We Go Way Back (2006) - full transcript
A tragic-comic tale with surrealistic tendencies about a lost 23-year-old who is haunted by her disappointed 13-year-old self.
Kate,
it's Susan again. I'm sorry.
Um, I realized that we never
really talked about food.
Um, I mean, I'm bringing like bags of,
you know, crappy party food,
but I can't...
And I was sort of assuming that you might be willing to bring your chili,
which is really
always a hit.
And the other thing is,
appetizers.
I was gonna make something
but it looks like I'm gonna have to go to theater right after work.
...Tastes good, just look nice
and kind of festive,
jjust so it's not all like, you know,
Cheetos and Sprite, like it always is. It's so...
Oh, that's something else
I have to ask you about.
The theater books.
They're kind of behind.
And it's not your fault.
It's just I haven't assembled the receipts,
but I have now, they're all...
I've printed...
I did that last night,
so...
Actually, we should probably
check with him,
I don't see why
that's a problem.
Nobody else is
gonna be touching him.
So, if you just took him home,
then you could do him at your leisure.
Uh, sooner rather than later.
So, thank you so much, Kate.
All right, that's all for now.
I'll see you at the party. Okay.
Happy birthday, honey. Bye.
Hello? KATE'S MOTHER: Hi, sweetie.
Happy birthday.
Thanks, Mom.
Did you get my card?
Um, yeah.
I'm sorry,
I shouldn't have sent those pictures of you and Michael, right?
No, you shouldn't have.
I guess... I guess
I just haven't registered
that you really...
That you broke up.
It's okay, Mom.
Sorry.
So, how's the show going?
Oh, fine. It went fine.
It's over now.
Oh, it closed already?
Yeah, a couple days ago.
Well, did you have
a good time?
It was a pretty big part,
wasn't it?
Well, I was on stage a lot,
but I was dead,
most of the time, as it turns out.
Oh. Yeah.
I'm kind of glad you didn't see it actually.
Well, how's the apartment?
Fine. I painted it blue.
Oh.
Uh, you know, Mom,
I kinda gotta go.
I'm sorry.
Where are you going?
Uh, I got this party tonight,
I have to do some cooking.
Oh, you're having a party?
No, no.
Uh, it's just for the show.
Oh, right, right.
Well, nice to get
to go to a party.
Yeah.
Parties...
Parties are good.
Okay, I'll let you go,
and, um,
I'm sending you a big
birthday hug over the phone.
I love you, sweetie.
I love you, too, Mom.
Bye.
Bye.
Dear Kate at 23,
hey, what's up,
grown-up me, how's life?
Do you have a boyfriend?
Do you still love
Carson McCullers?
Are you still best friends
with Maxie?
Where do you live?
Seattle? Paris?
Wherever you are,
I hope you're doing exactly what you want to do,
and having a really good time.
If you ever get sad,
remember that I was thinking
of you once.
But I guess I can't anymore,
because now I'm you.
So, maybe you can think about me once in a while.
Shit.
Surprise!
Happy birthday!
You're great.
You make a really good victim.
Stetland was in peak form.
Yeah.
How did you guys rig
that decapitation scene?
That was awesome.
Well,
it seemed like an excuse for misogyny to me.
Well, I don't think it was supposed to be a feminist play.
I would never...
We need to catch up.
Yeah, absolutely.
I have all this accounting
that I have to do.
I know, but we'll see
each other soon, okay?
Happy birthday.
Thank you.
Hey, could you
come in here a sec?
Jeff?
What are you doing in here?
Close the door.
Why?
Because I'm going to kiss you.
I wanted to do that
for a long time.
You have?
Yeah, I have.
I'm going to fuck
you now, okay?
Hey.
Is it okay if I take this...
Yeah, yeah, sure.
Okay, thank you.
Sure. No problem.
Uh, no, wait.
Just wait a minute.
Um, everybody.
Everybody, I wanna
make a toast.
I wanna make a toast
to a delightful human being.
She is beautiful, intelligent
and most charmingly,
she is a martyr
to the theater.
I have never seen
such dedication.
Not only does she do all of our bookkeeping,
in the name of art,
but she also calls the plumber
in the name of art,
and then works side by side
with the plumber,
for, like, six hours
before she is due, in fact.
To be acting on the
same stage that has been...
The stage upon which
she will be seduced,
led astray...
Heartlessly strangled...
And ultimately beheaded.
All in the name of art.
So, here's to Kate.
All right, thank you.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
No. Seriously.
Kate,
you came to us
young and hungry
and willing to do anything
to prove yourself to us.
And you have.
You've proved that you can
handle more than just
multiple roles,
in Mother Courage,
more than hanging
upside down in Titus for, like,
two-and-a-half hours.
More than screaming
your bloody head off,
and I mean that
quite literally,
in our last epic masterpiece.
And that's why I've decided
to give you a role
that you can finally cut
your leading-lady teeth on.
Ladies and gentlemen,
please meet the star of our next production,
I give you, Hedda Gabler.
Happy birthday, Kate.
Oh, my God,
you're playing Hedda, that's incredible.
Did you know?
Did he even read you for it?
No.
Weird.
Oh, my God,
I'm so jealous.
Congratulations.
Oh, thank you.
Hey.
What's up, grown-up me?
How's life? Where do you live?
Seattle? Paris?
Wherever you are,
hope you're doing exactly what you want to do,
and having a really good time.
Hey.
Hi.
Well, come on, here.
Sit here.
Well, here we are.
Here we are.
So, how do you feel?
Are you excited?
I can't even tell you.
I mean, thank you so much.
You deserve it.
You're ready, Kate.
I mean, yeah, it's
a little crazy to cast you.
I mean, you're
way too young, and...
But I've always gone
with my instincts.
Listen, Kate,
I've read this play every
year since college.
I'm awed by him.
