The Secret Rapture (play)

Isobel is sitting with the body of her father Robert, who has just died. Her elder sister Marion arrives to claim a ring she had given him and the two sisters begin to argue. Marion's husband Tom arrives and Marion leaves, angry with Isobel, then Tom and Isobel talk before leaving.

Isobel and her father's second wife, the alcoholic Katherine, sit in the garden of Robert's house just after his funeral. Marion and Tom arrive and an argument begins when Katherine suddenly introduces her idea that she would like to join Isobel's small design firm. Katherine storms out and finds a hidden bottle of drink before returning, whereupon the previously doubtful Isobel agrees that Katherine can join the firm.

In the office of Isobel's firm she and her lover Irwin attempt to enjoy a rare evening without Katherine, until Katherine arrives to tell them how she has taken Isobel's friend Max out to dinner. Katherine criticises Irwin's design work before leaving and Irwin tries to convince Isobel to get rid of her. Katherine returns and, when Isobel proves unable or unwilling to eject Katherine, Irwin intervenes and asks Katherine to leave in the morning. Katherine leaves temporarily and Isobel refuses to agree to her ejection from the firm.

Back at Robert's house, Marion and Tom try to convince Isobel to let them invest in her firm to help it expand, with Irwin betraying Isobel by supporting them rather than her.

Marion's secretary Rhonda comes round to Isobel's firm's new offices for a shower, and she and Irwin flirt over a bottle of champagne until Isobel arrives back unexpectedly. Rhonda leaves for the shower and Isobel reveals that Katherine has stabbed one of the firm's clients and so has had to be put into a rehab clinic. Isobel and Irwin argue and Rhonda returns to the office before leaving to go to the cinema. Isobel surprises her and Irwin by suggesting that they come too and the three leave together.

The expansion of Isobel's firm having failed, Marion and Tom wait in Tom's office, to which Irwin comes for a business meeting. He tells them how Isobel left the cinema halfway through the film and took a spur-of-the-moment holiday to Lanzarote, before returning to care for Katherine. He also admits how he is still in love with Isobel despite the friction that now exists between them and Marion criticises her sister's handling of the situation. Isobel arrives and refuses to come into the office until Irwin leaves. Irwin leaves, Isobel enters and she and Marion argue until Isobel finally leaves. A born-again evangelical Christian, Tom then criticises Marion and leaves to pray for Isobel and Irwin.

In the lounge of Katherine's flat, Isobel attempts to make her dinner and the two talk before preparing a sofa-bed for Isobel to stay the night. Katherine leaves for her bedroom and Isobel settles down to read, before Irwin arrives, thanks to Katherine who has secretly disobeyed Isobel and unbolted the door so he can get in. Irwin has brought a gun with him and begs Isobel to sleep with him - she refuses and the pair argue. Katherine returns and Isobel fails to convince her to go out to get the police to eject Irwin. Isobel then prepares to go out and Irwin shoots her just as she leaves.

Back at Robert's house, Marion, Tom and Katherine reinstate its furniture and prepare for Isobel's funeral. Katherine leaves and Tom and Marion discuss her emotional difficulties. They then kiss and Tom leaves, before Marion ends the play with an emotional appeal to her dead sister.