7

2.

CURTAIN rises on NANA, the nurse, on hearthrug by
the fire asleep. NANA is a Newfoundland dog of the
black-and-white variety called Landseers. Through-
out the play though she has unusual things to do
she must do them strictly as a real dog of brains
would act and never as a gymnast. The part will be
played by a boy, and he must be drilled into acting
as a dog would act - he must never do anything that
a clever dog could not be trained to do. Unless
when otherwise indicated in the text he must always
walk on four legs and if he is ever on two legs only
he must be as awkward on them as the real dog would
be. Naturalness must be his one aim from first to
last. But despite this he acts throughout like an
ordinary nurse, not like one new to the business,
but who does to-night precisely as he has been doing
every night for the last year.

The light of the fire shows NANA vividly - she is
dreaming and makes sounds dogs make at such times.
It is not a bark. The grandfather's clock at back
gives the warning whirr common to such clocks before
they strike. NANA jumps up suddenly wide awake
with the lightning rapidity of dogs, looks straight
before her for a moment, then walks slowly to R,
down stage and putting front paws against wall by
side of door switches on electric light with her
mouth. She does not do this, or anything else, as
a feat, but simply as part of her daily hum-drum
work. She then goes nearer clock and listens to
its striking. At each strike she gives one wag of
her tail which shows she is counting. Her back is
to audience. Clock strikes six. She next (in the
ordinary quiet business-like way of a nurse) turns
down the bed clothes with her mouth from all three
beds, brings in her mouth from child's cot a suit of
pyjamas for a child (all in one piece), hangs this
over fender to air it. She then opens door of bath-
room in same way as she has switched on light. The
door being open, the bath and taps are seen. She
turns on a tap with her mouth and water is seen
pouring into bath. Steam rises, showing it is hot
water. She puts paw to water to test it. Evidently
it is hot for she scalds her paw. She turns on
another tap of cold water, and lets the two run

4.

WENDY (calls answer) Coming, mother!

MRS D: All safe! Xs to michaels bed - Lits outwendyshed (what)

(ENTER WENDY and JOHN arm in arm acting grown up people. WENDY is about 12 and JOHN 10)

JOHN We are playing at being you and father. I'm father. (imitating a father) A little less noise there - little less noise. (Mrs & punks)

WENDY Now let us pretend we have a baby. (Lits chain Ref line)

JOHN I am happy to inform you, Mrs Darling, you are now a mother.

WENDY Oo! oo! oo! (jumps with joy)

JOHN (C) You've missed the chief thing. You haven't asked, boy or girl?

WENDY I'm so glad to have one at all, I don't care which it is.

JOHN That's just the difference between gentlemen and ladies. Now you tell me. (lunch door opens)

WENDY I am happy to acquaint you, Mr Darling, you are now a father. (Tony looks at John)

JOHN Boy or girl?

WENDY Girl. (John looks down concerned)

(JOHN straddles legs, puts hands in pockets and is picture of depression)

You horrid!

JOHN (sternly) Go on.

WENDY I am happy to acquaint you, Mr Darling, you are again a father.

8.

you why. (she sits)
ANDER) (They go to fire)

DARLING Well? (sits on floor)

MRS D: Georgey, when I came into the room to-night I saw - a
face at the window.

DARLING A face at a window four floors up?

MRS D: It was the face of a little boy - he was trying to get in.

DARLING Impossible!

MRS D: Oh, Georgey, this is not the first time I have seen that boy.

DARLING Oho!

MRS D: The first time was a week ago. I had been drowsing
here by the fire when suddenly I felt a draught, - as if
the window was open. I looked round and I saw that boy
in the room!

DARLING In the room?

MRS D: I screamed! Nana was in her kennel over there. She jumped out and with a fierce bark sprang at him. The boy leapt at the window. Nana pulled it down quickly, but was too late to catch him.

DARLING I thought so.

MRS D: Wait. He escaped, but his shadow hadn't time to get
out. Down came the window and cut it clean off.

DARLING Mumey, Mumey! why didn't you keep that shadow?

MRS D: I did. I rolled it up, father, and here it is. (Produces shadow from drawers L. down stage. It is dark and made of some material so light that when unrolled it floats. She unrolls it)

10.

DARLING

Be a man, Alexander.

(NANA has put spoon on chair, poured into it from
bottle in mouth, and brings spoon in mouth to
ALEXANDER. JOHN has now disappeared in bathroom)

ALEX: Won't - won't.

MRS D: I'll get you a lovely big chocky to take after it.

(EXIT R.)

DARLING

Mother, don't pamper him. Alexander, when I was your
age I took medicine without a murmur. I said "Thank
you, kind parents, for giving me bottles to make me
well." (dog X S. with medicine to bed.)

(WENDY has come in in nightgown L. and JOHN in pyjamas from bathroom)

WENDY

(quite honestly) That medicine you sometimes take,
father, is much nastier, isn't it?

DARLING

Ever so much nastier. And if I hadn't lost the bottle,
I would take it, Alexander, as an example to you.

WENDY

(innocently) I know where it is, father; I'll bring
it.

(EXIT L.)

(MR DARLING is taken aback)

DARLING

John, it's the most beastly stuff! It's that - that
sticky sweet kind!

JOHN

It'll soon be over, father.

(WENDY runs in with a wine glass and bottle containing whitish liquid)

WENDY

I've been as quick as I could.

11.

DARLING

(with vindictive politeness) You have been wonderfully quick - precious quick.

WENDY

(pouring it into wine-glass and giving it to father and still under impression that father is grateful to her) Now, Alexander, you will see how father takes it.

DARLING

Alexander first.

ALEX:

Favver first.

DARLING

(threateningly) It will make me sick, you know.

JOHN

Come on, father.

DARLING

Hold your tongue.

WENDY

I thought you took it quite easily, father.

DARLING

That's not the point; the point is there's more in my glass than in Alexander's spoon. (fiercely) And it isn't fair, I say it though it was with my last breath, it isn't fair.

WENDY

Why not both take it at the same time?

DARLING

Certainly. Are you ready, Alexander? One - two - (suspiciously) three! (Dog has Michael in hand. He says, "I will to bathe in (DARLING pretends to take it. ALEXANDER takes his) NANA returns to bathroom where she is seen rinsing spoon")

JOHN

Father hasn't taken his!

ALEX:

Boo-oo-oo! (weeps)

WENDY

Oh, father!

DARLING

What do you mean by "Oh, father?" Stop that row, Alexander, I meant to take mine, but I missed it.