Don Gil of the Green Pants

 

 

piece by Tirso de Molina

translation and adaptation by Ruth Salles

NOTE

Tirso de Molina is the pseudonym of the Spanish friar Gabriel Tellez, born in Madrid in 1571. Creator of the famous figure of Don Juan, he is considered, after Lope de Vega, the most fertile and varied playwright in Spain. In the midst of the obligations of his Order and the trips from convent to convent, he created his pieces. He also wrote plays with a historical and religious background, the most famous of which is “El Condenado por Desconfiado”. Tirso de Molina died in 1648, when he was prelate of the convent of La Merced, in Soria.

This comedy “Don Gil de las Calzas Verdes” is part of his theater of intrigue and customs, and its complete and exquisite translation into Portuguese was made by Afonso Félix de Souza, a recently deceased Brazilian poet. However, as I had to condense and adapt the play, including in it more characters – at the teacher’s request, due to the number of students – I preferred to work directly with the original in Castilian, from the “Clásicos Castalia” collection, where I found precious explanatory notes by Alonso Zamora Vicente, director of this collection. Music teacher Fabio Manzione Ribeiro chose Spanish songs that were sung in Castilian. In the first, he adapted the music to the lyrics of the song I wrote for a play called Os Dois Moinhos. For the last one, Dança do Enfarinhamento, which is an original mill song from the play, the melody was not found, which I then had to compose. The Spanish songs used were: Las Mentiras (popular song); Los Quatro Muleros; Sospiró uma Señora (by Luys Milan); Las Tres Hojas; Los Reyes de la Baraja; Romance by Don Boyso (by Garcia Lorca).

Ruth Salles

 

CHARACTERS

 

Dona Joana, fiancée of Dom Martim
Don Diego (old), father of Dona Joana
Dom Martim
Dom André, father of Dom Martim
Dom André de Gusmão (old) father of Dom Martim
Dona Inês
Dom Pedro (old), father of Dona Inês
Dona Clara, cousin of Dona Inês
Dona Alfonsina, another cousin of Dona Inês
Lola, friend of Dona Inês
Dom João, in love with Dona Inês
Luiza (girl) and Leonor (old), servants of Dona Inês
Teresa (fussy) and Lourença (melancholic), maids of Dona Joana
Caramanchel, Dona Joana's lackey when she represents Don Gil
Manolo, Caramanchel's “shadow”, who always comes after him
Osório, servant of Dom Martim
Dom Antônio, suitor of Dona Clara
Célio, cousin of Dona Clara
Fábio, cousin of Dona Clara and suitor of Dona Alfonsina
Décio, cousin of Dona Clara
Ximena (very old), mistress Joana when she represents dona Elvira
Sancha, Dom Pedro's maid.
Guard
Couple of millers (dumb characters, who move the mill, sing and help with scene changes)
Musicians, groups that dance and choir that sings

 

FIRST ACT

Introduction

Everyone on stage. The piece begins with a mill dance, sung by the choir. More or less at the end of the dance, Joana's first meeting with Dom Martim takes place. They dance together and fall in love, but the dance separates them, and it is up to fate to bring them together again. Everyone leaves, as if “pulled” out by life, and the music goes silent.

CHORUS (sings):
“- Gira el el molino, gira el molino de viento
alli en lo alto, alto de la hill!
Damage a good food
with you fine harina, mamita, with your fine harina!

Rueda del agua here in the valley,
along the river you are moliendo!
That you voice in the calle.
I want to listen to the piedra batiendo. (bis)

Spin the mill, spin the windmill
alli en lo alto, alto de la hill.
Damage a good food
with your fine harina, mamita, with your fine harina.”

 

Scene 1

Segovia bridge entrance.
Dona Joana (in green jacket and pants) and her maids Teresa and Lourença; then Caramanchel with Manolo.

 

TERESA (in front of her mistress and the other maid, exclaims excitedly): – Dona Joana! We arrived at the bridge of Segovia! (stands on tiptoe and puts her hands on her forehead) You can already see Madrid from here!

LOURENÇA: – Oh… Our dear city of Valadoli was left behind, with all its beauties…

TERESA (to Lourença): – Well, Lourença, stop being melancholy. (to Dona Joana): – And now, Dona Joana, tell us, tell us what happened to you to travel like that, disguised as a man?

