| 1 |
May I? May I? |
| 2 |
Ladies and Gentlemen! |
| 3 |
Excuse me if I appear all alone.
I am the Prologue. |
| 4 |
The author once again
sets before you the ancient masks. |
| 5 |
He wishes to revive
some of the old practices. |
| 6 |
So he sends me again to you. |
| 7 |
But not to say as before: |
| 8 |
"The tears we shed are false!" |
| 9 |
"Our passions and our sufferings
must not alarm you." |
| 10 |
The author has tried instead
to depict a slice of life. |
| 11 |
His only maxim is
that actors are human... |
| 12 |
...and that he must write
for human beings. |
| 13 |
Thus, it was from reality
that he drew his inspiration. |
| 14 |
A web of memories sang one day
from deep within his heart. |
| 15 |
He wept real tears as he wrote,
and his sobs beat the tempo. |
| 16 |
Therefore...you will see people in
love
the way human beings love. |
| 17 |
You will see the tragic fruits of
hate,
the torments of sorrow... |
| 18 |
You will hear howls of rage,
and cynical laughter... |
| 19 |
But you must look for more
than our poor actors' costumes. |
| 20 |
You must consider our souls. |
