OVERVIEW

• Playwright

  Richard Hayward 

• Notes

  The cast and character lists for this entry are drawn from reviews of the premiere production. As such, cast size details should be taken as approximate.

• Synopsis

  Mary Connor is the wife of a jealous merchant seaman John Connor. One night, as she impatiently awaits his return, Mary is visited by Tom Farrell, her former sweetheart whose love she no longer reciprocates. When she hears a knock at the door, Mary panics at the possibility that her husband may have returned early and goes to hide Farrell. The visitor, however, turns out to be Isaac Perleman, a Jewish pedlar from whom she is in the process of buying a violin for her husband. As she pays off another instalment, Mary discovers that her husband, who disapproves of the Jew, is indeed coming, and she hides Perleman too. John Connor arrives and finds Perleman, but is remorseful on discovering Mary's efforts on his behalf and pays the outstanding bill. Perleman insists on taking him out for a drink out of courtesy, and Farrell seizes his opportunity to escape unseen. The play ends happily, and Mary's good name is retained.

• Play Type

  Plays General
  

  Number Of Acts

  One Act

Cast size

• Male

  3

• Female

  2

• Total

  5

Original Production

• Date of First Production

  18 December 1920

• Producer

  Produced by Ulster (Literary)Theatre

• Original Venue

  Gaiety Theatre
  

Source Of Information

Information for this entry has come from reviews of the premiere production, and from Margaret McHenry's 'The Ulster Theatre in Ireland'