Сценарій позакласного заходу "The Canterville Ghost"

    The Canterville Ghost" is a humorous short story by Oscar Wilde. It was the first of Wilde's stories to be published, appearing in two parts in The Court and Society Review, 23 February and 2 March 1887.

The story is about an American family who moved to a castle haunted by the ghost of a dead English nobleman, who killed his wife and was then walled in and starved to death by his wife's brothers. It has been adapted for the stage and screen several times.

The Canterville Ghost was published in and likely set around 1887. It's set in Canterville Chase, an old fictional manor in England that once belonged to the Canterville family. The manor is in rural England, where these types of historic family estates are typically found..  https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-canterville-ghost-characters-setting.html

 

The Canterville Ghost

       By Oscar Wilde

Cast:

1. Mr. James B. Otis, American Minister
2. Mrs. Otis, his wife
3. Mr. Washington Otis, his elder son, 23
4. Miss Virginia Otis, his daughter, 18
5.  Naughty twins
6. Lord Canterville
7. Mrs. Umney, the housekeeper

     8. The Canterville Ghost

 

Scene I

 

(Звучить класична музика. Кімната замку. Лорд Кентервіль і містер Отіс переглядають папери.)

 

 

Lord – So, sir, as I told you before, here, in our old castle lives a ghost. He has been living here for more than 300 years.

 

Mr. Otis – Rubbish! We, Americans don’t believe in all these things. We live in an advanced country, where you can buy everything... for money.

 

Lord – But not a ghost! I’m afraid that the Canterville ghost exists. Usually he appears just before the death of the family member.

 

Mr.O – In such cases only a doctor can help. The laws of nature are the same in Britain and in America.

Lord- You, Americans, have always been so close to nature…But if you take the castle together with the Ghost, it’s all right. Don’t forget I’ve warned you.

(Нахиляються підписати папери. Грім, блискавка. Гасне світло.)

 

Mr. O – Poor old England! Something wrong with electricity… Doesn’t matter…

(Дістає ліхтарик, підписують папери, тиснуть руки, заходить родина містера Отіса, з’являється світло.)

 

Mr. O-Oh, here they are. Let me introduce you my family: my wife, Mrs. Otis, my elder son, Washington- a future diplomat. My daughter Virginia, she is very good at horse riding. And here are my twins- we call them “The stars and stripes’, you see, because I have to whip them for their monkey tricks sometimes.

 

Lord-  Glad to meet you. And here is Missis Umney, the housekeeper. She will show you to your rooms.

 

Mrs. O- Look, there is something on the cloth! What could it be?

 

Mrs. Amny- It’s blood, Missis. Just on this place Lady Eleanor Canterville was killed by her husband, Sir Simon Canterville in the year 1575. Having done so he disappeared and his body was never found. The tourists who come to the castle like watching this spot of blood. It’s impossible to take it away.

 

Mr. Wash – That is all nonsense! Pinkerton’s Stain remover will clean it up in no time!

 (Поливає очисником, пляма зникає, показує всім.)

 - It never lets me down!

(Блискавка, грім. Місіс Амні непритомніє.)

 

Mrs. O- What a monstrous climate! Will she fall down every time when she hears some noise? Mrs. Umney, get up, its time for supper. Would you join us, Lord Centerville?

 

 

Scene II

 

(Ніч у замку. В кімнаті горить лампа. Містер Отіс читає, відкладає книгу.)

Mr. O –Well, it was a hard day. It’s time to go to bed. It’s twelve!  So late!  –Hm, what colour is it now? Yellow? Isn’t it strange? But what’s this?  Am I tired? Or ill?

- That will help! (Виходить, бачить привида з ланцюгами на руках.) Sir, I have to ask you to oil your chains from this time onwards not to bother my family at night. Just for this purpose you can use this wonderful American oil “The rising sun of democracy”. The instruction is given. If you want some more, let me know. Good night, sir. (Повертається до своєї кімнати. Привид хватає флакон, читає, кидає його на підлогу, йде, стогне. Через кілька кроків отримує подушкою, чутно сміх близнюків, привид виє від розпачу.)

