Three Men Study Guide May 9 Final 4

STUDY GUIDE 2004 CONTAINS ONTARIO CURRICULUM SUPPORT MATERIAL THREE MEN ON A HORSE by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott

Education Partner

PRESENTS Three Men on a Horse by John Cecil Holm and George Abbott

This study guide for Three Men on a Horse contains back- ground information for the play, suggested themes and topics for discussion, and curriculum-based lessons that are designed by educators and theatre professionals. TABLE OF CONTENTS The lessons and themes for discussion are organized in mod- ules that can be used independently or interdependently ac- cording to your class’s level and time availability. The Players ...... 3 The general information is on white paper and the lessons are on green. Running Time ...... 3

The Authors ...... 4-6

THIS GUIDE WAS WRITTEN AND COMPILED BY DENIS Director’s Notes ...... 7 JOHNSTON, DEBRA MCLAUCHLAN, AND BARBARA WOR- The Story ...... 7 THY. ADDITIONAL MATERIALS WERE PROVIDED BY SIMON BRADBURY, JIM MEZON, AND CAMERON PORTEOUS. The Characters ...... 8

Essay...... 9

Classroom Application

Before Attending the Play ...... 10-16 THREE MEN ON A HORSE After Attending the Play...... 17-19 Previews April 24 Opens May 8 Glossary of Theatre Terms…………...………………...21 Closes October 29 Response Sheet………………………………………..22 For a calendar of performances check: www.shawfest.com

The Players

Audrey Trowbridge ...... Catherine McGregor Erwin Trowbridge ...... Kevin Bundy Clarence Dobbins ...... Douglas E. Hughes Tailor/Delivery Boy/Al...... Al Kozlik Harry...... Peter Millard Charlie ...... Peter Hutt Frankie ...... Jeff Lillico Patsy...... Simon Bradbury Mabel...... Glynis Ranney Moses...... Kevin Dennis Gloria Gray...... Jillian Cook Hotel Maid...... Darcy Dunlop Mr. Carver...... Anthony Bekenn

Directed by ...... Jim Mezon Designed by...... Cameron Porteous Lighting designed by...... Louise Guinand

Running Time APPROX. 2HRS. 45 MINS INCLUDING TWO INTERMISSIONS

Production History

Three Men on a Horse opened on Broadway in January 1935 and ran for over 800 performances. A durable classic of the American theatre, it has enjoyed three Broadway revivals, including one in 1993 that starred television’s “odd couple,” Tony Randall and Jack Klu- man. It also appeared on Broadway as the musical Let It Ride (1961).

Costume sketch for Mabel by Cameron Porteous Costume sketch for Audrey by Cameron Porteous

“Mister Abbott” and the Midas Touch George Abbott 1887-1995

Excerpts from the programme essay written by Don B. Wilmeth for the Shaw’s 2004 production of Three Men on a Horse

Everyone called this theatrical giant, now a Broadway legend, not unusual for Abbott to have three hits running on Broad- “Mister Abbott” -- even Presidents of the United States, and way simultaneously; twice (in 1934 and 1939) he directed five the name will remain a prominent one in U.S. theatrical circles different Broadway plays that opened in the same year. It is a for many reasons. Even if his theatrical accomplishments are telling statistic that during an extraordinary fifteen-year partially forgotten, which is doubtful, his name certainly will be stretch (1948-62), Abbott shows won forty Broadway Tony remembered because annually the awards, including five for himself (as Society of Stage Directors and Chore- author, director, or both). He was an ographers bestows an honour called indefatigable worker. He would return the “Mister Abbott Award” on an home from a rehearsal of one show to exceptional New York stage director. rewrite another; he would frequently leave the rehearsal of one musical to If you’ve done your math correctly, cast another. Yet he was always mind- you have no doubt noted that George ful of living a balanced, abstemious Francis Abbott, who as an actor, first life. opened on Broadway in 1913, playing a drunken collegian in Misleading Lady, In the mid-1930s Abbott collaborated and didn’t quit until the mid-1990s, with an actor named Cecil Holm who died at age 107! Up to 1987 his name had written a comedy called Hobby appeared prominently on theatre pro- Horses. It lacked structure and, as Ab- grammes for more than 120 produc- bott later confided, was without a tions. (In 1994, a year before his suitable last act. Warner Brothers death, he attended pre-Broadway re- studios promised to back the project hearsals for the revival of Damn Yan- if it could be properly written and kees, which he originally directed in directed; in stepped “Mister Abbott.” 1955). In his autobiography Abbott writes “I George Abbott could see very clearly what was Abbott’s protean presence was felt as needed. The notion that a little greeting-card writer could tell an actor, writer, producer, director, and play doctor, for he by intuition what horse would win a race had to be carried on possessed the rare talent of making many a faulty script work. to its extreme, to be blown up like a balloon; but at the same Indeed, this magic touch - one might even say a midas touch - time it had to be logical enough for the audience to accept it. seemed to apply to any theatrical job he accepted. Certainly his I thought of a way to do this and began work immediately.” talent as a theatre director was known by all as the “Abbott Abbott also thought up the title of Three Men on a Horse, re- touch,” which, as one writer explains, was an uncanny ability to placing Holm’s Hobby Horse. The play, despite a slow start, keep his shows spinning at a brisk clip, although Abbott him- turned into a major Broadway success, soon with three road self downplayed this successful directorial technique, claiming companies and a London production. that all he did was to drill his actors to “say their final sylla- bles.” In truth, this touch also meant bringing to the table taste, The Broadway production also established Abbott’s reputa- artistic judgment, and a sure sense of “size” - how much to do tion for excellence in casting and for discovering new, out- and when to stop. The result of his “touch” was extraordinarily standing talent. In this production the great Sam Levene ap- successful, especially when faced with a vehicle, like Three Men peared as the head gangster Patsy (one of three diehard gam- on a Horse, that was a farcical exploration of a fantasy. It was blers “on a horse”); Shirley Booth had one of her early lead-

