[THE THUNDERSTORM]
(OVÄDER)
A CHAMBER PLAY
1907
CHARACTERS
THE MASTER, a retired government official
THE CONSUL, his brother
STARCK, a confectioner
AGNES, daughter of Starck
LOUISE, a relative of the Master
GERDA, the Master's divorced wife
FISCHER, second husband of Gerda
THE ICEMAN
THE LETTER-CARRIER
THE LAMPLIGHTER
THE LIQUORDEALER'S MAN
THE MILKMAID
SCENE I—IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE
SCENE II—INSIDE THE HOUSE
SCENE III—IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE
FIRST SCENE
The front of a modern house with a basement of granite. The upper parts are of brick covered with yellow plastering. The window-frames and other ornaments are of sandstone. A low archway leads through the basement to the court and serves also as entrance to the confectioner's shop. The corner of the house appears at the right of the stage, where the avenue opens into a small square planted with roses and various other flowers. At the corner is a mail-box. The main floor, above the basement, has large windows, all of which are open. Four of these windows belong to an elegantly furnished dining-room. The four middle windows in the second story have red shades which are drawn; the shades are illumined by light from within.
Along the front of the house runs a sidewalk with trees planted at regular intervals. There is a lamp-post in the extreme foreground and beside it stands a green bench.
STARCK, the confectioner, comes out with a chair and sits down on the sidewalk.
The MASTER is visible in the dining-room of the main floor, seated at the table. Behind him appears an oven built of green majolica tiles. On its mantelshelf stands a large photograph between two candelabra and some vases containing flowers. A young girl in a light dress is just serving the final course.
The MASTER'S brother, the CONSUL, appears in front of the house, coming from the left, and knocks with his walking-stick on the sill of one of the dining-room windows.