TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE
Text in italics is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.
Text in bold is surrounded by equal signs: =bold=.
Text in Small Caps has been rendered in ALL CAPS.
Some minor changes to the text are noted at the end of the book.
The
Quest for Santa Claus
BY
FRANK ATKINSON
[Illustration]
_PRICE 50 CENTS_
_____
Copyright 1923
_____
ARTHUR H. STROUSE PUBLISHING CO.
BERWYN, ILL.
The Quest for Santa Claus
A CHRISTMAS PLAY IN
FOUR ACTS AND A PROLOGUE
DEPICTING FAMILIAR SCENES ON CHRISTMAS EVE
IN MERRY ENGLAND
_______
Prologue
Act I A Street in Sandbach
Act II Brereton Hall
Act III Room in Santa Claus House
Act IV Santa Claus Workshop
_______
CAST OF CHARACTERS
ROSALIND, The Original 2 in 1
CAPTAIN OF THE CONGO S. S.
FIRST MATE OF THE CONGO S. S.
MAGGIE }
CRISPIN } A brace of street urchins
MR. S. CLAUS, Toymaker--by special appointment to Her Majesty, the Queen
MRS. S. CLAUS, Frugal housewife
J. D. ROCKY FELLOW, Lamplighter
WILLIAM KNIGHT HAWK, Watchman
HAROLD }
ETHEL } Two souls with but a single thought
MATTHEW RINGLING, Town Crier
MR. ALLCOCK }
MR. CLEWS } Lovers of darkness rather than light
M’LLE BEATYSAX OPHONIA
M’LLE VIOLA FIDDEL STRINGS
M’LLE SKYLARK LINNETTE NIGHTENGALE
MONSIEUR WOOD WYNDE
M’LLE FLUFFY
M’LLE TABITHA, Playful as a Kitten
SANTA CLAUS, Fountain of Eternal Youth
LUCIFER MATCH, King of Imps
Citizens, Waits, Retinue of Imps
NOTE: Before the curtain rises upon Act I, as soon as the company
has assembled, the Superintendent ostensibly begins a short
address of welcome. While thus engaged, “Beggar Maid” enters at
the rear of the room and immediately starts in with her lines
and by the time the First Mate, who up until that point has
been serving as an Usher, has made reply the whole audience is
conscious of the conversation taking place, and the dialogue goes
on uninterrupted until the end.
The transformation accomplished by the erstwhile Beggar Maid, but
now a Fairy Princess, is the sudden illumination of the evergreen
trees flanking both sides of the stage by colored electric
lights, and is very effective.
PROLOGUE
BEGGAR MAID: Please, sir, and wot’s a’goin’ on ’ere, is it the
movies or somethin’?
(USHER) First Mate: No, this is a Christmas Party for the boys
and girls of the ....................... Sunday School.
BEGGAR MAID: Oh, I’m sorry--not for them, but for myself--I
thought, if it was a movie you might let me in for this
ha’penny--it’s all the money I’ve got--But this is no place for
me--nobody wants a beggar around when they’re ’avin’ parties.
(Beggar Maid turns to leave, but before doing so the usher
takes her by the hand.)
(USHER) First Mate: No, don’t go away--I assure you we shall be
glad to have you as our guest--Come with me.
BEGGAR MAID: No, thank ’ee, I can’t come here wi’ on’y these rags.
(As she speaks she is struggling to get away.)
(SUPT.) Captain (Addressing the Usher): What is it, Mr. ----?
(USHER) First Mate: We have with us, Mr. Superintendent, an
unexpected guest--a stranger in town, who came here thinking it
was a movie show--I’ve been telling our young friend that she
will be welcome--but she is reluctant to accept my invitation.
(SUPT.) Captain: You are quite right, Mr. ----, we are indeed
happy to have anyone come and share our joy--let me assure you,
dear, you are welcome--come right along, see here we have a
vacant chair where you will be able to see the players, and, I
dare say, you will find them quite as fine as any you would see
at the movies.
(By this time, with reluctant steps, led by the (USHER)
First Mate, the Beggar Maid has come to the front of the
room and the center of the stage.)