By Ibsen, I mean.
And a little afraid, too.
I've never felt ready
to tackle him.
But then last month in the middle of dress for Guignol,
it just hit me.
You.
It's you.
You're my Hedda.
I can't do this alone, Kate.
I need a partner.
So, what do you say?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Good, good, good.
Okay, listen.
I've realized since
I've been reading...
Okay, I'm just going to
come right out and say it.
Kate, I need for you
to learn Norwegian.
Norwegian?
At least well enough
to do the play.
Hedda must speak Ibsen's
actual words.
Wow, really?
A Norwegian production?
Well, actually,
Hedda will be the only one who speaks the original text.
You see, Hedda is set apart,
she's like a stranger
among the others.
And I think this will really help emphasize that fact.
Plus, she's the center
of the play.
She's Ibsen's voice.
Look, I can't put it into words.
I'm just going from my gut here.
From the same place that made me wanna cast you in the first place.
I'll do it.
Will you?
Look, I know it will be hard,
but I truly believe that
we have a chance to break through to
something really incredible with this.
Do you trust me?
Yes, I do.
All right, then.
Let's keep this to
ourselves for now.
Uh, once the cast is on their feet we'll spring it on them.
Probably at
the first run through.
So, read the English lines
for now.
But memorize
this version.
And please don't lose it,
I had to go on eBay to find it.
Oh, and you'll need this.
Thanks, Kate.
You're gonna do great.
Yes, Aunt Julie, Hedda,
the most beautiful thing of all.
Oh, and I think she's coming.
Ooh, good morning,
Hedda, dear,
how very good to see you.
Good morning,
Miss Tesman.
How kind of you to
call on us so early.
Yes, yes.
Good, good, good.
Hedda, let's have you enter
from upstage left, actually.
And you need to be...
The reality of her
situation is hitting you
at the moment
of your entrance.
You've made your bed and now
you have to lie in it, yes?
And I think that the seeds
of your suicide are born
right here, right this minute,
right this very minute.
Okay, just as an experiment,
let's help Kate out here.
Brad, Eliza,
I'd like you to be doing
something quintessentially,
horrifyingly domestic.
You know, some sort of
chore or, um...
Uh, okay, how about
as you're chatting,
you're just peeling a few potatoes.
So is this the kitchen or are
we still in the drawing room?
No, it's still
the drawing room.
Just don't think about it
too much. It's just an image.
Okay, let's take it from Tesman's line,
"I can't wait to get started."
Whenever you're ready.
I can't wait
to get started on it,
especially, now that I have a comfortable home of my own to work in.
Welcome to the Jon Andersson Vik Norwegian language series.
I will be your guide to the
wonderful language of Norway.
We will begin
with basic conversation.
Please repeat after me.
Hello. Hi.
Hello. Hi.
How are you?
Please.
Hello?
Hi, Kate?
Um, yeah.
It's me, Susan.
Oh, hi, what's up?
Do you think you can pick up some potatoes for the next rehearsal?
You mean he wants
to use real ones?
Yeah, and he said
he wants a lot of them.
What does a lot mean?
I don't know, a lot.
Okay.
Thanks a lot, Kate.
Sure.
All right, see ya, bye.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thank you.
What time is it, please?
Where am I?
Two, three, there
you go.
Here you go. Thanks a lot.
All right, thanks.
Hey, how's it going?
Hey.
I've completely forgotten your name.
Pete.
Right, I'm Kate.
Kate, right, hi.
Where's, uh...
Michael?
Yeah.
He moved to Baltimore,
and I didn't.
Oh.
Were you looking for
anything in particular?
Potatoes, actually.
But I need
a lot of them for a play.
Yeah?
Well. Yeah.
I have a lot of them, got
about 10 bushels in the truck.
Sounds like a lot.
Yeah, it is.
Do you think you could
deliver them for me?
Sure.
Great.
Five o'clock?
Okay.
It's 5604, 22nd avenue
North West, Apartment B.
Okay.
See you then, bye.
Personal call?
Sorry.
No personal calls, Kate.
Did you get the
Thomson files yet?
Not yet.
Do you want them now?
Sounds like a plan.
To
Yeah.
I called in on you yesterday,
but you weren't home.
Have you just come
to town then?
Yesterday afternoon,
I was quite desperate when I found that you weren't home.
Desperate, why?
Oh, my dear, Mrs. Elvesting,
I mean, Elvesting.
Hello?
Hi, Kate.
It's Jeff.
Hi.
How are you?
I'm great.
Fine.
How are you?
I'm good.
I guess, uh...
We haven't really
talked since the party.
No, I guess we haven't.
And we're going to be working together and everything,
so I just...
I wanted to call and make sure
that we're still cool.
Right.
So are we still cool?
Um, yeah, yeah.
I also wanted to know...
Wanted you to know that...
I mean,
I don't usually
do what we did.
Uh-huh.
Do you?
No.
I mean it was...
It was really...
Nice.
You know,
if you ever wanted to...
I mean... I mean maybe...
Maybe we could hang out sometime?
If you wanted, you know.
It doesn't have to be
a big deal.
I mean, a date, if you're not
comfortable with that.
Um, uh-huh.
I'm not very good at this.
That's okay, I...
I kind of have to go.
All right.
I'm at work.
Oh, oh, okay.
I'll see you then,
at rehearsal, I guess.
Okay. Okay, bye.
Okay, bye.
Isn't that just what I told you when you
came here so frightened this morning?
Frightened?
Oh, Hedda, please.
See for yourself, Thea.
There is no need at all for you to go around so terribly afraid.
So terribly afraid,
over me?
Hedda, why are you doing this?
So this is how
you trusted me?
Oh, no, no my darling,
please, please listen to me.
Here's to you, Thea.
Try drinking out of a potato.
Drink out of it?
