Please Enjoy
the Following Sample
• This sample is an excerpt from a Samuel French
title.
• This sample is for perusal only and may not be
used for performance purposes.
• You may not download, print, or distribute this
excerpt.
• We highly recommend purchasing a copy of
the title before considering for
performance.
For more information about
licensing or purchasing a play or
musical, please visit our websites
www.samuelfrench.com
www.samuelfrench-london.co.uk
A Comedy in Three Acts
by Jack Sharkey
A Samuel French Acting Edition
samuelfrench.com
Copyright © 1977 by Jack Sharkey
Copyright © 1977 (Maritza’s Lullaby) by Jack Sharkey
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that THE CREATURE CREEPS! is subject to a Licensing Fee. It is fully protected under the
copyright laws of the United States of America, the British Commonwealth,
including Canada, and all other countries of the Copyright Union. All rights,
including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public
reading, radio broadcasting, television and the rights of translation into foreign languages are strictly reserved. In its present form the play is dedicated to
the reading public only.
The amateur live stage performance rights to THE CREATURE CREEPS!
are controlled exclusively by Samuel French, Inc., and licensing arrangements
and performance licenses must be secured well in advance of presentation.
PLEASE NOTE that amateur Licensing Fees are set upon application in accordance with your producing circumstances. When applying for a licensing
quotation and a performance license please give us the number of performances intended, dates of production, your seating capacity and admission
fee. Licensing Fees are payable one week before the opening performance
of the play to Samuel French, Inc., at 45 W. 25th Street, New York, NY 10010.
Licensing Fee of the required amount must be paid whether the play is presented for charity or gain and whether or not admission is charged.
Stock licensing fees quoted upon application to Samuel French, Inc.
For all other rights than those stipulated above, apply to: Samuel French,
Inc.
Particular emphasis is laid on the question of amateur or professional readings, permission and terms for which must be secured in writing from Samuel
French, Inc.
Copying from this book in whole or in part is strictly forbidden by law, and
the right of performance is not transferable.
Whenever the play is produced the following notice must appear on all
programs, printing and advertising for the play: “Produced by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.”
Due authorship credit must be given on all programs, printing and advertising for the play.
No one shall commit or authorize any act or omission by which the
copyright of, or the right to copyright, this play may be impaired.
No one shall make any changes in this play for the purpose of
production.
Publication of this play does not imply availability for performance. Both
amateurs and professionals considering a production are strongly advised in
their own interests to apply to Samuel French, Inc., for written permission
before starting rehearsals, advertising, or booking a theatre.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form, by any means, now known or yet to be invented,
including mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, videotaping, or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
ISBN
978-0-573-60750-9
Printed
in
U.S.A.
#327
•••
FONDLY
DEDICATED
TO
The St. Jude Players
of
South Holland, Illinois
•••
CAST OF CHARACTERS
DoNALD VoN BLITZEN . mild-mannered mad scientist
DAISY VoN BLITZEN ........... his dopey daughter
FRANK STERLING ............... Daisy's betrothed
BABSY BALLOU .•.......•..... Daisy's school chum
Moan ........... . .......... Donald's little helper
GRETcHEN TwlTCHILL ....... Donald's housekeeper
*HANS SHTUNKEN ................•...•.• a doctor
*FRITZ SHTUNKEN ....................... a lawyer
*OTTo SHTUNKEN . . . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . . . . . a merchant
*HEINRICH 8HTUNKEN ............ , .••..•.. a chief
HANNAH ZITZEN ......• •. .•........ Han's fiancee
FREDA ZITZEN . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . Fritz's fiancee
OLGA ZITZEN ...................... Otto's fiancee
HEIDI ZITZEN . • . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . Heinrich' 8 fiancee
MARITZA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . their eldest sister
*THE CREATURE ........................... ,,,,,
• (the same performer plays all five of these roles, so
the actual cast consists of 4 men and 8 women)
TIME: shortly before the end of the 19th Century
PLACE: the parlor of Castle Von Blitzen, high in the
Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania
ACT ONE: Just before sunset, on a Friday the 13th
ACT Two: That night, during a terrifying storm
AcT THREE: Shortly before dawn, the following
morning
Any resemblance between the characters in this show
and any other persons, living or dead, is highly unlikely.
