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- Herausgeber: Booksell-Verlag
- Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
- Sprache: Englisch
In "The Schoolmistress: A Farce in Three Acts," Arthur Wing Pinero crafts a delightful comedic exploration of the intricacies of romantic entanglements and the societal expectations surrounding education and gender. Set against the backdrop of late Victorian England, the play employs sharp wit and playful dialogue, illustrating the complexities of love and ambition through its dynamic characters. Pinero's mastery of farce is evident in the rapid pacing and contrived scenarios that lead to humorous misunderstandings, revealing both the absurdity and poignancy of human desire. Pinero, a prominent figure in the realm of English theatre during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was deeply influenced by the cultural nuances of his time, particularly the evolving roles of women in society. Having started as an actor, he transitioned into playwriting, reflecting the social mores and facilitating conversations around gender and class in his works. His background in theatre and law, coupled with his keen observations of human nature, informed his narrative style, making "The Schoolmistress" a timeless reflection on social norms. This farce is highly recommended for readers and theatre enthusiasts alike, as it encapsulates the humor and challenges of its era while maintaining relevance today. Pinero'Äôs sharp commentary wrapped in laughter offers valuable insights into the eternal complexities of human relationships, inviting audiences to both reflect and revel in the folly of love.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021
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The Schoolmistress: A Farce in Three Acts
Table of Contents
Original
Original
THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY.
The Hon. Vere Queckett
Miss Dyott (Principal of Volumnia College for Daughters of Gentlemen)
Rear-Admiral Archibald Rankling, C.B. (of H.M. Flag Ship Pandora)
Mrs. Rankling Dinah
Mr. Reginald Paulover
Peggy Hesslbrigge (An Articled Pupil)
Lieut. John Mallory (Of H.M. Flag Ship Pandora)
Mr. Saunders (Mr. Mallory's Nephew, of the Training Ship Dexterous)
Gwendoline Hawkins Ermyntrude Johnson
Mr. Otto Bernstein (A Popular Composer)
Tyler (A Servant)
Jane Chipman
Goff
Jaffray
INTRODUCTORY NOTE
When, during the season of 1885, the exceptional success of "The Magistrate" had revived the fortunes of the Court Theatre and included that house once again among the popular places of entertainment, the future policy of Messrs. John Clayton and Arthur Cecil's management was practically determined. The essentially comic play, the farce of character and manners, was henceforth to compose the programme, and Mr. Pinero, who had suggested the new policy, and so happily inaugurated it, was naturally commissioned to provide the next play. "The Schoolmistress" was accordingly forthcoming in due time, and in the composition of this piece the author further developed his ideas as to the scope and meaning of modern farce, ideas which will be found briefly expounded in my introductory note to "The Cabinet Minister," published in the present series of Mr. Pinero's plays. "The Schoolmistress" has a very simple stage-history. It was produced at the old Court Theatre on March 27, 1886, and it immediately caught the laughter and applause of the town, the success being so decided that the play retained its place in the programme until January 22, 1887, the total number of performances in the interval having amounted to 290.
For purposes of reference a copy of the "first night" programme is here appended:
Original
Original
ACT I. THE MYSTERY.
Reception Room at Volumnia College, Volumnia House, near Portland Place.
Class Room at Volumnia College.
ACT II. THE PARTY.
ACT III. NIGHTMARE.
Morning Room at Admiral Rankling's in Portland Place.
The success in London led to the Court management sending a special company to represent the play in the provinces, where its popularity has been great and enduring, so much so that Mr. Edward Terry has recently added "The Schoolmistress" to his provincial repertoire.
The same story of success must be told of the play's career in Australia and America. Messrs. Brough and Boucicault presented it to the audiences of the Antipodes, where, in the character of Peggy Hesslerigge, Miss Pattie Browne is said to have given a remarkable performance, as the original exponent of the part, Miss Norreys, had done in London. In the United States, Miss Rosina Vokes was responsible for the production of Mr. Pinero's play, but there the principal success was achieved by Mr. Weedon Grossmith in the character of the Hon. Vere Queckett, originally interpreted with so much quaint humour by Mr. Arthur Cecil.
Malcolm C. Salaman.
January, 1894.
