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Three Plays by Mae West
Sex, The Drag and Pleasure Man
Lillian Schlissel, Lillian Schlissel
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- English
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eBook - ePub
Three Plays by Mae West
Sex, The Drag and Pleasure Man
Lillian Schlissel, Lillian Schlissel
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About This Book
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.
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Information
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 STANTONsâ French maid |
Jones, a client | JENKINS, the STANTONsâ butler Policeman |
Lieutenant Gregg, an English naval officer | First Man, Second Man, Waiter |
The action takes place in Montrealâs 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 âapartmentâ 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 Dalyâs 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 Westâs middle name and the first two letters of Mae Westâs given and surnames. The script was hastily typedâit 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 âapartmentâ MARGY shares with the blackmailer ROCKY on Caidoux Street, in Montrealâs 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 ainât depending on any particular lady friend for your jack. Whatâs the matter, ainât the police giving you fifty-fifty on the graft you collect? |
Manly | Aw. |
Rocky | Donât try to tell meâ |
Manly | Keep your shirt onâtake a tip, old man, and watch your step. |
Rocky | What theâ |
Manly | Whoâs the swell dame you been running around with the last week? Some class to you, picking up a jane at the Ritzâthe police have got you spotted. |
Rocky | What do you know? |
Manly | The last one you picked up, sheâs the kindâll squeal. |
Rocky | Iâll take the chance. |
Manly | Yeah? Whatâs the lay? |
Rocky | Whatâs it to you? |
Manly | Thatâs enough. |
Rocky | Are you trying to shake me down? |
Manly | Iâm giving you a tip straight. |
Rocky | Youâll not get any of my money. |
Manly | Your money? (Laughs.) |
Rocky | Yes mine. And you stop butting into my affairs. |
Manly | Your affairs? Say youâre none too safe here yourselfâget that and get it straight. |
Rocky | Well, itâll take more than a low down graft collector like you to tell it to me. |
Manly | Yeah? Alright. If I canât collect Iâll send someone in who will. |
(Exit MANLY.) | |
Rocky | Can you tie that, Curley? |
Curley | Let him squawk. Heâs 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 Iâm broke. |
Rocky | With the British Fleet in the harborâwhatâs wrong? Agnes holding out on youâyou should worryâMontreal is full of janes glad to supply the bank roll for a pretty kid like you. |
Curley | Iâm kinder used to Agnes, Iâd hate to change now. |
Rocky | Ainât you the kind-hearted dearie. |
Curley | Well I got no kick coming, Iâve got it pretty soft, Agnes donât hold out on me. |
(Enter AGNES.) | |
Rocky | Hello, Agnes. |
Agnes | Oh, there you are Curley, I thought Iâd find you here. |
Curley | Alright dear, Iâll be right with you. |
Agnes | Whereâs MARGY? |
Rocky | In her room, I guess sheâs awake. |
(Exit AGNES.) | |
Curley | Iâll 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 | Iâll 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 | Donât 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, youâve got another think coming. |
Rocky | Look here, Dawson, Iâm a pretty good sort of scout, but I donât 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, whatâs all the noise? |
Rocky | Dawson wants [his] commission. |
MARGY | Commission? Is that all he wants? Let him try and get it. |
Dawson | Now look hereâYou listen to me. |
MARGY | Just a minute, I donât 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? Donât try to pull that wise stuff on me. You been getting away with murder. |
MARGY | I donât see why I should pay for the privilege of working. You got about all youâre going to get out of me. |
Dawson | Well, if thatâs the way you feel about it, weâll see how far you get. |
MARGY | Donât slam the door on the way out. |
(Exit DAWSON. Door slams.) He did.
Rocky | Looks like he... |