Plays About Affairs, Cheating or Infidelity

These plays all have a character who cheats on their spouse or significant other, whether secretly or openly.

The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl (2 Acts)

Matilde, a Brazilian woman, is hired to clean the house of Lane, a doctor in her 50s who’s married to Charles, also a doctor. Matilde has stopped doing her job and has been medicated. She wants to be funny like her parents were. Virginia, Lane’s sister, loves cleaning and comes to an arrangement with Matilde. They suspect Charles is seeing another woman.

The beginning of this play can be read in the preview of The Clean House and Other Plays. 

Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov (4 Acts)

The Prozorov sisters live in a Russian provincial town. They used to live in Moscow and want to return. Irina is the youngest sister at twenty-years-old. She believes work is the solution to life’s problems. Masha, the middle sister, is married but is attracted to Vershinin. Olga, the oldest, finds it hard to cope with life.

Buried Child by Sam Shepard (3 Acts)

Dodge and Halie, an elderly couple, live on an unproductive farm. They have two sons—Tilden and Bradley and are visited by their grandson (Tilden’s son), Vince, and his girlfriend, Shelly. Another son, Ansel, was murdered years ago. Vince’s family doesn’t recognize him. There’s a terrible family secret that they’ve had to live with.

The Ghost Sonata by August Strindberg (3 Acts)

A poor student, Arkenholz, spent the night helping the people in a house collapse. After, he talks to the Milkmaid, whom no one else can see. He then meets The Old Man, who recognizes him and knew the Student’s father. They have differing stories on his history. The Student has admired a beautiful building where the Girl lives and wants to live a prosperous life in a building like it. The Old Man agrees to help leverage his heroism into wealth and success.