Plays by Vague Plot Trivia Quiz

Answer: All My Sons

"All My Sons" is a 1947 play by Arthur Miller. It deals with the Keller family, led by patriarch Joe. Joe is a factory owner who was once charged with knowingly shipping defective airplane parts to American servicemen during World War II. Joe was exonerated and his business partner and neighbor Steve Deever was convicted of the crime.

However, Joe is guilty and several people know it, including his wife Kate. Kate, meanwhile, refuses to accept that her son Larry is dead, despite Larry having been missing for years. Larry was a fighter pilot during the war. Larry's girlfriend Ann is now engaged to the other Keller son, Chris. Ann is the daughter of Steve Deever. Neither Ann nor Chris knows the truth about the defective plane parts, one of which might have gone to Larry.

However, when the truth comes out, it threatens to tear the Kellers apart.

Answer: Ghosts

"Ghosts" is a 1881 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. In the play, Helen Alving is a widow. Her husband, Captain Alving, was a philanderer and an abuser. Helen stuck by her husband to prevent her son Oswald from being caught up in a scandal.

The captain had many affairs and wound up contracting a venereal disease (likely syphilis but this is not confirmed). Helen wants Oswald to have absolutely nothing of his father's and spends all of the money the captain left Oswald. However, Oswald has inherited a great deal from his father in terms of characteristics.

He too is something of a philanderer and has fallen in love with the maid whom he does not know is actually his sister. In addition, Oswald is suffering from the same venereal disease his father was and Helen believes it to be inherited from the captain.

Answer: The Mousetrap

"The Mousetrap" is a 1952 play by Agatha Christie. It is considered one of her most famous works. In the play, Giles and Mollie Ralston run a guesthouse and are expecting visitors for the evening. The couple and their five guests get snowed in when the police arrive on skis.

They are looking around for clues in the murder of a woman that occurred the day before. It seems at least one person in the guesthouse is connected. But then another murder takes place, making it clear the killer is snowed in with innocent people.

Answer: Lysistrata

"Lysistrata" is an ancient Greek play by Aristophanes. Lysistrata is a Greek woman who, along with the other women, believe the men are wrong to continue fighting the Peloponnesian War. They vow to end the war by denying their husbands and other men sex until the men agree to negotiate a peaceful end to the war.

The men, naturally do not like this plan. However, the women go along with it, igniting a battle of the sexes.

Answer: Pygmalion

"Pygmalion" is a 1913 play by George Bernard Shaw that was turned into the film "My Fair Lady". In the play, Henry Higgins is a phonology professor who takes up the challenge of passing Eliza Doolittle, a young woman who sells flowers, off as a duchess by simply improving her speech.

This proves to be quiet the challenge as Eliza, despite wanting to improve her words, has trouble adapting to a more sophisticated way of acting.

Answer: Fences

"Fences" is a 1985 play by August Wilson. Troy Maxson is now a middle-aged truck driver in 1950s Pittsburgh. He is the first African-American truck driver in Pittsburgh. Troy had been a promising baseball player but the color barrier prevented him from joining the major leagues and making decent money. Now in his fifties, Troy is working a menial job to make ends meet for his family.

Answer: Tartuffe

"Tartuffe" is a 1664 play by Moliere. It focuses on Orgon, a rich French man who is completely under the control of a conman named Tartuffe. Tartuffe pretends to be an extremely religious man and Orgon and his mother are so far under his control that they refuse to do anything without consulting Tartuffe first. Meanwhile, the rest of Orgon's family see right through the fraudster.

Answer: Othello

"Othello" is a 1604 play by William Shakespeare. Othello is a Moor and a general in the Venetian army. He is married to Desdemona, the daughter of a powerful senator. Othello is suspicious of Desdemona's fidelity, something that is exploited by Iago. Iago is a trusted assistant to Othello but Iago is only concerned about himself. Iago's wife Emilia obtains a handkerchief belonging to Desdemona and Iago takes it from her and plants it among Cassio's, another of Othello's loyal aides, things for Othello to find. Othello discovers it and believes Desdemona is having an affair with Cassio.

Answer: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

"Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" is a 1962 play by Edward Albee. It centers around George and Martha, a middle-aged couple in a troubled marriage. One evening, Martha invites a young couple named Nick and Honey over to their home. George and Martha get into a huge brawl in front of Nick and Honey.

Initially, the younger couple are embarrassed but quickly become engrossed in George and Martha's troubles.

Answer: The Last Days of Judas Iscariot

"The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" is a 2005 play by Stephen Adly Gurgis. In the play, Judas Iscariot is on trial for betraying Jesus. Many historical and religious figures throughout history are called to give testimony including Mother Theresa and Satan. Each witness is exposed as having both a good and bad side, which causes the audience to feel some sympathy for Judas.