The Balcony

The Balcony Summary | Scenes 1, 2, 3, and 4 Summary

Scene 1 - In a room with an unmade bed, a Bishop sits and declaims his philosophy of faith. He is larger than life, wearing robes with exaggerated shoulders, standing on stilts and wearing garish makeup. A Young Woman in lace and Irma, an older woman in a black suit, attend him. As the Bishop rejoices in the beauty of his clothes, Irma repeatedly reminds him to honor their agreement. The Bishop repeatedly insists that the Young Woman confess her sins, asking if they were real. Both the Young Woman and Irma insist that they were. Ignoring the Bishop's protests, they remove his robes. When the Young Woman continues to insist that her sins were real, the Bishop speaks in a completely different voice and says he hopes she didn't really do the evil things she said she did. Irma reassures him and starts to say that here - The Bishop interrupts, saying that "here" there's no way of telling what's evil because they live in evil, making believe and acting. He then tells Irma to leave, saying that he wants to be by himself. Irma tells the Bishop he's already been there twenty minutes longer than the agreement, but he angrily insists. Irma and the Young Woman go out.

The Bishop speaks to his reflection in the mirror, questioning himself at length about the how and why of his becoming a bishop. At one point Irma looks back in and asks whether he's finished, but he insists he needs more time. Irma goes out, and the Bishop loses complete control, fantasizing about having sex with a woman he refers to by several derogatory names like bitch and slut. Irma comes back in and insists that he leave. The Bishop says she only wants him to go because she needs the room for someone else, adding that it's dangerous for people to be out in the streets with all the violence going on. Irma and the Young Woman forcibly finish undressing the Bishop, who's now revealed to be a normal looking, normally dressed man. He complains that the Chief of Police has let the revolution get out of control and then looks at himself in the mirror one last time. He speaks to his reflection about the power of his robes, how they protect him and enable him to perform deeds of great charity and great power. As he goes, the set changes, and we're in the next room.

Scene 2 - The bed remains. A nearly nude female Prisoner kneels on the floor, chained. A muscular male Executioner stands over her. A Judge, larger than life in the same way as the Bishop (on stilts, exaggerated makeup and clothes), is on his hands and knees before the Prisoner, who demands that he kiss her foot. He nearly does and then stands and goes to his chair. The Executioner tells the Judge all the things the Prisoner has stolen, and the Prisoner confesses that she's a thief. The Executioner tells her that she has to plead not guilty and get beaten again before she can confess. The Judge's voice changes, in the same way as the Bishop's did, and he asks the Prisoner whether she's new. The Executioner says she is, and then the Judge resumes his formal voice and talks about how the Prisoner is necessary to him. The Judge can only fulfill his purpose if there's a prisoner and a crime. When noises from offstage distract him, he goes back to the different voice and asks the Executioner if the situation outside the room has changed.

The Executioner says that the rebels have advanced. The Judge complains about the Chief of Police, and the Executioner says he's expected at any moment. The Judge resumes his more formal voice, and the Executioner asks permission to beat the Prisoner. The Prisoner pleads with the Executioner, calling him Arthur. The Executioner tells her to call him the Executioner, and the Judge continues his interrogation of the Prisoner. He compares himself to the King of Hell, with the power to decide the fate of souls. At the sound of machine gun fire from outside, the Prisoner talks about the Revolution. The Executioner tells her to be quiet. The Judge tells her to continue her confession, and the Prisoner talks about the places she stole from. The Judge talks again about the way the three of them compliment each other's roles in life, and then he demands again that the Prisoner confess. The Prisoner refuses, and the Judge pleads. The Executioner tells the Judge to crawl, and we're back at the beginning of the scene with the Judge crawling towards the Prisoner.

Scene 3 - The bed remains. As a timid-looking man called the General removes his outdoor clothes. He and Irma discuss the risks he took to get there and the dangers caused by the revolution. The General hands Irma some money, asking whether details like spurs and the right kind of mud-spattered boots will be ready for him. A Girl in a black corset comes in with the General's uniform. The General inspects the uniform and then reminds Irma of something she's forgotten. She goes out to get it, and the General locks the door behind her. A moment later the Executioner knocks and asks for Irma. The Girl tells him she's in another room, and the General insists that he be left in peace. The Executioner goes, and the General and the Girl begin to pretend that she is his horse. The Girl dresses the General in his uniform and narrates a story told in poetic language about approaching death and grieving women. He stops her before she can finish, saying there will be time for that later. At this point fully dressed, he looks at himself in the mirror. His voice suddenly changes as he asks the Girl what the Chief of Police has been doing. She says nothing, and then they resume their roles as General and horse, with the General climbing aboard the kneeling Girl's back and riding off to his death. The Girl narrates the journey, but she is interrupted by machine gun fire from offstage.

Scene 4 - The bed remains. A frail Old Man and an Angry Girl wait. There is a knock on the door. The Angry Girl opens it, and Irma passes her a whip and a dirty old wig and then closes the door. The Angry Girl roughly shoves the wig onto the Old Man's head, and when he asks whether the lice are in it, she tells him they are.