“Mister Abbott, continued

ing roles, the tough moll Mabel; and Garson Kanin, later the New Jersey nightclub. How typical. And yet how anomalous, the author of such well-knows plays as Born Yesterday, served for Abbott, at 6’ 3”, was a lanky austere presence with sur- as an assistant director to Abbott and played Al, the photog- prisingly puritanical habits for someone in show business. He rapher. Abbott later confessed to having had a “Pygmalion looked more like a preacher or a banker than a flamboyant complex,” with a clear preference for working with young, theatre director or producer. It was often suggested that he unknown actors. “You’re always better off if you can do was the most tightfisted man in the theatre. Regardless, the without a star,” he once stated. “Besides saving money, it history of Broadway - and especially the heyday of the Ameri- saves wear and tear on the nervous system.” can musical - thanks to the unstinting energies, optimism, and contributions of “Mister Abbott”, is in many ways also a Abbott never gave up on life or activity in the thea- history of this amazing theatre artist: he was Broadway! tre. At 92 he wrote his first - and last - novel, Tryout, a melo- dramatic look at post-World War II theatrical life, termed by A Corresponding Scholar of the Shaw Festival, Don B. one critic “an enjoyable potboiler.” Halfway through his 99th Wilmeth taught at Brown University In Providence, year he was working on two new plays (written between Rhode Island, for 36 years, retiring in 2003 as the Asa rounds of golf), one of which he co-directed off-Broadway; a Messer Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He is the Co- week and a half before his death he was dictating revisions Editor of the three-volume Cambridge History of for what he hoped would be a revival of Pajama Game. In American Theatre and is currently editing a new edition 1983, when he was 96, Abbott married his third wife, Joy of the Cambridge Guide to American Theatre. He is Valderrama, forty years his junior. They had met twenty-five Vice President of the International Shaw Society. years earlier when she was working as a Hawaiian dancer in a

George Abbott (1887-1995) Actor, director, playwright, producer and “play doctor”

Abbott contributed to over 130 Broadway productions in a career that spanned most of the twentieth century: here is a selected few: Boy Meets Girl (1935), On Your Toes (1936), Room Service (1937), The Boys From Syracuse (1938), Pal Joey (1940, and part of this year’s season at the Festival), Sweet Charity (1942), On the Town (1944), High Button Shoes (1947), Call Me Madam (1950), A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1951), Me and Juliet (1953), Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), New Girl in Town (1957), Once Upon a Mattress (1959), Fiorella! (1959, for which he shared the Pulitzer Prize), Tenderloin (1960), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Never Too Late (1962), Flora, the Red Menace (1965), and How Now, Dow Jones (1967). In the 1950s he adapted for the screen Where’s Charley, Damn Yankees, and The Pajama Game.

An autobiography entitled Mister Abbott was published in 1963, and a gala tribute entitled George Abbott: A Celebration played for one night on Broadway in May 1976.

Well done, Mister Abbott.

