Polly With a Past is a play by George Middleton and Guy Bolton. A comedy in three acts, it depicts the efforts of two young men to help a shy friend, Rex, win the attention of the aloof woman he loves; they arrange for their young housekeeper, Polly, to pose as a glamorous French rival for Rex's affections, but this leads to romantic complications.
Uncle Prentice Van Zile talks to "Paulette" (Polly), Broadway, 1917
George Middleton was an American playwright, director and producer. Guy Bolton was an English playwright and writer of musical comedies who worked mainly in the US. They collaborated on ten shows, of which the most enduring was Polly With a Past.[1]
Polly Shannon, the orphaned daughter of a Methodist minister, has come to New York hoping to take music lessons and become a singer. To earn a living, she takes a job as a housekeeper, working for Clay Collum and Harry Richardson, two young men who share an apartment. They have a shy young friend, Rex Van Zile, who is in love with a young woman named Myrtle Davis. She is too distracted by her zealous good works saving people fallen from grace to notice Rex's devotion. Polly suggests to the three young men that if Rex seems threatened with social or moral ruin, Myrtle will immediately rush to his side. Polly recommends finding a suitable young woman to pose as a glamorous temptress with whom Rex should appear to be madly infatuated. When they find out that Polly's mother was French, and that she speaks the language quite well, the three young men offer to pay for her music lessons if she plays the role of the exotic enchantress. Polly agrees.
At the Van Ziles' summer home on Long Island, a month later, Polly is now posing as "Paulette", a French international heart-breaker. Clay and Harry have done a good job to talk up her reputation as a femme fatale, and they hatch the idea that Rex should "rescue" her from drowning – a suitably romantic touch. After this, gossip does the rest. Polite society is appalled. Myrtle decides that she must try to save Rex, but by this time Rex has realized he does not want to be saved: he truly loves Polly, and after a series of complications he gets his way, and they become engaged to be married.
Critical reception
In his review for The Evening World, Charles Darnton, called the play "a refreshing comedy with an ideal cast. … It doesn't matter if the general scheme is a bit farcical. The authors are to be credited with uncommon humor and ingenuity".[7]The Brooklyn Daily Eagle judged it "an amusing and wholesome little play".[8]
When the play was presented in London, The Times commented that the outcome of the plot was predictable and that the action was slow.[5] In The Observer, St John Ervine termed the play "unpretentious and agreeable", slow at the beginning but gathering pace, and "constructed … with considerable ingenuity".[9]
Adaptations
A silent movie was made of the play in 1920. Ina Clair as Polly was the only member of the stage cast to appear in the film.[10]
In 1928, Middleton and Bolton collaborated with Herbert Stothart and Phil Charig (music) and Irving Caesar (lyrics) on a musical adaptation of the play, given the title Polly. In the pre-Broadway tryout in Wilmington, Delaware, the role of Rex Van Zile was played by Archie Leach, who later became known as Cary Grant. Also in the cast were Fred Allen (in a newly-created part – a press reporter) and June Tripp in the title role. Leach was replaced as Rex by John Hundley for the Broadway run, which opened at the Lyric Theatre on January 8, 1929, and closed on January 19 after 15 performances.[11][12]
References and sources
References
^"Mr Guy Bolton", The Times, November 23, 1979, p. 11
^Darnton, Charles. "The New Plays", The Evening World, September 7, 1917, p. 10
^"Polly With a Past Delightful Comedy", The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, September 7, 1917, p. 10
^Ervine, St John. "At the Play", The Observer, March 6, 1921, p. 11
^Bennett, Carl. "Polly With a Past", Progressive Silent Film List. Retrieved March 29, 2020
^Theater program for the Shubert Playhouse in Wilmington, Delaware March 29, 2020, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 29, 2020
^"Polly" August 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved March 29, 2020
Sources
Middleton, George; Guy Bolton (1923). Polly With a Past. New York and London: Samuel French. OCLC 314957153.
