The Books: “The Flowering Peach” (Clifford Odets)

Next script on my script shelf:

Next play in my little unalphabetized pile of Samuel French plays is The Flowering Peach., by Clifford Odets

And … it is hard to believe – but this is my last book in this bookshelf! I started going through this bookshelf on April 19 – the first excerpt was from Hollywood Babylon. Of course … I have since acquired books that are now in this bookshelf … but I haven’t read them yet … so I will leave them for the next round. I am tireless. April 19! Good God! And now it’s January whatever it is … that’s some bookshelf, huh???

The Flowering Peach is Odets’ last play. I know a couple of people who call this their favorite Odets … and it’s not really well known. It’s the story of Noah building his ark. It opens with Noah waking up from a dream, sitting in stillness in his dark house for a while, and then remembering the dream – he stands up abruptly and starts screaming: “No! No!” It’s one of the most stunning beginnings of a play I’ve ever read. How does one play that?? Beginning a play with a vision of the end of the world. Odets. Gotta love him.

I love this play because he doesn’t change his language to make it Biblical … he still writes like Odets. It’s a comedy. Suddenly, you get Noah and his wife bantering with each other like two old members of the Yiddish theatre, you get the classic Odets dialogue, crackling off the page … It’s a sweet play, I wish it was done more.

I’ll excerpt a bit from the first scene. Noah has confided in Esther his dream. She thinks he’s crazy. They have been married for so long that their back-and-forth almost has the quality of a vaudeville team. Noah is horrified … he needs to get started building his ark … he has never seen a boat … he needs to alert his sons … etc. Esther goes off to make breakfast (oh, and the set is a regular house … not a tent or anything realistic) – so she goes off to make breakfast leaving Noah alone, and tormented.

He starts to call out to God. This is his monologue.

From The Flowering Peach., by Clifford Odets

[Alone, Noah rocks himself a little, as an old Jew does, in sorrowful musing, to comfort himself. When he speaks it is sole, humbly, sadly, and with devotion]

NOAH. Lonely times again …? [sighing] Now I must go out in the world an’ make meself for a big nuisance again …? [Then] Why should she think I’m crazy? [abruptly standing] Now, just a minute! How do I know I’m not? I had a dream or not? [stamping his foot] Floor, listen to me! [slapping the table] Tell me, tell me, table — I had a dream or not? [He listens, bewildered and fevered, but only silence answers him back, then he abruptly throws his arms upward and speaks angrily] If you spoke to me, Lord, I don’t want it! I’m too old everybody should laugh in my face! I ain’t got the gizzard for it — No, sir! [Toning down to a softer devotional tone resting his mouth on clasped hands] Oh GOd, excuse me — You are All and Everything an’ I’m unworthy. You see me — what am I good for? All I do is cough an’ spit. Pass me by — pass me by. Please … [Now the Presence of God is heard: it is expressed by a certain musical rustle or widening shimmer, as if a gigantic tuning fork had been struck, its vibrations stern and imperious. With this comes one long thunder roll [which in the theatre is made by one good union stage hand rolling a lead ball across the back of the stage.] Noah falls to his knees as if struck, his head is bowed low. After a moment he tilts his head a little and his nose twitches like a rabbit’s. “Lord?” he asks. The musical shimmer deepens, spills everywhere and then softens] You came out, God …? [Then, listening reverently] Don’t be mad. Because if I must, I must … I must? [Sighing and shaking his head sadly. Gradually growing sly] What do I know about boats? Ast my Esther an’ she’ll tell you; when was I near water. Bread is bread, I know it — a pickle is a pickle, a knife is a knife — but boats? … [Noah’s slyness is reproved by a brief but angry thunder roll. Noah nods meekly but he is heartsick nonetheless] Awright, whatever you tell me to do, I’ll do it … [Then nodding] Yes, I remember everything to a “T”. The length of the ark should be three hundred cubits, fifty cubits the breadth an’ thirty cubits the height … [Nodding again] I’ll try to convince my sons to do what You say, but with my two oldest boys I’m altogether no good! You’ll have to help me, ’cause they’ll lock me up for a noisy old man. [Abruptly] You’re here yet … ? But wait a minute — the main point we didn’t get to! You’re talking a total destruction of the whole world an’ this is something terrible–! [He breaks off suddenly and gazes about, asking in a timid whisper] Lord …? You’re here …? [He waits a moment and then painfully gets to his feet. The Presence of God has faded away into silence. Noah groans] Am I awake or am I asleep? I’m awake, but I wish I was dead. [But, cocking an eye, he looks around him, wondering if he actually is awake or asleep. He leans his cheek on an open hand, and, whimpering a little, draws delicately into himself. Antiphonal roosters crow proudly in the distance. The stage lights dim out quietly.]

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