CHINA DOLLS. A PLAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 307, 28 December 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

CHINA DOLLS. A PLAY

By Agnes L. Winskell

DRAMATIS PERSONAE. ' „,1 Flo Mrs - Billing. June ana *j ■ Waterman. Scenel Time: Christmas Eve. t- •« mom in small cottage, comWftSshed, with bright fire forta w y open grate. Old lady ESS tapped about with ( ■ «ts in armchair before the fire, 'I inS watching June and Flo, who 610 &- paper chains. These, $h3r%»° nß ' S-e the room a Christmas "air. Tune (on stepladder, leaning back t0 her -ork): There! How doe 9 that look, Flo? Flo (holding stepladder): Oh its wely, June! Why, we emildn t hang nother thing if we tried. T , me (to Mrs. Billing): What do yo u think, Mrs. Billing? Do you J&. Billing: It's beautiful, my dear and I'm sure my daughter Elise so; too I'll wager, anywav that she's not expecting to find this'when she comes to-morrow. June (laughing, descending stepladder): Well, it will be a real Christ(affectionately): It will 1 indeed. But you should not hare, wasted, your eveningFlo: That's enough, Mrs. Billing! We really had nothing else to do, all June: And we love coming over, aiivway We wouldn,t sta y for anything. That is (teasingly) unless Toil don't want us to come any more. Mrs. Billing (reproachfully): You know me better than that, I hope, June. I don't really know what I'd have done without you both since my illness. I can't really thank you enough. Flo: Then please don't try, Mrs. Billing. June and I love to do what we can, and if we are helping you a little, well, that's ample reward. June: I say, Flo, just look at the time! It's nearly nine! I'd better go and make the tea. I put the kettle on.ages ago. (Exit June.) Flo: I'll put this stepladder away, too. (Exit Flo.) Mrs. Billing, alone, sits looking in fire thoughtfully, then reaches for pair of china dolls on mantelpiece. They represent a man and a woman clad in old English dress, poised in the act of performing a minuet. There is a sudden rattle of cups and saueere,;and June and Flo re-enter, carrying, between them, three cups of tea.) June: Here you are, Mrs. Billing. Fresh from the farm—or, rather, the kitchen. Mrs. Billing (dropping dolls in lap): Thank you, my dear. That's it (as Flo draws a couple of staols up to the fire), have a warm' up hefore you go. (June and Flo seat themselves.) Flo (suddenly): Why, they the dolls you keep on. the mantelpiece, Mrs, Billing?

Mrs. Billing: Yes." (She pauses, then hesitantly): I was wondering, dears, if—if you'd accept them from me as —as a little Christmas gift. June and Flo (together) : Oh, Mrs. Billing, but we couldn't— Mrs. Billing: But, my dears, you must! Won't you? Just to please me? I'd like you to have them. June (slowly): Well, if you put it like that— Mrs. Billing: I do, June. Flo: But, still, we don't like taking them from you. You've had them so long now. June: And what about Elise, your daughter? Won't she be wanting them ? Mrs. Billing: Elise doesn't like them at all. She thinks they're oldfashioned. Flo:. Oh! Why, they're' beautiful! Mrs. Billing: And as to my having them a long time, I have, it's true. They were my mother's before me. But they've not brought me much luck; for all their supposed charms. June: Luck? Why, are they supposed to be lucky? Mrs. Billing: "Supposed" to be, as I said, June. An old gipsy woman gave them to niy mother for—"for services rendered," one might almost say, and she swore by their magic. Mother was pretty firm in her belief, too, although I've not found much to substantiate it as yet. But perhaps you'll have more success. For you will take them, won't you? (looking from one girl to the other. June and Flo exchange glances, then June nods.) %

