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First Lady

Play · 1935

Lucy Chase Wayne, wife of the secretary of state, who exemplifies the pedigreed Washington hostess, is incensed with the upstart Irene Hibbard, wife of a Supreme Court justice. Irene has stolen away Lucy's cook, an unforgivable social transgression. It is doubly mortifying, for though Irene is only the daughter of a Midwest auto seller, she has acquired a sophisticated image from her European education and a brief prior marriage to a "Slovanian" prince. Furthermore, Lucy learns that Irene is contemplating divorce from her elderly and dyspeptic husband Carter, whose only interests are fishing, comic strips, and radio programs. Irene is ambitious to become First Lady, and has chosen for her vehicle a personable young senator Keane from the Western United States. To thwart Irene, Lucy creates a rumor that Carter is highly thought of for his party's nomination. She spreads it by flattering Mrs. Creevey and Ellsworth T. Ganning with her "confidences". Her reasoning is that the rumors will force Irene to stick with Carter, whose age and unambitious nature is unlikely to excite a nominating committee. However, as the months go by she finds that a groundswell of popular opinion, now propelled by Irene, is floating Carter Hibbard's candidacy. Senator Hardwick remonstrates with Lucy, because the party elders had been contemplating her own husband Stephen Wayne for the nomination. Aghast, Lucy tries to find a way to stymie Irene's campaign. It comes from an unexpected source, Jason Fleming, a State department expert on the Balkans, who is dating her niece Emmy. Lucy learns that a treaty between the US and Slovania was never ratified, so the divorce Irene obtained in that country is not recognized in the states. Lucy uses her knowledge to pressure Irene into backing down, allowing Stephen's candidacy to gain momentum.

First Love

Play · 1795

First Love is a 1795 sentimental comedy play by the British playwright Richard Cumberland. It was first performed at the Drury Lane Theatre in May 1795. Frederick Mowbray becomes the protector of Sabrina Rosny after her abandonment by Lord Sensitive. The original Drury Lane cast included Richard Wroughton as Lord Sensitive, Thomas King as Sir Miles Mowbray, John Palmer as Frederick Mowbray, John Bannister as David, Robert Palmer as Mr Wrangle, Richard Suett as Billy Bustler, Elizabeth Farren as Lady Ruby, Jane Pope as Mrs Wrangle, Charlotte Tidswell as Mrs Kate, Dorothea Jordan as Sabrina Rosny and Ann Heard as Lady Ruby's Servant.

First Monday in October

Play · 1975

The play begins after the death of Stanley Moorehead, an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The remaining justices speculate about whom the President of the United States will appoint to fill the vacancy, with jokes among the justices that the appointee may be a black man, or a woman. While playing tennis, Ruth Loomis, a staunch conservative judge from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in California, learns that she is to be the nominee. Associate Justice Daniel Snow is appalled to learn this, as her conservative views are strongly in conflict with his own liberal thinking. Loomis testifies before the United States Senate, and is questioned about the business ties of her late husband. The Senate confirms her, and she is the first woman appointed to the US Supreme Court. On the court, Loomis and Snow immediately clash on their opposing legal and philosophical viewpoints, on such matters as freedom of speech and individual rights vs. the rights of society as a whole. One case concerns a fictional pornographic film, The Naked Nymphomaniac. Although Snow and Loomis never concur on any of the issues before the Court, they learn to develop a respect and affection for one another with the passing of time.

Fish in the Dark

Play · 2015

The play opens in a hospital waiting room. Sidney Drexel, the family patriarch, is dying and assorted family members are coming to pay their last respects—and squabble over everything from which son will have to take care of Mom to who gets Dad's Rolex watch. Brothers Norman Drexel and Arthur Drexel are visiting their father in the hospital, along with Norman's wife Brenda and Arthur's girlfriend Michelle. Brenda is upset because she fears that her mother-in-law Gloria will live with them should the ill father die.

