Ciw-restr

The Bakehouse

Llinellau gan Desc (Cyfanswm: 119)

(1, 0) 1 SCENE.─A Bakehouse; on the right {From stage to audience.} in the middle of wall, the oven.
(1, 0) 2 Left back, in corner, a door.
(1, 0) 3 Middle of back, a window.
(1, 0) 4 Right front corner, upturned wooden box.
(1, 0) 5 Table at back, a foot or two away from wall─while being scrubbed.
(1, 0) 6 Left of this table a chair.
(1, 0) 7 Table against left wall; chair at end of this table near front of stage.
(1, 0) 8 In back right hand corner stand a sweeping brush and a short-handled bake-house shovel.
(1, 0) 9 Near by, on nails, hang two pieces of white cloth.
(1, 0) 10 On table at back are a lighted candle and four or five empty bread tins.
(1, 0) 11 On table to left are three or four loaves of bread.
(1, 0) 12 On wall, near oven, hangs a cheap clock.
(1, 0) 13 ~
(1, 0) 14 Stage in half-darkness with faint red glow about oven.
(1, 0) 15 Bakehouse is lit either by oil lamp on wall, or by electric lamp.
(1, 0) 16 ~
(1, 0) 17 Mrs. BETSI EVANS, with a bucket of hot water and a scrubbing brush, is busily washing table at back.
(1, 0) 18 There is a knock at a door off left.
(1, 0) 19 BETSI goes quietly to bakehouse door and listens.
(1, 0) 20 Door without opens.
 
(1, 0) 30 Knock at bake-house door.
 
(1, 0) 32 Enter MRS. MORGAN with a tea-tray and teacloth.
 
(1, 0) 38 She crosses, turns up the light, blows out candle.
(1, 0) 39 Full light on stage.
(1, 0) 40 MRS. MORGAN comes in and stands close to table at back.
(1, 0) 41 She is a pretty young woman of twenty-one, neatly and daintily dressed.
(1, 0) 42 Betsi is seen to be a work-worn woman of about fifty-five.
 
(1, 0) 54 MRS. MORGAN takes chair front left corner.
 
(1, 0) 182 As MRS. MORGAN goes out, MRS. MARY ANN HOWELLS comes in, to MRS. MORGAN's left.
(1, 0) 183 She is a woman of about fifty, poorly dressed and wearing an old apron.
(1, 0) 184 Her face preserves the suggestion of by-gone good looks.
(1, 0) 185 Her speech is slow and pleasant; with a certain reflectiveness in it.
(1, 0) 186 There is a lurking humour in her eyes.
(1, 0) 187 She has a copy of the "South Wales Echo" in her hand.}:
 
(1, 0) 198 Saying this, takes up bucket and crosses towards door.
(1, 0) 199 Then pauses to listen to MRS. HOWELLS.
 
(1, 0) 213 MRS. EVANS pushes table at back to wall, puts bucket in right hand corner at back, and, taking broom, begins to sweep the floor, but breaks off repeatedly to enjoy the conversation.
 
(1, 0) 264 Betsi replaces broom, hurries off, and returns with two large pictures wrapped in brown paper.
(1, 0) 265 MRS. HOWELLS shows signs of great interest.
(1, 0) 266 MRS. EVANS, having unwrapped the first, stands it on table at back against the wall.
(1, 0) 267 The portrait, badly done in crayon, is of a careless, happy-looking man.
 
(1, 0) 274 Stands picture of Zachariah on table.
(1, 0) 275 It shows a thin-faced, severe-looking man with side-whiskers.
 
(1, 0) 290 MRS. HOWELLS smiles reflectively and sighs to herself.
(1, 0) 291 Then she crosses to table on left and examines bread with a critical eye.
(1, 0) 292 She goes back to the box as Mrs. Evans comes in.
(1, 0) 293 Re-enter Mrs. Evans with a stocking she is knitting.
 
(1, 0) 319 MRS. MORGAN is seen passing the window.
 
(1, 0) 393 Mrs. Howells and Mrs Evans together:
 
(1, 0) 420 Mrs. Howells and Mrs Evans together:
 
(1, 0) 423 They exchange glances.
 
(1, 0) 430 MRS. MORGAN goes off, leaving tray and cloth on table at back, and is seen hurrying past the window.
(1, 0) 431 MRS. HOWELLS and MRS. EVANS stand looking at ach other in astonishment and dismay.
 
(1, 0) 441 Voices are heard without.
 
(1, 0) 449 MRS. HOWELLS stiffens involuntarily as MRS. RICHARDS and JINNIE come in.
(1, 0) 450 The atmosphere: becomes frigid and formal.
(1, 0) 451 MRS RICHARDS is a middle-aged woman, sharp-visaged and angular.
(1, 0) 452 JINNIE is a fairly good-looking girl of twenty-five.
(1, 0) 453 She carries a tray.
 
(1, 0) 466 JINNIE takes seat.
 
