The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Romancers, by Edmond Rostand

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Title: The Romancers
A Comedy in Three Acts

Author: Edmond Rostand

Translator: Barrett H. Clark

Release Date: January 23, 2006 [EBook #17581]
[Date last updated: January 11, 2009]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROMANCERS ***

Produced by Kent Cooper

THE ROMANCERS
(Les Romanesques)

Comedy in Three Acts
by
EDMOND ROSTAND

Translated by Barrett H. Clark
1915

[[ Untitled INTRODUCTORY NOTES from 1915 publication by
Samuel French: Publisher, New York:

EDMOND ROSTAND

Edmond Rostand was born at Marseilles in 1868. Rostand is
undoubtedly one of the most brilliant dramatic poets of modern
times. "Les Romanesques"--"The Romancers"--was performed for
the first time in Paris, at the Comedie Francaise, in 1894, and
achieved considerable success. Its delicacy and charm revealed
the true poet, and the deftness with which the plot was handled
left little doubt as to the author's ability to construct an
interesting and moving drama. But not until the production of
"Cyrano de Bergerac" in 1897 did Rostand become known to the world
at large. "L'Aiglon" (1900) was something of a disappointment
after the brilliant "Cyrano." Ten years later came "Chantecler,"
the poet's deepest and in many ways most masterly play.

"The Romancers" is best played in the romantic atmosphere of the
late Eighteenth century; the costumes should be Louis XVI. The
stage-directions are sufficiently detailed. ]]

* * * * *

[Transcriber's note: "The Romancers" is the basis for the plot of
the 1960 musical "The Fantasticks," with music by Harvey Schmidt,
book and lyrics by Tom Jones.]

* * * * *

THE ROMANCERS

Persons in the Play

SYLVETTE
PERCINET
STRAFOREL
BERGAMIN (Percinet's father)
PASQUINOT (Sylvette's father)
BLAISE (A gardener)
A WALL (Not a speaking part)
Swordsmen, musicians, negroes, torch-bearers, a notary, four
witnesses, and other supernumeraries.

The action takes place anywhere, provided the costumes are pretty.

* * * * *

ACT I

SCENE: