By JOHN VITOR MORAES*
Play
Tape 01
Soft lights, two chairs, a desk, some photographs and books, and a small table with a lamp. A young woman enters, carrying a side bag. Curious, she begins to observe everything very carefully, until a woman arrives with a frowning face.
Nathalia: (Standing at the door) So you're here yet?
Sara: (Starts) Hey! Hi, I'm sorry, I was just looking... (The atmosphere becomes awkward, and Sara approaches and extends her hand to the woman, who in turn points to the chairs) How are you?
(They both sit down, Sara takes out a notepad, a pen and a voice recorder.)
Nathalia: (Takes a cigarette out of her pocket) Do you mind? (Sara shakes her head no) Are you going to record or write?
Sara: (Tidying up) Both, actually… I like to take notes on things. Is that okay with you?
Nathalia: (Takes a long drag on her cigarette) Okay. (Looks restless, looking at the girl)
Sara: All set! Can we?
Nathalia: Yes. (A short silence) And where do I start?
Sara: It could be by your name. After where you came from. And you can start telling the story.
Nathalia: (Takes a deep breath) Okay... My name is Natália Amaro, I came from a city in the interior of São Paulo called Botucatu. And I'm here to tell you what happened to me and my friends... (Bring it up again) And how I was arrested and tortured.
Sara: No pressure, okay? Go at your own pace… Thank you very much for your trust, it is very important to have the courage to expose what happened.
Nathalia: I don't think it's courage, I feel it's necessary. Ever since I saw your article talking about cases of disappearances in the interior cities, I haven't stopped thinking about it.
Sara: And if everything that happens in the capitals happens, imagine in the interior? And where do you want to start?
Nathalia: On 30/07/72, the day of “Krig-Há Bandolo”.
Sara: What? Raul's album?
Scene 01: “Krig-Ha Bandolo”
The scene begins with orange light, reminiscent of the morning sun that has just risen. In the scene, a young man is sitting on a park bench reading a Tarzan comic. Nathalia enters, somewhat insecure.
Nathalia: (With a younger posture) What's up, dude? Have you been here long?
Carinha: (Quickly looks at Nathalia) Hi, kitty! It's been about half an hour. Aninha has arrived too, she went to the cathedral. So, are you excited?
Nathalia: Yes, I am, Carinha! It's been a while since we had a student meeting. Let's see what happens, shall we?
Carinha: Yeah... Things seem to be looking bad. If Delegate Jerônimo is acting up here, imagine what he's doing in São Paulo? The hard part is that we barely hear about things here.
Nathalia: (Sits down next to the boy) We have to keep our eyes open over there! And the police chief? Is he bothering you and Zeca?
Carinha: Don't even mention it. Yesterday he kept passing by the restaurant all the time. Luckily we left in Zeca's dad's car. Not to mention that the way he keeps looking at Aninha is really strange...
(Aninha enters holding a rosary)
Aninha: Hi, Nati! (Hugs the girl) I went to say a prayer, I'm feeling a little strange, I don't know... (Tries to remember something) What is the sign again? Krig badulu?
Little guy: (Takes the magazine and shows it) It's Krig-Há Bandolo!
Nathalia: Dudu, what does it mean?
Aninha: I remember that! “Here comes the enemy.”
(A motor sound starts to get closer until it stops.)
Zeca: (Shouting off-screen) Quick! Krig-Ha Bandolo! Let's go! Krig-Ha Bandolo!!!
(The three get scared and start hearing a siren in the background. So, they run away)
Nathalia: (Off-screen, in a serious tone) Zeca sped up his Kombi as fast as he could. It didn't take long for the police car to show up! (Engine and siren sounds) And the chase began. We went down the road and after a few curves we entered a dirt road. And on a curve too much... (Sound of a car overturning. And silence)
Tape 02
The two talk off the record.
Sara: (On the edge of her chair) And what happened?!
Nathalia: (Lights another cigarette) After the van overturned, Zeca grabbed me by the arm and told me to run as fast as possible. And that's what I did... I ran!
Sara: And Aninha and Dudu? What happened to them?
Nathalia: (Blows smoke) That was the last time I saw the two of them.
Sara: I'm sorry…
Nathalia: Shall we continue?
Sara: Just a moment, I'm going to change the tape. (She goes to get another tape from her bag) I loved your last exhibition, your photos are noisy!
Nathalia: (She loses her serious posture) Noisy? Thanks, I guess. I love photography and suddenly it became my profession.
