SINGLE LIFE
SCENE I.—An apartment at MR. NIGGLE’S
SCENE I.—Interior of a neat cottage
SCENE II.—A room at MISS SNARE’S
SCENE III.—A large room at MISS SNARE’S
SCENE I.—The cottage
SCENE II.—An Inn Parlour
SCENE III.—An apartment at MISS SNARE’S
SCENE IV.—An elegant apartment at the manor-house
Frontispiece showing Pinkey proposing to Miss Skylark
SINGLE LIFE;
A COMEDY,
In Three Acts,
BY
JOHN BALDWIN BUCKSTONE, ESQ.,
(MEMBER OF THE DRAMATIC AUTHORS’ SOCIETY,)
AS PERFORMED AT THE
THEATRE ROYAL, HAY-MARKET.
CORRECTLY PRINTED FROM THE PROMPTER’S COPY, WITH THE CAST OF CHARACTERS, COSTUME, SCENIC ARRANGEMENT, SIDES OF ENTRANCE AND EXIT, AND RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
SPLENDIDLY ILLUSTRATED WITH AN ETCHING, BY PIERCE EGAN, THE YOUNGER, FROM A DRAWING TAKEN DURING THE REPRESENTATION.
LONDON:
CHAPMAN AND HALL, 186, STRAND.
“NASSAU STEAM PRESS,”
W. S. JOHNSON, 6, NASSAU STREET, SOHO.
First produced, Tuesday, July 23rd, 1839.
| BACHELORS. | ||
| MR. JOHN NIGGLE (A fluctuating bachelor.) Light drab coat, white waistcoat, nankeen pantaloons, white stockings, shoes, white wig tied in a tail, white hat | } | MR. WEBSTER. |
| MR. DAVID DAMPER (A woman-hating bachelor.) Brown coat with black horn buttons, old fashioned dark figured silk waistcoat, black pantaloons, hessian boots, iron-grey wig, broad-brimmed hat | } | MR. STRICKLAND. |
| MR. PETER PINKEY (A bashful bachelor.) Lavender coloured coat, white waistcoat, white trowsers, pink socks, pumps, pink silk neckerchief, pink gloves, pink watch ribbon, low crowned hat and cane, flaxen fashionably dressed wig | } | MR. BUCKSTONE. |
| MR. NARCISSUS BOSS (A self-loving bachelor.) Fashionable chocolate-coloured Newmarket coat with roses in the buttonhole, elegantly flowered waistcoat, light drab French trowsers with boots, light blue cravat exquisitely tied, frilled shirt, hat, and wristbands a la D’Orsay, and the hair dressed in the first style of elegance | } | MR. W. LACY. |
| MR. CHARLES CHESTER (A mysterious bachelor.) Dark frock coat, silk waistcoat, light trowsers, French gaiters and shoes, round hat | } | MR. HEMMING. |
| SPINSTERS. |
||
| MISS CAROLINE COY (A vilified spinster.) Grey silk dress, laced shawl and white ribbons, white satin bonnet, flowers, long yellow gloves, white reticule | } | MRS. W. CLIFFORD. |
| MISS MARIA MACAW (A man-hating spinster.) Green silk open dress, white petticoat, figured satin large apron, lace handkerchief, close lace cap and white ribbons, fan, and black rimmed spectacles | } | MRS. GLOVER. |
| MISS KITTY SKYLARK (A singing spinster.) White muslin pelisse over blue, chip hat and flowers. (2nd dress.) Pink satin and blond flounces | } | MRS. FITZWILLIAM. |
| MISS SARAH SNARE (An insinuating spinster.), 1st dress. White muslin petticoat, black velvet spencer, pink satin high-crowned bonnet and green feathers. (2nd dress.) Green satin and pink ribbons, black wig dressed in high French bows | } | MRS. DANSON. |
| MISS JESSY MEADOWS (A romantic spinster.) White muslin dress mittens. (2nd dress in the last scene.) White lace over white satin with roses | } | MISS TRAVERS. |
Time of representation, 2 hours.
L. means first entrance, left. R. first entrance, right. S.E.L. second entrance, left. S.E.R. second entrance, right. U.E.L. upper entrance, left. U.E.R. upper entrance, right. C. centre, L.C. left centre. R.C. right centre. T.E.L. third entrance, left. T.E.R. third entrance, right. Observing you are supposed to face the audience.
“SINGLE LIFE” is intended as a companion picture to the same author’s Comedy of “MARRIED LIFE;” and as that attempted to illustrate a few of the humours of the state matrimonial, and interest an audience without the introduction of any lovers whatever, in going to the opposite extreme in “SINGLE LIFE,” and making his characters “Lovers all,” he has been equally successful in pourtraying some of the vagaries of courtship, and showing that the democratic region of celibacy has its bickerings, as well as the most loyal one of “The United States.”