John Cecil Holm (1904 -1981)

JOHN CECIL HOLM (1904-1981) was born in Philadelphia, on Broadway in 1935 and became one of America’s most and acted in plays at West Philadelphia High School and with popular comedies of the decade. Although he directed the the University of Pennsylvania’s Wig and Mask Club. After London and Chicago productions of the play, thereafter leaving university he spent almost two years acting with re- Holm found himself more in demand as a writer than as an gional stock companies. In 1926 he caught his first big break, actor or director. His produced plays included Brighten the understudying Lee Tracy in the leading role in Broadway - co- Corner (1945), Gramercy Ghost (1951), The Southwest Corner authored by George Abbott - and playing it on tour for six (1955), and books for the musicals Best Foot Forward (1941) months. In 1928 he again understudied Tracy in a hit com- and Let It Ride (1961, a musical version of Three Men on a edy, this time The Front Page, and played the lead on Broad- Horse). He also published a childhood memoir entitled Sunday way for several performances that winter. Best (1942) and a fantasy novel McGarrity and the Pigeons (1947). He wrote for television dramas and soap operas in the While continuing to act in Broadway productions, Holm be- 1950s before returning to act on Broadway, for regional thea- gan writing a play he called Hobby Horses. Revised by director tres, and in television commercials. George Abbott and entitled Three Men on a Horse, it opened

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Director’s Notes

by Jim Mezon

The Great Depression in which Three Men on so that they could sleep without falling off. a Horse is set was a bit before my time, but When my father told stories of the hardships not before my father’s. He grew up in the they faced, however, there was always a cer- middle of it - a young man raised on a farm tain smile in his eyes. “It was tough,” he said, on the prairies. No money, no work, little “but we had fun.” hope, and a lot of dust. There’s a moment near the end of Pygmalion He would tell me stories of “riding the rails” when Higgins tries to persuade Eliza to re- across the West, looking for a job - any job - turn to his home in Wimpole Street. “What living outdoors with others who were also am I to come back for?” she asks. He replies out of work and out of luck. They would simply, “For the fun of it.” Perhaps like my always ride on top of the boxcars because father and Higgins and this play’s hero Er- there was less chance of being found by the win, there’s something to be said for doing private police (the “bulls”) employed by the things for the fun of it. It’s a simple answer, railroads. They would thread their belts but perhaps life needn’t be as complicated as through the metal grid on top of the boxcar we like to make it. Jim Mezon

The Story

The play begins in a small suburban house in Ozone Heights, Erwin has taken to picking race-track winners as a harmless New Jersey, the home of a young couple named Erwin and pastime, the way that some people might do crosswords. He Audrey Trowbridge. tells Audrey he wouldn’t consider really gambling, as they can barely get by on his salary as it is. But he keeps track of the Erwin works in an office where he writes verses for greeting money that he might have won and it’s a whopping sum, cards, and this morning he’s feeling the pressure of having to several times his annual income. Frantic about work dead- come up with 67 new Mother’s Day poems by the next day. lines looming, Erwin flies off the handle when another of As if this weren’t enough, Audrey finds a notebook in which Audrey’s unexpected shopping bills arrives. Instead of going Erwin has written some cryptic names and numbers, and she to the office, he starts bar-hopping in the city, where he leaps to the conclusion that he is seeing other women. But meets a group of small-time gamblers who are down on their these names do not belong to girls, he explains: they belong luck - until they discover Erwin’s remarkable gift for picking to horses! winners!

The Characters

Erwin works very conscientiously at a job, writing verses for Charlie lives in the hotel where Harry works. A tall man a greeting card company - a job that other people might con- who smokes cigarettes, Charlie is accustomed to both win- sider trivial. Dutiful, serious, and honest, he carefully keeps ning and losing money. A worrier who’s afraid of taking track of all household spending and questions his wife’s fre- risks, he usually bets on favourites. quent need for new outfits. Frankie, who also lives in the hotel, is Charlie’s close friend Audrey is devoted to her husband and also sees no fault in and his opposite in many ways. Frankie avoids fights and is her brother. She likes to spend money on her appearance willing to bet on long shots. When he wins, he buys drinks and often shops impulsively. She never keeps problems to for everyone. herself, and calls upon her brother whenever anything goes Patsy seems to have authority over Charlie and Frankie be- wrong. cause he takes charge and makes major decisions for the Clarence is a rather unsuccessful businessman with grandi- group. He has big ideas for the future and attempts to cash ose plans that never seem to materialize. Very protective of in on any opportunities that come his way. He buys expen- his sister, he has always been suspicious of Erwin’s honesty sive items when he wins, and hocks them at a pawnshop and intentions. He has very definite ideas about right and when he loses. wrong, and has no sense of humour. Mabel is Patsy’s girlfriend. A former showgirl, she quit her Harry works as a bartender in a seedy hotel. He dreams of job when she started associating with Patsy and his friends. opening his own place, an establishment with class. He does- When he has money, Patsy buys her expensive gifts, which n’t gamble because he’s afraid to lose his money. But when a she has to return when Patsy loses bets. Mabel isn’t involved sure thing appears, he lays a bet. in the men’s gambling activities and is sometimes unaware of their schemes.

