The Episode of the Theatrical Venture
Encyclopedia
"The Episode of the Theatrical Venture" is a short story
by P. G. Wodehouse
and C. H. Bovill, which first appeared in the United Kingdom
in the June 1914 issue of the Strand
, and in the United States
in the July 1916 Pictorial Review
. It was published in book form in the collection A Man of Means
in 1991.
It is the third of six stories to feature Roland Bleke, a young man for whom financial success is always a mixed blessing.
", finds himself wowed by Miss Billy Verepoint, an attractive and domineering actress. He soon ends up the owner of a notoriously unsuccessful theatre
, the Windsor, bought from its unscrupulous former owner, who found his insurance agent's attitude to keeping the place safe from fire a little too strict for his liking.
As her friends start working on a revue
to be performed at the theatre and starring Miss Verepoint, Bleke proposes to her, mostly out of fear, and is accepted pending her making a success of her theatrical career. At rehearsals, Bleke is horrified by Miss Verepoint's behaviour and, in dread of having to spend his life married to her, goes away to Norfolk
for a quiet week's rest.
Returning to London, he finds the theatre has been burnt to the ground - suffragette
s having left their literature around the place. Miss Verepoint and her writer friends demand he rebuild it, but he demurs, explaining that he had not insured the building and was penniless. The theatrical types all leave in disgust, Miss Verepoint calling off the engagement on her way out. Bleke opens his desk and fondly caresses the insurance policies passed on to him by the theatre's previous owner...
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
and C. H. Bovill, which first appeared in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in the June 1914 issue of the Strand
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
, and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the July 1916 Pictorial Review
Pictorial Review
Pictorial Review is a magazine which first appeared in September, 1899. The magazine was originally designed to showcase dress patterns of William Paul Ahnelt's American Fashion Company. By the late 1920s it was one of the largest of the "women's magazines"....
. It was published in book form in the collection A Man of Means
A Man of Means
A Man of Means is a collection of six short stories written in collaboration by P. G. Wodehouse and C. H. Bovill. The stories first appeared in the United Kingdom in the Strand in 1914, and in the United States in Pictorial Review in 1916...
in 1991.
It is the third of six stories to feature Roland Bleke, a young man for whom financial success is always a mixed blessing.
Plot summary
Roland Bleke, a very wealthy man after the events of "The Episode of the Financial NapoleonThe Episode of the Financial Napoleon
"The Episode of the Financial Napoleon" is a short story by P. G. Wodehouse and C. H. Bovill, which first appeared in the United Kingdom in the May 1914 issue of the Strand, and in the United States in the June 1916 Pictorial Review...
", finds himself wowed by Miss Billy Verepoint, an attractive and domineering actress. He soon ends up the owner of a notoriously unsuccessful theatre
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
, the Windsor, bought from its unscrupulous former owner, who found his insurance agent's attitude to keeping the place safe from fire a little too strict for his liking.
As her friends start working on a revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
to be performed at the theatre and starring Miss Verepoint, Bleke proposes to her, mostly out of fear, and is accepted pending her making a success of her theatrical career. At rehearsals, Bleke is horrified by Miss Verepoint's behaviour and, in dread of having to spend his life married to her, goes away to Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
for a quiet week's rest.
Returning to London, he finds the theatre has been burnt to the ground - suffragette
Suffragette
"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
s having left their literature around the place. Miss Verepoint and her writer friends demand he rebuild it, but he demurs, explaining that he had not insured the building and was penniless. The theatrical types all leave in disgust, Miss Verepoint calling off the engagement on her way out. Bleke opens his desk and fondly caresses the insurance policies passed on to him by the theatre's previous owner...
External links
- Free eBook of A Man of Means at Project GutenbergProject GutenbergProject Gutenberg is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks". Founded in 1971 by Michael S. Hart, it is the oldest digital library. Most of the items in its collection are the full texts of public domain books...