Described in advertising as 'an episode in a young man's life' (Argus 22 December 1917, 16), Three Weeks is an adaptation of Elinor Glyn's 1907 novel of the same name.
Glyn's narrative sees Paul Verdayne, a young and wealthy English sent to Europe after being caught embracing a parson's daughter. While in Switzerland he has an affair with an older woman, who turns out to be an unhappily married queen from an small Russian dependency. When she disappears after three weeks Verdayne becomes despondent and returns to England. With his father's assistance he finds out the woman's identity and discovers that she has given birth to their son. Before they can meet again, however, she is murdered by her husband. Paul then spends the next five years wandering around from country to country until he decides to make preparations to meet his son.
In Cosgrove's adaptation most of the action takes place in the fictional country of Ravona.
1917: Palace Theatre, Melbourne; 22-28 Dec.