DONA JOANA-GIL: – Teresa, can't you keep quiet?

TERESA: – But we've already been on this journey for five days, and you don't even open the door of this very weird secret!

LOURENÇA: – Teresa is right, madam. You left your house and your old father! And we, your faithful servants, don't know why.

MISS JOANA-GIL: – Arre, you have to take a patience course to put up with you!

TERESA: – All I know is that Lourença and I look like two fools, making conjectures and more conjectures, (raises her arms to the sky) like astrologers in the dark.

LOURENÇA: – You didn't want to travel alone, and we came to protect your honor, lady!
He has pity on us and reveals this mystery to us!

TERESA: – So you think, poor Lourença, that she feels sorry for us?

DONA JOANA-GIL: – It's ok, it's ok. The talk tired me, and tiredness won me over. Well, listen to the whole story!

TERESA:
- That no one has ever heard...

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– It was an April afternoon.
Next to the church of Victory,
I passed when I saw
a charming boy...

TERESA:
- Back! Love caught you!

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
- From head to toe I trembled.
And yet, in a corner
from memory I'm remembering
I've been dancing with him...

LOURENCE:
– It was at the mill dance!

(The narrated scene is repeated in the right corner.)

DONA JOANA (remembering):
– Yeah… You have a good memory.
I danced with him...
But, as I told you,
next to the church of Victory,
I tripped, I fell,
when he held me
and even spoke to me.
And I swear, I'm not lying:
my glove I left
in the palm of your hand.
With her, my heart (joins hands on heart)
I gave it to Don Martim.

TERESA and LOURENÇA: – Huuum…

MISTRESS JOANA:
Climbing into a chariot,
he waved his goodbyes.
If you already loved...

LOURENCE:
- Oh gosh!
You lost your head!

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
- That night I didn't even sleep.
In the morning, with dull eyes,
I looked through one of the terraces
and my beloved I saw.
From that day forward,
in the morning sent me letters
and at night serenades
with your loving heart.
He gave me a husband's word.
But it was just a word anyway,
'cause I've been a victim, yes,
of the most dreadful ruse.
Your father knew about the passion!

TERESA:
- There, the pan turned over!

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– Shut up, you chatterbox!

TERESA:
- The broth spilled on the floor.

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
“Your father knew, moreover,
that I, in terms of money, am poor,
although of noble birth.
And he was too bored.
Don Martim de Gusmao
– is the name of my beloved –
everything was made difficult.
But then it appeared
a certain lady Inês,
with seventy thousand ducats!
Your father made another treaty.

LOURENCE:
Your love... Once upon a time...

DONA JOANA-GIL (with gestures, to differentiate between parents):
– His father wrote to his father
of Dona Inês-da-desgraça,
inventing a cheat
that I tell you and that here goes:

DOM ANDRÉ (appears in the right corner and represents the story told)
– If Martim treated engagement
with a vile Joan,
I will send you a gift Gil,
who is don Martim in disguise,
like the best gentleman
born in Valadoli.

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– Martim is already in Madrid.

TERESA:
- You're going to beat this liar!

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– And your father! That's why I came
of don Gil in costume.
I came to see the bride treated
and recover Martin.
There, Lourença and Teresa!
I've already told you about my feat.
Go to Vallecas now,
and wait for my call.

TERESA:
– So, goodbye, Dona Joana!

LOURENCE:
- May God keep you, ma'am,
and watch out on that road!

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– Yes, goodbye, my maids!

(Dona Joana sits on a rock and rests with her head down. The maids go around the front of the scene, as if there were another road, and sit down.)

TERESA: – Phew, the walk left my feet burning. Dona Joana invents everything… She must have been inspired by the magician Mérlin to come up with this plan!

LOURENÇA: – Poor mistress… Being a woman in today's Spain is not easy. Falling in love and then… the lover, to please his father, goes after another!

TERESA: – Well, I think the lover fell out of love, attracted by the 70,000 ducats of that lady Inês. And he's also going to cheat with that other poor thing, pretending to be a Dom Gil who, in fact, is Dom Martim.

LOURENÇA: – Yeah… The hearts of men shake like a bell: over there… over here.