4
The Creature Creeps!
ACT ONE
The parlor of Castle Von Blitzen. There are four accesses to-or exits from-the room: a hall leading
to the front door, a hall leading to the kitchen, a
stairway to the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom,
and an entrance to the cellar. Furnishings include
a reclining armchair, a pole-and-brackets hatrack,
a small table on which stands a multi-dialed stereo
receiver, at least two visible stereo speakers, a
small sofa, a coffee table with a shallow drawer, a
large chest-about 1%' x 2' x 6'-and a conical
chandelier capable of varying adjusted heights.
The chandelier should be centered over a wideopen playing area, the chest should be handy to
the cellar entrance, and the coffee table should be
before the sofa, its drawer on the side away from
the sofa. Any other furnishings should be in
Early Gothic Dreadful-gloomy paintings, crossed
spears on the wall, shadowy niches with hideous
bric-a-brac, or whatever turns you off-but only
the chair-through-chandelier items are necessary.
(NOTE: the stereo speakers need not be functional if this is done in proscenium staging; if
done in the round, however, a quartet of functioning speakers, one in each quadrant of the playing area, can be used to centralize the source of
various sound-effects called for in the script.)
5
6
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
ACJr I
At curtain-me, stage is empty. Then, from the front
door area, we hear the deep, hollow boom of a
massive KNOCKER, three times. After a moment, DoNALD VoN BLITZEN enters from upstairs,
walking at a somber, leisurely pace. He is in his
fifties, with silver-white hair, but very black thick
eyebrows, a tall, slender, and very pallid man of
regal bearing and slow, thoughtful speech, his
voice somewhat deep. He stops at foot of stairs,
listening. KNOCKER sounds again, three times.
GRETCHEN Tw!TCHILL enters from kitchen, en
route to front door, but stops when she sees him.
She u an ancient woman, dressed entirely in
black, with a gaunt face and-when the occasion
arises-a crooked smile.
GRETCHEN. Baron Von Blitzenl I was not aware you
had returned.
DoNALD. I was fortunate in being able to complete my-busines~arlier than I had anticipated,
Gretchen.
(KNOCKER 11ounds three times again.)
GRETcHEN. Are you expecting callers, sir?
DoNALD. I was not expecting them-quite so soon.
But go, let them in.
GRETCHEN. Very well, sir.
(Exits toward front door; DoNALD stands listening as
we hear the groaning CREAK of the front door
opening, and:)
HEINRICH. (Off.) Miss Twitchill! Is your master at
home? I must see him at once!
ACT
I
THE CREATURE CREEPS I
7
GRETCHEN. (Off.) Certainly, Herr Shtunken! (We
hear CREAK and BAM of front door closing.) He is
in the parlor. Please follow me. (She re-enters, followed by HEINRICH SHTUNKEN, a florid, plump and
droopy-mustached man of middle age; he looks identical, we will later see, to his brothers HANS, FRITZ,
and OTTO, but is distinguishable by his police constable helmet, which he does not remove at any time.
He sees DoNALD, bows and clicks his heels sharply.)
DoNALD. (Bow-clicks back at him.) Heinrich! I
am honored! Pray tell, what brings the Prefect of
Police to my humble forty-room castle? Social call?
HEINRICH. I fear not, Baron Von Britzen. There has
been another-unpleasant event.
DoNALD. You don't mean-?
HEINRICH. I wish I did not.
DoNALD. Who was it-this time?
HEINRICH. Thaddeus Throstle!
GRETCHEN. You mean-that burglar and petty thief
you arrested only yesterday? I thought you had him
locked securely in the village dungeon.
HEINRICH. So did I, Miss Twitchill. But when the
warder went in to bring him his afternoon schnapps
-he was gone!
DoNALD. What, gone? But-how?
HEINRICH. Someone-or something-had torn the
bars from the window of his cell. They were bent into
pretzels. Thaadeus was gone, every trace of himeven his small black burglar's mask!
DoNALD. This is distressing. Most distressing. Butwhy come to me about it?