Five Miles Off

Play · 1806

Five Miles Off is an 1806 comedy play by the British writer Thomas Dibdin. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in London on 9 July 1806. The original cast included William Chapman as Squire Flail, John Fawcett as Kalendar, Vincent De Camp as Luckless, Charles Mathews as Spriggins, John Liston as Flourish, Jane Powell as Mrs Prue, Sarah Liston as Laura Luckless, and Maria Gibbs as Jenny. Its Irish premiere took place at the Crow Street Theatre in Dublin on 2 August 1816

Five Star Final

Play · 1930

An unscrupulous newspaper publisher decides to boost circulation by reviving an old scandal involving Nancy Voorhees, a woman who was accused of murdering her lover twenty years before. Although she was acquitted by a jury, Nancy fears the damage a revival of the story could cause her family. She is married and has a daughter who is about to have her own wedding to a wealthy young man whose family would not approve of Nancy's past. Nancy begs the assigned reporter not to pursue the story, but he refuses. When the story is published on their daughter's wedding day, Nancy and her husband commit suicide. The daughter seeks out the reporter to kill him for vengeance, but discovers that he is wracked with guilt over what he has done.

Five Thousand a Year

Play · 1799

Five Thousand a Year is a 1799 comedy play by the British writer Thomas John Dibdin. The original Covent Garden cast included William Thomas Lewis as George Fervid, Alexander Pope as Frederick Fervid, Joseph Shepherd Munden as Sir Matthew Maxim, Charles Farley as Paragraph, Charles Murray as Mr Goulding, Julia Betterton as Maria, Jane Pope as Lady Julia, Nannette Johnston as Aurelia and Isabella Mattocks as Lady Maxim. It was dedicated to Count Starhemberg, the Austrian ambassador to London.

Flare Path

Play · 1942

At the Falcon Hotel on the Lincolnshire coast, men from a nearby RAF airbase are planning to spend the weekend with their wives. Patricia Graham, an actress from London, has something to tell her husband Teddy, who is a bomber pilot. The situation is complicated when Peter Kyle, a Hollywood film star, arrives at the hotel, and Teddy is sent out on a night raid over Germany. Patricia is torn between a rekindled old flame and loyalty to the husband who relies on her for support. Patricia and Peter had a love affair before she met Teddy, but she left because Peter was not free to marry her. Patricia married Teddy after a "whirlwind wartime romance" while he was on a week's leave. She does not know her husband very well, and she was still in love with Peter when they wed. She reconnected with Peter in London and now plans to tell Teddy she is leaving him, but she is annoyed by Peter's unexpected arrival at the hotel. Peter tells her that his career is waning as he gets older and that he needs her. Teddy's tail gunner Dusty Miller is awaiting his wife Maudie, who is late. Maudie only has a short time off from the laundry where she has had to work since the war began. She was bombed out of their home in the Blitz, but she says matter-of-factly: "... there's a war on, and things have got to be a bit different, and we've just got to get used to it – that's all." Doris waits for her husband Count Skriczevinsky, a Polish pilot serving with the RAF. His wife and son were killed by the Nazis, and he came to Britain, despite his poor command of the English language, to join the war against Germany. Doris met him while working as a barmaid, and though she is now his Countess, she worries about what will happen when the war is over and he is able to return to Poland. Also present at the hotel are the proprietor, Mrs. Oakes; Percy, a young waiter who is interested in RAF operations; and an airman named Corporal Wiggy Jones. Soon after everyone has arrived, Squadron Leader Swanson summons the men back to base for an unscheduled night operation, and their wives are left behind to await their return. Swanson, who is affectionately called Gloria by Teddy, remains at the hotel. As Patricia and Swanson look out at the flare path from the hotel window, one of the planes is destroyed on takeoff by the Luftwaffe. Doris and Maudie come downstairs while Swanson calls the airfield and learns that the plane did not belong to any of their husbands. At 5:30 a.m., Teddy and Dusty return from the mission, but Count Skriczevinsky is missing in action. Teddy confesses to Patricia that he is losing his nerve. His plane was hit and he was responsible for bringing his six crewmen back home. He knew his crew trusted him but he was terrified, and he tells Patricia she was the only thing that kept him going. Patricia has a change of heart and decides to stay with Teddy. She tells Peter, "I used to think that our private happiness was something far too important to be affected by outside things, like war or marriage vows..." but that "beside what's happening out there;... it's just tiny and rather – cheap – I'm afraid." Doris asks Peter to translate a letter written in French that the Count left for her in case anything happened to him. In the letter, the Count says he loves her and wishes he could have taken her to Poland after the war. Doris asks if Peter made that part up, but Peter tells her he did not. Peter intends to tell Teddy everything but changes his mind and departs. Count Skriczevinsky returns safely and is reunited with Doris.

