Identify lighting cues and sound cues in this scene below
Cecily. How thoughtless of me. I should have remembered that when one
is going to lead an entirely new life, one requires regular and wholesome
meals. Won’t you come in?
Algernon. Thank you. Might I have a buttonhole first? I never have any
appetite unless I have a buttonhole first.
Cecily. A Marechal Niel? [Picks up scissors.]
Algernon. No, I’d sooner have a pink rose.
Cecily. Why? [Cuts a flower.]
Algernon. Because you are like a pink rose, Cousin Cecily.
Cecily. I don’t think it can be right for you to talk to me like that. Miss Prism
never says such things to me.
Algernon. Then Miss Prism is a short-sighted old lady. [Cecily puts the rose
in his buttonhole.] You are the prettiest girl I ever saw.
Cecily. Miss Prism says that all good looks are a snare.
Algernon. They are a snare that every sensible man would like to be caught
in.
Cecily. Oh, I don’t think I would care to catch a sensible man. I shouldn’t
know what to talk to him about.
[They pass into the house. Miss Prism and Dr. Chasuble return.]
Miss Prism. You are too much alone, dear Dr. Chasuble. You should get
married. A misanthrope I can understand—a womanthrope, never!
Chasuble. [With a scholar’s shudder.] Believe me, I do not deserve so
neologistic a phrase. The precept as well as the practice of the Primitive
Church was distinctly against matrimony.
Miss Prism. [Sententiously.] That is obviously the reason why the Primitive
Church has not lasted up to the present day. And you do not seem to
realise, dear Doctor, that by persistently remaining single, a man converts
33
himself into a permanent public temptation. Men should be more careful;
this very celibacy leads weaker vessels astray.
Chasuble. But is a man not equally attractive when married?
Miss Prism. No married man is ever attractive except to his wife.
Chasuble. And often, I’ve been told, not even to her.
Miss Prism. That depends on the intellectual sympathies of the
woman. Maturity can always be depended on. Ripeness can be
trusted. Young women are green. [Dr. Chasuble starts.] I spoke
horticulturally. My metaphor was drawn from fruits. But where is Cecily?
Chasuble. Perhaps she followed us to the schools.
[Enter Jack slowly from the back of the garden. He is dressed in the deepest
mourning, with hatband and black gloves.]
Miss Prism. Mr. Worthing!
Chasuble. Mr. Worthing?
Miss Prism. This is indeed a surprise. We did not look for you till Monday
afternoon.
Jack. [Shakes Miss Prism’s hand in a tragic manner.] I have returned sooner
than I expected. Dr. Chasuble, I hope you are well?
Chasuble. Dear Mr. Worthing, I trust this garb of woe does not betoken
some terrible calamity?
Jack. My brother.
Miss Prism. More shameful debts and extravagance?
Chasuble. Still leading his life of pleasure?
Jack. [Shaking his head.] Dead!
Chasuble. Your brother Ernest dead?
Jack. Quite dead.
34
Miss Prism. What a lesson for him! I trust he will profit by it.
Chasuble. Mr. Worthing, I offer you my sincere condolence. You have at
least the consolation of knowing that you were always the most generous
and forgiving of brothers.
Jack. Poor Ernest! He had many faults, but it is a sad, sad blow.
Chasuble. Very sad indeed. Were you with him at the end?
Jack. No. He died abroad; in Paris, in fact. I had a telegram last night from
the manager of the Grand Hotel.
Chasuble. Was the cause of death mentioned?
Jack. A severe chill, it seems.
Miss Prism. As a man sows, so shall he reap.
Chasuble. [Raising his hand.] Charity, dear Miss Prism, charity! None of us
are perfect. I myself am peculiarly susceptible to draughts. Will the
interment take place here?
Jack. No. He seems to have expressed a desire to be buried in Paris.
Chasuble. In Paris! [Shakes his head.] I fear that hardly points to any very
serious state of mind at the last. You would no doubt wish me to make
some slight allusion to this tragic domestic affliction next
Sunday. [Jack presses his hand convulsively.] My sermon on the meaning of
the manna in the wilderness can be adapted to almost any occasion, joyful,
or, as in the present case, distressing. [All sigh.] I have preached it at
harvest celebrations, christenings, confirmations, on days of humiliation and
festal days. The last time I delivered it was in the Cathedral, as a charity
sermon on behalf of the Society for the Prevention of Discontent among the
Upper Orders. The Bishop, who was present, was much struck by some of
the analogies I drew.
Jack. Ah! that reminds me, you mentioned christenings I think, Dr.
Chasuble? I suppose you know how to christen all right? [Dr. Chasuble looks
astounded.] I mean, of course, you are continually christening, aren’t you?
35
Miss Prism. It is, I regret to say, one of the Rector’s most constant duties in
this parish. I have often spoken to the poorer classes on the subject. But
they don’t seem to know what thrift is.
Chasuble. But is there any particular infant in whom you are interested, Mr.
