four short plays-第6节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
it but a laugh。 You an' me know that。 Laugh； mate！
THE MAN。 You blarsted！
＇THE GIRL springs to him and stops his mouth。＇
SOLDIER。 It's no use； mate。 I can't do it。 I said I'd laugh
to…day； and laugh I will。 I've come through that； an' all the stink
of it； I've come through sorrer。 Never again！ Cheerio； mate！ The
sun's a…shinin'！ He turns away。
THE GIRL。 Jack； don't think too 'ard of me！
SOLDIER。 ＇Looking back＇ No fear； my dear！ Enjoy your fancy！ So
long！ Gawd bless you both！
He sings； and goes along the path； and the song fades away。
〃I'll be right there to…night
Where the fields are snowy white；
Banjos ringing； darkies singing
All the world seems bright！〃
THE MAN。 'E's mad！
THE GIRL。 ＇Looking down the path with her hands clasped＇ The sun has
touched 'im； Jim！
CURTAIN
PUNCH AND GO
A LITTLE COMEDY
〃Orpheus with his lute made trees
And the mountain tope that freeze。。。。。〃
PERSONS OF THE PLAY
JAMES G。 FRUST 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Boss
E。 BLEWITT VANE 。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Producer
MR。 FORESON 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Stage Manager
〃ELECTRICS〃。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Electrician
〃PROPS〃 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Property Man
HERBERT 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Call Boy
OF THE PLAY WITHIN THE PLAY
GUY TOONE 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Professor
VANESSA HELLGROVE 。。。。。。。。。。。The Wife
GEORGE FLEETWAY 。。。。。。。。。。。。。Orpheus
MAUDE HOPKINS 。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。The Faun
SCENE： The Stage of a Theatre。
Action continuous； though the curtain is momentarily lowered
according to that action。
PUNCH AND GO
The Scene is the stage of the theatre set for the dress
rehearsal of the little play： 〃Orpheus with his Lute。〃 The
curtain is up and the audience； though present； is not supposed
to be。 The set scene represents the end section of a room； with
wide French windows； Back Centre； fully opened on to an apple
orchard in bloom。 The Back Wall with these French windows； is
set only about ten feet from the footlights； and the rest of the
stage is orchard。 What is visible of the room would indicate
the study of a writing man of culture。 （ Note。If found
advantageous for scenic purposes； this section of room can be
changed to a broad verandah or porch with pillars supporting its
roof。） In the wall； Stage Left； is a curtained opening； across
which the curtain is half drawn。 Stage Right of the French
windows is a large armchair turned rather towards the window；
with a book rest attached； on which is a volume of the
Encyclopedia Britannica； while on a stool alongside are writing
materials such as a man requires when he writes with a pad on
his knees。 On a little table close by is a reading…lamp with a
dark green shade。 A crude light from the floats makes the stage
stare； the only person on it is MR FORESON； the stage manager；
who is standing in the centre looking upwards as if waiting for
someone to speak。 He is a short； broad man； rather blank； and
fatal。 From the back of the auditorium； or from an empty box；
whichever is most convenient； the producer； MR BLEWITT VANE； a
man of about thirty four； with his hair brushed back； speaks。
VANE。 Mr Foreson？
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 We'll do that lighting again。
＇FORESON walks straight of the Stage into the wings Right。
＇A pause。＇
Mr Foreson！ ＇Crescendo＇ Mr Foreson。
＇FORESON walks on again from Right and shades his eyes。＇
VANE。 For goodness sake； stand by！ We'll do that lighting again。
Check your floats。
FORESON。 ＇Speaking up into the prompt wings＇ Electrics！
VOICE OF ELECTRICS。 Hallo！
FORESON。 Give it us again。 Check your floats。
＇The floats go down； and there is a sudden blinding glare of
blue lights； in which FORESON looks particularly ghastly。＇
VANE。 Great Scott！ What the blazes！ Mr Foreson！
＇FORESON walks straight out into the wings Left。 Crescendo。＇
Mr Foreson！
FORESON。 ＇Re…appearing＇ Sir？
VANE。 Tell Miller to come down。
FORESON。 Electrics！ Mr Blewitt Vane wants to speak to you。 Come
down！
VANE。 Tell Herbert to sit in that chair。
＇FORESON walks straight out into the Right wings。＇
Mr Foreson！
FORESON。 ＇Re…appearing＇ Sir？
VANE。 Don't go off the stage。 ＇FORESON mutters。＇