Folly as it Flies

Play · 1801

Folly as it Flies is an 1801 comedy play by the British writer Frederick Reynolds. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden on 29 October 1801. The original Covent Garden cast included Charles Murray as Sir Herbert Melmoth, Henry Erskine Johnston as Leonard Melmoth, William Thomas Lewis as Tom Tick, Joseph Shepherd Munden as Peter Post Obit, Thomas Knight as Shenkin, Samuel Simmons as Doctor Infallible, John Waddy as Cursitor, John Whitfield as Malcour, Maria Gibbs as Georgiana and Harriet Murray as Lady Melmoth. The Irish premiere took place at the Crow Street Theatre on 14 January 1802.

Fool for Love

Play · 1983

The "fools" in the play are battling lovers at a run-down Mojave Desert motel. May is staying at the motel when an old flame, Eddie, shows up. Eddie tries to convince May to come back to him and live in a trailer on a farm in Wyoming that Eddie has always wanted to buy and where he has always imagined living with May. May vehemently refuses. She says that she has absolutely no interest in living with Eddie under such circumstances, that she has a job and started a new life and knows that if she goes back to Eddie their relationship will repeat the same destructive cycle it has followed before. Throughout the play the character of the Old Man—apparently the father of both lovers—sits to the side and talks to May and Eddie and offers commentary on each character and about himself. It is revealed that the Old Man had led a double life, abandoning each family for different periods during each child's life. The two became lovers in their high school years and when their parents finally figured out what had occurred, Eddie's mother shot herself. May is afraid that Eddie has begun to emulate his father; taking to drinking and secretly seeing a woman May refers to as the Countess. The play centers around the drama of the confrontation rather than a plot with any rising and falling action. In the end Eddie appears to have left May, just as his father had left his mother, and May has packed her suitcase to go off somewhere unspecified. Eddie and May have not reconciled, the Old Man has begun to drift off in denial that Eddie's mother had been driven to suicide, and May's erstwhile date, Martin, is left on stage bewildered to observe it all.

Fools

Play · 1981

Leon Tolchinsky, an ambitious young schoolteacher, arrives in the Ukrainian village of Kulyenchikov in order to educate a doctor's daughter, Sophia Zubritsky. Upon arrival, Leon meets several of the locals: Snetsky the shepherd, Mishkin the postman, Slovitch the butcher, and Yenchna the vendor. All of them seem rather unintelligent and hold tedious and confusing conversations. Leon makes his way to the Zubritsky home, finding Dr. and Mrs. Zubritsky to be similarly dimwitted. Leon soon learns that the town's idiocy is the result of a curse: 200 years ago, the son of sorcerer Vladimir Yousekevitch fell in love with Sophia's ancestor, but her scholarly father married her to another man when he learned that the boy was illiterate. After his son committed suicide, Vladimir cursed the townspeople and their descendants to live as fools, forever trapped in Kulyenchikov. The curse can only be broken if Leon is able to educate Sophia, or if she marries a Yousekevitch. Count Gregor, the last surviving Yousekevitch, proposes to Sophia twice a day, but she always turns him down. Leon is introduced to Sophia and is immediately lovestruck. He asks her a few simple questions, but she responds idiotically. Nevertheless, Leon resolves to break the curse, especially after he learns that those cursed are incapable of love. Count Gregor arrives for his evening marriage proposal, and Leon confronts him. Count Gregor warns Leon that if he can't educate Sophia within 24 hours of his arrival in Kulyenchikov, he must either leave the village or fall victim to the curse himself. Leon meets with Sophia again, and she affirms her desire to be able to love him. Leon promises that she will love him the next day. The next morning, Leon arrives at the Zubritsky home, eager to educate Sophia. He attempts and fails to teach her elementary mathematics, and the lesson soon spirals into a debate: Sophia tries to ask Leon questions to get to know him better, but he stubbornly insists on imparting her with knowledge, believing that students are not meant to ask questions, only answer them. As the deadline looms, Sophia urges Leon to leave Kulyenchikov before he too is cursed, but he resolves to stay with her and seemingly turns into a fool. The townspeople, who have gathered outside in hopes of seeing the curse broken, leave disappointed. Once Leon and Sophia are alone, he reveals to her that he was merely pretending - the curse had no effect on him. Leon speculates that the curse is actually a psychological phenomenon which came about because the villagers have always been told they are stupid. Count Gregor enters, lamenting his villainous reputation. Leon convinces Gregor that he could be better liked if he adopted him and let him marry Sophia. This would break the curse in the eyes of the townspeople, as Sophia would technically be wed to a Yousekevitch. Count Gregor agrees, and Leon and Sophia are set to be wed. At the last minute, Count Gregor reveals that he tricked Leon into signing divorce papers instead of adoption papers, and forces Dr. Zubritsky to let him marry Sophia. Leon, in a flash of inspiration, asks Mishkin the postman for his urgent letter, which has been mentioned throughout the play. The letter supposedly reveals that Leon is a Yousekevitch through a distant relation, though Leon explains to the audience that it is actually a bill from his college in Moscow. Leon and Sophia are wed, and the "curse" of Kulyenchikov is broken. Leon then narrates what happened to all the characters afterwards, mentioning that he and Sophia are happily raising a child and constantly learning from one another.

For Better, for Worse

Play · 1948

For Better, for Worse is a comedy play by the British writer Arthur Watkyn. It was first performed at the Q Theatre in Kew Bridge in 1948. It enjoyed a lengthy and successful run at the Comedy Theatre in London's West End where it lasted for 618 performances between 17 December 1952 and 12 June 1954. The original West End cast included Leslie Phillips, Geraldine McEwan, Tom Macaulay, Anthony Sharp, Gwynne Whitby, Polly Elwes, Aimée Delamain, Charles Lamb and Dandy Nichols. It was directed by Kenneth Riddington who also appeared in the cast. The plot revolves around the trials and tribulations of a newly-married couple.

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy

Play · 2021

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy is a 2021 play by Ryan Calais Cameron, inspired by Ntozake Shange's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf. The play follows six young Black British men—Jet, Midnight, Obsidian, Onyx, Pitch, and Sable—meeting for group therapy. The show was originally commissioned by New Diorama Theatre and co-commissioned by Boundless Theatre.

For Heaven's Sake! (The Brightness of Heaven)

Play · 2012

The plot of For Heaven's Sake! follows an Irish Catholic family from Buffalo, NY, in 1974. The Kilgannons are a typical Irish Catholic clan in Western New York in the 1970s. The action focuses on the changing world and the gap between the differing generations, which is widening. It also examines the way religious beliefs can affect our plans and behaviors. For Heaven's Sake! employs clever dialogue to examine the family's faith along with commonly held beliefs of the time period which test the strength of the bonds between the characters. The older generation has constructed their lives around salvation with the church as the center of their personal, social, and spiritual lives. The younger generation is not as devout, with more focus on modern-day society and less on praying and following the rules. The two youngest family members, Jimmy and Kathleen, lead the charge to move the Kilgannon's viewpoint in a progressive direction. Their lives are touched by numerous American issues during that era, including Watergate, the Vietnam War and gay liberation. Author John Updike called the time period "The most dissentious American decade since the Civil War." Some family members have come to accept the constraints of society while others feel trapped. Family mealtimes have become a debate forum for various issues and viewpoints. “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. “ The Bible, —Daniel 12:3

For Love or Money

Play · 1947

This synopsis is compiled from contemporary newspaper reviews. The setting is the drawing room of Preston Mitchell's home at Port Washington, New York, during December 1946. The Tremaines and Nita Havermeyer are gathered with Preston Mitchell in his drawing room. The former express condolences for his recent bereavement, while the latter presses Mitchell to return to their current production, and, covertly, to legitimize their personal relationship. He assures the Tremaines there is nothing he needs or wants, except solitude. They and Nita depart, with Bill the last to leave; as he does, a heavy rain begins. Soon a frantic knocking at his door convinces Mitchell it must be Nita returning to resume her campaign. When he answers the door, an unfamiliar and bedraggled young lady demands shelter. She is Janet Blake, whose employer became overly amorous at a party in Great Neck, causing her to run out onto the country highway. There, a young man offered her a lift, but he too became fresh. She ran from his car through the rain to the nearest shelter, Mitchell's home. Janet is a modern young woman, who knows all the cinema stars but has never heard of Mitchell. After hearing her story, he offers her a job as his secretary, so she won't have to return to Dr. McCafferty. Mrs. Early and Wilbur assume she is the newest paramour, but Mitchell behaves correctly, charming Janet with his continental style. Eventually Bill becomes a rival for Janet, while Nita tries to woo Mitchell with their profitable association in the theater and shared memories. Mitchell realizes he is falling for Janet, but expects it is a hopeless contest with the younger man. However, Janet surprises everyone by choosing Mitchell in the end.

