Christine Urio Fortunato
Adaptation
CARNIVAL: OUTSIDE, DUSK. PEOPLE ARE MULLING ABOUT AIMLESSLY, WALKING
PAST GAMES, EATING FRIED FOOD, AND WAITING IN LINE FOR RIDES—IT IS ORGANIZED
CHAOS. IT’S THE END OF SUMMER SO THE NIGHTTIME AIR IS COOL, SO PEOPLE ARE
WEARING LIGHT BUT LONGER CLOTHES. THE
SUN HAS JUST SET SO THE SKY IS NOT YET BLACK, BUT DARK BLUE. WITH THE STARS BEGINNING TO COME OUT AND THE
RIDES, THE CARNIVAL IS FULL OF TWINKELING, BRIGHT, FLASHING LIGHTS, GRABBING
PEOPLE’S ATTENTION.
Start
with FORTUNATO and the narrator doing things close friends do: show them eating dinner together at a classy
restaurant clinking wine glasses, walking along the greens of a golf course
carrying their clubs and laughing, sitting in big arm chairs in a study smoking
cigars and talking.
Portray
the narrator’s pride, perhaps with awards or distinguishments upon his walls. He has is college diploma hung on the wall
amidst other distinguisments throughout his life and career.
Shoot
to people at a cocktail party; it is set inside a swanky hotel and the men and
women are fashionably and appropriately dressed for the occasion. Waiters are passing h’ourderves on silver
platters. FORTUNATO is drinking wine and laughing
amongst a group. Let the audience overhear snippets of him disrespecting
the NARRATOR. The NARRATOR is a little ways off from the group and
acknowledges that they are mocking him. Darkness clouds his eyes but
he continues to smile.
Shoot
to the NARRATOR cynically plotting his revenge.
He is in his study stooped over a piece of parchment, his brow furrowed,
his face red, writing furiously.
Shoot
to a carnival. There is a big Ferris
wheel in the background and kids eating cotton candy running about. There are lots of people so it is loud with
conversations mingling together. Enter FORTUNATO, slightly tipsy,
wearing a tight fitting parti-stripped dress. NARRATOR jovially
greets him.
NARRATOR:
My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How
remarkably well you are looking today! But I have received a pip of
what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts.
FORTUNATO:
How? Amontillado? A
pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of t he carnival!”
NARRATOR:
I have my doubts. And I was silly enough to pay
the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter. You
were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain.
FORTUNATO:
Amontillado!
NARRATOR:
I have my doubts.
FORTUNATO:
Amontillado!
NARRATOR:
And I must satisfy them
FORTUNATO:
Amontillado!
NARRATOR:
As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi. If
anyone of them has a critical turn, it is he. He will tell me
FORTUNATO (interrupting) :
Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry
NARRATOR:
And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match of
your own
FORTUNATO:
Come,
let us go
NARRATOR:
Whither?
FORTUNATO:
To your vaults
NARRATOR:
My friend, no; I will not impose upon your good
nature. I perceive you have an engagement. Luchesi—
FORTUNATO (interrupting):
I have no engagement; come.
NARRATOR:
My friend, no. It is not the engagement, but the
severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted. The vaults are
insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre
FORTUNATO:
Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely
nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed
upon. And as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from
Amontillado.
