On Dartmoor

On Dartmoor - One act play

NEIL GRANT :

     Neil Forbes Grant CBE (1 August 1882 – 24 December 1970) was an English journalist, memorialist, and playwright.

  

  Before being known as a dramatist, Grant had an extensive career as a journalist, serving as foreign editor of "The Morning Post" for seven years. His most successful play, Possessions, was first performed in January 1925, at the London Vaudeville, then had a long run at the Garrick Theatre.

  There is one work of Neil Grant is "Dusty Ermine" became the 1936 film Dusty Ermine, aka Love in the Alps, American title Hideout in the Alps. And another famous works below,

- Possessions

- The Three Kisses

- On Dartmoor

- The Age of Leisure

- Petticoat Influence

CHARACTERS:

1. Muriel Armstrong 

2. Leonora Astley 

3. Bill Syme

4. Albert Read

5. Fred Lee 

SUMMARY & PLOT

 On Dartmoor play is a one act play which is written by Neil Grant. There are five characters in this play. Here, we are discussing explanation of this play in detail.   

   The scene is set in a room in a bungalow on Dartmoor, belonging to two young wealthy friends, Muriel Armstrong and Leonora Astley. The room is modernly furnished, and both girls appear well-off. Muriel is athletic while Leonora is more delicate. Leonora is asleep on a divan near the fire, while Muriel is half-reading, half-dozing in the center. The telephone rings, disturbing Muriel. She answers and learns from the police that an escaped prisoner is on the loose. Muriel reassures the police they haven't seen anything, but she's concerned. Leonora wakes up during the call, worried about the news of the escaped prisoner. 

  Muriel and Leonora are discussing a recent event involving the sound of a gun, presumably related to a police chase of an escaped convict. Muriel expresses indifference towards the situation, while Leonora seems more concerned. Muriel's remark about the dark night and the possibility of the convict coming their way hints at their willingness to assist the fugitive. However, they also discuss the servants' reactions, particularly Cook's dislike of convicts. Muriel humorously suggests that the convict would not seek refuge with them because their bungalow gives off an impression of being conventional, rather than the radical anarchists they actually are.

  In this excerpt, Leonora and Muriel are startled by the possibility of a man lurking outside their bungalow, specifically behind a lilac bush. Leonora is initially alarmed, while Muriel is skeptical. However, they both cautiously investigate, peering out of different windows. Eventually, they catch sight of someone, confirming there is indeed a man outside. Muriel decides to send Cook, their servant, to the village for stamps as a pretext to investigate further and possibly seek help or inform others. They are both visibly shaken by the encounter, with Leonora expressing fear at the thought of being alone.

   Muriel and Leonora, are in a tense situation. Muriel goes to check on something outside and Leonora stays inside, frightened. They hear tapping at the window and suspect someone is outside. Muriel suggests opening the door instead, but they hear a bang from the door, startling them. They wonder if it's the cook, but then they suspect it might be someone else, possibly dangerous. They discuss the possibility of the person being a warder (someone who supervises prisoners) and consider if they have any weapons. Eventually, a man named Bill Syme enters, wearing convict clothes and looking scared, which surprises Muriel and Leonora.

  Bill was milking cows when he got the chance to run away. His friend, Joe, encouraged him to escape. Bill ran as fast as he could, despite the chaos of shouting and gunfire from the police. Leonora and Muriel sympathize with him and offer him food and drink. They reassure him that there's nobody outside. Leonora pours him whisky and they express their disgust for the bruteness of the situation. 

  

    Bill is grateful for their hospitality, enjoying whisky and sandwiches while sharing his story. He expresses fear of being pursued by "blood 'onds" (bloodhounds) and seeks reassurance from the women not to give him away. Despite the setting being in the twentieth century, Bill's fear seems to stem from a primitive paranoia. The women assure him of their protection and identity themselves, with Muriel being the author of a book about the horrors of prison life. The scene captures a mix of tension, hospitality, and intrigue.

   Bill seems to be a convict who has been released from prison, and Muriel and Leonora are interested in his story. Bill mentions he's a lifer, meaning he's serving a life sentence for murder. He confesses to killing his wife after catching her with another man. Muriel and Leonora seem intrigued by his story, and Leonora even brings her chair closer to him, asking him to tell more. The conversation is quite casual despite the serious topic, with the characters showing interest and sympathy towards Bill. 

   Muriel and Leonora express indignation at the severity of Bill's sentence for what they consider a natural reaction to catching his wife with another man. Bill explains that he used a hammer in the heat of the moment and received a life sentence, with the judge being revealed as Leonora's grandfather. Bill criticizes the judge, saying he seemed happy when sentencing him, which implies a lack of empathy or understanding. Muriel and Leonora share their disapproval of the judge and express support for abolishing all penal institutions, indicating their belief in more humane approaches to justice. Overall, the dialogue portrays the characters' views on the justice system and punishment. 

