The Country Cousin

About the show

Act I (Mrs. Howitt's sitting room in Centerville, a June morning in 1916.) Mrs. Howitt is worried, her mood impacting her daughter Eleanor. Sam Williams bursts in, declaring his future prospects as senator or congressman, and insisting he'll need a wife to back him. Eleanor is unimpressed and Mrs. Howitt cautionary. When cousin Nancy arrives, Mrs. Howitt sends Eleanor and Sam on a fake errand. Mrs. Howitt asks Nancy to deal with Stanley, her ex-husband, who is in town and wants to drag Eleanor off to New York. Stanley had dissipated Mrs. Howitt's inheritance before their divorce; she is sure he has similar designs on his daughter's money. When the doorbell rings, Mrs. Howitt scampers away to hide, while Nancy admits George Reynolds, who drove Stanley from New York to Ohio. The two clash, for George is a terrible snob who barely acknowledges Ohio, while Nancy is a state booster. But Nancy persuades Mrs. Howitt to let Eleanor to see her father, and he convinces the girl to go with him to New York. (Curtain) Act II (Terrace of Villa, an afternoon in August 1916.) Cyril Kinney dances with Eleanor to music from a gramophone, while Stanley Howitt, Jane Kinney, and Athalie Wainwright watch and converse by a low wall. Maud Howitt and Pruitt enter, bringing word of Nancy Price's arrival. Nancy is given veiled insults and excluded from conversations, but remains equable. When George arrives they spar lightly over wicker suitcases, surreys instead of motor cars, and pictures of Washington crossing the Delaware in Ohio homes. Nancy laughs at George's patronym, saying George Washington beats George III. When asked if she likes anyone in New York, Nancy mentions the Italian gardener, who discussed his family with her. But Maud whispers to Stanley that Nancy has questioned servants about their salaries and how many people are employed there. Maud excludes Nancy from going with the rest to Archie's yacht, and they all dance in a line as they exit the villa. Left behind, Nancy is mistaken for Maud Howitt by Blake when he brings the brooch. Eleanor had bought it for Maud, giving Stanley a signed blank check. Nancy learns from Blake that it cost $25,000, not the thousand Eleanor was told. Nancy keeps the brooch after giving Blake a receipt. She is then told by Pruitt that George will be eating dinner with her; he stayed behind to read in the library. (Curtain) Act III (Interior of Villa, the same evening.) The yacht-goers straggle back to the villa. Cyril has flirted with Maud and received a blow from Archie, who loudly proclaims no one should touch his girl. Eleanor is woozy from champagne and the shock of realizing the blatant affair of her step-mother. Pruitt tells Stanley and Maud about the messenger, and they at once guess what has happened. After sending Eleanor to bed, they threaten Nancy with arrest, citing the case of Maud's former maid who stole a trifle. Stanley and Maud conspire to keep Nancy away from Eleanor for the remainder of the night. (Fast Curtain) Act IV (Same as Act III, the next morning.) Stanley and Maud force Eleanor to confront Nancy over the brooch. They have spent the night coaching her what to say. Nancy slips the brooch to Eleanor, and defies the Howitts to do anything about it. The scheme backfires when George summons Sam Wilson from another room. The spell is broken for Eleanor, and she defies Stanley and Maud, saying she'll return home to Ohio with Sam. Eleanor begs Nancy's forgiveness; she has told Stanley and Maud they may keep the brooch and stay at the villa for a short time. George tells Nancy he's going to the training camp at Plattsburgh. He asks whether she might love him if he fights hard. She replies, "Everyone will!". (Curtain)