Pipes and Perdition (Classic Reprint)

J. V. Prichard

ISBN 10: 1331086418 / ISBN 13: 9781331086413

Published by Forgotten Books, 2018

About this Item

Print on Demand. This book is an 1881 comedy play adapted by J. V. Prichard from an unknown French original. In five acts and described as a "domestic drama," it depicts the reconciliation of the captain and his wife after a ludicrous misunderstanding over his collection of smoking pipes. Performed by an all-male cast, it parodies the hysterical plays that the author considered to be choking the theater of his day. The main character, Captain Valentine, is an otherwise respectable military man who has been enjoying the relative freedom of bachelorhood during his honeymoon, leaving his wife home alone to worry. A practical joke by his valet results in his wife believing him to be unfaithful with a harem of women he is actually referring to as his beloved smoking pipes. Discovering the truth only after a hilarious chain of misinterpretations and near separations, the couple's reconciliation provides the play's satisfying conclusion. Through witty dialogue and absurd situations, the play delivers a gently satirical examination of the outlandish plots and melodramatic conventions common in the theatrical landscape of its time. This book is a reproduction of an important historical work, digitally reconstructed using state-of-the-art technology to preserve the original format. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in the book.

Seller Inventory # 9781331086413_0

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Pipes and Perdition (Classic Reprint)
• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1331086418
• ISBN 13: 9781331086413
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Book Type: print-on-demand item
• Seller catalogs:
  • Drama

About this title

Synopsis

A sparkling one-act Victorian comedy about love, lies, and a pipeful of mischief.

A brisk, farcical romp set in Paris, where a honeymoon is interrupted by a meddling aunt, a jealous husband, and a room full of pipes that look like rivals. The action centers on Captain Vane Valentine, his wife Alice, and the family intruder who arrives with comic confusion and clever tricks. The humor comes from quick dialogue, physical misadventure, and the playful suspense of what happens when pride, temptation, and honest heart collide.

With a blend of wit and slapstick, this edition pairs a brisk stage rhythm with stage directions and character dynamics that keep the crowd laughing. Readers get a sense of a backstage world where pipes and propriety collide, and where a light touch turns a tense moment into a jubilant finale.

• Comic misunderstandings drive the plot, built around a honeymoon and a cast of colorful characters.
• Sprightly dialogue, physical humor, and a witty resolution that restores harmony.
• Vivid stage directions and a Parisian setting that add flavor to the laughs.
• Memorable characters, including a charmingly obstinate captain and a relentlessly meddlesome aunt.

Ideal for readers who enjoy lighthearted stage comedy, witty repartee, and humorous family dynamics.