31 Plays in 31 Days, #11 - "Showing Up"
Aug. 11th, 2017 08:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
breakinglight11This is just a short little bit from Gilded Cages, but it's cute enough I want to post it. Mary's relationship with Arthur is the catalyst for her personal journey in this one, about how she chooses to navigate her connection with him being a question of her priorities, intentions, and plans. This bit is barely a scene, but I like the various attitudes in it, and there's some lines that are both funny and illustrate the relationships between the characters. Part 4 is more about the relationships than anything else, with a greater focus on it than any of the previous four plays, so I want to have every moment tell you more about these people.
Day #11 - "Showing Up"
From Gilded Cages
By Phoebe Roberts
London, 1884
MARY STONE, apprentice society avenger
NATHANIEL HAWKING, fellow apprentice and her friend
ARTHUR SWANN, a police sergeant courting Mary
~~~
(The Hawking parlor. The bell rings and MARY goes to answer it, but dithers when she realizes who it is. NATHANIEL enters.)
NATHANIEL: Was that the bell? Who is it?
MARY: It’s Arthur.
NATHANIEL: Arthur? Why is he here?
MARY: I don’t know!
NATHANIEL: Does he… know you live here?
MARY: I suppose he does.
NATHANIEL: Oh.
MARY: What do I do? Madam can’t see him here!
NATHANIEL: Oh, God, certainly not. Ah… take him outside and talk to him there. I’ll manage Mrs. Hawking. I need a word with her anyway.
(MARY lets ARTHUR inside.)
MARY: Ah… can we help you, sir?
ARTHUR: Afternoon, I’m Sergeant Swann. Forgive the intrusion, but I’m knocking on all the doors in the neighborhood to warn of a sinkhole problem on the streets nearby. You’ll want to take care when you go out walking.
MARY: Oh. Thank you, sir. Perhaps you could… show me where, so I’ll know what to watch to watch out for?
ARTHUR: Certainly, miss. If you’ll come with me.
(He pauses at NATHANIEL.)
ARTHUR: Sorry, sir, do I know you?
NATHANIEL: It’s entirely possible, Sergeant.
MARY: Come now!
(MARY exits with ARTHUR. NATHANIEL chuckles to himself.)
Day #11 - "Showing Up"
From Gilded Cages
By Phoebe Roberts
London, 1884
MARY STONE, apprentice society avenger
NATHANIEL HAWKING, fellow apprentice and her friend
ARTHUR SWANN, a police sergeant courting Mary
~~~
(The Hawking parlor. The bell rings and MARY goes to answer it, but dithers when she realizes who it is. NATHANIEL enters.)
NATHANIEL: Was that the bell? Who is it?
MARY: It’s Arthur.
NATHANIEL: Arthur? Why is he here?
MARY: I don’t know!
NATHANIEL: Does he… know you live here?
MARY: I suppose he does.
NATHANIEL: Oh.
MARY: What do I do? Madam can’t see him here!
NATHANIEL: Oh, God, certainly not. Ah… take him outside and talk to him there. I’ll manage Mrs. Hawking. I need a word with her anyway.
(MARY lets ARTHUR inside.)
MARY: Ah… can we help you, sir?
ARTHUR: Afternoon, I’m Sergeant Swann. Forgive the intrusion, but I’m knocking on all the doors in the neighborhood to warn of a sinkhole problem on the streets nearby. You’ll want to take care when you go out walking.
MARY: Oh. Thank you, sir. Perhaps you could… show me where, so I’ll know what to watch to watch out for?
ARTHUR: Certainly, miss. If you’ll come with me.
(He pauses at NATHANIEL.)
ARTHUR: Sorry, sir, do I know you?
NATHANIEL: It’s entirely possible, Sergeant.
MARY: Come now!
(MARY exits with ARTHUR. NATHANIEL chuckles to himself.)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}