The Sacred Flame (play)

"The Sacred Flame" (1928) was William Somerset Maugham's 21st play, written at the age of 54. Maugham dedicated the publication to his friend Messmore Kendall.

The play written as three acts, is unique within the total of Maugham's list of 24 plays, as he changed from his previous methodology of using the naturalistic speech pattern he had been so well known for, to experiment with a type of literary dialogue.

"The Sacred Flame" is the story about the misfortune of Maurice Tabret previously a soldier of World War I who had returned home unscathed to marry his sweetheart Stella. Unfortunately, after only a year of marriage, Maurice is involved in a vehicle accident and left crippled. The play itself commences some years later in Gatley House near London, which is the home of Maurice's mother, Mrs. Tabret.

Mrs. Tabret's home has been set up to care for her son and a young Nurse Wayland has been Maurice's constant aid throughout. She is extremely professional and devoted to her job. Maurice's wife Stella lives with them also and remains his cheerful companion and support. Colin Tabret, Maurice's brother has returned from a time in India to spend the previous 11 months before the play's start with his brother and the family. The local practitioner Dr Harvester pops in frequently to check on Maurice's condition and to prescribe appropriate treatments. Mrs. Tabret's own husband has passed on some time ago and whilst she does not have a close relationship with anyone else, her old friend retired Major Liconda visits frequently and the play does reveal a past of some greater care and affection between them.

All is as well as can be expected until Maurice is found dead in his bed one morning. Not altogether unexpected, Dr. Harvester is prepared to write the death certificate but then Nurse Wayland cries foul and indicates that she believes Maurice was murdered. The play then works through a series of Agatha Christie style whodunnit scenes as the observer (reader) attempts to determine whether or not such a dastardly thing could have befallen the crippled Maurice or whether it is the ravings of his previously professional but now shocked and upset nurse.

The play was first produced in New York in November 1928 and then in London in February 1929 where it was quite a success. Gladys Cooper, Wendy Hiller and Leo Genn appeared in the play in London in 1967. Despite the the play's success, Maugham did not repeat the experiment of literary dialogue again in any of his future plays.