 Your Coca-Cola bottler presents Claudia based on the famous play and novels by Rose Franken Brought to you transcribed Monday through Friday by your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola Relax and while you're listening refresh yourself. Have a coke And now Claudia Have you gone up to get dressed yet? What's the hurry mom dinner will be ready in a moment good I'm getting hungry say that again. I'm getting hungry I'm getting star of David. Did you hear that? Hmm? What? Oh, yes, I heard it She's just keeping a stiff upper chin mother. Why shouldn't I be hungry praying because no actress is supposed to be hungry on the opening night of her play Maybe I'm not an actress at stomach the very thought of food Cheer up mother a few more hours, and you'll be able to eat again. I'll never be the same Why did I have to be afflicted with a daughter who wants to be an actress who doesn't have the sense to suffer her own stage fright? David, you're not nervous. Are you nervous? I'm not the ones going out on the stage. Why should I be nervous? Who's nervous? You think we're going to enjoy watching you make a fool of yourself, Mrs. Norton go up and get yourself ready. Yes. Yes, go on. Oh, I'm ready I don't have to get dressed up tonight. You're the ones who are going to the funeral now That's a fine way to talk the way you're behaving Honestly, if I didn't know better, I think you expected me to be a flop. Well, you don't know us better. Good Mama, what are we having for dinner? Bertha has something cooked up. I suggested boiled eggs and noodles Very sensible, but she looked wise and said she had something more nourishing planned. I hope you enjoy it Must we talk about food so much? No darling, of course not. Let's talk about something cheerful What do we do after the performance? Come home. I think we ought to go out and celebrate. Celebrate what? Mama's right. We ought to wait and see If the play's good, we can come home. If it isn't, then we can go out. Should be vice versa Should not. If it's good, we don't need anybody else but us, do we? Let's um, let's talk about something else Something that has nothing to do with the theater. What time do you have to leave, Claudia? Oh, uh, about 15 minutes or so. Maybe later. Doesn't matter much. We should go all over Courage, mother. Courage. I'll go see what's keeping dinner. All I want is a couple You know, David, I don't think that Mama's half as nervous about my having the baby is about my play opening tonight Of course she wasn't. Well, you'd think that she'd be... After all, you you didn't have the baby in front of 800 people, did you? I hadn't thought of that I suppose that's it. Besides the witch, Mama had about nine months to prepare herself for the baby You only had nine days for this birth. I guess it's worse being somebody's mother than Just being yourself. It's worse being somebody's husband, too Is it because you love me, do you think? An incurable disease, worse luck. Good luck for me I wonder if I'm going to be any good tonight Said you have decent seats. Best seats in the house. Whereabouts so I can blow you a kiss when I come on the stage Last row of the orchestra right on the aisle. What's best about them? Very strategically located But you won't be hardly able to see or hear from there. I'll see and hear enough You know, sometimes I don't understand you at all. Now you will someday When? When our son is elected to give the valedictory speech at his school graduation That's an awful long time to wait to find out about tonight You'll survive. The dinner's ready, Claudia. First, let's put it out on the table Coming, David? Might as well Whatever this smells good David, your hand is like ice. Ice? It is not Feel it, Mama. It's like ice. I wouldn't know You aren't nervous like Mama, are you? Me? Of course not. He's just nervous like he We're going to eat with me, David, aren't you? Well, sure I am Look, cheese souffle and sausages. Oh, dear. What a wonderful dinner, isn't it? Yes Isn't it to go on and help yourself take as much as you want? David, you're pale. It's the light in here. Reflection of this cheese souffle yellow, you know All the better. The more souffle for me. Mrs. Brown, your daughter was born without a nerve in her body Mr. Norton, your wife was born without a brain in her head. Any self-respecting actress can't eat a crumb her opening night Helen Hayes, Catherine Cornell, in Fontaine, not a crumb. Oh, what a wonderful souffle This bode's no good. Claudia, don't you feel anything? Maybe I'm dead. Maybe I died of fright last night at the dress rehearsal. Maybe this is my etheric body Maybe it's your etheric brain. Well, if that's what it is, it's wonderful Nothing bothers me. It's just as if I were managing me for myself David, Mama, I wish you were etheric too. I wish I were dead. It's getting late Not much more time Well I'll have to get dressed. I hate leaving you like this, David I wish I could stay with you. Here, have a little souffle Don't go away with that stuff. Mother, make her take it from under my nose Claudia, we are in no mood for games Honestly, you think you're the actors, not me Personally, I don't think you're much of an actress the way you're eating Such a beautiful night for an opening. There'll be a moon and stars and Everything's right with the world. Now, this is unnatural. Maybe we should call a doctor, mother David, maybe we could go for a nice, long drive after the opening I wish she'd display some sign of life, David. I'm not sure she realizes what's happening Mrs. Norton, she eats well? The most delicious souffle birthday you were sweet to make it Oh, yeah, the souffle goes down easy I wish you could get Mama and David to eat some. They just won't I hope you're in threats or finish it up We'll maybe later, but we're not so hungry tonight You're feeling all right, aren't you? Yeah, we just hope you are a big success Well, I'm certainly going to do my best Fritz, he wishes to talk to you if he may come in Of course, he may come in Oh, yeah, well, he did not wish to interrupt your dinner But I will tell him What's he looking so upset about? I wouldn't know Where are my matches? I can't find my matches David, there's some on the table. They're