Just try it.
No, no not that one.
Try one that looks more like... Yes, yes,
try that one.
Here's to you, Thea.
Kate, thanks for
coming in early.
We made a small change
to the cast.
I'd like you to meet
your new husband.
Jeremy, this is Kate.
Kate, this is my nephew, Jeremy. Hi.
Hi.
Tesman is a child, Kate.
A 30-year-old child.
By casting Jeremy in the part
the audience is
really gonna get that.
And I think that
this is really gonna help you
with your disdain of Tesman.
All right? Great.
Now, I wanted you two to spend
a little time together
before everyone else
gets here.
We got about an hour.
So, let's say we take a look
at the scene
when Tesman comes home early in the morning from the stag party.
Page 56.
Dear Kate at
Hey, what's up grown-up-me?
How's life?
Are you still best friends
with Maxie?
Where do you live?
If you ever get sad,
remember that
I was thinking of you once.
Bye for now.
Love, Kate at
You think it was
some kind of power in me?
One, two, three, four...
How else
can you explain it?
One. Okay, come on, come on.
And all those
devious questions.
Which you answered
so freely.
Because you asked
them so boldly.
I thought you said,
"Deviously."
Yes.
But also, boldly.
You interrogated me.
About everything.
And you answered,
Mr. Lovborg.
Yes, I did.
Why do you act?
'Cause I'm good at it.
Isn't that
why you do it?
Hey, what's up, grown-up me?
How's life?
Do you have a boyfriend?
If you ever get sad,
remember that
I was thinking of you once.
But I guess I can't anymore
because...
Did you get to those
Stanwick files yet?
I was just gonna get them.
Now I'm you.
So, maybe you can think
about me once in a while.
That'd be nice.
Bye for now.
Love,
Kate at
We must take it calmly,
dear Berta.
There's nothing else
we can do.
George must have you with...
George must have you
with him in this house.
I know, Miss.
But I can't help thinking about Miss Rina,
poor thing.
Please. Don't worry yourself
about my poor sister,
dear Berta.
Traditional Norwegian cooking.
Sour cream porridge.
Dried cod, treated with lye.
Roasted potatoes.
Potato pancakes.
Ham-stuffed potato balls.
Boiled potatoes.
Potato dumplings with bacon.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
Are you happy?
Are you happy?
Ham-stuffed potato balls.
Hey, Kate. It's, uh...
It's Susan. So, I guess
we are setting the play
on a potato farm now.
So, we're trying to
drum up some
props and set design pieces.
What I was thinking was that maybe you could ask
that farmer friend of yours
if you could borrow
some of his extra farm stuff.
You know, like, rusty,
old plows,
or, you know, rakes and hoes,
like, just tools?
Just to add an atmosphere,
ambience. Um...
Could you do that for me?
That'd be so great.
Thanks a lot, Kate. Bye.
Hey. How's
the play going?
Great.
Potatoes working out?
Yes. Thank you.
You back
for more?
No. We have plenty
for now, but...
Well, we need some, uh,
farm things to borrow.
Farm things?
Like, rakes or hoes
or whatever.
Maybe an old plow.
I got a bunch of them.
Nice rusty ones too. Uh...
I could... I could
bring up a selection
or you could come down
and pick them out yourself,
if you wanted to.
Really?
Yeah. Oh, except, uh,
I live kind of far away.
That's okay.
Sounds fun.
All right.
I'll draw you a map.
I can't wait
to get started on it.
Especially now,
with a comfortable home of my own to work in.
And now that you've got
a wife, dear George.
The wife of your dreams.
Yes, Aunt Julie.
Hedda, the most
beautiful thing of all.
And I think
she's coming.
Oh, Good morning,
Hedda, dear.
How very good to see you.
Uh, and did the young bride
sleep well in her new home?
Jeremy,
it's your line. What?
But, she didn't say hers.
How am I supposed
to know when to...
Just wait till
she's finished.
Okay. Go again.
Are you finished?
Yeah.
Oh...
Well enough. Oh,
listen to you, Hedda.
You were sleeping like a log when I got up.
From now on, Judge,
I hope you'll be good enough
to keep Hedda company.
With the greatest
of pleasure.
But, Hedda, dearest. Don't chop firewood tonight.
Bang!
All right, all right.
Great first run-through.
Really. It's starting
to come together.
Okay. Notes in 10.
Hedda. Kate.
Can I have a word? Yeah.
Kate, I need you
to be honest with me.
How do you think
it's going?
Well, it's been...
I mean, I won't say
it's been easy.
The hardest part is trying to keep straight what line I'm actually saying
at any given time.
I mean, you know.
Mostly I've learned to say the lines phonetically, so...
But now that I'm beginning to remember the meanings of them too,
I know that'll really help.
It's not working.
What?
You know what I said about, uh,
the truth of using Ibsen's actual words,
and how we were gonna break through to something new?
Well, it's just not coming across, Kate.
None of it.
It's not
your fault. Really.
Uh, I mean,
I think it was just a...
You know,
it was just an interesting impulse that didn't pan out.
Instead of the Norwegian,
what if Hedda were just a little taller than all the others?
Just slightly,
abnormally tall.
You've worked with stilts
before, right?
Were you around for Voetsek?
Oh, well, they don't
take long to get used to.
We could also try using some
really high lifts.
We could hide them
under the skirt.
Well, we'll
think about that.
Hey, partner,
really nice work tonight.
I mean it.
Do you think you can lock up, Kate?
I need to go.
Yeah, I will.
Are you sure?
Yeah, it's no problem.
Okay, thanks.
Nice job today,
by the way.
Good night, ladies.
Hey, I'm gonna go.
I think. Okay.
You did really good today.
I was really proud of you. Thank you.
Mmm, see you soon, okay?
Okay.
Good night, Kate.
Great work.
