a new play by

David Zellnik

***Run Draft (as of 29-Mar-07)

David Zellnik

David@davidzellnik.com

© 2007

2

The Scientists

The Filmmakers

This play could not have been written without the help of many: The Sloan

Foundation and Curt Dempster/Ensemble Studio Theatre, of course, for funding

my research at the monkey camp; Sunil Gunathilake, Banudala Wijemanna, and

Dr. Wolfgang Dittus at the monkey camp, and Bensith Jasantha in Polonnaruwa;

and in New York, the brilliant Carlos Armesto and the lovely Jordan Schildcrout

for their time, patience, and wisdom.

Also, although I was deeply inspired and impressed by Dr. Dittus’ work with the

toque macaques of Polonnaruwa, this play is completely a work of the

imagination and bears no similarity to any people or specific situations I

encountered in either of my month–long visits to Sri Lanka.

3

ANNA

We should go inside. I don’t want others to see us.

FISCHKE

Tell me a story.

ANNA

You’re such a child.

FISCHKE

One of your Buddha stories.

ANNA

Buddha had 499 animal lives before he became the Buddha and in this particular

life he was a monkey–“

FISCHKE

Like Hanuman?

ANNA

No no, Hanuman is Hindu. This is a Buddhist story. “And so he lived here, in Sri

Lanka, the alpha monkey of a very thirsty troop. It was during a terrible drought.

You see back then, there was no Lake here, no Lake Polonnaruwa – it had yet to

be created by the great King Parakrambahu. There were only a few small muddy

springs, and there were devils down at the bottom of each one. Every time a

monkey went to drink, he’d be eaten by a devil at the bottom of a spring. So

finally, in desperation, all the monkeys asked Buddha what to do– “

FISCHKE

How’d they know he was Buddha?

ANNA

Shush. “They asked him how could they drink and not be eaten? And he taught

them how to take old dried stalks of bamboo and stick them deep in the water

and suck the clean water at the bottom without getting near the devils who lived

there.”

4

FISCHKE

Yes we’ve seen that too. When there’s a drought – with the straws-

ANNA

science” we Sinhalese storytellers knew our monkeys used tools.

FISCHKE

ANNA

What do you know of Buddhism?

FISCHKE

This study is merely the principle of Mindfulness applied to the animal world. We

look, we watch everything, keep our minds as clear as possible...we keep the

observer out of what is observed.

ANNA

Well I want to keep us unobserved. Go. Before the others see us and get ideas.

FISCHKE

They’re away for New Years.

ANNA

Vinitha isn’t.

FISCHKE

Vinitha doesn’t gossip. Spend the night in my bed.

ANNA

That was a mistake, I told you! I have to get married soon – I promised my

mother. I told you last month it was a one-time thing, didn’t I?

FISCHKE

A one-time thing that happened three times. My nightmares would stop if you’d

sleep in my bed….

ANNA

You’ve been having nightmares?

5

FISCHKE

tomorrow morning…

ANNA

They will be good for us, I promise.

No. I am a fellow scientist. There are rules.

FISCHKE

No rules.

ANNA

Okay one more time. And no one finds out.

ANNA

Oh god!

6

DUDLEY

LAILA

VINITHA

<<Tamil>>

LAILA

We're not gonna hurt you. We just wanna know where the doctor is.

VINITHA

<<Tamil>>

DUDLEY

is Fischke? Doncha speak any (English)--?

FISCHKE

Well hello, you're here early!

LAILA

Oh thank god. We couldn’t find you. The lights were off.

FISCHKE

The generator died, but it’s back on.

LAILA

Christ I can’t breathe. Ya mind if I smoke?

FISCHKE

April’s the hottest month of the year, I’m afraid, so this is as cool as it gets. And

7

LAILA

DUDLEY

LAILA

PAUL

LAILA

Hallo, we’re here to make the film, right? Laila Rogers. And my husband Dudley,

but you can call him Dud.

PAUL

Dr. Paul Rellegame.

FISCHKE

Paul, I thought you were visiting relatives up North for New Years.

PAUL

They closed the area due to Tiger activity.

LAILA

Tiger activity?

PAUL

Tamil Tigers, Sri Lankan separatist group. Surely you’ve heard of them...

LAILA

PAUL

Right, but happy chance the bus station was next to an astrologer who’d set up a

holiday booth, I told him your birth dates – and voila.

ANNA

New Years’ charts. That is very thoughtful of you.

8

PAUL

Fischke, I am sorry to report but the evil planet Rohu has entered your house.

FISCHKE

There’s a planet Rohu?

ANNA

It’s a mythological planet. Eats the sun. Very bad.

FISCHKE

Well. Forewarned is forearmed. What does yours say?

PAUL

frauds yes? One is just pleased to hear someone talking about your personal

future as if it is a matter of grave concern to the universe. Ah well, happy New

Year everyone.

DUDLEY

Why’s it in April?

PAUL

DUDLEY

Huh. And your clock is wrong.

FISCHKE

We don’t observe daylight’s savings. Because the monkeys don’t so it would

compromise the data. So half the year, the site is on monkey time, a half hour

earlier than the rest of Sri Lanka.

ANNA

We thought you were coming tomorrow morning.

DUDLEY

Change of plans. Anyway sorry it’s so late, the map said 250 kilometers. We

thought we'd be here by dinner, but the roads! And the celebrations, Jesus!

ANNA

9

LAILA

something.

FISCHKE

ANNA

Yes, no one has ever written about happiness levels of macaque-

FISCHKE

Sh sh, in good time. How to start…? Ah, how a female can accrue power.

LAILA

DUDLEY

It’s through sex, right? That’s it, innit?

LAILA

DUDLEY

I am not.

FISCHKE

Males fight each other for status. The most aggressive one with the biggest

testicles is usually alpha.

Now females inherit status from their mothers, and then wield it in teams: motherdaughter

or sister-based, but also there’s, well Shivani is using another means –

we think – for raising her status which may impact her whole troop for years.

