Déclassée

About the show

Zoe Akins had a self-confessed abhorrence for rewriting plays, and insisted Déclassée was presented on stage as she first imagined it. She specified further that only two minor cuts and one important deletion from the original play were made by Iden Payne in staging it. Act I (The drawing room of Sir Bruce Haden's London home. Evening) The scene opens on the aftermath of an argument at a bridge party. Sir Bruce Haden has accused Edward Thayer and Mrs. Leslie of cheating, and ordered Thayer to leave. Lady Helen sprang to Thayer's defense, saying she would leave too unless Sir Bruce apologized. This much is learned from the conversation of Harry Charteris, Sir Emmett Wildering, Charlotte Ashley, Mrs. Wildering, and Mrs. Leslie before the three antagonists appear. Thayer appears first, as the ladies fetch Lady Helen back from her room. To everyone's surprise, Sir Bruce Haden apologizes to Thayer. Lady Helen and Thayer have a long discussion; he reminds her she led him to believe she cared in the letters she wrote. But Lady Helen says that he was only a passing interest to her, and that they must not see each other again. The bridge games resume, and there is a momentary darkening of the stage to denote the passage of an hour. As the light rises, a furious Lady Helen excoriates Thayer and Mrs. Leslie for cheating again. She astonishes Thayer by insisting he now apologize to Sir Bruce. Thayer refuses; his reputation will be ruined if Sir Bruce talks. Thayer threatens to show her letters to Sir Bruce if she insists. Disgusted, Lady Helen calls Sir Bruce and the others back into the room and starts to tell them everything. (Curtain) Act II (The lounge of a Manhattan deluxe hotel. Three years later, late Friday afternoon.) The scene opens on a busy lounge room, with numerous tables occupied by bit players, whose conversation provides the following exposition: Sir Emmett Wildering, newly appointed ambassador, and Lady Wildering are on their way to Washington, D. C. They meet Charlotte Ashley, now appearing in a Broadway play, for tea. Lady Helen enters, and arranges a table with Jean for some guests coming later. She too comes in for background gossip, this time by the Wilderings and Charlotte, whom she hasn't yet seen. It appear that Sir Bruce waited a year before divorcing her, and in the two years since has remarried and acquired twin sons. Now enter Zellito and Alice Vance, and again the bit players' talk identifies them and gives their stories. The two women are seated by Jean, who next greets Lady Helen. Harry Charteris, who also came to New York, has joined the other English at their table. Spotting them at last, Lady Helen braces herself and approaches their table. They greet her in a cautious but friendly way, and make plans to get together soon. Lady Helen now joins the guests at her table as the English quartet depart. Rudolph Solomon is also there, and The Three Wonderful Waltons. Lady Helen senses Alice's disquiet at Rudolph's attention to her. Later, when they are alone, Lady Helen rejects Rudolph's suggestion to keep her, because Alice really loves him. Nevertheless, she accepts his invitation for a dinner party next Friday. As the check arrives, Lady Helen pulls off a pearl ring, her last jewel, and presents it to Jean, to cover the bill and the waiter's tip. (Curtain) Act III (The home of Rudolph Solomon. One week later, a Friday evening.) Lady Helen is delighted to see the exquisite items Rudolph Solomon has collected in Europe, including some treasures that once belonged to her own ancestors. She explains to Lady Wildering and Charlotte that the Gainsborough portrait on one wall is her own great-grandmother, who fell off a horse and died at age 30. Harry Charteris urges Lady Helen to stop her reckless ways and let someone take care of her. She is touched, but tells him "if I were your mother I would not let you marry me". Harry urges her to accept Rudolph then and stop drifting. Alice Vance arrives late and tells Rudolph she has given notice to her musical and will leave for Paris. She knows his fascination for Lady Helen and will set him free to pursue her. Rudolph presents Lady Helen with a string of pearls, made from those she had previously sold. He then tells her about Alice, and hints at marriage but does not propose yet. Lady Helen is ready to acquiesce, but the sudden uninvited entrance of Mrs. Leslie ends this opportunity. Mrs. Leslie is aghast at Lady Helen's presence and cuts her, at which Harry Charteris reminds her of how she cheated at cards in Lady Helen's home. Mrs. Leslie blames Edward Thayer, at which Rudolph suddenly has an epiphany: it is Thayer whom Lady Helen once loved but rejected. Thayer is now wealthy from diamond mines he discovered in South Africa, and is coming to the party. Determined to reunite them, he tells Lady Helen that he now thinks they shouldn't marry, then goes off to find Thayer. Lady Helen has misunderstood; she thinks even Rudolph now rejects her. Taking off the pearls, she wanders out into the street and is hit by a taxi cab. Mortally injured, she is brought into the house but dies as Thayer tries to tell her he loves her. (Curtain)