Thank you. Bye.
- Good night.
You okay?
Kate?
Are you panicking?
Don't panic,
it's gonna be fine.
This is your
first big lead, Kate.
I mean,
it's okay to be a little freaked out.
I mean, angst is part of the process,
but don't let it kill you.
Really, it's all
gonna work out.
And if it doesn't,
there is always another show, right?
So, what is it? Michael?
Do you miss him?
I guess.
Yeah.
I thought so.
I'm afraid.
It's okay.
Hey,
what's up, grown-up me?
What's up, grown-up me?
How's life?
If you ever get sad,
remember that I was
thinking of you once.
Dear Kate at 19, happy birthday.
What's college like?
Do you ever get drunk?
I hear that's what you do in college.
Are you in love?
Sometimes it seems like fun and sometimes
it just seems like a big waste of time.
Are you happy?
I hope you're living by
yourself now,
so that you can eat peanut butter and chocolate in the middle of the night
and never clean your room again.
Dear Kate at 31...
Unless you really want to.
Happy birthday. Hey, look...
We're the same age, just backwards.
I wonder if you got married.
That's weird to think about.
I think we should forget about the husband and just have the kids.
What do you think?
We could live in a farm with lots of animals.
We wouldn't need any money because we'd grow all our own food.
Whoa, sounds like I want you
to be a hippie or something.
I wonder what it's like
to have sex.
Do you like it?
So what did you decide
to do with your life?
There are so many
cool things to do.
I can't decide
what I want to do.
Remember, you can do anything that you
want to do and be anything you want to be.
Dear Kate at 44,
happy birthday.
Do you remember me at all?
You seem so far away.
Dear Kate...
I wish I had a picture to see what you look like now.
Are you happy?
You seem so far way...
Are you older and wiser yet?
What's it like
to be grown up?
Seems like it might be
scary sometimes.
So much to worry about.
I hope you don't
let it all get you down.
Are you older and
wiser yet?
You seem so far away.
Bye for now.
Love...
Kate at 13.
Can I get you something?
Uh... Beer.
You from around here?
You know, they have stronger legs than most horses.
Did you know that?
Yeah.
So, the ostrich farm didn't
work out too well.
It's great though 'cause
insurance is gonna cover
most of the start-up cost
of the fish farm.
And this one is gonna take.
I got a great, great feeling
about it, you know?
Yeah.
I got... I...
I have to go.
You okay?
Do you need a ride somewhere?
I can give you a ride.
No, I have a car.
You do?
Yeah.
Where is it?
Up the road.
How about I give
you a lift to it?
Come on, it's okay.
Come on.
It's okay.
Where are you going?
What's beer
taste like?
Are you drunk?
What's that like?
Hi.
Hi.
You okay?
Yeah.
I had almost
given up on you.
Sorry.
Well, come on in.
Hey.
Who's this?
I'm Katie.
How you doing?
Well, come on in.
Before you let the bugs in.
Are you guys hungry?
So...
You live on a farm?
Yep.
What's it like?
It's a...
Pretty quiet.
Do you have any animals?
Cat, some chickens,
few goats.
Goats?
Yeah, trying to figure
out how to raise them.
Maybe make some
cheese eventually.
Goat cheese?
Yeah, you know. Chevre.
Could I see them?
Uh, it's a little past
their bedtime now.
Oh?
What time is it?
Uh, 9:30, 10:00.
Oh.
Oh, God.
I...
Wow, I'm sorry.
I didn't realize it was so late.
Oh, no, it's okay.
I was supposed
to be here at like noon,
and here I am knocking on your door in the middle of the night.
Don't worry
about it. Really.
It's nice that
you're here.
Do you guys need to,
to get back?
I can get a flash light.
We can load up your car right now, if you like.
Load up my car?
Yeah.
Don't you wanna borrow
some of my farm tools.
Oh.
Yeah, right.
The thing is,
we don't have a car.
Oh.
You don't?
Well, we have one,
it's just not here.
It's somewhere
up the road.
Did it break down?
No, we just wanted to walk for a while.
Oh.
You know, um,
if you wanted to,
you guys could just sleep here tonight.
I can stay on the couch.
I'll drop you off at your car in the morning.
Do you have
any board games?
Uh, bleeding...
Uh, losing your voice...
Vocal chords. Pealing?
Is that it?
Pealing.
Sun, like sun...
Track...
Ray...
Uh, moon? Orbit?
All right. The Planets?
Star?
Walk of Fame?
Revolve...
The whole universe.
The universe.
Galaxy?
Universe.
I don't know what
you're drawing.
Now you are just confusing.
Circles.
Lots of circles.
Frustrated girl. Pass.
It was space.
Space.
Ha!
Smile, mouth.
Smile, mouth.
Smile.
Seed bag... Feed...
Seed bag... Seed...
It's, uh, oh,
oh, oh, oh...
It's, it's a...
What is it called?
Oh, what's the name of it?
Circles.
Potato.
Yes.
Potato?
Yes.
Well, how is
that a potato?
And the one with the big ugly beehive is married to my Uncle Bill.
Her name's Lily.
So, are you in
the theater too?
No.
What do you wanna be
when you grow up?
I don't know,
I wanna go to France.
You could be a master
cheese maker.
I don't like cheese.
That could be a problem.
When did you
start acting, Kate?
In the ninth grade.
You forgot
the farm tools.
Yeah, I did.
Dear Kate at 14.
Hey, you.
I mean, me.
Well, you're a year older.
Are you any wiser?
I know you must be
different than I am.
In some ways anyhow.
Why does that make me sad?
I'm only going to get older
and smarter and better, right?
The thing is, when I become
you, what'll happen to me?
Maybe when you read this
letter you'll remember me.
I mean, maybe
you'll remember you
when you were me, you know?
Okay, well, anyway...
Happy birthday.