(But instead of taking the proffered seat, turning to the
(Superintendent) Captain, and rising to her full stature,
she speaks.)
BEGGAR MAID: Mr. Superintendent, I am much pleased to find here
the Spirit of the Master, and to vouchsafe to you and to all of
these dear people gathered here, a royal, happy good time in all
your merrymaking, and in the homage I trust each and all are now
bringing in honor of the infant Christ, who, two thousand years
ago was born in a lowly stable amid the hills of Bethlehem, in
old Judea. No less true is it in our day than it was of old that
oftentimes we entertain angels unaware. Doubtless, you think I
am only a beggar, and for that I am very thankful, for thus it
is possible for me to reward the kindly spirit you have shown
to those less fortunate than yourselves. But you see I am not a
beggar.
(Here the Beggar Maid drops off her outer garment.) but a
fairy princess, whose magic wand can make beauty spring up
everywhere.
(Turning to the right hand she waves her wand over the
trees, which instantly flash into beauty, (colored lights),
and then to the left hand--and, while the people are
rejoicing over the illumination, she rapidly runs down
the center aisle to rear of room, and makes her escape,
stopping only once to wish them
“A Merry Christmas.”)
END OF PROLOGUE
ACT I.
STREET IN SANDBACH
NOTE: When the curtain rises Santa Claus is busy arranging toys
in shop window, lighting candles and doing such other stage work
as will enliven the scene.
No lines are spoken until Crispin and Maggie come upon the scene,
the idea being to portray the various types of folk one would
expect to find upon the street--the types can be many or few,
fishmongers, washwomen, laborers, children, musicians, teamsters
returning from work, street arabs, etc. Some of these enter the
shop and buy, others, like Crispin and Maggie, must be content
with looking in. These characters should enter alternately from
right and left stage.
(Enter Crispin.) Note: Boy enters right stage.
(Enter Maggie. After one-half minute girl follows, enters
left stage. They both walk slowly up stage to window of the
toy shop, keeping as far apart as is possible. Both are
interested only in the window display, and for some time
neither of them speak.)
MAGGIE: Hello!
CRISPIN: (After pause) ’lo!
(Another silence)
MAGGIE: D’jer live ’ere?
CRISPIN: Naw.
MAGGIE: Neither do I. (Pause). Wot’s yer name?
CRISPIN: Der gang calls me Cris, but in ’igh sasiety dey calls me
Crispin.
(After pause)
Wot’s yore name?
MAGGIE: W’en I call on the queen my name is Maggie, but the folk
in our alley call me Mag.
CRISPIN: Wot yer hidin’ under yer apron?
MAGGIE: A apple.
CRISPIN: We’re d’jer swipe it?
MAGGIE: I didn’t swipe it, smarty, an old guv’ner gave it to me
for running an errand for ’im.
CRISPIN: Is that all ’e guv yer?
MAGGIE: Isn’t that enough--wot yer want a guy to guv yer--a
sixpence fer doin’ nuthin’--an’ besides, he wor a nice ol’
gentleman.
CRISPIN: How d’jer know--was ’e a friend of yer feyther?
MAGGIE: Naw, smarty, ’e was no friend of my fambly, I never seen
’im before tonight--but I know ’e is a nice man--he said such
nice things to me.
CRISPIN: Wot d’jer mean by nice things--I never seed any on ’em
knockin’ around our alley.
MAGGIE: Well--w’en I got back to ’im he smiled and said, “Thank
yer, mi dear, and ’eres a apple fer yer, and I wish yer a Merry
Christmas.”
CRISPIN: (H)excuse me, Mag, fer takin’ liberties with yer name
on such a short acquaintance, but I ’ave to laff w’en I ’ear of
these rich guys wishin’ the likes of us a ’appy Christmas, and
doin’ nuthin’ to ’elp make their wish come true.--Now if yer
kind benefactor ’ad said, “Here’s a ten-pound note--go and get
yerself some warm clothes to cover yer ’arf-naked body, and some
food to fill yer empty stomach, and get fer yerself one o’ them
golden-’aired dollys wot shut their eyes, and say, ‘Mamma’ when
yer punch ’em in their breadbasket,” I could feel he were sincere
in his good wishes for yer.
