Lady Windermeres Fan

Lady Windermere's Fan

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Title: Lady Windermere's Fan
Author: Oscar Wilde
Release Date: January, 1997 [EBook #790] [This file was first posted on January 25,
1997] [Most recently updated: September 17, 2002]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, LADY WINDERMERE'S
FAN ***

Transcribed from the 1917 Methuen & Co. Ltd edition by David Price, email
[email protected]

LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN

THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY
Lord Windermere Lord Darlington Lord Augustus Lorton Mr. Dumby Mr. Cecil Graham
Mr. Hopper Parker, Butler
Lady Windermere The Duchess of Berwick Lady Agatha Carlisle Lady Plymdale Lady
Stutfield Lady Jedburgh Mrs. Cowper-Cowper Mrs. Erlynne Rosalie, Maid
THE SCENES OF THE PLAY
ACT I. Morning-room in Lord Windermere's house. ACT II. Drawing-room in Lord
Windermere's house. ACT III. Lord Darlington's rooms. ACT IV. Same as Act I.
TIME: The Present PLACE: London.
The action of the play takes place within twenty-four hours, beginning on a Tuesday
afternoon at five o'clock, and ending the next day at 1.30 p.m.
LONDON: ST. JAMES'S THEATRE
Lessee and Manager: Mr. George Alexander February 22nd, 1892.
Lord Windermere, Mr. George Alexander. Lord Darlington, Mr. Nutcombe Gould. Lord
Augustus Lorton, Mr. H. H. Vincent. Mr. Cecil Graham, Mr. Ben Webster. Mr. Dumby,
Mr. Vane-Tempest. Mr. Hopper, Mr. Alfred Holles. Parker (Butler), Mr. V. Sansbury.
Lady Windermere, Miss Lily Hanbury. The Duchess of Berwick, Miss Fanny Coleman.
Lady Agatha Carlisle, Miss Laura Graves. Lady Plymdale, Miss Granville. Lady
Jedburgh, Miss B. Page. Lady Stutfield, Miss Madge Girdlestone. Mrs. Cowper-Cowper,
Miss A. de Winton. Mrs. Erlynne, Miss Marion Terry. Rosalie (Maid), Miss Winifred
Dolan.

FIRST ACT

SCENCE
Morning-room of Lord Windermere's house in Carlton House Terrace. Doors C. and R.
Bureau with books and papers R. Sofa with small tea-table L. Window opening on to
terrace L. Table R.
[LADY WINDERMERE is at table R., arranging roses in a blue bowl.]

[Enter PARKER.]
PARKER. Is your ladyship at home this afternoon?
LADY WINDERMERE. Yes--who has called?
PARKER. Lord Darlington, my lady.
LADY WINDERMERE. [Hesitates for a moment.] Show him up--and I'm at home to any
one who calls.
PARKER. Yes, my lady.
[Exit C.]
LADY WINDERMERE. It's best for me to see him before to-night. I'm glad he's come.
[Enter PARKER C.]
PARKER. Lord Darlington,
[Enter LORD DARLINGTON C.]
[Exit PARKER.]
LORD DARLINGTON. How do you do, Lady Windermere?
LADY WINDERMERE. How do you do, Lord Darlington? No, I can't shake hands with
you. My hands are all wet with these roses. Aren't they lovely? They came up from Selby
this morning.
LORD DARLINGTON. They are quite perfect. [Sees a fan lying on the table.] And what
a wonderful fan! May I look at it?
LADY WINDERMERE. Do. Pretty, isn't it! It's got my name on it, and everything. I
have only just seen it myself. It's my husband's birthday present to me. You know to-day
is my birthday?
LORD DARLINGTON. No? Is it really?
LADY WINDERMERE. Yes, I'm of age to-day. Quite an important day in my life, isn't it?
That is why I am giving this party to-night. Do sit down. [Still arranging flowers.]
LORD DARLINGTON. [Sitting down.] I wish I had known it was your birthday, Lady
Windermere. I would have covered the whole street in front of your house with flowers
for you to walk on. They are made for you. [A short pause.]
LADY WINDERMERE. Lord Darlington, you annoyed me last night at the Foreign
Office. I am afraid you are going to annoy me again.

LORD DARLINGTON. I, Lady Windermere?
[Enter PARKER and FOOTMAN C., with tray and tea things.]
LADY WINDERMERE. Put it there, Parker. That will do. [Wipes her hands with her
pocket-handkerchief, goes to tea-table, and sits down.] Won't you come over, Lord
Darlington?
[Exit PARKER C.]
LORD DARLINGTON. [Takes chair and goes across