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overjoyed, reveals that she loves him; he makes his declaration to her in return, then leaves to see Larry and
Nikolai off to their enlistment in the Canadian army. Tonia suddenly remembers the poison and panics. The house flies into a flurry of concern, and amidst the hysteria, Olga enters. She smells the bottle and laughs, reminding Tonia and Natasha that she had emptied out the poison years before and replaced it with peach brandy.
127:
he still cares for her and that Helen has left him. The disbelieving
Natasha chides him, reminding him of the war and scolding him for "playing love games" while Russia is fighting for its existence. She tells him that if he will do battle for their homeland, he will have her love and loyalty forever when he returns. He resolves to leave for the Army the next morning.
187:
sarcastically points out that perhaps the women will be invited in ten years to play "aging
Russian ballerinas - if we're not crippled with rheumatism by then." Contemporary audiences may have understood the joke, if they remembered that both Leontovich and Miramova had played the Russian ballerina Grusinskaya in the popular 1931 play
123:
a man who is dead. John is amused by the plot description and by Tonia's odd intensity, and he volunteers to pay the initial cost of their play's production: five hundred dollars, the exact amount of their bad check. The three ladies are overcome with gratitude and joy, and Act 1 ends with them weeping over their sudden good fortune.
119:
looking for them and advises them to be kind to the Field family as their only hope of aid. They return to the Fields' living room as John arrives home, and everyone meets and converses. The three actresses then employ their singing and dancing talents to celebrate
Grandmother Field's birthday in grand style.
186:
spoofed the peculiarities of the
Russian character, and it also included many references to the personalities and careers of its three main actresses. (For example, one comedic moment in the play comes when Natasha bitterly complains about the bleak future for typecast Russian-American actresses and
134:
The next morning, Natasha discovers that
Nikolai was indeed lying and that Helen had not broken their engagement. Distraught and heartbroken, both Natasha and Tonia resolve to return to New York City - on foot if they must - then decide that life is no longer worth living anywhere. They drink poison
130:
Natasha and Tonia, finally left alone, talk about John, and
Natasha implies that he is only financing their play because he wants to sleep with Tonia. The religious Tonia is horrified and decides to call John to their room to discover the truth. He arrives, and the three argue; John eventually gives
126:
Act 2 sets the scene in a guest bedroom, the temporary residence of Tonia and
Natasha. Larry comes to the room to profess his adoration to Natasha, and his declarations are interrupted by Nikolai, who escorts the drunk Larry out and then returns to make his own confession. Nikolai tells Natasha that
122:
Tonia talks with John and discusses the difficulty of finding acting work in New York when one is typecast as a "Continental actress". She then confides in him that she and
Natasha have written a play that "no-one in the world can act but we ourselves", a tragedy about two sisters still in love with
114:
The play is set in the Field family home in Long Island, New York, on a summer day in 1942. It opens with Larry revealing that John has just phoned about his early return from
Washington, D.C.; John is very weary from this business trip and doesn't want to see anyone. Helen is dismayed at this news,
138:
John then knocks on their door. He has already spoken to Olga that morning, and he explains that he knows their landlord and will take care of their financial trouble. He then gives Tonia the promised check for the play and invites them all to stay at the Field home for as long as they wish. Tonia,
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The three women - Natasha, Tonia, and Olga - arrive, and Nikolai speaks privately with them. Their conversation reveals that the three women have just been evicted; Nikolai then discovers that they wrote a check to their landlord from a closed bank account. He informs them that the police will be
115:
for she has already invited her fiancé, Nikolai, over for the evening. She then receives a telegram from Nikolai, telling her that he will be coming with three of his Russian friends for her to meet. Nervously, the two siblings prepare to receive their father, Nikolai, and three unexpected guests.
142:
The play ends with the three Russians elated, their troubles over and a rosy future ahead, and Tonia (who is to marry John) declares that she no longer wants to produce a tragedy; instead, she begins to describe her idea for a marvelous comedy, about three downtrodden actresses invited to spend a
362:
calling the Russians' antics "utterly absurd but very enjoyable" and promoting the play as "a delirious farce of slight pretensions." Published audience letters agreed with official sources, with one writer stating that Miramova "deserves the success she is having" with her "hilarious comedy".
