1. [The action takes place in the living-room of the Pearsons’ house in a London suburb.
Time: The Present
Scene: The living-room of the Pearson family. Afternoon. It is a comfortably furnished, much lived-in
room in a small suburban semi-detached villa. Mrs Pearson at right, and Mrs Fitzgerald at left, are sitting
opposite each other at the small table, on which are two tea-cups and saucers and the cards with which
Mrs Fitzgerald has been telling Mrs Pearson’s fortune. Mrs Pearson is a pleasant but worried-looking
woman in her forties. Mrs Fitzgerald is older, heavier and a strong and sinister personality. She is
smoking. It is very important that these two should have sharply contrasting voices—Mrs Pearson
speaking in a light, flurried sort of tone, with a touch of suburban Cockney perhaps; and Mrs Fitzgerald
with a deep voice, rather Irish perhaps.]
2. [They stare at each other. Muttering Arshtatta dum—arshtatta lam—arshtatta lamdumbona…]
[We are to assume that the personalities change bodies.]
3. [Mrs Fitzgerald crosses and hurries out through the door right. After a few moments Doris
Pearson comes bursting in left. She is a pretty girl in her early twenties, who would be pleasant
enough if she had not been spoilt.]
4. [Doris runs out left. After a moment Cyril Pearson enters left. He is the masculine counterpart of
Doris.]
5. [Doris enters left. She is in the process of dressing and is now wearing a wrap. She looks pale
and red-eyed.]
6. [Mrs Pearson exits right. Instantly Cyril and Doris are in a huddle, close together at left centre,
rapidly whispering]
7. [Mrs Pearson enters right, carrying a bottle of stout and a half-filled glass. Cyril and Doris try to
stop their guffawing and giggling, but they are not quick enough. Mrs Pearson regards them with
contempt.]
8. [Doris and Cyril exchange alarmed glances ]
9. [George Pearson enters left. He is about fifty, fundamentally decent but solemn, self-important,
and pompous. Preferably he should be a heavy, slow-moving type][Doris runs out left with a sob
or two on the way. George stares after her a moment, then looks at Mrs Pearson and notices the
stout that Mrs Pearson raises for another sip. His eyes almost bulge.]
10.[Cyril enters right, with a glass of milk in one hand and a thick slice of cake in the other. George,
almost dazed, turns to him appealingly.]
11.[George exits left, slowly, almost as if somebody had hit him over the head. Cyril, after watching
him go, turns indignantly to Mrs Pearson.][There is a sharp hurried knocking heard off left.]
[Cyril hurries out left. In a moment he re-enters, closing the door behind him.]
12.[Cyril exits left. Cyril re-enters left, ushering in Mrs Fitzgerald, who hesitates in the doorway.]
13.[George enters left glumly. He is unpleasantly surprised when he sees the visitor. He moves to
the armchair left, sits down heavily and glumly lights his pipe. Then he looks from Mrs Pearson
to Mrs Fitzgerald, who is regarding him anxiously.]
14.[Doris enters left slowly, looking miserable. She is still wearing the wrap]
15.[George and Doris exit left. As they go Mrs Fitzgerald moves to left of the small table and sits.
She eagerly beckons Mrs Pearson to do the same thing.]
16.[Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald stare at each other. Muttering; exactly as before. Arshtatta dum
— arshtatta lam— arshtatta lamdumbona… They carry out the same action as before, going lax
and then coming to life. But this time, of course, they become their proper personalities.]
17.[George, Doris and Cyril file in through the doorway, looking apprehensively at Mrs Pearson.]
18.[The family looks anxiously at Mrs Pearson, who smiles. Much relieved, they smile back at her.]
19.[Mrs Fitzgerald exits left and the family cluster round Mother as— the curtain falls.]