Having famously transformed Eliza Doolittle from a lowly street-girl into a “consort for a king”, in 1918 Professor Henry Higgins must now hide the Imperial Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia as a lowly household scrub-girl from Bolshevik Secret Police who search for her after she survived her family’s execution. She seeks a working class life but as the last pure blood of the Czar she could reclaim rule and power away from the Bolsheviks. Only her death guarantees their total control of Russia

1. A PEARL BEFORE SWINE
Treatment/Story Outline
By
Marisa Torre
MarisaTorre@live.ca

2. A PEARL BEFORE SWINE
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A PEARL BEFORE SWINE by Marisa Torre
1918 London England historical drama
Based on the G.B. Shaw story of Pygmalion and My Fair Lady
Public domain in U.S.A. since his death in 1956 and published before 1923
Teen audience appeal from young leads and tie-in to High School lessons
All audience appeal from previous success and curiosity of story evolution
My literary hero is G.B Shaw. At age 15 in High School English class, I was
greatly influenced by his play MRS WARREN'S PROFESSION, not so much for
the salacious subject matter he made sociable to discuss, but because he
taught me to understand the other side of judicious morality.
With A PEARL BEFORE SWINE, Shaw’s work becomes relevant to a new
generation engaging elements of history and literature they can relate to.
I am mindful to do justice to Shaw's elevated views of morality and the
depiction of common decency in those we see as below us and the defects of
those we see as above us.
Having famously transformed Eliza Doolittle from a lowly street-girl into a
“consort for a king”, in 1918 Professor Henry Higgins must now hide the
Imperial Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia as a lowly household scrub-girl
from the Bolshevik Secret Police who search for her after she survived her
family’s execution. She seeks a dignified working class life but as the last
pure blood of the Czar, Anastasia could reclaim rule and political power away
from the Bolsheviks. Only her death guarantees their total control of Russia.
Story Outline:
Easter 1916, at The Alexander Palace in Russia, 15 year old
Anastasia and her siblings, beautifully dressed, dance playfully
in the Formal Reception Room.
Their mother, Empress Alexandra engages the Royal Guests and
their father Nicholas ll prepares to present the Faberge Egg.
It is received with awe and admiration, the music plays and guests applaud.
As chubby children devour fancy sweets, elegant servants bring Nicholas and
some of the Gentlemen guests an exclusive bottle of the finest champagne.
Together they pop the corks and cheer with delight...
But in July 1918 to Anastasia, that happy cheer is a memory becoming the
execution order to “Fire!” and the champagne corks popping become the
rifles shooting at her now war-ravaged Royal Family.
September 1918, London England, at the door of HENRY HIGGINS’ home,
a dirty, raggedy young woman, barely alive,
is being shooed away by the household staff until ELIZA DOOLITTLE
recognizes her as the IMPERIAL GRAND DUCHESS ANASTASIA of Russia.
She must have escaped execution by the BOLSHEVIK SECRET POLICE,
during the Russian Civil War after Nicholas' abdication, last July.
Anastasia is brought in unconscious and cared for.

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VIKTOR TERESHKOVA pleads with a very reluctant Henry Higgins to hide her
until the Bolshevik Secret Police executioners stop looking for her in England.
Viktor brought her here because he is in love with Anastasia.
He was an executioner assigned to Anastasia but loaded his gun with blanks.
Higgins must also teach her to live out a dignified working class life with
Viktor in London where it is possible she has more family besides the Royals.
HIGGINS
Am I to make a sow’s ear of a
silk purse!?
Higgins’ reluctance is political, personal and professional;
Anastasia’s family initially hoped to seek exile in England, as they were quite
closely related to the British Royal family.
But the British Government won’t accept any of the Czar’s family, fearing it
would imply a declaration of war.
Higgins doesn’t mind being shunned by stodgy Government officials, but
dreads being favoured by foppish Royals.
And it goes against Higgins’ personal and professional principles to lower a
person’s status in life instead of elevating it.
Viktor has an Embassy contact in London who received a telegram regarding
a “diplomatic visit” from the Bolsheviks within the month, depending on the
weather, among reports that The Bolshevik Secret Police know Anastasia is
still alive. She needs a new identity and a safe place to hide.
The Bolshevik Secret Police will deny their intention to kill Anastasia.
But, she can prove the Bolsheviks’ abusive and unconstitutional actions
which will compromise their political power.
And, as the last pure blood of the Czar, she can reclaim the rule and political
power of Russia away from them. They want her dead.
Viktor also stands to be killed for treason if he is discovered.
He defected from the Bolshevik Secret Police and severed his past.
He faces his own expatriate and uncertain future.
He also seeks refuge in a new identity for the present.
Higgins has absolutely no regard or distain for Anastasia personally. He has
admiration for Viktor’s defiant spirit, but also distain for Viktor’s selfish,
romantic motives. Higgins doesn’t see how it’s possible to hide her here.
Eliza suggests to Higgins that he wouldn’t have to hide a Royal, if Anastasia
became one of the working class. This is an undertaking of value to him as
an experiment in linguistics, comportment and social comment. Higgins
could go on to lead a whole new class of deposed aristocrats adjusting to a
new life as commoners. There could be a new book in it for him.
Higgins finally accepts Anastasia as an equal challenge as was Eliza.
But when Anastasia revives, she refuses their plan.

