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To
Lorn Loraine

Characters

The action of the play takes place in the hall of the Blisses’ house at Cookham, in June.

Act I: Saturday afternoon.

Act II: Saturday evening.

Act III: Sunday morning.

Hay Fever

Act I

Scene: The hall of David Bliss’s house is very comfortable and extremely untidy. There are several of Simon’s cartoons scattered about the walls, masses of highly coloured American and classical music strewn about the piano, and lots of flowers and comfortable furniture. A staircase ascends to a small balcony leading to the bedrooms, David’s study and Simon’s room. There is a door leading to the library down R. A service door above it under the stairs. There are French windows at back, and the front door on the L.

When the curtain rises it is about three o’clock on a Saturday afternoon in June.

Simon, in an extremely dirty tennis shirt and baggy grey flannel trousers, is crouched in the middle of the floor, cutting out squares from cartridge paper.

Sorel, more neatly dressed, is stretched on the sofa, reading a very violently bound volume of poems which have been sent to her by an aspiring friend.

She goes off. Myra makes a slight grimace after her, then she helps herself to a cigarette and wanders about the hall—she might almost play the piano a little; anyhow, she is perfectly at home.

Simon comes downstairs very fast, putting on his coat. He has apparently finished his toilet.

Reenter Clara, with tea and hot-water jug.

Simon and Myra come in from the garden.

Act II

She pushes him into the garden and waves to him bravely with her handkerchief; then she comes back into the room and powders her nose before the glass and puts her hair into place. Then, assuming an expression of restrained tragedy, she opens the library door, from which she recoils genuinely shocked.

After a moment or two Sorel and Sandy come out rather sheepishly.

They go off.

After a moment’s pause, David and Myra enter from the garden.

They shake hands sadly.

Simon enters violently from the garden.

Act III

It is Sunday morning, about ten o’clock. There are various breakfast dishes on a side table, and a big table is laid down centre.

Sandy appears at the top of the stairs. On seeing no one about, he comes down quickly and furtively helps himself to eggs and bacon and coffee, and seats himself at the table. He eats very hurriedly, casting occasional glances over his shoulder. A door bangs somewhere upstairs, which terrifies him; he chokes violently. When he has recovered, he tears a bit of toast from a rack, butters it and marmalades it, and crams it into his mouth. Then, hearing somebody approaching, he darts into the library.

Jackie comes downstairs timorously; her expression is dismal, to say the least of it. She looks miserably out of the window at the pouring rain, then, assuming an air of spurious bravado, she helps herself to some breakfast and sits down and looks at it. After one or two attempts to eat it, she bursts into tears.

Sandy opens the library door a crack, and peeps out. Jackie, seeing the door move, screams. Sandy reenters.