''The Silver Box'' is a three-act comedy, the first play by the English writer

John Galsworthy John Galsworthy (; 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933) was an English novelist and playwright. He is best known for his trilogy of novels collectively called '' The Forsyte Saga'', and two later trilogies, ''A Modern Comedy'' and ''End of th ...

. It was originally produced in London in 1906, and attracted much attention. In New York it was first seen in 1907. In the play, the disappearance of a cigarette box (the silver box) leads to a comparison of the behaviour of the son of a prosperous politician, with that of an unemployed man, and the exposure of attitudes of different social classes.

History

Galsworthy said that his aim was "to create such an illusion of actual life passing on the stage as to compel the spectator to pass through an experience of his own, to think and talk and move with the people he sees thinking and talking and moving in front of him."John Galsworthy, ''Strife''. Notes by John Hampden. Gerald Duckworth and Company Ltd. 1964. pp79–80. ''The Silver Box'' was first produced on 25 September 1906 at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...

in London.John Galsworthy, ''The Silver Box''. Duckworth 1911. The play was among several new plays at this theatre from 1904 to 1907 directed by J. E. Vedrenne and

Harley Granville-Barker Harley Granville-Barker (25 November 1877 – 31 August 1946) was an English actor, director, playwright, manager, critic, and theorist. After early success as an actor in the plays of George Bernard Shaw, he increasingly turned to directing a ...

, by notable dramatists including

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

. Although ''The Silver Box'' did not draw large audiences, it was much discussed. It was first seen in New York on 18 March 1907 at the Empire Theatre. It was produced by

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Frohman produced over 700 shows, and among his biggest hits was '' Peter Pan'', both ...

and featured

Bruce McRae Bruce McRae (January 15, 1867 – May 7, 1927) was an American stage and early silent film actor. He was the nephew of actor Sir Charles Wyndham. Early years Born in India in 1867 of Scots and English parents, McRae went to New Zealand at t ...

as Jones and

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...

as Mrs. Jones. Critics praised Ethel Barrymore's performance, but audiences preferred to see her in more glamorous parts. There were only 20 performances.

Original cast

Principal members of the original cast on 25 September 1906 at the Royal Court Theatre: * John Barthwick, M. P. – James Hearn * Mrs. Barthwick – Frances Ivor * Jack Barthwick –

A. E. Matthews Alfred Edward Matthews (22 November 186925 July 1960), known as A. E. Matthews, was an English actor who played numerous character roles on the stage and in film for eight decades. Already middle-aged when films began production, he enjoyed incr ...

* Mrs. Jones –

Irene Rooke Irene Rooke (born Irene Bessie Ingaretha Rooke; 30 May 1874 – 14 June 1958) was an English theatre and film actress from Bridport, Dorset, England. Stage career She was the daughter of a prominent London journalist. Rooke left boarding scho ...

* Jones –

Norman McKinnel Norman McKinnel (10 February 1870 – 29 March 1932) was a Scottish stage and film actor and playwright, active from the 1890s until his death. He appeared in many stage roles in the UK and overseas as well as featuring in a number of films, ...

* An Unknown Lady –

Sydney Fairbrother Sydney Fairbrother (31 July 1872 – 4 January 1941) was a British actress. Born Sydney Tapping on 31 July 1872 in London to actor/playwright Alfred B. Tapping and actress Florence Cowell. Her mother was the daughter of actor and comic singer S ...

Synopsis

Act I, Scene I The three scenes of the first Act take place in the London dining room of John Barthwick, a Liberal member of parliament. Jack Barthwick, son of the family, comes home at night drunk, carrying a lady's reticule (handbag). Jones, whose wife is the

charwoman Charwoman, chargirl, charlady and char are occupational terms referring to a paid part-time worker who comes into a house or other building to clean it for a few hours of a day or week, as opposed to a maid, who usually lives as part of the ho ...