HEINRICH. Your manservant was seen in the vicinity
of the dungeon, moments before we found Thaddeus
missing. I wonder if I might-speak with him.
DoNALD. Why-certainly, if you like. I believe he's
8
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
ACT I
-down in the cellar . . . (Moves to cellar entrance,
then pauses for:) Gretchen-would you fetch some
brandy for the prefect?
GRETCHEN. At once, sir. (Exits to kitchen.)
HEINRICH. Really, Herr Baron, there is no needDoNALD. Nonsense. I can see this unusual event has
given you quite a tum. A brandy will do you good.
(Calls into cellar:) Mordl
(We hear CREAK of distant door, then:)
MoRD. (Off.) Yes, master-?
DoNALD. Mord, the Prefect of Police is here. He
would like a word with you.
MoRD. (Off.) Send him down.
HEINRICH. (Very nervously.) Uh-if you don't mind
--could Mord come up here, instead-?
DoNALD. As you wish. Mord-kindly come upstairs
for a moment . . .
MoRD. (Off.) Yes, master! (We hear hollow FOOTSTEPS, then MoRD emerges from cellar; he is short,
stocky, seems to have gorilla-proportions in his squat
legs and long arms, and probably is humpbacked,
bearded, and even fanged; he slightly drags one leg
when he walks.) You called ... ?
DoN ALD. Mord, the prefect would like a word with
you.
MoRD. Of course, master I (Shuffles toward HEINRICH, who takes a backstep.)
HEINRICH. That's close enough. I'll-<>nly be a minute. I was just wondering-for no special reasonwhere you were when Thaddeus Throstle vanished
from his cell in the village dungeon?
MoRD. I was here, at the castle.
ACT I
THE CREATURE CREEPS I
9
HEINRICH. Uh . . . Mord . . . I didn't mention
when Thaddeus vanishedMoRD. (Takes a half-shutfie toward him.) I was still
here, whenever it was!
HEINRICH. Uh . . . doing what-?
MORD. Helping the baron mount his butterfly collection. Is that not so, master?
DoNALD. I daresay. We're been hot at it for hours.
HEINRICH. I would like to see that butterfly
collectionDoNALD. It's in the cellar.
HEINRICH. -some other time. Right now, I must
leave. It is nearly sunset, and you know how treacherous the cliff road can be after dark.
DoNALD. Would you like Mord to escort you down
to the vilbge, Heinrich-?
HEINRICH. No! . . . thanks. I can find my way, all
right. If I leave right now. (Backs toward front hall.)
So I think I will.
DoNALD. (As GRETCHEN enters with tray containing
brandy decanter and some glasses, from kitchen.)
Please don't hurry off-you haven't had your brandy
yet.
HEINRICH. (Circling MORD gtngerly toward tray.)
Well-perhaps-just a small one ... I could certainly use it. Nasty business, this whole mysterious
wave of disappearances . . . !
DoNALD. (During business of pouring two glasses of
brandy.) Yes, nasty and utterly incomprehensible.
There seems to be no pattern to it. Nothing the police
can sink their teeth into- (MORD gives a contented
little growl.) if you'll pardon the expression. What
is this-the third, now?
HEINRICH. (Gratefully takes glass and half-drains
it; then:) No-no, the fourth in a week.
10
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
ACT 1
DoNALD. (Dismissing GRETCHEN back to kitchen
with a hand-wave, the tray and decanter going with
her, as he sips his drink; then:) Four. I must be miscounting, somehow, let me see, there was-uh-?
HEINRICH. (Carefully skirting MoRD, who-bored
with the chatter-lopes over to chest and sits upon it,
swinging his legs idly.) Randolph Renfrew was the
first, last Tuesday-the wealthiest man in the village,
disappearing in his own garden! His neighbors say he
seemed to have been grabbed by a gigantic gopherhis gold watch-and-chain and all-and pulled right
down into the ground.
DONALD. Astonishing.
HEINRICH. And then Peter Payton, the most povertystricken person in the village, went out to gather firewood m the forest-and never returned. Not a trace of
him was left, not even his ragged coat! That was
Wednesday.