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Simon Bradbury On a Horse

Writer, playwright and actor Simon Bradbury shares the marketing strategies and logistical trends. The madcap British simple truth of how Three Men on a Horse came to be on the comedies had disappeared in the evil eighties along with the stage of the Festival Theatre this season. dotty French imbroglios. The big Festival shows other than Three Men on A Horse first came up in a conversation be- the flagship Shaw were the now popular American dramas tween Jim Mezon and me in the summer of 1995. To the and comedies. Three Men came to mind as a more than suit- best of my knowledge neither of us had spoken of the able possibility. Self conscious of the simplicity of our ama- play since. And it was certainly the last thing on my mind teur speculations, we decided to examine our proposal in when I bumped into Jim on the streets of Niagara-on- more detail. the-Lake one summer morning last year. Both Jim and I were familiar with the play. I had played “What, you’re not answering your email nowa- Frankie, the apparent youngest of the three gamblers, seven days?” he said as he kicked a leg over his bike. I was in years earlier. The experience was great fun as I worked with a the middle of a hectic week and had not seen a computer lauded cast and qualified director. The production had con- in ages. “What’s up?” I asked, intrigued to siderable merits and within the confines of a scant rehearsal know what kind of message would warrant allotment, we did a remarkable job. The suc- a prompt reply. Jim continued: “Jackie has cess of a comedy depends on meticulous cho- asked me to put together a list of plays I reography, which can take weeks to master. I would like to direct. Three Men was one of was aware of this long before I had encoun- them and it looks like it will get the green tered the abundant talents and more generous light. Would you be interested in being in rehearsals at The Shaw. Seven years later here I it?” was in a company with the resources to get the “On A Horse?” I replied. most out of a play like Three Men. Jim, I be- “No, on the stage,” he drawled. lieve, had seen the play elsewhere and agreed “You remember us talking about it?” that it had the potential for a successful run.

Instantly, I did. There are very few plot-driven plays that can accommodate such wonderfully drawn charac- In 1995, we were rehearsing The Philanderer, ters as those in Three Men. We agreed that it a raucous comedy by Bernard Shaw, in had elements of both the French and British which Jim was directing me in the title role. romps while remaining a distinctly American To say that the cast was having fun would play. Ultimately it seemed like a darned good have understated our rehearsal hall shenani- bet. gans. A grateful team hailed the delights of working on such a ribald Shavian work. More akin to That summer came and went, and ‘Three Men’ disappeared bedroom farce than his usual fare, the salty, old aesthete into the hazy netherworld of distant late nights. It was quite Shaw was hallooing the baser instincts and giving them forgotten. Not so, it appeared, by Mr Mezon. full dramaturgical honours. Our director, Mr Mezon, was “You remember us talking about it”? he asked. exploiting the comedy, as preview audiences were now “Of course, yeah.” I replied, quite gob smacked. attesting, to riotous effect. Shaw has his own comedic “Well, what do you think?” style, much of which is verbal. Although challenging and “I’ll have to talk to my agent.” Pause. Grin. Rolling fun to perform, our appetites had been whetted by the of the eyes. “Yeah, of course I want to be in it. I’d be tickled physical comedy inherent in the play. Presumptuous talk to death.” was made of tackling other projects that had a more situ- “Good.” ational comedic turn. We exchanged a few more words before Jim, pushed for We knew that to suggest a play for the Festival meant time, slipped his foot into the pedal of his bike and disap- justifying the choice with something other than beer- peared into the Queen Street mayhem. fueled enthusiasm. Thus ensued a sober calculation of 9

Classroom Applications

The following pages suggest questions and activities students might explore

before attending the play.

Theme One DIALOGUE AND SUBTTEXT

The following conversation occurs in a kitchen between two main characters (labeled A and B) at the start of the play:

A: What’s the matter? Something get in your eye?

B: I’ll be all right.

A: Gee, that’s too bad. It’s this dry spell we’re having. Dust everywhere.

B: Better drink your coffee before it gets cold.

A: Oh, yes.

B: You forgot your necktie.

