Rose

a
subtitled
play

Michelle
Tan


©
MICHELLE
TAN

20
April
2010

401‐473‐8799

michellet4n@gmail.com

 ROSE

A
subtitled
play



CHARACTERS


ROSE

TINA


The
MAN,
or
the
DOCTOR,
or
the
DR.
A.

The
WOMAN,
or
the
DOCTOR,
or
AUGUSTE
D.



Scene
I



ROSE
is
beginning
her
lecture.



ROSE

Good
evening,
everyone.
So
nice
to
see
you
all
here.
So
nice
to
be
here.

My
name
is
Rose.
Yes,
like
the
flower.



Snow
begins
to
fall.



Just
a
moment.
Something’s
not
right.

This
is
not
the
right
time
for
snow.
It’s
spring,
isn’t
it?

Furthermore.
We
are…
indoors.



The
MAN
and
the
WOMAN
behind
ROSE
exchange

a
look.

The
snow
stops
falling.



Right.
Let’s
proceed.

As
you
know
today
we
are
here
to
learn
about,
ah,
ahem
–
A…
Ah…
aaah…
hmm.

For
now
let’s
just
call
it
the
Big
‘A’.

In
any
case
we
are
here
to
learn.
And
what
better
way
to
learn
than
from
people;
yes,

other
people
–


So
I
am
here
as
a
person
–
you
will
learn
from
me
–
and
I
have
enlisted
the
help
of

two
more
people




She
gestures
towards
her
people,
the
MAN
and
the

WOMAN
behind
her.



That’s
you,
yes,
the
two
of
you.

That
was
your
cue;
we’ve
rehearsed
this.

When
I
say
“and
I
have
enlisted
the
help
of
two
more
people”,
you’re
supposed
to

stand



Her
people
stand.





 2

And
get
on
stage
beside
me.



Her
people
get
on
stage
beside
her.

Excellent.



First
point
of
learning
–
first
story
about
the
Big
‘A’.
It
all
began
when
my
mother

bought
some
soap.



The
WOMAN
begins
the
story.



WOMAN

It
all
began
when
I
bought
some
so...
suh.
SUH.
SSSSS.
The
thing
you
wash
with.
I

bought
it
because
I
knew
we
needed
some
at
home.
I
bought
it
and
brought
it
home

but
I
didn’t
know
where
to
put
it.
But
I
didn’t
want
you
to
know
that
I
didn’t
know

where
to
put
it,
so
I
put
it
in
the
freezer.
And
you
looked
at
me
funny.
And
I
looked

away.
Or
I
smiled.
Or
both.


There
are
post‐its
everywhere
in
the
house.
They
tell
me
where
things
go.
I
made

them;
I
wrote
all
those
post‐its.
Cutlery.
Napkins.
Spices.
Spare
bulbs.
Linen.
All

these
post‐its,
different
colors.
It
helps
some.
But
sometimes
I
think
about
the
day

where
I
will
forget
these
words
too.
The
day
I
forget
how
to
read;
how
letters
come

together,
how
they
mean
things.
Then
what?
We'd
have
a
house
full
of
post‐its
and
a

freezer
full
of
things
that
don't
belong
there.

Soap.
SOAP.
Today
I
bought
some
soap.
And
I
didn’t
know
where
to
put
it.
So
I
put
it

in
the
freezer.




ROSE

There
we
go.
Point‐of‐learning
#1.
Which
tells
us
that
A…
All…


Excuse
me,
ladies
and
gentlemen,
but
I
am
going
to
fish
my
notes
out.



She
digs
into
her
bag
and
pulls
out
a
bunch
of

post­its.
Different
colors.
She
sticks
them
on
the

lectern
in
front
of
her,
and
reads.



As
I
was
saying.
Point‐of‐learning
#1.

Alzheimer’s
is
a
literal
shrinking
of
the
brain.
The
brain
loses
critical
mass
over
time.

Fluid‐filled
spaces
in
the
brain
become
larger.



WOMAN

You
forget
things
like
where
to
put
soap.




MAN

You
could’ve
asked
me.
I
would
have
told
you
where
the
soap
goes.



WOMAN

Show‐off.






 3

 ROSE

You
are
both
speaking
out
of
turn.
This
is
not
in
the
script.