DoN ALD. Amazing.
HEINRICH. And yesterday, Thursday, Bill Botts, tin
cup and all, was seen to go slipping feet-first down the
storm drain at the corner where he used to ask for
alms from passersby. There wasn't even a splash.
DoNALD. Astounding.
HEINRICH. And today, as you know, Thaddeus, from
his impregnable prison cell. It just doesn't make sense.
All the victims were so different! If there were only
some link-some chain-something that they had in
common-- (Shrugs, finishes his brandy.) Herr Baron,
can you detect any sort of pattern in all this? Do you
know what it might be?
DoNALD. (Musing aloud.) Let me see ... Randolph
Renfrew, a rich man ... Peter Payton, a poor man
. . . Bill Botts, a beggarman . . . Thaddeus Throstle,
a thief. . . . No, I can't say that I do.
ACT I
THE CREATURE CREEPS I
11
HEINRICH. Ah, well! I had best head for home, then.
Sorry to have disturbed you, Baron Von Blitzen ..•
uh . . . and Mord.
Moan. (Shuffling toward him.) Is the Prefect of Police sure he does not want to see the butterflies-?
HEINRICH. (Backing out into hall.) No. No, thanks.
Really. Some other time. Getting late. Much too late.
(Turns and runs; we hear the CREAK-CREAK-BAM
of front door opening and closing; DoNALD drains his
glass, then claps a friendly hand up Moan's shoulder.)
DoNALD. That was close. You've got to be more
careful, Mord. Someone thought he saw you near the
village dungeon. (Gives him friendly smile.) Of course,
we can always claim it was just someone who looks
like you. (Gives sinister chuckle, while Moan gives
wheezing-gurgle sort of half-crazed laughter; GRETCHEN enters from kitchen.)
GRETCHEN. Have you finished, sir-?
DoNALD. Not quite-four down, four to go. (Moan
lays a warning hand on his arm.) Oh, you mean the
brandy! Yes, Gretchen, I have. Thank you. (Gives
her empty glass.)
GRETCHEN. Where is the other glass?
DoNALD. I believe Heinrich took it with him. Seemed
to be in a hurry. (He and Moan repeat their siniBterf
wheeze-gurgle mirth.)
GRETCHEN. Will there be-anything else?
Moan. (Shuffles toward her a pace.) How do you
mean that-?
GRETCHEN. (Stands her ground.) You don't frighten
me, Mord. Save your menace for the ignorant villagers. (Turns and exits with empty glass to kitchen.)
Moan. That woman! Do you know what I would like
to do to her, Baron-?
12
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
ACT I
DoNALD. Yes-yes, but you must wait until lateruntil my experiment has been brought to completion!
MoRD. And then-?
DoNALD. Then, of course, you may do as you like
about Gretchen. (Glances kitchenward.) I shall miss
having her as my servant. She has been most efficient.
(Shrugs the thought away, turns to MoRD.) Now, show
me the results of your-activities.
MoRD. (Reaches in pocket, lifts out 11 burglar
mask"-one of those black fabric-and-sizing "Lone
Ranger''-style masks.) Here, master. It was on the cot
in Thaddeus Throstle's cell. Shall I put our little
souvenir with-the others?
DoNALD. Yes, of course I (Goes to chest, lifts lid,
takes out three items and studies them, smiling
grimly.) Randolph Renfrew's gold pocketwatch and
chain . . . Peter Payton's ragged coat . . . Bill Botts
the beggarman's tin cup ... and now-this! (Takes
mask, wraps it with cup and watch in coat, places all
back within the chest, and shuts lid.) We are making
progress, Mord. Our experiment will work-I know it
will work-it must work! (Both straighten-well, MoRD
makes an effort, anyhow--as we hear KNOCKER
sound three times.)
MoRD. Master I A caller!
DoNALD. Incredible! No one ever comes here-after
sunset ... I
GRETCHEN. (Enters from kitchen.) Baron Von
Blitzen-you are expecting a visitor-?
DoNALD. Of course not! I hope nothing has gonewrong ... ?
