Idiot's Delight is a 1936 Pulitzer-Prize-winning play written by American playwright Robert E. Sherwood and presented by the Theatre Guild. The play takes place in the Hotel Monte Gabriel in the Italian Alps during 24 hours at the beginning of a world war. The guests trapped in the hotel by the sudden onset of hostilities are from Germany, France, the United States and Britain. Directed by Bretaigne Windust, the cast starred Alfred Lunt (Harry Van) and Lynn Fontanne (Irene), with Sydney Greenstreet as Dr. Waldersee and Francis Compton as Achille Weber. The play was nominated for the 1936 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, Best American Play.[1]
Idiot's Delight had a pre-Broadway tryout at the National Theatre, Washington, D.C., starting on March 9, 1936. It premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre, running from March 24, 1936 to July 4, 1936 and from August 31, 1936 to January 30, 1937, for 300 performances. [2]
The play won the 1936 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the first of four Pulitzers (three for Drama, one for Biography) that Sherwood received. The Pulitzer jury wrote: "We are absolutely in complete agreement in recommending 'Idiot's delight' ...It is a first-rate play, full of dramatic invention, and one or two of the comedy scenes have a Molierian richness."[3]
The play was produced at the Kennedy Center, Eisenhower Theater in Washington, D.C., in March 1986, directed by Peter Sellars.[5]
Plot
The play takes place in the Hotel Monte Gabriel in the Italian Alps during 24 hours at the beginning of a world war. The guests trapped in the hotel by the sudden onset of hostilities are from Germany, France and the United States, including a British couple on their honeymoon.
Characters
Harry Van, American, the manager of a group of strippers and dancers
Irene, the glamorous mistress of a Nazi arms dealer
Achille Weber, the arms dealer
the Cherrys, British honeymooners
Dr. Waldersee, a German doctor
Quillery, a French pacifist
Captain Locicero, the commander of the Italian headquarters located next to the hotel
Reception
Brooks Atkinson reviewed the play for The New York Times on March 25, 1936: “Mr. Sherwood's love of a good time and his anxiety about world affairs result in one of his most likable entertainments…Already it is widely known as the show in which Alfred Lunt plays the part of a third-rate hoofer and Lynn Fontanne wears an exotic blonde wig. That is true, and it demonstrates Mr. Sherwood's taste for exuberance and jovial skulduggery. Having fought in the last war and having a good mind and memory, Mr. Sherwood is also acutely aware of the dangers of a relapse into bloodshed throughout the world today. His leg show and frivolity in Idiot's Delight is played against the background of cannon calamity, and it concludes with a detonation of airplane bombs. at the final curtain, Mr. Sherwood shoots the works…. What you will probably enjoy more than his argument is the genial humor of his dialogue, his romantic flair for character and his relish of the incongruous and the ridiculous. , ”[6]
^"'Idiot's Delight' Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed December 22, 2015
^Sherwood, Robert Emmet, "Introduction", Idiot's Delight, Dramatists Play Service, Inc., 1964, ISBN0822216183, p. 4
^Fischer, Heinz-D and Fischer, Erika J. Complete Historical Handbook of the Pulitzer Prize System 1917-2000, Walter de Gruyter, 2003, ISBN3110939126, p. 238
^"'Idiot's Delight' 1951" playbillvault.com, accessed December 22, 2015
^Sweeney, Louise. "'Idiot's Delight': badly dated play given snappy production" csmonitor.com, March 17, 1986
^"THE PLAY; Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne Appearing in Sherwood's 'Idiot's Delight.'". timesmachine.nytimes.comhttp. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