Alright
then.
Second
point
of
learning.
Second
story
about
the
Big
‘A’.



This
is
the
MAN’s
cue.



MAN

Dear
heart,
what
is
left
of
our
love?
You
are
sailing
into
a
darkness
and
I
cannot

follow.
All
that’s
left
of
you
–
I
should
like
to
collect
the
remaining
fragments
and

keep
them
for
always,
except
you
are
not
for
always,
nor
am
I,
and
neither
can
my

idea
of
us
be.

I
forgive
you
for
the
promises
you
once
made
but
have
forgotten,
because
this

forgetting
was
imposed
upon
you;
a
forgetting
that
came
without
warning
and

without
recourse.
I'd
like
to
learn
your
language
before
the
lights
go
out.
I
miss
our

old
conversations.
I
miss
you,
and
sitting
right
here
next
to
me
is
the
farthest
apart

you
have
ever
been.
Sometimes
that
distance
gets
so
unbearable
I
look
at
you
and

yell
at
you
to
come
back,
but
you
look
away,
or
you
just
smile,
or
both.



A
pause
when
the
MAN
finishes.
ROSE
has
been

listening
intently
and
seems
caught
up
in
the

words.
Then
she
speaks
again.



ROSE

Right.
So
that
was…
story
two.
Point‐of‐learning
#2.
Which
is
that:



She
refers
to
her
post­its.



"The
caregiver
must
preside
over
the
degeneration
of
someone
he
or
she
loves
very

much;
must
do
this
for
years
and
years,
with
the
news
always
getting
worse,
not

better...
and
must
somehow
be
able
to
smile
through
it
all."



WOMAN
(to
the
MAN)

You’re
not
smiling.



MAN

It’s
difficult
to
smile.
I
don’t
feel
like
smiling
right
now.



ROSE

You’re
speaking
out
of
turn
again.
Stop
doing
that,
please.

No
one
has
to
smile.

Moving
along
now.


Story
three
about
the
Big
‘A’.

My
mother
likes
to
take
long
walks
by
herself.






 4

 The
WOMAN
takes
a
walk
around
the
space.
She

might
stop
to
smell
some
flowers
along
the
way,
or

to
buy
some
soap.



Except
now
we
have
to
watch
her
because
sometimes
she
goes
out
walking
and

forgets
the
way
home.
Before
my
father
passed
away
he
was
the
one
who
would
go

out
searching
for
her
and
bring
her
back.




The
MAN
walks
around
the
space,
searching.
Now

he
is
smiling
even
less.



He
used
to
joke
that
chasing
after
a
woman
should
only
have
to
be
done
before

making
her
his
wife.
After
marriage,
he
said,
I
shouldn’t
have
to
still
worry
about

losing
you.


Most
times
he
found
her.




The
MAN
finds
the
WOMAN
in
the
space.



One
time
he
had
to
call
the
police.
They
found
her
5
hours
and
47
minutes
later,

wandering
by
the
park
about
2
kilometres
away
from
their
house.




MAN
(to
the
WOMAN)

Did
you
forget
the
way
home,
or
did
you
forget
home?



The
WOMAN
just
smiles.



ROSE

Thank
you.
You
may
come
back
now.

Which
brings
us
to
point‐of‐learning
#2.




WOMAN

No,
we’ve
done
#2
already.



MAN

It’s
actually
#3
now.



ROSE

Ah
yes.
That
is
what
I
meant.
Point‐of‐learning
#3.
After
story
three.



She
refers
to
her
post­its.



Alzheimer's
is
a
literal
shrinking
of
the
brain.
A
shrinking
of
the
self
as
one
knows
it.

I
am
becoming
smaller,
I
am
about
to
disappear.

Fluid‐filled
spaces
in
the
brain
become
larger.
Less
solid,
more
fluid.
Empty
space
is

filled
with
fluid
fluidity
fluousness
floo
flew
away





 5

 MAN

Beg
pardon?



WOMAN

That
is
not
in
the
script.



MAN

Perhaps
it’s
time
for
the
music.



WOMAN

Oh
yes,
the
record.
That’s
in
the
script.
Will
you
play
it?



ROSE
is
referring
to
her
post­it
notes.



ROSE

The
music
is
not
till
story
4.
We
are
at
story
2.