LAILA

FISCHKE

A very special monkey.

PAUL

Very sexy monkey. Naughty.

FISCHKE

Ja, gutsy for sure. Also rather noble.

10

LAILA

A noble monkey?

FISCHKE

A low-status female from the dominant troop at the site– the Sacred Quadrangle

troop.

PAUL

Used to be part of the Dagoba group but then the troop fissioned into 2 groups

and Dagoba got poisoned by farmers.

LAILA

That’s terrible!

PAUL

Truly. The macaques are protected in the ruins, but if they stray into neighboring

farms…

FISCHKE

There’s 20 to 30 troops at the sanctuary, each named for where their territory is.

LAILA

And Shivani?

FISCHKE

Ah yes, Shivani has been going out after dark every night. Care to guess why?

PAUL

They’re asleep when she leaves-

FISCHKE

What if strangers came up to her?

PAUL

A monkey alone, after dark. Dangerous.

FISCHKE

What if members of another troop saw her?

PAUL

They’d rip her ears off.

FISCHKE

Kill her even!

11

PAUL

I would be terrified.

FISCHKE

Can you guess?

LAILA

Guess what?

FISCHKE

Why Shivani goes out?

DUDLEY

FISCHKE

No, she’s meeting someone!

PAUL

FISCHKE

A brawny peripheral male –

PAUL

Lucky guy –

FISCHKE

Just last month he was any old juvenile, and now he’s huge – muscles and size

PAUL

Shivani is really attractive.

FISCHKE

Shivani’s mother was alpha. But after she died, her daughter Shivani's status has

fallen considerably. So let us suppose Shivani is attempting to gain status and high

ranking again. If she can get pregnant with Jasantha’s baby, and he takes over the

troop, then she is in a good good position.

PAUL

Jasantha is a great bet. If he mates with her, he may even attempt an immediate

troop takeover of Quadrangle, and unseat the current alpha male, Noc.

DUDLEY

Right.

12

FISCHKE

Noc is a wonderful monkey. The first I named. Anyway the paper I am working on

now is on whether these violent troop takeovers adversely affect the rest of the

troop’s happiness. I believe I will show that the Happiness Index goes down with

a violent troop takeover from outside the troop as opposed to orderly succession

within the troop, way down.

DUDLEY

Happiness Index?

FISCHKE

That’s the focus of our work right now –

DUDLEY

PAUL

Of course.

DUDLEY

defeated-looking man from India. Allies himself with power, has none of his own.

FISCHKE

Who was that?

DUDLEY

could be a star.

LAILA

ANNA

How long will filming take?

13

LAILA

A few weeks. BBC’s got a lot of ideas. They want a sort of reality TV energy, not

your usual stodgy nature film shit, right? I mean we gotta compete with “Wife

Swap” now right? Anyways we’s gonna focus on the monkeys, yeah, but also on

FISCHKE

As long as you highlight the work we do. The breadth and scope of the research,

30 years of the longest-running continuous study of one monkey species in the

wild in one location–

LAILA

Right, but ‘fraid to tell you, the Beeb only agreed to this we said we’d mix it up a

little. They mentioned we might be bringing someone right? With us?

ANNA

No.

LAILA

Typical, typical! So, well, we have our first surprise then, our first reality surprise.

DUDLEY

FISCHKE

What is going on?

LAILA

man who he has avoided debating for many years.

FISCHKE

LAILA

A rising primate geneticist:

RAMSOV

14

LAILA

Dr. Dmitri Ramsov, meet Dr. George Fischke.

FISCHKE

Dmitri Ramsov, how the hell did you talk them into bringing you?

RAMSOV

BBC found my latest article on line. They asked me if I’d like to “air my criticisms

in a more personal forum.”

FISCHKE

Turn off the camera.

RAMSOV

Dmitri Ramsov. But you can call me Dmitri.

ANNA

Dr. Sunilagatte. Call me Dr. Sunilagatte. You’re Russian who hates our work.

RAMSOV

FISCHKE

It is late, you can all find hotels- turn that camera off!

DUDLEY

RAMSOV

FISCHKE

What?

RAMSOV

The scientific value of what you do is for shit! Shit! Naming monkeys Moonbeam,

DUDLEY

FISCHKE

I have written for many peer-reviewed journals, and –

15

RAMSOV

You’ve written make-believe stories about make-believe animals responding to

work is on monkey happiness! Monkey happiness! How can you measure

monkey happiness?!

FISCHKE

We have a 5–factor tool based on cortisone levels and agreeableness and and–

RAMSOV

happiness.

FISCHKE

incidences of violent intra-troop aggression in troops with stable hierarchies

versus troops with unstable hierarchies-

RAMSOV

distortions. It's all culturally-coded bullshit.

FISCHKE

garbage troop they were called. A standard violent hierarchy-driven troop. One

day all the top–ranking males ate food from the garbage can that turned out to be

poisoned. None of the low–ranking males got a chance to eat. So then all the

high–ranking males died and the low–ranking males took over. Well, the society

they then created was quite different! Lower stress levels for all the baboons,

RAMSOV

When Japanese scientists observe monkeys they seem to “work as a team

overcoming problems.” When American scientists watch the same monkeys doing

the same things, what do they see? “One innovative leader effecting change within

the group” Ridiculous!

DUDLEY

RAMSOV

His research will always lead to a dead end: an animal’s consciousness is a

black box.

LAILA

16

PAUL

BF Skinner. Always explain behavior using outside stimuli, never inside agency

or desire as an animal’s consciousness is a black box.

FISCHKE

But no one today thinks animals are machines without intentions and feelings

LAILA

Just one, lovey.

FISCHKE

You said that last time.

PAUL

Ms. Laila. Ms. Laila!

LAILA

SHIT!

PAUL

Please don’t burn this place.

