Wives Have Their Uses is a 1938 Australian stage play by Gwen Meredith. It is a comedy.
| Wives Have Their Uses | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Gwen Meredith |
| Date premiered | November 23, 1938 |
| Place premiered | Sydney, Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | marriage |
| Genre | comedy |
The Sydney Morning Herald called it " one of the wittiest, most entertaining and best constructed comedies by an Australian author. With this initial full-length effort, Miss Meredith enters the front rank of Australian playwrights; for in no way is her work amateurish or derivative. It is not only keenly humorous and possesses a definite intelligent trend, but has a good psychological basis for its sparkling dialogue."[1]
Leslie Rees argued the play "seemed to break new ground — in Australia at any rate — with its Maughamesque wit and comedy of divorce."[2]
The play was performed around Australia in amateur theatres and helped launch Meredith's career.[3][4]
Wives Have Their Uses was published in book form at a time when that was rare for Australian plays.[5]
Premise
editA philandering husband has to deal with his wife at a resort.
References
edit- ^ "Witty Comedy". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 31, 481. New South Wales, Australia. 24 November 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 24 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Rees, Leslie (1953). Towards an Australian Drama. p. 124.
- ^ "The Drama in Australia". The West Australian. Vol. 55, no. 16, 553. Western Australia. 22 July 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 24 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Australasian Radio Relay League. (July 20, 1940), "Play Wrights of Australia Comedy and Sophistication", v. ; 24-38 cm., The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, vol. 35, no. 29, Sydney: Wireless Press, nla.obj-720018818, retrieved 24 July 2023 – via Trove
- ^ Australian Broadcasting Commission. (8 June 1946) [1939], "Gwen Meredith Is Writing Lawsons Novel", v.: ill. ; 29cm., ABC Weekly, vol. 8, no. 21, Sydney: ABC, nla.obj-1334110414, retrieved 24 July 2023 – via Trove