Temple Theaters Presents
ARCADIA
By Tom Stoppard
February 11-21, 2015
Arcadia Scene-by-Scene Analysis
WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Scene 1
1809. During her daily lesson, Thomasina questions her tutor, Septimus, about carnal embrace, after overhearing the phrase in a conversation between the butler and the cook. Septimus dodges Thomasina’s questions, as it was he who was involved in the illicit carnal embrace. Distracted, Thomasina debates the nature of free will versus determinism with Septimus. Ezra Chater, a poet and the offended party in the carnal embrace affair, interrupts and challenges Septimus to a duel. Septimus distracts Chater by flattering his poetry, temporarily diffusing the situation. Lady Croom protests the re-design of the manor’s grounds proposed by Mr. Noakes, the landscaper.
Scene 2
Present day. Bernard Nightingale, an academic, arrives at Sidley Park to research a possible connection between the poet Lord Byron and the estate. He questions Hannah Jarvis, an author also doing research at the house, while concealing his true identity because he gave her recent book a negative review. Chloe, the daughter of the house, accidentally reveals Bernard’s true identity, forcing him to reveal his theory to Hannah – that Lord Byron shot the poet Ezra Chater in a duel at Sidley Park. Hannah dismisses Bernard’s theory, but unwittingly gives him a piece of evidence – that Lord Byron and Septimus were contemporaries in college and knew each other – causing Bernard to kiss her. Bernard leaves, and Chloe teases Hannah about fixing her up with Bernard. Chloe’s brother, Gus, awkwardly flirts with Hannah by giving her an apple.
Scene 3
1809, the day after the action of Scene 1. In the middle of another lesson, Thomasina and Septimus trade gibes and information. Thomasina, in telling Septimus about what happened at that morning’s breakfast, reveals that Chater now knows it was Septimus who gave his last poem a negative review. Thomasina declares that she will use algebra to discover the equations that make up nature. Chater and his friend Brice confront Septimus about his offenses to Chater, but are interrupted by Lady Croom, who urges Septimus to convince Byron to remain at Sidley Park. Hurt by Lady Croom’s affection for Byron, Septimus agrees to the duel with Chater and Brice, arranging it for five am the next day.
Scene 4
Present day. As Hannah and Valentine read through documents from Septimus’s portfolio, Valentine teaches Hannah about iterated algorithms. Hannah theorizes that Thomasina unintentionally discovered iterated algorithms, a theory Valentine dismisses. Bernard enters, and he, Hannah and Valentine add up pieces of information (found independently) that prove Byron was at Sidley Park, and support Bernard’s claim that Byron shot Chater in a duel. Hannah begins to make the connection between the Sidley Park hermit and someone from the Croom household.
Scene 5
Present day. Bernard previews his lecture for Chloe, Valentine, Gus, and later Hannah. Hannah and Valentine continuously interrupt and contradict Bernard, while Chloe defends him. Bernard and Valentine trade barbs about the value of science versus art, until Valentine, insulted, confesses that he has given up on his grouse project and exits. Alone with Hannah, Bernard proposes the two of them have an affair, which she refuses. Before he leaves, Bernard gives Hannah an article that references the Sidley hermit, which she accepts. Based on the article, Hannah speculates that Septimus could be the Sidley hermit.
Scene 6
1809. The day following the action of Scene 3. Chater does not appear for the duel, so Septimus goes hunting instead, shooting a hare for Thomasina. Septimus buys information from Jellaby, who tells him the Chaters, Captain Brice and Byron have all left Sidley Park, banished by Lady Croom after she discovered Mrs. Chater leaving Byron’s room in the middle of the night. Lady Croom scolds Septimus for accepting a letter from Byron, and for writing letters to her and Thomasina in the event he died in the duel. Septimus burns the letter from Byron without reading it. Septimus flirts with Lady Croom. She accepts his advances, making arrangements for a rendezvous with him in her room. Septimus burns the letters he wrote to her and Thomasina.
Scene 7
(A)-Present day. Chloe theorizes that the only thing disrupting the deterministic universe is sex. Valentine proposes to Hannah again, which she refuses. Valentine shows Hannah what he is working on – a computer model of Thomasina’s algorithm.
(B)-1812. Thomasina daydreams about marrying Lord Byron, an idea Septimus shoots down. Augustus hints at knowing about Thomasina’s and Septimus’s kiss. Thomasina reminds Septimus that he promised to teach her how to waltz. Lady Croom complains about the noise from Mr. Noakes’s steam engine, and comments on the dahlia sent to her by Captain Brice and Mrs. Chater, and discovered by Mr. Chater, who has since died from a monkey bite.
(A)-Present day. While looking through Lady Croom’s garden books, Hannah finds notes about the dahlia indicating Chater was the one who discovered it, meaning he wasn’t killed in a duel at Sidley Park.
(B)-1812. Thomasina continues her scientific inquiry, much to Lady Croom’s distress, as she thinks Thomasina will be too educated to be married. Lady Croom admonishes Mr. Noakes for the disruption caused by his steam engine, and redesign of the gardens. Thomasina discovers the second law of thermodynamics.
(A)-Present day. Bernard panics after realizing Hannah’s discovery discredits his theory about the Byron-Chater duel. Hannah challenges Bernard, saying she will be the one to publicly point out his mistake.
(B)-1812. Later that night, Thomasina entreats Septimus to teach her to waltz. Septimus and Valentine, separated by time, review Thomasina’s essay and diagram on heat exchange and explain, each to the best of his knowledge, what it means.
(A)-Present day. Bernard leaves, having been further embarrassed by being caught having sex with Chloe by her mother.
(B)-1812. Septimus relents, and gives Thomasina her waltzing lesson. They kiss.
(A)-Present day. Gus gives Hannah the drawing of “Septimus holding Plautus,” the final piece in the puzzle of the Sidley Hermit. Gus invites Hannah to waltz with him. She accepts.