June: Well, as you want us to so much. And thank you very, very much, Mrs. Billing (sincerely). (Mrs. Billing hands dolls to her.) We'll take great care of them. And. perhaps they will bring us luck, as you say. Eh, Flo? Flo (laughing): Perhaps! We could do with some with our dancing, anyway: (More seriously.) I'm sure we'd do some good with it if we only had the chance. June: Well, there's the dancing festival next week. We may win that. We are going in for the costume dance competition (explaining to Mrs. Billing), but we've neither thought out the costume nor the dance at present. We will, though. (She rises as she. speaks.) Well, Flo— Flo (rising) : Yes. I think we'd better be making a move. Mother will worry about us if we are late. (The girls take hats and coats from hooks behind door and put them on.) June: Good-night, Mrs. Billing. We'll be seeing you again soon. Flo: And you're sure you need nothing else ? Mrs. Billing: Quite sure, my dear. i*m not quite an invalid now, you know (laughing). Good-night. Flo and June (together): Goodnight. Flo (as an after-thought) : And thanks again for the dolls.

(Exeunt two girls through door left. Door closes and the curtain falls. Scene 11. Time: New Year's Eve. Backstage of suburban hall. Wings left background, but permitting no view of the stage. Man stands apparently looking on at performance. There is a sudden clapping and applause, and a second later June and Flo, clad in the costume of the china dolls, smilingly bow their way hand in hand off stage. Man (moving aside for them, and clapping his hands): Well done! Congratulations! June (flushed): Then we've really been a success? Oh! — Elo: It's too, too wonderful for words! I'm not sure whether I'm on my head or my heels! (They all laugh a little breathlessly.) June: But we were all right, really, Mr. Mansell? Please tell us! Elo: Yes. Do we stand a chance for the prize? Did you really like us ? June: Because, after all, you're one of the judges — Mr. Mansell (nodding): Yes. One of them, my dear. I'm sorry. I'm afraid I must consult the other judge, Mr. Waterman, before I— Flo (excitedly): Then you did like us! Yourself, I mean? Oh, Hurrah! (She clutches at June excitedly and dances her round.) Mr. Mansell (who has been looking rather puzzled) : Young ladies— (They stop to face him, smiling and curious.) June: Yes? Mr. Mansell: Er— May I ask where you got your costumes for this dance? The design—it seems somewhat familiar. I'm sure I've seen it somewhere before. June (turning triumphantly to Flo): The china dolls! They're the reason! The reason why we've been so lucky! Flo: Of course. And we'd almost forgotten them. How silly we are. Mr. Mansell (in wonderment): China dolls? Lucky? What do you mean? How—? June (turning to him): That's the secret of the costume, Mr. Mansell. We had a couple of china dolls given us, and we're told they were supposed to be lucky— Flo (interrupting) : And we couldn't think of a dance or a costume until we got them! Could we, June? June (shaking her head): No. Anyway, these little china figures were dressed like this, and posed as if dancing the minuet. And that gave us the idea. Flo: You see? We had the costumes copied, practised the minuet every minute we could —and here we are! And the dolls have proved lucky, after all! Mr. Mansell (with new excitement): Yes! Yes, I see. And the dolls —. Yes, I remember, now!