A: Necktie? So I have. I couldn’t decide which one to wear.

B: You need some new ones, I guess.

A: No, no, I have plenty. Gee, I’m late.

B: You said you were going to stay home one day this week.

A: I know I did. But not today.

(Continued on next page)

ACTIVITY

In pairs, rehearse the conversation with one of these instructions to each pair of performers:

1. Character A and Character B are married. Character A is hiding something important from Character B. Decide what Character A is hiding.

2. Character A and Character B are married. Character B is hiding something important from Character A. Decide what Character B is hiding.

3. Character A and B are criminal partners. They’ve just committed a major robbery and are afraid of getting caught.

4. Character A is Character B’s boss. Character B is frightened of Character A.

5. Character B is Character A’s boss. Character A is frightened of Character B.

6. Character A and Character B are stuck in an elevator. They are rivals at work and don’t like each other.

7. Character B is Character A’s mother. Character B feels unappreciated by her son. Character A feels smoth- ered by his mother’s attention.

8. Character A and Character B are engaged to be married and have been planning their wedding. Character A is unhappy with Character B’s ideas.

Once the conversation has been memorized and rehearsed, perform it without letting classmates know which instructions each pair received. Have the class guess various relationships and attitudes of the characters.

Theme 2 FAMILY TRIANGLES

One of the main characters (Audrey) in Three Men on a Horse has a husband (Erwin) and a brother (Clarence) who dislike each other. The relationship among the three creates a triangle of comic friction in the play.

* Audrey is devoted to her husband and also sees no fault in her brother. She likes to spend money on her appearance and often shops impulsively. She never keeps problems to herself, and calls upon her brother whenever anything goes wrong.

* Erwin works very conscientiously at a job that other people might consider trivial. Dutiful, serious and honest, he carefully keeps track of all household spending and questions his wife’s frequent need for new outfits.

* Clarence is a rather unsuccessful businessman with grandiose plans that never seem to materialize. Very protective of his sister, he has always been suspicious of Erwin’s honesty and intentions. He has very definite ideas about right and wrong, and has no sense of humour.

ACTIVITY

Here’s the situation:

It’s an important day for Erwin at work. He’s getting ready to leave the house when he notices that his wife is upset. A few moments earlier, Audrey had found something that made her think Erwin was keeping a secret from her. Very upset, she immediately called Clarence and asked him to come over. She didn’t tell Clarence about her suspi- cions, although she did let him know that she was really unhappy about something. But Erwin does not have a secret. He doesn’t know that Audrey found something incriminating and he doesn’t know that she called Clarence. He only knows that she’s upset and he has to get to work on this important day. He’s on his way out the door when Clarence arrives.

* In groups of three, using the descriptions of the characters and situation, your task is to improvise the confrontation that takes place next.

* Before you start working on the scene, discuss with your group members: What is Erwin’s job? Why is today an important day? What did Audrey find? What secret does she think Erwin is keeping? What business is Clarence in? What was he doing when Audrey called? What does each character in the scene want? How will they try to get what they want?

* While working on the scene, decide if it will end with the truth emerging or the misunderstanding continuing.

* Some misunderstandings are not cleared up easily. What obstacles will you devise in clearing Erwin of Audrey’s suspicion?

* Show the scenes to the class. Discuss differences in each group’s characterizations and endings.

Compare your ending of the scene to the play when you see it at the Shaw Festival.

Theme 3 A STRANGE POWER

Three Men on a Horse takes place in the 1930s, a decade of widespread economic depression, prohibition and speakeasy bars, gambling and rampant gang-related crime. One character in the play, a very law-abiding citizen, possesses a strange ability to pick winning horses at the race-track.

DISCUSSION

Imagine you live in the setting of Three Men on a Horse and have the ability to pick winning racehorses.

Although your horses always win, you never bet.

Make the following decisions about your ability:

1. When and where did you first notice your talent?

2. How do you keep track of your race picks?

3. Why don’t you bet? What would happen if you did?

4. What conditions must be present in order for you to summon your power over the horse race?

5. Are you married? Do you have children? Or do you still live with your parents? Do you live alone?

6. Does anyone know about your talent?

Now imagine you are a small-time crook who discovers that a stranger has the power to pick winning horses at the race-track.

Make the following decisions as the crook:

1. How do you earn your money?

2. Do you make frequent bets on horses?

3. Where do you meet the stranger with the power to pick horses?

4. How do you discover his or her ability?

What do you do next?

ACTIVITY

* In pairs, A and B, create a short scene in which A plays the person who can pick winning horses and B plays the crook. Using the individual decisions you have made about your characters, improvise the meeting between the two of them.

