Twice Killed: A Farce in One Act

Book excerpt: Twice Killed: A Farce in One Act is a drama by English dramatist, critic, and translator John Oxenford. It is one of the most famous dramas by Oxenford. It has almost eighteen characters, ample for a one-act farce. This famous forty-five-minute-long comedy was first performed at the Royal Olympic Theatre on November 26th, 1835. Other notable works by Oxenford are Porter's Knot, Five Pounds Reward; Only a Half-penny; Reigning Favourite; Dice of Death. Excerpt from Twice Killed "RECK. And I am to go back like a glass milk-pot, am I not? (gets out.) Snail! leave thy shell. In thy mistress's house, Ralph Reckless, and suffer thyself to be packed up like a fish, and sent off as mute? No, no; I've given the lady my tailor's card for a direction. Ha, ha, ha! (looks in closet.) what have we here?—a broken pestle and mortar, and a stone ball from the garden entrance. These shall go in the basket, (puts them in.) they will pass for me as well as I did for grocery." -Act I Scene II