Drama Books

ANNAJANSKA is frankly a bravura piece. The modern variety theatre demands for its "turns" little plays called sketches, to last twenty minutes or so, and to enable some favorite performer to make a brief but dazzling appearance on some barely passable dramatic pretext. Miss Lillah McCarthy and I, as author and actress, have helped to make one another famous on many serious occasions, from Man... more...

SCENE I. A spacious hall, supported on columns, with entrances on both sides;at the back of the stage a large folding-door leading to a chapel. DONNA ISABELLA in mourning; the ELDERS OF MESSINA. ISABELLA.Forth from my silent chamber's deep recesses,Gray Fathers of the State, unwillinglyI come; and, shrinking from your gaze, upliftThe veil that shades my widowed brows: the lightAnd glory of my days... more...

THE FIRST ACT The scene is a drawing-room, prettily but somewhat showily decorated. The walls are papered with a design representing large clusters of white and purple lilac. The furniture is covered with a chintz of similar pattern, and the curtains, carpet, and lamp-shades correspond. In the wall facing the spectator are two windows, and midway between the windows there is the entrance to a... more...

PEOPLE IN THE PLAY ALICE GARDNER: Daughter of James K. Gardner, President of the L.I. & W. Railroad "UNCLE" JOSEPH HATCH: Alias "Gentleman Joe" "BRICK" MEAKIN: Alias "Reddy, the Kid" HARRY HAYES: Alias "Grand Stand" Harry CAPTAIN LUCAS: Chief of Police Policemen, Brakemen, Engineers Scene—The dining room in the country house of James K. Gardner on Long... more...

It may surprise some people to learn that in 1915 this little play was a recruiting poster in disguise. The British officer seldom likes Irish soldiers; but he always tries to have a certain proportion of them in his battalion, because, partly from a want of common sense which leads them to value their lives less than Englishmen do [lives are really less worth living in a poor country], and partly... more...

ACT THE FIRST. SCENE I. THE TOWER. Enter the Duke of Gloster, Sir Richard Ratcliffe, and Catesby. Glos.Thus far success attends upon our councils,And each event has answer'd to my wish;The queen and all her upstart race are quell'd;Dorset is banish'd, and her brother Rivers,Ere this, lies shorter by the head at Pomfret.The nobles have, with joint concurrence, nam'd meProtector of... more...

HOUSEHOLD GODS THE SCENE is at the hearth of CRASSUS, where is a little bronze altar dedicated to the Lares and Penates. A pale flame rises from the burning sandal-wood, on which CRASSUS throws benzoin and musk. He is standing in deep dejection. CRASSUS.Smoke without fire!  No thrill of tongues licks up  The offerings in the cup.Dead falls desire. Black smoke thou art,  O altar-flame, that dost... more...

ACT I Autumn. A peasant's hut, with a small room partitioned off. Akulína sits spinning; Martha the housewife is kneading bread; little Paráshka is rocking a cradle. MARTHA. Oh dear, my heart feels heavy! I know it means trouble; there's nothing to keep him there. It will again be like the other day, when he went to town to sell the firewood and drank nearly half of it. And he blames me... more...

ACT I. SCENE I.——VALÈRE, ÉLISE. Val. What, dear Élise! you grow sad after having given me such dear tokens of your love; and I see you sigh in the midst of my joy! Can you regret having made me happy? and do you repent of the engagement which my love has forced from you? Eli. No, Valère, I do not regret what I do for you; I feel carried on by too delightful a power, and I do not even wish that... more...

This comedy excites that sensation, which is the best security for the success of a drama—curiosity. After the two first acts are over, and pleasantly over, with the excellent drawn characters of Ashfield and his wife, and the very just satire which arises from Sir Abel's propensity to modern improvements—the acts that follow excite deep interest and ardent expectation; both of which are so... more...