FREE SCRIPT REVIEW "The Private Secretary" (1907) by Charles Hawtrey (1858-1923)

Nine Male Four Female Full Length Farce in three acts Plays enter the public domain in Australia if the author died before 1955. Many playwrights laid to rest before this date were active around the turn of the century and had the height of their career during the roaring twenties. The reputation of this play was established during that period, when it appeared for 785 consecutive performances in the west end, making it one of the longest running plays of the century. The dialogue is in modern language and it features train commuters and telephones. Some concepts are showing their age. I had a history lesson over a blue ribbon worn by the Reverend Spalding (The private secretary) - reflecting his embrace of the temperance movement. One great advantage of public domain plays is the ability to modify them without permission. In this case, inserting a line or an action displaying the reverends aversion to strong liquor might help younger audience to catch the drift. The lines played by two young ladies as they are hounded by the household lads are a shade coy. So shy are they, that post-modern audiences may need some help to understand the subtleties of early twentieth century courtship, but great change is not essential. It could be stoutly modernized or played as it stands. This play will suit people searching for a very funny stage play without music. Without any hesitation, I vow this is one of the funniest scripts I have read in my life. The scene in which Spalding is locked in a trunk, mistaken for an apparition and then a burglar, before being fawned on by the household governess with a ham sandwich had me in fits. If your theatre does good farce, they will love this play. I think the quaint-ness of the setting adds to the humour. At the very least, I can recommend it for a social script-reading. The play is an adaptation of a German novel by Gustav von Moser (died 1903). The properties require a pair of over-shoe goloshes and a fireplace with irons. My favourite character is Gibson, the downtrodden tailor and creditor, bent on extracing his due by gaining social favour with hilarious misadventure. The DVD can be purchased cheaply - not to be confused with several other films with similar names. Full text online http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks13/1303861.txt