ABSTRACT
Mrs. Isabella Beeton Caroline, her maid-of-all-work The play is set in the present day. References to Household Management are to the first edition (1861). Mrs. Beeton’s History of the World was first produced by Perspectives
Theatre Company in 1991. The original cast were: Mrs. Beeton: Alison McKinnon Caroline: Sally Armstrong
A working victorian kitchen, with some modern technology cunningly concealed in it. e.g. The range looks like the “Improved Leamington Kitchener as adapted for families” (Household Management page 27. fig. 5), but in fact contains a working microwave and, if possible, a modern electric hot plate. [Isabella, is on stage, in an armchair, asleep. Dressed but dishevelled. She is drunk. She snores. An alarm clock goes off. She doesn’t stir. Another clock starts to ring. No response. And another. She reaches out and switches one alarm off. Another one starts. There are now three ringing. She reaches out, still with eyes shut, collects all the clocks up, and puts them under cushion, still ringing, and carries on sleeping] [Caroline stumps up stairs, pulling on her clothes, tying boot laces] CAROLINE: Six o’clock in the rotten morning. Six o’ rotten clock. An’ I didn’t
sleep a wink, with all that wailing and gnashing of teeth. Lord, it’s purgatory down there. Purgatory. No, I mean it’s really Purgatory. You know, warmish place, ‘alf way between ‘eaven and ‘ell. I’m lodging there, for my sins. ‘s only temporary. Now, where is she?
