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The Command Performance
Hardcover
ISBN13: 9781025561844
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 114
Weight: 0.75
Height: 0.31 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Command Performance is a sophisticated three-act play written by C. Stafford Dickens, a prominent figure in early 20th-century theater. Set against a backdrop of royal intrigue and mistaken identity, the work explores the intersections of duty, fame, and the art of performance. The narrative follows a struggling actor who is recruited for a high-stakes deception: to impersonate a prince in a distant European kingdom to help secure a delicate diplomatic marriage.
This witty and fast-paced drama blends elements of romantic comedy with social satire, examining the rigid structures of the aristocracy through the eyes of a commoner. Dickens skillfully uses the theater-within-a-theater motif to highlight the performative nature of public life and the personal costs of maintaining a royal facade. The Command Performance stands as a classic example of the Ruritanian romance subgenre that captivated audiences during the interwar period.
With its sharp dialogue and clever situational humor, the play offers a fascinating glimpse into the dramatic tastes of the 1930s. It serves as an excellent resource for students of British drama and those interested in the evolution of twentieth-century stagecraft and narrative tropes involving disguise and social mobility.
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This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
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