Sleeping Partners

Examiner of Plays' Summary:

Memorandum: I have seen a rehearsal of this play, and have also had a talk with Mr Seymour Hicks about it. I am convinced that there is no intention to make a succès de scandale about it. It is true that a young man makes love to a married woman, but that has been done in heaps of plays. The lady visits him in spirit of adventure only, intends to go away at once, is only prevented by the misadventure of the sleeping draught, and is horrified to find that she has been in his rooms all night. The French farce, which is indecent, is really turned into a farce of misadventure merely. It is quite possible that some people may object to its tone, but as it now stands, with no suggestion of the woman's giving way to the man, and nothing indecent being said and nothing improper done, I think it would be too strong a measure to prohibit it. As regards the excisions, the suggestion that the husband thinks another woman has passed the night with his friend is cut out, and also one or two other passages which tend to an undesirable atmosphere. At the end the lady goes off, leaving the young man alone with the sleeping husband. G. S. Street. P. S. In the amended 3rd Act a few lines which should have been cut are left in: I am writing to Mr Hicks about this - it is only an accident.