A pantomime by Barbara Wellington.
_Scene_: A doll shop with counters running along left wall, back-stage
and right.
_Characters_, from stage right to left:
Right--Brownie, French Doll, Tin Soldier.
Back--Chinese, Indian, Jack-in-the-Box, Dinah, Golliwog, Dutch Girl.
Left--Two Rag Dolls.
The clock strikes twelve. Curtain opens on dolls lifeless on counters,
in characteristic attitudes. Brownie is sitting cross-legged; the
French doll is holding her skirt and peeking up at the soldier; the
soldier holds his gun, stiffly; the Chinese has his arms folded, hands
in sleeves; the Indian stands with tomahawk raised; Jack is in his
box with cover shut; Dinah’s hands are on her hips; Golliwog’s arm is
around her; the Dutch doll has a pail on her arm; the rag dolls lean
limply against each other.
All slowly come to life. Jack pops out of his box and goes through
jerky exercise. A dumb-bell drill may be used (music 4-4 time). At the
finish, Indian raises tomahawk over Jack with threatening attitude.
Jack pops back into box; cover shuts. Indian does war-dance of seeing
enemy, giving war cry (silently), fighting battle, and smoking
peace-pipe.
He ends by chasing the rag dolls down-stage and around to the right
and center, taking his place where they were. The rag dolls do a limp
dance exactly alike, leaning against each other and flopping heavily
at each step. They finish by dropping down up-stage right, with feet
straight out before them.
Jack-in-the-Box pantomimes clapping and the tin soldier sends him into
his box again by aiming his rifle. Then, wound up by French doll,
he marches forward stiffly to center-stage. She works his arms and
head and makes him embrace her, then winds him up for dance step of
progressing across stage, toeing out with both feet, and then in. She
does a ballet dance kick-step as she watches him. Finish off-stage.
Golliwog and Dinah try to imitate them in the same positions on stage,
and burlesque the steps. They turn it into an old-fashioned cake-walk
and as they finish up-stage right, Dinah waves her bandana and drops
it.
The Chinese doll shuffles forward and picks bandana up, goes back
to get his tub, scrubbing board and iron, and proceeds to launder
handkerchief, center-stage, facing audience. He turns scrubbing board
over for an ironing board. Finishes, folds handkerchief and hands it
to Dinah with bow. Goes left.
The Dutch doll comes forward, sees imaginary water splashed onto the
floor and holds up her hands in horror. She gets pail, and kneeling,
scrubs vigorously, facing left center and then right, on knees in each
new position. Then, trying the floor with her sabot, she puts away her
pail and does a Dutch wooden shoe dance. Finishes right.
The Brownie, who has been mimicking everybody as he sat on the
counter, right, hops down and does a clown dance, ending with a
cartwheel, left.
As each doll finishes his stunt he takes his place in a semicircle at
back-stage.
All swing into dance. As orchestra sounds cock-crow, all break line
and scramble back to original places.
Tableau, as in the beginning.