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Overview

Synopsis

It is 1665. As London spirals toward disaster in plague-time, a wealthy aristocrat and his invalid wife remain under quarantine inside their lavish home. In the middle of the night, two intruders –- a sailor and a mysterious girl –- break in and start demanding food. In the ensuing days, all behave according to their accustomed roles. Yet. as time drags on, the boundaries that defined life, previously, are rewritten and abandoned: the master and the servant switch, gender roles turn somersaults, and a stately marriage is nullified by passion. In this gripping drama, playwright Naomi Wallace applies her supreme gifts to the social morays of Elizabethan times. The result feels like an ultimatum, urgent and intense, for the present moment.

Show Information

Book
Naomi Wallace
Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
2
First Produced
1955
Genres
Drama, Dark Comedy, Historical/Biographical
Time & Place
london, england, a comfortable house in westminster, 1665
Cast Size
small
Licensor
Broadway Play Publishing, Inc
Ideal For
adult audience, professional theatre, community theatre, college / university theatre, small cast, mature audience, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Mature Adult, Elderly, Adult, Child Characters, Small Cast

Context

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Plot

Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Mr William Snelgrave

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Ms Darcy Snelgrave

Lead

Female

Non-singer

Bunce

Lead

Male

Non-singer

Morse

Lead

Female

Non-singer

Kabe

Featured

Male

Non-singer

Songs

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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

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Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

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Videos

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Quizzes

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Themes, Symbols & Motifs

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Quote Analysis

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