Miss Civilization: A Comedy in One Act

The play is a one-act domestic comedy set in a country-house dining room the night after Christmas. It follows Alice Gardner, the railroad president's daughter, who panics when burglars attempt to break in and telephones to summon a wrecking crew, while three would-be thieves clumsily ransack the room for presents, silver, and refreshments. Rapid entrances, masked intruders, and comic exchanges among thief, accomplices, and household create a farcical series of misunderstandings that expose social manners and holiday excess. The action unfolds through stage directions and brisk theatrical scenes that mix slapstick and satirical observation, designed for lively amateur performance.