The Voice of the Turtle (play)

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This article is about the 1943 stage play. For the 1947 film, see The Voice of the Turtle (film).

The Voice of the Turtle
Written by
Comedy
Romance
SettingNew York City,
a weekend in early April

The Voice of the Turtle is a

Wayne Morris.[2][3]

Plot synopsis

The story begins on a Friday afternoon in early April as aspiring

dump her when he begins to feel she is ruining their relationship by falling in love with him.[1] Heartbroken, Sally confides her uncertainties in her friend Olive Lashbrooke, a promiscuous, worldly girl, questioning the practicality of the lessons in chastity she received as a child and wondering if she is alone in her passion, or if other women share these sensations.[1]

Unbeknownst to Sally, Olive has a date planned with Bill Page, a sergeant in the United States Army who happens to be on leave for the weekend, and she has arranged for him to meet her at Sally's new apartment. At the last minute, however, Olive is asked on a date by another man, and she decides to stand up Bill for what she considers to be the better offer.[1][2][3] Bill, still bitter over a love affair gone wrong from five years past, finds himself yet again hurt by love, and to make matters worse he has no hotel reservation, nor is there a nearby friend with whom he can stay.[2] Devoid of any alternative, the two strangers find themselves bound together in Sally's apartment for the weekend, where they are forced to confront their fears of fidelity and their ever-growing interest in each other.[2]

Productions

Original Broadway production

The Voice of the Turtle debuted on

John William Van Druten, the show was produced by Alfred De Liagre, Jr., with Alexander Haas in charge of conducting and music arrangement. The opening night cast included Margaret Sullavan as Sally Middleton, Elliott Nugent as Bill Page, and Audrey Christie as Olive Lashbrooke.[3][5]

Off-Off Broadway

A revival of The Voice of the Turtle opened

off-off-Broadway at the Blue Heron Arts Center in 2001 under the direction of Carl Forsman. Elizabeth Bunch was cast as Sally Middleton, with Nick Toren and Megan Byrne portraying the characters of Bill Page and Olive Lashbrooke, respectively.[1]

Critical reception

Reviews of the original production praised it as "the most delightful comedy of the season" (New York Times) and "a romantic comedy that is at once witty, tender, and wise" (New York Herald Tribune).[7] Many critics highlighted the novelty of a play with only three actors, as well as Stewart Chaney's functional set.[8] Catholic leaders and conservative critics complained that the play "wrapp[ed] up its sexual immorality in sweetness" (Washington Post).[9] In contrast, one soldier, who was among the many service members given free tickets to The Voice of the Turtle during World War II, complained that the play was too tame, remarking, "the sergeants we know would've worn Miss Sullavan's lipstick down to the fabric in the first five minutes of the play."[10]

Theatre historian Jordan Schildcrout notes that reviews of the 2001 revival read the play in relation to the

attacks of September 11, asserting that the play was about "finding hope for the future in a dark time."[11]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Weber, Bruce (14 September 2001). "Theater Review; A Play Outside the Mainstream of Its Time and Ours". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gilpin, Donald (17 August 2005). "Princeton Summer Theater Plucks an Old Chestnut From the '40s; "Voice of the Turtle" Wraps Up 2005 Season in a Romantic Mode". Vol. LIX, No. 33. Town Topics. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d Klein, Alvin (14 July 1996). "Theater; Boy Meets Girl Again In a Retro Romance". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
  4. ^ Hernandez, Ernio (28 May 2008). "Long Runs on Broadway". Celebrity Buzz: Insider Info. Playbill. Archived from the original on 20 April 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Internet Broadway Database: The Voice of the Turtle Production Credits". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
  6. ISBN 978-0367210908
    .
  7. ^ Schildcrout, p. 66.
  8. ^ Schildcrout, p. 67-68.
  9. ^ Schildcrout, p 70.
  10. ^ Schildcrout, p. 72.
  11. ^ Schildcrout, p. 74.

External links

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