right in front of you Where? Where? I don't see you Right there, besides the butterfly Oh, yeah, it's funny. I didn't see them What time is it, Mother? Almost time for Claudia to leave Oh, we'd better get ready too David, darling, you look so warm Take your coat off I feel fine, fine, just fine Only it were tomorrow morning Mrs. Norton Oh, Fritz, I didn't hear you coming I just come to say we think of you. We wish you luck Thanks, Fritz. I need it It will go well. We pray for you I wish you would come to the theater We stay at home with the baby. We come another evening Well, another evening won't be opening evening It is better Fritz, I wouldn't mind staying home with the baby. You can go in my place It is difficult for you, I know, Mr. Norton, but you will not be failed I wish everybody would stop acting as if they were going to an execution This is supposed to be fun Yeah, maybe for you But not for those who love you They think only of the burst, so it will not happen Bertha and I will be up when you come home Then we will hear the best Of course you will Well, I'm going to run up and say goodnight to the baby Then I'm off to the theater And the next time you see me, I'll be in a spotlight Aspirin helps, Mr. Norton I have had four I'm way ahead of you, Fritz. I've had six Seriously, David, is it normal for Claudia to be so phlegmatic? Maybe something will matter whether glans or something I think she's just putting on a good act so we won't be nervous She's making me twice as nervous Well, she ate her dinner Stuck in my throat watching her David, it can't be good to be so calm It's almost as if she were in a dream Oh, she'll come out of it when she gets to the theater She's been excited all week Maybe she's got nothing left to be excited with It's unnatural Why is it Claudia can't do anything like anybody else? Here I am fit to be tired And she's going on as if nothing were happening The price of motherhood The price is too high Well, blame it on inflation Have you told her Julia and Hartley and Roger are coming up to the show? I thought it would make her nervous so I didn't Maybe I should The unpredictable, Claudia If she's ever in a play again, I'm going to Kalamazoo The baby's asleep Lucky baby He looks so sweet His cheeks all pink Must be funny to just lie around not knowing what's going on You ought to know David, you're not driving me over? No, no, I'll come over later But if I use the car, how will you manage? I'll manage, I'll call a cab Be sure you're not late, dear Do you think I want to miss a second of it? Yes, I do All right, you are Well, I'm going up and get started Oh, come on out to the car, wave me goodbye Since you've been in the theatre, every slightest thing has become a theatrical scene Oh, beautiful art, isn't it? Look, there's our crow come to wish me luck Now she's getting whimsical there Hello, Willie Now I enter the car with you, darling, and for once drive carefully Even if I don't care what happens to you, the rest of the theatre does And for the theatre's sake I'll drive carefully David, please don't be nervous Will you stop saying that to me? Never, because I love you No, I love you too, so scram Telling me, isn't it not? Not in words, anyway That's better Action certainly do speak louder than words Well, so long, Claudia So long, David Come backstage during the intermissions, David, will you? Yeah, sure Now drive slowly, you have plenty of time David, smile What have I got to smile about? Me Wish I was sure Claudia isn't in a daze Hey, Claudia, Claudia, watch where you're going Oh, mama, she's into the head, she's into the shrubbery Come on, mama Claudia, Claudia, darling, are you all right? I'm in the fence Are you all right? Are you hurt? I don't know what happened, except all of a sudden There was the picket fence right in front of me, right, right close Please don't be angry, darling Is she all right, David? I'm fine David, say something Darling, I love you David, you're crazy I am, yes, I'm crazy, I'm crazy about you Mama, what's gotten into her now? Nothing, nothing only you have just made me the happiest man alive I'm dreaming, now I know I'm dreaming Well, darling, it's so good to be married to a woman who drives like a fool and who knows enough to be nervous on her opening night But I'm not nervous At least I don't feel Well, you know, for a while you had me fooled But now, now I know that you're only human So kiss me and slide over Guess I'd better drive you to the theater after all Oh, darling, you are wonderful Are there days when your appetite needs coaxing at noontime? If you'd like a refreshing addition to your customary meal, bring home a carton of Coca-Cola Put those six bottles on ice and include an ice-cold bottle of coke with lunch tomorrow You'll agree it's much more enjoyable to lunch refreshed And coke is only a quarter of a carton Well, off they go to the theater Well, with my fingers crossed, Mrs. Brown And mine too You're going to the theater, Mr. King I should say I am Oh, dear, I hope it goes well Oh, don't worry, I'm certain it will What makes you certain? Just a hunch Personally, I think, uh, Claudia will really tonight act circles around Victoria Manners Oh, come now, Miss Manners is a very famous actress She may be a famous actress, all right, but when Claudia gets started Well, mark my word, she'll leave Miss Manners dumbstruck You're very kind, Mr. King Oh, not at all You'll see, uh, dumbstruck, I say Heavens, I'd better hurry Meet you at the theater, Mr. King All right, Mrs. Brown See you over at the theater Every day Monday through Friday Claudia comes to you transcribed with the best wishes of your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola So listen again tomorrow at the same time And now this is Joe King saying au revoir And remember, whoever you are, whatever you do Wherever you may be When you think of refreshment Think of Coca-Cola For Coca-Cola makes any pause the pause that refreshes And ice-cold Coca-Cola is everywhere These broadcasts are adapted for radio by Mania Star And the entire production is supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney And now here's a word from your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola