BERTIE
It's an English tradition
We like to say hallo
We hope by shaking hands that we'll recall your name
We work on that basis, remembering faces
But that's about all
I know you're somebody something
It's on the tip of my tongue
You're either Edith Sitwell or the Bow Street Beak
I'll know who you are, the moment you speak ...
But meanwhile, just put in right there
How do you do?
BUDGE
How do you do?
GUSSIE
How do you do?
BERTIE
Hallo again...
BUDGE
How goes it all?
GUSSIE
Good day to you
BERTIE
You keeping fit?
BUDGE
So great to meet you
GUSSIE
It's been an age
BERTIE
A tiny world
BUDGE
How do you -
GUSSIE
How do you -
BERTIE
How do you -
BUDGE
How do you -
ALL
How do you do?
BUDGE
How's life with you?
GUSSIE
Good evening all
BERTIE
You're looking well
BUDGE
Well, hi there, stranger
GUSSIE
Surprise, surprise
BERTIE
What could be nicer, meeting like this?
I confess I've forgotten
Who on earth you can be
It could be you're Nijinsky or the man next door-
BUDGE
How do you -
GUSSIE
How do you -
BERTIE
How do you -
BUDGE
How do you -
ALL
How do you do?
GUSSIE
You're either Pablo Picasso
BUDGE
Or maybe Harpo Marx
BERTIE
You might be Sarah Bernhardt - no, you're Wittgenstein
GUSSIE
Whoever I am though, the pleasure's all mine
BUDGE
Let's take it and shake it right there
BERTIE
Well, fancy this
GUSSIE
It's surely not?
BUDGE
I can't believe
BERTIE
Good Lord alive!
GUSSIE
How long's it been?
BUDGE
You've hardly changed
BERTIE
You've lost some weight
GUSSIE
I can't believe it!
BUDGE
It's been a while
BERTIE
You're just the same
BUDGE
How do you -
GUSSIE
How do you -
BERTIE
How do you -
BUDGE
How do you -
ALL
How do you do?
GUSSIE
What brings you here?
BERTIE
How's life back home?
BUDGE
How's business been?
GUSSIE
And how's your father?
BERTIE
My sainted aunt!
What could be better, meeting like this?
Though I haven't an inkling
Not a clue who you are
You could be Amy Johnson
BUDGE
No, I'm Al Capone. How do you -
GUSSIE
How do you -
BERTIE
How do you -
BUDGE
How do you -
ALL
How do you do?
BUDGE
Aren't you Marlene Dietrich?
GUSSIE
I think I'm Bernard Shaw
BERTIE
It really doesn't matter who on earth you are
The truth of it all is our friendship's been far
Too long now to bother with names
It's just another episode
In the Wooster moral code
Let's extend the hand of greeting
ALL
Hallo there, whoever you are
How do you do