  The characters of Muriel and Leonora seem to represent a more liberal and compassionate viewpoint, while Bill appears to be a rougher, possibly criminal character. The conversation revolves around their differing perspectives on crime and punishment, with Muriel and Leonora advocating for understanding and rehabilitation rather than harsh punishment. There's also an element of humor in the exchanges, such as the mention of the cook reading the Morning Post and the maid's interests in pictures and boys. 

  Leonora and Muriel are discussing the risk of getting caught if they help Bill, who wants to escape to Plymouth. Bill explains his plan to reach a Russian ship in Plymouth, but he doesn't have enough money to pay for passage. Leonora and Muriel offer to give him money to help him escape. Despite Bill's initial reluctance to accept their help, they insist and give him the money as a loan. Leonora uses money she received as a birthday gift, suggesting it's fair to use it to help Bill because her grandfather, who gave her the money, is responsible for Bill's harsh sentence. This part of the dialogue shows how Leonora and Muriel are willing to take risks and break rules to help someone in need, even if it means going against authority. 

  They give him money and clothes, and they share a moment of laughter when Bill jokes about wearing their grandfather's trousers. However, their laughter is interrupted by the sound of a car outside, which terrifies Bill. Muriel and Leonora reassure him and quickly come up with a plan to hide him if someone comes. Muriel instructs Bill to hide upstairs in her bedroom and then escape to the garden if necessary. She gives him cigarettes and whisky to take with him and urges him to hurry. 

  Bill becomes desperate and threatens to harm himself rather than go back. Muriel reassures him and pushes him out the door to hide. Meanwhile, Leonora keeps watch and notices a man passing by. They worry it might be a prison warder. Muriel then quickly tidies up any evidence of Bill's presence, like footprints and crumbs, to avoid suspicion. When the man approaches again, Muriel and Leonora pretend to be calm and nonchalant, discussing random topics to seem ordinary. However, when there's a knock at the door, they both get nervous, but Muriel quickly recovers and goes to answer it. 

  Muriel and Leonora try to act composed and welcoming, with Muriel encouraging Leonora to "vamp" or charm the detective. Albert identifies himself as a plainclothes officer from the Plymouth Police Force's C Division and informs them about the escaped convict. He mentions that Syme was serving a life sentence for murdering his wife and should have been hanged according to the judge, who happens to be Leonora's grandfather. Despite his disapproval of the situation, Albert focuses on his duty to find the escaped convict. Muriel and Leonora deny hearing or seeing anything suspicious, and Albert asks if they live in the house. 

  Muriel and Leonora further about who lives in the house and if anyone else is present. Muriel explains that only they are in the house at the moment, as the maids are either in Plymouth or the village. Albert takes notes and observes the surroundings carefully, while Muriel and Leonora exchange a knowing smile, indicating that Muriel has successfully removed any evidence of Bill's presence. Albert then asks if they have any opinions or views, particularly on prisons and prisoners. Muriel and Leonora respond confidently, claiming to have various opinions on different topics. When Albert mentions the penalties for helping an escaped prisoner, they both deny any involvement and assert their commitment to obeying the law. Muriel even asserts that she will only answer further questions in the presence of her solicitor, indicating that they are aware of their legal rights. 

  Albert is trying to search the house, but he doesn't have a search warrant. Leonora is trying to distract him by being flirtatious, while Muriel seems more nervous. Albert asks them about the scullery door and the outhouses, trying to gather information. Eventually, he asks if they are alone in the house, and the women insist that they are. However, Albert seems to suspect something and continues to investigate. 

  Albert suspects someone is in a room upstairs and decides to investigate, even without a search warrant. He instructs Leonora and Muriel to stay in the room and not move until he returns. The two women are tense and worried about who might be upstairs. They speculate about whether the person they're talking about, Bill, has left or not. They listen intently for any sounds from upstairs and eventually hear someone leaving through the bedroom window. They're relieved, thinking it might be Bill or even the sergeant. 

  Muriel suggests going upstairs to check on something, while Leonora hears a car leaving and assumes it's the sergeant. However, Muriel thinks it might be Bill. She rushes out to find out, and Leonora follows, only to discover that Muriel's room has been ransacked and her valuables stolen. Muriel realizes that the person they thought was a sergeant was actually a crook who deceived them. They try to call the police, but the crooks have cut the phone line. Leonora also finds out that her room has been burglarized, and they both panic, realizing the extent of the theft. They urge each other to call the police and express their shock and anger at being deceived. 

  Muriel and Leonora are discussing the possibility that someone actually did escape, as evidenced by the fact that the "goon" (referring to the person they thought was the sergeant) left. They realize that the threat wasn't fake. Suddenly, there's a knock at the door, and Muriel opens it to find Fred Lee, an escaped prisoner, standing there. Muriel reacts angrily, accusing him of being part of the group of criminals who robbed them. She violently subdues him, overpowering him with a cushion and binding him with a scarf. Fred pleads for help while Leonora threatens him, mentioning their grandfather. Muriel continues to restrain Fred while Leonora blows a police whistle to call for assistance. 

                                 ~ END ~