Oh! Susannah!

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Oh! Susannah!, by Mark Ambient

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Title: Oh! Susannah! A Farcical Comedy in Three Acts
Author: Mark Ambient
Release Date: June 12, 2007 [EBook #21820]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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Produced by David Widger

OH! SUSANNAH!
By Mark Ambient
Produced at the Eden Theatre, Brighton, on September 6th, 1897, afterwards played at the Royalty Theatre, London.
Scene:-Doctor's Consulting Room, 13 Marmalade St., Pimlico.
Time:-Lady Day, 4 p. m. to 6 p. m. The action is continuous throughout the 3 Acts.
Time of representation.
Act I. 53 minutes.
Act II. 32 minutes. (One hour and three quarters.)
Act III. 20 minutes.
PROPERTIES.
On bureau. Whiskey decanter, water, glasses.
Below bureau. Pail with water and house flannel.
In med. chest. Small bottles of coloured water, medicine-glass and roll of lint.
On steps Feather brush.
On ped. cupboard. Case of surgical knives.
On doctor's table. Microscope, test tubes, phials, double stethoscope, eye-glass, stationery cabinet with note-paper, pen, pencil, calendar, Bradshaw, blotter, scribbling block, hand bell, ash-tray with cigarette ends and matches.
In mirror. Invitation cards (Sir Peter-Mrs. O'Hara).
On sofa. Cushions.
Off stage. Front door bell.
HAND PROPERTIES.
Doctor. Act 1. Gladstone bag packed with books, papers and one collar. Photo of Flo in pocket.
Act 2. Aunt's letter, also Flo's photo and coppers.
Andrew. Act 3. Pipe and baccy.
Waverly. Act 1. Detective camera in form of turnip watch.
Act 2. Walking stick (for Pearl's Bus.)
Plant. Act 1. Pocket hair brush-mirror at back.
Act 3. Small black bag-deed inside.
Tupper. Act 1. Crumpled telegram in pocket. Landlady's account book.
Flo. Act 2. Two bags and two parcels.
Act 3. Bundle of aunt's clothes (wet).
Ruby. Act 1. Andrew's letter.
Act 2. Visiting card.
Pearl. Act 2. Sporting Times.
Act 3. Pearl necklace in case.
Aurora. Act 1. Six letters in blue envelopes, pair of paste hair combs (in pocket), duster, tea-things, grotesquely big brown earthenware tea-pot, milk, sugar, cups and saucers, stale quartern loaf, knife and butter.
Act 2. Lady's letter-thick paper, gold crest.
Act 3. Telegram.
CUSTOMS.
Doctor. Act 1. Frock coat and high hat.
Act 2. Changes to pyjamas and Turkish dressing-gown.
Andrew. Act 1. Blue serge yachting suit and cap.
Act. 2. As aunt, in picture.
Waverly. Very smart.
Plant. White hat, loud waistcoat, outré.
Tupper. In buttons.
Aunt. Quiet, old-fashioned, almost Quakerish.
Flo. Modern tailor-made costume and smart hat.
Ruby & Pearl. Dressed alike, in sailor hats and serge costumes, with sailor collars.
Mrs. O'Hara. Eccentric Irish landlady.
Aurora. Slatternly slavey frock, soiled white apron, cap awry, large slippers tied on with string. (During Act 3: changes to grotesque colored dress: orange blossoms in hair.)
Scene plot.
The scene is a Doctor's consulting room on the ground floor of a lodging-house in Pimlico.
(1) Door R. at back to bathroom (not opened till middle of Act II, showing about half of bath, taps, etc).
(2) L. at back, to passage, showing hat stand.
(3) Down R.
(4) Window C, commanding view of similar houses across street.
FURNITURE.
(B) Bureau with practicable drawers.
(M) Medicine chest (hung between door r. and window).
(C) Operating couch in front of window.
(L) Step ladder, between couch and window at rise of curtain.
(P) Pedestal cupboard.
(H) Hatstand.
(A) Picture of Aunt, over door L.
(5) Sofa for three-half facing Are.
(T) Doctor's table, (t) Tea table.
(R) Revolving chair behind Doctor's table.
(G) Grandfather's chair at fireplace.
(C) Ordinary chairs.
Mirror and clock over fire, fender and fire-irons. Poker used.

OH! SUSANNAH!

ACT I.
Scene. The Doctor's consulting room. Ground floor, 13 Marmalade Street, Pimlico. (See Scene Plot.)
(Aurora. the slavey, discovered laying out Doctor's letters lovingly on his writing table; she kisses each one as she lays it down--all are in blue envelopes.)
Aurora. They're all for 'im--the dear doctor. Won't 'e be pleased when 'e comes back and finds all this little lot! 'E went off quite sudden two days ago. Gone to see a patient, I expect, none ever comes 'ere, so 'e must go to them, (crosses L., looks in mirror) Oh, why was I born so rudely 'ealthy? (on sofa) I would like to be 'is patient. I'd a-bear anythin' with the dear doctor to see to me, 'e's got sich a sorft 'and. (jumps off sofa and stands C. looking at aunt's picture, curtseys) I wonder if she's 'is fancy? 'Er with the diamond combs. You ain't the only one, my lady, with diamond combs! I'll struggle with yer. (produces combs from her pocket) Tenpence a pair--in the Strand, (going to put them on, stops) No, I'll wait till 'e comes 'ome. They're all for 'im, the dear doctor--all for 'im! (end of sofa)
(Enter Tupper, a fat little page.)
Tupper. I say, Aurora. the missus is a'goin' to do the thing in style this afternoon, two fiddler blokes--an' a planner an' a programme o' the dances pinned up over the mantelpiece over 'ead. (picks