DUDLEY

We were invited Dr. Fischke. To make science look interesting. Now look how

interesting it is!

FISCHKE

Anna…. This all was your idea. Show them out.

ANNA

Dr. Ramsov, we invited them. Not you. And we need this to go well. Truly.

LAILA

He stays.

ANNA

petitioning for more of the sanctuary and we can't even mount a defense! We're

broke.

FISCHKE

17

ANNA

RAMSOV

As a matter of fact: no. I am a scientist not a movie star. While I am here: Fischke has

hair and blood samples of every monkey you all have observed, dating back 30 years,

and who was alpha at any given time. I want to see whether the average number of

years spent in a high status position could have been predicted from the DNA of each

individual. Perhaps there is a status gene. I will do an analysis of the DNA, compare to

the records you have and see if there’s a correlation. If there is, I will take samples from

current monkey infants and see if their status can be predicted.

ANNA

But status is just as potentially fictitious as happiness.

RAMSOV

No. Status is universally measurable: who eats first, who breeds more, who is

groomed more. How monkeys can be happy is purely a… literary exercise.

FISCHKE

complex creatures with distinct personalities.

RAMSOV

prove, now that I have access to this rich source of data. I propose all meaningful

behavior is merely mutation of the genetic code. Happy accidents if you will.

DUDLEY

FISCHKE

always seeing amazing things but the challenge with long-term observation is the

Noc’s territory. In the Sacred Quadrangle of old Polonnaruwa.

DUDLEY

Why’s it sacred?

18

FISCHKE

It’s where the Kings and Queens of Sri Lanka used to rule.

DUDLEY

FISCHKE

Of course they don’t. But there happen to be very good fig trees there. And they

love figs.

PAUL

I’ll show you where you’ll sleep. Down the path there’s a guest house.

LAILA

PAUL

You’ll love Shivani. I feel quite connected to her actually. Maybe the word is

even: enamored. I dream of her.

DUDLEY

PAUL

Yes. Maybe.

ANNA

Dr. Ramsov, why don’t you come with me to the field tomorrow?

RAMSOV

I want to set up a lab immediately.

ANNA

Come. I’ll get you some field uniforms. The animals recognize the uniform and

know we will neither harm them nor feed them.

RAMSOV

Very well, Anna.

ANNA

19

FISCHKE

VINITHA

20

LAILA

You ready, luv? We don’t want to lose them. We could really make our mark with

this one! Get shown in The States too on PBS – maybe even during one of them

shite “pledge weeks!” When they show you on pledge week ya know you’re a hit!

Glory’s for them’s that claim it! Christ this jungle’s thick.

DUDLEY

All right then. Where are they?

LAILA

DUDLEY

Right. Northward ho!

PAUL

Laila and Dudley are close.

FISCHKE

Do you see Anna and Ramsov?

PAUL

They said they’d be by the stupa mound.

FISCHKE

How did they get lost already?

PAUL

Come, let us find a perch, and wait. I wonder what the troop will make of the

filmmakers? Perhaps they’ll think they’re peripheral males attempting a troop

takeover.

21

FISCHKE

Perhaps. Perhaps they’ll attack them.

ANNA

They’re near.

RAMSOV

The monkeys?

ANNA

The other team. We have a special call the monkeys recognize: Hla hla hla!

RAMSOV

Girl’s a human term.

ANNA

You’re not in front of a camera, Ramsov.

RAMSOV

Call me Dmitri. So. How long have you been sleeping with Fischke? It’s recent

yes?

ANNA

Excuse me?

RAMSOV

I have good observational skills when I choose to use them.

ANNA

RAMSOV

He is too old for you.

ANNA

Competing doesn’t become you. Now, when they arrive, I will write down at 60-

second intervals exactly what the focal animal is doing. It is simple but a powerful

tool, who is eating how much, how long alphas get groomed versus low-ranking

monkeys…meanwhile you chart on the map where they go, we see if they are

expanding their territory – Oh, you hear that rustle? There in the distance.

22

RAMSOV

RAMSOV

And yet...so inside their bodies...So supple. It’s hypnotic.

LAILA

DUDLEY

Hmmm. Maybe:

DUDLEY + RAMBO (Paul)

“Roots roooooots twigs!”

DUDLEY

-And the other one’s saying

DUDLEY + NOC (Fischke)

DUDLEY

NOC

Any sign of him?

23

RAMBO

No sign.

NOC

I wish he would hover around some other clan

RAMBO

Some lesser clan –

NOC

RAMBO

Don’t think his name–

NOC

Muscles too big-

RAMBO

Don’t think of him, he may feel summoned–

NOC

Watching our sisters –

RAMBO

I would have you savage his ears and face!

NOC

He watches and watches, aroused erect coiled, spring uncoiling, pounding

ready

LAILA

DUDLEY

Shhh, filming.

LAILA

Ew, disgusting!

24

DUDLEY

Sweet protein, baby. Wait – shit –

LAILA

That's…Noc. alpha. Ears all tattered. And that other one, with the smooth pink

ears. I think that's Rambo.

DUDLEY

LAILA

DUDLEY

Oh, Rimbaud!

RAMBO

Shivani’s rump growing pink.

NOC

Pink swelling swollen! Shivani looking for trouble.

TULIP (Vinitha)

grassy crunch beneath the soft foot skin! Sun sign of season of males, of

LAILA

TULIP

pouches. Mmmmm…

25

TULIP

I’m fatter than you.

SHIVANI

Go away.

TULIP

Impudence!

NOC

You were with another male!

SHIVANI

I was not!

RAMBO

Jasantha!

SHIVANI

Not true!

RAMSOV

I think Anna likes me. Perhaps – perhaps there is little not to like.

These monkeys are quite ridiculous. But the ruins here – beautiful. What Kings

and Queens once jockeyed for power here among these dagobas, stupa

mounds, temples – and now these monkeys carrying on with the same dynastic

power struggles…

No that is silly. Is that the one they are all entirely too interested in? Shivani.

