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Duet Acting - The Eagle and the Fox from the Scarlet Pimpernel
By Baroness Orczy
adapted by Christy Stutzman

This cutting chronicles Chauvelin, the villainous Frenchman, seeking to gain favor with those in charge of the French Revolution, and Sir Percy Blakeney a.k.a., the Scarlet Pimpernel. The elusive Pimpernel first meets his arch enemy at a party held in the home of Marguerite, Chauvelin's fiance` and Sir Percy's future wife. The meeting is very comical, for Sir Percy plays the part of a British fop, or idiot - only concerned about fashion and frivolities. Ofcourse, this is all a front, to keep his enemy from suspecting that he could ever have a serious thought in his head. And yet even in fun, Percy gets the best of Chauvelin in wit and style! The Scarlet Pimpernel is an Englishman, who is helping French aristocrats escape their deaths at the guillotine, and smuggling them into England. The French Committee of National Security assigns Chauvelin to track him down. Througout the duet acting, you see the Frenchman get closer and closer in his man hunt, and finally narrow in on the Scarlet Pimpernel - realizing, it is the ever-frustrating Sir Percy Blakeney, the man who stole Chauvelin's fiance`. In the last scene, it seems like Percy is trapped. The tension in the scene is incredible. But once again, the Scarlet Pimpernel slips through the fingers of Chauvelin with his incredible mind, timing, skill, and yes, style!! Excellent! A real winner. Requires a French accent for Chauvelin, and a proper British accent for Sir Percy. It is best to study the characters portrayed by Anthony Andrews and Ein Mclellan in the modern movie version, also starring Jane Seymour as Margurite.

For two men

approx 10-12 min.