THE HANDKERCHIEF PLAY
A Two-Act Play

The
Handkerchief Play
By Maggie Smith
THE HANDKERCHIEF PLAY
Set in 1890s America, The Handkerchief Play tells the story of two families in the process of becoming one. When Winifred leaves her handkerchief at a dinner party, Anthony Tailor becomes convinced she did so as a means of gaining his attention. He enlists his cousin, Georgia, to help him return the handkerchief and scout out Winifred's feelings for him.
But it's never that simple, is it?
The Handkerchief Play explores the customs of America's Victorian Era, especially focusing on the rules surrounding courtship for younger couples. This play also has a specific interest in social differences between generations, particularly in the ever-changing idea of what is "proper" and "improper." Most importantly, this play was written to explore themes of queer relationships in period pieces. As a queer writer, I'm tired of all historical representation I see of myself have sad endings. This play was made to fix that.
So, yes. This play has a happy ending.