A Desperate Game: A Comic Drama in One Act

"A Desperate Game: A Comic Drama in One Act" by John Maddison Morton is a funny play that uses old-fashioned theater tricks to tell its story, showing off comedy and romance during that time. It's full of mistaken identities and silly plans, like when Captain Ratcliffe tries to sneak into Mrs. Somerton's house to steal her money while pretending to be someone else. But things get even more complicated when Mr. Percy Postlethwaite tries to surprise Mrs. Somerton and shows up unexpectedly. The play's humor comes from all the mix-ups and the characters' funny reactions. In the end, everything gets sorted out, the lovers get together, and shows how silly love and theft can be when mixed together. The show is a funny story of Victorian customs, deception, and romantic entanglements.