Archive Copy

All Groups

Comedy

Sally Benson, from stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald

5m, 5f

Int.

The scene is Chicago, 1915, and the story is that of a fiercely romantic young girl of the period, and of the young men she idealizes and then discards. She plays about the town with a wonderfully conceived young blade who affects a cape and cane and the patois of the sophisticated salons of the day. She assumes the postures of the passionate sirens of the era (or, rather, believes that she does) to win the affections of one man after another. But as soon as she kisses one, her dream of divine romance is shattered, and she languishes. For an hour or two. Her role is one of the best conceptions of youth to descend on Broadway in many years She is of the world of "the young and insufferable —the premature decadents . . . working hard to make their little world wicked and glamorous."—N. Y. Times. Hers is "an incisive and poignant (characterization) of a golden girl who loved lavishly, if not well." —N. Y. Journal-American. She is " a pretty girl, with charming little affectations, laughable attempts at sophistication, and sweet seriousness. . . . Her troubles and tragedy, is that she is utterly incapable of affection or genuine emotion of any kind."—N. Y. Post. "THE YOUNG AND THE BEAUTIFUL is intelligent and enjoyable ... It gets under the skin of a good idea."—N. Y. Times, "A piece of genuine observation . . . written with a shrewd and unsparing hand."—N. Y. Herald Tribune.

FEE: $75 per performance.