"I'LL LEAVE IT
TO YOU"

A LIGHT COMEDY IN
THREE ACTS

BY
NOEL COWARD

SAMUEL

FRENCH

LONDON
NEW YORK      TORONTO       SYDNEY       HOLLYWOOD

The following text concerning the copyright and royalties was printed at the beginning of the book.
It is included here for historical interest only.
(note of transcriber)

Copyright 1920 by Samuel French Ltd

This play is fully protected under the copyright laws of the British Commonwealth of Nations, the United States of America, and all countries of the Berne and Universal Copyright Conventions.

All rights are strictly reserved.

It is an infringement of the copyright to give any public performance or reading of this play either in its entirety or in the form of excerpts without the prior consent of the copyright owners. No part of this publication may be transmitted, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, manuscript, typescript, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Copyright owners.

SAMUEL FRENCH LTD. 26 SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND, LONDON, WC2, or their authorized agents, issue licences to amateurs to give performances of this play on payment of a fee. The fee must be paid, and the licence obtained, before a performance is given.

Licences are issued subject to the understanding that it shall be made clear in all advertising matter that the audience will witness an amateur performance; and that the names of the authors of plays shall be included in all announcements and on all programmes.

The royalty fee indicated below is subject to contract and subject to variation at the sole discretion of Samuel French Ltd.

In territories overseas the fee quoted above may not apply. A quotation will be given upon application to the authorized agents, or direct to Samuel French Ltd.

ISBN 0 573 01199 0

To
MY MOTHER

"I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU"

Produced on Wednesday, July 21, 1920, at the New Theatre, London, with the following Cast of Characters:—

The action of the play takes place in Mulberry Manor, Mrs. Dermott's house, a few miles out of London.

Eighteen months elapse between acts one and two, and one night between acts two and three.

"I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU"

A plan of the stage of the New Theatre, London, set for the play is given at the end of the book.{*}

Scene.—The Hall of Mulberry Manor. All the furniture looks very comfortable. Through the window can be seen a glimpse of a snowy garden; there it a log fire. The light is a little dim, being late afternoon. Seated on the table swinging her legs is Joyce, she is attired in a fur coat and goloshes, very little else can be seen, except a pink healthy looking young face. Sylvia is seated on the Chesterfield R. She is twenty-one and exceedingly pretty. It is about five days before Christmas.

Joyce (brightly). My feet are simply soaking.

Sylvia (sewing). Why on earth don't you go and change them? You'll catch cold.

(Bobbie enters R. He is a slim, bright-looking youth of twenty.)

Joyce. I don't mind if I do. (Laughs.) Colds are fun.

Bobbie. She loves having a fuss made of her, beef tea—chicken—jelly with whipped cream—and fires in her bedroom, little Sybarite.

Joyce. So do you.

Bobbie (comes C.). No, I don't; whenever my various ailments confine me to my bed, I chafe—positively chafe at the terrible inactivity. I want to be up and about, shooting, riding, cricket, football, judo, the usual run of manly sports.

Sylvia. Knowing you for what you are—lazy, luxurious——

Bobbie (pained). Please, please, please, not in front of the child. (Joyce kicks). It's demoralizing for her to hear her idolized brother held up to ridicule.

Joyce. You're not my idolized brother at all—Oliver is. (Turning away, pouting.)

Bobbie (seated R. on Chesterfield, sweetly). If that were really so, dear, I know you have much too kind a heart to let me know it.