WeRead Powered by ReaderPub
A Thousand Years Ago: A Romance of the Orient cover

A Thousand Years Ago: A Romance of the Orient

Chapter 1: A THOUSAND YEARS AGO A ROMANCE OF THE ORIENT
Open in WeRead

Explore more books like this:

About This Book

The play reimagines a Persian folktale as an ornamental stage romance set in an imperial court, where a proud princess issues lethal riddles to would-be suitors and a determined foreign prince accepts the challenge. Courtly ritual, harem scenes, and a wandering troupe of masked comedians intersect, producing comic improvisations, dreamlike sequences, and staged pageantry. Through contests of wit, disguise, and revelation, the drama explores theatricality, the tension between love and authority, and the power of storytelling and performance to transform rigid custom. Scenes alternate between public ceremonial spaces and intimate dream episodes, blending commedia dell'arte motifs with fairy-tale romance.

The Drama League Series of Plays
VOLUME II

A THOUSAND YEARS AGO
A ROMANCE OF THE ORIENT

BY
PERCY MACKAYE
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
CLAYTON HAMILTON
Here in China the world lies a-dream, like a thousand
Years ago, and the place of our dreams is eternal
GARDEN CITY 1914 NEW YORK
DOUBLEDAY, PAGE & COMPANY
Copyright, 1914, by
PERCY MACKAYE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY THE SHUBERT THEATRICAL CO.

In its present form this play is dedicated to the reading public only, and no performances of it may be given. Any piracy or infringement will be prosecuted in accordance with the penalties provided by the United States Statutes:—

Sec. 4966.—Any person publicly performing or representing any dramatic or musical composition, for which copyright has been obtained, without the consent of the proprietor of the said dramatic or musical composition, or his heirs or assigns, shall be liable for damages therefor, such damages in all cases to be assessed at such sum, not less than one hundred dollars for the first and fifty dollars for every subsequent performance, as to the Court shall appear to be just. If the unlawful performance and representation be wilful and for profit, such person or persons shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year.—U. S. Revised Statutes, Title 60, Chap. 3.

TO
HERMANN HAGEDORN
Singer of flashing swords
Lover of olden songs
“Miming Romance, seductive Adventure
Amorous Magic, improvised Comedy
And all the love-charming, blood-thirsty Enchantments
Our prosy old workaday world has lost wind of”