* Then reverse roles and improvise the scene again, using your partner’s version of the character.

* In pairs, A and B, take the roles of a newspaper reporter and the person with the power to pick winning horses. Conduct and write a newspaper interview; then switch partners and roles and complete the interview again.

DISCUSSION

Literature has provided us with stories of people who have strange powers to achieve wealth. Examples include the tale of King Midas, and the short stories The Rocking Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence and The Monkey’s Paw by W.W Jacobs.

* Look up and read these stories on the Internet. Do the stories end happily or sadly?

* Why do you think these stories have similar endings? What message do they convey about acquiring wealth?

* How do you predict Three Men on a Horse will end? Are you surprised to learn that the play is a comedy?

Theme 4 THE USUAL SUSPECTS

Several characters in Three Men on a Horse are either directly or indirectly involved in gambling activities.

* Harry works as a bartender in a seedy hotel. He dreams of opening his own place, an establishment with class. He doesn’t gamble because he’s afraid to lose his money. But when a sure thing appears, he lays a bet.

* Charlie lives in the hotel where Harry works. A tall man who smokes cigarettes, Charlie is accustomed to both winning and losing money. A worrier who’s afraid of taking risks, he usually bets on favorites.

* Frankie, who also lives in the hotel, is Charlie’s close friend and his opposite in many ways. Frankie avoids fights and is willing to bet on long shots. When he wins, he buys drinks for everyone.

* Patsy seems to have authority over Charlie and Frankie because he takes charge and makes major decisions for the group. He has big ideas for the future and attempts to cash in on any opportunities that come his way. He buys expensive items when he wins, and hocks them at a pawnshop when he loses.

* Mabel is Patsy’s girlfriend. A former showgirl, she quit her job when she started associating with Patsy and his friends. When he has money, Patsy buys her expensive gifts, which she has to return when Patsy loses bets. Mabel isn’t involved in the men’s gambling activities and is sometimes unaware of their schemes.

ACTIVITY

* Select one of the characters from the descriptions above.

* Using the information provided about the character, select an animal that most appropriately matches the character’s description.

* Imagine the animal as a human character.

* Using the animal as a model, experiment with the character’s posture and walk.

* In groups of 5, with each person playing one of the characters, practise a mime sequence in which the following events happen. The most important aspect of the exercise is to use the animals you have chosen to make your character physically distinctive:

1. Charlie and Frankie enter and order drinks from Harry at the bar. They have lost most of their money and don’t know where their next score is coming from.

2. Patsy arrives, having just pawned an expensive possession. He wonders where Mabel is.

3. Mabel arrives, having just pawned expensive dresses for a cheaper price than they’re worth.

* Now imagine that the characters have all been arrested for a petty crime. Line them up in a group mug shot.

* Write a rap sheet for your character. (A rap sheet is a police record of your character’s arrests.)

Theme 5 SETTING UP THE HICK

Small-time crooks in Three Men on a Horse want to use an unsophisticated stranger to help them make easy money.

ACTIVITY

Script-writing.

* Using the characters of Charlie, Frankie and Patsy from the previous exercise, identify a plan they might concoct to make some fast and easy money.

* Identify an appropriate public setting for them to meet.

* Imagine that an unsophisticated stranger enters the setting and begins a conversation with one of the men.

* The stranger reveals information that interests Charlie, Frankie and Patsy because it suggests that the stranger can help them in their moneymaking scheme.

* In groups of three, discuss your ideas. Combine the best ones in order to write a scene that has three parts.

* The first part of the scene shows Charlie, Frankie and Patsy making their original plans.

* The second part of the scene introduces the stranger and reveals that he or she can be helpful to Charlie, Frankie and Patsy.

* The third part of the scene involves Charlie, Frankie and Patsy trying to befriend the stranger. The stranger resists their offer at first, but then seems more interested.

* Decide how the scene will end. Does the stranger help the crooks? If so, how? If not, how do Charlie, Frankie and Patsy react?

* In role, read your scenes aloud for the rest of the class. Compare ideas from each one. After watching Three Men on a Horse, identify similarities between your scenes and events in the play.

After attending Three Men On A Horse the class should be able to examine theatrical techniques and ideas introduced by the play.

Theme 6 CREATING COMEDY

DISCUSSION

Three Men on a Horse begins on a weekday morning in the suburban kitchen of a husband and wife who are about to eat breakfast.

* Early in the first scene, what clues suggested that the play was not going to be a realistic drama? What factors made the initial conflict between Erwin and Clarence more humorous than serious?