WOMAN

No,
we’re
done
with
point‐of‐learning
#3.
We’re
at
story
4
now.




The
MAN
retrieves
the
record
and
plays
it.
Except

it
doesn’t
work,
so
he
sings
as
the
record
spins.



MAN
(singing)

Unforgettable,
that's
what
you
are

Unforgettable,
though
near
or
far

Like
a
song
of
love
that
clings
to
me

How
the
thought
of
you
does
things
to
me

Never
before
has
someone
been
more



Unforgettable
in
every
way

And
forever
more,
that's
how
you'll
stay

That's
why,
darling,
it's
incredible

That
someone
so
unforgettable

Thinks
that
I
am
unforgettable
too

The
WOMAN
claps.



WOMAN

That
was
very
good.



ROSE
is
fumbling
through
her
post­its,
trying
to

find
the
right
part
of
her
notes.



ROSE

Right.
Yes.
Point‐of‐learning
#4.

Music
can
sometimes
improve
the
quality
of
life
of
patients
with
dementia.




 6

My
parents
played
this
record
at
their
wedding.
We
don’t
know
if
my
mother
still

remembers
that,
but
she
still
smiles
when
she
hears
the
song.
Sometimes
when
she

refuses
to
listen
to
me,
and
we
argue,
and
I
don’t
know
what
else
to
do,
I
play
it.
And

she
smiles.


Music.


Memory.




Pause.



And
now,
I
believe,
we
have
time
for…
questions.
Yes.
Anyone
who
has
anything
to
–




The
MAN
raises
his
hand.



Well.
It’s
not
in
the
script
but
I
suppose
you
may
ask
a
question.



MAN

Thank
you.

Is
Alzheimer’s
hereditary?



ROSE

Ah.
Well.
According
to
studies,



She
produces
more
post­its
from
her
bag,

searching
for
the
answer.



Relatives
of
an
Alzheimer’s
patient
are
at
higher
risk
of
suffering
from
it.
But
there

are
things
you
can
do
to
im‐
to
iiii‐
to
imp‐
to
make
better
–
to
make
parts
of
your

brain
better.
Stronger.
Brain
exercises.
I
can
give
you
some
examples
after
this.


But
are
there
anymore
ques
–




The
WOMAN
raises
her
hand.



ROSE

Well
what
an
inqui‐
inquis‐
ink‐
in‐
what
a
curious
lot
we
have
here.
What
is
your

question?



WOMAN

Are
you
afraid
of
becoming
like
your
mother?



ROSE
laughs.

A
pause.



ROSE

Well
now.
Isn’t
that
a
universal
fear
of
daughters
everywhere?
They
are
all
afraid
of

becoming
like
their
mothers.
You
can
ask
my
own
daughter,
Ti
–
T
–
tuhh…
my

daughter,
yes.



 7

 Scene
II



TINA
enters,
on
the
phone.



They’re
on
the
table,
remember?
In
the
dining
room.
Yes,
beside
the
lamp.
Yes,
in
the

box.
And
oh
yea,
the
concert’s
tonight.
I
told
you
about
it
yesterday.
No
it’s
okay.
And

this
afternoon
too.
It’s
at
8
tonight,
I’ll
come
by
with
George
to
pick
you
up,
we’ll

drive
–
No
don’t
take
your
car.


You’ll
come
with
us,
mum,
okay?
No,
listen.


Why
not?


But
you
like
this
sort
of
thing.
Classical
music,
international
artists,
I
promise
you’ll

enjoy
it
a
lot.




Pause.
She
listens,
but
mostly
against
her
will.



You’re
so
stubborn,
mother.
Yes
I
said
stubborn.
Because
it’s
true.
And
you
need
to

hear
it.



Pause.



So,
no?
Just
no?
You
still
have
(checks
her
watch)
an
hour
or
so
to
think
about
it.




Pause.



Shit,
mum.
Yes
I
said
shit.

I’m
just
trying
to
do
what’s
good
for
you.
Yes
this
is
for
your
own
good.




Fine.
Forget
it.
This
is
me
forgetting
it
now.




Okay
wait
last
thing,
tomorrow,
the
doctor’s
–




Mum?


Hello?

Damn
it.




TINA
hangs
up
too.
She
now
talks
to
us.