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She hates Viktor for not letting her die with her family.
Anastasia prefers to face her fate as the Russian Royalty that she is,
to expose the Bolsheviks for what they did and write a book to defend her
father’s honourable intentions about the misguided attacks on innocents.
She feels it is a betrayal to the way she was raised by her parents.
The world should know that they lived simply and were against the
ostentatious squandering of the Russian Royal family’s wealth.
Anastasia is not afraid to work hard as a domestic, but she detests and
protests against having to deny her true identity.
She tries to escape, but she faints, still emaciated and weak.
She has no choice but to stay put for at least a few more meals.
Higgins assigns his household staff to spend all of Anastasia’s waking
moments engaged in conversation with her, even while she eats.
Anastasia’s first days are an emotional mess; rebellious and resentful.
She swings between manic bursts of her former behaviour; an energetic
young girl with a zest for life and then bouts of debilitating mourning and
grief. She suffers nightmares and insomnia.
She was also well known for pranks on household members and servants,
which she still does.
In a few days, some of the more kindly household staff makes Anastasia
understand the value of that plan for her.
They explain their preference for working in a grand house like this one
instead of owning a small one of their own.
“The scraps of the rich are better than the feast of the poor.”
Some of the staff is made up of couples working together with their own
children in junior positions who are working to afford a higher education.
They reveal the higher ambitions they have for themselves with the talents
and dreams that their employers don’t even know about let alone appreciate.
They are all “pearls before swine”.
Others of the staff resent her past but sympathize with her loss of family.
Anastasia finally accepts the reality that her future depends on this plan.
-but only long enough to fool the Bolshevik Secret Police executioners while
they search for her in England.
Then she will find a way to redeem her family’s honour, even as a
commoner.
Now they can really get down to work.
Higgins modifies the lessons and procedures, previously used to teach Eliza
the proper behaviour and speech of an elegant upper class lady,
to teach Anastasia the unrefined mannerisms, attitudes and rough sloppy
speech of the working class.
Eliza teaches Anastasia her street slang to sell flowers.

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Viktor also needs a job.
Since Higgins cannot fathom the operation of his new fangled
'Auto-mobility transportation device', (car)
Viktor is hired to work as a driver and quite possibly protection.
Besides Viktor's technical military training as an elite agent, he already has
the mannerisms and mind-set of the working class.
And, being near Anastasia, every day, he tries valiantly to win her heart.
Viktor applies his work ethic learning to speak slang and Cockney
colloquialism from the household staff, ironically, to hide his perfect English
even with a Russian accent.
But Anastasia has a life-time of assumed privilege to overcome.
Occasionally, elements of Higgins’ life remind Anastasia of her past.
She misses her former life and pretty clothes.
She forgets her place and still expects to be waited on instead of waiting on.
Eliza’s friendship is a welcomed consolation, but not always a comfort.
Anastasia works hard cooking and cleaning in the kitchen and doing the
laundry, even though she suffers a small deformity in her left foot, as well as
a back weakness.
She finds it easy to be less graceful and more inelegant through sheer
physical exhaustion.
It even bends her inherently regal posture.
She begins to appreciate the comfortable refuge of Viktor’s cultural
familiarity and his noble intentions.
Anastasia successfully learns to speak in lower class colloquialism, but she is
well educated, experienced and opinionated beyond the scope of any
common working class scrub-girl.
Even in bad English, she engages very erudite and elevated conversation
when George Bernard Shaw visits Prof Higgins and also when Stravinsky,
Freud and Picasso come to tea.
Soon, a roguish nephew of the King finds out that Anastasia is here.
He visits with exquisite gifts and the intention to claim her in marriage
as she was promised to him as children.
He can offer the regal lifestyle she is accustomed to, an exciting social life
and all the resources to write her book and defend her father's legacy.
Anastasia enjoys his company and invites him to return.
Viktor seethes with jealous rage.
He threatens to kill Anastasia before he sees her compromise herself and her
legacy on the pretences of marginal Royals -and after everything he has
done and sacrificed for her!
He storms out and doesn’t return that night.

