THE BLACK CAT.
A PLAY IN THREE ACTS BY
JOHN TODHUNTER.
FIRST ACTED AT
THE INDEPENDENT THEATRE IN LONDON.
LONDON: HENRY AND CO. 93, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, W.C. 1895
Printed by Hazell, Watson, & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury.
[Preface.] | [Act I.] | [Act II.] | [Act III.]
Preface.
Mr. Grein has asked me to write a preface to The Black Cat. I cannot myself see much occasion for this. Why should an author be called upon to make a speech before the curtain? Because, I presume, people want to have something to talk about besides the play itself, and an author must surely have "views." Well, it is a day of views—and of talk.
The Black Cat was produced at the Opera Comique on December 8th, 1893, at one of the Independent Theatre Society's performances. It had a certain succès d'estime before a special audience, for whom, however, it was not written; and it has not been performed since.
The critics were wonderfully kind. They actually praised the play; some reluctantly, some with a reckless enthusiasm which quite astonished me. I had expected a much less pleasant reception.