Two china figures, you said, dressed like this? One of a man and one of a lady ? June (nodding): Yes. Mr. Mansell (eagerly): And they're yours? You have them still? June (puzzled): Yes, of course. But why— ? Mr. Mansell (hurriedly): I've a hobby, as you know—antique collecting. (Both girls nod as he pauses.) I've been looking for a couple of figures such as you speak of to match a pair I have. And I've found them—at last—through you! June (exchanging a glance with Flo): Oh! But'l'm afraid, Mr. Mansell — (hesitantly)—that—that we don't want to part with them. We've not had them long—and our friend— . Mr. Mansell: What good are they to you? They're valuable, let me tell you! But (confidently) when I've seen them and given you my price, you'll not hesitate. And that's another thing (hastily). When can I look at them ? To-night—to-mor-row— ? Flo: But really, Mr. Mansell, we don't want—we're not at all anxiousMr. Mansell: Then you'll let me see them ? Surely you won't mind that? Just my looking at them? June: Of course not, Mr. Mansell. And Flo (to her sister): I've been thinking, Mr. Mansell's right, really. We have no real use for the dolls, and Mrs. Billing will never take them back. But the money—Mrs. Billing isn't rich— Mr. Mansell: And one hundred pounds is a lot of money. (Both girls stnre in surprise). June: One hundred pounds! But how— Flo: You can't mean that the dolls are worth as much as that? Not the dolls? Mr. Mansell (nodding): To me, they are, young ladies. To any collector, in fact. They are antiques, you see. June (breathlessly): Fancy!. One hundred pounds! What a wonderful, wonderful present, Flo! Flo: For Mrs. Billing, you mean? Oh! June, what a glorious idea! But (with a shaky laugh), I'm sure I'll never believe it's true till it's all over! Mr. Mansell (laughing): Well, that's a small item. The sooner I can— June: To-morrow, Mr. Mansell, if you like. In the afternoon. You see. mother — Mr. Mansell: Of course. I understand. To-morrow, then. About two. I'll— (he breaks off, listening). •Voice (off-stage, raised impatiently): Can't anyone tell me where to find them ? Such people—such a place I never knew! What's that? Who? Those dancers, of course— those girls! And Mansell, too! Where on earth—? Ah!— (A short, nervous man comes hurriedly on stage.) There you are, Mansell! How do you do, young ladies? (brisky. Then to Mansell): Did you ever see such dancing—costumes? Marvellous! And from a couple of children! (June and Flo grimace to each other behind Mr. Waterman's back, straightening their faces just in time as he turns unexpectedly).

Don't you worry, young ladies! If Mansell doesn't agree to award you that prize, I'll want a good reason! Why, I've not seen young people dance like that in months! Excellent! Excellent! (clapping his hands together and smiling with satisfaction). Well, Mansell — (turning demandiiigly).

Mr. Mansell (smiling): Steady on, old man! I'm quite in agreement with you. I was only waiting to hear your verdict —

Mr. Waterman (impatiently): Verdict! What other verdict could I give? Nonsense! Nonsense! (Mr. Mansell does not answer, save to smile at girls over Mr. Waterman's shoulder.) Mr. Waterman (calming down): Good! Well, that's that! Now, young ladies —(again turning unexpectedly)- —your address! June (stammering) : Ad-address— Mr. Waterman: Address, girls, yes! Where do you live—street—neighbourhood? Your address! Do you think I'm letting a chance like this slip by? Why, a bit of training and you'll be there! Right there—-on top! I know enough about the theatre to know good business when I see it! Now, then — June {glancing entreatingly at Flo): But, Mr. Waterman—we couldn't —not really — Flo: We've not thought— And there's mother — Mr. Waterman: Mother! Your mother knows nothing about it! I'll see your mother! (Then, bluntly.) You want to dance, I suppose? June: Oh! Of course w© do! (sincerely.) Flo: We've been hoping and ing—Mr. Waterman: Good! That's what I like! Enthusiasm! Ambition! Fond of your job! And you'll get there! I'll see to that! Now then, this address! June: It's in the book, Mr. Waterman. When we entered for the competition — Mr. Waterman: In the book, is it? Good. To-morrow afternoon, then! About two! Tell your mother to expect me! Now Mansell (dropping the former subject). I want to speak to you! Come along! (Exit Mr. Waterman, expecting Mr. Mansell to follow.) Mr. Mansell (pausing): Well, you've been lucky, all right! (Smiling.) Something in those charms of yours, after all, eh? To-morrow certainly will be your lucky day— (Breaks off as Mr. Waterman is heard calling impatiently.) Mansell! Where on earth has the man got to? Mansell! Mr. Mansell (laughing): Lost again! "The secret of the vanishing man!" I'd better go, I think. Cheerio! The girls watch him go in stunned silence for a second. Then they heave an exaggerated sigh and face each other with flushed faces and shining eyes. Flo (softly, almost helpless with the excitement) Oh! June — June (happily) : Those wonderful wonderful dolls! And the curtain falls.