OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  George Shiels 

• Setting

  Broom's House, in Purdystown, and a lodging-house in Belfast, over a twenty-four hour period.

• Synopsis

  Archy and Emily are an embarrassment to Archy's well-to-do family, with Archy himself having served time, and Emily being the family's former servant girl. Under an agreement with the family, they go to England, and as long as they stay there, they are to receive a regular allowance. But when the couple's home in Coventry is bombed, Emily demands to return home, and when they do Archy's family is outraged. Demanding a return on their agreement should the couple stay, they swiftly discover Emily's shrewdness. As she plays their nuisance value off against family relationships,events take some rather unexpected twists.

• Play Type

  Plays General
  

  Number Of Acts

  Full-Length

Cast size

• Male

  5

• Female

  5

• Total

  10

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  03 April 1944

• Producer

  Produced by Ulster Group Theatre

• Original Venue

  Group Theatre
  

Source Of Information

Information for this entry was taken from the original production programme, the published script, press cuttings and from the Theatre and Performing Arts Archive of the Linen Hall Library, Belfast.