Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Spider's Web (Theatre)

 Spider's Web (Theatre)
type
TVTItem
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
label
Spider's Web (Theatre)
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
page
SpidersWeb
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
comment
Spider's Web is a comedy-thriller play by Agatha Christie, first performed in 1954.Clarissa Hailsham-Brown, second wife of a diplomat, finds a dead body in the drawing room of their country house — the body of Oliver Costello, the man for whom the first Mrs Hailsham-Brown left her husband. To prevent unpleasant attention on her husband, who's about to get an important career boost, and his young daughter, who's still traumatised from mistreatment by her mother, Clarissa persuades her house guests to help her arrange for the body to be found somewhere else. Before they can get it out of the house, however, the plan is complicated by the arrival of an uncomfortably observant police inspector on the trail of an anonymous tip-off.The original production starred Margaret Lockwood, for whom the role of Clarissa was specifically written, and also included Desmond Llewelyn in the bit part of Constable Jones.In 2000, a novel based on the play was released, adapted by Charles Osborne.
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
fetched
2023-07-13T11:44:34Z
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
parsed
2023-07-13T11:44:34Z
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_1605e350
type
Secret Room
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_1605e350
comment
Secret Room: The house has a secret passage between the drawing room and the library, which features several times, including as a hiding place for the body.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_1605e350
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_1605e350
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_1605e350
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_18d15922
type
Title Drop
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_18d15922
comment
Title Drop: At the end of the play, Clarissa looks back on the evening she's had and is reminded of the famous quote from Walter Scott's poem Marmion: "Oh, what a tangled web we weave,/ When first we practise to deceive!"
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_18d15922
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_18d15922
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_18d15922
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_41077d9d
type
MacGuffin
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_41077d9d
comment
Macguffin: The root of the trouble is something hidden in the house by the previous owner, which unscrupulous people are trying to get hold of. Until the denouement, nobody except the murderer even knows what it is, just that it's said to be worth thousands of pounds.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_41077d9d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_41077d9d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_41077d9d
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_4b39c18
type
Taking the Heat
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_4b39c18
comment
Taking the Heat: When it becomes apparent that Inspector Lord has figured out they knew about the murder and have been trying to cover it up, Clarissa (who still thinks Pippa did it) confesses to it herself, claiming that she surprised an intruder in the dark and didn't mean to hit him so hard. Fortunately, the real murderer is uncovered before she suffers any consequences for it.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_4b39c18
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_4b39c18
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_4b39c18
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_716cdf08
type
Vorpal Pillow
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_716cdf08
comment
Vorpal Pillow: At the climax of the play, the real murderer attempts to suffocate Pippa with a sofa cushion while she's napping in the drawing room, to prevent her revealing something that might give away his motive.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_716cdf08
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_716cdf08
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_716cdf08
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_7cd6822e
type
Significant Name Overlap
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_7cd6822e
comment
Significant Name Overlap: Several mysterious events turn out to be a result of Clarissa Hailsham-Brown being mistaken for a Mrs Brown who was connected with the house's former owner. It's also revealed that Mrs Brown deliberately arranged for the Hailsham-Browns to lease the house in order to create and benefit from the confusion. The play also includes two minor characters named Jones. In-universe, there's no connection between them, but the coincidence foreshadows the later more significant reveal.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_7cd6822e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_7cd6822e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_7cd6822e
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_8bf802dd
type
Golf Clubbing
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_8bf802dd
comment
Golf Clubbing: Costello was killed by a blow to the head by some blunt object, eventually revealed to be a golf club.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_8bf802dd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_8bf802dd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_8bf802dd
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_9ebca7d9
type
Mr. Smith
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_9ebca7d9
comment
Mr. Smith: Henry Hailsham-Brown is involved in sensitive negotiations with a foreign dignitary who for reasons of secrecy is to be referred to as "Mr Jones". Clarissa lampshades that it's very obviously a pseudonym.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_9ebca7d9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_9ebca7d9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_9ebca7d9
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_b41b9606
type
Never One Murder
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_b41b9606
comment
Never One Murder: It turns out that Costello is actually the second person the murderer has killed while attempting to secure the Macguffin. At the climax of the play, Clarissa nearly becomes the third.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_b41b9606
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_b41b9606
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_b41b9606
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_bba9ea51
type
Good Stepmother
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_bba9ea51
comment
Good Stepmother: Clarissa is a much better mother to Pippa than Pippa's biological mother ever was, with several characters who have seen the before and after remarking how much better Pippa is doing now, and is willing to go to remarkable lengths to protect her.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_bba9ea51
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_bba9ea51
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_bba9ea51
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_c1d5b78
type
Reading the Stage Directions Out Loud
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_c1d5b78
comment
Reading the Stage Directions Out Loud: The play ends with Clarissa saying to herself... or perhaps to the audience "Exit Clarissa ... mysteriously", before disappearing into the Secret Passage.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_c1d5b78
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_c1d5b78
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_c1d5b78
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8
type
Cassandra Truth
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8
comment
Cassandra Truth: Early in the play, it's established that Clarissa has a knack for telling tall tales with utter conviction, but she notes ruefully that she's never as persuasive when she's really trying to convince someone of an important truth. This comes back later when she decides she's going to have to confess everything to Inspector Lord, only to find that he doesn't believe a word of it.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_cf92fea8
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_d298bc9a
type
I Wished You Were Dead
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_d298bc9a
comment
I Wished You Were Dead: Young Pippa finds a book about "black magic" and, after a run-in with her mother's hated boyfriend Oliver Costello, casts a spell to kill him. When she finds his body, she's convinced she's responsible, but is too hysterical to explain why she thinks that, leading Clarissa to believe she actually killed him and go to extreme lengths to shield her from suspicion.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_d298bc9a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_d298bc9a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_d298bc9a
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_dfe687c9
type
Alone with the Psycho
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_dfe687c9
comment
Alone with the Psycho: At the climax of the play, Clarissa figures out who really murdered Costello while she's alone in the room with the murderer. Fortunately, the police arrive in the nick of time to prevent her becoming the next victim.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_dfe687c9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_dfe687c9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_dfe687c9
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_e23fac54
type
Invisible Writing
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_e23fac54
comment
Invisible Writing: An apparently innocent paper found in a secret compartment in an antique desk turns out to have the address list of a drug ring written on it in invisible ink.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_e23fac54
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_e23fac54
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_e23fac54
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_eba4e300
type
Honorary Uncle
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_eba4e300
comment
Honorary Uncle: One of Clarissa's guests, Sir Rowland Delahaye, is an old family friend who's known her since she was a child. She calls him Uncle Rowly.
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_eba4e300
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_eba4e300
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_eba4e300
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_name
type
ItemName
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_name
comment
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_name
 Spider's Web (Theatre) / int_name
itemName
Spider's Web (Theatre)

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
False Confession / int_d443fe0f
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Invisible Writing / int_d443fe0f
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Mr. Smith / int_d443fe0f
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Never One Murder / int_d443fe0f
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Secret Room / int_d443fe0f
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Significant Name Overlap / int_d443fe0f
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Taking the Heat / int_d443fe0f
 Spider's Web (Theatre)
hasFeature
Vorpal Pillow / int_d443fe0f