a sneer): That yes… and even before you reach the mark with the "Start" line.

SEMYON (approvingly, marking this argument with an index finger): Here!

They put on snowboards, take off their outerwear, find something from the bar to drink, and help themselves.

LENYA (from the entire broad soul, loudly, emotionally, stretching): eh!!! That's good… Just exclusively.

SEMYON (statuesque, in the English manner): I can't disagree with you, my friend…

They wink at each other, smile, frolic, laugh, tease each other.

In the process of fun and some everyday machinations, Semyon takes a crumpled sheet of paper from his jacket, unfolds it with interest, and with a drooping mien freezes in place.

LENYA (positive): What is it?

Semyon shows his friend the ill-fated list of agreements signed by the parties.

Friends sit down with a drooping look on the bench.

LENYA (sadly): Yes, brother… the New year has already come… the Time has passed, another one has come to replace it… and you and I are still the same…

SEMYON (Sadly, on an exhalation, fiddling with a piece of paper in his hands): Yes …

LENYA (with hope): But you know… Judging by the fact that we have nothing with this (points to the leaf) did not work…, there is some sense in this all.

SEMYON (sadly, thoughtfully): It may be so… Maybe… You know what I think?

Lenya nods questioningly.

SEMYON (philosophically): I think that there are lessons in life that should be explained by life, and not by a person. You and I have not been able to explain to each other the need to change things properly… Let life try, it can do anything…

LENYA (after a pause of thought): Aren't you afraid?

SEMYON (not understanding): What?

LENYA (with knowledge of the case): It is painfully expensive to take life for its lessons… Can we still try it ourselves?

SIMON (angrily): How many times can I try? Probobaly already bursting at the seams!

LENYA (supporting): Yes… my nerves are already on edge. With this agreement, I and Nora somehow did not go very well, and with Susanna, too, through the stump of the deck. They are loyal to me, and I can't be myself with my thoughts now! And of course, this all negatively affects… Yes, everything!

SIMON (wistfully): Be yourself… Listen friend, it looks like you just said a very competent thing. Maybe you really don't need to puzzle over how to arrange everything in life correctly? Who knows what's really right. Maybe the answer to everything lies on the surface? It's so easy to be yourself!

LENYA (judiciously, thoughtfully): The answer is simple, but in execution it is not so easy to implement. Who can afford to be themselves, given the social, civil, family, and other circumstances?

SIMON (wistfully): Well, Yes…

LENYA (summarizing): This is luxury…

Semyon nods his head, understanding the essence and depth of these words.

LENYA (addressing the viewer): We wear masks that adapt to the circumstances… What about it? After all, the world does not stand still, everything moves and everything changes. And we try to keep up with these changes. We run after them, these very changes at their heels, just as wolves attack the trail of their prey. Yes, but we forget that the wolf, following the trail, often becomes a victim himself. The same thing happens to us. We run somewhere blinded by desires, trying to catch up, catch up, grab… And I must say that many people manage to do this. So why is it that at the end of our lives we are almost completely at the bottom of the bucket? Isn't it because you've played other people's roles all your life? Did you not live by your own values? Not by your own standards and impulses? Let them be a thousand times wrong, erroneous, or even vicious! But these are our impulses, brothers! After all, this is all of us! Such as we are! We are real!!!

SEMYON (thoughtfully): Are we real?

There is a slight pause…

LENYA: Yes… certainly be… Necessarily be…

All the actors IN CARNIVAL MASKS COVERING ONLY their EYES, begin to bow with a warm understanding smile and take hands, Lenya also takes hands, but continues his speech without interrupting, he addresses the audience.

LENYA (to the viewer): We are there, deep inside everyone! We are everywhere and everywhere. And even through our numerous masks, our true essence still breaks through! So why wear these masks, Friends?

Semyon tears the agreement sheet into small pieces and throws it with a light heart, exchanging a glance with Lenya in agreement.

LENYA (to the viewer): Down with the masks, and long live what we really are!

Actors tear off their masks and effectively throw them for themselves!

ALL IN CHORUS (to the audience, fun, emotional): Be yourself, brothers, be real, no matter what!

A CURTAIN

Novosibirsk, August 2020

The terms of the play are negotiated individually.

All of Nikolai Lakutin's plays are available for public viewing on the author's official website http://lakutin-n.ru the" Plays " section

Author's email address [email protected]

Обложка пьесы разработана автором в дизайнерской программе и является интеллектуальной собственностью Николая Лакутина.