MoRD. But I was so-careful? (GRETCHEN flicks a
look of suspicion at him, and DoNALD hastily forces a
polite laugh.)
ACT
I
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
13
DoNALD. Now-now, what will Gretchen think! Pay
no attention to Mord, Gretchen.
GRETCHEN. I seldom do. (KNOCKER sounds again,
three times; in fact , it will always sound three times,
unless otherwise specified.) I had better get the door.
(Exits to front hall.)
Moan. Who can it be? Can the prefect have brought
back the police? What shall we do?
DoNALD. Be still, you fool! I am certain there's been
no slip-up! You'd best go back to the cellar until you
can compose yourself!
Moan. Yes, master! At once, master! (Shuffles to
cellar entrance and exits; from front hall, we hear
CREAK of front door opening, and then:)
GRETCHEN. (Off.) No! No! It can't be! (We hear
CREAK and BAM of closing door.)
DoNALD. (Very perturbed.) Gretchen--? Gretchen,
who is itr-?
GRETCHEN. (Enters from hall.) Sir-it's your daughter Daisy!
DoNALD. (Barely has time to register consternation-) What? Daisy? Here? Now? (-when DAISY
VoN BLITZEN, a young lady in her early twenties,
prettily dressed, carrying two small suitcases, comes
dashing into the room; DoNALD instantly manages a
nervous smile.) Daisy! How very-nice!
DAISY. (Sets suitcases on floor, dashes into his embrace.) Daddy! Oh, dear darling Daddy! It is I, your
Daisy, come home at last!
(Unnoticed by DoNALD, a hand~ome young man, keen
of eye, clear of complexion, and jutting of jaw,
also with two suitcases, enters and stands just
inside front hall entrance.)
14
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
AUf I
DoNALD. But, Daisy-!
DAisY. Yes, your own Daisy I
DONALD. But, how-?
DAISY. Oh, easily!
DONALD. Why-?
DAisY. Because I
DoNALD. (Espying young man.) Who-?
DAisY. (Unembraces him, points at young man.)
Him!
DoNALD. But, who is him . . . he?
DAisY. Dearest darling Daddy, do you not remember my last letter, in which I said I was looking for
love?
DoNALD. !-seem to recall. You said you were seeking the sort of man who was extremely frank, and who
had sterling qualities in his character.
DAISY. And I found such a man. Daddy, I want you
to meet-Frank Sterling!
FRANK. (For that is who the young man is.) I am
most pleased to make your acquaintance, sir, since
your darling daughter Daisy has told me so much
about you! You may call me Frankl (Sets suitcases
on floor, steps forward, thrusts out his hand, but as he
does so, DoNALD does the bow-click; seeing this, both
men reverse, FRANK doing the bow-click as DoNALD
extends his hand; DoNALD lets his hand drop as
FRANK straightens.)
DoNALD. Well, in any case-welcome to Castle Von
Blitzen. But-Daisy-tell me-why did you not write
-give me some sort of warning?
DAisY. Oh, but I did write, Daddy. I sent one of
those telegraph things-what do you call it-a Night
Letter!
GRETCHEN. But the villagers never come to the castle
at night.
ACT I
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
15
FRANK. They could have delivered it during the
daylight hours.
DAISY. But, darling, they don't know that!
DoNALD. And you do?
DAISY. Of course!
GRETCHEN. Then why did you send it?
DAISY. (Ponders this, then gives a pretty shrug, and
says:) If I didn't, who would? (As others try to field
this curve, she impulsively clutches FRANK by the
hand, and tows him toward stairs.) But come, you
must see the bedrooms, they're ever so charming!
DoNALD. Daisy, I-!
DAisY. Back in a moment, Daddy dearest! (Exits
with FRANK amiably in tow.)
DoNALD. Damnation! This is most-awkward! To
pop up at a time like this-!
GRETCHEN. A time like-what?
DoNALD. Hmm? Oh! Nothing, Gretchen, nothing! Is
-the spare bedroom aired out and ready for occupancy? I suspect that young man intends to stay the
night.
GRETCHEN. And you do not-object?
DoNALD. You saw the way Daisy took him in charge.
I can hardly turn him out. She seems to fancy him.
