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A Night Off; or A Page From Balzac

Augustin Daly (1838 - 1899) and Franz von Schönthan (1849 - 1913)

There are a number of subplots going on in this play. The Professor has unearthed a play that he wrote back in his University days. He has read it to his housekeeper while his wife was away at the expensive spa ... she disapproves of the theatre ... and said housekeeper was so fascinated by it that when a travelling dramatic troupe manager lobs into town, the Professor is receptive to the manager's manipulative and unscrupulous offer to put on his play.

Meanwhile, one of the Professor's daughters (Angelica) has chanced across a page from Balzac which states "Every bride that lives if she could but know the past and secret life of her husband would renounce him even at the steps of the altar.". Her husband, a real Boy Scout of a man, gets sick and tired of her pestering him to "reveal his sordid past" to her, and substitutes the actual past of his visiting University buddy, so that she'll leave off. His wife is then so enraptured by her vanilla husband's supposed womaniser past that ...
- Summary by Son of the Exiles

Cast list:
PROFESSOR JUSTINIAN BABBITT, Professor of ancient history in the Camptown university: ToddHW
HARRY DAMASK, his son-in-law: realisticspeakers
JACK MULBERRY, in pusuit of fortune, under the name of Chumley: Adrian Stephens
LORD MULBERRY, in pursuit of Jack: Alan Mapstone
MARCUS BRUTUS SNAP, in pursuit of fame and fortune under various legitimate aliases: Greg Giordano
PROWL, usher at the university: James R. Hedrick
MRS. ZANTIPPA BABBITT, Professor of conjugal management in the Professor's household: Sonia
NISBE, the youngest "imp" of the household: Jenn Broda
ANGELICA DAMASK, the eldest: Matea Bracic
SUSAN, the "brassiest": Michele Eaton
MARIA, servant at Damask's: Adrienne Prevost
Stage Directions: TR Love
Editing: ToddHW

Genre(s): Comedy

Language: English