A Desperate Game: A Comic Drama in One Act

In Short

This one-act comic drama from 1853 is a classic example of Victorian stage farce, characterized by mistaken identities, rapid-fire dialogue, and physical comedy. The plot centers on Captain Ratcliffe, who maneuvers to win the hand of Mrs. Somerton by outwitting her self-interested cousin, Percy Postlethwaite. By posing as both a dangerous housebreaker and a local police superintendent, Ratcliffe orchestrates a "game" that exposes his rival's greed while testing the widow’s own resolve. It remains a charming, quintessential relic of the mid-19th-century English theater.

The Story

The play opens at night in the home of Mrs. Somerton, a young widow who has recently come into a fortune of fifteen thousand pounds. Her cousin, Percy Postlethwaite, is her expected suitor, though he is primarily motivated by the inheritance. Before Percy arrives, Captain Ratcliffe enters the house in a thick disguise, pretending to be a menacing burglar. He uses this ruse to confront Mrs. Somerton, demanding her fortune and creating a climate of terror. His true goal, however, is not the money, but to shake her loyalty to her cousin.

While Mrs. Somerton is held captive by the "intruder," Percy arrives, but he is forced to enter through a window and gets himself locked in a storage room. From his hiding place, he overhears the supposed robbery. Ratcliffe, acting with calculated audacity, forces Mrs. Somerton to acknowledge that she is being robbed, all while using his disguise to maintain the upper hand. When Mrs. Somerton is finally able to call for help, Percy eventually emerges, acting with a comedic lack of courage that contrasts sharply with his bluster.

As dawn breaks, the tension shifts from the "burglary" to a bizarre administrative struggle. Ratcliffe, having shed his disguise, introduces himself to the household as the new Superintendent of the Rural Police. Percy, desperate to prove his worth, brings this "official" into the investigation of his own cousin’s robbery. The irony peaks as Ratcliffe, now acting as the investigator, grills Percy and Mrs. Somerton about the events of the previous night. He forces Percy to account for his own suspicious behavior—such as the green hat found at the scene and his torn clothing—while simultaneously courting Mrs. Somerton under the guise of an official inquiry.

Ratcliffe eventually maneuvers Percy into writing a letter renouncing his engagement to Mrs. Somerton, falsely believing it is a necessary step to avoid being arrested as the "burglar." With the rival successfully pushed aside and the widow’s feelings tested, Ratcliffe discards his remaining masks. He reveals his true identity and his honorable intentions, having proven that Percy’s love was only for the money. The play concludes with Mrs. Somerton, who has seen through the ruse and recognized the Captain’s devotion, accepting his hand. Percy is left behind, his greed punished and his pretensions stripped away, while the couple celebrates their successful, if unorthodox, game of love.

How It Unfolds

The intruder’s arrival Captain Ratcliffe sneaks into the widow’s home under the cover of darkness, donning a false beard and moustache to disguise himself. He quickly asserts control over the room, pretending to be a dangerous criminal to force a confrontation with the lady of the house.

The cousin’s botched entry Percy Postlethwaite, arriving late and intent on his inheritance, struggles to enter through a window and ends up trapped in a storage room. From this vantage point, he inadvertently provides a running commentary on the robbery, terrified and helpless while Ratcliffe dominates the scene.

The mask of authority Once the "burglar" has made his exit, the morning sun reveals the absurdity of the situation. Ratcliffe returns in his own skin, playing the role of a stern police official to maintain control over the investigation and keep his rival off-balance.

The trap is set Ratcliffe interrogates Percy, using the evidence of the robbery—like the green hat and the torn clothing—to create a web of suspicion around the cousin. He successfully pressures the fickle Percy into signing a document that renounces his claim to Mrs. Somerton’s hand.

The final reveal With the rival neutralized, Ratcliffe shifts his tone from official to intimate, revealing his true heart to Mrs. Somerton. She admits she recognized him throughout his ruse, and the couple happily unites, leaving the defeated Percy to lament his lost fortune.

The People

Captain Ratcliffe is the play’s energetic, sharp-witted orchestrator. Driven by genuine love for Mrs. Somerton, he is willing to gamble his reputation on a series of elaborate, high-stakes deceptions to expose her cousin's shallow nature. He is bold, articulate, and remains unflappable even when his plans threaten to unravel.

Mrs. Somerton is a wealthy, intelligent widow who finds herself the target of both a greedy cousin and a mysterious, romantic Captain. She begins the play seemingly bound by a promise to marry Percy, but she is clearly unenthusiastic about the arrangement. She is perceptive, quickly sensing that the "burglar" and the Captain share more than just a passing resemblance.

Percy Postlethwaite is the comic foil, a man whose cowardice and greed define him. He wants the widow’s fifteen thousand pounds but lacks any of the courage or charm required to win her heart. Throughout the play, his self-importance is repeatedly deflated by his own incompetence and his inability to see through the Captain’s obvious ruses.

Peggy, the housekeeper, provides a grounding presence. She is fiercely loyal to her mistress and deeply suspicious of the "lords of creation." Her presence adds a layer of domestic reality to the chaos, often puncturing the high-flown romantic drama with her plain-spoken, practical observations.

In Its Own Voice

The Captain’s playful, high-pressure courtship strategy relies on constant, bold movement to keep his target from seeing through his charade.

"Love like mine never despairs. I will still be near you, for I still hope."

This line, quoted from the Captain's earlier letters, establishes the persistence that ultimately leads him to stage the desperate game in the widow's drawing room.

"A game of fright."

Mrs. Somerton uses these words at the very end of the play to summarize the Captain’s unorthodox approach to winning her affection.

What It's Really About

At its heart, this play explores the tension between material security and genuine connection. By staging a "robbery" that threatens Mrs. Somerton’s fortune, the play forces the characters to reveal their true priorities. The plot serves as a cynical but lighthearted argument that wealth often attracts the unworthy, and that the "desperate" measures required to secure true love are, in a sense, the only ones that count. It asks the audience to consider whether an act of deception is morally forgivable if it serves to protect someone from a loveless union. The play ultimately suggests that a partner's character is only revealed when their financial incentives are removed.

Why Read It Today

This play offers a brief, sparkling glimpse into the mechanics of Victorian farce. Readers who enjoy the witty, fast-paced dialogue of Oscar Wilde or the situational absurdity of classic stage comedies will find much to admire here. The humor is derived from the sheer gall of the protagonist and the satisfying comeuppance of the greedy rival. It feels like a high-speed game of cards, where the audience is in on the cheating from the very first hand.

However, modern readers should be prepared for the tropes of the 19th-century stage. The characters are archetypes rather than deeply psychological portraits, and the plot relies on "period" conveniences—such as the idea that a woman’s reputation is so fragile it must be "saved" by a suitor. The dialogue occasionally leans into the dialect of the time, which may require a moment of adjustment, but the rhythm of the play is brisk and never lingers too long on its own artifice. If you are looking for a light, confident, and quintessentially theatrical story that celebrates the triumph of cleverness over greed, this hour-long romp is a perfect, breezy read. It leaves the reader with a sense of the sheer, joyful playfulness that defined the mid-Victorian stage.