Shivani is ... Shivani looks at me! She’s... thinking:

RAMSOV and SHIVANI (Anna)

RAMSOV

RAMSOV and SHIVANI

Me likey food, give me food, give me

Me just a silly –

26

SHIVANI

Shhhhh. I see you Dmitri. I am close to you. I see your eyes and face and

cheeks soft, downy fur--I am close. Cloooooose.

RAMSOV

She comes close. I am thinking all of a sudden: of a girl outside Moscow, I saw

her every Sunday at youth camp. And I watched her, and I could never get the

courage to speak. We just looked, longed to speak. And couldn’t. Why am I

thinking of her?

No. No this is all just a trick of the mind.

LAILA

Look!

DUDLEY

What’s going on ya little buggers…

RAMBO/TULIP/NOC

Jasantha! Jasantha!

JASANTHA

Shivani.

SHIVANI

JASANTHA

You’re shaking.

SHIVANI

They are my only clan.

27

JASANTHA

You are not following them.

JASANTHA

Sorry I–

SHIVANI

No it’s –

JASANTHA

My fault–

SHIVANI

No I wanted to too but not yet.

JASANTHA

Not yet.

SHIVANI

Not yet.

JASANTHA

Not yet. May I say: Your clan has the most perfect territory. Full of fruit

and flowering trees, your land has perfect trees and it’s perfect hot IT’S

SO PERFECT HOT! MY LEGS BURN, FUR BRISTLES–

SHIVANI

JASANTHA

I am hard every second of the day.

SHIVANI

How old are you?

JASANTHA

Five monsoons.

28

SHIVANI

This is your first mating season. I am fat enough to bear children.

JASANTHA

Why are you shaking?

SHIVANI

You can join any clan. But this is the only clan I will ever be allowed to live

in. I must be careful.

JASANTHA

You're shaking. Why are you afraid?

SHIVANI

Not afraid. While my mother lived I was highly prized. When there were

the shallow end, away from deep sea lizards!

My mother’s spirit calls from a future lifetime and asks when will a monkey

avenge this wrong! I am pregnant from last night with your child I know!

Join the clan or Noc will kill your child.

JASANTHA

Noc Noc Noc Noc Noc!

SHIVANI

You must kill Noc! Kill him! Usurp! Uuuuuu–surp!

JASANTHA

When they return I will savage their ears and faces!

SHIVANI

Yes. Yes.

ANNA

29

RAMSOV

ANNA

No bad knees, no bad backs. They’ve had millions of years to perfect their body

design.

RAMSOV

We humans are a young species. One hundred fifty thousand years in our

present form. We’ll never catch up. So. Is Sri Lankan New Year’s always in April?

ANNA

moving into the sign of the ram.

RAMSOV

Pisces into Aries.

ANNA

And everyone gets their charts done. Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists. I do too. I

suppose you think it’s ridiculous.

RAMSOV

I do.

ANNA

Homo sapiens seem born to see meaning in stars’ movement, in earthquakes

and volcanoes... We are a superstitious species.

RAMSOV

You can’t believe in fate?

ANNA

I do.

RAMSOV

Do you think fate brought us together, on New Year’s Day?

ANNA

A bit early for this kind of talk isn’t it? We just met.

RAMSOV

It is mating season.

30

ANNA

NOC

Jasantha! I see you. Jasantha!

LAILA

Go go go go!

DUDLEY

Shit!!!!

DUDLEY

Got it!

LAILA

Are you getting this?

Brilliant!

PAUL

DUDLEY

Keep em apart!

31

PAUL

Stop! Don't interfere—stop it! This is complete unethical and grounds for you to

be – stop!

NOC

King! Still King! Still still King!

PAUL

Completely unethical behavior!

LAILA

Didja?-

DUDLEY

Nothing-

LAILA

What did you-?

DUDLEY

Battery died-

LAILA

Dud!

DUDLEY

We’ll get em to do it again tomorrow-

FISCHKE

DUDLEY

Well that was crap.

LAILA

Where did the monkeys go?

32

FISCHKE

They raced away from you!

LAILA

Shy monkeys?

ANNA

Not shy, you scared them!

PAUL

Interfered!

FISCHKE

I told you to stick close to me and listen to me.

PAUL

You could have been hurt! They could have attacked you!

LAILA

Little monkeys the size of cats? Go on.

DUDLEY

There there, monkeys won’t hurt you no more. Hold on.

LAILA

DUDLEY

Great.

ANNA

You must listen to us!

FISCHKE

You have to leave.

ANNA

George, no.

33

FISCHKE

DUDLEY

This film is your chance, Fischke. To prove him wrong.

LAILA

Rammy?

RAMSOV

You are idiots.

LAILA

RAMSOV

I am doing my work. Who cares about your movie?!

FISCHKE

Hear hear!

ANNA

No, Dr. Fischke, please.

FISCHKE

I am sorry Anna. They leave.

DUDLEY

Oh.

LAILA

But–

DUDLEY

No no, love. I guess it’s time for us to go. Shame really, we had another “Reality”

surprise.

FISCHKE

DUDLEY

Personal video diary cameras. For each of you. To record your thoughts.

34

PAUL

We really don’t care.

LAILA

You care about status.

DUDLEY

And whosever journal is the best, we will feature the most in the docu, right?

Your theories will get the most airing. The book deals will follow!

LAILA

FISCHKE

Not inside the world of science.

LAILA

But inside the troop, yeah? Your troop… Suit yourself.

FISCHKE

Wait. I was overhasty. You can stay. Let’s call it a night.

35

SHIVANI

Nightfall. New year. Far end of the sleeping tree. Jasantha failed. Noc

was always more powerful. Noc will be my end, my end, end, end of the

sleeping tree forever. When I was little my mother showed me what? I

would always have much fruit. My mother would hardly recognize me.

Sleepy. What is it I wanted so terribly from Jasantha? He could have any

clan…

TULIP

I’m awake. I saw you. Your Jasantha…

SHIVANI

Jasantha was beaten. I know.

TULIP

You shouldn't be on the far end. Come closer. Jasantha will come back.

For you. Noc cannot be king much longer… He almost lost today.

SHIVANI

The tall hairless monkeys held Jasantha down.

TULIP

He will try to move slowly up the ranks of the clan. Slowly. It is done this

way too.

SHIVANI

You think Jasantha will return?

TULIP

He is in a sleeping tree nearby. I was terrible to you but you will rise. He

SHIVANI

Snake!

TULIP

Snake come to kill!

36

RAMBO

Snake!

JASANTHA

Here here here!

TULIP

Jasantha saved us!

NOC

What is happening?

SHIVANI

Jasantha!

RAMBO

Saved the clan!

SHIVANI

Jasanthaaaaaa

FISCHKE

Anna! What is wrong? Are you alright?

ANNA

FISCHKE

It sounded like you were having a nightmare. Were you dreaming of the

monkeys? I dreamt of them again. Attacking me.

ANNA

No, no. Go to bed.

FISCHKE

Can I sit with you a moment?

37

ANNA

No. You have to go--

FISCHKE

But-

RAMSOV

38

PAUL

Video Journal Entry Number 1. Sex.

My whole childhood in India I would watch the monkeys in my town. These were

bonnet macaques, not toque macaques like we have here, but they were very

similar. Why did I want to study them? At first because they were funny, of

course. All children love monkeys. Sense a kinship. But as I grew it was, well,

actually, I am a bit ashamed to say on camera but: it was the sex I think –

monkeys having sex with each other – that kept me watching. All kinds of

touching. Girl monkeys having sex with girl monkeys and boy monkeys having

sex with boy monkeys and brothers and sisters and everyone. They seemed

completely not repressed.

Video Journal entry Number 2. Female power systems –

RAMSOV

Sounds good.

PAUL

RAMSOV

that mean? Does she like me?

PAUL

Maybe it’s not you, maybe she likes novelty.

RAMSOV

You of all people I thought would be sympathetic.

PAUL

You don’t know anything about Shivani. I knew her since she was a baby.

RAMSOV

PAUL

Of course not.

39

RAMSOV

She’s never touched you that way, has she? What was she thinking, I wonder?

PAUL

“Thinking?” You sound like one of us. What is your game?

RAMSOV

should be nice to me. Perhaps I will stay.

PAUL

You like our work now?

RAMSOV

Hardly. You don’t need to watch monkeys to know how women achieve power.

DUDLEY

No video journal for you - why?

ANNA

Strange week.

DUDLEY

Oh?

ANNA

DUDLEY

If only.

So were you uh born in Polonnaruwa?

ANNA

Then when the Indian tribes invaded they ended 1500 years of Sinhalese culture,

ended our last golden age. Then the Portuguese came, then the Dutch, then the

Brits. One colonizer after another. Now go film the monkeys,

40

DUDLEY

Let me make you famous.

ANNA

Make the work famous.

DUDLEY

Be the star of the movie. You care more about the environment than the other

scientists here.

ANNA

You just think I do because I’m a woman. Pick Dr. Fischke. He’s an excellent

scientist.

DUDLEY

But you’re sexier. No offense. The only woman at a camp of men –

ANNA

Don’t put that in! My mother will be on the next bus to rescue me.

DUDLEY

She doesn't approve of your being here?

ANNA

My mother called this morning. She wants to know when I’ll be home to meet the

“several eligible young men” she wishes to arrange a marriage for me with.

DUDLEY

You gonna go?

ANNA

She might not recognize me.

DUDLEY

Tell your mum: the Ecological Movement needs beautiful spokespeople! Like

animals. That’s what people like.

ANNA

DUDLEY

41

ANNA

Exactly! We eat everything in sight, kill all the other top predators in our wake,

and ruin all biodiversity! Like rats. Like...cane toads in Australia!

DUDLEY

Australia’s the worst! Cane toads and housecats out of their natural environment,

wreaking havoc on species who don’t know to fear them.

ANNA

We were meant for Africa – that is where the predators grew used to us. But we

escaped, traveled all over the world, upended and destroyed every ecosystem

we encountered!

DUDLEY

We’re not top of the chain, just its hardiest weed!

ANNA

Use your power. He who watches, records, edits, categorizes and labels – he

has the most power.

DUDLEY

No, she who lights up a screen is the most powerful of all.

ANNA

DUDLEY

No one’s watching.

ANNA

Film the monkeys.

DUDLEY

So, Dr. Sunilagatte. Do you sleep with all the scientists here or just the lead

researcher?

ANNA

Excuse me? I am not sleeping with Dr. Fischke. Turn the camera off.

42

DUDLEY

Oh right, it’s the Russian now-

ANNA

This is none of your business.

DUDLEY

It’s a small camp lovey, it’s all our business.

ANNA

DUDLEY

43

LAILA

Oh Jesus was that shelling?!

PAUL

No, thunder.

LAILA

Didn’t they warn of shelling?

PAUL

They have never attacked Polonnaruwa.

DUDLEY

PAUL

The Tamils.

LAILA

Then why are we under curfew?

PAUL

Dr. Fischke, are you all right?

FISCHKE

Sorry. I have been sleeping terribly. Nightmares.

44

RAMSOV

Forgive me, Vinitha left my laundry in here. That shower was nice.

FISCHKE

Quite a battle yesterday. Jasantha versus Noc.

RAMSOV

Monkeys can’t have battles, they can have violent encounters.

FISCHKE

RAMSOV

Do the monkeys do boot camp? Do they sign peace treaties? Still having

nightmares?

PAUL

He is.

FISCHKE

As a matter of fact, yes. But it’s just as well, I stay awake all night and work! And

work has been thrilling. Shivani has brought Jasantha in the troop, and Noc has

allowed it. Now the science can begin. Since Jasantha has entered the troop,

incidents of aggression are way up, happiness levels down.

