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

[_To them_] BETTY, _with Hoods and Looking-glass_.

I can’t tell, cousin; I believe we are equally concerned. But if you continue your humour, it won’t be very entertaining. (I know she’d fain be persuaded to stay.) [_Aside_.]

Belin. I shall oblige you, in leaving you to the full and free enjoyment of that conversation you admire.

Belin. Let me see; hold the glass. Lard, I look wretchedly to-day!

Aram. Betty, why don’t you help my cousin? [_Putting on her hoods_.]

Belin. Hold off your fists, and see that he gets a chair with a high roof, or a very low seat. Stay, come back here, you Mrs. Fidget—you are so ready to go to the footman. Here, take ’em all again, my mind’s changed; I won’t go.

Monologues from this play