Sara: (Puts on another tape) Nathalia, what happened after you ran away?
Nathalia: When did you leave Brazil?
Sara: (Surprised by the question) What? It was in 77. I came to London as soon as I graduated. My professor was working at a magazine and invited me to try to denounce the things that were happening in Brazil. I ended up staying and developing this work of denouncing and telling stories like yours.
Nathalia: I didn't like London very much. It rains all over the world...
Sara: (Laughs) That's why Paris?
(Nathalia smiles at the girl)
Sara: (To the recorder) Do you want to take a break?
Nathalia: (Stays silent for three seconds) Let's continue.
Sara: (Play the recorder) And what happened after you ran away?
Nathalia: The van was chased for a long time on the road. We were close to another city when it overturned. So I ran and ended up arriving in the rural area of that other city.
Sara: What happened next?
Nathalia: I found a pond and there was a boy fishing…
Scene 02 – the dam
Nathalia enters the scene desperate, with torn clothes and bruises. A boy is sitting in the front of the stage fishing and taking a nap. Nathalia sees the boy, thinks for a moment about what to do and goes desperately to him. He wakes up scared by the girl's screams.
Nathalia: (Desperate) Please, sir, you need to help me! (Grabs the boy's arm)
Boy: (A bit lost and with a heavy accent) Calm down, girl, what happened? You're all hurt!
Nathalia: Help me! Please!
Boy: I'll help, but calm down, okay? Tell me what's going on. Calm down, breathe, okay? (She holds his hand and they both breathe together to calm her down)
Nathalia: (Breathing fast) They want to kill me! (Takes a deep breath) A police officer from my city wants to get me and I think he got my friends! (Gets worried again) Please, man, I need to hide!
He stares at her for a few seconds, picks up his things and extends his hand to the girl. She is suspicious, but, having no other option, she leaves with the boy, and together they leave the scene. The light goes out and then comes back on. The boy is sitting in a chair, a little impatient, and stays there for a few seconds. After a while, Nathalia appears with a towel drying her hair.
Boy: Are you better?
Nathalia: (He finds his words strange) Yes, I am... You saved my life and I haven't even asked your name yet, right?
Boy: Benedito. But you can call me Dito.
Nathalia: I said... I'm Nathalia! Thank you very much. I know it's strange for a crazy woman to appear like that, out of nowhere, running away from the police.
Said: There's nothing wrong... I live here with my mother. She must have gone to Dona Cida's house. (Thinking) But what happened?
Nathalia: I live in Botucatu, do you know him? My friends and I were going to São Paulo, there was going to be a student meeting, but there in Botucatu there is a police chief who keeps chasing people and he got mad at us. He got mad at us after he beat up our teacher. The police chief chased us on the road. Our car overturned and he, with some police officers, came after us. I ran away... And then I found you.
Said: Hey, why did they beat up the teacher? Your story sounds like the one about some guys who showed up at the farm my uncle runs in Taguaí a few years ago.
Nathalia: What do you mean?
Said: Some guys appeared who were also running away from some men in a black car. One of them was a teacher and the other was a painter… My uncle became suspicious and called the police. They left first, but they didn't seem like bad people.
Nathalia: It must be a similar situation… (Penny drops) You’re not going to call the police, are you? (Subtly looks for a way out)
Said: Nothing! I don't even like the police very much. They came here to the village once and made a lot of trouble! Don't worry, they haven't been here for ages. And no one needs to know that you're running away. If anyone asks, just say you're my cousin. Okay?
Nathalia: Wow, Dito… I don’t even know how to thank you for your help…
Said: Don't worry, okay? My mother will be happy to meet you. Let's go to the square, they're organizing the church party. Let's go there and help?
Nathalia: Yeah… Is it safe?
Said: Of course! Just don't mess with anyone who is successful. At most, they'll gossip.
Nathalia: Okay… I think…
Said: You stay here for a while and then I'll take you home. In ten days I'll take some packages here from the farm and I'll go through Botucatu. That's it, right?
Nathalia: (Gives a shy smile) Look there, Dito! I'm going to trust you, okay? (They both look at each other and, in the silence, find complicity) Let's go?
Blackout.
Tape 03
Recorder stops recording.
Sara: (Tapping the pen on the pad) Benedito… (Quickly changes the subject) And how long did you stay in that place?
Nathalia: (Realizing something) What was that? You got tense out of nowhere. What happened?