202:
shortly thereafter, spending three months at her typewriter from seven in the morning until midnight. She later called on Leontovich for help; their collaboration came in the form of long walks, during which they discussed the play's second draft. She sent the completed manuscript to producer
168:
The script also uses a phonetic rendering of the Russian speech and songs, presumably to aid non-Russian actors in pronunciation, but gives no translation (except in rare instances in which the Russians explain their dialogue to the Fields, or in which the lines are immediately paraphrased or
29:) that premiered in 1943. The comedy centers on three Russian-American actresses who have fallen into serious financial trouble and are urgently seeking a backer for their new play. The story is based upon an earlier Miramova work called "Love Is Not a Potato"; the play originally was titled
131:
up reasoning with the women, who have come to believe that he is only backing their play out of pity and are furious. John exits, and then Tonia begins to weep; she has fallen in love with John and had hoped he would declare his feelings for her.
181:
The idea for the play came to Miramova in 1939, when she and Leontovich awkwardly and conspicuously visited the home of a well-to-do American family; she imagined that their gloomy weekend might form the basis of a delightful comedy.
336:
magazine reviewed the play on 25 January 1943 and praised the skillful acting and directing, but panned the "wobbly playwriting" of the script and the "monotonous" nature of the comedy.
151:
The play begins "late afternoon of a summer day in 1942" and concludes the following morning. The exact days involved seem clear after an Act I discussion between Nikolai and Natasha:
211:. Harris, absent from the theater scene for five years prior, had already struck a deal with Twentieth Century Fox for the company to finance an unspecified number of his plays.
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after its opening night performance, dubbing it "a very engaging, entertaining and charming play that is beautifully directed and acted to the last line that is in it."
350:
The play enjoyed widespread success with its American performances; one audience letter referred to the "unanimous approval of the New York critics", and director
630:
521:
Murphy, Donn B., PhD. "Past Shows on the Mainstage of the National Theatre - 1925-1949". 2008, The National Theatre Corporation. 20 August 2008. <
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Though she had no playwriting experience, a less-than-perfect command of the English language, and had already been told by the playwright
165:
However, only in February, March, and November 1942 did the 20th fall on a Friday; there were no summer months in which this was the case.
536:
313:
was named as the film's producer; the release date was pushed back to 1945. However, it appears that the film was never completed.
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The play had a brief preview on Christmas Eve in Baltimore. It then officially opened at 8:40 p.m., 14 January 1943 at the
235:
207:
for an opinion, and Hecht invited the three actresses for dinner at the Hecht home, along with Broadway director
249:
522:
534:"Olney Theatre Center - Play Center - Play History". 2008, Olney Theatre Center. 20 August 2008. <
158:
Natasha: The 20th. I could not remember the date at the moment. I was too furious. So I put the 20th.
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as the Best Farce-Comedy of the Year in 1943, calling it "intelligently entertaining playgoing".
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87:émigré, charming and self-assured, who has proposed to Helen shortly before the play takes place.
65:: John's daughter, younger than Larry, a girl of romantic temperament and the fiancée of Nikolai.
416:"Calculate the day of the week for any given date". 2008, Albion College. 14 December 2008. <
299:
417:
540:
93:: A Russian-American actress in her late 30s, vibrant and dramatic, former lover of Nikolai.
242:
47:: A well-to-do widower and successful businessman who lives in Long Island with his family.
8:
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is proving a real hit--no question about it." The opinion abroad was also positive, with
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were cast to play the three Russian ladies, and a release date of June 1944 was set.
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in New York. It closed on 31 July 1943 after a successful run of 230 performances.
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answered in English). Finally, the text references songs by simple, common names (
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Performances after 1948, if any, are unknown. The script is published by the
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from a bottle in Natasha's suitcase and calmly sit together, awaiting death.
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99:: A Russian-American actress in her 30s, deeply religious and idealistic.
173:, for example), but does not provide the complete song titles or music.
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523:
http://www.nationaltheatre.org/mainstage/mainstagepast1925-1949.htm
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was the first play accepted for performance under this agreement.
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that her idea was charming but unworkable, Miramova began work on
53:: John's mother, whose birthday is the day that the play begins.
428:
426:
286:
In March 1943, Warner Brothers purchased the film rights to
105:: A Russian-American actress in her 50s, practical and able.
418:
http://www.albion.edu/english/calendar/Day_of_the_Week.html
59:: John's son, twenty-two years old, a self-described "bum".
423:
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reprised her original role as Natasha Rapakovich, with
487:
485:
582:. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2006. 25.
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252:Auditorium in California, beginning 21 June 1948.
716:
652:. Madison: Fairleigh Dickinson UP, 1972. 1, 223.
537:"Olney Theatre Center - History - Play History"
176:
397:
395:
393:
234:in mid-August 1943 and then appeared at the
676:Dark Eyes, Playbill for the Belasco Theatre
263:Finally, the play ran in March 1948 at the
238:in Washington, D.C., 13–18 September 1943.