God.
What
a
woman.
Have
you
met
my
mother?
Any
of
you?

Her
name
is
Rose.
Like
the
flower.
Chances
are
some
of
you
would
know
her.
She

knows
a
ton
of
people.
She’s
one
of
those
types,
you
know
–
plus
with
her
job,
the

kind
of
work
she
does
–


Won’t
be
surprised
if
some
of
you
here
know
her.
Seen
her
at
a
lecture
series

somewhere.
Anyone?

Unless
you
all
are
having
the
same
problem.
And
you’ve
met
her
but
you’ve

forgotten.
Don’t
remember
where
or
when
or
how,
that
sort
of
thing.


Whatever.



 8

All
I
know,
is
that
it
all
began
when…



A
pause.
She
tries
to
recall
the
exact
moment.



…when
she
went
to
the
doctor.



Scene
III



ROSE
and
TINA
are
at
the
doctor’s.
The
MAN
is
now
the
DOCTOR.
The
WOMAN
is

beside
him,
taking
down
notes
furiously.



MAN/DOCTOR

Good
morning.



TINA
and
ROSE

Good
morning.



MAN/DOCTOR

So
it’s…
Rose,
right?
Like
the
flower.



ROSE

Yes.
That’s
me.



MAN/DOCTOR

And…
may
I
address
you
simply
as
Rose?



ROSE

If
you
like.
I
don’t
care.



TINA

Mum.



ROSE

I
don’t
mind.
Is
that
better?



TINA

Okay,
stop.
Please.



MAN/DOCTOR

Don’t
worry,
it’s
perfectly
fine.
We
are
going
to
ask
you
a
few
questions,
it
won’t
be

too
complicated.
This
is
just
for
the
purpose
of
an
evaluation.



ROSE

Okay.







 9

 MAN/DOCTOR

Right.
What
is
the
date
today?



ROSE

I
don’t
know.
I
don’t
work
anymore,
dates
don’t
matter
to
me.



MAN/DOCTOR

I
understand.
One
day
is
just
like
any
other.

Next.
Where
are
you
currently?



ROSE

That’s
a
silly
question.



TINA

Mum.
If
you
know
the
answer,
you
can
just
say
it.
Easy.



ROSE

I
was
going
to
say
it.



MAN/DOCTOR

Take
your
time.



Pause.



ROSE

What
was
the
question
again?



MAN/DOCTOR

Where
are
you,
currently?



ROSE

At
the
hospital.
Obviously.



MAN/DOCTOR

Can
you
perhaps
recall
the
address
of
this
place?



ROSE

No.

But
I
know
how
to
get
here.
The
address
is
of
no
importance
in
this
case.
I
have
no

need
of
it.



MAN/DOCTOR

And
where
do
you
live?



ROSE

Not
far
from
here.
It
takes
me
ten
minutes
by
car.



 10

 MAN/DOCTOR

Could
you
give
me
the
name
of
the
street?



ROSE

I
don’t
really
feel
like
doing
that.



MAN/DOCTOR

Alright.
Do
you
know
why
you
are
here?



ROSE

There
is
a
problem.



MAN/DOCTOR

And
what
is
the
problem?



ROSE

You’re
the
doctor.
So
you
tell
me.



MAN/DOCTOR

Fair
enough.
But
we
are
going
to
discuss
this
together.



ROSE

The
problem.

Is
that
I’m
scared.



Scene
IV



TINA
continues
her
story.



TINA

In
any
case,
she
did
go
for
the
concert
that
night.
Just
decided
that
she
would,
I

guess.
Never
called
me
back,
and
of
course
she
wouldn’t
have
called
George
either.

We
saw
her
walking
into
the
theatre
–
George
said,
hey
isn’t
that
your
mother?
And

it
was,
all
dressed
up,
walking
with
her
ticket
in
hand
into
the
very
same
concert
I

had
invited
her
to
earlier.
She
didn’t
see
us.
I
mean
she
wasn’t
even
looking
out
for

us.
I
bet
she
enjoyed
it,
too.
It
was
totally
her
type
of
thing.
When
it
was
over
I
said
to

George,
let’s
go
get
her
before
she
disappears
again,
except
–
we
don’t
see
her
again.

