Blood on the Stage, 1925-1950: Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection : an Annotated RepertoireIn Blood on the Stage, 1925-1950: Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection: An Annotated Repertoire, author Amnon Kabatchnik continues the focus of his previous volume (1900-1925) and provides an overview of the most important and memorable theatrical works of crime and detection of this period. Addressing the development of this genre in the legitimate theatre, Kabatchnik discusses more than 150 full-length plays produced between 1925 and 1950. Arranged in chronological order, the productions cited are all works of enduring importance, pioneering contributions, singular innovations, and outstanding success. Many of the most notable playwrights of the era are represented, including Edgar Wallace, Eugene O'Neill, Ayn Rand, Jean-Paul Sartre, J.B. Priestley, and Agatha Christie. Each of the plays featured revolves around murder, theft, chicanery, kidnapping, political intrigue, or espionage. Each entry includes a plot synopsis, production data, and the opinions of well known and respected critics and scholars. The plays in this era include psychological thrillers and baffling whodunits, among them such memorable works as The Threepenny Opera, Rope, The Petrified Forest, Night Must Fall, Arsenic and Old Lace, An Inspector Calls, and Detective Story. |
Contents
Alias the Deacon 1925 | 1 |
The Ringer 1926 | 7 |
The Man Who Was Thursday 1926 | 17 |
The Shanghai Gesture 1926 | 22 |
The Donovan Affair 1926 | 28 |
Broadway 1926 | 35 |
An American Tragedy 1926 | 41 |
Caponsacchi 1926 | 46 |
The Unguarded Hour 1935 | 429 |
Night of January 16th 1935 | 433 |
A Slight Case of Murder 1935 | 439 |
Blind Alley 1935 | 442 |
Winterset 1935 | 445 |
Dead End 1935 | 449 |
I Want a Policeman 1936 | 452 |
Love from a Stranger 1936 | 454 |
Ned McCobbs Daughter 1926 | 51 |
Rio Rita 1926 | 54 |
Wooden Kimono 1926 | 59 |
Chicago 1926 | 62 |
In Abrahams Bosom 1926 | 68 |
Cock Robin 1927 | 73 |
Interference 1927 | 78 |
Dracula 1927 | 85 |
AnAdventure in the Macabre 1927 | 93 |
Crime 1927 | 109 |
The Letter 1927 | 113 |
The Spider 1927 | 118 |
The Trial of Mary Dugan 1927 | 122 |
Porgy 1927 | 127 |
The Wrecker 1927 | 132 |
The Racket 1927 | 137 |
The Call of the Bansheeaka The Banshee 1927 | 140 |
The Man at Six 1928 | 143 |
The Clutching Claw 1928 | 146 |
A Man with Red Hair 1928 | 150 |
Blackmail 1928 | 159 |
The Fourth Wall 1928 | 165 |
Diamond Lil 1928 | 168 |
The Skull 1928 | 174 |
Jealousy 1928 | 178 |
Alibi 1928 | 184 |
The Squeaker 1928 | 194 |
The Flying Squad 1928 | 196 |
The Bellamy Trial 1928 | 198 |
The Threepenny Opera 1928 | 202 |
Machinal 1928 | 215 |
No Other Tiger 1928 | 221 |
Gods of the Lightning 1928 | 224 |
The Sacred Flame 1928 | 229 |
Wings over Europe 1928 | 232 |
Brothers 1928 | 235 |
The Canary Murder Case 1928 | 238 |
Street Scene 1929 | 242 |
Rope 1929 | 245 |
Murder on the Second Floor 1929 | 251 |
Remote Control 1929 | 255 |
Subway Express 1929 | 258 |
The Criminal Code 1929 | 262 |
Ladies of the Jury 1929 | 265 |
Children of Darkness 1930 | 267 |
Dishonored Lady 1930 | 270 |
The Last Mile 1930 | 279 |
On the Spot 1930 | 283 |
The Silent Witness 1930 | 288 |
A Murder Has Been Arranged 1930 | 292 |
Black Coffee 1931 | 295 |
