Dramatization / Theatrical Script of PACKING . ( Jerome K. Jerome )
Dramatization / Theatrical Script of PACKING . ( Jerome K. Jerome )
Stage preparation : - A simple stage. There will be various furniture scattered in a messy way. There will be some chairs on the stage. The chairs also are in disarray. Three people are present on the stage - George , Harris and Jerome k. Jerome . They are all very busy with different things in the room .
George ( Annoyance on the face ) : Tomorrow we will all go for a boat ride, and today is so late. But we have not packed anything. We have to wake up tomorrow very early in the morning .
[ Being annoyed, George threw away his belongings . He spread himself over the easy-chair and put on a pipe . Harris cocked his legs on the table and lit a cigar . They both stared at Jerome. Jerome also looked at the two of them at once . Jerome got up from his chair. An all-knowing smile on his face. He looked at the two of them again. Then he started looking at the things scattered all over the stage. Then he smiled again. He looked at the two again. George and Harris too stare at Jerome . ]
Jerome ( Proudly ) : I rather pride myself on my packing . Packing is one of those many things that I feel I know more about than any other person living . …….. ( after a few moments ) But now I will teach you how to pack .
[ George and Harris both are surprised .They are looking at each other's faces . ]
Jerome : Now you two get up. Get up , get up ……..
[ George and Harris both got up with a look of surprise on their faces . ]
Jerome : Now do as I say . This is hardly what I intended . Now I am the boss of the job and you two should potter about under my directions .
[ This time Jerome started giving different instructions to George and Harris. Despite the reluctance of George and Harris, they began to follow Jerome's lead. They are working and Jerome is helping them and instructing them - ‘’ Oh you …..! ‘’ , ‘’ Here , let me do it .’’ , ‘’ There you are , simple enough ! ‘’ . That's how Jerome started teaching packing to George and Harris like a teacher .
George and Harris followed Jerome's instructions for a while, but after a while they both got bored, quit their jobs, got back in their chairs, and looked at Jerome. This time Jerome started working . ]
Jerome : It seems to me a longer job than I had thought .
[ Jerome finished his job at last and sat on a packed bag and strapped it . ]
Harris : Aren’t you going to put the boots in ?
Jerome : Oh ! No ! I Have forgotten them . [ Jerome opened the bag and packed the boots in . Just as he is going to close his bag he pauses . ] Oh ! No ! Had I Packed my toothbrush ? I don’t know how it is , but I never do know whether I’ve packed my toothbrush. ………… My toothbrush is a thing that haunts me when I’m travelling and makes my life a misery . I dream that I haven’t packed it , and wake up in a cold perspiration , and get out of bed and hunt for it . And in the morning , I pack it before I have used it , and have to unpack again to get it , and it is always the last thing I turn out of the bag ; and then I repack and forget it , and have to rush upstairs for it at the last moment and carry it to the railway station , wrapped up in my pocket handkerchief .
[ Jerome started taking things out of the bag one by one as he said the above and at the very end he got his toothbrush from inside a boot . ]
Jerome : Wow ! I Finally I got it.
George : Hey Jerome , Have you packed your soap ?
Jerome : I don’t care whether the soap is in or whether it is not . [ Jerome said angrily and closed the bag. Just then …….. ] Oh ! No ! I had packed my tobacco pouch in it ! Oh God ! I have to re-open it .
[ Jerome started re-open his packed bag again . ]
Jerome : George and Harris, these mistakes of mine are happening because of you. I have to do a lot of work because you can't do the packing properly and that is why I am making various mistakes.
[ George got up and began to help Jerome. After a while Jerome found his tobacco pouch. Jerome sat down very tired with that . ]
George : Hey Harris , where is the butter ?
Harris : ( Trying to remember . ) : I think it is there ………. Or there …….. Or here …..
[ Harris got up and started looking for butter. George is also doing the same . Suddenly Harris looked down . ]
Harris : Oh my God !
George : What’s happened ?
Harris : You trod on the butter .
George : What !
Harris : Yes ……………
[ After George got it ( a packet of butter ) off his slipper , they are now trying to put it in a kettle . It is not going in . At last they put the butter on a chair , and Harris sat on it . ]
George : Well , finally we found the butter ……... ( pause ) ……. But Harris I can't remember clearly and properly where we put the butter at last ?
Harris : Yes , you are right ! Where do we put the butter at last ?
[ They both tried to remember. And got up. Then they started looking for butter around the room . The packet of butter is now stuck behind Harris. They should act in such a way that the audience can see that the packet of butter is stuck behind Harris . ]
George ( Staring at the empty seat ) : I’ll take my oath. I put the packet of butter down on the chair .
Harris : I saw you do it myself , not a minute ago .
[ Then they started round the room again looking for it ; and then they met again in the centre of the stage and stared at one another . ]
George : Most extraordinary thing I ever heard of .’’
Harris : So mysterious !
[ And then George got round the back of Harris and saw it . ]
George ( Indignantly ) : Why ? Here it is all the time .
Harris ( Surprised and spinning round ) : Where ?
George ( Roared ) : Stand still , can’t you !
[ George pulled out a packet of butter from behind Harris. Harris began to laugh like a fool. Jerome had already joined them.]
George : Look Jerome , you see , we can pack properly .
Jerome : All this is the result of my teaching and leadership . My teaching is successful today .
George : Your teaching ! Leadership ! Rubbish !
Jerome : Ok , our packing is done . We are already late for bed . So we should leave the mess now and go to bed .
[ The light began to go out.
Curtain downs slowly . ]
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