445:"James Barton Brings Hilarity to Palace".
390:
704:Davis, Merritt M. "To the Drama Editor".
661:Davis, Merritt M. "To the Drama Editor".
260:producing the play and playing Nikolai.
77:: A butler employed by the Field family.
71:: A Negro maid who works for the Fields.
316:
146:
717:
267:in Westminster, London, England, with
248:The show played for six nights at the
241:The play was performed in 1947 at the
230:The cast next traveled to Manhattan's
225:
38:
567:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0594022/
462:. Whitefish: Kessinger, 2005. 54-56.
650:Theatre Book of the Year, 1942-1943
13:
639:. 25 January 1943. 20 August 2008.
290:for $ 250,000. A few weeks later,
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161:Niko: That was yesterday, Friday.
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278:but is currently out-of-print.
155:Niko: When was the check dated?
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171:Natasha starts to sing "Night"
1:
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617:Nichols, Lewis. "The Play".
7:
563:The Internet Movie Database
475:to Have Premiere Tonight".
366:
281:
177:From conception to Broadway
10:
741:
432:"Miss Miramova Explains".
250:Newport Harbor High School
508:"On the Subway Circuit".
360:The London News-Chronicle
580:Yul Brynner: A Biography
401:"Gossip of the Rialto".
271:performing in the cast.
143:weekend in Long Island.
97:Antonina (Tonia) Karpova
678:. 14 February 1943: 24.
631:"New Play In Manhattan"
276:Dramatists Play Service
25:(in collaboration with
604:"News of the Screen".
565:. 20 August 2008. <
163:
81:Prince Nikolai Toradje
648:Nathan, George Jean.
578:Capua, Michelangelo.
309:joined the cast, and
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21:is a play written by
317:Response to the play
243:Olney Theatre Center
147:Issues in the script
591:"Of Local Origin".
561:"Marta Mitrovich".
407:. 20 December 1942.
706:The New York Times
693:The New York Times
663:The New York Times
621:. 15 January 1943.
619:The New York Times
608:. 31 October 1944.
606:The New York Times
593:The New York Times
510:The New York Times
497:The New York Times
479:. 14 January 1943.
477:The New York Times
447:The New York Times
434:The New York Times
404:The New York Times
378:Eugenie Leontovich
341:George Jean Nathan
322:The New York Times
254:Eugenie Leontovich
226:Other performances
91:Natasha Rapakovich
39:List of characters
27:Eugenie Leontovich
512:. 17 August 1943.
305:In October 1944,
103:Olga Shmilevskaya
51:Grandmother Field
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695:. 25 March 1948.
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539:. Archived from
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460:The Froth Estate
458:Mackey, Joseph.
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436:. 11 April 1943.
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236:National Theatre
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708:. 7 March 1943.
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595:. 2 April 1943.
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499:. 23 July 1943.
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354:related, "This
339:Theater critic
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232:Audubon Theatre
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220:Belasco Theatre
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12:
11:
5:
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674:"Jed Harris".
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665:. 28 May 1944.
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571:
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451:
449:. 18 May 1931.
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373:Elena Miramova
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365:
318:
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283:
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265:Strand Theatre
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23:Elena Miramova
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543:on 2011-10-03
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495:To End Run".
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32:To the Purple
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691:in London".
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545:. Retrieved
541:the original
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300:Julie Bishop
296:Ann Sheridan
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110:Plot summary
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96:
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74:
68:
62:
56:
50:
44:
31:
30:
17:
16:
15:
343:recognized
292:Bette Davis
269:Yul Brynner
189:Grand Hotel
63:Helen Field
57:Larry Field
725:1943 plays
547:2012-01-31
384:References
352:Jed Harris
311:Jerry Wald
307:Jack Benny
209:Jed Harris
75:Willoughby
45:John Field
689:Dark Eyes
493:Dark Eyes
473:Dark Eyes
356:Dark Eyes
345:Dark Eyes
326:Dark Eyes
288:Dark Eyes
213:Dark Eyes
205:Ben Hecht
200:Dark Eyes
196:Moss Hart
184:Dark Eyes
18:Dark Eyes
719:Category
367:See also
324:praised
282:The film
85:Georgian
298:, and
69:Pearl
636:Time
569:>
552:>
525:>
420:>
333:Time
83:: A
191:.)
721::
633:.
484:^
425:^
392:^
294:,
35:.
687:"
550:.
491:"
471:"
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