Book Cover of A Night Off; or A Page From Balzac

A Night Off; or A Page From Balzac

by Augustin Daly

There are a number of subplots going on in this play. The Professor has unearthed a play that he wrote back in his University days. He has read it to his housekeeper while his wife was away at the expensive spa ... she disapproves of the theatre ... and said housekeeper was so fascinated by it that when a travelling dramatic troupe manager lobs into town, the Professor is receptive to the manager's manipulative and unscrupulous offer to put on his play. Meanwhile, one of the Professor's daughters (Angelica) has chanced across a page from Balzac which states "Every bride that lives if she could but know the past and secret life of her husband would renounce him even at the steps of the altar.". Her husband, a real Boy Scout of a man, gets sick and tired of her pestering him to "reveal his sordid past" to her, and substitutes the actual past of his visiting University buddy, so that she'll leave off. His wife is then so enraptured by her vanilla husband's supposed womaniser past that.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

English

Published In

1885

Authors

Augustin Daly image

Augustin Daly

United States

John Augustin Daly was one of the most influential men in American theatre during his lifetime. Drama critic, theatre manager, playwright, and adapter, he became the first recognized stage director in...

Books by Augustin Daly

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