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Read Ebook: The Electric Man Being the One Act Version of the Three Act Farcical Comedy of the Same Name by Hannan Charles
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Ebook has 283 lines and 6956 words, and 6 pages
THE ELECTRIC MAN
THE ELECTRIC MAN
BEING THE ONE ACT VERSION OF THE SUCCESSFUL THREE ACT FARCICAL COMEDY OF THE SAME NAME
CHARLES HANNAN
NEW YORK SAMUEL FRENCH PUBLISHER 28-30 WEST 38TH STREET
LONDON SAMUEL FRENCH LTD 26 SOUTHAMPTON STREET STRAND
Any costumes, wigs or properties used in the performance of "The Electric Man" may be hired or purchased reasonably from Messrs. C. H. Fox, Ltd., 27, Wellington Street, Strand, London.
THE ELECTRIC MAN.
The three act successful farcical comedy, "The Electric Man," which may be obtained in manuscript from Messrs. Samuel French, Ltd., was first presented at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith, with Mr. Harcourt Beatty in the leading r?le, and was subsequently put on for a West End run at the Royalty Theatre on November 10, 1906, with Mr. Harry Nicholls as the Electric Man, the piece being transferred to the Shaftesbury Theatre on Boxing Day of the same year.
The condensed one act form of the play which follows was produced by Mr. Harry Nicholls at the Chelsea Palace and Metropolitan Halls with the greatest success on July 29, 1907, cast thus:--
NOTES.
Walter and the automaton are never upon the stage together, so that throughout the play Walter takes the figure's place by entering the cupboard "off." A super is required, however, to play "dummy," but when this happens the figure is seated in the cupboard with its back to audience.
COSTUME for Walter and for the automaton: Walter wears a brown coat or jacket and trousers of the same, with a white waistcoat. The automaton is dressed exactly the same as to trousers and waistcoat, etc., but wears a black frock coat, and as they both usually keep the coat buttoned, the waistcoat is seldom seen.
THE ELECTRIC MAN
MRS. ANDERSON. It's as I thought, sir, the pore young gent isn't up.
JACK . Was he late last night?
MRS. ANDERSON. Oh, yes, sir, as I happens to know being woked up sudden, thinkering to hear a burgular, which was only Master Walter Everest, the gent I does for, a-creepering and a-crawlering upstairs.
JACK. Is he often like that?
MRS. ANDERSON. Lawk a floury! no, sir, only breaks out occasional when his work's bad. Mr. Everest is a chemist and electerician.
JACK. Been working hard lately?
MRS. ANDERSON. I believes as he have something very musterious and secret inventering at this here identical period of time, some mustery as he keeps in that there cupboard which the door is always locked constant. Oh, very musterious--and queer smells a-penetratering and perfuncteroring the house. Oh, here he are, sir.
Hullo, Jack, where did you spring from?
JACK. Came to town this morning.
WALTER. He meant it the other way about.
WALTER. Nearer fifty.
JACK. An adventurer named Potterfield has lately come to the village, found out about the will, made love to the old lady, got a special license, and is bringing her to town to marry her to-morrow.
WALTER. What?
JACK. Stella is coming here directly. This wedding must be stopped or postponed.
WALTER. Jack, something's got to be done--suppose I were taken ill--very ill.
JACK. No good at all.
WALTER. Well, suppose that--no, that's no use--suppose again that--no, that's no good either. I have a dim kind of idea that in some way my invention is going to help us.
JACK. You said it had failed.
WALTER. It failed living; it might be of use dead. Hullo, tra la la!
WALTER. Hullo, Stella how are you? Jack has told me all about this adventurer, Potterfield. I've an idea to checkmate my stepmother. I'm going to postpone their marriage not by being ill--I'm going to die. What do you think of that?
JACK. I think it's the weakest thing I ever heard of.
WALTER. In that cupboard there is a figure exactly like myself which was timed to spring into existence yesterday at 5 p.m.--only it didn't. It's the work my father never completed. Something went wrong. There the figure is and will remain, dead as a nut. I even dressed it in my best clothes, gave it a name, too, christened it Cyril Davidson.
STELLA. Cyril Davidson?
JACK. What was the little idea of making it like yourself?
WALTER. My father's instructions were to make the man I was creating a handsome, good-looking fellow, according to the very best available model. All you've got to do is to produce the dead figure and say it's me. I'll go away to Brighton; they can't in common decency marry before the funeral.
WALTER. Come and see!
STELLA. Oh, how wonderful!
JACK. Wonderful!
WALTER. Bell!--that may be my stepmother! We might go into the other room. I call it my drawing-room, because there is a piano and three gold-fish in a bowl.
Jack, in case she comes I'd better be off. Can you lend me any cash?
JACK. How much do you want?
JACK. Right.
WALTER. Explain that to Stella.
JACK. Right oh!
WALTER. Now, Mr. Davidson, my coat, if you please.
I say! let me go! confound you--Jack--Jack--I say! the thing is moving!
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