A Duel in the Dark: An Original Farce, in One Act

What begins as what Mr. Greenfinch believes to be a daring illicit adventure quickly unravels into one of Victorian theatre's most gleefully absurd marital comedies. Convinced he's stolen away with the mysterious Countess de Rambuteau, Greenfinch finds himself in increasingly compromising circumstances, only to discover that the 'Countess' is actually his wife Mrs. Greenfinch in disguise, having orchestrated the entire escapade to test his fidelity. The Farce builds to a mock duel in the dark, where confusion reigns, swords are waved with more enthusiasm than skill, and the truth emerges not through confession but through frantic, hilarious combat. Coyne's one-act masterpiece proves that the oldest marital trick in the book still works: disguise yourself and see how your husband truly reacts when temptation appears. The wit zings, the situations spiral delightfully out of control, and the final reconciliation is as satisfying as it is ridiculous. This is farce at its purest: sophisticated enough to mock the pretensions of countesses and cuckolds, yet broad enough to still land a pratfall or two.