The Patient

A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

The Patient

Short Play, Drama  /  4w, 5m

Agatha Christie

This short, dark play from the Queen of Mystery concerns a suspicious incident that rendered its victim unable to communicate.

Image: 2019 Park Square Theatre Production (Petronella J. Ytsma)

The Patient

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 5m
  • Duration
    Duration
    40 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Mystery/Thriller
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences

Details

Summary

The patient, Mrs Wingfield, has been horribly injured in a fall from her balcony, rendering her unable to communicate. The fall may have been an accident, an attempted suicide or – worse still – a cold-blooded killer bent on murder. The tension builds as relatives gather round her hospital bed, until an ingenious device helps Mrs Wingfield convey a message that could solve the mystery. 

Part of the triple bill The Rule of Three, which also features The Rats and Afternoon at the Seaside.

History
The Patient was first presented as part of Rule of Three, which toured the United Kingdom in 1961 and subsequently opened at the Duchess Theatre in the West End in 1962.
Keywords
Performing Groups
LANSEN
NURSE
DR GINSBERG
INSPECTOR CRAY
BRYAN WINGFIELD
EMMELINE ROSS
WILLIAM ROSS
BRENDA JACKSON
THE PATIENT
  • Time Period 1960s
  • Setting A private room in a nursing home. 1961.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Not Applicable
  • Duration 40 minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

“An excellent mystery thriller with an unbeatable final line.” – Charles Osborne, Literature Director of the Arts Council of Great Britain

Photos

  • The Patient

    Image: 2019 Park Square Theatre Production (Petronella J. Ytsma)

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £40 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
    This title may have restrictions in place for London based productions. Please submit a licence request to confirm specific availability.

Scripts

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Authors

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie is known throughout the world as the Queen of Crime. Her books have sold over a billion copies in English with another billion in foreign languages. She is the most widely published author of all time and, in many languages, outsold only by the Bible and Shake ...

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