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Joseph Kesselring
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Arsenic and Old Lace (Acting Edition for Theater Productions) Paperback – October 1, 1944

by Joseph Kesselring (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 193 ratings
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An easy going drama critic discovers that his kind and gentle aunts have a bizarre habit of poisoning gentlemen callers and burying them in the cellar.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    96 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dramatist's Play Service
  4. Publication date
    October 1, 1944
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0822200651
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0822200659
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dramatist's Play Service (October 1, 1944)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 96 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0822200651
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0822200659
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.5 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 193 ratings

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Joseph Kesselring

Joseph Kesselring

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
193 global ratings
Definitely USED. Not even close to GOOD condition!!!
1 Star
Definitely USED. Not even close to GOOD condition!!!
Item arrived defaced with highlighter marker and actors blocking notes written in the margins. Unless you are playing the character of KLEIN in the play, this script is overpriced garbage. Beware of this seller.
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Top reviews from the United States

s_corpion
5.0 out of 5 stars Witty, funny and a tad disturbing
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2005
Verified Purchase
It was hard to read this without thinking of the wonderful movie. In a nutshell it is a play about a family where mental illness (insanity) is rampant. One character thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt and is building the Panama canal in the cellar. Two characters think they are performing a charity by poisoning lonely elderly men which the Teddy Roosevelt character perceives to be victims of yellow fever and buries them in Panama canal locks. These characters are perceived by neighbors as kind and gentle souls. Another character is an escapee from a hospital for the criminally insane. It is understandable why the sane member of the family is afraid to get married. He finds out that he is not related by blood to this family. The play is wonderfully written. I found it disturbing that these kindly gentle elderly women were serial killers. It just goes to show things are not always what they appear. Also, torture was alluded to in the play. All in all a good read.
21 people found this helpful
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KD-D
5.0 out of 5 stars Mint condition.
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2023
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Mint condition.
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MillstoneyWay
5.0 out of 5 stars Arsenic and Old Lace
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2007
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This is an enduring classic comedy that has been staged with actors of all ages including those in high schools, community theaters and professional productions. The script contains jokes based on the status of "the theater" at the time (common discussions among critics at that time parallel the line in a Simon and Garfunkle song, "is the theater really dead?") The story line is built on a wonderful array of eccentric characters. A great deal of the comedy is based on dramatic irony, where the audience knows something that some or all of the actors on stage do not. Great to stage and fun to see.
2 people found this helpful
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JJ
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Used Scriot
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2022
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This was a script that was once in a library. It had no markings and is a clean copy to use and highlight for mg character. Great purchase. Quick delivery.
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Phred
4.0 out of 5 stars What does screwball comedy look like on the page
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022
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There has to be a special skill in reading a script and hearing what it will sound like. In reading Joseph Kesselring’s Arsenic and Old Lace, I found it hard to maintain the feel for its true comedic timing and carefully balanced proportions of believability and clownish improbability. As a long standing fan of screwball comedy in general and AandOL in particular the chance to read it from the director’s POV seemed a good idea. In this edition, evidently a copy used by someone who performed the end of the play role of Lt. Rooney, we find all of the stage directions and several set drawings. All good background stuff but also an anchor on the movement of the play.

Of the plot, we have the lovely home of the Brewster family. It’s now deceased patriarch, had been a mortician and the house is adjacent to a cemetery. It seems death runs in the family. In particular the nice old ladies who now own their father’s house, perform the very good deed of helping lonely old men cease to be lonely, by helping them cease to be. Their brother. believing himself to be Teddy Roosevelt assists this charitable activity by placing them to rest as Yellow Fever victims in the Panama Canal, conveniently located in the basement. Add this we have one nephew who will prove to be not far removed from the family traditions and the other brother Mortimer, who is a theater critic for what may be a dying art, live theater.

Mortimer it seems wants to marry, but having suddenly come upon the body of evidence exposing his aunts’ charity work is uncertain about his duty to marry and perhaps carry forward the family traditions. As he observes: “mental illness does not run in the family, it practically gallops”.

While all of this sounds morbid, it is written with tongue in cheek straight face comedy. Even if the face looks just like Boris Karloff.

I am a huge fan of the movie, and while it could have been written for any of its several well known cast, mostly it was not. That said, I can hear almost every line as presented by all who were in the movie.

The problem, and it is mine and may be for many another reader is that stage direction can be intrusive. Comedy depends on timing and actors do not have to read stage directions to the audience.

This is a period piece and carries with it some relatively minor sensitivities we now so highly cherish. A certain level of comedic tension is developed around the potential for torture, but the timing of the play is Halloween. Maybe these good hearted, gentle people can have there dance macabre and we can enjoy.
2 people found this helpful
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Frank White
5.0 out of 5 stars It's a great theater production script, including set design.
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2021
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This is a classic theater script for a memorable theater production. An all time favorite for many theater goers and actors.
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Dale Westgaard
5.0 out of 5 stars Funnier than the movie.
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2013
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I look forward to directing it for the Lakewood Players at the opening of their 75th Season. I'm amazed at how well it holds up. but then I guess that's the definition of a chestnut.
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Sally
5.0 out of 5 stars A Word Lover's Dream Come True
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2013
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I've seen the play a couple of times. I even worked as the prop manager one year when the Wesley Foundation put the play on. As a kid, I was fascinated by Teddy. As an adult, I LOVE all of the word play and all of the dramatic irony. I'd totally forgotten that the line, "Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops." came from this play. I just adore it.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Bobbie
5.0 out of 5 stars great book!!
Reviewed in Canada on May 19, 2021
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as described love this book
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Michael Bean
5.0 out of 5 stars delivered quickly - what's not to like.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2015
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Pristine copy, delivered quickly - what's not to like.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Piece of crap
Reviewed in Canada on May 17, 2023
Verified Purchase
I've never seen such a poor quality "Kindle" book! It's as if a ten year old did a terrible photocopy job and then stuck it on a website. Not only is the print such poor quality and tiny as to be unreadable, lines are even cut off. I requested an immediate return. DO NOT waste your money.
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