The Patient is a one act play by Agatha Christie. It was performed in 1962 as part of Rule of Three on 29 Dec 1962 at the Duchess Theatre, London, directed by Hubert Gregg.
The play is available for licensing by Samuel French Ltd.. Because of the compact nature of the play with only one act and no scene changes, and because of the small cast required, it is popular with amateur drama groups. In 1986, Dutch broadcaster NCRV aired a Dutch adaptation of the play with the title Opzet of Ongeluk.
Synopsis[]
A patient, Mrs Jenny Wingfield, has been horribly injured in a fall from her balcony. In addition to her physical injuries, the shock has left her paralysed and unable to communicate. It could have been an accident, attempted suicide or worse still a cold-blooded killer bent on murder. As relatives gather round her hospital bed, a doctor and a police inspector stages an experiment with an ingenious device that helps Mrs. Wingfield convey messages that could solve the mystery.
Plot summary[]
(may contain spoilers - click on expand to read)
Mrs Jenny Wingfield, an invalid who spends most of her time ill in bed, has fallen from a second storey balcony at her home and has sustained serious though not life threatening injuries. However the shock of the event has left her paralysed and unable to communicate. None of the occupants of the house were near her when it happened and Nurse Bond, the home nurse who was attending her had gone for her alloted break. It could be an accident, or an attempted suicide, but it could also have been attempted murder. Dr Ginsberg and Inspector Cray devise an experiment to yield some light on the truth. All the occupants of the house, Bryan the husband, William Ross the brother, Emmeline Ross the sister and Brenda Jackson, Bryan's secretary are all gathered in a hospital room with a unusual scientific device. All of them were in the house when Jenny fell from the balcony. All claimed to be doing something else or being somewhere else.
Dr Ginsberg explains that although Mrs Wingfield is paralysed, she is in fact conscious and aware and can hear and understand what is said to her. Lately they had discovered that Mrs Wingfield can move some fingers of her left hand very slightly. The device in the room has a rubber ball which Mrs Wingfield can press with her left hand. The slightest pressure is enough to cause a red light to come on. With this, Dr Ginsberg hopes Mrs Wingfield can tell what happened to her.
The assembled relatives object to the experiment for all sorts of reasons, but nonetheless Mrs Wingfield is wheeled in. Dr Ginsberg assisted by Nurse Bond then start the experiment. Ginsberg tells Mrs Wingfield to signalling with one red light for yes and two reds for no. She answers "no" to the suggestion that she was giddy and that she fell. Ginsberg runs through the alphabet and Mrs Wingfield flashes a red at "p" which Ginsberg infers as "pushed". Using the same approach, Mrs Wingfield signals "M" "U" for murder and then "B". She then collapses. She is given emergency treatment and wheeled aside to recover.
The occupants of the house are soon accusing one another of being the murderer. Emmeline accuses Bryan of having an affair with his secretary Brenda. Brenda admits they had an affair but it ended long ago. In any case the others also had a motive. Bryan himself is quite poor. Jenny is well off but has willed her money to her siblings William and Emmeline. William ("Bill") was a wastrel who was always pestering his sister to lend him money. Brenda also accuses Emmeline of being jealous of Jenny. Emmeline was in love with Bryan at first but Bryan chose her sister Jenny in preference to her. We also hear that Emmeline is called sometimes "Bunny". There is too much commotion and Jenny needs to rest so Ginsberg calls a twenty minute time out and sends the relatives out of the room.
Inspector Cray asks Emmeline to stay because she has some questions. In answer to Cray, Emmeline confirms that her sister did indeed confide that she knew about the affair between Bryan and Brenda. In fact Jenny suspected that she was being poisoned. Emmeline also gives the inspector a note she found hidden in a vase in the house. It's written by Bryan and warns someone that they have to be careful because Jenny is beginning to suspect something.
Emmeline leaves the room. Ginsberg and Cray, now alone with Mrs Wingfield, tell her that they are now ready for the next part of the experiment. Her relatives do not know that she had actually regained her power of speech recently but that she doesn't actually know who pushed her. They all fear that the "device" will soon give them away. They will pretend to move away and leave Mrs Wingfield alone. They are sure her attacker must make a move to prevent being exposed. Mrs Wingfield says she is willing to go through with it because she has to know.
Ginsberg and Cray move away. Someone comes in and attempts to attack Mrs Wingfield. She calls for help. The assailant runs. Ginsberg and Cray come back in and uncover the attacker hiding in an alcove. It's Nurse Bond. She was the home nurse attending Mrs Wingfield and had been having an affair with Bryan. Cray explains that the note Emmeline found was most indicative--Bryan would not need to write notes to Brenda whom he saw everyday.
Characters[]
- Lansen
- Nurse Bond
- Dr Ginsberg
- Inspector Cray
- Bryan Wingfield - husband of the patient
- Emmeline Ross - the patient's sister
- William Ross - patient's brother
- Brenda Jackson - Bryan's secretary
- The Patient (Jenny Wingfield)
Other characters mentioned[]
Setting[]
A private room in a nursing home.