A Night to Remember
Staging "Roman Fever", pages 23 to 24. After Mrs. Ansley says "Yes. I suppose it would."
Two middle aged white women sit on a balcony above the main stage. A staircase connects the balcony to the main stage, with a door off stage in the middle. The sun sets in the backdrop, everything is dim with a faint red glow. Waiters on the balcony and on the stage re-arrange tables and chairs so that Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade are the only two left seated. Tables below the balcony are moved to make an empty street. A door is placed on the far right of the stage (stage left). The extras leave and everything falls quiet for a few moments.
Mrs. Slade: [off hand, leaning back in her chair] I suppose I did it as a sort of joke--
Mrs. Ansley: [still frozen stiffly sitting upright, speaks faintly as if in shock] A joke?
Mrs. Slade: Well, girls are ferocious sometimes you know. [chuckling lightly] Girls in love especially. And I remember laughing to myself all that evening at the idea that you were waiting around there in the dark, dodging out of sight, listening for every sound, trying to get in--
As Mrs. Slade talks, a younger version of herself stumbles out of the door onto the staircase midway, laughing as she watches a young Mrs. Ansley walk across the stage awkwardly trying to be stealthy. When she at least almost reaches the door, sheathed in darkness, young Mrs. Slade exits stage.
Mrs. Slade: [pause, looking directly at older Mrs. Ansley] Of course I was upset when I heard you were so ill afterward.
Mrs. Ansley: [unfreezes to look back at older Mrs. Slade, speaking slowly] But I didn't wait. He'd arranged everything. He was there. We were let in at once.
As Mrs. Ansley talks, the younger version of herself reaches the door. A young Delphin Slade appears out of the shadows, smiling and taking her arm.
Mrs. Slade: [leaps out of her chair angrily] Delphin there? They let you in? [points at Mrs. Ansley, shaking her head] Ah, now you're lying!
The young Mrs. Ansley and Mr. Slade embrace.
Mrs. Ansley: [calmly, yet slightly surprised] But of course he was there. Naturally he came--
Mrs. Slade: [still angrily, rushed delivery] Came? How did he know he'd find you there? You must be raving!
The young couple step back from the embrace and look as if they are conversing, but the audience cannot hear them.
Mrs. Ansley: [looking down at her bag, then looking back up at Mrs. Slade, hesitantly] But I answered the letter. I told him I'd be there. So he came.
Young Mr. Slade presents young Mrs. Ansley with her letter, kissing her hand. She smiles lightly.
Mrs. Slade: [covering her face, groaning] Oh, God--you answered! [pause, quieter] I never thought of your answering...
Mrs. Ansley: [with a tinge of spite] It's odd you never thought of it, if you wrote the letter
Mrs. Slade: [responds hastily] Yes. I was blind with rage
The young couple kisses. Mrs. Ansley seems to look directly at them before rising from her chair and wrapping her fur scarf around her neck. Mrs. Slade has her back to the scene on the stage.
Mrs. Ansley: It is cold here. We better go...[she clears her throat] I am sorry for you.
Mrs. Slade: [stumbles back as if punched, pause before recovering, although her voice trembles] Yes; we'd better go.
Mrs. Slade also gathers her coat. She drops her bag, making a thumping sound. The young couple, still kissing, seem to hear the sound and look around warily. Mrs. Slade picks her bag back up.
Mrs. Slade: [under her breath] I don't know why you should be sorry for me.
Mrs. Ansley: [waiting for Mrs. Slade, looking back to where her young self is] Well--because I didn't have to wait that night.
Mrs. Slade: [laughs suddenly and loudly] Yes; I was beaten there. But I oughtn't to begrudge it to you, I suppose. [regaining her confidence] At the end of all these years. After all, I had everything; I had him for twenty-five hears. And you had nothing but that one letter that he didn't write.
The young couple are startled again by the laugh. Young Delphin opens the door, looking at young Mrs. Ansley lovingly. Older Mrs. Ansley averts her eyes from the scene, walking towards the stairs off the balcony. She hesitates, and turns back to face Mrs. Slade.
Mrs. Ansley: [delivered clearly but quietly] I had Barbara.
Mrs. Ansley continues to the stairs and off-stage. The young couple giggle. Mrs. Slade turns to look in their direction. They enter the door and it closes. Lights fall. End scene.
