Dramatic Technique Part 73

_Professor Ward, roused at daybreak after a night at his desk, shows intense disappointment and nervous fatigue._

_In brief scene with Phronie, he shows the essential part she plays in his life as one on whom he can absolutely depend; but when he expresses his disapproval of her admirer, Keith Sanford, she shows clear signs of rebellious spirit._

_In rapid scene with Phronie and Keith, their spirit of youthful romance is made clear; and Keith indicates his college ambition, his predicament regarding his "cribbed" thesis, and his new att.i.tude therein, ending with his evident resolve to make a clean breast of the matter...._

There follows a scenario which is somewhat clearer than the others because it identifies the figures, but it certainly leaves their relations rather confused.

_An old white-haired man, the Sire de Maletroit, is seated in the chair to right of fireplace, in a listening att.i.tude. The sound of a heavy door banging is heard and a minute later a young man, sword in hand, parts the curtains on left and stands blinking in the opening.

He enters and explains that he has accidentally gained entrance to the house and is unable to re-open the door. His name is Denis de Beaulieu. He seems amazed to have the old man say that he has been waiting for him. Denis suggests that he must be going, at which the old man bursts into a fit of laughter. Denis is insulted and offers to hew the Maletroit's door to pieces. He is convinced that this is folly; the place is full of armed men. The old man rises, goes to door on right and calls upon his niece to leave her prayers and receive her lover. She comes in attended by a priest and protests that this is not the man. The uncle is incredulous and withdraws with a leer_.

Again a good list of _dramatis personae_ would be helpful.

Prefix to this the following:

THE SIRE DE MALETROIT'S DOOR

_Place: Chateau Landon._ _Time: Fourteenth century._

_Dramatis Personae_

_Blanche, orphan niece of Sire de Maletroit._ _A Priest, chaplain to Sire de Maletroit._ _The Sire de Maletroit._ _Denis de Beaulieu, a stranger._

With this prefixed we can read the scenario just quoted far more comprehendingly.

Note how clearly the following two lists of _dramatis personae_ take us to the scenario proper:

THE LEGACY

_The Persons_

_David Brice, a young attorney._ _Reene Brice, his uncle._ _Benjamin Doyle, his fiancee's father._ _Dr. w.a.n.gren, family physician._ _Mrs. Brice, the mother._ _"Ditto" Brice, the sister._ _Katherine Doyle, fiancee._

THE CAPTAIN: A MELODRAMA

_Dramatis Personae_

_Captain La Rue, a little sea captain._

_Bromley Barnes, former special investigator for the U.S. customs service.

Patrick Clancy, his friend.

A burly Butler.

John Felspar, junior partner of the firm of Felspar & Felspar, wine merchants.

Two Dinner Guests, members of the firm.

Carl Cozzens, the firm's Canadian representative._

It is easy, however, to let this list of characters go too far descriptively. For instance, this next list tells much which might better appear first in the body of the scenario. The danger here is one already mentioned in this book, namely, that such careful characterizing in the _dramatis personae_ or program is likely to make the characterization of the scenario or play inadequate.[3]

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._