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This article is about the 1936 Pulitzer Prize winning play For the 1939 film starring Clark Gable and Norma Shearer see Idiot s Delight film Idiot s Delight is a 1936 Pulitzer Prize winning play written by American playwright Robert E Sherwood and presented by the Theatre Guild The play takes place in the Hotel Monte Gabriel in the Italian Alps during 24 hours at the beginning of a world war The guests trapped in the hotel by the sudden onset of hostilities are from Germany France the United States and Britain Directed by Bretaigne Windust the cast starred Alfred Lunt Harry Van and Lynn Fontanne Irene with Sydney Greenstreet as Dr Waldersee and Francis Compton as Achille Weber The play was nominated for the 1936 New York Drama Critics Circle Award Best American Play 1 Idiot s DelightWritten byRobert E SherwoodDate premieredMarch 24 1936Place premieredShubert TheatreNew York City New YorkOriginal languageEnglishGenreComedySettingcocktail lounge in Hotel Monte Gabrielle in Italian Alps Contents 1 Productions 2 Plot 2 1 Characters 3 Reception 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksProductions EditIdiot s Delight had a pre Broadway tryout at the National Theatre Washington D C starting on March 9 1936 It premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre running from March 24 1936 to July 4 1936 and from August 31 1936 to January 30 1937 for 300 performances 2 The play won the 1936 Pulitzer Prize for Drama the first of four Pulitzers three for Drama one for Biography that Sherwood received The Pulitzer jury wrote We are absolutely in complete agreement in recommending Idiot s delight It is a first rate play full of dramatic invention and one or two of the comedy scenes have a Molierian richness 3 Sherwood adapted the play into a 1939 film of the same name starring Norma Shearer and Clark Gable The New York City Theatre Company presented a revival at the New York City Center from May 23 1951 to June 3 1951 Directed by George Schaefer the cast featured Lee Tracy and Ruth Chatterton 4 In 1983 Alan Jay Lerner and Charles Strouse adapted the play into the musical Dance a Little Closer which ran one performance on Broadway The play was produced at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater in Washington D C in March 1986 directed by Peter Sellars 5 Plot EditThe play takes place in the Hotel Monte Gabriel in the Italian Alps during 24 hours at the beginning of a world war The guests trapped in the hotel by the sudden onset of hostilities are from Germany France and the United States including a British couple on their honeymoon Characters Edit Harry Van American the manager of a group of strippers and dancers Irene the glamorous mistress of a Nazi arms dealer Achille Weber the arms dealer the Cherrys British honeymooners Dr Waldersee a German doctor Quillery a French pacifist Captain Locicero the commander of the Italian headquarters located next to the hotelReception EditBrooks Atkinson reviewed the play for The New York Times on March 25 1936 Mr Sherwood s love of a good time and his anxiety about world affairs result in one of his most likable entertainments Already it is widely known as the show in which Alfred Lunt plays the part of a third rate hoofer and Lynn Fontanne wears an exotic blonde wig That is true and it demonstrates Mr Sherwood s taste for exuberance and jovial skulduggery Having fought in the last war and having a good mind and memory Mr Sherwood is also acutely aware of the dangers of a relapse into bloodshed throughout the world today His leg show and frivolity in Idiot s Delight is played against the background of cannon calamity and it concludes with a detonation of airplane bombs at the final curtain Mr Sherwood shoots the works What you will probably enjoy more than his argument is the genial humor of his dialogue his romantic flair for character and his relish of the incongruous and the ridiculous 6 See also EditList of plays with anti war themesReferences Edit Idiot s Delight Broadway playbillvault com accessed December 22 2015 Sherwood Robert Emmet Introduction Idiot s Delight Dramatists Play Service Inc 1964 ISBN 0822216183 p 4 Fischer Heinz D and Fischer Erika J Complete Historical Handbook of the Pulitzer Prize System 1917 2000 Walter de Gruyter 2003 ISBN 3110939126 p 238 Idiot s Delight 1951 playbillvault com accessed December 22 2015 Sweeney Louise Idiot s Delight badly dated play given snappy production csmonitor com March 17 1986 THE PLAY Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne Appearing in Sherwood s Idiot s Delight timesmachine nytimes comhttp Retrieved 2022 10 02 External links EditIdiot s Delight at Faded Page Canada Idiot s Delight at the Internet Broadway Database This article on a play from the 1930s is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Idiot 27s Delight play amp oldid 1113555496, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