We’re
standing
by
the
exit,
waiting
to
catch
her
as
she
comes
out
with
the
rest
of
the

audience,
we’re
scanning
faces
–
I
mean,
it’s
not
hard
to
spot
my
mother
–
and
she’s

just…
not
there.
Never
saw
her
come
out
of
the
theatre.
As
we
walk
back
to
our
car

I’m
trying
to
reach
her
cell
but
of
course
she’s
not
picking
up.
That
woman,
she’ll

forget
to
take
her
pills
or
forget
where
she
put
her
keys
but
she’ll
remember
me

being
rude
to
her
over
the
phone
and
she’ll
hold
on
to
that
for
days
on
end.
I
don’t

know
what
mental
condition
that
is.







 11

 Scene
V



ROSE
is
about
to
take
a
memory
test.
The
MAN
and
the

WOMAN
administer
the
test.
They
may
take
turns
reading

each
question
aloud.
The
questions
may
also
be
projected

on
a
screen.



1. Write
down
your
first
and
last
name:
______________________________

2. Today
is
____________day

3. Today’s
date
is
______________
(day/month/year)

4. What
is
your
age?
___________________

5. What
is
your
date
of
birth?
__________________



6. Copy
the
following
sentence:

FISH
DO
NOT
LIVE
IN
TREES.

Reread
the
sentence
and
try
to
memorize
it.



7. Who
is
the
current
President?

8. Which
year
did
the
First
World
War
begin?



9. Mathematics:

20
–
4
=
______

16
+
17
=
______

8
x
6
=
______

4
+15
–
17
=
______



10. Make
a
list
of
objects
you
can
find
at
the
supermarket.

E.g.
Apples

‐ __________________

‐ __________________

‐ __________________

‐ __________________



11. How
is
a
carrot
similar
to
a
potato?

12. How
is
a
lion
similar
to
a
wolf?



*Memorize
the
earlier
given
sentence
again
before
turning
the
page:

FISH
DO
NOT
LIVE
IN
TREES.



We
go
to
page
2
of
the
test.















 12

 13. Label
the
parts
of
this
object.

[Drawing
of
a
shirt]

















14. Connect
the
circles
to
form
a
letter
of
the
alphabet.
Disregard
the
squares.

[Diagram
of
circles
and
squares.]



















15. Without
going
back
to
the
previous
page,
rewrite
the
sentence
you
copied

earlier.













16. Fill
in
this
clock
with
the
numbers
1‐12,
and
indicate
that
the
time
is
11H20.

[Drawing
of
an
empty
circle]

















TINA

It’s
been
(she
consults
her
watch)
two
hours
after
the
concert.
11.20.
We
drive
back

to
her
apartment
and
George
drops
me
off;
I
wait
outside
her
door
for
her
to
arrive.

She
doesn’t.
She’s
still
not
picking
up
my
calls.
I
realize
her
car
is
still
there,
which

makes
me
wonder
how
she
got
to
the
concert.
Probably
took
a
cab.
I’m
worried.
Is

that
obvious?
I
am.
(She
checks
her
watch)
2
hours
and
16
minutes.





 13

 MAN/DOCTOR

Where
are
you,
currently?



ROSE

I’m
here.



MAN/DOCTOR

Where
are
you
exactly?



ROSE

Elsewhere.



MAN/DOCTOR

But
where?



ROSE

In
the
trees?



MAN/DOCTOR

No.
You
are
not
in
the
trees.



ROSE

At
the
beach?



MAN/DOCTOR

No.
You
are
not
at
the
beach.



ROSE

Yellow.
I’m
yellow.



MAN/DOCTOR

So
yellow
is
your
color.
But
where
are
you?



TINA

I
have
a
moment
of
terror.
What
if
I’ve
been
waiting
outside
the
wrong
door?
What
if

this
is
not
my
mother’s
apartment;
what
if
this
whole
thing
has
been
passed
down
to

me
genetically,
and
I’ve
forgotten
where
my
own
mother
lives?



Breathe,
Tina.



Suddenly
I
see
her.
My
mother.
I
hear
her
footsteps
coming
up
the
stairs,
and
she’s

on
the
landing
staring
at
me.
Everything
I
had
been
feeling
just
gave
way
to

immense
relief
in
that
moment,
seeing
her
standing
in
front
of
me.
I’m
still
sitting

there
like
a
hobo.
We
don’t
say
a
word
for,
I
don’t
know.
An
entire
minute.



