THE GAME AND THE ONLOOKER - A Play in One Act - Ursula Tighe Hopkins

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

A one-act play titled “The Game and the Onlooker” by Ursula Tighe Hopkins centers on Ethel Waters, a woman of about forty-three in a London lodging-house room, and her brief interaction with Mr. Parker. The scene unfolds over an afternoon as conversational gestures reveal Ethel’s careful decisions about money, trust, and discretion. Through dialogue and stage actions, the play builds tension around a private secret, while the domestic setting—Victorian furnishings, doorways, windows, and personal effects—frames the moral and emotional shift after Parker leaves.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages32

Reading Time49 min

AccessFree to download

Characters

Scene and setting

Plot via dialogue

After Parker leaves

French’s Acting Edition No.63 # THE GAME, AND THE ONLOOKER A Play in One Act by # URSULA TIGHE HOPKINS 1s 6d net SAMUEL FRENCH LIMITED 22. 1 OP https://archive.org/details/gameonlooker0000unse | JUN 984
29JUL | 70 | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | AUTHOR
HoKINS,. | | CLASS No.
822,91 | | | TITLE
looke
The Gawe, au0 TLe | | | | | | | BOOK No.
06316359 | | R This book must,be returned on or before the date shown above Lancashire County Library RY 30118079842351 # THE GAMEAND THE ONLOOKER A Play in One Act by # URSULA TIGHE HOPKINS N250 LONDON SAMUEL FRENCH LIMI TED SAMUEL FRENCH LTD 26 SoUTHAMPTON STREET,STRAND,LoNDON,W.C.2SAMUEL FRENCH INC. 25 WEST 45TH STREET,New YoRK,U.S.A.7623 SUNSET BoULEVARD,HoLLYwOOD 46,CAL.SAMUEL FRENCH(CANADA)LTD27 GRENVILLE STREET,ToRONTOSAMUEL FRENCH(AUSTRALIA)PTY LTD159 FoRBES STREET,SYDNEY TIMES 儿2 CoPYRICHT 1954 BY SAMUEL FRENCH LTDAll Rights Reserved The copying by manuscript,typescript,photography.or any other means of reproduction,of this play eitherin whole or in part is an infringement of the copyright. PRINTED BY BucK &WooTTON,LTD.LoNDON.S.E.II. / CHARACTERS(in the order of their appearance) ETHEL WATERS,a spinsterMR PARKER,a lodger LILIAN HAMMOND,Ethel's best friendJIM THURLOW,a grocer The Scene is Ethel's bed-sitting-room,during anafternoon of the present time (v) | The fee for each and every performance of this play
by amateurs is One Guinea,payable in advance to us,
or to our authorized agents.
Upon payment of the fee a licence will be issued for
the performance to take place.No performance may
be given unless this licence has first been obtained.
The following particulars are needed for the issue of
a licence:
Title of the play
Name of the town
Name of the theatre or hall
Date of the performance(s)
Name and address of the applicant
Name of the society
Please state the amount remitted with the applica-
tion.
SAMUELFRENCH LrMITED
26 SouthamptonStreet
Strand,London,W.C.2 | | --- | Character costumes and wigs used in the performance ofplays contained in French's Acting Edition may be obtainedfrom Messrs CHARLES H.Fox LTD,184 High Holborn,London,W.C.1 (vi) # THE [GAME,AND THEaONLOOKER SCENE—Ethel Waters'bed-sitting-room.Afternoon.There is a door L,a fireplace R and two highwindows in the back wall overlooking the garden.The room has its counterpart in any old-fashioned,respectable lodging-house in any London suburb orthe provinces.Despite the divan bed R the roomappears Victorian.The bed is covered by a whitelace counterpane,the wallpaper is intricately pat-terned and there are a number of ugly pictures inheavy frames.There is a chintz couch LC with awicker workbasket on a tall stand beside it,andup c there is a dressing-table with a mirror.Thereis an armchair c,a small table below it,a chinacupboard below the fireplace with a tea-tray ontop of it,and a gas-ring with a kettle in the hearth.There are too many personal knick-knacks andphotographs in silver frames about the room.(See the Ground Plan at the end of the play) When the CURTAIN rises,the stage is empty.Thedoor opens and ETHEL WATERS comes in.ETHEL isa spinster of about forty-three,a woman who hasnever been interested in her oun beauty.She isbeautiful now,with a graceful figure under theuninteresting clothes and a face of uncritical sweet-ness under a dowdy hat.She is followed by MRPARKER,a shop assistant,a pleasant young fellow.ETHEI,hesitates a few paces within the room,asthough not expecting her escort to remain. ETHEL.Thank you ever so for coming with me,Mr Parker.Do you know,I think I would have runhome all the way from the Bank if I hadn't met you. PARKER.Don't say you've robbed the Bank,MissWaters! ETHEL.It's who might have robbed me!(Half-reproaching herself)Taking out every penny I'vegot..· PAR

FAQs

Who are the main characters introduced at the start of the play?

The cast includes Ethel Waters, Mr. Parker, Lilian Hammond, and Jim Thurlow, listed in the order of their appearance. Ethel and Mr. Parker dominate the opening scene shown in the text.

Where and when does the play’s scene take place?

The scene is Ethel Waters’ bed-sitting-room during an afternoon of the present time, with a described Victorian lodging-house atmosphere.

What conflict or tension is implied by Ethel’s conversation with Mr. Parker?

Ethel discusses keeping money and accounts without closing them, suggesting she has a secret plan regarding where the money has gone and what she intends to do next. Mr. Parker advises caution and urges her to return the money to the bank.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Levi