The Electric Man Being the One Act Version of the Three Act Farcical Comedy of the Same Name

In a modest London sitting‑room, the eccentric chemist and electrician Walter Everest is consumed by a secret invention that he guards behind a stubbornly locked cupboard. When his landlady and his brother‑in‑law, the earnest young doctor Jack, drop by for a casual visit, the room quickly becomes a stage for bewildered conversations and slap‑slap humor. Walter’s frantic attempts to keep his mysterious project hidden spark a cascade of misunderstandings that set the tone for the entire piece.

Joining the mix are a nosy private detective, a flirtatious fiancée, and a sharp‑tongued landlady, each adding their own brand of wit to the chaos. The centerpiece of the comedy is the “Electric Man,” an automaton that never shares the stage with its creator, moving in jerky, doll‑like motions while Walter substitutes for it from off‑stage. Its stiff, mechanical gestures, punctuated by a jaunty “funeral march of a marionette,” create a delightfully visual gag that keeps the audience laughing.

The play’s brisk, twenty‑six‑minute run showcases rapid dialogue, physical comedy, and a charmingly Victorian sense of absurdity, making it an ideal pick for listeners who enjoy lighthearted farce with a dash of early‑twentieth‑century inventiveness.