THREE PLAYS[i]
BY THE SAME AUTHOR[ii]
- THE DAY’S PLAY
- THE HOLIDAY ROUND
- ONCE A WEEK
- ONCE ON A TIME
- NOT THAT IT MATTERS
- IF I MAY
- FIRST PLAYS
- SECOND PLAYS
- THE SUNNY SIDE
- MR. PIM
- THE RED HOUSE MYSTERY
THREE PLAYS[iii]
BY A. A. MILNE
LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS
1923
[v]To DAFF
FOR MAKING THE FAIRY-BOOKS COME TRUE
[vi]Applications regarding Amateur Performancesof the Plays in this Volumeshould be addressed to Samuel French,Ltd., 26 Southampton Street, Strand,London, W.C.2.
CONTENTS[vii]
| PAGE | |
|---|---|
| THE GREAT BROXOPP | 1 |
| THE DOVER ROAD | 93 |
| THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS | 179 |
These plays are printed here in the order in
which they were written.
INTRODUCTION[ix]
I wanted not to write an introduction to these threeplays, but circumstances are too strong for me. Yet,after all, what is to be said but, to the public, “Herethey are; like them,” and, to the critics, “Here theyare; fall on them”? But apparently this is notenough. I must think of something else.
There was a happy time when I was a critic myself.I, too, have lived in that Arcady. What nights werethen! Red-letter nights when the play was bad, andin one short hour, standing on the body of the dramatist,I had delivered my funeral oration; black-letter nightswhen the play was good, and it took six hours of solidpushing, myself concealed by the fellow’s person, toplace him fairly in the sun. The years slip away. Yeteven now I have something of my old style. Here,lest you should think I am boasting, is my Hamlet