The Visit (, English: The Visit of the Old Lady) is a 1956 tragicomic play by Swiss dramatist Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Synopsis An enormously wealthy older woman returns to her former hometown with a dreadful bargain: she wants the townspeople to kill the man who got her pregnant, then jilted her. In exchange, she will provide enough money to revitalize the decrepit town. The townspeople eventually agree. Plot Act I The story opens with the town of Güllen (a name evoking "liquid manure" in German) preparing for the arrival of famed billionaire Claire Zachanassian, who grew up there. Güllen has fallen on hard times, and the townspeople hope that Claire will provide them with much-needed funds. Alfred Ill (ILL) (Anton Schill in a common English-language adaptation) is the owner of Güllen's general store and the most popular man in town. He was Claire's lover when they were young, and agrees with the mayor that the task of convincing her to make a donation should fall to him. After settling into the hotel, Claire joins the rest of the town, who have gathered outside for a homecoming celebration. Claire takes the opportunity to announce that she will make a huge donation: one billion (presumably Swiss francs), half for the town and half to be shared among the families. The townspeople are overjoyed, but their happiness is damped when Claire's butler steps forward to reveal her condition for the donation. The butler was once the Lord Chief Justice of Güllen, and had heard the paternity suit that Claire had brought against Alfred. In the suit, Alfred produced two false witnesses (who have since been transformed into Claire's eunuchs), and the court ruled in his favor. Socially disgraced, Claire was exiled, lost the child and eventually met a wealthy client while working as a prostitute in the city. Her donation is conditional on someone killing Alfred. The mayor refuses and the town seems aghast, but Claire says that she will wait. Act II As time passes, Alfred becomes increasingly paranoid as he sees everyone purchasing especially costly items on credit in his shop. Alfred visits the police officer and the mayor, who have also bought new expensive items, and they dismiss his concerns. He then visits the priest, who attempts to calm him, but finally admits they have been paid off, and advises Alfred to flee. Alfred heads to the railway station to escape,