Don't forget about me, okay?
I love you.
Bye for now,
Kate at 13.
it's Susan again. I'm sorry.
Um, I realized that we never
really talked about food.
Um, I mean, I'm bringing like bags of,
you know, crappy party food,
but I can't...
And I was sort of assuming that you might be willing to bring your chili,
which is really
always a hit.
And the other thing is,
appetizers.
I was gonna make something
but it looks like I'm gonna have to go to theater right after work.
...Tastes good, just look nice
and kind of festive,
jjust so it's not all like, you know,
Cheetos and Sprite, like it always is. It's so...
Oh, that's something else
I have to ask you about.
The theater books.
They're kind of behind.
And it's not your fault.
It's just I haven't assembled the receipts,
but I have now, they're all...
I've printed...
I did that last night,
so...
Actually, we should probably
check with him,
I don't see why
that's a problem.
Nobody else is
gonna be touching him.
So, if you just took him home,
then you could do him at your leisure.
Uh, sooner rather than later.
So, thank you so much, Kate.
All right, that's all for now.
I'll see you at the party. Okay.
Happy birthday, honey. Bye.
Hello? KATE'S MOTHER: Hi, sweetie.
Happy birthday.
Thanks, Mom.
Did you get my card?
Um, yeah.
I'm sorry,
I shouldn't have sent those pictures of you and Michael, right?
No, you shouldn't have.
I guess... I guess
I just haven't registered
that you really...
That you broke up.
It's okay, Mom.
Sorry.
So, how's the show going?
Oh, fine. It went fine.
It's over now.
Oh, it closed already?
Yeah, a couple days ago.
Well, did you have
a good time?
It was a pretty big part,
wasn't it?
Well, I was on stage a lot,
but I was dead,
most of the time, as it turns out.
Oh. Yeah.
I'm kind of glad you didn't see it actually.
Well, how's the apartment?
Fine. I painted it blue.
Oh.
Uh, you know, Mom,
I kinda gotta go.
I'm sorry.
Where are you going?
Uh, I got this party tonight,
I have to do some cooking.
Oh, you're having a party?
No, no.
Uh, it's just for the show.
Oh, right, right.
Well, nice to get
to go to a party.
Yeah.
Parties...
Parties are good.
Okay, I'll let you go,
and, um,
I'm sending you a big
birthday hug over the phone.
I love you, sweetie.
I love you, too, Mom.
Bye.
Bye.
Dear Kate at 23,
hey, what's up,
grown-up me, how's life?
Do you have a boyfriend?
Do you still love
Carson McCullers?
Are you still best friends
with Maxie?
Where do you live?
Seattle? Paris?
Wherever you are,
I hope you're doing exactly what you want to do,
and having a really good time.
If you ever get sad,
remember that I was thinking
of you once.
But I guess I can't anymore,
because now I'm you.
So, maybe you can think about me once in a while.
Shit.
Surprise!
Happy birthday!
You're great.
You make a really good victim.
Stetland was in peak form.
Yeah.
How did you guys rig
that decapitation scene?
That was awesome.
Well,
it seemed like an excuse for misogyny to me.
Well, I don't think it was supposed to be a feminist play.
I would never...
We need to catch up.
Yeah, absolutely.
I have all this accounting
that I have to do.
I know, but we'll see
each other soon, okay?
Happy birthday.
Thank you.
Hey, could you
come in here a sec?
Jeff?
What are you doing in here?
Close the door.
Why?
Because I'm going to kiss you.
I wanted to do that
for a long time.
You have?
Yeah, I have.
I'm going to fuck
you now, okay?
Hey.
Is it okay if I take this...
Yeah, yeah, sure.
Okay, thank you.
Sure. No problem.
Uh, no, wait.
Just wait a minute.
Um, everybody.
Everybody, I wanna
make a toast.
I wanna make a toast
to a delightful human being.
She is beautiful, intelligent
and most charmingly,
she is a martyr
to the theater.
I have never seen
such dedication.
Not only does she do all of our bookkeeping,
in the name of art,
but she also calls the plumber
in the name of art,
and then works side by side
with the plumber,
for, like, six hours
before she is due, in fact.
To be acting on the
same stage that has been...
The stage upon which
she will be seduced,
led astray...
Heartlessly strangled...
And ultimately beheaded.
All in the name of art.
So, here's to Kate.
All right, thank you.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
No. Seriously.
Kate,
you came to us
young and hungry
and willing to do anything
to prove yourself to us.
And you have.
You've proved that you can
handle more than just
multiple roles,
in Mother Courage,
more than hanging
upside down in Titus for, like,
two-and-a-half hours.
More than screaming
your bloody head off,
and I mean that
quite literally,
in our last epic masterpiece.
And that's why I've decided
to give you a role
that you can finally cut
your leading-lady teeth on.
Ladies and gentlemen,
please meet the star of our next production,
I give you, Hedda Gabler.
Happy birthday, Kate.
Oh, my God,
you're playing Hedda, that's incredible.
Did you know?
Did he even read you for it?
No.
Weird.
Oh, my God,
I'm so jealous.
Congratulations.
Oh, thank you.
Hey.
What's up, grown-up me?
How's life? Where do you live?
Seattle? Paris?
Wherever you are,
hope you're doing exactly what you want to do,
and having a really good time.
Hey.
Hi.
Well, come on, here.
Sit here.
Well, here we are.
Here we are.
So, how do you feel?
Are you excited?
I can't even tell you.
I mean, thank you so much.
You deserve it.
You're ready, Kate.
I mean, yeah, it's
a little crazy to cast you.
I mean, you're
way too young, and...
But I've always gone
with my instincts.
Listen, Kate,
I've read this play every
year since college.
I'm awed by him.
By Ibsen, I mean.
And a little afraid, too.
I've never felt ready
to tackle him.