THE FIRST ACT—THE MYSTERY
The Scene is the Reception Room at Miss Dyott's seminary for young ladies, known as Volumnia College, Volumnia House, near Portland Place. The windows look on to the street, and a large door at the further end of the room opens to the hall, where there are some portmanteaus standing, while there is another door on the spectator's right. Jane Chipman, a stout, middle-aged servant, and Tyler, an unhealthy looking youth, wearing a page's jacket, enter the room, carrying between them a large travelling-trunk.
TYLER.
[Breathlessly.] 'Old 'ard—'old 'ard! Phew! [They rest the trunk on the floor, Tyler dabs his forehead with a small dirty handkerchief, which he passes on to Jane.] Excuse me not offering it to you first, Jane.
JANE.
[Dabbing the palms of her hands.] Don't name it, Tyler. Do you 'appen to know what time Missus starts?
TYLER.
Two-thirty, I 'eard say.
JANE.
It's a queer thing her going away like this alone—not to say nothing of a schoolmistress leaving a lot of foolish young gals for a month or six weeks.
TYLER.
[Sitting despondently on the trunk.] Cook and the parlourmaid got rid of too—it's not much of a Christmas vacation we shall get, you and me, Jane.
JANE.
You're right. [Sitting on the sofa.] Let's see—how many of our young ladies 'aven't gone home for their 'olidays?
TYLER.
Well, there's Miss 'Awkins.
JANE.
Her people is in India.
TYLER.
Miss Johnson.
JANE.
Her people is in the Divorce Court.
TYLER.
Miss Hesslerigge.
JANE
Oh, she ain't got no 'ome. She's a orphan, studying for to be a governess.
TYLER.
Then there's this new girl, Miss Ranklin'.
JANE.
Dinah Ranklin'?
TYLER.
Yes, Dinah Ranklin'. Now why is she to spend her Exmas at our College? She's the daughter of Admiral Ranklin', and the Ranklin's live jest round the corner at Collin'wood 'Ouse.
JANE.
Oh, she's been failin' in love or something, and has got to be locked up.
TYLER.
Well then, last but not least, there's the individual who is kicking his 'eels about the 'ouse, and giving himself the airs of the 'aughty.
JANE.
[Mysteriously.] What—Missus's husband?
TYLER.
Yes—Missus's husband.
JANE.
Ah! Mark my word, if ever there was a mystery, there's one.
TYLER.
Who is he? Missus brings him 'ome about a month ago, and doesn't introduce him to us or to nobody. The order is she's still to be called Miss Dyott, and we don't know even his nasty name.
JANE.
[Returning to the trunk.] She calls him Ducky.
TYLER.
Yes, but we can't call him Ducky. [Pointing to the handkerchief which Jane has left upon the sofa] My 'andkerchief, please. I don't let anybody use it.
JANE.
[Returning the handkerchief.] Excuse me. [In putting the handkerchief into his breast-pocket he first removes a handful of cheap-looking squibs.] Lor! You will carry them deadly fireworks about with you, Tyler.
TYLER.
[Regarding them fondly.] Fireworks is my only disserpation. There ain't much danger unless anybody lunges at me. [Producing some dirty crackers from his trousers pockets, and regarding them with gloomy relish.] Friction is the risk I run.
JANE.
[Palpitating.] Oh, don't, Tyler! How can you 'ave such a 'ankering?
TYLER.
[Intensely.] It's more than a 'ankering. I love to 'oard 'em and meller 'em. To-day they're damp—to-morrow they're dry. And when the time comes for to let them off—
JANE.
Then they don't go off—
TYLER.
[Putting the fireworks away.] P'r'aps not—and it's their 'orrible uncertainty wot I crave after. Lift your end, Jane. [They take up the trunk as Gwendoline Hawkins and Ermyntrude Johnson, two pretty girls, the one gushing, the other haughty in manner, appear in the hall.]
GWENDOLINE.
Here are Miss Dyott's boxes—she is really going to-day. I am so happy!
ERMYNTRUDE.
What an inexpressible relief! Oh, Tyler, I am dissatisfied with the manner in which my shoes are polished.
GWENDOLINE.
Yes—and, Tyler, you never fed my mice last night.
TYLER.
It ain't my place. Birds and mice is Jane's place.
GWENDOLINE.
You are an inhuman boy. [Shaking Tyler.]
ERMYNTRUDE.
You are a creature!
JANE.
