KESSELRING, Joseph.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Arsenic and Old Lace. A rehearsal script, with some minor textual annotations throughout for the original Broadway production, and the basis for the 1944 film adaptation of this successful black comedy. The annotations range from revisions of the script to production notes ("Warn Phone"). Many of the changes of text are not reflected in the version published by Random House in 1941.The beginning of the play has inserted text (partially erased) in which Dr Harper opens the scene with a question "Do you really think so?", to which Abby Brewster responds "Yes. Indeed. My sister Martha and I have been talking all week..." The published version starts with Abby and the loss of the first seven words. There are 37 leaves that carry some annotation.The script comprises title page, cast listing, scenes, then Act 1 (38 pages including sectional title), Act 2 (31 pages including sectional title), and Act 3 (29 pages including sectional title). The front wrapper notes that the "play is the property of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse". They were the producers of the original production, which included Boris Karloff in the cast.

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