(1, 0) 468 Enter Mrs. Price Shop Loshin, carrying tray.
 
(1, 0) 473 MRS. PRICE, after a curt nod towards MRS. HOWELLS, turns to JINNIE and whispers to her.)
 
(1, 0) 496 Enter Mrs. Jones Shop Flannel, standing in the doorway.
(1, 0) 497 She carries a plain basket.
 
(1, 0) 501 MRS. JONES takes up position by table on left.
 
(1, 0) 521 JINNIE RICHARDS sees MRS. MORGAN's cloth on table and picks it up.
 
(1, 0) 531 Turns away, as JINNIE rises with cloth in her hand.
 
(1, 0) 540 MRS. RICHARDS and JINNIE show signs of interest.
(1, 0) 541 The cloth is passed via MRS. JONES to MRS. RICHARDS, who examines it critically.
 
(1, 0) 580 JINNIE, overwhelmed, resumes her seat.
(1, 0) 581 MRS. RICHARDS stalks up majestically to table at back, and puts down cloth with a bang.
 
(1, 0) 584 MRS. HOWELLS's lips tighten, but she says nothing.
(1, 0) 585 MRS. PRICE, looking at Mrs. RICHARDS, nods approvingly.
(1, 0) 586 Enter MAGGIE HOWELLS─a little girl of twelve.
(1, 0) 587 She carries a basket.
 
(1, 0) 603 During this, MRS. PRICE produces a large piece of sweetmeat, which MAGGIE eyes with appreciation.
(1, 0) 604 She takes it and says, 'Thank you.'
(1, 0) 605 Then crosses and stands by her mother.
 
(1, 0) 614 MRS. HOWELLS is about to answer when she is suddenly struck by an idea.
 
(1, 0) 630 There is a general flutter of interest.
 
(1, 0) 639 For a second or two, in dumb show, she seems to be enlarging on the matter to MRS. RICHARDS, MRS. JONES, and JINNIE.)
 
(1, 0) 646 She goes towards the door, followed by the others, except MRS. HOWELLS and MAGGIE.
(1, 0) 647 All go off, talking together.
 
(1, 0) 664 Seizing a cloth from nail in the right back corner, takes out two tins holding a dull pasty mass.
 
(1, 0) 667 Tips out contents of tins on box on which she sat.
(1, 0) 668 Puts tins on box also.
 
(1, 0) 690 Sits down in a most determined way.
(1, 0) 691 Voices are heard from the house as she takes her seat.
 
(1, 0) 694 MAGGIE goes out.
 
(1, 0) 697 Enter MRS. RICHARDS.
(1, 0) 698 Takes former position.
 
(1, 0) 705 MRS. JONES takes position by table at back.
(1, 0) 706 MRS. EVANS crosses towards MRS. HOWELLS, who whispers to her, pointing to oven as if explaining.
 
(1, 0) 709 Takes up position left of MRS. JONES.
(1, 0) 710 MRS. MORGAN is seen hurrying past window.
 
(1, 0) 712 BETSI opens oven door.
(1, 0) 713 MRS. MORGAN appears.
(1, 0) 714 Seeing the RICHARDSES, she is nonplussed.
(1, 0) 715 The RICHARDSES stiffen in their manner.
 
(1, 0) 726 MRS. MORGAN gasps and retreats a few steps, taking position to MRS. JONES's right, by table at back.
(1, 0) 727 JINNIE moves over to MRS. PRICE and her mother.
 
(1, 0) 736 MRS. JONES looks at MRS. HOWELLS's bread with frank admiration.
(1, 0) 737 MRS. RICHARDS and Co. eye it sideways with ill-disguised envy.
(1, 0) 738 MRS. MORGAN looks at it with a kind of solemn awe.
 
(1, 0) 743 The RICHARDS faction move in a little, watching.
 
(1, 0) 748 Produces two splendid loaves and advances a few steps, holding them out.
(1, 0) 749 There is a general murmur.
(1, 0) 750 Mrs. Morgan claps her hands with a cry of delight.
 
(1, 0) 759 Mrs. Evans nods.
 
(1, 0) 764 MRS. MORGAN turns round and takes up her tray.
(1, 0) 765 MRS. JONES opens out the cloth.
(1, 0) 766 With a laugh of triumph and a victorious glance towards JINNIE, MRS. MORGAN holds out tray to MRS. HOWELLS, who puts loaves on.
(1, 0) 767 MRS. JONES covers them reverentially.
(1, 0) 768 MRS. MORGAN turns to go.)
 
(1, 0) 772 Hands tray to MRS. JONES; produces purse and pays MRS. EVANS; takes tray again; to MRS. HOWELLS.)
 
(1, 0) 788 MRS. RICHARDS and party, crushed and crestfallen, turn slowly and stare at her as she goes out.
(1, 0) 789 MRS. HOWELLS resumes her seat, sighing softly to herself.
(1, 0) 790 ~
(1, 0) 791 CURTAIN