The Orphan or The Unhappy Marriage is a domestic tragedy, written by Thomas Otway in 1680.
Half the youth of Europe is at war but Acasto, a nobleman retired from court and living in the country, encourages his sons Castalio and Polydore to stay home, study art and politics, and avoid the company of women.
He secretly contracts himself to Monimia in marriage but Polydore overhears and makes plans to replace Castalio on the wedding night.
Using the wedding-night signal of "three soft strokes on the chamber door" he is allowed access to Monimia's bedroom.
The song "Bad Review" on the 1997 album Voyage to the Bottom of the Road by English post-punk band Half Man Half Biscuit includes the line "Left to pick dry sticks and mumble to myself", a near-quote of "Picking dry sticks, and mumbling to herself" from The Orphan Act II Scene I.