OPERA PRIMA_the Game of Questions - Rosencrantz 1966

PLAYING the Game of Questions.

Questions, only questions. 
(Do you) fancy a question?

SCORE to the best of three:

• 1 - love   (O = love or ... nought....nil)
• 2 - love and matchpoint 
• 2 - 1  and matchpoint
• 3 - 1 = Game

FOULS (not accepted actions): 

• statement, 
• repetition, synonyms
• hesitation, grunts (
• breaking the sequence of thought (latin: non sequitur)

transcript

  BIT O.1  
1_ With spectators?2_ Do you want to play questions?1_ How do you play that?2_ You have to ask a question.1_ Statement. One - Love.

  BIT O.2   

2_ Cheating.1_ How?2_ I haven't started yet.1_ Statement. Two - Love. 

2_ Are you counting that?1_ What?2_ Are you counting that?1_Foul. No repetition. Three - Love and game.

  BIT ONE   

2_ I'm not going to play if you're going to be like that.1_ Whose serve?2_ Uh...1_ Hesitation. Love - One.

   BIT TWO   

2_ Whose go?1_ Why?2_ Why not?1_ What for?2_ Ha! No synonyms. One all.

    BIT THREE   

1_ What in God's name is going on?2_ Foul. No rhetoric. Two - One.1_ What does it all add up to?2_ Can't you guess?1_ Are you addressing me?2_ Is there anyone else?1_ Who?2_ How would I know?1_ Why do you ask?2_ Are you serious?1_ Was that rhetoric?2_  No. Statement. Two all. Game point.

   BIT FOUR   

2_ What's the matter with you today?1_ When?2_ What?1_ Are you deaf?2_ Am I dead?1_ Yes or no?2_ Is there a choice?1_ Is there a God?2_Foul. No non-sequiturs. Three - Two. One game all.

   BIT FIVE   

1_What's your name?2_ What's yours?1_ You first.2_Statement. One - Love.

   BIT SIX   

1_ What's your name when you're at home?2_ What's yours?1_ When I'm at home?2_ Is it different at home?1_ What home?2_ Haven't you got one?1_ Why do you ask?2_ What are you driving at?1_ What's your name?2_ Repetition. Two - Love. Match point. 

1_ Who do you think you are?2_ Rhetoric. Game and match!

source: Tom Stoppard in hte play _  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead  (1966)



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epilogue:

2009 - Harry Turtledove wrote a humorous time travel story entitled "We Haven't Got There Yet" (a line from the play) imagining how Shakespeare himself could watch a Stoppard play and what his reaction would be. It was published on-line at Tor's website.