Worthing? Your brother was, I believe, unmarried, was he not?
Jack. Oh yes.
Miss Prism. [Bitterly.] People who live entirely for pleasure usually are.
Jack. But it is not for any child, dear Doctor. I am very fond of children. No!
the fact is, I would like to be christened myself, this afternoon, if you have
nothing better to do.
Chasuble. But surely, Mr. Worthing, you have been christened already?
Jack. I don’t remember anything about it.
Chasuble. But have you any grave doubts on the subject?
Jack. I certainly intend to have. Of course I don’t know if the thing would
bother you in any way, or if you think I am a little too old now.
Chasuble. Not at all. The sprinkling, and, indeed, the immersion of adults is
a perfectly canonical practice.
Jack. Immersion!
Chasuble. You need have no apprehensions. Sprinkling is all that is
necessary, or indeed I think advisable. Our weather is so changeable. At
what hour would you wish the ceremony performed?
Jack. Oh, I might trot round about five if that would suit you.
Chasuble. Perfectly, perfectly! In fact I have two similar ceremonies to
perform at that time. A case of twins that occurred recently in one of the
outlying cottages on your own estate. Poor Jenkins the carter, a most hard�working man.
Jack. Oh! I don’t see much fun in being christened along with other
babies. It would be childish. Would half-past five do?
36
Chasuble. Admirably! Admirably! [Takes out watch.] And now, dear Mr.
Worthing, I will not intrude any longer into a house of sorrow. I would
merely beg you not to be too much bowed down by grief. What seem to us
bitter trials are often blessings in disguise.
Miss Prism. This seems to me a blessing of an extremely obvious kind.
[Enter Cecily from the house.]
Cecily. Uncle Jack! Oh, I am pleased to see you back. But what horrid
clothes you have got on! Do go and change them.
Miss Prism. Cecily!
Chasuble. My child! my child! [Cecily goes towards Jack; he kisses her brow
in a melancholy manner.]
Cecily. What is the matter, Uncle Jack? Do look happy! You look as if you
had toothache, and I have got such a surprise for you. Who do you think is
in the dining-room? Your brother!
Jack. Who?
Cecily. Your brother Ernest. He arrived about half an hour ago.
Jack. What nonsense! I haven’t got a brother.
Cecily. Oh, don’t say that. However badly he may have behaved to you in
the past he is still your brother. You couldn’t be so heartless as to disown
him. I’ll tell him to come out. And you will shake hands with him, won’t you,
Uncle Jack? [Runs back into the house.]
Chasuble. These are very joyful tidings.
Miss Prism. After we had all been resigned to his loss, his sudden return
seems to me peculiarly distressing.
Jack. My brother is in the dining-room? I don’t know what it all means. I
think it is perfectly absurd.
[Enter Algernon and Cecily hand in hand. They come slowly up to Jack.]
Jack. Good heavens! [Motions Algernon away.]
Lighting cues:
- The scene takes place in a garden, so the lighting would likely be natural daylight if it's a daytime scene.
Sound cues:
- The sound of scissors cutting when Cecily picks up the scissors to cut a flower.
- The sound of a flower being cut when Cecily cuts a flower for Algernon.
- The sound of footsteps as Cecily and Algernon pass into the house.
- Sighs from the characters when Dr. Chasuble mentions his sermon and the upcoming interment in Paris.
- The sound of a watch being taken out when Chasuble checks the time.
- Jack's exclamation of "Good heavens!" when he sees Algernon and Cecily together.
Lighting cues:
- The scene takes place in the garden and then moves into the house, suggesting natural lighting outdoors and artificial lighting indoors.
- There is no specific mention of lighting cues in the dialogue.
Sound cues:
- The characters speak to each other, indicating their voices and conversations.
- There are no specific sound effects mentioned in the scene.
- The setting, such as the garden or the house, might have ambient sounds like birds chirping or footsteps, but these are not explicitly mentioned in the scene.
In this scene, there are both lighting cues and sound cues that can be identified.
Lighting cues:
- The scene starts during the day, as implied by the characters being outside and able to pick flowers.
- As the characters pass into the house, it implies that the lighting changes as they enter the interior.
- There is no specific mention of lighting changes, so it can be assumed that the lighting remains constant throughout the scene.
Sound cues:
- The scene starts with characters speaking, indicating the presence of dialogue.
- There are various mentions of characters speaking with different tones or emotions, such as Algernon speaking in a tragic manner or Miss Prism speaking bitterly.
- Other sound cues that can be implied are footsteps or the opening and closing of doors as characters enter and exit the scene.
- There are no specific mentions of any music or other sound effects.
To identify lighting cues and sound cues in a scene, you can read the dialogue and descriptions for any mentions of lighting changes, characters' actions that involve lighting (e.g., turning on a lamp), or any references to sounds or music. It's important to pay attention to the context and details provided in the scene to fully understand the cues.