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PRICE TWENTY-FIVE CENTS
PRINCESS KIKU
A JAPANESE ROMANCE
FEMALE CHARACTERS ONLY
DICK & FITZGERALD
PUBLISHERS
18 Ann Street, New York
* * * * *
COMEDIES AND DRAMAS
15 CENTS EACH
M. F.
=ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD (The Factory Girl).= Comic
Drama of great force; 2 acts; 2 hours 6 3
=ARABIAN NIGHTS, THE.= Farcical comedy; always a great success
with amateurs; 3 acts; 2¼ hours 4 5
=BARBARA.= Drama; well-written romantic story with touches of
genuine humor; 1 act; 50 minutes 2 2
=BETSY.= Farcical comedy; keeps audience in roars of laughter
to final curtain; 3 acts; 2½ hours 7 6
=BETWEEN TWO FIRES.= Military drama; 3 acts; 2 hours 8 3
=BROKEN PROMISES.= Strong temperance play of unflagging interest,
relieved with much eccentric humor; 5 acts; 1¾ hours 6 3
=BY FORCE OF IMPULSE. (Off to the War).= Military drama; comic
and emotional; 5 acts; 2½ hours 9 3
=CASTE.= Comedy that always delights the public; 3 acts;
2¾ hours 5 3
=CRAWFORD’S CLAIM; OR NUGGET NELL.= Good rattling Western
drama; 4 acts; 2¼ hours 9 3
=CRICKET ON THE HEARTH, THE.= Dickens’ story dramatized;
3 acts; 2 hours 6 6
=DEACON’S TRIBULATIONS, THE.= Comedy drama. A worthy successor
to the ever-popular “Deacon”; 4 acts; 2 hours 8 4
=EAST LYNNE.= Standard drama; 5 acts; 2½ hours 8 7
=ENGAGED.= Society comedy; full of burlesque fun; 3 acts;
2¼ hours 5 5
=FROM PUNKIN RIDGE.= Domestic drama; successful wherever
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=HOME.= Comedy; fresh dialogue and genuine humor combined with
a very strong plot; 3 acts; 2 hours 4 3
=HONEY-MOON ECLIPSE, A.= Comedy marked by spirited dialogue and
an abundance of comic incidents; 1 act; 30 minutes 1 2
=IMOGENE; OR, THE WITCH’S SECRET.= Realistic drama sure of being
enthusiastically received everywhere; 4 acts; 2¼ hours 8 4
=IN HONOR BOUND.= Drama always given with entire success; 1 act;
¾ hour 2 2
=JACK FOR EVERY JILL, A.= A most successful comedy; 1 act;
¾ hour 4 4
=JEMIMA, OR, THE WITCH OF BENDER.= Very laughable in its
absurd complications; 3 acts; 2 hours 4 4
=JUST FOR FUN.= Up-to-date society comedy. The piece is
cheerfully recommended; 3 acts; 2 hours 2 4
=LA CIGALE. (The Grasshopper.)= Comedy sometimes played as
“The Circus Girl”; 3 acts; 3 hours 13 4
=LADY OF LYONS, THE.= Romantic Drama; 5 acts; 2¾ hours 8 5
=LADY AUDLEY’S SECRET.= Emotional drama; 2 acts; 1¼ hours 4 3
=MAJOR ABORN’S PROPOSAL.= Comedy in 1 act; about 45 minutes; a
pretty comedy especially adapted for amateur production 3 2
=MARBLE ARCH, THE.= Comedy; one of the most popular little
plays; 1 act; ½ hour 2 2
=MARRIED LIFE.= Comedy; companion piece to “Single Life”;
3 acts; 2 hours 5 5
=MEG’S DIVERSION.= Drama; pathetic, humorous and picturesque;
2 acts; 1¾ hours 5 3
=MEN, MAIDS AND MATCHMAKERS.= Society comedy sparkling with
wit, interest and human nature; 3 acts; 2 hours 4 4
=MIRIAM’S CRIME.= Drama; the interest in this play is kept up
to the very end; 3 acts; 2 hours 5 2
DICK & FITZGERALD, Publishers, 18 Ann St., N. Y.
