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breakinglight11This scene is another from Justin’s Wodehousian comedy adventure, meant to directly follower the opener #8 - “A Caper in Venice”, depicting Justin and his valet Peter Morgan arriving for the house party that will be the setting for the story.
This scene’s a little awkward. It’s got some clunky exposition and probably isn’t quite funny enough and needs punching up. But it’s intended to not only set the scene, but introduce you to what Justin and Morgan are like as people, and how they interact with each other. Justin is a whimsical, roguish free spirit who enjoys stirring up trouble and lives outside of convention. Morgan is his friend and loyal retainer, who attempts to be his voice of reason while he still supports him and backs him up, but is kind of his straight man and is noticeably more cautious. I also want to seed the problem dealt with in #10 - “On Your Terms” and #11 - “Need Someone”, where they care about each other, but the dynamic is not equal, and Justin is sometimes cavalier with that.
Also, notably, this show we will have the space to depict Justin as visibly bisexual. He always has been intended to be kind of a Kinsey 1 or 2, but in his previous appearance in Mrs. Hawking III: Base Instruments, it was tricky to make it present given his role in the story. Christian Krenek, the second person to portray him, had some good ideas to manifest it in small ways, but Justin would not be able to be terribly open with it in that company. While we want to make it part of his character and keep the story from getting too bogged down in the bigotry of the period, which would make the story a lot less fun, we also don’t like the idea of the characters reacting to it like modern people. So we’re trying to split the difference to have a little fun with it, without throwing the Victorian milieu out the window.
Photo by John Benfield
Day #14 - “Man of Philosophy”
From A Libertine Abroad
By Phoebe Roberts
~~~
JUSTIN HAWKING, a liberated gentleman, late thirties
PETER MORGAN, his valet, early thirties
ROSALINE PEMBROKE, a representative of Pembroke’s of London, early thirties
Venice, 1889
~~~
(JUSTIN rises from his chair and walks to meet PETER MORGAN, his gentleman’s personal gentleman, who carries in his bags.)
JUSTIN: Ah, Venezia! Have you every seen any country so lovely?
MORGAN: We’ve been to Italy before, sir.
JUSTIN: Ah, yes, but never Venice! I swear, Mr. Morgan, I’m so pleased just to be here it hardly feels like business at all.
MORGAN: Steady on, sir. We’ve got to see our way to the Broadwater investment.
JUSTIN: Of course, of course, you old killjoy, you. Still, look about! We’re in the fabled romantic city of canals— and during the time of Masquerade, no less!
MORGAN: What’s that, sir? A masked ball?
JUSTIN: Much more than that, Morgan! It was some Papist religious festival, until the church put the damper on things because everyone was having too much fun. I hear it was absolutely barbarous, and we shall be seeing it firsthand.
MORGAN: But if they stopped it, how shall we be attending?
JUSTIN: Because our host Theo is to be holding his own! Lucky for us, my old schoolfellow has a grander sense of adventure than Pope.
MORGAN: Is this Lord Cornin’s place, then? He must have a bob or two.
JUSTIN: Three or four, actually. But it’s the Broadwaters’, actually, and one of several besides.
MORGAN: No wonder you’re so keen on them.
JUSTIN: They’ve got their pick of the European litter, so to speak, so Theo’s got to impress them. I expect he’s pulled out all the stops to impress his betrothed’s family.
MORGAN: Easy to get lost in a place like this. And didn’t you say everybody’ll be wearing masks?
JUSTIN: Indeed! Oh, to think of the mischief we can get up to here!
MORGAN: Such as, sir?
JUSTIN: Use your imagination, man!
MORGAN: I’ll try, sir. But the English aren’t known for it.
JUSTIN: This week, Morgan, we’re all bold and swarthy Italians! So a little less brain and a lot more gut for the duration.
MORGAN: I take it you’ve got plans of beyond wooing Mrs. Broadwater.
JUSTIN: Wooing’s the word for it. All the young ladies will have high expectations for a good time. And the young gentlemen, for that matter.
MORGAN: Really, sir? The gentlemen too here?
JUSTIN: If the mood and chance may strike.
MORGAN: Have it your way, sir. Though I can’t say I understand it.
JUSTIN: No matter, old boy. We can’t all be philosophers. But, as of a man of the world, you can bet I’ll be ready for any adventure that comes my way.
(Enter ROSALINE. JUSTIN’s eye is immediately caught.)
JUSTIN: Comme ça.
MORGAN: Oh, dear me.
JUSTIN: Morgan? Go fly a kite.