Payment Deferred 1931 | 297 |
The Case of the Frightened Lady 1931 | 305 |
Three Times the Hour 1931 | 309 |
Mourning Becomes Electra 1931 | 314 |
Jewel Robbery 1932 | 321 |
Whistling in the Dark 1932 | 326 |
Firebird 1932 | 329 |
Riddle Me This 1932 | 333 |
Dangerous Corner 1932 | 337 |
TenMinute Alibi 1933 | 341 |
The Holmeses of Baker Street 1933 | 344 |
Nine Pine Street 1933 | 347 |
Murder at the Vanities 1933 | 351 |
Double Door 1933 | 354 |
Keeper of the Keys 1933 | 357 |
The Dark Tower 1933 | 364 |
The Locked Room 1933 | 370 |
Blood Wedding 1933 | 372 |
They Shall Not Die 1934 | 379 |
Libel 1934 | 382 |
The Infernal Machine 1934 | 385 |
Emil and the Detectives 1934 | 390 |
Invitation to a Murder 1934 | 395 |
Line Engaged 1934 | 397 |
The Bishop Misbehaves 1934 | 400 |
The Petrified Forest 1934 | 406 |
Little Shot 1935 | 410 |
Kind Lady 1935 | 413 |
Night Must Fall 1935 | 418 |
The Two Mrs Carrolls 1935 | 426 |
The Postman Always Rings Twice 1936 | 457 |
The Amazing Dr Clitterhouse 1936 | 462 |
What Really Happened 1936 | 468 |
Busmans Honeymoon 1936 | 473 |
The Leavenworth Case 1936 | 478 |
Blind Mans Buff 1936 | 485 |
Sherlock Holmes 1936 | 491 |
Chalked Out 1937 | 497 |
The Speckled Band 1937 | 501 |
Of Mice and Men 1937 | 504 |
Merely Murder 1937 | 509 |
I Killed the Count 1937 | 512 |
Akhnaton 1937 | 516 |
Mystery at Greenfingers 1938 | 518 |
Gas Light 1938 | 520 |
320 College Avenue 1938 | 525 |
The Gentle People 1939 | 529 |
The Little Foxes 1939 | 533 |
The Man in Half Moon Street 1939 | 544 |
Margin for Error 1939 | 547 |
Key Largo 1939 | 551 |
Peril at End House 1940 | 554 |
Leave Her to Heaven 1940 | 558 |
The Fifth Column 1940 | 564 |
Rebecca 1940 | 570 |
Ladies in Retirement 1940 | 574 |
Johnny Belinda 1940 | 583 |
Brother Orchid 1940 | 587 |
Everybody Comes to Ricks 1940 | 593 |
The Moonstone 1940 | 599 |
The Sign of Four 1940 | 607 |
Arsenic and Old Lace 1941 | 611 |
Mr and Mrs North 1941 | 616 |
Native Son 1941 | 620 |
Watch on the Rhine 1941 | 624 |
Incognito 1941 | 629 |
Guest in the House 1942 | 633 |
Murder in a Nunnery 1942 | 636 |
Uncle Harry 1942 | 640 |
Murder without Crime 1942 | 643 |
Ten Little Niggersaka Ten Little Indians 1943 | 648 |
Ramshackle Inn 1944 | 652 |
PickUp Girl 1944 | 655 |
No Exit 1944 | 660 |
Hand in Glove 1944 | 667 |
Laura 1945 | 672 |
Murder on the Nile 1945 | 678 |
680Appointment with Death 1945 | 680 |
Duet for Two Hands 1945 | 682 |
An Inspector Calls 1945 | 686 |
Thérèse 1945 | 690 |
Caligula 1945 | 694 |
The Winslow Boy 1946 | 699 |
Portrait in Black 1946 | 706 |
Crime and Punishment 1946 | 709 |
The Maids 1947 | 719 |
The Heiress 1947 | 727 |
All the Kings Men 1948 | 731 |
Dirty Hands 1948 | 734 |
The Gioconda Smile 1948 | 737 |
Detective Story 1949 | 740 |
The Traitor 1949 | 743 |
Black Chiffon 1949 | 746 |
Lost in the Stars 1949 | 749 |
The Late Edwina Black 1949 | 752 |
Bonaventure 1949 | 756 |
Murder at the Vicarage 1949 | 759 |
The Four of Hearts Mystery 1949 | 764 |
Crime Photographer 1950 | 769 |
The Man 1950 | 772 |
The Innocents 1950 | 775 |
Crime on Goat Island 1950 | 780 |
Appendix A | 786 |
Appendix B | 791 |
Appendix C | 798 |
Appendix D | 801 |
Appendix E | 803 |
Appendix F | 805 |
815 | |
About the Author | 849 |
Common terms and phrases
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