The Bicyclers and Three Other Farces

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About this book

A first bicycle lesson turns the Perkins drawing room in Gramercy Square into a place for friendly arguments, anxious predictions and jokes about the latest riding craze. Thaddeus Perkins has bought a fully equipped wheel and waits for two experienced friends to teach him. Edward Bradley arrives ready to mock the whole business, while his wife Emma takes advantage of the fine evening to cycle across the city.

John Kendrick Bangs collects four short stage comedies here, including The Bicyclers and A Dramatic Evening. Another scene follows amateur performers struggling with their lines as an increasingly nervous manager worries about the approaching performance. Verbal slips, exaggerated complaints and teasing exchanges supply much of the humor. The dialogue and stage directions make the collection useful for readers interested in one-act plays, everyday social fashions and the comic mishaps of people trying to appear competent.

About the author

John Kendrick Bangs

John Kendrick Bangs combined American humor, editing, and fantasy, often bringing impossible visitors and talking objects into ordinary life. Bikey the Skicycle follows Jimmieboy and an animated bicycle whose air-filled tires carry them into a moonlit adventure, opening a larger collection of playful tales.