MORGAN: Righto, sir.
(MORGAN exits. JUSTIN approaches ROSALINE.)
This scene’s a little awkward. It’s got some clunky exposition and probably isn’t quite funny enough and needs punching up. But it’s intended to not only set the scene, but introduce you to what Justin and Morgan are like as people, and how they interact with each other. Justin is a whimsical, roguish free spirit who enjoys stirring up trouble and lives outside of convention. Morgan is his friend and loyal retainer, who attempts to be his voice of reason while he still supports him and backs him up, but is kind of his straight man and is noticeably more cautious. I also want to seed the problem dealt with in #10 - “On Your Terms” and #11 - “Need Someone”, where they care about each other, but the dynamic is not equal, and Justin is sometimes cavalier with that.
Also, notably, this show we will have the space to depict Justin as visibly bisexual. He always has been intended to be kind of a Kinsey 1 or 2, but in his previous appearance in Mrs. Hawking III: Base Instruments, it was tricky to make it present given his role in the story. Christian Krenek, the second person to portray him, had some good ideas to manifest it in small ways, but Justin would not be able to be terribly open with it in that company. While we want to make it part of his character and keep the story from getting too bogged down in the bigotry of the period, which would make the story a lot less fun, we also don’t like the idea of the characters reacting to it like modern people. So we’re trying to split the difference to have a little fun with it, without throwing the Victorian milieu out the window.
Photo by John Benfield
Day #14 - “Man of Philosophy”
From A Libertine Abroad
By Phoebe Roberts
~~~
JUSTIN HAWKING, a liberated gentleman, late thirties
PETER MORGAN, his valet, early thirties
ROSALINE PEMBROKE, a representative of Pembroke’s of London, early thirties
Venice, 1889
~~~
(JUSTIN rises from his chair and walks to meet PETER MORGAN, his gentleman’s personal gentleman, who carries in his bags.)
JUSTIN: Ah, Venezia! Have you every seen any country so lovely?
MORGAN: We’ve been to Italy before, sir.
JUSTIN: Ah, yes, but never Venice! I swear, Mr. Morgan, I’m so pleased just to be here it hardly feels like business at all.
MORGAN: Steady on, sir. We’ve got to see our way to the Broadwater investment.
JUSTIN: Of course, of course, you old killjoy, you. Still, look about! We’re in the fabled romantic city of canals— and during the time of Masquerade, no less!
MORGAN: What’s that, sir? A masked ball?
JUSTIN: Much more than that, Morgan! It was some Papist religious festival, until the church put the damper on things because everyone was having too much fun. I hear it was absolutely barbarous, and we shall be seeing it firsthand.
MORGAN: But if they stopped it, how shall we be attending?
JUSTIN: Because our host Theo is to be holding his own! Lucky for us, my old schoolfellow has a grander sense of adventure than Pope.
MORGAN: Is this Lord Cornin’s place, then? He must have a bob or two.
JUSTIN: Three or four, actually. But it’s the Broadwaters’, actually, and one of several besides.
MORGAN: No wonder you’re so keen on them.
JUSTIN: They’ve got their pick of the European litter, so to speak, so Theo’s got to impress them. I expect he’s pulled out all the stops to impress his betrothed’s family.
MORGAN: Easy to get lost in a place like this. And didn’t you say everybody’ll be wearing masks?
JUSTIN: Indeed! Oh, to think of the mischief we can get up to here!
MORGAN: Such as, sir?
JUSTIN: Use your imagination, man!
MORGAN: I’ll try, sir. But the English aren’t known for it.
JUSTIN: This week, Morgan, we’re all bold and swarthy Italians! So a little less brain and a lot more gut for the duration.
MORGAN: I take it you’ve got plans of beyond wooing Mrs. Broadwater.
JUSTIN: Wooing’s the word for it. All the young ladies will have high expectations for a good time. And the young gentlemen, for that matter.
MORGAN: Really, sir? The gentlemen too here?
JUSTIN: If the mood and chance may strike.
MORGAN: Have it your way, sir. Though I can’t say I understand it.
JUSTIN: No matter, old boy. We can’t all be philosophers. But, as of a man of the world, you can bet I’ll be ready for any adventure that comes my way.
(Enter ROSALINE. JUSTIN’s eye is immediately caught.)
JUSTIN: Comme ça.
MORGAN: Oh, dear me.
JUSTIN: Morgan? Go fly a kite.
MORGAN: Righto, sir.
(MORGAN exits. JUSTIN approaches ROSALINE.)
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