| Arsenic and Old Lace is a play by American playwright Joseph Kesselring written in 1939.
It is perhaps best known through the film
version, which starred Cary Grant.
Of the 12 plays written by Kesselring, Arsenic and Old Lace is the only play to be successful. The play concerns
Mortimer Brewster who on his wedding day must face the members of his crazy family. These include two spinster aunts who have taken to murdering old men by poisoning them with arsenic. (For a full plot
description see Arsenic and Old Lace
(movie).)
It is believed that some of the play's influence comes from Kesselring's experiences while teaching at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. While he was teaching, Kesselring lived in a boarding house called the Goerz House. Many of the features of the Brewster
Sisters' living room are similar to the living room in the Goerz House. The
Goerz House still stands and now serves as the home of the college
president.
The first Broadway production of the play was at the Fulton Theater in New York City. It was produced by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse. The play was directed by Bretaigne Windust.
It opened in the Fulton Theater on 10 January 1941. On 25 September 1943, the play transferred to the Hudson Theater. It closed there on 17 June 1944 having played 1,444 performances.
The opening night cast consisted of:
- Jean Adair (Martha Brewster)
- John Alexander (Teddy Brewster)
- Wyrley Birch (The Rev. Dr. Harper)
- Helen Brooks (Elaine Harper)
- Bruce Gordon (Officer Klein)
- Henry Herbert (Mr. Gibbs)
- Josephine Hull (Abby Brewster)
- Allan Joslyn (Mortimer Brewster)
- Boris Karloff (Jonathan Brewster)
- William Parke (Mr. Witherspoon)
- John Quigg (Officer Brophy)
- Anthony Ross (Officer O'Hara)
- Edgar Stehli (Dr. Einstein)
- Victor Sutherland (Lieutenant Rooney)
The play is still widely performed and has been translated into many
languages.
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