Sor juana and the chambered nautilus

3.1. THE FINAL SCRIPT VERSION OF SOR JUANA AND THE CHAMBERED NAUTILUS Written by Angeles Romero Edited by Trish Rigdon Preshow Last two minutes before curtain call ---Houselights to 20%. MUSIC Prelude track 01 fade out to silence. (Black out. Actress comes out) Scene 1 VIDEO 1 Underwater Hand/Nautilus MUSIC Track 2 Caracol_01 SJ stands, studies a nautilus shell she holds on her hand. SJ sits onthe floor while examining shell. Flashback, SJ recalls her first memory. I am an infant. It is night time. I in my cradle, more like a coffin without a lid. (She kneels and peeks from the sides of the box. She turns L, sees a lit doorway and keys hanging from the door. She turns DC and sees painting of a man with one hand to his chest) ) All around, these frame is too high. (She turn DR and discoversa woman sewing.) Perhaps she will come close. (Pause) No My perspective is so limited. (She looks up into the ceiling.) All I can see is a flat silhouette on the upper part of the wall. As it moves its head spills into the ceiling.What is it doing? (As she speaks she immitates action in slow stylized motion.) It is a continuous action. (Pause.) I am tired, but I cannot sleep. (She looks up again,stares at silhouette.) There it is! (SJ is struck three times. She is startled, but quickly recovers after discovering shadow phenomenon) VIDEO 2 Striking Shadow

44

(SJ studies moving shadow while woman stikes woman and returns to her chair and resume to sewing. ) Ah, how interesting, of course the shadow can not exist by itself; it is attached to her. She is much smaller. But with the lightfrom the candle, she can change her size and her shape. (Disappointed) There, she goes back to sitting, and sewing, totally immersed in deep thoughts. As long as I keep still and quiet, I can join her. In the same room, like two islands united by an ocean of silence. (Video plays the inspired hand writing against the sun. Sor Juana crosses to table.) VIDEO 3 Shore Walk, Writing Hand (Sor Juana,inspired, quickly goes to her desk, inspired to write. She lights candle, takes quill, dips it in ink and begins writing. Her hand drifts off the page. She comes to a stop as she holds the quill up in the air. She catches herself right before it stains her habit. She carefully places the quill back on stand. Examines her stained fingers. Then she looks up and notices she has company). Only inisolation can one study one's self. You may think this is naive, for true isolation is never possible. You are quite right, the universe is a closed box, and we are all trapped in it for good; of course, my enclosure is more obvious than yours, since I am not allowed to leave this convent. It has been over 20 years. (Stands) Even here, there is much to see. I can choose what corners of the box toexplore. (Picks up lit candle) Unless I bring light to an area, all possibilities are in limbo. The moment I point the candle in a particular direction, there, the object appears, it is a hand and its shadow enables you to locate its position. You feel certain, safe, because you now know the hand's position in the space, however, the mystery continues because you will never be able to predict thedirection in which it will move. (Invites audience to join in the investigation.) As you observe the hand you know nothing of its nature, it reveals itself to you according to your method of questioning. What do you want to know about this hand? (As if question coming from audience member) Its texture? Its warmth? You want to know whom it has harmed? Whom it has longed to touch? How it is beingpunished? (Pause.) You will never be certain. You will never know anything, except that it has written incessantly since the age of three. It would be terribly painful for it to ever stop writing.

45

Scene 2 (Bell sound. Shift to Confessionary. SJ sits on bench.) Reverend Father Antonio, I beg you, please intervene on my behalf. Stop the inquisition. Tell them it is ludicrous to put me on trial...