Friday, September 11, 2015

Playing Faust And Loose With Too Much Time On My Hands


I was accused the other day of having too much time on my hands. It is a charge I am proud to plead guilty to. My ambition during the last twenty or thirty years has been to work towards a situation where I have too much time on my hands and therefore I can get involved in all of those meaningless pursuits that are the very lifeblood of us too-much-timers. If it wasn't for people like me - people with fistfuls of time to fill - who would ever count the feathers on a shuttlecock, source a supply of donkey-stone for dressing front steps, draw detailed maps of Greater Slaithwaite, or research the early theatre career of Miss Violet Vanbrugh.

I acquired an old picture postcard of Miss Vanbrugh the other day and, with time hanging heavy from my coat sleeves, I started to read the script of the first Victorian burlesque she ever appeared in (at Toole's Theatre, London in 1886) - a charming little piece entitled "Faust And Loose". Here is a little snippet from Act Two: you might want to read it if you find yourself having a little too much time on your hands.


2 comments:

  1. You find fun things to do in your spare time. Mine is already used up with Camera Club, family and blogging.

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  2. I want to have too much spare time like yours, however, I have too works to do now. I don’t know how long I can finish all of them.

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