RAMSOV

all. You clearly do.

FISCHKE

They are biting and wounding each other twice as frequently. Maybe you find

such activities pleasant -

45

DUDLEY

want to hunt. They were convinced to farm because only in farming can you get

be stopped by you, Thunder! Let us brave the storm and film! Film!

FISCHKE

The government asked us all to stay put. The last thing I need is an international

filmmaker team abducted and killed by Tiger Separatists. Even though it would

bring me a great amount of pleasure.

ANNA

RAMSOV

My work is proceeding fantastically too, my love.

FISCHKE

LAILA

Some. Why?

FISCHKE

Do you talk about how predictable females are? They go with whichever male

they perceive has the most status?

ANNA

George, stop it.

FISCHKE

What? I am talking about monkeys.

ANNA

Please don’t bring up matters that have no business being discussed in front of

fellow scientists.

FISCHKE

46

ANNA

intention of continuing with.

FISCHKE

I could send you away from here!

ANNA

Are you are threatening me?

FISCHKE

No, it’s that–

ANNA

You need me as much as I need you.

FISCHKE

Hah!

ANNA

I give you credibility in this town. A local who works on the study. So you’re not

knowledge.

RAMSOV

Fischke I thought we had a truce. Your theories may be bullcrap, but your data

are good. I’ll be sure to thank you in my articles.

FISCHKE

Have you changed your mind about animals not having personalities?

RAMSOV

Personality? PERSONalities? The word itself is the giveaway!

PAUL

You mean to tell me you can sit with Anna day after day watching these monkeys

and not begin to see that we, and they – though different – were raised at the

enough?

RAMSOV

replication and science is about replication. Look, yes. They are charming.

Soulful in their eyes, but only because it is a human’s nature to seek soulfulness

47

in others. I have a Porsche in Moscow. It seems sexy to me. Cranky sometimes

too. It has a personality. But only in a metaphorical sense.

PAUL

But –you haven’t seen a metaphor, you have seen a creature. With agency. With

RAMSOV

I have observed temperaments.

FISCHKE

Do you even like animals?

RAMSOV

Yes, I just don’t have any illusions. I for one do believe in an animal’s individual

temperament – like a week-old baby, they can be curious or shy or easily

frightened. But personality? The complex interplay of memory and education

and experience? Never! Shivani is unique on the level of her genome, and yes,

I happened to be moved by her when she touched me, but I will not make

judgments based on the serendipity of a chance observation.

PAUL

The “serendipity of a chance observation?” I assume you’re using the word

ironically.

RAMSOV

No.

PAUL

You realize you’re on the island of Serendib. From a short story set in long ago

Sri Lanka about happy accidents that befall a trio of –

RAMSOV

Get to the point!

PAUL

Do you feel your arrival here, and the people you’ve met here, and how you’ve

reacted are merely due to accidents on your genome?

RAMSOV

Not just, but partly. I am strong, intelligent, handsome. Naturally alpha. This is my

natural temperament. Hard wired.

48

FISCHKE

RAMSOV

But then I am also human: conscious. Able to remember years of experience,

PAUL

I think you are flattering yourself.

ANNA

Paul.

RAMSOV

–and so I have a personality. Come, sweet one, I will transcribe these excellent

data in our room.

FISCHKE

What do you see in him?

ANNA

I don’t need to answer that.

need more rigor here!

FISCHKE

You are on his side?

ANNA

No! I am on yours, I do agree with you and that’s the problem! We have no

critical voices!

FISCHKE

Unimportant-

ANNA

I’m glad Ramsov’s here! And yes, I knew they might bring him with them!

PAUL

Anna!

49

FISCHKE

Traitor!

ANNA

FISCHKE

Anna!

ANNA

I think there are overlapping circles of our behavior, but monkeys are not human,

they are not! They don’t have proper language or hopes or dreams. I have

dreams, does Shivani? Does she brood? Does she love?

PAUL

But Anna, that’s what the British once said about us.

ANNA

Does she go to school, does she dream of getting married?!-

RAMSOV

Come you don’t need to let yourself get upset.

FISCHKE

You are not allowed to kiss a fellow scientist on the head!

RAMSOV

Excuse me?

FISCHKE

I forbid it.

ANNA

You forbid???

FISCHKE

I’m the leader of the study!

PAUL

Fischke–

50

RAMSOV

Can you not see how ridiculous you are?

FISCHKE

She’s the ridiculous one! Scrambling to get power in the way women always

have.

ANNA

I am not property to be passed from one powerful male to another, Doctor.

FISCHKE

Men get love through power. And women get power through love.

ANNA

Well that is awfully simplistic.

RAMSOV

Fischke, it’s not your fault. I am simply younger, more handsome, and have

FISCHKE

Asshole!

They push each other, more posturing than fighting.

LAILA

Boys boys boys boys.

PAUL

Doctor, please. Please stop. Doctor.

FISCHKE

I’ll kill you! Pompous sneaky Russian!

FISCHKE

Long–term–observation–has–merit! Admit it!

RAMSOV

Never!

51

ANNA

Stop it both of you. Paul– help!

PAUL

Dr. Fischke, while I agree that long term scientific observation is a most useful

tool, we are not in competition with Ramsov, just his theories–

LAILA

Enough!

DUDLEY

Laila, get out of the way-

LAILA

right?! Which scientific theory…-don’t you see? THE NATURAL WORLD IS ON

FIRE! Farmers encroaching, shooting, poisoning, species upon species

threatened and none em safe and in one generation there will be only ashes left

– ashes! Who the fuck cares about personality? You must all become activists.

to learn everything in a lab and you know it!

RAMSOV

will be a site here, and monkeys, but science will be returned to where it belongs.

The lab!