Sara: (Takes a deep breath) I think you were in a rural area between Botucatu and Itatinga.
Lights come on and the two are in the office again.
Nathalia: How do you know that? I didn't even know!
Sara: (Tense) So… I think you escaped something terrible. Benedito Silva. Known as the “Devil of the Reservoir”.
Nathalia: (Without understanding anything) What are you talking about? Explain this strange conversation to me properly!
Sara: I was researching you, the situation in the city, the missing people, etc. And I found an article that talks about this case. Benedito raped and killed an eighteen-year-old girl and a twenty-one-year-old boy. Their bodies were found on August 09.08.72, XNUMX, ten days later, in the family's reservoir.
Nathalia is in shock.
Sara: The bodies were badly bruised. The parents were only able to recognize their children because the girl was wearing a rosary that they had given her that year. And so two plus two, right? The friend who had disappeared at the same time was clearly the same person.
Nathalia: (Still shocked) Rosary? A different dress with bigger beads?
Sarah: Yes…
Nathalia: Do… Do you remember the names of the victims?
Sara: Mariana Oliveira. And the boy is… Eduardo… Eduardo…
Nathalia: Eduardo Braga. (Looks at the reporter who confirms that yes)
Nathalia stands up, indignant and revolted. She swears and knocks things over. Then she looks at Sara, who doesn't understand her reaction. Nathalia takes a deep breath and sits back down.
Nathalia: Turn it on. Turn it on now! (Sara quickly turns on the recorder and Blackout)
Scene 03 – captives
Focus turns on. Nathalia is sitting facing the audience.
Nathalia: Continuing… Later that same day, I met Dito’s mother. (With affection) Mrs. Elô, a sweetheart! She was beautiful, I think she was about 40 at most! She was friendly and very patient. (With longing in her voice) She welcomed me with so much affection and love… And after I told her my story, she understood and told me that she was a teacher in Bauru, but after 64 she and her husband came to live on the farm to raise their son. And everything was going well until the day Dito said that the police made a mess and in the middle of the confusion he was the one who got the worst of it. He was shot five times, twice in the face and the other three were just for fun. (Lights a cigarette) Yeah… Awesome! (Taking a drag on the cigarette)
Sara: (Off-screen) And then what happened?
Nathalia: (Excitedly) Two days passed and the party that Dito couldn’t stop talking about came along. It was like a fair, you know? There was a lot of good food, a wonderful barbecue! Lots of dancing and music too… Dito’s mother found out that I liked photography, so she took a Kodak Instamatic S-10 camera that belonged to her husband so I could take pictures. Then she gave it to me as a gift. The neighbors all had a great time together! Dito and I got really close and we danced and had fun. (She becomes introspective and smokes a cigarette) Remember when he told me not to mess with anyone? Well, there was a girl who was Dona Cida’s daughter who was jealous of me with Dito. She was in love with him and complained to her older brother. To cheer up his sister, he decided to take her to the city. It must be Itatinga, from what you said…
Sara: Yes… Wait. How much time had passed by then?
Nathalia: About seven days. Dito and I were inseparable. And the truth is? I was enjoying being there, you know? I was really scared to go home and everything was going really well! Unfortunately, too well… (His face becomes expressionless like stone) And Cida's children were having lunch at the establishment that is right at the entrance to the city. While they were eating, three men came in and started asking if anyone had seen a woman with my features… Dito and I were arrested that afternoon…
Sara: (Sara's focus lights up) Wait a minute... (The penny drops) How did Benedito kill those people if he was with you all those days and you were arrested together? (Confused) Is that possible? And how did I not realize this before? Nathalia, please continue the story!
Sara's focus also goes out. And all you can hear is the sound of the recorder.
Scene 04 – the basement
Red light comes on. Nathalia is tied to a strange chair, with parts of her body exposed, dirty, with torn and injured clothes. Passed out, she slowly wakes up and reacts as if she were in a lot of pain. Suddenly, a sinister figure, dressed in black and with her face covered, enters the scene.
Nathalia: (Feeling a strange relief) So, you've finally arrived.
Shadow: So you already know who I am? That's great, it saves me time! (He comes closer and takes a good look) You look like crap. (Then he starts walking in the darkness of the stage)
Nathalia: After so much beating and so much shock, I imagine that my appearance is not the best… (Tries to move)
Figure: (Mocking tone) What a shame. But don't worry about it, we're friends! That's not relevant at this point in the game. (Puts his hands on the chair)
Nathalia: Is that what we are? Friends? If so, take me out of here at once.
