Overview
Synopsis
Like many of J.B. Priestley’s play Danger Corner plays with the idea of time and circumstance, asking the all-important question: what if? The play opens in the drawing room of Freda and Robert Caplan’s country house. They have been hosting a dinner party for family (Freda’s brother Gordon, and his wife Betty), colleagues (Charles Stanton and Olwen Peel), and friends (Maud Mockridge). While the men enjoy their drinks in the dining room, the ladies listen to a radio play called “The Sleeping Dog”. After being joined by the menfolk, the conversation swiftly turns to a musical cigarette box that is a relatively new appearance in the drawing room. When Olwen makes a fleeting, yet poignant remark that she has seen the box before, the party are drawn into a spiraling series of shocking revelations about the death of Robert’s brother, Martin, and their emotionally complex relationships with each other. The group has turned a dangerous corner and the truth, the entire truth, comes tumbling out. Should they have let sleeping dogs lie? As the play reaches its climax, the scene suddenly returns to the opening moments of the play as the party listens to the radio and relaxes after dinner. This time, the cigarette box isn’t mentioned and the dinner party continues as planned.
Show Information
- Book
- J.B. Priestley
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1932
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- The drawing room of Robert and Freda Caplan's house, England, 1930s
- Cast Size
- small
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult Characters, Small Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher