Should ethics be based on the ideals of Socrates or on the real situation one faces? The author of the play sees no reason why such a serious question should not be posed in an entertaining and theatrical manner. Henry Lowenthal, long-time professor of philosophy is looking forward to a semi-retirement position at the college where he works so he and his wife can enjoy their golden years with some security . But their plans are destroyed when his successor, a vindictive young woman, refuses to recommend him for the position—an act of such calculated cruelty that the usually gentle professor grabs a bust of Socrates and strikes the woman with it. What now? Should he do the right thing (as he has preached to his students over the years) and turn himself over to the police? Or should he follow the advice of his more pragmatic wife and simply dispose of the body? And what about the young student who witnessed his crime and will resort to anything—even blackmail—to get a passing grade from him? Add to this a suspicious police detective who is asking questions about the body of a woman found at the bottom of a cliff, and you have the ingredients for a suspenseful thriller. A regional theatre success in the United States, the play was later transferred to Broadway for an extended run.
“It combines the warmth and charm of ON GOLDEN POND with almost as many plot twists as
DEATHTRAP.” –Variety.
“An old-fashioned thriller/chiller with some heart, heartbreak and hearty laughs.” –Atlanta
Journal/Constitution.
“…a terrific comedy thriller.” –WGST Newsradio, Atlanta.
