The Real Inspector Hound and Other Plays by Tom Stoppard Page B
Authors: Tom Stoppard
disappear down the horn of the tuba
.)
DIRTY LINEN
A play in one act
To Ed Berman
Dirty Linen
was supposed to be a play to celebrate Ed Berman’s British naturalization, but it went off in a different direction—
New-Found-Land
was then written to re-introduce the American Connection.
Ed Berman, an expatriate American, founded Inter-Action, a charitable trust aiming to stimulate community involvement in the arts, in 1968. He now works as the Artistic Director of Inter-Action Productions (including the Ambiance Lunch-Hour Theatre Club, the Almost Free Theatre, the Fun Art Bus and the Dogg’s Troupe). Not coincidentally like the American seeking British naturalization in
New-Found-Land
and like other members of Inter-Action’s co-operative, he divides his time between the production company and work in schools, youth clubs, mental hospitals, community centres, playgrounds, remand homes and the streets. Most of his time is now spent as Programme Director of Inter-Action Trust, creating new community arts and action projects such as City Farms 1 in Kentish Town, and youth employment programmes. He still manages to direct some ten plays a year, mainly for children’s and community theatre, and to perform in two hundred-odd shows. Ed Berman became a British subject on 5th April 1976, the date of the first public showing
of Dirty Linen
and
New-Found-Land
.
TOM STOPPARD
1976
Characters
MADDIE
COCKLEBURY-SMYTHE, M.P.
MCTEAZLE, M.P.
CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.
WITHENSHAW, M.P . (the CHAIRMAN)
MRS. EBURY, M.P.
FRENCH, M.P.
HOME SECRETARY
The first performances of
Dirty Linen
and
New-Found-Land
were an Ambiance Lunch-Hour Theatre Club presentation at Inter-Action’s Almost Free Theatre, Rupert Street, London WI, on 6th April 1976. The cast was as follows:
Dirty Linen
MADDIE
Luan Peters
COCKLEBURY-SMYTHE, M.P.
Edward de Souza
MCTEAZLE, M .P.
Benjamin Whitrow
CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.
Malcolm Ingram
WITHENSHAW., M.P. (the CHAIRMAN)
Peter Bowles
MRS. EBURY, M.P.
Christine Ozanne
FRENCH, M.P.
Richard O’Callaghan
HOME SECRETARY
Derek Ensor
New-Found-Land
ARTHUR
Stephen Moore
BERNARD
Richard Goolden
Directed by Ed Berman
Designed by Gabriella Falk
Production Management and lighting by Suresa Galbraith
Administration by Martin Turner
Stage Management by Robin Hornibrook and Brenda Lipson
Wardrobe by Carol Betera
The plays transferred to the Arts Theatre on 16th June 1976 with the following cast changes:
MCTEAZLE, M.P.
Frederick Treves
FRENCH, M.P.
Jonathan Elsom
An overspill meeting room for House of Commons business in the tower of Big Ben. A committee table with chairs for everybody; separate table with good slammable drawers for
MADDIE;
large blackboard on easel; shelves of files and books, with portable steps; and two doors
.
Ultimately the characters will be seated in the following order, left to right from the audience’s point of view:
FRENCH, CHAMBERLAIN, COCKLEBURY-SMYTHE, WITHENSHAW (
centre)
, MRS. EBURY, MCTEAZLE, and MADDIE at separate desk.
The room is empty
, MADDIE
puts her head round the door cautiously, enters in street coat and carrying a small classy looking bag from a classy lingerie shop, and a handbag. The room is unfamiliar to her. She hangs up her coat on a coat/hat/umbrella stand which is just inside the door, walks to the desk, and after a moment’s hesitation she takes a pair of silk, lace-trimmed French knickers out of the bag and puts them on
.
MADDIE
finishes putting on her knickers and drops her skirt. The knickers ought to be remembered for their colour—perhaps white silk with red lace trimmings
.
MADDIE
is now wearing a low cut, sleeveless blouse, buttoned insecurely down the front; a wrap-round skirt, quite short; underneath, suspenders not tights, and a waist-slip which is also pretty, silk and lace, with a slit
.
From her bag she takes a notebook and a pencil and puts them on the desk. There are glasses and a carafe on the large table. She picks up the lingerie bag and looks
.)