Shadow: That's all you have left, isn't it? You had everything... Now you're here, with your flesh torn apart, your bones crushed, covered in wounds, and covered in blood and pus. You were so beautiful, so promising...
Screams of pain and agony are heard.
Figure: (Starts stroking the girl's hair) Look there, another poor guy who was taken from his home, beaten, electrocuted, raped and humiliated by his beloved great country... And do you know what's worse? No one will ever know the name of the unfortunate guy... (Holds the girl's face) And you? Are you going to be another one forgotten in this story?
Nathalia: I don't even know why I'm here anymore. Even though I feel that there's a good reason inside me, I can't remember... I only feel pain and my bones tremble. (She puts her hand on her hooded face) Make it stop? Give me your kiss and get me out of this evil right away! (She faints again)
Shadow: (He breaks away from her and returns to the darkness) Nathalia… I'm sorry to inform you that it's not you I came to look for. You won't be forgotten… Only if you want to… (Shadow disappears)
Policeman: (Off-screen) Wake up, you bitch! Go! Hurry up, you wretch. It's warm out there, isn't it? Come on, they're waiting for you!
She wakes up and the light slowly goes out.
Tape 05
Nathalia: (Off-screen) When I was being pulled out of the hole by the police officer, I remember walking down a dark hallway where there were some scenes and warehouses like the one I was in. When we passed in front of one of these warehouses, the police officer pushed me and held my face against the door. He opened the grate so I could look. (Takes a deep breath) When I looked, the light was dim, I strained my eyes and saw a naked man tied to a chair, all torn up. The smell was horrible. It smelled of many things, but what struck me was the smell of burning flesh... The police officer said that next time it would be me and took me outside.
Sara: And were you able to see who this man was?
Nathalia: It was Dito.
Sara: So, you mean…
Nathalia: He didn't kill anyone, he was framed... Mariana Oliveira is Aninha's name. The police chief kept an eye on her. Eduardo Braga is Carinha.
Sara: (Throws the pen away) Sons of bitches! Damn them! (Takes a deep breath) And how did you get out? What's this talk about a warm back?
The lights come on and we return to the office, with the two girls talking.
Nathalia: Remember Zeca? Well, he's the nephew of the captain of the Botucatu barracks. As soon as they caught him, they let him go and he went after us. They told him that they only caught me and that the other two hadn't shown up.
Sara: By then, they were already dead.
Nathalia: Zeca and I decided not to leave Brazil. We came to London and I started studying photography. When they arrested me, they took my belongings. Mrs. Elô had given me a backpack with some clothes, where I had left the camera that I still have today. We tried to live together, but I couldn't live with him... I always remembered everything that happened and so I came to Paris. And here we are.
Sara: And do you still keep in touch?
Nathalia: Not anymore. I heard from acquaintances that he returned to Brazil when the amnesty law was passed.
Sara: I know… And you don’t intend to go back?
Nathalia: (Stays silent) I didn't think about it.
Sara: The Diretas Já movement is happening. It's a good time to think about it. I'm not going back now because stories like yours are coming out. I can't let these bastards go unpunished for the crimes they committed.
Nathalia: I think the complaint is already a start, right?
Sara: Yes. Today we're talking about Europe, tomorrow we'll vote again and so on... Until the day we catch them! (They look at each other and smile) Is there anything else you'd like to say?
Nathalia: I wanted to talk about the truth. Not to let the memory of Dito, Carinha and Aninha be forgotten like that of so many others.
Sara turns off the recorder and starts to tidy up.
Sara: (Convinced) Nathalia, I assure you that the truth about your friends will be known, especially about Dito! Your testimony will reach his mother and Mariana and Eduardo's families.
They both stand up.
Nathalia: Thank you, Sara.
Sara: Look! I almost forgot. Can I take a picture of you for the article?
Nathalia: Just a moment. (She leaves and returns with a photo) Here! It's a photo I took at Dito's village party! It's not the best, but I think it's good enough, right?
Sara: (Gets emotional with the photo) Perfect!
Sara hugs Nathalia, who hugs her back.
Sara: When the article is ready, I'll let you know. Okay?
Nathalia, reflective, sits on the chair, lights a cigarette and the light slowly goes out…
*João Vitor Moraes it's dartistic director of GARAGE Ponto de Cultura. Member of the SN Theater Company.
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