Plot and Passion

Plot and Passion is a detective play by Tom Taylor (1817–1880) and John Lang (1816-1864)

Also found as Plot and Passion, or The Female Gambler.

The original text
The idea for the play was conceived by Lang, then written in collaboration with his old school friend, the theatre impressarion and author Tom Taylor, who however later claimed that Lang had only supplied the idea for the plot. Lang then used the same idea when he wrote and published his detective novel The Secret Police: Or Plot And Passion (1859).

The play was first performed at the Olympic Theatre, London, in 1853.

Published in 1853 as Plot and Passion, "An Original Drama, in Three Acts" as Volume 13 of Lacy's Acting Editions, by T.H. Lacy, and ascribed to Taylor alone, though a number of sources give both authors.

Published as Plot and Passion in De Witt's Acting Plays (Issue 61) in 1870s, again only under Taylor's name and said to be "founded on the French" - though this is surely an error based on Taylor's known penchant for translating unacknowledged French plays.

Performance history in South Africa
1866: Performed at the Theatre Royal in Harrington Street, Cape Town, as Plot and Passion by the Le Roy and Duret company on 3 September, with Behind Time (Morton).

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