Lady in Danger (play)

Lady in Danger was a play by Australian writer Max Afford. It was one of the few Australian plays to enjoy a run on Broadway. It was also adapted for radio and television.
Plot.
Monica Sefton is the wife of a sacked reporter. She plans to write a thriller to restore the family fortune. She accidentally stumbles upon a Nazi spy ring.
Production history.
1942 amateur production.
The play was first produced by Doris Fitton at the Independent Theatre in Sydney in early 1942.
1944 professional production.
The play was seen by representatives of J.C. Williamsons Ltd, the leading theatrical producers in the country, who bought the rights. Since Williamsons had not produced an Australian play in over 20 years this was seen as a positive step for Australian playwriting.
The play made its professional debut on 15 March 1944 at the Theatre Royal in Sydney and was positively received.
Afford said “The season at the Independent, gave me an opportunity to improve any weaknesses. Naturally, the professional production will be a more elaborate one particularly in the last act, which requires sliding panels and secret passages.” 
The play was published in 1944.
1945 Broadway production.
The play was also optioned for production on Broadway, although it was rewritten by Alexander Kirkland to be set in Melbourne, Australia and be about a Japanese spy ring. The character of Bill Sefton was changed to an American soldier who was stationed in Melbourne, and his wife Monica now grew up in Japan, not Germany. The other characters played Australians. Kirkland finished his new draft by September 1944. Robert Cummings and Jane Wyman were announced as possible stars.
"Lady in Danger" premiered in Detroit in March 1945.
Response.
Reviews were not strong and it closed after twelve performances.
The "Cincinnati Enquirer" said "there is not the tiniest suspicion of comedy throughout and the only mystery about the entire sorry affair is how in the name of things theatrical it was produced in the first place." Walter Winchell said "it had better have stayed down under." "The Daily News" called it "a tepid chiller."
"That's not: too good, is it?" said Afford. "Still, ¥ don't suppose you can hitthe jackpot eveir time."
1955 radio adaptation.
The play was adapted for radio on the ABC in 1955.
1959 television version.
The play was adapted for television on the ABC in the 1950s. Broadcast live in Sydney on 9 September 1959, a kinescope recording ("telerecording") was made of the broadcast and shown in Melbourne on 24 September 1959.
Cast included Madi Hedd, James Condon and Queenie Ashton. It is not known if the kinescope recording still exists.
Production.
It was the first drama directed by Colin Dean at the ABC. He was assigned the job by ABC's Director of Drama, Neil Hutchinson. "It was a 'try-out' to see if I can do it," said Dean. "It wasn't a substantial play."
An especially trained cat was used for certain scenes.
Reception.
"The Age" said it "provided an interesting hour's entertainment... outstanding feature was the fine sustained acting from Madi Hedd... James Condon... was not quite as convincing."
The "Sydney Morning Herald" called it a "neatly tailored thriller" which set "out to do nothing more ambitious than pass an entertaining hour" and "did just that and nothing more in a very competent live television production... [the cast] all played as though they had been doing this kind of thing for most of their working lives. Colin Dean's production aptly matched their efficiency and craftsmanship."