* * * * *
PRINCESS KIKU
A Japanese Romance. A Play for Girls
BY
M. F. HUTCHINSON
COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY DICK & FITZGERALD
NEW YORK
DICK & FITZGERALD, PUBLISHERS
18 ANN STREET
PRINCESS KIKU
A JAPANESE ROMANCE.
[Illustration: Floral decoration]
CHARACTERS
PRINCESS KIKU _Favorite niece of the Emperor_
O MIMOSA SAN }
O YUKI SAN }
O TOTMAI SAN } _Ladies-in-waiting_
O HARU SAN }
SAKARA _A learned Japanese lady devoted to ancient customs_
ITO _A little girl, dressed as a boy_
LADY CECIL CAVENDISH _An English girl travelling in Japan_
MISS PRENDERGAST _Her companion_
MOONBEAM FAIRIES.
LOCATION.--Tokio.
TIME.--The present.
TIME OF PERFORMANCE.--Two hours.
SYNOPSIS
SCENE I. The Chrysanthemum Garden and Summer-House. PRINCESS KIKU
and her ladies-in-waiting. Intrusion of LADY CECIL. Story of the
shipwrecked baby.
SCENE II. Same as before. SAKARA bribes little ITO to bring misfortune
on the PRINCESS by a play-act, which the PRINCESS believes is reality.
MIMOSA’s description of the Emperor’s reception. The working of
SAKARA’s spell.
SCENE III. Room in a Japanese hotel. MISS PRENDERGAST’s solicitude for
ARTHUR, CECIL’s brother. Mutual quizzing.
SCENE IV. Room in the house of SAKARA. SAKARA gives ITO further
instruction. MIMOSA’s fruitless embassy. SAKARA’s curse.
SCENE V. Room in Japanese house. KIKU’s hallucination: “What I touch
withers.” CECIL and companion’s interview with KIKU’s ladies. MISS
PRENDERGAST’s consternation.
SCENE VI. The Chrysanthemum Garden. ITO repents. KIKU supposed she had
struck ITO blind. He confesses it was play-acting. The story of the
shipwreck. The heiress is found.
COSTUMES
The principal garment worn by Japanese ladies is the kimono. This outer
garment or coat is made of silk, generally of a quiet color ornamented
with Japanese designs; or, for general purposes, of figured calico,
turkey red or orange cotton. The back has no seam and the front is
open from top to bottom, sloping outward below the waist to show the
underskirt; the neck is trimmed V shaped, or faced and turned over to
form a collar, bringing to view a colored kerchief folded across the
breast; the sleeves are loose and end in long, wide, rectangular-shaped
bags, wide open from wrist down and lined. The underskirt, only visible
in front, is of a different color and richly ornamented with gilt and
bright Japanese designs.
To complete the costume, a long, wide sash is passed twice around the
waist and gathered behind into an immense butterfly bow and ends.
The hair is arranged in pompadour style, and the back hair brought high
up on the top of the head and ornamented with large, showy pins and
little fans.
The eyebrows should be penciled black. Two fine black lines, one above
the upper and one below the lower eyelash, continued outward, curved
slightly upward and meeting just beyond the outer corner of each eye,
give quite a Japanese style to the face.
The little “Moonbeam Fairies” should be costumed in similar style as to
their garments, but of white or different light-colored material, the
sleeves shorter and the sash smaller than in the ladies’ costumes, and
white stockings drawn over their shoes.
SAKARA’s costume should be of sombre hues, the face made up for a
wrinkled old hag.
LADY CECIL is in well-fitting English travelling costume.
MISS PRENDERGAST, the same, but in accordance with her sixty years.
Hair, silver-white.
PROPERTIES
SCENE I. Flat square cushions, on which the girls kneel, sitting back
on their heels in Japanese fashion; loose chrysanthemums; stool in
summer-house; girls carry fans in hands or girdles.
SCENE II. Grass or straw rope; Eastern rugs; loose chrysanthemums;
guitar or samisen; cushions.