TERESA: – Over here… over there. The worst thing is that Dona Joana also wants to pretend that she is that Don Gil. It's going to be a mess like never before!

LOURENÇA: – Our mistress is a fighter. He still has to win back the heart of Dom Martim. But, also... if her father named her after a warrior from France, a shepherdess who did things from the old woman's bow...

TERESA: – Yeah… I heard about it. And her real name was Joana do Arco… But, come on, Lourença. Vallecas awaits us. (the two leave)

(The musical theme by Caramanchel, Las Mentiras, is heard; dona Joana looks up and stands up, as she hears someone talking.)

CARAMANCHEL (enters complaining about Manolo, who comes after him):
– Do you think I'm worthless?
Well, I, troublemaker Manolo,
step on the bridge first!

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
- Hi! What's that?

CARAMANCHEL: Sir,
you called me “hello”, (***A servant was formerly called “hello”, and he walked behind or on the side of the master.)
but if you want me to follow you
you have to fill my belly.
I prefer "chicken".

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– Who is the poor guy?
who were you angry with on the bridge?

CARAMANCHEL (bent over, introduces Manolo):
– My Appendix… opposite,
behind me or to the side.

MANOLO (bows down):
– I am Manolo, your servant.
That's what I put my bedelho,
and he calls me a mirror. (Caramanchel pushes him back)

DONA JOANA-GIL (to Caramanchel):
“Well, I want a footman, lad.
If you behave,
I will give you a good lunch.

CARAMANCHEL:
- But, ma'am, and my alternate,
my adverb, adjunct,
what do you even want to be us?

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– Well, he can come along.
But you better calm down.
Respond calmly:
Is it a boss you've been looking for?

MANANO:
– Hey! Bosses had by the thousands,
as long as they had dinner.

CARAMANCHEL:
- But I'm very unlucky.
The doctor was impatient
and made a thousand recipes
singing three ditties
to deceive the patient.
He was a bad doctor.
Lots of books, little science.
He worked without conscience.
I ran at full speed.

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
“But it was for good reason.

MANANO:
- And that lawyer,
whose starched mustache
was your occupation?

CARAMANCHEL:
– Yeah… It was twelve hours
the goatee prancing… (makes gestures)
And customers waiting…
I said goodbye and left.

MANANO:
– Then it was the priest. Hmm…
I devoured a whole chicken!
And put your stewards
to bread and water and fasting.

CARAMANCHEL: (pushes Manolo aside)
- I don't tell the whole novel.
the main issue
is to be without a house or boss
and empty of money.

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– Then come and serve me.

CARAMANCHEL (astonished):
– But… lackey for a page?
I've never seen such a character!

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– I'm not a pageboy. I'm like this…
like a young boy
who seeks honors
in court. And you served me.

CARAMANCHEL (aside, for Manolo):
– With that thin talk…

MANOLO (aside, for Caramanchel):
- Looks like a castrated man.

CARAMANCHEL (aside):
- But even if that's it...
(the lady Joana):
- Yes! I come to your service.
I will be your loyal servant.

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
- Your name?

CARAMANCHEL: – Caramanchel, (***Carabanchel Bajo was a village south of Madrid, now incorporated into the city.)
name of the village below,
where did I come from the sky below
like a faithful lackey.

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– You seem like a good man to me.
Well, my name is Don Gil.

CARAMANCHEL:
– Don Gil of what?

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
- Only Don Gil.

CARAMANCHEL (aside, for Manolo):
– He is even neutered in name…

MANOLO (aside, for Caramanchel):
– As in the beard and in the voice.

Ms. JOANA-GIL:
– The surname hidden
then it will be revealed.
But now we go
look for inn.

CARAMANCHEL:
– I know one.

DONA JOANA-GIL: – And do you have a lady?

MANANO:
– Tolerant and mocetone.

DONA JOANA-GIL (at the entrance to the bridge):
– Madrid! receive this day
this new visitor
and supports me in my role.
– Aren't you coming, Caramanchel?

CARAMANCHEL:
– Yes, Don Gilzinho! Forward! (leave across the bridge)
(to Manolo):
- In front! Come on, alternate!

(Musical theme by Caramanchel for scene change; millers dance moving the mill)

 

(to be continued)

 

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