Audiobook · read by volunteers
Miss Civilization
Richard Harding Davis (1864–1916)
Read by Kristin Hughes (1974-2021), Betsie Bush, Julian Jamison · 1 chapter · 37 min
About the book
A young woman is alone in her house one night when three burglars climb in through the window. They expect an easy job. What they find instead is Miss Civilization, a quick-witted and unflappable hostess who has her own plans for the evening, and who turns the tables with charm, nerve and a good deal of mischief. Richard Harding Davis’s one-act comedy is a brisk piece of theatre, full of crossed purposes, comic reversals and a satisfying shift of power between the thieves and the lady of the house. The play was recorded in Chicago at the LibriVox World Gathering in May 2007, and the cast of volunteers brings it to life with energy and obvious enjoyment. It takes about half an hour, ideal for a coffee break, a lunch hour or an evening wind-down. Come and meet three bumbling burglars and the woman who outwits them.
Introduction
Richard Harding Davis was born in 1864 and died in 1916. He was an American journalist, war correspondent and writer of fiction and plays, and in his day he was one of the most famous reporters in the English-speaking world. He was also admired for his fashionable adventure stories and his brisk, polished style.
Miss Civilization is a one-act comedy dated 1906. It belongs to the tradition of light stage comedies that were popular at the beginning of the twentieth century, usually performed in a single room with a small cast and a plot that turns on a clever reversal. In this case, a young woman matches wits with three burglars who have come to rob her house. The humour comes from the contrast between the criminals’ expectations and the reality of the situation.
The recording was made in Chicago at the LibriVox World Gathering in May 2007, an event at which volunteers from different places met in person. This makes it a rare group performance, as most LibriVox recordings are made by individuals working alone at home. The cast includes Kristin Hughes, Betsie Bush and Julian Jamison among its members, and the play is delivered in a single track of about thirty-five minutes.
For those who like short comedies, old-fashioned theatre or the idea of an audio play performed by amateurs for pure enjoyment, this is an easy and cheerful choice. It also offers a glimpse of the kind of entertainment audiences once enjoyed before cinema and radio took over.
Public domain
Richard Harding Davis died in 1916: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text