SCENE III. Sock, thimble, needle; dead flower.
SCENE IV. Presents on tray; books; cushions.
SCENE V. Japanese umbrellas, flowers, vases; square low table; cushions.
SCENE VI. Flowers; tiny silk bag.
NOTES ON SCENERY
SCENE I. Background and wings of dark curtains, with masses of real or
imitation chrysanthemums. A summer-house raised on a small platform can
be made with a Japanese umbrella and a screen, as in diagram.
[Illustration: Plan of stage, showing:
Stage Right: Chrysanthemum bed with 1
Up Stage Right: Chrysanthemum bed
Up Stage Left: Summer-house 4 with 2 at entrance
Stage Left: Chrysanthemum bed with 3
Caption:
The dotted lines mark the limits of the Chrysanthemum beds.
1 Totmai. 2 Yuki. 3 Haru. 4 Summer House.]
SCENE II. The same as Scene I.
SCENE III. Perfectly plain screens stretched round the stage. One
wooden table, rush-bottomed chair, portmanteau, coats, dressing-case,
etc.
SCENE IV. Japanese screens, idols or figures, small cabinet, etc. Sword
suspended from screen.
SCENE V. Screens, Japanese draperies, palms, etc., etc.
SCENE VI. Scene I., as before.
* * * * *
NOTE.--_The complete words and score of the musical comedy “San Toy,”
to the airs of which the song in this entertainment adapt themselves,
can be supplied by Dick & Fitzgerald, post-paid, on receipt of $2.00._
STAGE DIRECTIONS
R., right, as performer stands facing audience; L., left, as performer
stands facing audience; C., centre; U. E., upper entrance, _i.e._,
entrance nearest the back of stage; 1 E., first entrance, _i.e._,
entrance nearest footlights; UP STAGE, away from footlights; DOWN
STAGE, toward footlights.
FOREWORD
The Japanese are notably and effusively polite in their deportment.
Japanese girls are especially kind-hearted and obliging. Their religion
denies them immortality, and they believe that their paramount duty in
life is to please.
Their education imbues them with an intense love of flowers, bright
colors and all that is beautiful; it inculcates the extreme of social
etiquette in every-day deportment; it adds words of compliment in the
commonest phrases of conversation, and, moreover, teaches them to rely
on signs, omens and tutelary gods, both good and evil.
In this “Romance” the quaint and sprightly style of Japanese
expressions is carried out as faithfully as possible, and the
performers must study carefully the endless obeisances and quaint
dialogue which are indispensable to make it effective.
The scenery, where available, may be elaborate, as in Japanese
operas, but excellent effect may be obtained with a few Japanese
plain and ornamental screens, Japanese umbrellas, fans and plenty of
chrysanthemums, real or artificial, and of various colors.
PRINCESS KIKU
A JAPANESE ROMANCE
[Illustration: Floral decoration]
SCENE I.--_The Chrysanthemum Garden. Summer-house on raised platform,
up stage L. Entrances R. U. E. and L. 1 E. YUKI discovered seated on
the step of the summer-house. TOTMAI and HARU both on one knee down
stage, R. and L., among the flowers. They commence singing a little
before the curtain is raised._
SONG.
_Air: Chorus to “The Moon,” “San Toy,” Act I._
In the land of Japan,
Dainty maids wave a fan;
This way twirl, that way twist,
With a grace none resist.
All the day bright and gay,
Dainty feet none may stay;
This way slide, that way glide,
Point and turn, spring aside.
Swift to rise with the dawn,
Flowers to bind all the morn;
This one pluck, that one leave,
Dainty care all receive.
In the land of Japan,
Dainty maids wave a fan;
With a grace none resist,
This way twirl, that way twist.
[_After song TOTMAI and HARU rise and begin picking flowers._
TOTMAI. How sweet honorable blossoms with beautiful dew upon them. The
Princess promises rare flowers for the exalted festival this evening.
YUKI. Which of us will accompany Her Gracious Highness?
HARU. It is said that soon at the august Court all will wear ugly,
clumsy dress of barbarian foreigners.
