Part 73 (2/2)

AN ENCORE

_Adapted from the story by Margaret Deland_

IN TWO ACTS

_Time: About 1830 in June.

Place: Little town of Old Chester.

Between the first and second acts three weeks elapse._

_Dramatis Personae_

_Captain Price: Retired sea-captain, big, bluff, and hearty, with white hair and big white mustachios, rather untidy as to dress. Age, about 68._

_Cyrus Price: His son, weak and neat-looking, very thin and of sandy complexion. Age, about 35._

_Mrs. North: Sprightly, pretty, white-haired little lady of about 65.

Always in black silk._

_Miss North: Her daughter, nervous and shy, but truthful with a mania for taking care of her mother and no knowledge of how to wear her clothes; about 40._

_Mrs. Gussie Price: A stout, colorless blond, a weeping, vividly gowned lady, who rules her husband, Cyrus, through her tears. Age, about 30._

_Flora: A colored maid_.

The danger is shown to the utmost in the following. The characterization in the scenario to which this was prefixed was practically _nil_.

_Forsythe Savile: A young lawyer of about thirty, clever, and rather versatile. While of great promise in his profession, he is not at all pedantic, but has many interests. He is well-read, widely travelled, fond of outdoor sports, and is very popular. Perhaps his most prominent characteristic is his ready wit. He is rarely non-plussed, and while quick and pointed in his remarks, is yet not ill-natured with them. He has been Dennings' most intimate friend ever since they were in college together, although their lives lie along very divergent lines._

_Richard Dennings: A globe trotter, as a hunter, explorer, and war-correspondent. He is clever and able, with a tendency to act on impulse rather than after deliberation. He is the closest kind of friend to Forsythe. He has been engaged to Frances Langdon, but the engagement has been broken off. This last fact is not known to any save the two themselves._

_Judge Savile: A widower, and Forsythe's father. He has been a very successful man, and holds a high place in his profession. He is devoted to books, and cannot understand his son's taste for out-of-door life, and athletics in general. He philosophically accepts the inevitable, however, and is very proud of Forsythe. The Judge does not approve of the engagement of Frances Langdon to Dennings; he cannot understand Dennings' uncertain methods of life. The Judge while saying very little of his opinion foresees that matters are very far from being finally settled, and is quietly awaiting developments._

_Margaret Savile: Forsythe's younger sister, and a feminine edition of him. She is very pretty, bright, and attractive. She and Forsythe are most intimate, more so than brother and sister usually are._

_Frances Langdon: An intimate friend of Margaret, and familiarly known as ”Frank.” She is essentially feminine, attractive, witty and talented. She is very nervous and high-strung--a strong character, but susceptible to her feelings. She has known the Saviles since she was a child and is considered exactly as a relative. She has broken her engagement to Richard Dennings._

_A butler: The usual English type_.

That list tells so much about the characters that the scenario proper could do little but repeat. The writer, troubled by his sense of repet.i.tion, rested for his characterization on the slight chance that a reader would remember every detail of the _dramatis personae_. All that a reader needs to know at the outset of a scenario is who the characters are, and, in the broadest way, their relations to one another.

A list of _dramatis personae_ should be followed with a statement of the time and place if they are important, and of the settings for all the acts. A detailed description of each new setting should precede its scene or act.[4] In the scenarios already quoted notice how difficult it is to place the characters as far as setting is concerned and how much would be gained if a good description of the setting were added. Keep the description of a setting to essentials, that is, furniture and decorations necessary to give requisite atmosphere or required in the action of the piece. As always in scenarios and acting editions use ”left” and ”right” as ”left” and ”right” of the actor, not of the audience.

THE SIRE DE MALETROIT'S DOOR (_See p. 428_)

SCENE: _A large room in the house of the Sire de Maletroit; large fireplace at centre back; curtained door on left leads to stairway; curtained door right leads to chapel. The room is well illuminated by candles, reflecting the polish of stone walls. It is scantily furnished._

<script>