For Services Rendered

Play · 1932

Set in late summer 1932 in Kent, the Ardsley family seem to be managing their lives very well following World War One and the Great Depression. In reality, each of them is fighting for survival. Leonard and Charlotte Ardsley are parents to Ethel, Eva, Sydney and Lois. Ethel is married to a former officer, Howard Bartlett, who returns to his position as a tenant farmer after the war. His class is a source of disharmony between Ethel’s family and her husband. Howard drinks excessively and he attempts to seduce his wife’s younger sister, Lois. Although Ethel is disillusioned, she finds solace in her children. Her marriage disproves the expectation that the war would bring about better social mobility. Sydney has been blinded in the war; his main occupation now is sitting in a chair whilst knitting. It is Sydney who speaks directly about the madness of war and its devastating effects upon his generation. Eva is unmarried and approaching forty, martyring herself to the cause of brother, Sydney. Collie Stratton, after a lengthy period serving his country in the Navy, has invested in a motorcar repair shop. However, a naval career has left him ill-prepared to run a business and this proves his undoing. Not realizing it would be illegal, and thinking that it would buy him time to solve his cash-flow problems, Collie writes cheques to creditors despite knowing that his bank will refuse to cash them. Leonard Ardsley informs him he has broken the law and that he will be tried and imprisoned. Eva, who is in love with Collie, proposes to give him money she has saved in order to clear his debts. She asks him to become engaged to her so that he can accept the gift. Collie refuses. Facing prison and disgrace he shoots himself. On hearing of his suicide, Eva holds her family responsible because none of them offered help or support. She pretends to have been engaged to Collie. By the end of the play, Eva has entered into a delusional state, believing truly that she will soon be leaving with her fiancé, Collie. Lois, at twenty-seven years old, is single and without a hope of finding a husband in the English backwater in which the family live. She is however receiving attention from the married Wilfred Cedar. Wilfred’s wife, Gwen, is tortured by his attraction to Lois. She sees Lois wearing a pearl necklace and despite assurances by Lois that the pearls are fake, she realises that her own husband has gifted the pearls to Lois. Gwen’s fears are later realised when, listening in on the telephone, she hears Lois agreeing to run away with Wilfred. She confronts Lois in the presence of Lois’s mother and sister and pleads with Lois to give up Wilfred, accusing all the family (who defend Lois) of wishing to bring Wilfred’s money into their family. Lois decides to keep to her plan despite Gwen's pleas, and despite the scandal it will cause, not because she loves Wilfred, but because she enjoys the power she has over Wilfred and the way she can exploit him in order to achieve material security and independence from the family. The younger generation can no longer live their lives in the blueprint of the older generation, they must find a new way of living. England is changing, falling apart, and must begin again. Charlotte is diagnosed by her doctor brother, Charles Prentice as having an unnamed condition, probably cancer, which requires an operation and home care in order to prolong her life. Charlotte refuses treatment so that her family are not burdened with the expense but also because she feels a sense of liberation and self-possession in deciding her fate for herself. ‘I’m rather relieved to think it’s over. I’m not at home in this world of today. I’m pre-War. Everything’s so changed now. To me life is like a party that was very nice to start with but has become rather rowdy as time went on and I’m not at all sorry to go home.’ Leonard, who is oblivious to the true states of any of the members of his family ends the play with a cup of tea and a blithely optimistic speech about the future, ‘If you come to think of it we none of us have anything very much to worry about. We have our health, we have our happiness, and things haven’t been going too well lately, but I think the world is turning the corner and we can all look forward to better times in the future. This old England of ours isn’t done yet and I for one believe in it and all it stands for.’ Delusional Eva sings God Save Our King and the curtain falls.

