Ladies' Night (play)

This article is about the 1920 Broadway farce. For the 1987 New Zealand play, see Ladies Night (play).

Ladies’ Night was a 1920 Broadway farce-comedy in three acts originally written by Charlton Andrews and later reworked by Avery Hopwood. The play was produced by Albert Herman Woods and opened under the direction of Bertram Harrison on August 9, 1920 at the Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre. Ladies’ Night had a run of 360 performances with the final curtain falling in June, 1921. An adaption of Ladies' Night entitled Ladies' Night at the Turkish Bath was produced by George W. Brandt nearly thirty years later at the Selwyn Theater in New York.[1][2][3]

"Ladies' Night" scene with Evelyn Gosnell and John Cumberland - Theatre Magazine, 1920

Synopsis

Burns Mantle Yearbook, 1921

Jimmy Walters is a bashful man. Because of his unfortunate reaction to the sight of bare shoulders Jimmy is in danger of becoming a recluse. Also a prude. Therefore, his friends decide he should be cured. They take him to a certain fancy-dress ball where he will see so much flesh he will never again be frightened by a little. The ball is raided and in escaping, Jimmy, dressed as a lady, climbs through the window of a Turkish-bath parlor next door. Fearing arrest, he has a brisk time of it avoiding the attendants, and later, being discovered, it is a little difficult for him to explain to his wife that he did not deliberately plan the masquerade.[4]

Review

The Forum, July, 1920

So far the honors go to the farce, Ladies' Night, which is the work of Avery Hopwood and Charlton Andrews. The modest little story tells of a gentleman who undergoes a homeopathic treatment to cure himself of bashfulness, and, while doing so, lands in a Turkish bath on ladies' night. The rest is obvious, and often approaches the obscene. However, it is ridiculously funny, and one cannot help but laugh. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that Mr. A. H. Woods, the producer, has selected a cast of unusual ability, who play with great seriousness. Played otherwise, the piece would be hopelessly indecent. As it is, well,—it is funny, and a lot of people like rough humor.[5]

Cast

[6]

References

  1. ↑ The New Plays-The New York Times; August 8, 1920, pg. 70
  2. ↑ Ladies’ Night – Internet Broadway Database
  3. ↑ Ladies' Night at the Turkish Bath Internet Broadway Database
  4. ↑ Burns Mantle Yearbook, Volume 2 - Louis Kronenberger 1921, pg. 365 (Google Books)
  5. ↑ The Forum, July, 1920; pg.232
  6. ↑ Ladies’ Night – Internet Broadway Database
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