YUKI _and_ TOTMAI. You say so, O Haru?
HARU. O grief-making! I have honorable knowledge that this is so. What
can be prettier than our dear kimonos and obi? Their strange dresses,
thick, clumsy things on their feet?
TOTMAI. How laughter-making is the great Englishman!
YUKI. Laughter-making? He seems strangely solemn. I expect honorable
barbarian does not like to be so big and clumsy, poor man! Ah
(_laughs_), if your worthy eyes could have seen him at exalted
tea-making! He (_rises and comes down C., imitating gestures_) took
the cup in his big, big hand. Do you know, O Totmai and O Haru, I
thought he would put it all in his mouth when he opened it, without
uttering honorable courtesies, and drank it all down before His August
Majesty had taken more than a sip! Then his face went just like this.
(_Grimaces._)
TOTMAI (_moves to C. YUKI moves R._). That is the way barbarians laugh.
What laughter he gave us in the garden here. You know, O Yuki, he has
had leave from the all-powerful Son of Heaven to walk here. O Haru and
I played ball, when we heard (_imitates_) stamp--stamp--stamp--and then
we saw the barbarian Englishman come swinging along. Before we had time
to move he nearly walked over us, going like this at a great, great
pipe. (_Walks L., imitating heavy tread of Englishman._) We laughed
greatly. O Haru, did we not laugh?
HARU (_coming C._). Then, O Yuki, he took strange covering from
barbarian head, like this, and said, “O-I-say--I-beg-your pardon!” We
laughed and laughed, running away; then stranger still was barbarian
speech: “By-Jove--jolly-little things!” Great was our honorable
laughter. The barbarian Englishman never smile except when they are
killing people. (_Walks up stage and looks off R._) Yonder I see O
Mimosa San.
ENTER _MIMOSA R. U. E. All bow._
MIMOSA. The august Princess gives honorable notice, O Yuki and humble
Mimosa attend her to exalted festival. (_HARU joins TOTMAI L._) O dear
little ones (_to TOTMAI and HARU_), there will be other feasts. The
Englishman, whom the all-powerful Son of Heaven condescends to love,
lingers in beautiful Japan.
TOTMAI (_laughing_). “By Jove--jolly-little-things!” O
laughter-making! Come, O Haru San, there are yet honorable
chrysanthemums to gather.
[EXEUNT L. 1 E.
MIMOSA (_drawing YUKI to C._). O Yuki, the exalted Princess is not
smiling. She has dreamed strangely, and of _serpents_. She cannot
forget cruel words spoken by the all-wise Sakara. In vain I tell Her
Highness the gods sit on the brow of just--and they, the most powerful
ones, protect the innocent!
YUKI. Truth, indeed--honorable truth--he who curses must look out for
two graves. Trouble not for the venerated Princess. O dear one, we are
as grave as foxes; we shall have honorable laughter to-night!
MIMOSA. O Yuki San, of honorable courtesy forgive, I cannot laugh.
See, I have sewn yet other charms in my girdle. Last night I, too, was
unfortunate and dreamed evil dreams. Great is my folly, I fear the
curses of wise Sakara.
YUKI. O Mimosa, go not forth to meet trouble. Yonder I see swift-flying
butterfly, chase it with honorable laughter (_turns and runs up
stage._) The Princess!
ENTER _TOTMAI and HARU L. PRINCESS ENTERS R. Girls bow to the ground._
MIMOSA (R.). August lady, do you walk for benefit of exalted health?
PRINCESS (_taking flowers from YUKI, who is up stage C., then coming
half way down stage to L. C._). The honorable chrysanthemums are all
gathered. The Englishman, in his cold land, will not have seen such
beautiful blossoms. O fair and rare! I will rest here. (TOTMAI and
HARU arrange cushions L. C.) Sit here, O maidens. I would tell fearful
trouble-bringing dream. (_MIMOSA and YUKI sit R. of PRINCESS, slightly
up stage. HARU and TOTMAI L., down stage._) I dreamed I walked in this
stately garden, among honorable blossoms dear to the heart of Kiku,
their namesake. Sad tears fell down my cheeks. I wiped them away with
the sleeves of honorable kimono. The dearly beloved flowers drooped at
my coming, the most glorious exalted Moon hid her light, the birds and
the dragonflies flew away, for evil Serpent followed me! I awoke with a
cry. What can it mean, O wise Yuki?
