"First the Blade: A Comedy of Growth" is a novel by Clemence Dane, a British author known for her work in both drama and fiction. The book is a comedic exploration of personal development and the trials of growing up.The story revolves around the character of Beatrix "Trixie" Clayton, a young woman in her early twenties who is navigating the complexities of adulthood. Trixie is an aspiring writer who is both ambitious and somewhat naïve. Her journey is marked by a series of humorous and in...

The school secretary pattered down the long corridor and turned into a class-room. The room was a big one. There were old-fashioned casement windows and distempered walls; the modern desks, ranged in double rows, were small and shallow, scarred, and incredibly inky. In the window-seats stood an over-populous fish-bowl, two trays of silkworms, and a row of experimental jam-pots. There were pictures on the walls—The Infant Samuel was paired withCherry Ripe, and Alfred, in the costume of Robi...

The play centers on a troubled family caught in the emotional aftermath of a divorce and the consequences of mental illness. The central character is Hilary Fairfield, a woman whose husband, who had been committed to an asylum for many years, is unexpectedly released. The reunion with her estranged husband, who is still emotionally disturbed, forces Hilary to confront past decisions and the disintegration of her marriage.Hilary's struggle becomes even more complicated when her daughter, Ma...

The play is structured around Shakespeare’s life in the years leading up to his rise as a playwright and his later success in London. While it is not a strict biographical account, Will Shakespeare provides a dramatic and introspective look at the man behind the iconic works. In four acts, the play alternates between Shakespeare’s personal struggles, his relationships with his family, friends, and colleagues, and his evolving sense of artistic identity.In the first act, Shakespeare is depi...

The curtain rises on the hall, obviously used as the common-room of a country house. On the right (of the audience) is the outer door and a staircase that runs down from an upper landing towards the middle of the room, half hiding what has once been a separate smaller room with a baize door at the back. In the corner a French window opens on to a snowbound garden. On the left, facing the entrance, a log fire is blazing. Staircase, pictures, grandfather clock, etc., are wreathed with holly ...

In "Will Shakespeare: An Invention in Four Acts," Clemence Dane intricately weaves a fictional narrative that delves into the enigmatic life of the legendary playwright. The book employs a poetic and compelling style, blending history and imagination to create a vivid portrayal of Shakespeare'Äôs character, motivations, and the societal influences that shaped his works. The play unfolds in four distinctive acts, each revealing layers of Shakespeare's world, as it explores themes of creativ...

Set in a small town in Edwardian England, Regiment of Women is about the relationship between two teachers at a private (and elitist) girls' school. One of them, Clare Hartill, is in her mid-thirties and runs the school in all but name, the ageing and sickly headmistress depending on her whenever a decision has to be taken concerning the school or any of its pupils. Most of the girls are devoted to Hartill and gladly suffer under her strict but charismatic rule and the loads of homework sh...

‘Once upon a time’—and we pull in our deep chairs, you quietly, I with a quick impatient jerk that scrabbles up the hearth-rug and worries your tidy soul. But you yourself have forgotten the blinds! Draw them close, lest the Zeppelins catch us at our story-telling, whilst I put the carpet to rights again and pile up logs (we sawed them ourselves, didn’t we?) upon the fire. One must save the electricity these hard times. And now—you have your knitting and I the fountain-pen you gave me: it ...

The curtain rises on the living room of a sixteenth century cottage. The walls and ceiling are of black beams and white-washed plaster. On the left is a large oven fireplace with logs burning. Beyond it is a door. At the back is another door and a mullioned window half open giving a glimpse of bare garden hedge and winter sky. On the right wall is a staircase running down from the ceiling into the room, a dresser and a light shelf holding a book or two. Under the shelf is a small table pil...

Clemence Dane's 'Regiment of Women' is a pioneering work of feminist literature, published in 1917. The novel challenges traditional gender roles and societal expectations, exploring themes of female empowerment and independence. Dane's writing style is characterized by its sharp wit and astute observations, capturing the complexities of human relationships and the struggles of women in a patriarchal society. The book's enigmatic characters and thought-provoking narrative make it a standou...

If she had not been ill so long it would have been harder. As it was—but there’s no use in writing down that black time. Afterwards I didn’t know what to do. The pension had stopped, of course. I’d managed to teach myself typing, though Mother couldn’t be left much; but I didn’t know shorthand, and I couldn’t get work, and my money was dwindling, and I was getting scared. I was ready to worship Anita when her letter came. She was sorry about Mother and she wanted a secretary. If I could ty...

A celebrated English stage actor must prove an ingénue innocent of murder in this classic Golden Age mystery.A touring troupe of actors has come to the English village of Peridu to stage a play featuring promising young star Martella Baring. But it's not the show that has everyone talking after Martella is found beside the body of the troupe manger's wife . . .Actor and theater owner Sir John Saumarez recommended Martella for her role. So when he hears the ...