＇ELECTRICS appears from the wings； Stage Left。 He is a dark；
thin…faced man with rather spikey hair。＇
ELECTRICS。 Yes； Mr Vane？
VANE。 Look！
ELECTRICS。 That's what I'd got marked； Mr Vane。
VANE。 Once for all； what I want is the orchard in full moonlight；
and the room dark except for the reading lamp。 Cut off your front
battens。
＇ELECTRICS withdraws Left。 FORESON walks off the Stage into the
Right wings。＇
Mr Foreson！
FORES0N。 ＇Re…appearing＇ Sir？
VANE。 See this marked right。 Now； come on with it！ I want to get
some beauty into this！
＇While he is speaking； HERBERT； the call boy； appears from the
wings Right； a mercurial youth of about sixteen with a wide
mouth。＇
FORESON。 ＇Maliciously＇ Here you are； then； Mr Vane。 Herbert； sit
in that chair。
＇HERBERT sits an the armchair； with an air of perfect peace。＇
VANE。 Now！ ＇All the lights go out。 In a wail＇ Great Scott！
＇A throaty chuckle from FORESON in the darkness。 The light
dances up； flickers； shifts； grows steady； falling on the
orchard outside。 The reading lamp darts alight and a piercing
little glare from it strikes into the auditorium away from
HERBERT。
＇In a terrible voice＇ Mr Foreson。
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 Lookatthatshade！
＇FORESON mutters； walks up to it and turns it round so that the
light shines on HERBERT'S legs。＇
On his face； on his face！
＇FORESON turns the light accordingly。＇
FORESON。 Is that what you want； Mr Vane？
VANE。 Yes。 Now； mark that！
FORESON。 ＇Up into wings Right＇ Electrics！
ELECTRICS。 Hallo！
FORESON。 Mark that！
VANE。 My God！
＇The blue suddenly becomes amber。＇
＇The blue returns。 All is steady。 HERBERT is seen diverting
himself with an imaginary cigar。＇
Mr Foreson。
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 Ask him if he's got that？
FORESON。 Have you got that？
ELECTRICS。 Yes。
VANE。 Now pass to the change。 Take your floats off altogether。
FORESON。 ＇Calling up＇ Floats out。 ＇They go out。＇
VANE。 Cut off that lamp。 ＇The lamp goes out＇ Put a little amber in
your back batten。 Mark that！ Now pass to the end。 Mr Foreson！
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 Black out
FORESON。 ＇Calling up＇ Black out！
＇The lights go out。＇
VANE。 Give us your first lighting…lamp on。 And then the two
changes。 Quick as you can。 Put some pep into it。 Mr Foreson！
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 Stand for me where Miss Hellgrove comes in。 FORESON crosses
to the window。 No； no！by the curtain。
＇FORESON takes his stand by the curtain； and suddenly the three
lighting effects are rendered quickly and with miraculous
exactness。＇
Good！ Leave it at that。 We'll begin。 Mr Foreson； send up to Mr
Frust。
＇He moves from the auditorium and ascends on to the Stage； by
some steps Stage Right。＇
FORESON。 Herb！ Call the boss； and tell beginners to stand by。
Sharp； now！
＇HERBERT gets out of the chair； and goes off Right。＇
＇FORESON is going off Left as VANE mounts the Stage。＇
VANE。 Mr Foreson。
FORESON。 ＇Re…appearing＇ Sir？
VANE。 I want 〃Props。〃
FORESON。 ＇In a stentorian voice＇ 〃Props！〃
＇Another moth…eaten man appears through the French windows。＇
VANE。 Is that boulder firm？
PROPS。 ＇Going to where； in front of the back…cloth； and apparently
among its apple trees； lies the counterfeitment of a mossy boulder；
he puts his foot on it＇ If； you don't put too much weight on it；
sir。
VANE。 It won't creak？
PROPS。 Nao。 ＇He mounts on it； and a dolorous creaking arises。＇
VANE。 Make that right。 Let me see that lute。
＇PROPS produces a property lute。 While they scrutinize it； a
broad man with broad leathery clean…shaven face and small mouth；
occupied by the butt end of a cigar； has come on to the stage
from Stage Left； and stands waiting to be noticed。＇
PROPS。 ＇Attracted by the scent of the cigar＇ The Boss； Sir。
VANE。 ＇Turning to 〃PROPS〃＇ That'll do； then。
＇〃PROPS〃 goes out through the French windows。＇
VANE。 ＇To FRUST＇ Now； sir； we're all ready for rehearsal of
〃Orpheus with his Lute。〃
FRUST。 ＇In a cosmopolitan voice＇ 〃Orphoos with his loot！〃 That his
loot； Mr Vane？ Why didn't he pinch something more precious？ Has
this high…brow curtain…raiser of yours got any 〃pep〃 in it？
VANE。 It has charm。
FRUST。 I'd thought of 〃Pop goes the Weasel〃 with little Miggs。 We
kind of want a cock…tail before 〃Louisa loses；〃 Mr Vane。
VANE。 Well； sir； you'll see。
FRUST。 This your lighting？ It's a bit on the spiritool side。 I've
left my glass。 Guess I'll sit
