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Snapshots Lesson 5, Mother's Day - JB. Priestly, , Lesson Explanation:, The following play is a humorous portrayal of the status of the mother in a family. Let's read, ‘on to see how Mrs Pearson's family reacts when she tries to stand up for her own rights., , Characters, , MRS ANNIE PEARSON, GEORGE PEARSON, DORIS PEARSON, CYRIL PEARSON, , MRS FITZGERALD, , The action takes place in the living-room of the Pearsons’ house in a London suburb., Time: The Present, , Scene: The living-room of the Pearson family. Afternoon. It is a comfortably furnished, much, lived-in room in a small suburban semi-detached villa. If necessary only one door need be, used, but it is better with two — one up left leading to the front door and the stairs and the, other in the right wall leading to the kitchen and the back door. There can be a muslin-covered, window in the left wall and possibly one in the right wall, too. The fireplace is assumed to be, in the fourth wall. There is a settee up right, an armchair down left and one down right. A, small table with two chairs on either side of it stands at the centre,, , When the curtain rises it is an afternoon in early autumn and the stage can be well lit. Mrs, Pearson at right, and Mrs Fitzgerald at left, are sitting opposite each other at the small table,, on which are two tea-cups and saucers and the cards with which Mrs Fitzgerald has been, telling Mrs Pearson’s fortune. Mrs Pearson is a pleasant but worried-looking woman in her, forties. Mrs Fitzgerald is older, heavier and a strong and sinister personality. She is smoking,, \t is very important that these two should have sharply contrasting voices —Mrs Pearson, speaking in a light, flurried sort of tone, with a touch of suburban Cockney perhaps; and Mrs, Fitzgerald with a deep voice, rather Irish perhaps., , MRS FITZGERALD: [collecting up the cards] And that's all | can tell you, Mrs Pearson. Could, be a good fortune. Could be a bad one. All depends on yourself now. Make up your mind—and, there itis., , -The story begins with both Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald sitting opposite each other, at Mrs Pearson's place. Mrs Fitzgerald is a fortune-teller and she has supposedly seen Mrs, Pearson's fortune, thus, she continues to say that she has told her all that is within her, capacity to tell. The same reading can work in a positive way if Mrs Pearson's actions are in, sync with it or it could turn out to be bad too., , MRS PEARSON: Yes, thank you, Mrs Fitzgerald. I'm much obliged, I'm sure. It’s wonderful, having a real fortune-teller living next door. Did you learn that out East, too?, , -Mrs Pearson expresses her gratitude towards Mrs Fitzgerald for having seen her, fortune and shares how great it is to have someone like her around. She then asks her if she, (Mrs Fitzgerald) has learned the art of fortune-telling from the East?, , MRS FITZGERALD: | did. Twelve years | had of it, with my old man rising to be Lieutenant