* What elements of physicalization add comedy to the play?

* What elements of misunderstanding add comedy to the play?

* Incongruity, or the combining of apparently opposed actions and characters, provides humor in the play as well. For example, it is incongruous that characters like Charlie, Frankie, and Patsy would deliberately copy sappy lines from Mother’s Day greeting cards. Humor is created when the audience sees the intensity of their efforts to make sure they maintain the rhyme and rhythm of Erwin’s poetry. What other uses of incongruity do you recall from the play? ACTIVITY

* In groups, assign the roles of Charlie, Frankie and Patsy.

* Each group imagines a new character, not introduced in the play, who has something that Charlie, Frankie and Patsy want.

* The new character should have a problem to solve. How might Charlie, Frankie and Patsy get involved?

* What chain of events would lead Charlie, Frankie and Patsy to become involved in activity that is incongruous with their appearance and character?

* How can you incorporate a misunderstanding into the scene?

In mime, portray Charlie, Frankie and Patsy attempting to help the fictitious new character. Your depiction will appear humorous if:

1. the audience can see the incongruity between your actions and your characters

2. your characters appear very intense in attempting to perform the actions correctly

3. your characters have physical difficulties to overcome in performing the actions

4. your characters’ attempts to solve problems create new problems.

Theme 7 VIEWPOINTS BASED ON PERSPECTIVE

Characters in plays are revealed by their actions, their words, and the words of others. Through monologues, different characters in Three Men on a Horse reveal various aspects of Erwin’s character.

* Clarence: The horse - he must have had a sure tip. That little book of his is full of sure tips. He’s been cleaning up. All the time he’s been playing poor and talking about how he couldn’t afford things, he’s been rich - he’s had winnings enough in the last few weeks to spend the rest of his life loafing. He’s got deposits in a dozen savings banks - when I saw that little book yesterday it all came across to me clear - in fact I went down to the bookies in the afternoon to put a thousand dollars on Brass Monkey and then I was afraid of some trickery and I changed my mind. But the worm had his roll on that race - he had every cent - and he cleaned up and you’ll never see him again. Why couldn’t he have come to me as man to man and told me about it? That would have been the thing to do. No, but he’s selfish - keeps it all to himself - wouldn’t look me in the eye - I knew something was wrong - Eight to one it paid - but that worm held out on me.

* Patsy: Mr. Carver? Hello, Carver. This is a very good friend of Mr Erwin Trowbridge - in fact, I’m his manager - the verses are all written. They’re gems. That’s what they are. Before I send them around, I thought we’d discuss terms. Those verses are the best verses I’ve read and I’ve read a lot of verses - What I thought was this - we might as well talk man to man - you’re getting away with murder. Forty bucks a week - that’s what I call a steal. (to Erwin) Don’t you know you rate more than that? Don’t you know that big crook is cheating the hell out of you? Here you are starving on forty a week, while that big piece of salami is living high with swell offices in the Wedgewood Building. And he made it all off you.

* Mr. Carver: Erwin’s a man that’s a reliable citizen - worth more than you or any of you - in his way. And he’s gone! Where? Nobody knows…I know where he is. Writing verses for a rival concern…I’ve figured it out. Thought I didn’t appreciate him ’cos I didn’t pat him on the back every minute - long comes some sneak - gives him a lot of sugar and steals him away - no justice anywhere - never was - never will be…He’s afraid of everybody - just a poet. Just lives in himself…Erwin wasn’t so good at first. He had the feeling, the warmth and the inspiration to be a top-notch greeting card man, but he didn’t have the technique. I taught him all I knew - I worked and struggled to bring him up, up the ladder and then someone steals him from me.

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ACTIVITIES

Sharing a monologue.

* In groups of three, decide which of the monologues you want to learn as a group. Everyone in the group will take sections of the monologue however you want to break it up.

* Practise the monologue so that everyone in the group portrays the same attitude in their manner of speech.

* Rehearse the monologues until they are memorized with great seriousness.

* Perform the monologues for the class.

∗ Discuss the information in the monologues. Do they provide an accurate portrayal of Erwin’s character? Why is it important to know who the speaker is when evaluating opinions expressed?

Creating a monologue.

* With your group members, decide on another character who has a strong opinion about Erwin.

* In your group, create a monologue expressing that character’s views about Erwin.

* Perform the monologues for the class.

* Discuss the complexities of information that are revealed in monologues. How does the audience know what information is accurate and what information is false? Is there any such thing as an accurate monologue about a character?

