Before the Party by Rodney Ackland

Author:Rodney Ackland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: eBook ISBN: 9781783192168
Publisher: Oberon Books
Published: 2017-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

ACT TWO

The same. Three hours later.

Before the curtain rises, voices are heard.

KATHLEEN: Wait a minute, Susan, don’t get out that side.

BLANCHE: Go straight up and change your shoes and socks, Susie. Ask Muriel to bring out an umbrella – or Nanny, if Muriel’s out. No, wait a minute. Logan, you go and get an umbrella.

AUBREY: What a fuss, Blanche, about a few drops of rain. We don’t need an umbrella, Susan.

(The curtain rises. The landing door is open, and the window is shut. The sky is yellow and lowering, and rain pours steadily. The door up right is shut.)

KATHLEEN: (Off left of landing door, calling.) Oh, do come on, Mother.

AUBREY: (Off left of landing door, calling.) Susan, come back and wipe your shoes. What do you think the mat’s there for?

BLANCHE: (Off left of landing door, calling.) Give me the rug, Logan, thank you. Aubrey, mind that puddle by the door, dear.

(KATHLEEN crosses the landing from left to right.) Oh dear, I’m in one myself.

(NANNY appears on the landing and leans over the bannister. SUSAN crosses the landing from left to right.)

I should take off your wet things at once, Aubrey. Oh, hullo, Nanny. Fancy it turning out like this.

NANNY: Yes, isn’t it a shame? Poor Mrs Heywood, she will be upset – and the Canon. Did you have a nice time?

(BLANCHE appears on the landing. The ospreys in her hat are sagging damply and her stockings are splashed.)

BLANCHE: Yes, thank you. It was bad luck for her, wasn’t it, after all that trouble and expense.

AUBREY: (Off left of landing door, calling.) Don’t stand about gossiping, Blanche, in your wet shoes.

BLANCHE: (Entering the room.) I wonder if Laura’s back yet. (She looks around.) Oh, she’s not back. Nanny, I would like a nice cup of tea now. (She moves to the door up right and calls.) Would you like some tea, Kathleen?

KATHLEEN: (Off up right, calling.) No, thank you, Mother.

(BLANCHE moves to the chair down right and sits. Aubrey enters from landing.)

AUBREY: (As he enters.) I shouldn’t have any tea, Blanche, after what you ate at the party. I thought your stomach was supposed to be upset.

BLANCHE: (Wearily.) Oh, don’t browbeat me, Aubrey. Surely I know what’s best for myself.

AUBREY: I don’t think you do.

(He turns, goes out on to the landing, then exits right, leaving the door open.)

BLANCHE: Very well, I – won’t have any tea, then – although it’s the one thing that’ll calm my nerves. (She calls to NANNY. ) No tea, thank you, Nanny.

NANNY: (On the landing.) I’ll get you some if you like.

BLANCHE: (Taking off her hat.) No, thank you. (She stares sadly at the ospreys.) I should never have worn them again, anyway. (She calls.) Kathleen.

(AUBREY appears on the landing, looks reproachfully at BLANCHE, sighs, and without entering, closes the door. BLANCHE throws her hat on to the chaise, and sits waiting. After a moment,

KATHLEEN enters up right. She is wearing a dressing-gown, which she fastens as she enters.)

KATHLEEN: (Moving to the fireplace.) Well, have you thought of what to do?

BLANCHE: I don’t know.

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