But then last month in the middle of dress for Guignol,
it just hit me.
You.
It's you.
You're my Hedda.
I can't do this alone, Kate.
I need a partner.
So, what do you say?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Good, good, good.
Okay, listen.
I've realized since
I've been reading...
Okay, I'm just going to
come right out and say it.
Kate, I need for you
to learn Norwegian.
Norwegian?
At least well enough
to do the play.
Hedda must speak Ibsen's
actual words.
Wow, really?
A Norwegian production?
Well, actually,
Hedda will be the only one who speaks the original text.
You see, Hedda is set apart,
she's like a stranger
among the others.
And I think this will really help emphasize that fact.
Plus, she's the center
of the play.
She's Ibsen's voice.
Look, I can't put it into words.
I'm just going from my gut here.
From the same place that made me wanna cast you in the first place.
I'll do it.
Will you?
Look, I know it will be hard,
but I truly believe that
we have a chance to break through to
something really incredible with this.
Do you trust me?
Yes, I do.
All right, then.
Let's keep this to
ourselves for now.
Uh, once the cast is on their feet we'll spring it on them.
Probably at
the first run through.
So, read the English lines
for now.
But memorize
this version.
And please don't lose it,
I had to go on eBay to find it.
Oh, and you'll need this.
Thanks, Kate.
You're gonna do great.
Yes, Aunt Julie, Hedda,
the most beautiful thing of all.
Oh, and I think she's coming.
Ooh, good morning,
Hedda, dear,
how very good to see you.
Good morning,
Miss Tesman.
How kind of you to
call on us so early.
Yes, yes.
Good, good, good.
Hedda, let's have you enter
from upstage left, actually.
And you need to be...
The reality of her
situation is hitting you
at the moment
of your entrance.
You've made your bed and now
you have to lie in it, yes?
And I think that the seeds
of your suicide are born
right here, right this minute,
right this very minute.
Okay, just as an experiment,
let's help Kate out here.
Brad, Eliza,
I'd like you to be doing
something quintessentially,
horrifyingly domestic.
You know, some sort of
chore or, um...
Uh, okay, how about
as you're chatting,
you're just peeling a few potatoes.
So is this the kitchen or are
we still in the drawing room?
No, it's still
the drawing room.
Just don't think about it
too much. It's just an image.
Okay, let's take it from Tesman's line,
"I can't wait to get started."
Whenever you're ready.
I can't wait
to get started on it,
especially, now that I have a comfortable home of my own to work in.
Welcome to the Jon Andersson Vik Norwegian language series.
I will be your guide to the
wonderful language of Norway.
We will begin
with basic conversation.
Please repeat after me.
Hello. Hi.
Hello. Hi.
How are you?
Please.
Hello?
Hi, Kate?
Um, yeah.
It's me, Susan.
Oh, hi, what's up?
Do you think you can pick up some potatoes for the next rehearsal?
You mean he wants
to use real ones?
Yeah, and he said
he wants a lot of them.
What does a lot mean?
I don't know, a lot.
Okay.
Thanks a lot, Kate.
Sure.
All right, see ya, bye.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thank you.
What time is it, please?
Where am I?
Two, three, there
you go.
Here you go. Thanks a lot.
All right, thanks.
Hey, how's it going?
Hey.
I've completely forgotten your name.
Pete.
Right, I'm Kate.
Kate, right, hi.
Where's, uh...
Michael?
Yeah.
He moved to Baltimore,
and I didn't.
Oh.
Were you looking for
anything in particular?
Potatoes, actually.
But I need
a lot of them for a play.
Yeah?
Well. Yeah.
I have a lot of them, got
about 10 bushels in the truck.
Sounds like a lot.
Yeah, it is.
Do you think you could
deliver them for me?
Sure.
Great.
Five o'clock?
Okay.
It's 5604, 22nd avenue
North West, Apartment B.
Okay.
See you then, bye.
Personal call?
Sorry.
No personal calls, Kate.
Did you get the
Thomson files yet?
Not yet.
Do you want them now?
Sounds like a plan.
To
Yeah.
I called in on you yesterday,
but you weren't home.
Have you just come
to town then?
Yesterday afternoon,
I was quite desperate when I found that you weren't home.
Desperate, why?
Oh, my dear, Mrs. Elvesting,
I mean, Elvesting.
Hello?
Hi, Kate.
It's Jeff.
Hi.
How are you?
I'm great.
Fine.
How are you?
I'm good.
I guess, uh...
We haven't really
talked since the party.
No, I guess we haven't.
And we're going to be working together and everything,
so I just...
I wanted to call and make sure
that we're still cool.
Right.
So are we still cool?
Um, yeah, yeah.
I also wanted to know...
Wanted you to know that...
I mean,
I don't usually
do what we did.
Uh-huh.
Do you?
No.
I mean it was...
It was really...
Nice.
You know,
if you ever wanted to...
I mean... I mean maybe...
Maybe we could hang out sometime?
If you wanted, you know.
It doesn't have to be
a big deal.
I mean, a date, if you're not
comfortable with that.
Um, uh-huh.
I'm not very good at this.
That's okay, I...
I kind of have to go.
All right.
I'm at work.
Oh, oh, okay.
I'll see you then,
at rehearsal, I guess.
Okay. Okay, bye.
Okay, bye.
Isn't that just what I told you when you
came here so frightened this morning?
Frightened?
Oh, Hedda, please.
See for yourself, Thea.
There is no need at all for you to go around so terribly afraid.
So terribly afraid,
over me?
Hedda, why are you doing this?
So this is how
you trusted me?
Oh, no, no my darling,
please, please listen to me.
Here's to you, Thea.
Try drinking out of a potato.
Drink out of it?
Just try it.
No, no not that one.
Try one that looks more like... Yes, yes,
try that one.