Theme 8 GREETING CARD SENTIMENTS

Humour is created in the play when various characters take the messages written on greeting cards very seriously.

Below are four greeting card verses from the play. Your task is to perform one or ACTIVITIES more of these messages with as much heart-felt intensity as possible. Add actions to your performance. If possible, create a tune and sing the verse. Remember—the seriousness of your approach will create the intended humorous effect.

Verse 1

At Christmas tide your hair was gray

But memories chased your cares away

Now lovingly in my simple way

I send you love on Mother’s Day

Verse 2

When I was young and on your knee

You told a nursery rhyme to me

But now I’ve grown a man to be

I send my love in rhyme to thee.

Verse 3

Why was it that I chose to roam

Cross land and sea so far from home?

If that be life, my Mother dear

I send this card of love and cheer.

Verse 4

My soul was sad as darkest night

But now the world seems fair and bright

Because you came so true and fine

Oh stay and be my Valentine.

GLOSSARY OF THEATRE TERMS WHO WORKS IN A THEATRE

BLOCKING: The actor’s movement on stage is known as DIRECTOR: The person who guides the actors during the “blocking”. The Stage Manager writes the blocking notation rehearsal period. The director decides what the important into the Prompt Script. messages of the play are and how they will be conveyed to the audience. COSTUME: Anything that an actor wears on stage is referred to as a costume. The Wardrobe department (the de- DESIGNERS: The people who work with the director to partment responsible for creating costumes) provides clothes, decide what the production will look like. Designers must shoes, hats, and any personal accessories such as umbrellas, choose the colour, shape and texture of everything you see purses and eyeglasses. on the stage. There are several areas that need to have designers: costumes, set, lighting and sometimes sound. The design- DROP: A drop is a large piece of painted canvas that is ers work very closely with the director to create the environ- “flown in” by the flyman (see FLYMAN). ment in which the play will take place. GREEN ROOM: The green room, usually near the en- DYER: The person who dyes fabrics for the Wardrobe de- trance to the stage, is where the actors and crew sit while partment. waiting for their turn to go on stage. One possible explana- tion of how the green room got its name is that actors used FLYMAN: The person responsible for the manipulation of to wait for their entrances at the back of the theatre in an the scenery which is in the fly gallery (the space above the area where the scenery was stored. Perhaps the scenery was stage). The scenery is manipulated by ropes attached to a green, or the name “scene room” evolved into “green room”. counterweight system.

ORCHESTRA PIT: The orchestra pit is the place where MILLINER: The person who makes the hats which the the musicians perform during a musical. Usually the orchestra actors wear on stage. pit is between the front row of the audience and the stage. PROPS BUYER: The person who buys items that will be PROPS: A property or “prop” is anything that the audience used or adapted to become props. Props buyers also pur- sees that is not worn by an actor and is not a structural part chase the raw material used to build props. of the set. Some examples are: tables, chairs, couches, car- SCENIC ARTISTS: The people who are responsible for pets, pictures, lamps, weapons, food eaten during a play, painting and decorating the surfaces of the set. Some of the dishes, cutlery, briefcases, books, newspapers, pens, tele- techniques they use include: wood graining, stenciling, mar- phones, curtains and anything else you can imagine. bling and brickwork. They also paint the drops and scrims PROSCENIUM: A term describing the physical character- that are flown in. istics of a theatre. A proscenium theatre is one in which the STAGE CARPENTER: The person who ensures that audience and the actors are separated by a picture-frame everything runs smoothly on stage during a performance. opening that the audience looks through to see the actors. The stage carpenter and stage crew are responsible for chang- Surrounding this opening is the PROSCENIUM ARCH. If ing the sets between scenes and acts. there is an acting area on the audience side of the proscenium arch, it is referred to as the APRON or FORESTAGE. STAGE MANAGER: The person who makes sure that all rehearsals and performances run smoothly. During a per- SCRIM: A scrim is a piece of gauze that is painted and used formance the stage manager also makes sure that all of the as part of the scenery. When a scrim is lit from in front it is technical elements (e.g. lights, sound, curtains flying in and opaque, you cannot see through it. When a scrim is lit from out) happen at exactly the right time. behind it is transparent, you can see through it. This allows for many different visual effects to be created by the lighting TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: The person who is responsi- and set designers. ble for coordinating all of the technical elements of a production. Technical directors work with the people who build the THRUST STAGE: A thrust stage is a stage that is sur- sets, props, costumes, wigs and special effects to make sure rounded on three sides by the audience. that everything runs smoothly. 21

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