 

GH- I’ll take revenge! (Дзвенить ланцюгами, тікає.)

(У своїй кімнаті: перебирає одяг, шукає образ для залякування)

 

GH- Shall I put on this- to remind them a vampire? Or this- I remember Lady Johns fainted having seen me in her mirror. Probably this armour will do? Sir Statfield died immediately when he saw me in his wardrobe staying with a sward. No, no! I’ll put on a shroud and play the part of Crazy Martin. That will work, I know!

(Одягається у саван, маже обличчя зеленим, бере кинджал, виходить. Йде навшпиньках – б’є  годинник – завмирає, прислуховується, йде далі, бурмотить прокльони, розмахує кинджалом – раптом наштовхується на іншого привида з табличкою на грудях. Лякається, тікає, кричить, забігає до своєї кімнати, ховається з головою. Бореться зі страхом, гордість все ж таки перемогла.)

 

GH- No, never Simon Canterville was a coward! I’ll make acquaintance with this powerful ghost and we’ll fight together! We’ll show these Americans! We’ll make them estimate us! (Рішуче йде до привида, у того падає голова. Тремтячими руками бере табличку, читає.) 

 

The Otis Ghost. The only true and original ghost. Beware of imitations!

 

GH- They’ve played a trick! On me! Murder! No sooner the moon would rise again a murder would come to Canterville House! (Кричить півень) Damned bird! It’s time to get back! (Задкує, падає, встає, тре спину, дивиться на руки)

- What’s the hell is this? Oil? I know who has done it- these hellish twins!

 

Twins: Here we are, sir! (З вереском вистрибують, плюють горохом з трубочок, привид кидається, закривши обличчя руками. На шум вибігає містер Отіс, він з свічкою та револьвером):

 

Mr. O- Hands up!  (Привид задуває свічку, завиває, тікає і т.д., виходить місіс Отіс з мікстурою в руках)

 

Mrs. O- Are you OK? I think you have a bad cough. Take this medicine three times a day and it will surely help you! (Хватає пляшечку, випиває залпом, стогне, близнюки підкрадаються до нього з мотузкою, кричать у вухо. Він тікає)

(Ранок. Вашингтон п’є каву, роздивляється пляму)

 

Wash. - Don’t you think the spot has changed its colour. It was first red, then yellow? And now? Look? It’s green! Does it mean that my Pinkerton Stain remover doesn’t work properly? I should write to the firm a reclamation letter. (Заходить Вірджинія)Virginia! Here you are! We go for a walk to the forest all together. Will you join us?

 

Virg. –Oh, yes, Wash, in a moment. I’ve forgotten my gloves.

 

Wash. - So, be quick. We’ll be waiting for you in the park. (Йде, Вірджинія йде до себе за рукавичками. Заходить привід. Він у розпачі, оглядається, прислуховується, тремтить. Заходить Вірджинія, спершу лякається і хоче втекти, проте зупиняється, уважно дивиться, співчуває.)

 

Virg. - Sorry to trouble you, sir. I just wanted to say how much I am sorry for you! Tomorrow my brothers are going back to school. Nobody will offend you, if you promise to behave well.

 

GH. - But how can I behave well? I am a ghost! I must walk at night, must moan, and must clank my chains! This is the reason of my existence.

 

Virg. - I see no reason in it. Mrs. Umney told us you had killed your wife.

 

Gh. –Yes, I had. But it’s my own business.

 

Virg. - No, it isn’t. It’s very bad to kill people.

 

Gh- But you didn’t know her. She was ugly! Besides she couldn’t cook at all. Yes, I killed her, but why did her brothers made me die of hunger?

 

Virg. - You died of hunger? Poor mister Ghost! Are you still hungry? I’ve got some cheese sandwiches. Would you like one?

