Play on Words

full length · drama

The Old Bachelor: A Comedy

by William Congreve

16 roles (0M / 0F / 16 any) · approx 131–182 minutes · 5 acts

Royalty-free Public domain — free to read, perform, and adapt. No licence needed.

Characters

Bell lead 152 speeches
Sharp supporting 119 speeches
Sir Jo supporting 89 speeches
Vain supporting 66 speeches
Heart supporting 64 speeches
Belin supporting 64 speeches
Fond supporting 61 speeches
Læt supporting 61 speeches
Aram supporting 58 speeches
Bluff supporting 52 speeches
Lucy minor 46 speeches
Set minor 31 speeches
Silv minor 28 speeches
Setter minor 24 speeches
Bar minor 6 speeches
Foot minor 5 speeches

Read the play

SCENE: _The Street_.

BELLMOUR, _in fanatic habit_, SETTER.

Bell. ’Tis pretty near the hour. [_Looking on his watch_.] Well, and how, Setter, hae, does my hypocrisy fit me, hae? Does it sit easy on me?

Set. Oh, most religiously well, sir.

Bell. I wonder why all our young fellows should glory in an opinion of atheism, when they may be so much more conveniently lewd under the coverlet of religion.

Set. S’bud, sir, away quickly: there’s Fondlewife just turned the corner, and ’s coming this way.

Bell. Gad’s so, there he is: he must not see me.

Monologues from this play