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The next day, Higgins has an unexpected visit from Bolshevik Agents before
Viktor can get back to warn him.
When the Bolshevik Agents arrive Anastasia is outside, scrubbing the front
entrance and cleaning the door.
Anastasia fools them well;
She is ordered to summon Prof Higgins and let them in.
Anastasia obediently opens the door and allows them to enter.
When she offers to take their coats it surprises them.
They look her over.
She suffers their rude arrogance because she is dirty and beneath even a
simple maid or housekeeper and they send her away.
They will wait for a proper butler to take their coats and serve their tea.
But they recognize Viktor.
There is a fight and a chase.
The Bolshevik Agents capture Viktor and tie him up in the basement.
They offer him a deal;
His total pardon, cash reward and a free new life, in exchange for Anastasia.
The Bolshevik Agents commandeer Higgins’ home in case Anastasia goes
there to find Viktor.
They ransack the house, control all communications in and out of the home,
guard all the doors and windows, and scrutinize every activity.
Higgins is of course enraged.
Eliza maintains civility between them.
Anastasia must hide in plain view right in front of them for hourly inspection.
And the King’s Nephew will be calling for Anastasia openly and unaware...
INTERMISSION
While Viktor is tortured and questioned in the stark squalor of the basement
Higgins is tortured with rage in his luxurious bedroom.
Eliza distracts the guards among the household staff so that Anastasia can
eavesdrop Bolshevik conversations then translate to Higgins.
Higgins is kept in his bedroom and study, let out only to eat with the Agents.
Viktor is kept awake, tied-up and beaten.
Eliza is kept busy orchestrating meals and tea for the Agents
Anastasia is kept dirty and ragged and quiet during inspections.
To free Viktor, some of the female staff try to distract the Bolshevik Agents
by flirting, but they are not successful and are beaten to discourage others.
Anastasia feels guilty and remorseful and decides to give herself up.

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But, even the staff who previously resented her convinces her she is worth
saving; not for the Aristocracy she was born into, but for the Lady of
courage and class she has made of herself.
The Bolshevik Agents have no choice but to allow deliveries and services.
They must not stir suspicion that would bring the authorities to interfere.
Anastasia and the household staff use their contact with tradesmen who
come to the back-door with deliveries and services to speak in Cockney code
right in front of the Bolshevik Agents.
It takes a while, but finally it’s the Dustman who clues-in to what is going on
Anastasia gives him a slang phrase the Bolshevik Agents don’t understand.
“The scraps of the rich is better than the feast of the poor.”
With haste, the Dustman goes to the Embassy where they refuse him entry
because of his dirty smelly clothes.
He goes to the local Police where he has a reputation for being a drunkard
and is laughed out of the building and almost arrested.
He goes to Scotland Yard but they don’t believe him.
Back at the house, Anastasia endures the anguished tyranny imposed upon
Viktor, Higgins, Eliza and the household staff by the Bolsheviks.
The Dustman decides he’ll go directly to the Buckingham Palace.
At the servant’s port and blending in as the Service Staff, the Dustman
finagles his way in to speak to an acquaintance in the furnace room.
He finally convinces the Palace staff to get a message to the King’s Nephew.
When King’s Nephew recognizes the phrase which could only be from
Anastasia herself, the Dustman is summoned.
Together they devise a plan.
King’s Nephew sends a messenger to engage the Palace Guards, Scotland
Yard and the Police.
Assuming Anastasia will marry him, King’s Nephew himself makes a heroic
rescue to free Viktor and advises him to leave England without Anastasia.
Viktor accuses King’s Nephew of informing the Bolsheviks.
King’s Nephew is about to reveal Anastasia and declare her as his bride.
Higgins makes a strong case for Anastasia to be with her own kind.
Eliza’s affectionate bond for her wants to keep Anastasia around as a friend.
They map out a delightful future for her as a socialite and philanthropist.
But Anastasia’s heart is with Viktor.
As a Royal she would always be the target of assassinations and scrutiny.
Only with Viktor can she have a full and productive private life.
She will marry him and take his name, forever.
A PEARL BEFORE SWINE

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A PEARL BEFORE SWINE by Marisa Torre MarisaTorre@live.ca
Born and raised of Italian parents in Toronto, Canada
Studied at Business at Seneca
Writing at Ryerson
2 yrs Royal Conservatory of Music
Worked:
12 years York Region District School Board, Educational Assistant and Tutor
5 years Volunteer - Art Gallery Ontario(AGO), TIFF, and Canadian Film Fest
2 years TV Producer - Rogers Cable TV
Published Author 2006
Written: 12 Children’s Books Google: Marisa Torre:
7 TV Pilots Twitter – 1700+ Followers
4 Feature Films LinkedIn – 4600+
5 Poetry Books Stage32 – 19,000+
FaceBook – 900+ –
PoetryForPeopleWhoHatePoetry