 

GH- I am afraid, no, young lady. I have gone without food for 300 years. But it was rather nice of you to offer me a sandwich. Cheese, you say? You are a nice young lady, much better than all your American family!

 

Virg. - You mustn’t say so! It’s you who is awful!  Who has stolen all my paints to renew this stupid blood spot! First you took the reds so that I couldn’t paint sunsets, then you stole the yellow ones. And yesterday you took the green emerald! How could blood be green?

 

GH- But what should I do! It’s too difficult now to find real blood. You say “green”- well, why not? We, the Canterville have the blue blood. But I think you Americans don’t mind.

Virg- Every American family would be glad to have a true family ghost. Would you like me to ask my dad? He could buy you a ticket to America.

 

GH- I’m afraid, I don’t like your America.

 

Virg. - OK, sir, stay alone then. (Збирається йти, привид кидається за нею.)

 

GH- Don’t leave, miss Virginia, I beg you! I’m so lonely and unhappy. I don’t know what to do! Most of all I’d like to fall asleep, but I can’t.

 

Virg- You should just go to bed and close your eyes.

 

GH- It’s impossible. I haven’t been sleeping for 300 years! I feel so tired!

 

Virg- Oh, my poor, miserable ghost! Don’t you know such a place where you could fall asleep?

 

GH-Yes, I do. Far-far away there is a small garden, the grass is long and soft there, the flowers are as white as stars and a nightingale sings there all the night.

 

Virg- You are speaking about the garden of death, don’t you?

 

GH- Yes, my child. How nice it would be to rest there. And this is you who can open me the gates of this garden.

 

Virg- Me?

 

GH- Yes, you. Have you ever read the oracle on the window?

 

Virg- Yes, I’ve read it many times. I remember it:

 

When young and pure virgin will deliver a pray

From all her heart to gracious skies,

When almond tree will blossom in the moonlight

The Ghost will stop his endless painful flight

And washed with tears prediction will fulfill

And peace would come again to Canterville

 

But I don’t understand what it means.

 

GH- It means that if you cry for me and pray for my soul, the Angel of Death would be merciful to me. It won’t be easy for you, as demons would scare you, but if you stay kind and pure and loving as you are they won’t do any harm to you.

 

Virg- I am not scared. I’ll pray for you and the Angel of Death would become merciful.

(Привід радісно вигукує, підходить, люб’язно вклоняється, бере за руку, веде через зал. Грім, блискавка, виключається світло.)

GH- Quick! Quick! Or it will be too late!

(Продовжує звучати музика, замовкає, з’являється світло, на сцені місіс Отіс сидить у кріслі, витирає очі, містер Отіс нервово ходить, місіс Амні наливає воду у склянку, забігає Вашингтон).

 

Wash- Mum, dad, I haven’t found her anywhere!

Twins- (забігають з ліхтариками в руках) - We have looked for her in the garden. She has disappeared!

Mr. Otis- Virginia should have told us where she went.

Mrs. Otis –Stop it, James! Our girl has disappeared! Someone has kidnapped her!

Mrs. Umeny- It’s the ghost! I’ve told you how dangerous he is!

Wash. - Rubbish! She’ll be back, I know! She’s just reading or painting in some corner.

(Б’є годинник, звучить чарівна музика, заходить Вірджинія зі скринькою в руках)

Мrs. Otis- My girl! Oh, Lord! Where have you been? We’ve been looking for you everywhere!

Mr. Otis- Please, never else play such tricks any more!

Twins- Play trick only on the ghost! Only on the ghost!

Virg- Papa, he has died. I’ve been with him all the evening. He had done a lot of bad things, but he was very sorry. The Angel of Death came for him, now he rests in peace. He has left me this box of treasures.

Twins- Look! The dry almond tree has blossomed! There are flowers in moonlight! We can see them!

Virg-  God has forgiven him! And you all- forgive him! Poor sir Simon! He showed me what Life is and what Death means. And now I know that Love is stronger than both!

(Лунає весела/романтична музика)