Here's to you, Thea.
Kate, thanks for
coming in early.
We made a small change
to the cast.
I'd like you to meet
your new husband.
Jeremy, this is Kate.
Kate, this is my nephew, Jeremy. Hi.
Hi.
Tesman is a child, Kate.
A 30-year-old child.
By casting Jeremy in the part
the audience is
really gonna get that.
And I think that
this is really gonna help you
with your disdain of Tesman.
All right? Great.
Now, I wanted you two to spend
a little time together
before everyone else
gets here.
We got about an hour.
So, let's say we take a look
at the scene
when Tesman comes home early in the morning from the stag party.
Page 56.
Dear Kate at
Hey, what's up grown-up-me?
How's life?
Are you still best friends
with Maxie?
Where do you live?
If you ever get sad,
remember that
I was thinking of you once.
Bye for now.
Love, Kate at
You think it was
some kind of power in me?
One, two, three, four...
How else
can you explain it?
One. Okay, come on, come on.
And all those
devious questions.
Which you answered
so freely.
Because you asked
them so boldly.
I thought you said,
"Deviously."
Yes.
But also, boldly.
You interrogated me.
About everything.
And you answered,
Mr. Lovborg.
Yes, I did.
Why do you act?
'Cause I'm good at it.
Isn't that
why you do it?
Hey, what's up, grown-up me?
How's life?
Do you have a boyfriend?
If you ever get sad,
remember that
I was thinking of you once.
But I guess I can't anymore
because...
Did you get to those
Stanwick files yet?
I was just gonna get them.
Now I'm you.
So, maybe you can think
about me once in a while.
That'd be nice.
Bye for now.
Love,
Kate at
We must take it calmly,
dear Berta.
There's nothing else
we can do.
George must have you with...
George must have you
with him in this house.
I know, Miss.
But I can't help thinking about Miss Rina,
poor thing.
Please. Don't worry yourself
about my poor sister,
dear Berta.
Traditional Norwegian cooking.
Sour cream porridge.
Dried cod, treated with lye.
Roasted potatoes.
Potato pancakes.
Ham-stuffed potato balls.
Boiled potatoes.
Potato dumplings with bacon.
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
Are you happy?
Are you happy?
Ham-stuffed potato balls.
Hey, Kate. It's, uh...
It's Susan. So, I guess
we are setting the play
on a potato farm now.
So, we're trying to
drum up some
props and set design pieces.
What I was thinking was that maybe you could ask
that farmer friend of yours
if you could borrow
some of his extra farm stuff.
You know, like, rusty,
old plows,
or, you know, rakes and hoes,
like, just tools?
Just to add an atmosphere,
ambience. Um...
Could you do that for me?
That'd be so great.
Thanks a lot, Kate. Bye.
Hey. How's
the play going?
Great.
Potatoes working out?
Yes. Thank you.
You back
for more?
No. We have plenty
for now, but...
Well, we need some, uh,
farm things to borrow.
Farm things?
Like, rakes or hoes
or whatever.
Maybe an old plow.
I got a bunch of them.
Nice rusty ones too. Uh...
I could... I could
bring up a selection
or you could come down
and pick them out yourself,
if you wanted to.
Really?
Yeah. Oh, except, uh,
I live kind of far away.
That's okay.
Sounds fun.
All right.
I'll draw you a map.
I can't wait
to get started on it.
Especially now,
with a comfortable home of my own to work in.
And now that you've got
a wife, dear George.
The wife of your dreams.
Yes, Aunt Julie.
Hedda, the most
beautiful thing of all.
And I think
she's coming.
Oh, Good morning,
Hedda, dear.
How very good to see you.
Uh, and did the young bride
sleep well in her new home?
Jeremy,
it's your line. What?
But, she didn't say hers.
How am I supposed
to know when to...
Just wait till
she's finished.
Okay. Go again.
Are you finished?
Yeah.
Oh...
Well enough. Oh,
listen to you, Hedda.
You were sleeping like a log when I got up.
From now on, Judge,
I hope you'll be good enough
to keep Hedda company.
With the greatest
of pleasure.
But, Hedda, dearest. Don't chop firewood tonight.
Bang!
All right, all right.
Great first run-through.
Really. It's starting
to come together.
Okay. Notes in 10.
Hedda. Kate.
Can I have a word? Yeah.
Kate, I need you
to be honest with me.
How do you think
it's going?
Well, it's been...
I mean, I won't say
it's been easy.
The hardest part is trying to keep straight what line I'm actually saying
at any given time.
I mean, you know.
Mostly I've learned to say the lines phonetically, so...
But now that I'm beginning to remember the meanings of them too,
I know that'll really help.
It's not working.
What?
You know what I said about, uh,
the truth of using Ibsen's actual words,
and how we were gonna break through to something new?
Well, it's just not coming across, Kate.
None of it.
It's not
your fault. Really.
Uh, I mean,
I think it was just a...
You know,
it was just an interesting impulse that didn't pan out.
Instead of the Norwegian,
what if Hedda were just a little taller than all the others?
Just slightly,
abnormally tall.
You've worked with stilts
before, right?
Were you around for Voetsek?
Oh, well, they don't
take long to get used to.
We could also try using some
really high lifts.
We could hide them
under the skirt.
Well, we'll
think about that.
Hey, partner,
really nice work tonight.
I mean it.
Do you think you can lock up, Kate?
I need to go.
Yeah, I will.
Are you sure?
Yeah, it's no problem.
Okay, thanks.
Nice job today,
by the way.
Good night, ladies.
Hey, I'm gonna go.
I think. Okay.
You did really good today.
I was really proud of you. Thank you.
Mmm, see you soon, okay?
Okay.
Good night, Kate.
Great work.
Thank you. Bye.
- Good night.
You okay?
Kate?
Are you panicking?