ANNA

RAMSOV

Or the philosophy department of universities! We will have learned everything we

makes them monkeys, and we can go off and ponder what makes us humans.

ANNA

And let them go extinct?

RAMSOV

Those that can will live in cities. There are troop dynamics in cities too! You

aren’t scientists! You all just sit in woods, prevent development and call it

preserving field conditions.

52

FISCKE

You see now how much peril you have put this study in! You have invited the one

man who aims to destroy us!

ANNA

I’m trying to save this study what the fuck are you doing! You haven’t published

in 8 years! Work with them. If you can’t keep this study financially afloat I will! I do

have some power here. Understand?

FISCHKE

DUDLEY

I got it!

LAILA

Lemme see

DUDLEY

Oh shit, that's the monkeys the first day, hold on—

LAILA

DUDLEY

Filthy monkey mind.

LAILA

I think they’re gonna get a little of the hide me–show me

53

DUDLEY

In me–out me.

LAILA

Maybe we should tape our own nature documentary.

DUDLEY

Oooh, you naughty. Always hide me–show me with you. When we are destined

for glory! Glory! Fame and glory fame and glory!

VINTHA

Ayo!

DUDLEY

LAILA

A nap’ll do us good. This time you’ll kill any geckos that crawl on me yeah?

DUDLEY

Sure thing.

LAILA

Thanks Dud.

DUDLEY

We’re doing good work, yeah? A fella wants to makes something of himself.

LAILA

Don’t you worry, this’ll make our mark. The power of beautiful animals helps save

all the ugly ones.

TULIP

Where have we found ourselves?

54

RAMBO

The human shed.

TULIP

The tall ones, they smell of lotion. They fear the sun.

RAMBO

Rancid place. No fruit. No figs no leaves.

TULIP

Their sleeping trees are low and flat and hard.

RAMBO

Prickly jaws of insects on skin, everywhere here insects. I think: they do

not travel enough so the bugs come to live on them.

TULIP

Terrible.

Food food! Easy on table food! Sweet!

Mmmmm, quick, sweet oil crumble food.

RAMBO

Your ear!

NOC

Nothing.

RAMBO

Your ear. He attacked you.

NOC

Mine first.

55

JASANTHA

I haven’t eaten since morning.

NOC

MINE!

SHIVANI

You let him talk to you like he talks?

JASANTHA

Why am I here? Why I am here?

SHIVANI

Kill, kill, savage him! Savage his ears and face!- Go!

JASANTHA

NOC

I rule over you!

JASANTHA

STOP ME!

NOC

Leave my clan!

JASANTHA

You sound old, old!

NOC

OUT!! Rambo help!

56

JASANTHA

King! King! King!

MY CLAN MY FRUIT MY SHED, MY CHILD!

MY CHILDREN!

SHIVANI

Jasantha no!!! Not a baby! Please don't kill Tulip's baby! Do not be Noc.

Please….

TULIP

No! No Jasantha No no no no!

JASANTHA

His his his!

SHIVANI

NO NO Jasantha no! No no no no no!

PAUL

Oh my god. Help. Help! Wake up wake up!

The monkeys were here.

57

FISCHKE

What happened? I heard noise.

RAMSOV

Quadrangle was here. There’s Shivani.

FISCHKE

They’ve never come this far.

RAMSOV

and Shivani.

FISCHKE

Oh god. Where's Noc?

PAUL

a medical doctor, yes?

RAMSOV

Yes.

PAUL

Help her. Help Shivani. Please?

58

NOC

I hate monkeys. We’re ruthless. My days spent eating and fucking and shitting,

and grooming and walking and fighting. Eat, fight, status, travel, groom, fuck.

Surely no other creature is as base.

No more figs. No more swollen rumps nor haunches. Nor status nor fur nor

touch–

FISCHKE

Oh Noc. Noc.

When I found him, he was barely breathing. Noc: one of the greatest, most fierce,

most wonderful monkeys I had observed. I remember when he was born. It was

soon after I came here. And something about him – I always knew where in the

reserve little Noc was. I never had children, I imagine perhaps this is what a parent

feels at a playground: you see all these kids, but your eyes, your sense, is always

on one, yours. Noc was mine. And then, in the space of a few years, he was my

younger brother – my amazing younger brother who took over the top troop in the

site. And then he aged, and I aged, and we became what I felt were peers. And

now I feel like I have lost an old friend, a father figure, a graceful old man.

RAMSOV

I operated on Shivani. Perhaps I should not have, it should not matter to me the

life or death of this one monkey. And humans should not interfere. But they came

into our camp I tell myself. So we are responsible. But this is a lie: The truth is I

simply to be here. I have saved this one.

59

ANNA

Will that television work?

DUDLEY

Uh, if the generator can handle it, yeah. I can upload through these wires and

show you the rough cut. Of part of it. The monkey part that is – Jasantha’s rise to

alpha male – boys’ll like that kind of stuff.

ANNA

So that is the story of your film?

DUDLEY

ANNA

Oh god.

DUDLEY

The dynamics of the human troop! Brilliant right? Use your video journals and,

aired, Paul’s too. I think –

-Fischke comes out best. But then, I tend to lie and flatter whomever I’m in the

room with so, you know, don’t trust anything I say.

FISCHKE

Good to know. Laila wants me to be a spokesman for the film, give lectures

alongside. Laila says I could do more good for the monkeys that way. She wants

me to travel with them.

ANNA

I knew you’d be great in front of the camera.

60

FISCHKE

Your plan to get rid of me all along?

ANNA

I’m not that smart.

FISCHKE

You are that smart. It’s been 30 years. Perhaps it’s time now that Noc is gone.

ANNA

Are you really leaving the study? What about your work on the Happiness Index?

FISCHKE

what we want to describe? What if I can't submit this paper without being laughed

know they can feel, I know they can be happy. But I don't know if I can prove it.

ANNA

infuriatingly slow but every year we are learning more, every year the neurobiology

describe scientifically what is going on inside their heads. And we will talk about

the things we care about: happiness, love.