YUKI (_bowing_). O dear lady, be comforted. In evil times the hero
appears; a brave man would slay the serpent, as Yorissima slew the
dragon.
PRINCESS. What is honorable thought, O Totmai, of small feet?
TOTMAI. Deign to believe no one can injure exalted Highness. Who throws
stones at the Sun?
PRINCESS. I will forget, O kind ones, though I fear to find it as hard
as trying to blow away fog with a fan. Dance for me. (_YUKI and TOTMAI
dance with fans, finishing dance R. C. PRINCESS watches, clapping
hands._) O Yuki, O Totmai, cleverest geisha could not rival your
excellence.
YUKI (_bowing_). Exalted praise is too great for us. May we speak of
august entertainment for powerful foreigner?
PRINCESS (_laughing_). How strange he is and big, his words so
different to honorable Japanese. Sometimes I think I have heard those
sounds before. There are, in truth, more barbarian foreigners than in
old venerated days. My uncle, all-powerful Son of Heaven, smiles at
their coming. All love them not, Sakara--Truly, O dear little Mimosa
(_bends over MIMOSA, who has touched her sleeve_), I will forget cruel
words. Was it, think you, O maidens, when my soul wandered in another
body I heard the strange speech of the foreigner?
MIMOSA. Truly, O most exalted, the world gathers at august Court.
Condescend to remember this is honorable hour when the Son of Heaven
impatiently awaits you. (EXEUNT _all R., girls carrying flowers._)
ENTER _LADY CECIL CAVENDISH and MISS PRENDERGAST, L._
LADY C. This is too exciting for anything! (_Walks about
inquisitively._) I feel just like Alice in Wonderland. If anybody
called out “Off with her head,” I shouldn’t be in the least astonished.
Should you, G., dear?
MISS P. (_who has stayed near L. 1 E. while CECIL has gone round stage
and finished up and down C., nervously_). I have had so many shocks
since I left the blessed security of home that----
CECIL. Don’t talk of shocks. It makes me remember the earthquakes. I do
hope they won’t have one for us. I should not like all the dear little
houses to go rocking about. One comfort is, if you were buried under a
Japanese house it wouldn’t hurt.
MISS P. Your levity, Cecil, is unbecoming. I certainly dread an
earthquake, though it is not the worst evil I apprehend. I should _hate
to be tortured_.
CECIL (_going toward summer-house_). You dear old goose, they don’t
torture in Japan. You are thinking of China. I must just peep inside
here.
MISS P. (_crossing to up stage, C._). Do not, I beg of you, be so rash.
(_Sighs with relief as CECIL descends._) In the geography book from
which it was my pleasure to instruct you when you were a child, China
and Japan were treated under one chapter.
CECIL. As to geography, I have forgotten all I ever learned. Sit down
there. See, is this (_goes to summer-house_) a table or a stool? I will
make myself comfortable on the ground (_sits on ground by summer-house,
L. C._). Let us discuss the situation. (_MISS P. hesitates._) Do, G.
Nobody can object to our sitting down. You see, the voyage is safely
over and you were not drowned.
MISS P. That is true, Cecil. (_Sits gingerly on stool R. of CECIL._)
I have not, as you say, been consigned to a watery grave. However,
nothing will induce me to enter one of those terribly unsafe carriages
again. Carriages, indeed! Undignified, overgrown perambulators!
CECIL. I enjoyed it. My little man ran and raced and laughed. It really
was most exciting. I thought he would upset and half kill several of
those dear little people. _They_ only laugh.
MISS P. The vacant mind--the ready laugh. They are a small,
insignificant race.
CECIL (_laughing_). Think of Arthur, his height! And those great
beetle-crushers!