March 18, 2023
polly, with, past, play, polly, with, past, play, george, middleton, bolton, comedy, three, acts, depicts, efforts, young, help, friend, attention, aloof, woman, loves, they, arrange, their, young, housekeeper, polly, pose, glamorous, french, rival, affections. Polly With a Past is a play by George Middleton and Guy Bolton A comedy in three acts it depicts the efforts of two young men to help a shy friend Rex win the attention of the aloof woman he loves they arrange for their young housekeeper Polly to pose as a glamorous French rival for Rex s affections but this leads to romantic complications Uncle Prentice Van Zile talks to Paulette Polly Broadway 1917 The play opened on Broadway in 1917 with a cast headed by Ina Claire as Polly Herbert Yost as Rex and Winifred Fraser H Reeves Smith Thomas Reynolds and Cyril Scott in other roles It ran for nearly a year at the Belasco Theatre The piece was presented in London in 1921 starring Edna Best and Donald Calthrop with a supporting cast including Noel Coward Edith Evans Henry Kendall Claude Rains and C Aubrey Smith running for three months It was adapted for film in 1920 and a musical version played on Broadway in 1929 Contents 1 Background and original productions 2 Roles and original casts 3 Plot 4 Critical reception 5 Adaptations 6 References and sources 6 1 References 6 2 SourcesBackground and original productions EditGeorge Middleton was an American playwright director and producer Guy Bolton was an English playwright and writer of musical comedies who worked mainly in the US They collaborated on ten shows of which the most enduring was Polly With a Past 1 The play written in 1916 2 was staged the following year by David Belasco It was given a tryout at Long Branch New Jersey starting on September 1 1917 3 before opening on September 6 at Broadway s Belasco Theatre where it ran for 326 performances 4 In 1921 Gilbert Miller staged the piece in London at the St James s Theatre where it ran from March 2 to June 4 5 6 Roles and original casts EditNew York LondonClay Collum George Stuart Christie Noel CowardHarry Richardson Cyril Scott Henry KendallPolly Shannon Ina Claire Edna BestRex Van Zile Herbert Yost Donald CalthropMrs Davis Louise Galloway Helen HayeMyrtle Davis Anne Meredith Alice MoffatStiles William Sampson Arthur HathertonMrs Van Zile Rex s mother Winifred Fraser Edith EvansCommodore Bob Barker Thomas Reynolds Paul ArthurParker maid Mildred Dean Nancye KenyonPrentice Van Zile Rex s uncle H Reeves Smith C Aubrey SmithA stranger Robert Fischer Claude RainsPlot Edit From left Noel Coward Donald Calthrop Edna Best Edith Evans Henry Kendall London 1921 Polly Shannon the orphaned daughter of a Methodist minister has come to New York hoping to take music lessons and become a singer To earn a living she takes a job as a housekeeper working for Clay Collum and Harry Richardson two young men who share an apartment They have a shy young friend Rex Van Zile who is in love with a young woman named Myrtle Davis She is too distracted by her zealous good works saving people fallen from grace to notice Rex s devotion Polly suggests to the three young men that if Rex seems threatened with social or moral ruin Myrtle will immediately rush to his side Polly recommends finding a suitable young woman to pose as a glamorous temptress with whom Rex should appear to be madly infatuated When they find out that Polly s mother was French and that she speaks the language quite well the three young men offer to pay for her music lessons if she plays the role of the exotic enchantress Polly agrees At the Van Ziles summer home on Long Island a month later Polly is now posing as Paulette a French international heart breaker Clay and Harry have done a good job to talk up her reputation as a femme fatale and they hatch the idea that Rex should rescue her from drowning a suitably romantic touch After this gossip does the rest Polite society is appalled Myrtle decides that she must try to save Rex but by this time Rex has realized he does not want to be saved he truly loves Polly and after a series of complications he gets his way and they become engaged to be married Critical reception EditIn his review for The Evening World Charles Darnton called the play a refreshing comedy with an ideal cast It doesn t matter if the general scheme is a bit farcical The authors are to be credited with uncommon humor and ingenuity 7 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle judged it an amusing and wholesome little play 8 When the play was presented in London The Times commented that the outcome of the plot was predictable and that the action was slow 5 In The Observer St John Ervine termed the play unpretentious and agreeable slow at the beginning but gathering pace and constructed with considerable ingenuity 9 Adaptations EditA silent movie was made of the play in 1920 Ina Clair as Polly was the only member of the stage cast to appear in the film 10 In 1928 Middleton and Bolton collaborated with Herbert Stothart and Phil Charig music and Irving Caesar lyrics on a musical adaptation of the play given the title Polly In the pre Broadway tryout in Wilmington Delaware the role of Rex Van Zile was played by Archie Leach who later became known as Cary Grant Also in the cast were Fred Allen in a newly created part a press reporter and June Tripp in the title role Leach was replaced as Rex by John Hundley for the Broadway run which opened at the Lyric Theatre on January 8 1929 and closed on January 19 after 15 performances 11 12 References and sources EditReferences Edit Mr Guy Bolton The Times November 23 1979 p 11 Middleton and Bolton title page Polly With a Past Scores The Sun September 2 1917 p 7 Middleton and Bolton p 1 a b Polly With a Past The Times March 3 1921 p 8 Theatres The Times June 4 1921 p 8 Darnton Charles The New Plays The Evening World September 7 1917 p 10 Polly With a Past Delightful Comedy The Brooklyn Daily Eagle September 7 1917 p 10 Ervine St John At the Play The Observer March 6 1921 p 11 Bennett Carl Polly With a Past Progressive Silent Film List Retrieved March 29 2020 Theater program for the Shubert Playhouse in Wilmington Delaware Archived March 29 2020 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved March 29 2020 Polly Archived August 5 2016 at the Wayback Machine Internet Broadway Database Retrieved March 29 2020 Sources Edit Middleton George Guy Bolton 1923 Polly With a Past New York and London Samuel French OCLC 314957153 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Polly With a Past play amp oldid 1085322612, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
