Identify lighting cues and sound cues in this scene below
Algernon. Didn’t it go off all right, old boy? You don’t mean to say
Gwendolen refused you? I know it is a way she has. She is always refusing
people. I think it is most ill-natured of her.
Jack. Oh, Gwendolen is as right as a trivet. As far as she is concerned, we
are engaged. Her mother is perfectly unbearable. Never met such a Gorgon
. . . I don’t really know what a Gorgon is like, but I am quite sure that Lady
Bracknell is one. In any case, she is a monster, without being a myth, which
is rather unfair . . . I beg your pardon, Algy, I suppose I shouldn’t talk about
your own aunt in that way before you.
Algernon. My dear boy, I love hearing my relations abused. It is the only
thing that makes me put up with them at all. Relations are simply a tedious
pack of people, who haven’t got the remotest knowledge of how to live, nor
the smallest instinct about when to die.
Jack. Oh, that is nonsense!
Algernon. It isn’t!
Jack. Well, I won’t argue about the matter. You always want to argue about
things.
Algernon. That is exactly what things were originally made for.
Jack. Upon my word, if I thought that, I’d shoot myself . . . [A pause.] You
don’t think there is any chance of Gwendolen becoming like her mother in
about a hundred and fifty years, do you, Algy?
Algernon. All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No
man does. That’s his.
Jack. Is that clever?
Algernon. It is perfectly phrased! and quite as true as any observation in
civilised life should be.
Jack. I am sick to death of cleverness. Everybody is clever nowadays. You
can’t go anywhere without meeting clever people. The thing has become an
absolute public nuisance. I wish to goodness we had a few fools left.
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Algernon. We have.
Jack. I should extremely like to meet them. What do they talk about?
Algernon. The fools? Oh! about the clever people, of course.
Jack. What fools!
Algernon. By the way, did you tell Gwendolen the truth about your being
Ernest in town, and Jack in the country?
Jack. [In a very patronising manner.] My dear fellow, the truth isn’t quite
the sort of thing one tells to a nice, sweet, refined girl. What extraordinary
ideas you have about the way to behave to a woman!
Algernon. The only way to behave to a woman is to make love to her, if she
is pretty, and to some one else, if she is plain.
Jack. Oh, that is nonsense.
Algernon. What about your brother? What about the profligate Ernest?
Jack. Oh, before the end of the week I shall have got rid of him. I’ll say he
died in Paris of apoplexy. Lots of people die of apoplexy, quite suddenly,
don’t they?
Algernon. Yes, but it’s hereditary, my dear fellow. It’s a sort of thing that
runs in families. You had much better say a severe chill.
Jack. You are sure a severe chill isn’t hereditary, or anything of that kind?
Algernon. Of course it isn’t!
Jack. Very well, then. My poor brother Ernest to carried off suddenly, in
Paris, by a severe chill. That gets rid of him.
Algernon. But I thought you said that . . . Miss Cardew was a little too much
interested in your poor brother Ernest? Won’t she feel his loss a good deal?
Jack. Oh, that is all right. Cecily is not a silly romantic girl, I am glad to
say. She has got a capital appetite, goes long walks, and pays no attention
at all to her lessons.
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Algernon. I would rather like to see Cecily.
Jack. I will take very good care you never do. She is excessively pretty, and
she is only just eighteen.
Algernon. Have you told Gwendolen yet that you have an excessively pretty
ward who is only just eighteen?
Jack. Oh! one doesn’t blurt these things out to people. Cecily and
Gwendolen are perfectly certain to be extremely great friends. I’ll bet you
anything you like that half an hour after they have met, they will be calling
each other sister.
Algernon. Women only do that when they have called each other a lot of
other things first. Now, my dear boy, if we want to get a good table at
Willis’s, we really must go and dress. Do you know it is nearly seven?
Jack. [Irritably.] Oh! It always is nearly seven.
Algernon. Well, I’m hungry.
Jack. I never knew you when you weren’t . . .
Algernon. What shall we do after dinner? Go to a theatre?
Jack. Oh no! I loathe listening.
Algernon. Well, let us go to the Club?
Jack. Oh, no! I hate talking.
Algernon. Well, we might trot round to the Empire at ten?
Jack. Oh, no! I can’t bear looking at things. It is so silly.
Algernon. Well, what shall we do?
Jack. Nothing!
Algernon. It is awfully hard work doing nothing. However, I don’t mind
hard work where there is no definite object of any kind.
[Enter Lane.]
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Lane. Miss Fairfax.
[Enter Gwendolen. Lane goes out.]
Algernon. Gwendolen, upon my word!
Gwendolen. Algy, kindly turn your back. I have something very particular to
say to Mr. Worthing.
Algernon. Really, Gwendolen, I don’t think I can allow this at all.
Gwendolen. Algy, you always adopt a strictly immoral attitude towards
life. You are not quite old enough to do that. [Algernon retires to the
fireplace.]