MISS P. (_with horror_). My dear!
CECIL. Would you have me say pedal extremities?
MISS P. I should prefer greater dignity of language.
CECIL (_demurely_). Consider, then, my dear brother’s consternation,
his delighted surprise, when he returns to the hotel to find US.
MISS P. (_sighing_). You are singularly heedless, my dear Cecil. Your
brother never took any notice of your letters or telegrams. From that I
construe disapproval. You remember another familiar saying: Scratch a
man and you find a Tartar. We have braved the dangers of the deep----
CECIL. G., dear, you know you enjoyed it. The flirtations you had with
Professor Anstruther----
MISS P. Cecil, I am surprised, astounded! Professor Anstruther is a man
with a peculiarly cultivated mind. I was gleaning all the information I
could on the fascinating subject of antiquities. You remember I often
had cause to beg you to show less levity in your intercourse with
Captain Waring.
CECIL (_rising_). Dear G., I was accumulating information on military
matters. (_MISS P. rises._) There, forgive me I don’t wonder at any one
admiring your sweet, white curls. (_Caresses._) We must not spend the
whole day in the Princess’s garden unasked, though I should love to
poke about these dear little ponds.
MISS P. (_emphatically_). I only consented to leave the place they
dignify with the name of house in order to purchase somewhere thick
curtains. Do they imagine a cultivated Englishwoman will retire to rest
surrounded by paper walls? I am ready, Cecil.
CECIL (_taking MISS P.’s arm_). Just a moment. It is so peaceful here.
(_They walk down R._) And you have really made me nervous about Arthur.
Where do you think the mad boy can be? Why did that foolish old man
leave him the money with the insane remark about a rightful heiress
shipwrecked off the coast of Japan? Who could find a shipwrecked baby
in Japan? And everything possible has been done. The Lady’s parents
were drowned, and therefore, naturally, with so much water a baby
couldn’t escape. I wonder if Arthur has advertised in the papers?
Do they have newspapers in Japan? Oh, yes, I know; you begin at the
wrong end. Or does he travel about the country cross-examining and
fascinating the girls?
MISS P. (_indignantly shaking off C.’s hand and walking away_). Cecil!
CECIL (_following_). Well, you know it’s true. And you and I are
equally foolish about him, and have travelled all this distance,
encountering hideous dangers. (_MISS P. sighs._) All for the love of
his bonny face.
MISS P. (_quickly_). I came to chaperone you, my dear.
CECIL (_faces MISS P., shaking finger_). G., G., speak the truth! You
have a vivid, affectionate memory of a fat little boy clad in a tight
Holland overall, sitting on your knee eating buttered toast.
MISS P. (_indignantly_). Really, Cecil, I never permit myself to think
of his lordship in such indecorous fashion. I would not take such a
liberty.
CECIL (_placing hands on MISS P.’s shoulders_). Who keeps golden curls,
even a tooth or two? Who gave him anything for a kiss--you’ll do the
same again, you naughty old thing!
MISS P. (_turning away R._). I am at a loss to understand. May I ask if
you mean to suggest--that--that----
CECIL. Exactly, dear, that. He will give you, when he sees you, a good
hug, and remark, “I say, you old dear, you grow younger every day.”
Will you bet?
MISS P. (_with horror_). Bet? When I relinquished the reins of
government such a word was utterly unknown to you. I am shocked,
grieved.
CECIL (_demurely_). Only a pair of gloves, dear.
MISS P. This familiarity with odious habits offends me. I hope his
lordship does not favor such vulgar practices.
CECIL. I don’t mind asserting one thing, and that is, he is bound to
bet you something--and that you’ll take it, _there_! Well, we must not
stay here forever. (_Moving C. and leaving MISS P. R._) Come, G., dear,
I pine for a run in a rickshaw. Mine shall race yours.
MISS P. I will not submit to be dragged in such unseemly fashion. (EXIT
CECIL L.) I prefer to trust to my own--powers of--locomotion. Cecil!
Cecil! (_Quick curtain as MISS P. runs across the stage._)
CURTAIN.