Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 83

VILLAIN. Bandits! Thieves!

TRAGEDIAN. Silence, or I'll shut your mouth.

[_Goes back to the trunk and a.s.sumes his heroic pose._

COMEDIAN. [_Putting the dollar into his pocket._] That's what I call a successful and a bloodless revolution, except for a little fright and heart palpitation on the part of the late master and bread-giver.

Listen, some one is coming. Perhaps he'll be able to change the dollar and then we can divide it at once.

"OLD MAN." I am puzzled how we can change it into equal parts.

[_Starts to calculate with the_ INGENUE _and the_ "OLD WOMAN."

HEROINE. [_Tenderly attentive to the_ COMEDIAN.] You are angry with me, but I was only playing with him so as to wheedle the dollar out of him.

COMEDIAN. And now you want to trick me out of my share of it.

"OLD MAN." It is impossible to divide it into equal parts. It is absolutely impossible. If it were ninety-eight cents or one hundred and five cents or----

[_The_ STRANGER _enters from the right, perceives the company, greets it, and continues his way to left_. COMEDIAN _stops him_.

COMEDIAN. I beg your pardon, sir; perhaps you have change of a dollar in dimes, nickels, and pennies.

[_Showing the dollar. The_ "OLD MAN" _and women step forward_.

STRANGER. [_Getting slightly nervous, starts somewhat, makes a quick movement for his pistol-pocket, looks at the_ COMEDIAN _and the others and says slowly_.] Change of a dollar? [_Moving from the circle to left._] I believe I have.

WOMEN. Hurrah!

STRANGER. [_Turns so that no one is behind him and pulls his revolver._]

Hands up!

COMEDIAN. [_In a gentle tone of voice._] My dear sir, we are altogether peaceful folk.

STRANGER. [_Takes the dollar from the_ COMEDIAN'S _hand and walks backwards to left with the pistol pointed at the group_.] Good-night, everybody.

[_He disappears, the actors remain dumb with fear, with their hands up, mouths wide open, and staring into s.p.a.ce._

COMEDIAN. [_Finally breaks out into thunderous laughter._]

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

CURTAIN

THE DIABOLICAL CIRCLE

BY

BEULAH BORNSTEAD

_The Diabolical Circle_ is reprinted by special permission of Professor Franz Rickaby, in whose course in dramatic composition (English 36) in the University of North Dakota this play was written. For permission to perform, address Professor Franz Rickaby, University of North Dakota, University, North Dakota.

BEULAH BORNSTEAD

Beulah Bornstead, one of the promising young playwrights of the Northwest, was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota, May 5, 1896. She has had her academic training at the University of North Dakota, from which she received her B.A. in 1921. At present Miss Bornstead is princ.i.p.al of the Cavalier High School, North Dakota. Before attempting drama she tried her hand at journalism and at short-story writing.

Miss Bornstead was introduced into playwriting by Professor Franz Rickaby, in whose course in dramatic composition at the University of North Dakota _The Diabolical Circle_ was written. In speaking of this play Miss Bornstead writes: "_The Diabolical Circle_ is the first play I have ever written. I never enjoyed doing anything so much in my life.

The characters were so real to me that if I had b.u.mped into one going round the corner I should not have been surprised in the least. BETTY and CHARLES and ADONIJAH and even COTTON MATHER himself worked that play out. All the humble author did was to set it down on paper." _The Diabolical Circle_ was produced May 5, 1921, by the Dakota Playmakers in their Little Theatre at the University of North Dakota.

_The Diabolical Circle_ is one of the best contemporary plays dealing with American historical material. Its characterization is one of its noteworthy elements.

CHARACTERS

COTTON MATHER BETTY, _his daughter_ ADONIJAH WIGGLESWORTH, _a suitor, and_ COTTON'S _choice_ CHARLES MANNING, _likewise a suitor, but_ BETTY'S _choice_ THE CLOCK

THE DIABOLICAL CIRCLE

SCENE: _The living-room in the Mather home in Boston._

TIME: _About 1700, an evening in early autumn._

_The stage represents the living-room of the Mather home. A large colonial fireplace is seen down-stage left, within which stand huge bra.s.s andirons. To one side hangs the bellows, with the tongs near by, while above, underneath the mantelpiece, is suspended an old flint-lock rifle. On both ends of the mantel are bra.s.s candlesticks, and hanging directly above is an old-fashioned portrait of Betty's mother. There are two doors, one leading into the hall at centre left, the other, communicating with the rest of the house, up-stage right. A straight high-backed settee is down-stage right, while in the centre back towers an old grandfather's clock.[K] To the left of the clock is the window, cross-barred and draped with flowered chintz. An old-fashioned table occupies the corner between the window and the hall door.

Here and there are various straight-backed chairs of Dutch origin.

Rag rugs cover the floor._

_As the curtain rises_ COTTON MATHER _is seated in a large armchair by the fire, with_ BETTY _on a stool at his feet, with her knitting_.

COTTON, _his hair already touched with the whitening frost of many a severe New England winter, is grave and sedate. Very much exercised with the perils of this life, and serenely contemplative of the life to come, he takes himself and the world about him very seriously._

_Not so with_ MISTRESS BETTY. _Outwardly demure, yet inwardly rebellious against the straitened conventions of the times, she dimples over with roguish merriment upon the slightest provocation._

_As we first see them_ COTTON _is giving_ BETTY _some timely advice_.

COTTON. But you must understand that marriage, my daughter, is a most reverend and serious matter which should be approached in a manner fittingly considerate of its grave responsibility.

BETTY. [_Thoughtfully._] Truly reverend and most serious, father [_looking up roguishly_], but I like not so much of the grave about it.

COTTON. [_Continuing._] I fear thou lookest upon the matter too lightly.

It is not seemly to treat such a momentous occasion thus flippantly.