Night of January 16th
Ayn Rand’s trial play "Night of January 16th" may be melodramatic but it is a satisfying film noir for the stage. Originally written as "Penthouse Legend," it was first produced in Los Angeles as "Woman on Trial," then retitled with its current title by its Broadway producer in 1935. Should you know the Hollywood version, it only shares the title and the names of a few of the characters but not a line written by Rand. Its success has partly been due to the fact that the jury is chosen from the audience each night. In the current Ruth Stage revival on Theatre Row, the 15 people who buy tickets in the first row become that night’s jury. As you would expect, there are two different (brief) endings. [more]