GRETCHEN. A childish whim. There have been other
young menDoNALD. Yes, but they were of the village. This
castle has a certain-reputation-in the village. Her
childhood romances could not last. This young man,
however-the very fact that he would come here after
sunset-well- (Shrugs carelessly.) Getting rid of him
will take a bit of doing.
GRETCHEN. Getting rid of him? You mean-sending
him away-?
DoNALD. Of course. What else could I mean, Gret-
16
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
ACT I
chen? He shall stay the night. Then, in the morningthings may be different. It all depends uponGRETCHEN. Upon what, sir?
DoN ALD. Nothing, nothing. See here, you had better
tend to dinner. With an uninvited-that is, unexpected
-guest, we should perhaps all eat in the main dining
room. Leave those bags where they are. I'll have Mord
take them upstairs.
GRETCHEN. As you wish, sir. (Starts for kitchen,
pauses short of exit.) Herr Baron-it may have escaped
your notice-your daughter Daisy is no longer a girlDoNALD. What's that? Of course she's a girl! At
least-she looks like a girl-?
GRETCHEN. I mean, sir-she has grown. She has become a young woman. You could send away a childish
playmate, sir-but-! think perhaps that getting rid
of this young man-now that she has become a young
woman-may be a bit more difficult.
DoNALD. Yes. Yes, perhaps you are right. I wonder
if I should- (Stops as KNOCKER sounds.) Another
caller? I can scarcely believe itt
GRETCHEN. Shall I-?
DoNALD. (Forestalls her move toward hall.) No-no,
you see to dinner. I'll find out who is calling at this
hour . . .
GRETCHEN. As you wish, sir. (Exits to kitchen;
DoNALD exits to hall; DAisY and FRANK enter from
upstairs, hand in hand, all smiles.)
DAISY. And that's it, darling! Don't you just adore
it?! Especially the guest room-that will be yours, of
course-you should be quite comfy there I
FRANK. Yes, I expect so-only-! wish it weren't
quite so high-I'm not used to sleeping in a tower that
overhangs a moat . . . I Why, if I should arise during
ACT I
THE CREATURE CREEPS I
17
the night, and make a wrong turn on my way to the
bathroom-!
DAisY. Yes, a topple into the moat would be somewhat of a shock, I expect-still and all, you are a
good swimmer. . . .
FRANK. Yes, but when I think of that fall-at least
two hundred feet, I make it-and then the plunge into
the icy waters-!
DAisY. Oh, don't fret over that, my dearest. Daddy's
castle has a heated moat I
FRANK. A heated moat? Isn't that a bit-unusual-?
DAISY. Not really, dearest. You see, the water has
to be warm, so its continued temperature approximates that of a tropical river. Daddy says it's much
healthier that way,
FRANK. For people who fall in the moat?
DAISY. No, silly, for the piranhas, of course! (Before he can comment on this, both harken to the
CREAK of the opening front door, then listen curiously to:)
BABSY. (Off.) Hi, there! You must be Daisy's father,
the baron I I'm Babsyl
DoNALD. (Off.) You're what?
BABSY. (Off.) Not what, who! Babsy Ballou! Didn't
Daisy tell you-?! (BABSY, also with two suitcases,
comes striding bouncily into parlor, sees DAISY and
FRANK, and squeals:) Hiiiii! I made it. (Reacts as we
hear CREAK-BAM of closing front door.) Boy, could
this place ever use an oil can I
FRANK. (As DoNALD, in some bewilderment, enters
behind BABSY, who is a young lady of DAISY's age, but
a bit more stable mentally.) You know, I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you.
BABsY. Well, you know I said I'd take care of the
cab-?
18
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
ACT I
DoNALD. Excuse me-you got a cab-driver to bring
you here-after dark-?
BABSY. Well, no, that's just it-the sun went down
when Daisy was knocking at the door, and I had to
chase his horse-and-carriage halfway down the mountain before I could give him his fare. If he hadn't had
to stop to open those big iron gates at the end of your
driveway, I'd still be running!
DAISY. I hope you gave the man a nice tip . . . ?