MAGGIE: Now, Cris, yer mustn’t run on like that, it isn’t
fair--some of these rich folk never had the chances you and me
’ave ’ad--and so I say, clothes, or no clothes, food, or no
food, blue-eyed sleepin’, squawkin’ dollies, or no dollies,
I’m glad fer the progress some on ’em ’ave made. Perhaps some
day they will learn that true Christmas ’appiness _begins_ in
_well wishing_ and _ends_ in _well doing_. Until then we must be
content in _lookin’_ at the things which belong to others, just
as we ’ave been doin’ before this winder fer the last ’arf ’our.
(At this point the clock in the steeple strikes five.)
CRISPIN: Gee, I must be going.
MAGGIE: So must I, Cris--but before we part I want to wish yer a
Merry Christmas.
(Both start to walk away in opposite directions, but before
leaving the stage Maggie stops.)
MAGGIE: Say, Cris, just a minute--’ave yer a jack knife in yer
pocket?
(Cris searches his pockets--fishes out a rather dilapidated
knife--opens it, and hands it to Maggie, who cuts apple in
half--returns knife to Cris.)
MAGGIE: And ter make my wish come true, Cris--’er’s the ’alf of
my apple.
(Both leave the stage, joyfully eating the apple and
grinning from ear to ear.)
(Exit Maggie, Right.)
(Exit Crispin, Left.)
(Lamplighter. Enter right, lights street lamp and exit
left.)
(Washerwoman. Enter left, carrying basket of wash.)
(Fishmonger. Enter right--Fresh herrin’, all alive, all
alive, all alive. Herrin’, fresh herrin’, twelve fer a
shillin’. Note: As she passes the shop of Santa Claus, Mrs.
Claus opens shop door.)
MRS. CLAUS: Are you sure yer herrin’ are fresh?
FISHMONGER: Mi lady, so ’elp me, they were swimmin’ in the sea
this very mornin’.
MRS. CLAUS: Wot are yer askin’ fer ’em?
FISHMONGER: O’ny a shillin’ a dozen, lady.
MRS. CLAUS: That’s wot I call dear for herrin’. Make it
nine-pence and I’ll take a dozen.
FISHMONGER: No, ma’am, not if I never sell ’em (walks away.)
Fresh herrin’, herrin’, herrin’, herrin’, all alive, all alive,
(suddenly turns again.) Well, missus, seeing as I on’y have a few
left, ’ere yer are, tak ’em at yer own price. Counts out herring
and exit.
(At this point Santa Claus locks up his shop for the night,
puts up shutters in front of windows and returns into shop.)
(Musician. Enter right, carrying bass viol.)
(Night Watchman: Enter left, eight o’clock and all’s well.
Exit right. Note by this time the village streets are
nearly deserted.)
(Enter Ethel. Enter Harold. Immediately following exit of
Watchman after his 8 o’clock round, Harold and Ethel enter
from left stage--Harold is leading Ethel by the hand. They
look around from one side of the street to the other, which
at this time is deserted.)
ETHEL: I don’t believe Santa lives here.
HAROLD: Neither do I--I expect he lives in a big house, like the
Earl of Crewe.
ETHEL: I am beginning to think we shall not find Santa at all.
HAROLD: Oh, yes, sis, we will find him--don’t get discouraged.
ETHEL: But you are forgetting it is nearly time for him to start
out on his long journey.
HAROLD: I have not forgotten that, but I am thinking that it
takes a big factory to hold all the toys Santa has made since
last year.
ETHEL: Yes, but I don’t see any big factory here, do you?
HAROLD: Look! Look! Ethel, I believe we have found it--see that
sign over the shop window, it says S. CLAUS, TOYMAKER.
ETHEL: Yes, and the shutters are up--that’s because Santa doesn’t
want anyone to see him at work.
HAROLD: Let us go and knock on the door and see if Santa will
answer.
ETHEL: No, I am a little bit afraid. You go.