For the Love of Mike

Play · 1931

For the Love of Mike is a "play with music in three acts". The work was originally written as a non-musical by H. F. Maltby for the actor Tom Walls who rejected the piece when presented with the completed work. The work was then transformed by the English songwriter Clifford Grey who restructured Maltby's drama and interspersed the piece with song material with music by composers Jack Waller and Joseph Tunbridge and lyrics by Grey and Sonny Miller. It was this version of the play that finally made it to the stage; premiering in London's West End at the Saville Theatre on October 8, 1931. The cast was led by actress Peggy Cartwright in the role of "Mike" with Bobby Howes as Little Bob, Alfred Drayton as Mr. Miller, Viola Tree as Mrs. Miller, Arthur Riscoe as Paton, Syd Walker as PC Wildgoose, and Wylie Watson as the vicar. It became a hit play, running for 239 performances, and after remaining a staple/often revived work in British provincial theaters into the 1950s. The 1932 film For the Love of Mike was adapted from the play.

Forget and Forgive

Play · 1827

Forget and Forgive is a comedy play by the British writer James Kenney. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London on 21 November 1827. The original cast included Henry John Wallack as Charles Sydney, John Liston as Rumbold, John Cooper as Cameron, William Bennett as Sir Gregory Ogle, Maria Rebecca Davison as Lady Ratcliffe and Ellen Kean as Georgiana. Originally of five acts it was later shortened to three. It was revived under the title Frolics in France in 1828.

Fortune by Land and Sea

Play · 1623 est

Two rural families’ fortunes reverse: the mild Forrests lose their wealth while the ruthless Hardings prosper. After Old Forrest’s son is killed, his younger son flees to sea, becomes a successful privateer, defeats pirates and rescues a merchant. At home, the elder Harding son and his wife endure service until his father’s sudden death leaves him the estate; the younger Forrest later wins a pardon, and the families reconcile.

Forty Carats

Play · 1968

Forty Carats is a play by Jay Presson Allen. Adapted from the French original by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Gredy, the comedy revolves around a 40-year-old American divorcee who is assisted by a 22-year-old when her car breaks down during a vacation in Greece. Their ensuing romantic interlude changes from a brief encounter to a potentially serious relationship when he turns up on her New York City doorstep to take her 17-year-old daughter on a date. Finding the attraction between them still irresistibly strong, she must overcome her resistance to a May–December romance while contending with her mother, ex-husband, and a real estate client who wants to discuss more than business. After two previews, the Broadway production, directed by Abe Burrows, opened on December 26, 1968, at the Morosco Theatre, where it ran for 780 performances. The opening-night cast included Julie Harris (Ann Stanley), Marco St. John (Peter Latham), Iva Withers (Mrs. Adams), Polly Rowles (Mrs. Margolin), Murray Hamilton (Billy Boylan), Franklin Cover (Eddy Edwards), Glenda Farrell (Maud Hayes), Gretchen Corbett (Trina Stanley), Nancy Marchand (Mrs. Latham), John Cecil Holm (Mr. Latham), and Michael Nouri (Pat). Julie Harris won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, in the lead role and she was succeeded by June Allyson, Joan Fontaine, and Zsa Zsa Gabor throughout the run. The 1973 film adaptation starred Liv Ullmann.