DIRTY LINEN
A play in one act
To Ed Berman
Dirty Linen
was supposed to be a play to celebrate Ed Berman’s British naturalization, but it went off in a different direction—
New-Found-Land
was then written to re-introduce the American Connection.
Ed Berman, an expatriate American, founded Inter-Action, a charitable trust aiming to stimulate community involvement in the arts, in 1968. He now works as the Artistic Director of Inter-Action Productions (including the Ambiance Lunch-Hour Theatre Club, the Almost Free Theatre, the Fun Art Bus and the Dogg’s Troupe). Not coincidentally like the American seeking British naturalization in
New-Found-Land
and like other members of Inter-Action’s co-operative, he divides his time between the production company and work in schools, youth clubs, mental hospitals, community centres, playgrounds, remand homes and the streets. Most of his time is now spent as Programme Director of Inter-Action Trust, creating new community arts and action projects such as City Farms 1 in Kentish Town, and youth employment programmes. He still manages to direct some ten plays a year, mainly for children’s and community theatre, and to perform in two hundred-odd shows. Ed Berman became a British subject on 5th April 1976, the date of the first public showing
of Dirty Linen
and
New-Found-Land
.
TOM STOPPARD
1976
Characters
MADDIE
COCKLEBURY-SMYTHE, M.P.
MCTEAZLE, M.P.
CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.
WITHENSHAW, M.P . (the CHAIRMAN)
MRS. EBURY, M.P.
FRENCH, M.P.
HOME SECRETARY
The first performances of
Dirty Linen
and
New-Found-Land
were an Ambiance Lunch-Hour Theatre Club presentation at Inter-Action’s Almost Free Theatre, Rupert Street, London WI, on 6th April 1976. The cast was as follows:
Dirty Linen
MADDIE
Luan Peters
COCKLEBURY-SMYTHE, M.P.
Edward de Souza
MCTEAZLE, M .P.
Benjamin Whitrow
CHAMBERLAIN, M.P.
Malcolm Ingram
WITHENSHAW., M.P. (the CHAIRMAN)
Peter Bowles
MRS. EBURY, M.P.
Christine Ozanne
FRENCH, M.P.
Richard O’Callaghan
HOME SECRETARY
Derek Ensor
New-Found-Land
ARTHUR
Stephen Moore
BERNARD
Richard Goolden
Directed by Ed Berman
Designed by Gabriella Falk
Production Management and lighting by Suresa Galbraith
Administration by Martin Turner
Stage Management by Robin Hornibrook and Brenda Lipson
Wardrobe by Carol Betera
The plays transferred to the Arts Theatre on 16th June 1976 with the following cast changes:
MCTEAZLE, M.P.
Frederick Treves
FRENCH, M.P.
Jonathan Elsom
An overspill meeting room for House of Commons business in the tower of Big Ben. A committee table with chairs for everybody; separate table with good slammable drawers for
MADDIE;
large blackboard on easel; shelves of files and books, with portable steps; and two doors
.
Ultimately the characters will be seated in the following order, left to right from the audience’s point of view:
FRENCH, CHAMBERLAIN, COCKLEBURY-SMYTHE, WITHENSHAW (
centre)
, MRS. EBURY, MCTEAZLE, and MADDIE at separate desk.
The room is empty
, MADDIE
puts her head round the door cautiously, enters in street coat and carrying a small classy looking bag from a classy lingerie shop, and a handbag. The room is unfamiliar to her. She hangs up her coat on a coat/hat/umbrella stand which is just inside the door, walks to the desk, and after a moment’s hesitation she takes a pair of silk, lace-trimmed French knickers out of the bag and puts them on
.
MADDIE
finishes putting on her knickers and drops her skirt. The knickers ought to be remembered for their colour—perhaps white silk with red lace trimmings
.
MADDIE
is now wearing a low cut, sleeveless blouse, buttoned insecurely down the front; a wrap-round skirt, quite short; underneath, suspenders not tights, and a waist-slip which is also pretty, silk and lace, with a slit
.
From her bag she takes a notebook and a pencil and puts them on the desk. There are glasses and a carafe on the large table. She picks up the lingerie bag and looks