Mrs. Bramson, a bitter, fussy, self-pitying elderly woman, resides in a remote part of Essex, with her intelligent yet subdued niece, Olivia.

Mrs Bramson spends all her time complaining while sitting in a wheelchair (although it is revealed during the play that she has in fact no disability whatsoever).

Mrs Bramson considers dismissing her, but then decides to persuade the father of Dora's unborn child to marry her.

One night, Mrs Bramson reveals to Olivia that she has hundreds of pounds locked away in a safe in the middle of the living room.

They are interrupted by Belsize, a police officer from Scotland Yard who has come to briefly question Olivia and Dan in connection with the murder.

Produced by Miles Malleson, the original production of Night Must Fall premiered on 31 May 1935 at the Duchess Theatre in London.

[1] The formal West End opening was preceded by a preliminary tour of Edinburgh, Newcastle upon Tyne and Glasgow.

[8] A 1937 film adaptation using the same title was written by John Van Druten, starred Robert Montgomery, Rosalind Russell, and Dame May Whitty, and was directed by Richard Thorpe.

A 1954 adaptation on the television anthology series Ponds Theater starred Terry Kilburn, Una O'Connor, and Evelyn Varden.

[9] Starring Burgess Meredith, Maureen O'Sullivan and Flora Robson, the program has not survived in radio collections.

[10] Night Must Fall was adapted for the 24 July 1944 broadcast of The Screen Guild Theater, starring James Cagney, Rosemary DeCamp and May Whitty.

[11][12] Night Must Fall was adapted for the 12 April 1946 broadcast of NBC's Mollé Mystery Theatre by Don Agger and starred Ian Martin as Dan, Virginia Field as Olivia, Ethel Browning as Mrs. Bramson, Thelma Jordan as Dora, Anthony Kemble Cooper as Hubert Laurie, and Neil Fitzgerald as Inspector Belsize.

Robert Montgomery produced, hosted and starred in a CBS Radio adaptation of Night Must Fall on Suspense 27 March 1948.