Out of the Wings

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Babilonia (c.1925), Armando Discépolo

Scene

One act play

Staging

Decoration. The kitchen and rooms of the servants in the basement of the house of a rich family.  Two little rooms on the right in the corner of the stage, another one that works as a pantry, narrow and low; on the shelves, bottles, damajuanas, boxes, tins. Downstage, on the left, is another room, big, more rooms. In the centre, three steps and a carpeted step lead up to the upstairs floor. On the left side, the kitchen; through the square door and oblong window, without shutters, can be seen the fireplace surrounded by tiles, the bronzes and the shining pots and pans. Front stage, clinging to the wall at right angles to the kitchen, narrow steps lead to the street. To the right, two long benches border the great table covered in an oil cloth, laden with champagne buckets chilling, hot desserts, overflowing fruit baskets, bottles of liquor, etc. Another table under the window. A large fridge in the foreground. A linoleum or esparto floor goes from the kitchen to the stairway. Benches and seats with short legs. Baskets, bread baskets, trays. It’s 10.30pm. Winter.

Cast number
Minimum Maximum
9 males 9 males
6 females 6 females
15 (total) 15 (total)
Characters
  • ESTEBAN, a Gentleman; Italian, 55
  • SEÑORA EMILIA, Argentine, 50
  • EMMA, 25, their Daughter
  • VICTOR, 24, their Son
  • PICCIONE, Chef; Neapolitan, 55
  • CARLOTA, Cook; French, 50
  • ISABEL, Maid; Madrid, Spain, 25
  • JOSÉ, Dining-room Waiter; Galician, 35
  • LOLA, Maid; Galician, 30
  • EUSTAQUIO, Servant; Argentine, 25
  • ALCIBÍADES, Servant; Galician, 30
  • CHINA, Maid; Córdoba, Argentina, 20
  • OTTO, Chauffeur; German, 35
  • SECUNDINO, Porter; Galician, 45
  • CACEROLA, Kitchen boy; Neapolitan,15

Entry written by Gwendolen Mackeith. Last updated on 23 January 2012.

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