Jack. My own darling!
Gwendolen. Ernest, we may never be married. From the expression on
mamma’s face I fear we never shall. Few parents nowadays pay any regard
to what their children say to them. The old-fashioned respect for the young
is fast dying out. Whatever influence I ever had over mamma, I lost at the
age of three. But although she may prevent us from becoming man and
wife, and I may marry some one else, and marry often, nothing that she can
possibly do can alter my eternal devotion to you.
Jack. Dear Gwendolen!
Gwendolen. The story of your romantic origin, as related to me by mamma,
with unpleasing comments, has naturally stirred the deeper fibres of my
nature. Your Christian name has an irresistible fascination. The simplicity of
your character makes you exquisitely incomprehensible to me. Your town
address at the Albany I have. What is your address in the country?
Jack. The Manor House, Woolton, Hertfordshire.
[Algernon, who has been carefully listening, smiles to himself, and writes
the address on his shirt-cuff. Then picks up the Railway Guide.]
Gwendolen. There is a good postal service, I suppose? It may be necessary
to do something desperate. That of course will require serious
consideration. I will communicate with you daily.
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Jack. My own one!
Gwendolen. How long do you remain in town?
Jack. Till Monday.
Gwendolen. Good! Algy, you may turn round now.
Algernon. Thanks, I’ve turned round already.
Gwendolen. You may also ring the bell.
Jack. You will let me see you to your carriage, my own darling?
Gwendolen. Certainly.
Jack. [To Lane, who now enters.] I will see Miss Fairfax out.
Lane. Yes, sir. [Jack and Gwendolen go off.]
[Lane presents several letters on a salver to Algernon. It is to be surmised
that they are bills, as Algernon, after looking at the envelopes, tears them
up.]
Algernon. A glass of sherry, Lane.
Lane. Yes, sir.
Algernon. To-morrow, Lane, I’m going Bunburying.
Lane. Yes, sir.
Algernon. I shall probably not be back till Monday. You can put up my dress
clothes, my smoking jacket, and all the Bunbury suits . . .
Lane. Yes, sir. [Handing sherry.]
Algernon. I hope to-morrow will be a fine day, Lane.
Lane. It never is, sir.
Algernon. Lane, you’re a perfect pessimist.
Lane. I do my best to give satisfaction, sir.
Lighting cues in this scene:
- The scene begins with general lighting, illuminating the entire stage.
- There is no specific lighting change mentioned in the text.
Sound cues in this scene:
- The scene begins with ambient sounds, such as the characters' voices and possibly background music.
- The sound of a bell ringing is mentioned when Gwendolen asks Algernon to ring the bell.
- There is no other specific sound mentioned in the text.
In this scene, there are no specific lighting cues mentioned. However, there are several sound cues indicated by the stage directions.
1. [Enter Lane.] - This sound cue suggests the entrance of Lane onto the stage.
2. [Enter Gwendolen. Lane goes out.] - This sound cue signifies the entrance of Gwendolen and the exit of Lane.
3. [Algernon, who has been carefully listening, smiles to himself, and writes the address on his shirt-cuff. Then picks up the Railway Guide.] - This sound cue suggests Algernon's actions of smiling, writing on his shirt-cuff, and picking up the Railway Guide.
4. [Jack and Gwendolen go off.] - This sound cue signifies the exit of Jack and Gwendolen from the stage.
5. [Lane presents several letters on a salver to Algernon. It is to be surmised that they are bills, as Algernon, after looking at the envelopes, tears them up.] - This sound cue suggests Lane presenting letters to Algernon and Algernon tearing them up.
6. Lane. Yes, sir. - This sound cue signifies Lane's response to Algernon's request for a glass of sherry.
7. Lane. Yes, sir. - This sound cue signifies Lane's response to Algernon's request to put up his dress clothes and smoking jacket.
8. Lane. Yes, sir. [Handing sherry.] - This sound cue suggests Lane handing the glass of sherry to Algernon.
9. Lane. It never is, sir. - This sound cue signifies Lane's response to Algernon's remark about hoping for a fine day.
These sound cues help to set the scene, indicate character actions, and contribute to the overall atmosphere of the play.
In this scene, there are primarily dialogue cues rather than specific lighting or sound cues. However, we can imagine certain lighting and sound cues based on the dialogue and context:
1. Lighting cues: Since this scene takes place indoors, we can assume that there is a general stage lights on the characters throughout the scene. There may be slight shifts in lighting to indicate the passage of time as the characters discuss their plans for the evening.
2. Sound cues: The sound of a door opening and closing could be used to indicate the entrance and exit of characters like Lane and Gwendolen. Additionally, there could be subtle background music playing to create a light, comedic atmosphere during some of the exchanges between Algernon and Jack.
It is important to note that the specific lighting and sound choices would be determined by the director and production team based on their interpretation of the scene and the overall style and tone of the production.