The Greeks Had a Word for It
1930 play by Zoe Akins / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Greeks Had a Word for It (also known as The Greeks Had a Name for It) is a 1930 play written by Zoe Akins. It is a three-act comedy that becomes farce only at the end.[1] It has a medium-sized cast, multiple settings, and pacing that reviewers said showed "indecision" and "sluggishness".[1][2] It is so episodic in nature that one critic called it three one-act plays joined together by leading characters.[3] It depicts the relationships of three ex-chorus girls with one another and with would-be paramours. The author never reveals what word she had in mind.[4]
The Greeks Had a Word for It | |
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Written by | Zoe Akins |
Directed by | William Harris Jr. |
Date premiered | September 25, 1930 (1930-09-25) |
Place premiered | Sam H. Harris Theatre |
Original language | English |
Subject | Episodes in the lives of three women |
Genre | Comedy |
Produced and staged by William Harris Jr., with settings by Livingstone Platt, it starred Muriel Kirkland, Verree Teasdale, and Dorothy Hall.[2] It ran on Broadway from September 1930 through May 1931. One reviewer criticized its moral quality even as he praised its writing and performance,[5] while another put it on his end of season "Best Plays" list.[6] The play was never published nor revived on Broadway, but was adapted for the film The Greeks Had a Word for Them in 1932.