Foscari

Play · 1826

In the Republic of Venice, tensions brew among the elite. Count Erizzo, envious of the Doge's power and coveting the ducal bonnet himself, manipulates the kind but temperamental Senator Donato by exploiting a minor slight: the Doge refuses Donato's request to appoint Erizzo's follower Celso to a vacant procurator post, citing Celso's unsavory character. Erizzo fans Donato's anger, drawing him into a faction plotting to depose the elderly Doge on grounds of incapacity due to age. Meanwhile, the Doge shares with his close friend Count Zeno a mysterious prophecy from his youth foretelling danger to his rule, and he receives an anonymous warning to grant the first boon requested the next day or suffer heartbreak. Donato's daughter Camilla is betrothed to the Doge's valiant son Francesco Foscari, a heroic general fighting in the Milan wars, while Donato's son Cosmo and niece Laura share a budding affection, and Cosmo enjoys the Doge's favor. In the Senate, Erizzo, bolstered by Donato's resentment, accuses the Doge of misrule, favoring the populace over the nobility, and wasting resources on prolonged wars to glorify his son. They propose deposing him, nominating Donato as successor. The plot collapses dramatically when Francesco Foscari returns triumphant from the front, announcing a decisive victory at Brescia, the liberation of the city, and a peace treaty with Milan. He exposes Erizzo's interception of victory dispatches to delay news that would bolster the Doge's popularity. Foscari publicly castigates the conspirators, particularly Donato for betraying his old friend, but reconciles partially with him. The Senate reaffirms the Doge, who retains his position, while Foscari resigns his generalship, symbolically removing the ducal bonnet in a gesture of filial devotion before it is restored. Erizzo, humiliated and thwarted, secretly hires Celso to assassinate Foscari that night during his clandestine meeting with Camilla. Foscari sneaks to Donato's palace for a midnight rendezvous with Camilla, facilitated by the absent Cosmo. A storm rages as they reaffirm their love amid fears of lingering family discord. Foscari escapes through a balcony when Donato stirs, but Celso, mistaking Donato for Foscari in the dark (or perhaps seizing the opportunity), stabs him. Celso plants Foscari's dropped sword and cloak at the scene. Donato's dying cries name "Foscari", and Erizzo, "conveniently" nearby with Cosmo, frames the young hero for the murder. Foscari is tried in a hall of justice presided over by the heartbroken Doge. The evidence—the sword, cloak, Donato's last words, and Erizzo's testimony of seeing Foscari flee—is overwhelming. Cosmo, devastated by his father's death, accuses his childhood friend bitterly. Camilla, summoned as a witness, heard Donato's dying accusation but steadfastly proclaims Foscari's innocence, refusing to condemn him despite pressure. Threatened with torture, Foscari defiantly demands the rack rather than confess falsely. The Senate convicts him but, respecting his and the Doge's stature, commutes death to perpetual exile in Candia. On the seashore, Foscari prepares to depart. Camilla defies Cosmo to accompany her betrothed into exile, enduring her brother's furious denunciation as a parricide's bride. Cosmo pursues her, leading to a duel with the unarmed Foscari (armed by Erizzo). Foscari is mortally wounded. As he dies, Zeno arrives with news that Celso has confessed: Erizzo orchestrated the plot, and Celso killed Donato by mistake while intending Foscari. Erizzo is arrested but gloats over his revenge. The exonerated Foscari dies in Camilla's arms, proclaiming joy at his restored honor. The devastated Doge, cursing the ducal crown that forced him to condemn his innocent son, flings it away and collapses from a broken heart.

Four Winds

Play · 1953

Four Winds is a 1953 thriller play by the British writer Alex Atkinson. A murder mystery it takes place entirely in a cottage on the edge of the Yorkshire Moors. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Brighton before transferring to the Phoenix Theatre in London's West where it ran for 38 performances between 29 September and 31 October 1953. The original cast included William Kendall, Frank Lawton, Raymond Francis, Peggy Evans, Betty Ann Davies and Patricia Cutts. It then went on tour.

Francis the First

Play · 1832

Francis the First is an 1832 historical tragedy written by the British actress Fanny Kemble. It is based on the reign of Francis I of France in the sixteenth century. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 15 March 1832. The original cast included Kemble herself as Louisa of Savoy, Mason as Francis the First, Charles Kemble as Charles of Bourbon, Daniel Egerton as Chabannes, George Bennett as Laval, William Abbot as Clement Marot, Robert Keeley as Triboulet, John Duruset as Bonnivet, James Prescott Warde as Gonzales, Harriette Taylor as Margaret Valois and Ellen Kean as Francois de Foix. Kemble had originally conceived it as a historical novel before converting it into a stage play. Kemble was paid a large sum for the rights by publisher John Murray, and it enjoyed brief success on stage, although she herself was later critical of its "stilted declamation"

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune

Play · 1987

The play opens in the dark with a couple making love in her one-room walk-up apartment in the west side of Manhattan. They are Johnny (originated by F. Murray Abraham), a short order cook, and Frankie (originated by Kathy Bates), a waitress. Johnny is certain he has found his soul mate in Frankie. She, on the other hand, is far more cautious and disinclined to jump to conclusions and at first has written off the encounter as a one night stand. As the night unfolds, they slowly reveal themselves to each other as they take tentative steps towards the possible start of a new relationship. Describing the scene from which the play gets its name, David Finkle wrote, "Johnny calls the radio station to request the most beautiful music ever written...Claude Debussy's 'Clair de lune'...floats onto the night air... Johnny, buoyant with love, beckons Frankie to join him at the window and to bask...in the clair de lune. It's a lovely moment..."

Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lunenburgh

Play · 1729

Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lunenburgh is a 1729 historical tragedy by the British writer Eliza Haywood. It is based on the life of medieval ruler Frederick I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Haywood, well-known for her novels, had previously written a comedy A Wife to be Lett in 1723, but in the wake of the theatrical boom following the success of The Beggar's Opera, she produced a second play. Haywood wrote the play in roughly four weeks, and dedicated it to Frederick, Prince of Wales who had recently arrived in Britain from the country from Hanover. It was an effort to secure patronage from the royal family, based on the life of their Guelph ancestor, and was intended to coincide with the celebrations of Queen Caroline's birthday. However it was not a success, lasting for only three nights, something Haywood partly attributed to its lack of royal backing. The original cast included Thomas Walker as Frederick, Lacy Ryan as Duke of Wirtemberg, Thomas Chapman as Ridolpho, James Quin as Count Waldec, William Milward as Anspach, Henrietta Morgan as Sophia, Elizabeth Buchanan as Anna and Anne Berriman as Adelaid.

Fredolfo

Play · 1819

Fredolfo is an 1819 historical tragedy by the Irish writer Charles Maturin. It premiered at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden in London on 12 May 1819. The original cast included William Macready as Wallenberg, Charles Mayne Young as Fredolfo, Charles Kemble as Aldemar, Frederick Henry Yates as Berthold, Charles Connor as Waldo and Elizabeth O'Neill as Urilda. Maturin dedicated the published version to the Duke of Leinster, which was published by Archibald Constable. The work was considered a failure which failed to recaptured the success of his earlier Bertram and Maturin turned back to writing novels.

Friendly Enemies

Play · 1918

Henry Block and Karl Pfeifer are old friends who both immigrated to the United States from Germany. Karl's son Billy and Henry's daughter June are engaged to be married. Henry has assimilated as a patriotic American, including changing his name from Heinrich. Karl refuses to change his name and remains a German patriot. The entry of the United States into World War I against Germany creates conflict between Karl and the others. Karl is secretly giving money to Walter Stuart to fund what Karl thinks is an effort to defuse anti-German propaganda, but Stuart is actually a German agent who uses the money to fund sabotage. Billy enlists in the United States Army against Karl's wishes. When Karl discovers that his money has funded a bomb that sinks the troop transport carrying his son, he changes his position on the war. The play has a happy ending when Billy returns home, having been saved from the sinking ship.

Fucking Men

Play · 2008

Fucking Men is a 2009 American play by Joe DiPietro. It premiered at the King's Head Theatre in the London Borough of Islington, directed by Phil Willmott. It opened on 9 January 2009 and was extended three times due to strong sales, and later ran in repertory with Naked Boys Singing. Both productions transferred to the Arts Theatre in London's West End Theatre on 15 July 2009. It was revived at the King's Head in August 2015, directed by Geoffrey Hyland. It was revived again by the King's Head in December 2015, directed by Mark Barford, designed by Jamie Simmons, lighting by Jack Weir and starring Richard De Lisle, Harper James and Haydn Whiteside. This production played again in London (April/May 2016) and then toured to Dublin (May 2016) and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival (August 2016). It played at The Vaults Waterloo until January 15, 2017. It was revived again with a new cast at Waterloo East Theatre from 2023 to 2025. The play had its United States premiere on 11 September 2009 at the Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The production was directed and co-produced by Calvin Remsberg. This production featured Johnny Kostney, Brian Dare, Mike Ciriaco, Michael Rachlis, Sean Galuszka, David Pevsner, Jeff Olsen, A.J. Tannen, Chad Borden and Gregory Franklin.

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