TINA
addresses
her
mother.



 14

Mum?
Where
did
–
?
Are
you
okay?



She
takes
a
tentative
step
forward.
Then
she
hugs

the
space
in
front
of
her
that
is
her
mother.



Scene
VI



WOMAN/DOCTOR

What’s
the
colour
of
blood?



ROSE

Red.



WOMAN/DOCTOR

And
of
the
sky?



ROSE

Blue.



WOMAN/DOCTOR

And
of
snow?



ROSE

White.



WOMAN/DOCTOR

And
milk?



ROSE

It’s
good.



WOMAN/DOCTOR

Tell
me
the
name
of
a
flower.



ROSE

I
like
them
all.



WOMAN/DOCTOR

Where
do
fish
live?



ROSE

In
the
forest,
in
the
trees.



TINA

She
came
home
in
a
cab,
she
said.
She
went
for
dinner
with
a
friend
after
the

concert,
she
said.
Who’s
your
friend?
Where
did
you
go?
What
did
you
have?
She



 15

doesn’t
remember.
Soon
I
run
out
of
questions
and
ways
to
try
and
jolt
her
memory.

It’s
late,
let’s
just
get
you
in
the
house,
I
say.
She
fumbles
in
her
purse
–
where
are

my
keys,
where
are
my
keys.
Now
she
thinks
I’ve
taken
her
house‐keys.
We
argue.

I’m
tired.
I
am
so.
Fucking.
Exhausted.




MAN/DOCTOR

Is
there
something
you
are
afraid
of?



ROSE

It’s
not
far
from
here.



WOMAN/DOCTOR

Recite
the
alphabet
for
me,
please.



ROSE

I’m
not
dressed
for
that.



MAN/DOCTOR

One
more
time,
Rose.
Where
are
you?



ROSE

At
the
end.
I
am
close
to
the
end.



TINA

Where
is
she?
It
was
a
simple
enough
answer.


She
was
right
there,
yet
not;
she
was
absent
in
her
presence.



Scene
VII



MAN/DOCTOR

I
am
going
to
try
to
be
as
clear
as
possible,
so
you
understand
the
situation.



Once
there
was
a
man
named
Alois
Alzheimer.
He
was
a
German
neuro‐pyschiatrist

who,
in
1907,
first
discovered…
well,
first
discovered
Alzheimer’s.




WOMAN
(cutting
him
off)

You’re
not
making
sense;
saying
that
is
not
useful
at
all.



MAN/DOCTOR

What
I’m
saying
is
historical
fact.
I’m
starting
from
the
beginning.



WOMAN

In
order
to
be
as
clear
as
possible,
I
propose
another
method
of
explanation.

Be
the
Doctor.
You
are
Dr.
Alois
Alzheimer.







 16

 MAN

I
accept
what
you
are
proposing.
We’ll
begin
again.




He
shakes
the
hands
of
ROSE
and
TINA.



Good
morning,
I
am
Dr.
Alzheimer.

Here
is
one
of
my
patients,
Auguste
Deter.



He
gestures
towards
the
WOMAN.



WOMAN/AUGUSTE

Yes.
My
name
is
Auguste.



MAN/DR.
A

Admitted
25 
November
1901,
Auguste
D.
showed
varied
symptoms
associated

th

with
a
progressive
degradation
of
her
cognitive
faculties:
difficulty
in
memory
and

comprehension,
to
the
extent
of
aphasia,
disorientation,
incoherent
and

unpredictable
behaviour,
hallucinations,
mental
confusion
and
a
psychosocial

inaptitude.




WOMAN/AUGUSTE

I
am
the
one
who
inspired
the
description
of
the
disease
that
would
soon
be
named

after
you.
That’s
me,
Auguste.



MAN/DR.
A

Now
I
must
ask
you
a
few
questions.

What
is
your
name?



WOMAN/AUGUSTE

Auguste.



MAN/DR.
A

And
your
last
name?



WOMAN/AUGUSTE

Auguste.



MAN/DR.
A

What
is
your
husband’s
name?



WOMAN/AUGUSTE

Auguste,
I
believe.



