Three Plays by Mae West

Sex, The Drag and Pleasure Man

Lillian Schlissel

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9780415909327
• eBook ISBN: 9781136041983
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: Drama
• Index: Literature

Mae West, wise-cracking vaudeville performer, was one of the most controversial figures of her era. Rarely, however, do people think of Mae West as a writer. In Three Plays By Mae West, Lillian Schlissel brings this underexplored part of West's career to the fore by offering for the first time in book form, three of the plays West wrote in the 1920s--Sex (1926), The Drag (1927) and Pleasure Man (1928). With an insightful introduction by Schlissel, this book offers a unique look into to the life and early career of this legendary stage and screen actress.

SEX

A Comedy Drama (1926)

THE CAST

MARGY LaMont, a prostitute	Captain Carter, an officer
Rocky Waldron, a pimp	Condez, host of the Cafe Port au Prince
Manly a thug
Curley, a pimp	CLARA STANTON, a wealthy woman
Dawson, an officer of the law	JIMMY STANTON, her son
Agnes, a prostitute Red, a prostitute	Robert STANTON, her husband
Flossie, a prostitute	MARIE, the STANTONs’ French maid
Jones, a client	JENKINS, the STANTONs’ butler Policeman
Lieutenant Gregg, an English naval officer	First Man, Second Man, Waiter

The action takes place in Montreal’s red light district; a cafe in Trinidad; and in a wealthy home outside New York City. The role of MARGY LaMont was played by Mae West.

Act One.	SCENEONE. An “apartment” on Caidoux Street inMontreal.SCENE TWO. The same.
ACT TWO.	SCENEONE. Trinidad, the Cafe Port au Prince.SCENE TWO. One week later.
ACT THREE.	SCENEONE. The STANTON residence.SCENE TWO. The same, the next day.

The copyright script of Sex is dated July 24, 1926, three months after the play opened at Daly’s 63rd Street Theatre on April 26th. The cover page shows Mae West as author, but the play was originally attributed to Jane Mast, a pseudonym that was a combination of Matilda West’s middle name and the first two letters of Mae West’s given and surnames. The script was hastily typed—it contains a profusion of errors and inaccuracies.

The script offers no description of the set. In several places stage directions have been added where none appear.

ACT ONE

SCENEONE

An “apartment” MARGY shares with the blackmailer ROCKY on Caidoux Street, in Montreal’s notorious red light district Night. The curtain rises in the middle of a conversation between ROCKY and MANLY, with CURLEY off to the side.

Rocky	You ought to be lousy with coin. You ain’t depending on any particular lady friend for your jack. What’s the matter, ain’t the police giving you fifty-fifty on the graft you collect?
Manly	Aw.
Rocky	Don’t try to tell me—
Manly	Keep your shirt on—take a tip, old man, and watch your step.
Rocky	What the—
Manly	Who’s the swell dame you been running around with the last week? Some class to you, picking up a jane at the Ritz—the police have got you spotted.
Rocky	What do you know?
Manly	The last one you picked up, she’s the kind’ll squeal.
Rocky	I’ll take the chance.
Manly	Yeah? What’s the lay?
Rocky	What’s it to you?
Manly	That’s enough.
Rocky	Are you trying to shake me down?
Manly	I’m giving you a tip straight.
Rocky	You’ll not get any of my money.
Manly	Your money? (Laughs.)
Rocky	Yes mine. And you stop butting into my affairs.
Manly	Your affairs? Say you’re none too safe here yourself—get that and get it straight.
Rocky	Well, it’ll take more than a low down graft collector like you to tell it to me.
Manly	Yeah? Alright. If I can’t collect I’ll send someone in who will.
	(Exit MANLY.)
Rocky	Can you tie that, Curley?
Curley	Let him squawk. He’s looking for a meal.
Rocky	Come on, snap into it. Get some duds on and come up to the Ritz with me.
Curley	Not tonight, Rocky I’m broke.
Rocky	With the British Fleet in the harbor—what’s wrong? Agnes holding out on you—you should worry—Montreal is full of janes glad to supply the bank roll for a pretty kid like you.
Curley	I’m kinder used to Agnes, I’d hate to change now.
Rocky	Ain’t you the kind-hearted dearie.
Curley	Well I got no kick coming, I’ve got it pretty soft, Agnes don’t hold out on me.
	(Enter AGNES.)
Rocky	Hello, Agnes.
Agnes	Oh, there you are Curley, I thought I’d find you here.
Curley	Alright dear, I’ll be right with you.
Agnes	Where’s MARGY?
Rocky	In her room, I guess she’s awake.
	(Exit AGNES.)
Curley	I‘ll see you later Rocky. (Opens door.) Here comes Dawson.
	(Enter DAWSON.)
Dawson (Enters)	Hello.
	(Enter AGNES.)
Rocky	Hello Dawson.
Curley	Hello Dawson.
Acnes	Hello Dawson.
Curley	I’ll be around tomorrow Rocky. Good night.

(Exit CURLEY and AGNES.)

Dawson	Business must be good the way you got this dump all dolled up.
Rocky	Don’t call this joint a dump.
Dawson	I met Manly outside and he said you were a pretty tough customer.
Rocky	Yeah?
Dawson	If you think you can run this joint without giving [it] up, you’ve got another think coming.
Rocky	Look here, Dawson, I’m a pretty good sort of scout, but I don’t like being hounded by a guy like Manly.
Dawson	Cut the argument and pay up.
Rocky	Pay up? Hey MARGY! MARGY!
MARGY	What do you want?
Rocky	Come out here. Pay up.
MARGY (Enters)	Well, what’s all the noise?
Rocky	Dawson wants [his] commission.
MARGY	Commission? Is that all he wants? Let him try and get it.
Dawson	Now look here—You listen to me.
MARGY	Just a minute, I don’t want any unnecessary noise around here. I had a pretty busy night last night and my nerves need quiet. (She lights a cigarette.)
Dawson	What do you think this is? An ash can? Don’t try to pull that wise stuff on me. You been getting away with murder.
MARGY	I don’t see why I should pay for the privilege of working. You got about all you’re going to get out of me.
Dawson	Well, if that’s the way you feel about it, we’ll see how far you get.
MARGY	Don’t slam the door on the way out.

(Exit DAWSON. Door slams.) He did.

Rocky

Looks like he...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction by Lillian Schlissel
• Sex: A Comedy Drama (1926)
• The Drag: A Homosexual Comedy In Three Acts (1927)
• The Pleasure Man: A Comedy Drama (1928)
• The Case against Mae West
• A Glossary Of Technical Stage Terms