Produced by Delphine Lettau, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team HOBSON'S CHOICE A Lancashire Comedy in Four Acts By Harold Brighouse _Hobson's Choice_ was originally produced in America. Its first English production took place on June 22, 1916, at the Apollo Theatre, London, with the following cast: ALICE HOBSON . . . . . . . . _Miss Lydia Bilbrooke_. MAGGIE HOBSON . . . . . . . . _Miss Edyth Goodall_. VICKEY HOBSON . . . . . . . . _Miss Hilda Davies_. ALBERT PROSSER . . . . . . . . _Mr. Reginald Fry_. HENRY HORATIO HOBSON . . . . . . _Mr. Norman McKinnel_. MRS. HEPWORTH . . . . . . . . _Miss Dora Gregory_. TIMOTHY WADLOW (TUBBY). . . . . . _Mr. Sydney Paxton_. WILLIAM MOSSOP . . . . . . . . _Mr. Joe Nightingale_. JIM HEELER . . . . . . . . . _Mr. J. Cooke Beresford_. ADA FIGGINS . . . . . . . . . _Miss Mary Byron_. FRED BEENSTOCK . . . . . . . . _Mr. Jefferson Gore_. DR. MACFARLANE . . . . . . . . _Mr. J. Fisher White_. The play produced by MR. NORMAN McKINNEL. _The_ SCENE _is Salford, Lancashire, and the period is 1880_. ACT I. _Interior of_ HOBSON'S _Shop in Chapel Street_. ACT II. _The same scene_. ACT III. WILL MOSSOP'S _Shop_. ACT IV. _Living-room of_ HOBSON'S _Shop_. PUBLISHER'S NOTE. Acknowledgements are made to Mr. William Armstrong, Director of the Liverpool Repertory Company, for allowing his prompt copy to be used in preparing this acting edition. [Illustration] Red Walls, Brown oaken dado. T. gas bracket over counter. Turkey red curtains half up window. No carpet. Small rug at door R. Shoes on counter and showcases. Hanging laces. Advertisements. Boot polishes. Brushes. Brown paper on counter. Clogs in rows under shelves R. C. Black cane furniture and rush-bottomed. Heavy leather armchair. Piece of rough leather on shelves. The trap is eminently desirable. However, should the stage used have no trap, the work-room may be supposed to be off-stage, with a door up Right. HOBSON'S CHOICE ACT 1