Don't panic,
it's gonna be fine.
This is your
first big lead, Kate.
I mean,
it's okay to be a little freaked out.
I mean, angst is part of the process,
but don't let it kill you.
Really, it's all
gonna work out.
And if it doesn't,
there is always another show, right?
So, what is it? Michael?
Do you miss him?
I guess.
Yeah.
I thought so.
I'm afraid.
It's okay.
Hey,
what's up, grown-up me?
What's up, grown-up me?
How's life?
If you ever get sad,
remember that I was
thinking of you once.
Dear Kate at 19, happy birthday.
What's college like?
Do you ever get drunk?
I hear that's what you do in college.
Are you in love?
Sometimes it seems like fun and sometimes
it just seems like a big waste of time.
Are you happy?
I hope you're living by
yourself now,
so that you can eat peanut butter and chocolate in the middle of the night
and never clean your room again.
Dear Kate at 31...
Unless you really want to.
Happy birthday. Hey, look...
We're the same age, just backwards.
I wonder if you got married.
That's weird to think about.
I think we should forget about the husband and just have the kids.
What do you think?
We could live in a farm with lots of animals.
We wouldn't need any money because we'd grow all our own food.
Whoa, sounds like I want you
to be a hippie or something.
I wonder what it's like
to have sex.
Do you like it?
So what did you decide
to do with your life?
There are so many
cool things to do.
I can't decide
what I want to do.
Remember, you can do anything that you
want to do and be anything you want to be.
Dear Kate at 44,
happy birthday.
Do you remember me at all?
You seem so far away.
Dear Kate...
I wish I had a picture to see what you look like now.
Are you happy?
You seem so far way...
Are you older and wiser yet?
What's it like
to be grown up?
Seems like it might be
scary sometimes.
So much to worry about.
I hope you don't
let it all get you down.
Are you older and
wiser yet?
You seem so far away.
Bye for now.
Love...
Kate at 13.
Can I get you something?
Uh... Beer.
You from around here?
You know, they have stronger legs than most horses.
Did you know that?
Yeah.
So, the ostrich farm didn't
work out too well.
It's great though 'cause
insurance is gonna cover
most of the start-up cost
of the fish farm.
And this one is gonna take.
I got a great, great feeling
about it, you know?
Yeah.
I got... I...
I have to go.
You okay?
Do you need a ride somewhere?
I can give you a ride.
No, I have a car.
You do?
Yeah.
Where is it?
Up the road.
How about I give
you a lift to it?
Come on, it's okay.
Come on.
It's okay.
Where are you going?
What's beer
taste like?
Are you drunk?
What's that like?
Hi.
Hi.
You okay?
Yeah.
I had almost
given up on you.
Sorry.
Well, come on in.
Hey.
Who's this?
I'm Katie.
How you doing?
Well, come on in.
Before you let the bugs in.
Are you guys hungry?
So...
You live on a farm?
Yep.
What's it like?
It's a...
Pretty quiet.
Do you have any animals?
Cat, some chickens,
few goats.
Goats?
Yeah, trying to figure
out how to raise them.
Maybe make some
cheese eventually.
Goat cheese?
Yeah, you know. Chevre.
Could I see them?
Uh, it's a little past
their bedtime now.
Oh?
What time is it?
Uh, 9:30, 10:00.
Oh.
Oh, God.
I...
Wow, I'm sorry.
I didn't realize it was so late.
Oh, no, it's okay.
I was supposed
to be here at like noon,
and here I am knocking on your door in the middle of the night.
Don't worry
about it. Really.
It's nice that
you're here.
Do you guys need to,
to get back?
I can get a flash light.
We can load up your car right now, if you like.
Load up my car?
Yeah.
Don't you wanna borrow
some of my farm tools.
Oh.
Yeah, right.
The thing is,
we don't have a car.
Oh.
You don't?
Well, we have one,
it's just not here.
It's somewhere
up the road.
Did it break down?
No, we just wanted to walk for a while.
Oh.
You know, um,
if you wanted to,
you guys could just sleep here tonight.
I can stay on the couch.
I'll drop you off at your car in the morning.
Do you have
any board games?
Uh, bleeding...
Uh, losing your voice...
Vocal chords. Pealing?
Is that it?
Pealing.
Sun, like sun...
Track...
Ray...
Uh, moon? Orbit?
All right. The Planets?
Star?
Walk of Fame?
Revolve...
The whole universe.
The universe.
Galaxy?
Universe.
I don't know what
you're drawing.
Now you are just confusing.
Circles.
Lots of circles.
Frustrated girl. Pass.
It was space.
Space.
Ha!
Smile, mouth.
Smile, mouth.
Smile.
Seed bag... Feed...
Seed bag... Seed...
It's, uh, oh,
oh, oh, oh...
It's, it's a...
What is it called?
Oh, what's the name of it?
Circles.
Potato.
Yes.
Potato?
Yes.
Well, how is
that a potato?
And the one with the big ugly beehive is married to my Uncle Bill.
Her name's Lily.
So, are you in
the theater too?
No.
What do you wanna be
when you grow up?
I don't know,
I wanna go to France.
You could be a master
cheese maker.
I don't like cheese.
That could be a problem.
When did you
start acting, Kate?
In the ninth grade.
You forgot
the farm tools.
Yeah, I did.
Dear Kate at 14.
Hey, you.
I mean, me.
Well, you're a year older.
Are you any wiser?
I know you must be
different than I am.
In some ways anyhow.
Why does that make me sad?
I'm only going to get older
and smarter and better, right?
The thing is, when I become
you, what'll happen to me?
Maybe when you read this
letter you'll remember me.
I mean, maybe
you'll remember you
when you were me, you know?
Okay, well, anyway...
Happy birthday.
Don't forget about me, okay?
I love you.
Bye for now,
Kate at 13.