DANUBE MOON
Characters
Anne Slim, just old enough to regret that some opportunities in life have passed her by. A tour escort, and a natural organiser; used to dealing with difficult people, and in need of all her patience on this trip.
Beryl Middle-aged, strong-willed, and tipsy; generally querulous, less often pathetically anxious for social contact, but underneath she has a heart of pure arsenic.
Martin The bar steward; about twenty, wearing lightly a superior education; his initial deference, never obsequious, relaxes into a degree of familiarity as the action progresses.
Gerald Stout, about Beryl's age, eminently hen-peckable; a normally capable businessman reduced to desperation by his predicament.
Set
A corner of the saloon on the M.V. "Danube Moon," heading upstream from the Iron Gates. There is a window centre left, another (possibly just off stage) down right, and bench seats around the sides with low tables, at least one of which is close to the window left. A bar extends up centre from centre right, with a clock above the shelves and a telephone; another table is in front of it with a couple of chairs. There is one entrance, up left. Ideally, a pale blue spot is mounted behind the window left, but above the sight line, on a horizontal slide or pivoted arm so as to give when required an effect of moonlight from slowly changing directions as the ship follows a winding channel. Otherwise the lighting on this and the other peripheral tables is subdued; that on the bar and nearer table is brighter.
At first nothing but fog can be seen through the window, but later, when the moonlight breaks through, a vague pattern of trees on the river bank may be visible.
Time
June 1991.
Dress
Anne and Beryl, semi-formal; Martin, white shirt, black bow tie and dark trousers; Gerald, a once-smart casual shirt, tie, jacket and trousers, badly dishevelled.