(While the children are hesitating about what ought to be
done, Mr. S. Claus leaves the place and starts to walk away
rapidly. Just then, the children turn and catch sight of
him.)
HAROLD: See, Ethel, there he goes--Come, let us follow him.
(Both children leave the stage, shouting, “Santa, Santa,
wait a minute, please, Santa, wait.”)
(_Exit_ Harold and Ethel.)
(Enter Towncrier from right stage.)
(First time off stage--Second time on stage--Crier takes
center stage, rings bell vigorously, takes position with
bell reposing in left arm, with right hand clutching tongue
of bell.)
TOWN CRIER: Lost, strayed or stolen, a ten-year-old boy and his
young sister--the children of our fellow townsman, Mr. Alphonso
Cruickshank, Ironmonger and Tinker, of Number 12, High Street,
Sandbach. When last seen, the children were walking in the
direction of Congleton Road, but beyond this their whereabouts
are unknown. A reward of 50 guineas in gold will be paid to any
person, or persons, who, finding the children, shall safely
return them to their bereaved parents.
(Exit Crier.)
(Watchman in distance is heard calling, “Nine o’clock and
all’s well.” The village clock strikes the hour and the
chimes sweetly play.)
(Enter Clews, right, who saunters across stage and returns,
taking position under lamp, when chimes are ended.)
(Enter Allcock, left, carrying bundle.)
CLEWS: Good evenin’, mate, w’ere ’as thi bin, I’ve been waitin’
on thi fur the last ’our.
ALLCOCK: I dunna wonder at thi askin’ w’ere I’ve been. This’ll be
the first toime in the last twel’ yer that I’ve missed bein’ at
the Black Bear on Christmas eve. But that is ner the on’y thing
I’ve missed, so I must ’asten ’ome and get a bite o’ summat to
eat.
CLEWS: Does ta mean to tell me thi ’asn’t ’ad thi supper yet?
ALLCOCK: I conna speak no plainer than w’at I sed a minit ago.
CLEWS: But w’at kept thi away from ’ome so long--Surely not the
love of thi work?
ALLCOCK: No, ’ardly that, but thi knows ’ow it is hup at the
’all--an’ ’ow they fixes hup everythin’ fur the big party they’re
’avin come ter-morrer--I dunno wat they would a dun if I’d a quit
on ’em.
CLEWS: I ’no wat thi means, mate, I’ve thought miself wot a
’elpless lot some folk are.
ALLCOCK: Aye, all I ’eard ter-day was, “Willyum, ’ave yer killed
an’ dressed the sucking pigs--Willyum, ’ave yer finished plucking
the geese--Willyum, will yer be sure there are yule logs on ’and
fer the party--Willyum, go down to the butchers and bring the
roast of beef I ordered--William, this, and Willyum that,” until
I’m sick and tired o’ mi own name.
But they’re not a bad lot at that for the mester gave me a
Christmas box o’ ten shilling’ an’ I ’ave in this bundle some
clothes wot belonged to the little gel w’at died a year ago come
Michaelmas, an’ a bran new dress w’ich the missus sent to mi owd
woman.
CLEWS: Mite it be yer ’ad a goose in yer bundle fer yer Christmas
dinner, as well as the fine feathers fer the missus?
ALLCOCK: No, Jack, but you ’no and I ’no w’ere there is as fine a
dinner waitin’ fer them as knows, as ever come out o’ a pot--and
yer ’ave ’eard tell as ’ow the first thing to be dun in makin’
rabbit pie is to first catch the rabbit.
CLEWS: I understand, Willyum--Make it ten by the clock--at the
old place back of the ’all.
ALLCOCK: So long, mate.
CLEWS: So long.
(Exit Poachers.)
(Enter Carolers.)
1. What Child is This?
2. Good King Wenceslas.
3. Christians Awake, Salute the Happy Morn.
(Exit Carolers.)
CURTAIN
NOTE: It is very effective when the carolers can conveniently
sing for the first time off stage, as if in the distance. The
carolers should be appropriately dressed for cold weather, carry
lanterns and the stage should be darkened.