.
Vladimir We can hold our own.
Eva Yes.
Vladimir You play the piano. I was in the school show at the age of ten. Weâre not strangers to his world.
Eva I know that, dear.
Vladimir Just try not to be too gushing.
Bulgakov Vladimir! Please, come on in.
Vladimir So kind of you to invite us! We never expected â I mean itâs not like we gave you the job just so we could, you know, come round socially and . . . Gosh! Is it hot in here?
Bulgakov takes coats from Vladimir and Eva.
Stepan keeps his on throughout.
Yelena Well, Iâve been hearing so much about you.
Eva The same here.
Vladimir Nice place, Bulgakov. Warm too. All right for some.
Bulgakov In paradise, Vladimir, everyone is equal â
Vladimir But in Moscow . . .
They all laugh. Apart from Stepan.
Bulgakov Come on in. Sit down. Set to!
They sit. They eat. They chatter.
Then Grigory is talking to Vladimir.
Grigory So they want me to write a self-criticism. They say if I donât, then all my work will be banned. And if I do, itâll probably be banned anyway.
Vladimir That is such nonsense. Iâm sorry to hear it â young guy like you.
Grigory Yeah, so Iâm going to write one. Iâm going to admit to my failings: too talented, too handsome, too successful.
They laugh.
Vladimir If thereâs anything I can do . . .
Grigory They donât scare me.
Vasilly You know, I had news from the old estate the other day. What do you think of this? Troops came tocollect the grain. But the harvest has been poor. There isnât enough to meet the targets that have been set. The peasants were willing to hand over their surplus, but they need to keep some for themselves and their families. But the soldiers wanted all of it. There was a struggle. Gunshots. Some men were killed. The grain was taken. So now they starve.
Yelena Thatâs terrible.
Vasilly
Bulgakov It does not simply disappear!
Doctor Except in your case, it would appear that it has. A miracle! Or more prosaically, the original diagnosis was wrong.
Bulgakov I donât think so. The blood tests were unequivocal.
Doctor That leaves the miracle. Anyway, all you need, sir, is building up. Some meat on your ribs, some iron in your bloodstream.
He lifts out a printed pad, writes on it, then completes the job with a big stamp.
Take this. Your driver will know where to go.
Bulgakov How did you know I have a driver?
Doctor Good day, Mr Bulgakov. Your life is saved!
Yelena Doctor â
Doctor Madame â thank you, and farewell.
He kisses her hand.
Doctor and Nurse exit.
Music begins.
Doctor and Nurse return, now dressed as a butler and maid.
They each draw a trolley laden with fruit, meat, delicacies, wine, etc.
Bulgakov and Yelena watch, astonished, as the table is set for a sumptuous feast.
All choreographed to the music.
Vasilly, Praskovya, Sergei enter to assist with the setting, the men bringing more chairs. All three are dressed up in previously unseen finery.
With a final flourish of music and dance, Doctor and Nurse depart.
A beat.
Vasilly lifts a banana. Peels it. Takes a bite.
Vasilly Nice work, Bulgakov.
End of Act One.
Act Two
The set is as before.
Grigory, Anna, Vasilly, Praskovya and Sergei are all gathered round the table, dressed up for the big dinner, sipping champagne.
Yelena helps Bulgakov with his bow tie near the bed.
Enter Vladimir and his wife Eva, also dressed up for dinner.
They cross the stage, followed by Stepan, who is dressed the same as usual.
Vladimir Relax!
Eva I am.
Vladimir Just because heâs show-business â it doesnât mean heâs better than us. Socially, I mean. Weâre not punching above our weight here. I am a respected representative of the organ of state security and you are my wife. We are not intimidated by fancy-pants intellectuals.
Eva I know that.
Vladimir We can hold our own.
Eva Yes.
Vladimir You play the piano. I was in the school show at the age of ten. Weâre not strangers to his world.
Eva I know that, dear.
Vladimir Just try not to be too gushing.
Bulgakov Vladimir! Please, come on in.
Vladimir So kind of you to invite us! We never expected â I mean itâs not like we gave you the job just so we could, you know, come round socially and . . . Gosh! Is it hot in here?
Bulgakov takes coats from Vladimir and Eva.
Stepan keeps his on throughout.
Yelena Well, Iâve been hearing so much about you.
Eva The same here.
Vladimir Nice place, Bulgakov. Warm too. All right for some.
Bulgakov In paradise, Vladimir, everyone is equal â
Vladimir But in Moscow . . .
They all laugh. Apart from Stepan.
Bulgakov Come on in. Sit down. Set to!
They sit. They eat. They chatter.
Then Grigory is talking to Vladimir.
Grigory So they want me to write a self-criticism. They say if I donât, then all my work will be banned. And if I do, itâll probably be banned anyway.
Vladimir That is such nonsense. Iâm sorry to hear it â young guy like you.
Grigory Yeah, so Iâm going to write one. Iâm going to admit to my failings: too talented, too handsome, too successful.
They laugh.
Vladimir If thereâs anything I can do . . .
Grigory They donât scare me.
Vasilly You know, I had news from the old estate the other day. What do you think of this? Troops came tocollect the grain. But the harvest has been poor. There isnât enough to meet the targets that have been set. The peasants were willing to hand over their surplus, but they need to keep some for themselves and their families. But the soldiers wanted all of it. There was a struggle. Gunshots. Some men were killed. The grain was taken. So now they starve.
Yelena Thatâs terrible.
Vasilly
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