for the Barthwicks, has helped him to unlock the door, and is given a drink by Jack. Jack falls asleep on the sofa; Jones takes a purse that has fallen from the reticule, and a silver box – a cigarette box – and leaves. Act I, Scene II The next morning, Jack is still on the sofa. While Mrs. Jones is cleaning the room, she talks to Wheeler, the housemaid, and to Marlow, the butler, about her husband: he is out of work, and is violent when he is drunk. Marlow notices that the cigarette box is missing. Act I, Scene III John Barthwick and his wife, having breakfast, talk about politics: she is alarmed on reading in the newspaper that a Labour candidate has won a by-election, but he says that all parties should be represented. An unknown lady calls. She is the young lady whom Jack met last evening; she is anxious to have her purse back, to pay the rent. Jack finds that there is no purse in the reticule, and denies having it. Barthwick reluctantly gives the lady some money, and talks severely to Jack after she leaves. Marlow informs Barthwick that the cigarette box is missing; there is a suspicion that Mrs. Jones stole it. Barthwick interviews Mrs. Jones, and learns of her troubled domestic situation. She knows nothing about the missing cigarette box. Act II, Scene I In the Jones's lodgings, Jones complains to his wife that he is badly treated when he tries to find work. She says that they have to pay the rent today; when the landlady comes for the rent, Jones unexpectedly throws his wife a sovereign to pay it. Mrs. Jones is appalled to find he has a purse and the missing cigarette box. Jones says "I'm no thief. I'm no worse than wot that young Barthwick is; he brought 'ome that purse I picked up – a lady's purse – 'ad it off 'er in a row, kept sayin' 'ed scored 'er off. Well, I scored 'im off.... And d'you think anything'll happen to him?" Snow, a detective, enters and finds the cigarette box he is looking for. He assumes Mrs. Jones stole it, and arrests her. Jones, saying he took the box himself, attacks Snow, and a policeman comes in to overpower Jones. Act II, Scene II In the Barthwicks' dining room that evening, Mr. and Mrs. Barthwick and Jack are having dessert. Snow comes in. His report, that Jones says he took the box when he was let in by a drunken Jack, and that Jones had the purse, causes dismay and embarrassment. Snow says Jones should be prosecuted: Barthwick says, as he looks gloomily at Jack, "This prosecution goes very much against the grain with me. I have great sympathy with the poor. In my position I'm bound to recognise the distress there is amongst them." Roper, Barthwick's lawyer, wants to know how to present the case in the police court. Mrs. Barthwick believes that Jack's involvement is an invention of Jones; Jack is unwilling to appear in court; Barthwick is anxious that the details should not get into the papers. Act III In the police court, Mrs. Jones says she was shocked that her husband had the box. Jones says he helped young Mr. Barthwick to unlock the door, and that Jack said to him, "You look... like one of these 'ere Socialists. Take whatever you like." Jones says he took the box out of spite. Jack, questioned by Roper, says he does not remember Jones letting him in. Barthwick does not press charges, and Mrs. Jones is discharged. Jones, who has pleaded guilty to stealing the box and assaulting the police, is told that being drunk is no excuse, and is given one month in prison. As he leaves he shouts resentfully at Jack, who took the purse while drunk but has not got into trouble with the law.

Television

The play has been adapted for television: In 1939 it was a

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

play: it featured

Gibb McLaughlin George McLoughlin (19 July 1879 – 30 June 1961), known professionally as Gibb McLaughlin, was an English film and stage actor. Early days McLaughlin was born in Sunderland, County Durham, England in 1879. For about 10 years he was a sales ...

as John Barthwick,

Basil Langton Basil Cedric Langton (9 January 1912 – 29 May 2003) was an English actor, director and photographer, who made a career on both sides of the Atlantic. He was an authority on the plays of George Bernard Shaw and compiled an archive of more than ...

as Jack Barthwick,

Leon M. Lion Leon Marks Lion (12 March 1879 – 28 March 1947) was an English stage and film actor, playwright, theatrical director and producer. He starred in Joseph Jefferson Farjeon's 1925 hit play '' Number 17'' as well as its subsequent 1932 film adapta ...

as Jones and

Louise Hampton Louise Hampton (23 December 1879 – 10 February 1954) was a British actress. Although her career began when she was a child, it was for "the pathos and dignity of her elderly, motherly roles""Obituary: Louise Hampton", ''The Stage'', 18 Februar ...

as Mrs. Jones. In 1949 it was a BBC play, produced by Fred O'Donovan. It featured Arthur Young as John Barthwick,

Derek Blomfield Derek Blomfield (31 August 1920 – 23 July 1964) was a British actor who appeared in a number of stage, film and television productions between 1935 and his death in 1964. Career He trained at LAMDA and made his first stage appearance a ...

as Jack Barthwick,

Edmund Willard Edmund Willard (19 December 1884 – 6 October 1956) was a British actor of the 1930s and 1940s. Born in Brighton, Sussex in 1884, the nephew of Victorian era actor Edward Smith Willard, in 1920 Willard appeared in the plays of William Sha ...

as Jones and

Nancy Price Nancy Price, CBE (3 February 1880 – 31 March 1970) was an English actress on stage and screen, author, animal welfare activist and theatre director. Her acting career began in a repertory theatre company before progressing to the London stage, ...

as Mrs. Jones. In 1955 it was a '' Pond's Theater'' play, featuring

Tom Helmore Tom Helmore (4 January 1904 – 12 September 1995) was an English film actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1927 and 1972, including three directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Helmore was born in London, England and died in Longboat ...

and

Roddy McDowall Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall (17 September 1928 – 3 October 1998) was a British-American actor whose career spanned over 270 screen and stage roles across over 60 years. Born in London, he began his acting career as a child in his n ...

. In 1959 it was a BBC play, directed by

Michael Leeston-Smith John Michael Bazalgette Leeston-Smith (12 December 1916 – 5 December 2001) was a British film and television director. Leeston-Smith took a job at Ealing Studios in 1932, aged 16. He worked there as a photographer and assistant sound engineer. I ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silver Box Plays by John Galsworthy 1906 plays Plays set in the United Kingdom Plays adapted into television shows West End plays