Once in a Lifetime. A Comedy with Sound and Fury.

HART, Moss.

Published by New York: [no publisher, c.1929]

About this Item

The author's version, predating his collaboration with George S. Kaufman, and an insight into the creative process for the satirical comedy about the coming of the talkies. The text is significantly different from the published version. The Broadway production, co-written and directed by Kaufman, opened in 1930, and a film adaptation was released in 1932. The play was the first Broadway hit for Moss Hart (1904-1961), the director, playwright, and librettist. Hart would later receive a Tony Award for his direction of Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady and would also work on their Camelot. He was widely acknowledged for his direction of Julie Andrews during My Fair Lady. Andrews is reported to have said "I credit Moss with the rest of my theatrical life because he made it all possible. He showed me. He cajoled, he bullied, he pleaded, he encouraged, he did everything and was the kindest, clearest human being" (Durang). When he first wrote Once in a Lifetime, Hart was represented by the agent Frieda Fishbein (1886-1981). This copy has wrappers printed with her name and address. The title page also carries her ink stamp. It was the producer Sam Harris who then arranged for Kaufman to work with Moss on rewrites. Moss's original is here structured as a prologue, Act 1 (two scenes), Act 2 (one scene), and Act 3 (four scenes). The version published by Farrar & Rinehart in 1930 comprises Act 1 (three scenes), Act 2 (one scene) and Act 3 (three scenes). Fishbein would bring a lawsuit against Hart contending that she was entitled to royalties. There have been modern productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company (1979), and the National Theatre (2005). Christopher Durang, Interview with Julie Andrews, Theatre Week, 24 May 1993. Quarto. Original purple wrappers, front wrapper lettered with Frieda Fishbein name and address. Together, 101 carbon leaves on rectos only, secured by two split pins. Housed in a custom purple cloth folding box. Wrappers worn and a little sunned, some leaves a little creased and torn: a very good copy.

Seller Inventory # 177447

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Once in a Lifetime. A Comedy with Sound and Fury.
• Publisher: New York: [no publisher, c.1929]