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duologue
Comedy
2 Characters

Act I, Scene 1 — The Hand-bag Exchange

from The Importance of Being Earnest

Written by Oscar Wilde

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Lady Bracknell interrogates Jack Worthing about his family lineage, only to be horrified by the revelation that he was discovered as a baby in a handbag at Victoria Station.

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LADY BRACKNELL: To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. Who was your father?

JACK: I am afraid I really don’t know. The fact is, Lady Bracknell, I said I had lost my parents. It would be nearer the truth to say that my parents seem to

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CharactersLady Bracknell, Jack Worthing
Duration3 min
Age Range35-45
GenderAny
GenreComedy
PeriodClassical
Formatduologue
SourceThe Importance of Being Earnest
Tonecomedic
AccentReceived Pronunciation (RP)
Suitable Fordrama school audition, agent showcase, general practice, competition
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