MAN/DR.
A

Your
husband?





 17

 WOMAN/AUGUSTE

Ah.
My
husband.



MAN/DR.
A

She
did
not
seem
to
understand
the
question.



A
pause.



WOMAN/AUGUSTE

Ich
hab
mich
verloren. 
 1



A
pause.



MAN/DR.
A

Auguste
Deter
passed
away
on
8 
April,
1906.
She
was
the
first
person
to
have
been

th

diagnosed
as
suffering
from
Alzheimer’s
disease.



Scene
VIII



ROSE

So
that
day,
I
learnt
I
was
the
5,450,897th
person
to
have
been
diagnosed
with

Alzheimer’s.
They
presented
me
with
all
these
statistics;
one
moment,
I
wrote
them

down
somewhere:



She
rummages
in
her
bag.

She
takes
out
Post­its.



In
2040,
there
will
be
11
million
people
who
suffer
from
Alzheimer’s
disease.

In
2050,
this
number
will
become
13.2
million.



I
am
another
Auguste.

However
my
name
is
Rose.
Like
the
flower,
yes.



TINA

There
is
never
a
good
time
to
break
news
that
is
this
breaking.
We’re
hearing
all

these
words:
Dementia.
Cerebral
MRI.
EEG.
Donepezil.
But
we
don’t
necessarily

understand
them
all.



ROSE

It’s
a
foreign
language.

It’s
a
language
even
more
foreign
than
the
one
I
am
now
speaking.



TINA

Incurable.
That
is
a
word
that
I
understand.


























































1
“I
have
lost
myself.”



 18

And
the
doctor
tells
me:



MAN/DOCTOR

It’s
important
that
you
know:
you
must
preside
over
the
degeneration
of
a
family

member,







MAN/DOCTOR

 
 
 
 
 










ROSE

Of
someone
you
love
very
much;
 




 
 Of
someone
you
love
very
much

you
must
do
this
for
years
and
years,

with
the
news
always
getting
worse,

never
better…
 
 
 
 
 Never
better.

and
must
somehow
be
able
to
smile

through
it
all.



ROSE

Somehow
smile
through
it
all.

Point
of
learning
number…
this
was
number…



WOMAN

Point
of
learning
number
two.



TINA

I
don’t
really
feel
like
smiling
at
this
moment.
But
I
do
it,
for
my
mother.

I
smile
at
her,
I
smile
at
the
doctor.
And
with
my
eyes
I
ask
him:

Is
there
good
news
in
any
of
this?
Anything
positive
at
all?



MAN/DOCTOR

You
have
to
know
that
you
are
not
alone.
Not
you,
nor
your
mother.



TINA

He
tells
us
about
these
support
groups
–
to
meet
others
who…
who
are
in
a
similar

situation.

To
help
us
live
life.



MAN/DOCTOR

Take
care
of
your
mother,
but
also
take
care
of
yourself.



TINA

All
I
want,
is
a
little
time
for
myself.
To
grocery
shop.

To
have
lunch.

We
try
going
to
one
of
these
groups.



ROSE

There’s
lots
to
relearn.
Each
week
I
learn
how
to
smile.

Each
week
I
learn
the
name
of
someone
new.

Each
week
the
facilitators
ask
us:




 19

does
anyone
remember
what
we
did
the
previous
week?

No
one
does.
And
we
laugh
about
it,
together.



Scene
IX



ROSE
and
TINA
are
outside.
Snow
falls
around

them.



ROSE

It’s
raining.



TINA

It’s
not
rain,
mum.



ROSE

But
look.
It’s
falling,
the
rain.



TINA

No,
it’s
not
rain,
mum.




ROSE

It’s
raining
and
it’s
cold.



TINA

It’s
snow.



ROSE

Snow



TINA

Yes.
A
white
powder.
That
is
cold.



ROSE

Snow



TINA

It’s
not
rain.



ROSE

Not
rain.



TINA

No.



ROSE

It’s
not
rain.
Not
rain.
Not.



 20

 TINA
looks
up
at
the
snow
falling.
Behind
them,

the
WOMAN
opens
an
umbrella
and
positions
it

above
their
heads;
a
shelter
from
the
falling
snow.



Rain.
Rain.
It’s
not.
Rain.















FIN





 21