K-Town: An Operatic Tragedy in Five Acts
Dedicated to the memory of Xalan Apichonrattanakorn

Libretto by Jaime Azcárraga Castillo, after SHAKESPEARE

SETTING: KOREATOWN, THE SUMMER OF 2016.

ACT ONE, Scene 1 (LAZARO AND DESDEE’S NIGHT OUT):
INT. THE LOBBY OF A KARAOKE BAR, NIGHT TIME
(THERE ARE PAINTED MURALS OF BIGGIE AND TUPAC ON THE WALL AND A LARGE TV PLAYING K-POP BEHIND KANG, THE CASHIER, WHO IS BEHIND THE COUNTER. THE LOBBY IS FURNISHED WITH BLACK COUCHES. LAZARO AND DESDEE ARE ON A DATE, SEATED, WAITING FOR A ROOM.)

Lázaro: Trust? That thou, fair Desdee, hold my bank? As though the strings were thine?

Desdee: If ever I did dream that this were indeed the case, may you abhor me.

Lázaro: I know thy price, my wort’ no worse the place. But I, as loving of my own pride and purposes may be, know you might say, “and who are you?” For I, in my ways, am great a mat’matician in my logic. So I’d be damned that by a girl so fair as thee, if thou should ever set a squadron in the field, or the division of a battle know, be not more than mere prattle wit’out practice.

Desdee: By heaven, better to be thy executioner than to follow thee in such a manner. And what more should you ask of me?

Lázaro: If you’d give me more of your lips than of your tongue, which you offen bestow, I’d have enough.

Desdee: Alas, I have no speech for such a thought. To this your talk doth have too little cause.

Lázaro: Come now, Desdee. Though a lady out of doors you be, thou also hath another side, a mute duplicity. Sweet-tongued among your friends, spitfire behind their backs. A saint when injured, a devil when offended.

Desdee: Oh, piss off, you slanderer.

(LAZARO SMILES.)

Lázaro: Nay, ‘tis true, and not thy only quirk. You rise to play and go to bed to work.

Desdee: You think you know me thus?

Lázaro: Well, let me get to know you better, then.

Desdee: In such a manner would I not reveal myself to thee.

Lázaro: Mija, be thou content. To follow me would serve your turn as well. I know thou markest many a duteous and knee-bending knave. That doting in their own obsequious bondage, wear out your time and, much worse, your lips. But women there are, who keep their hearts attending to themselves, do well and thrive by the men they choose. And when they have lined their coats they do themselves homage. I talk of men with souls, and such a one do I profess myself to be. For it is as sure as you are Desdee, were I the less, I would not be Lázaro. In following me you follow but yourself. As you can see, my outward action demonstrates that I do wear my heart upon my sleeve.

Desdee: If this be true, where is the full fortune that should carry it thus?

Lázaro: Just ask among these streets, that I, amongst my kinsmen, in a fertile climate dwell.

Desdee: And what about my father’s house? What should I make of thee?

Lázaro: Speak of me as I am, nothing extenuate, take care not to plant
a thought of malice. Do, though by timorous accent, speak only of the truth.

[END SCENE]