Inadmissible Evidence (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: John Osborne
- First Published: 1965
- Type of Plot: Psychological; naturalistic
- Time of Work: The 1960’s
- Setting: London
- Principal Characters: Bill Maitland, Hudson, Jones, Liz, Jane, Shirley, Joy, Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Garnsey, Maples, Mrs. Tonks
- Genres: Naturalistic literature, Drama, Psychological drama
- Subjects: Values, 1960’s, Parents and children, Sex or sexuality, Marriage, Fathers, Adultery, Divorce, Lawyers, London, Work or workers, Isolation
- Locales: London, England
The Play
Inadmissible Evidence begins as three characters—Bill Maitland, one of Her Majesty’s judges, and a clerk of the court—“come to some sort of life out of the blur of dream.” In this nightmarish dream prologue, Bill’s law office is temporarily metamorphosed into a courtroom where Bill is a prisoner on trial “for having unlawfully and wickedly made known, and caused to be procured and made known a wicked, bawdy and scandalous object.” Bill’s own life is the depersonalized “object” that is being tried. Bill pleads “not guilty” and, when...
[The entire page is 2505 words long]
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