Don't shake him, Miss, don't shake him! [Peggy Hesslerigge enters through the hall, and comes between Tyler and Gwendoline. Peggy is a shabbily dressed, untidy girl, with wild hair and inky fingers, her voice is rather shrewish and her actions are jerky: altogether she has the appearance of an overwise and neglected child.].
PEGGY.
Leave the boy alone, Gwendoline Hawkins! What has he done?
GWENDOLINE.
He won't feed my darling pets.
ERMYNTRUDE.
And he is generally a Lower Order.
PEGGY.
Go away, Tyler. [Tyler and Jane deposit the trunk in the hall with the other baggage, and disappear.] You silly girls! To make an enemy of the boy at the very moment we depend upon his devotion! It's just like you, Ermyntrude Johnson!
ERMYNTRUDE.
Don't you threaten me with your inky finger, Miss Hesslerigge, please.
PEGGY.
Ugh! Haven't we sworn to help Dinah Rankling with our last breath? Haven't we sworn to free her from the chains of tyranny and oppression, and never to eat much till we have seen her safely and happily by her husband's side!
ERMYNTRUDE.
Yes—but we can't truckle to a pale and stumpy boy, you know.
PEGGY.
We can—we've got to. If Dinah's husband is ever to enter this house we must crouch before the instrument who opens the door—however short, however pasty.
DINAH.
[Calling outside.] Are you there, girls?
PEGGY.
[Jumping and clapping her hands.] Here's Dinah!
ERMYNTRUDE AND GWENDOLINE.
[Calling.] Dinah! [They run up to the door to receive and embrace Dinah, who enters through the hall. Dinah is an exceedingly pretty and simple-looking girl of about sixteen.]
GWENDOLINE.
We've been waiting for you, Dinah.
PEGGY.
And now you're going to keep your promise to us, ain't you?
DINAH.
My promise?
PEGGY.
To tell us all about it from beginning to end.
DINAH.
[Bashfully.] Oh, I can't—I don't like to.
PEGGY.
You must; we've only heard your story in bits.
DINAH.
But where's Miss Dyott?
PEGGY.
Out—out—out.
DINAH.
And where is he—Miss Dyott's husband?
PEGGY.
What—the Mystery? [Skipping across to the left-hand door, and, going down on her knees, peering through the keyhole.] It's all right. One o'clock in the day, and he's not down yet—the imp! I'd cold sponge him if I were Miss Dyott. Places, young ladies. [Ermyntrude sits with Dinah on the sofa, Gwendoline being at Dinah's feet. Peggy perches on the edge of the table with her feet on a chair.] H'm! Now then, Mrs. ———— what's your name, Dinah?
DINAH.
[Drooping her eyelids.] Paulover—Mrs. Reginald Paulover.
PEGGY.
Attention for Mrs. Paulover's narrative. Chapter One.
DINAH.
Well, dears, I met him at a party—at Mrs. St. Dunstan's in the Cromwell Road. He was presented to Mamma and me by Major Padgate.
PEGGY.
Vote of thanks to Major Padgate; I wish we knew him, young ladies. Well?
DINAH.
I bowed, of course, and then Mr. Paulover—Mr. Paulover asked me whether I didn't think the evening was rather warm.
PEGGY.
He soon began to rattle on, then. It was his conversation that attracted you, I suppose?
DINAH.
Oh no, love came very gradually. We were introduced at about ten o'clock, and I didn't feel really drawn to him till long after eleven. The next day, being Ma's "At home" day, Major Padgate brought him to tea.
PEGGY.
Young ladies, what is your opinion of Major Padgate?
ERMYNTRUDE.
I think he must be awfully considerate.
DINAH.
He's not—he called my Reginald a "young shaver."
PEGGY.
That's contemptible enough. How old is your Reginald?
DINAH.
He is much my senior—he was seventeen in November. Well, the following week Reginald proposed to me in the conservatory. He spoke very sensibly about settling down, and how we were not growing younger; and how he'd seen a house in Park Lane which wasn't to let, but which very likely would be to let some day. And then we went into the drawing-room and told Mamma.
PEGGY, ERMYNTRUDE, AND GWENDOLINE.
Well, well? [Breaking down and putting her handkerchief to her eyes.] Oh, I shall never forget the scene! I never shall.
PEGGY.
Don't cry, Dinah! [They all try to console her.]
