Through a Glass Darkly - Almeida Theatre

Justin Salinger and Ian McElhinneyPhoto: Simon Annandthe derelict room. She offers to show him. A thunderstorm can be heard in the distance.Scene TenKarin shows Max the derelict room. She points out the crack in the wall that she tells him she goesthrough. Max is watching her closely, as she tells him about the voices she hears, and theincredible feeling she had. She tells Max that she believes God is inside the room, and He willappear when she enters; the people in there are all waiting for her. They love her, she is their hope.More quietly, she tells Max of her guilt at lying to Martin, for pretending that she belongs in thisworld with him when really she believes she needs to belong in the other world, behind the wall –the world of her psychosis is so much more real. Max replies that it is not real to him. She tellsMax that she has let go of Martin. Max is uneasy. He tries to change the subject, asking Karin tocome for a swim. Karin lies down on the floor, sleepy. Max makes to leave, but Karin jumps up andpulls him back into the room, asking him about his homework.Plot SummaryThere is a crack of thunder and the sound of rain pouring down. Karin tells Max how lonely she is,although she believes Max understands her. Karin holds onto Max, and hears whispering again. Shefalls to her knees and pulls Max down with her. She kisses him. Max is confused. Karin pleads withhim to help her. Max kisses her back then suddenly tries to scrabble away. Karin pulls him back. Atfirst Max resists but soon they are locked together. The rain continues to pour down.Scene ElevenMartin and David are on their way back from the mainland in the boat. The atmosphere is tenseand hostile. David asks Martin why he is being so cold; Martin replies that he just wants David tolook after his daughter. He tells David that Karin read her diary, and asks what she would have seenthere. David tells him and confesses his terrible interest in Karin’s condition, as a writer. Martin isdisgusted and David is mortified with himself, although he cannot justify his actions. Martincriticises David’s egocentricity; David retorts that Martin does not understand. But Martin is tooappalled by David’s utter disregard for Karin’s health at the cost of his ‘great’ work of literature thatwill result from her downfall. Martin criticises David’s work as sloppy and heartless, criticism thatcuts to David’s core. Martin despairs that his love for Karin cannot save her, and she is movingaway from him into the depths of illness. David confesses that he finds being a father hard andfeels a failure. Writing books is his consolation. He admits that he tried to kill himself his trip toResource Pack: Through A Glass Darkly by Ingmar Bergman 12