FISCHKE

Ramsov was a last fling, a psychic run from me. I am a grown-up. I understand.

But is he what you really want?

ANNA

Don’t do this.

FISCHKE

I know your situation... with your mother … And so if you would consider….

Marry me.

ANNA

George get up.

FISCHKE

61

RAMSOV

What’s going on?

FISCHKE

Anna was just deciding whether to come with me, with Laila, Dudley and me.

Promote the documentary and awareness about the fragility of the environment.

RAMSOV

Embracing activism and giving up science! Wonderful idea! But Anna has real

brains: she can’t just be some spokes–person.

ANNA

Dmitri, don’t be cruel.

RAMSOV

We’ll miss you, Fischke.

FISCHKE

RAMSOV

It will collapse, whether I want it to or not. That is why Anna will come with me.

And agree to be my wife.

ANNA

Oh my god.

RAMSOV

I bring you a ruby ring purchased on this island of jewels.

ANNA

I DON’T WISH TO MARRY ANYONE! JESUS!

RAMSOV

You may change your mind. When you see this!

ANNA

What is that?

62

RAMSOV

First data back from the lab in Moscow – very promising. A consistent set of

abstract on the "status gene" to a conference and it has generated much

excitement. We’re on our way out of this anachronism!

FISCHKE

meaningful. But if they are silly creatures not like us at all, then who cares how

meaning. Just status.

RAMSOV

All people care about status. Especially once they’ve lost it.

FISCHKE

Wait, Ramsov. You’ll get older. Your power is a pose, I think – a story you tell

yourself, which seems so real… until one day a brute reality intrudes.

LAILA

So. Before we left we wanted you to see some of the primary footage for the

work. It’s tentatively called “The Rise of Jasantha and a Year in the Life of the

Quadrangle Troop”

PAUL

You’ve only been here 2 months.

LAILA

We’ll edit it to look like a year, don’t worry. What? We got some great footage in

the past few weeks!

PAUL

You’ve passed out drunk 11 times since you been here by my counting.

ANNA

Shsh!

DUDLEY

Artists since time immemorial have used the magic of fermentation! And I have not

touched a drop in days I’ll have you know!

LAILA

Calm down, Nature Boy’s not worth it.

63

PAUL

Excuse me?

LAILA

brilliant, there’s a shot where a monkey mother seems to be crying over her dead

child but actually she’s only calling for her friend who showed up 5 minutes later.

DUDLEY

And... here we go. “The Rise of Jasantha and a Year in the Life of the

Quadrangle Troop”!

LAILA

We used music from this documentary we did last year, “The Dying Elephant of

the Kalahari Zoo.”

ANNA

Wow. Beautiful photography– oh I look terrible!

FISCHKE

You look beautiful.

ANNA

RAMSOV

Jasantha.

FISCHKE

Noc was still alive.

PAUL

Yes. And there’s Rambo. Sweet Rambo.

LAILA

Wimpy little monkey, Rambo. Who named him?

PAUL

I did.

VINITHA

favorite!

64

FISCHKE

Vinitha? I had no idea you had learned so much English!

VINITHA

I have been learning. From book! English language the future!

LAILA

Fucking Americans taking over the world that’s why she wants to learn English.

VINITHA

FISCHKE

How long have you understood us?

VINITHA

I understand before, with no language! Before language I know! What you say! I

write in diary what you say and I understand!

ANNA

Congratulation Vinitha-

VINITHA

FISCHKE

Anna, the car will be arriving at 11 am monkey time. Come with me.

RAMSOV

FISCHKE

Anna.

RAMSOV

Anna!

65

ANNA

We should go inside.

PAUL

I got an email from Dr. Fischke in America. He wishes us a happy Sri Lankan

New Year. He even got our charts done.

ANNA

What do they say?

PAUL

This year we will make several important discoveries. And you will have a child

by next April.

ANNA

Oh dear! New Year’s charts are silly.

PAUL

Last year’s came true.

ANNA

Did they? I have forgotten what they said.

PAUL

Well, that is the nature of predictions, I suppose. You read them with

anticipation, and then promptly forget what they said. Fischke says the

documentary is being aired on PBS in the States in May.

ANNA

Good news for our study!

PAUL

I told him it is dangerously out of date –

ANNA

You mean Shivani and Tulip?

66

PAUL

Shivani and Tulip teaming up to kick Jasantha over to the Riverbend troop. He

was too violent for them. His alpha status with males didn’t help against the

combined power of females.

ANNA

PAUL

We could ask them to add a postscript to the film.

ANNA

But all stories and studies are just the placing of artificial brackets… on endlessly

shifting and repeating narratives.

PAUL

Such a poet.

They see monkeys in the distance.

Is that Shivani?

ANNA

again.

PAUL

Rambo’s child?

ANNA

No a new peripheral male. You know Shivani. Always wants what’s just out of

reach…

A contented troop, Quadrangle. Stress levels down, Our happiness article will be

quite well received. Rambo is very sweet. Like you. Peaceful, shy, yet somehow

rising to be alpha.

PAUL

I am not alpha.

ANNA

You have more power here than you realize–

67

PAUL

alpha of this troop. You have always been. You have sex with everyone in the

troop you want, excuse me for saying so frankly, and then you decide who stays

and leaves.

ANNA

That is completely ridiculous.

ANNA

PAUL

Yes. You married weak silly low-ranking me.

ANNA

Christ, we’re not monkeys.

PAUL

Ahhh, there you’re wrong, my love. Humans are merely big monkeys who have

grown terribly ashamed. What strange monkeys we are, with our clothes, and our

hairstyles, and our songs, and our cities. Our books and our medicine and tools.

Our hesitations...our sitting in rooms alone thinking, or reading, or watching. Our

films, looking at huge pictures of other strange monkeys! Our sitting in theatres...

Very strange.