Read the following passage from the Prologue of “Make Believe” by A. A. Milne.
ADA (at ROSEMARY’S shoulder). Oh, I say, she’s writing a play!
(Uproar and turmoil, as they all rush at ROSEMARY.)
{ THE BOYS. Coo! I say, shove me into it. What’s it about? Bet it’s awful rot. }
{ THE GIRLS. Oh, Rosemary! Am I in it? Do tell us about it. Is it for Christmas?}
ROSEMARY (in alarm). James, could you——?
JAMES (firmly). Quiet, there, quiet! Down, Master Dennis, down! Miss Gwendoline, if you wouldn’t mind—— (He picks her up and places her on the floor.) Thank you. (Order is restored.)
ROSEMARY. Thank you, James. . . . Yes, it’s a play for Christmas, and it is called “Make-Believe,” and that’s all I’m certain about yet, except that we’re all going to be in it.
BERTRAM. Then I vote we have a desert island——
DENNIS. And pirates——
HAROLD (gloatingly). Cannibals eating people—Oo!
CAROLINE (shocked). Harold! How would you like to be eaten by a cannibal?
DENNIS. Oh, chuck it! How would you like to be a cannibal and have nobody to eat? (CAROLINE is silent, never having thought of this before.)
ADA. Let it be a fairy-story, Rosemary, darling. It’s so much prettier.
ELSIE. With a lovely princess——
GWENDOLINE. And a humble woodcutter who marries her——
ISABEL (her only contribution). P’itty P’incess.
BERTRAM. Princesses are rot.
ELSIE (with spirit). So are pirates! (Deadlock.)
CAROLINE. I should like something about Father Christmas, and snow, and waits, and a lovely ball, and everybody getting nice presents and things.
DENNIS (selfishly, I’m afraid). Bags I all the presents.
(Of course, the others aren’t going to have that. They all say so together.)
ROSEMARY (above the turmoil). James, I must have silence.
JAMES. Silence, all!
ROSEMARY. Thank you. . . . You will be interested to hear that I have decided to have a Fairy Story and a Desert Island and a Father Christmas.
ALL. Good! (Or words to that effect)