The Tenth Man

In W. S. Maugham's tragic comedy in three acts, a polished world of politics, finance, and marriage begins to crack under the pressure of scandal, debt, and private betrayal. At the elegant London home of Lord and Lady Francis Etchingham, their daughter Catherine has returned after leaving her husband, the powerful financier George Winter, and the household is forced to confront a crisis that threatens both reputation and livelihood. Catherine's refusal to endure an intolerable marriage exposes the play's central conflict between social appearance and personal truth, while her strained reunion with Robert Colby sharpens the emotional cost of love, ambition, and sacrifice. As Winter and his allies struggle to conceal a disastrous mine investment, forged authority, and the threat of prosecution, blackmail and desperation drive the men toward moral collapse. Even Catherine's testimony before a political delegation becomes part of the performance, as private loyalties are pressed into public service. Amid the intrigue, the play balances bitter comedy with deepening despair, ending in a bleak struggle for dignity, survival, and escape. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.