Two middle aged white women sit on a balcony above the main stage. A staircase connects the balcony to the main stage, with a door off stage in the middle. The sun sets in the backdrop, everything is dim with a faint red glow. Waiters on the balcony and on the stage re-arrange tables and chairs so that Mrs. Ansley and Mrs. Slade are the only two left seated. Tables below the balcony are moved to make an empty street. A door is placed on the far right of the stage (stage left). The extras leave and everything falls quiet for a few moments.
Mrs. Slade: [off hand, leaning back in her chair] I suppose I did it as a sort of joke--
Mrs. Ansley: [still frozen stiffly sitting upright, speaks faintly as if in shock] A joke?
Mrs. Slade: Well, girls are ferocious sometimes you know. [chuckling lightly] Girls in love especially. And I remember laughing to myself all that evening at the idea that you were waiting around there in the dark, dodging out of sight, listening for every sound, trying to get in--
As Mrs. Slade talks, a younger version of herself stumbles out of the door onto the staircase midway, laughing as she watches a young Mrs. Ansley walk across the stage awkwardly trying to be stealthy. When she at least almost reaches the door, sheathed in darkness, young Mrs. Slade exits stage.
Mrs. Slade: [pause, looking directly at older Mrs. Ansley] Of course I was upset when I heard you were so ill afterward.
Mrs. Ansley: [unfreezes to look back at older Mrs. Slade, speaking slowly] But I didn't wait. He'd arranged everything. He was there. We were let in at once.
As Mrs. Ansley talks, the younger version of herself reaches the door. A young Delphin Slade appears out of the shadows, smiling and taking her arm.
Mrs. Slade: [leaps out of her chair angrily] Delphin there? They let you in? [points at Mrs. Ansley, shaking her head] Ah, now you're lying!
The young Mrs. Ansley and Mr. Slade embrace.
Mrs. Ansley: [calmly, yet slightly surprised] But of course he was there. Naturally he came--
Mrs. Slade: [still angrily, rushed delivery] Came? How did he know he'd find you there? You must be raving!
The young couple step back from the embrace and look as if they are conversing, but the audience cannot hear them.
Mrs. Ansley: [looking down at her bag, then looking back up at Mrs. Slade, hesitantly] But I answered the letter. I told him I'd be there. So he came.
Young Mr. Slade presents young Mrs. Ansley with her letter, kissing her hand. She smiles lightly.
Mrs. Slade: [covering her face, groaning] Oh, God--you answered! [pause, quieter] I never thought of your answering...
Mrs. Ansley: [with a tinge of spite] It's odd you never thought of it, if you wrote the letter
Mrs. Slade: [responds hastily] Yes. I was blind with rage
The young couple kisses. Mrs. Ansley seems to look directly at them before rising from her chair and wrapping her fur scarf around her neck. Mrs. Slade has her back to the scene on the stage.
Mrs. Ansley: It is cold here. We better go...[she clears her throat] I am sorry for you.
Mrs. Slade: [stumbles back as if punched, pause before recovering, although her voice trembles] Yes; we'd better go.
Mrs. Slade also gathers her coat. She drops her bag, making a thumping sound. The young couple, still kissing, seem to hear the sound and look around warily. Mrs. Slade picks her bag back up.
Mrs. Slade: [under her breath] I don't know why you should be sorry for me.
Mrs. Ansley: [waiting for Mrs. Slade, looking back to where her young self is] Well--because I didn't have to wait that night.
Mrs. Slade: [laughs suddenly and loudly] Yes; I was beaten there. But I oughtn't to begrudge it to you, I suppose. [regaining her confidence] At the end of all these years. After all, I had everything; I had him for twenty-five hears. And you had nothing but that one letter that he didn't write.
The young couple are startled again by the laugh. Young Delphin opens the door, looking at young Mrs. Ansley lovingly. Older Mrs. Ansley averts her eyes from the scene, walking towards the stairs off the balcony. She hesitates, and turns back to face Mrs. Slade.
Mrs. Ansley: [delivered clearly but quietly] I had Barbara.
Mrs. Ansley continues to the stairs and off-stage. The young couple giggle. Mrs. Slade turns to look in their direction. They enter the door and it closes. Lights fall. End scene.
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