BABSY. I sure did-! told him he'd get rich a lot
quicker if he waited around to be paid! Weird people
in that village, I must say I (Rubs her hands together,
looks about.) Daisy, you never told me this place was
so deliciously creepy!
DoNALD. (Somewhat stiffly.) I beg your pardon-?
BABBY. Why, what did you do?
DAISY. Oh, Daddy dearest, I completely forgot to
tell you about Babsy I She and I were roommates in
college, and I thought it would be an absolute lark if
she could come to visit me here after graduation, and
sl)e thought so, too, and-well-here we are I ...
Or did I?
DoNALD, BABsY, and FRANK. (Lost in this sea of
syntax, in impatient unison:) Did you what?!
DAISY. (A bit cowed by their attitude.) Forget to
tell Daddy about Babsy . . . ?
DoNALD. Daisy, I can hardly know whether you
forgot, but I do know you didn't!
DAISY. Didn't forget?
BABSY. Didn't tell him I
DAISY. Tell him whatf
MEN. About Babsy!
DAISY. Oh. Well, now you know, anyhow. And,
Daddy, this is Babsy I
Affr I
THE CREATURE CREEPS!
19
(Simultaneously)
DoNALD. How do you do?
BABsY. Charmed, I'm
sure!
(Also simultaneously: He extends his hand to take
hers, but she does the bow-click, then both give
the whole thing up.)
DAISY. Babsy may stay, Daddy, mayn't she-?
BABsY. It won't be too much trouble-?
DoNALD. Of course not, my dear.
DAISY. Then where will she stay?
FRANK. Daisy, your father was answering Babsy's
question, not yours.
DAISY. But I asked first.
DoNALD. In answer to your question, darling, yes, of
course.
DAISY. Oh, good! . . . What was my question?
DoNALD. If Babsy could stay I
DAisY. And can she?
BABSY. Of course I can. Your father already said so.
DAISY. When?
DoNALD. (Lays fond hand upon her shoulder.)
Daisy, over the past four years, I have asked myself
sometimes why I sent you away to college- (Beat.)
Now! know.
FRANK. It was a shame, sir, that you could not attend your daughter's graduation exercises. Your presence was sorely missed.
DoNALD. I would have been pleased to attend, had
I known they were taking place.
BABSY. Did Daisy not inform you?
DAISY. I'm certain that I did.
DoNALD. By Night Letter?
DAISY. Of course!
20
THE CREATURE CREEPS I
ACT I
DoNALD. That explains it.
BABSY. It does?
FRANK. The villagers never come to the castle after
dark.
BABSY. Ah I Then that explains the strange conduct
of the cab-driver! (To DoNALD.) Why do the villagers
never come to the castle after dark?
DoNALD. There are a variety of reasons- (MoBD
enters from cellar, stares at the group.) There's one
now.
FRANK. Good grief, what's thatf
DAISY. (Overjoyed to see him.) Oh, it's Mordl
(Rushes to embrace him and kiss his brow, which he
per11J.its, but obviously cannot stand.) Dear sweet
Mord! I've missed you so! (If he has a hump, she inpects it briefly, and says:) My, how you've grown!
DoNALD. Mord, I'd like you to meet Frank Sterling
and Babsy Ballou.
MoBD. Whyf
DoNALD. (Uncertainly.) Seemed like a good idea at
the time. . . .
BABSY. Charmed, I'm sure. Or fairly sure.
FRANK. Herr Baron, you said Mord was one of the
reasons the villagers never come to the castle after
dark. What are the other reasons?
DoNALD. (With a scoffing, deprecatory smile.) Oh,
they say that strange things go on here in the night(From nowhere in particular, just sort of hanging in
the air, we hear a loud, drawn-out CRY of agony; all
but MoRD and DoNALD react to it ; then DoNALD continues imperturbably. ) but of course that's utter
nonsense.
Mo&D. Of course. (Then he and DoNALD join briefly
in that creepy laughter, during which DAISY smiles
Hungry for More?
This is a Sample of the Script
Buy the full script and explore other titles
www.samuelfrench.com
www.samuelfrench-london.co.uk
Titles are subject to availability depending on your territory.