What Every Woman Knows (Dover Thrift) [Paperback]

J.M. Barrie's "What Every Woman Knows" premiered on Broadway in December 1908 at the Empire Theatre and ran for 198 performances with Maude Adams in the lead as Maggie Wylie. It was revived on Broadway in 1926 and ran from April to December for 268 performances with Helen Hayes in the lead role. It was briefly revived on Broadway a third time in November 1946 for 21 performances with Eli Wallach playing one of the ensemble and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as the butler.

With the play now 100 years old, it remains an interesting piece. Maggie Wylie is a plain country girl whose family despairs that she will never be able to find a husband because she's not good looking. A young student John Shand comes home from the university and tries to burglarize their house, not to steal anything but to sneak in and read the many books in their house. Shand left the university because of a lack of funds. Maggie's brothers James and David and her father Alick decide that they will front Shand the money to get his degree IF he will sign a contract that after graduation he will marry Maggie, providing that she wants to go through it.

Act II picks up six years later. John Shand has not only graduated, but he has just been elected to a seat in Parliament. Maggie offers to release him from his contract, but John announces to the election night audience that Maggie is the future Mrs. Shand.

Act III takes us yet a few more years into the future and John has become a successful politician known for wit that has even caused his sayings to be known as "shandisms." The Comtesse is an elegant upper-class woman who discovers the truth that Maggie, who modestly claims only to type her husband's speeches, is responsible for much of the witty language and humor that has made him famous. She even influences his platform such as supporting women's rights. However, a complication is thrown into the mix as John, who is fully convinced that he is responsible for his own success, decides that he is really in love with the Comtesse's niece Sybil. John gives Sybil a ruby pendant on his second wedding anniversary to Maggie and announces his love for Sybil. Maggie knowingly implores him to delay the announcement of their separation which will probably ruin his political career until after a major political speech he is set to deliver. She further asks the Comtesse, who has become an admirer of the quiet way that Maggie supports her husband and defers to him, to invite her niece Sybil and her husband John to the Comtesse's country home so that John can work on his speech. John is convinced that Sybil will inspire him.

Act IV picks up about three weeks later. The bloom is off the lily as far as John and Sybil's romance. Neither can stand the other. Furthermore, John has sent a draft of his speech to his political friend Venables who cancels Shand's invitation to speak because the speech lacks his usual spark. Maggie has meanwhile "typed" a new version of the speech and forwards it to Venables just as she arrives to announce her intention to return to the country with her brothers. Sybil breaks up with Shand, much to his relief. Venables loves the new speech. Shand discovers how much he is dependent on Maggie. Maggie says as the curtain falls, "Every man who is high up loves to think that he has done it all himself; and the wife smiles, and lets it go at that. It's our only joke. Every woman knows that." Finally, the couple laughs and reunites as the lights fade.

"What Every Woman Knows" is a bit dated. Maggie's willingness to defer to her husband may seem quaint to our era where romantic relationships are more partnerships. However, the action and story are still gripping. Some of the British political customs are a bit unfamiliar Stateside. However, this is an interesting play that could be revived successfully with a strong cast. Enjoy!

I won't go into a plot detail because the reviewer Lee did an excellent and very accurate job. I downloaded it for free not knowing in the slightest what it was or anything because no description existed at the time. I was surprised at it's being a play because it read almost like one but with such humour and asides that I wasn't really sure until reading the afore-mentioned review. It is a very good story and can really be read as such as well as a script. The characters can seem a bit dated but they are all so much 'there' that they almost live and breath. I would adore seeing this acted and really am thinking about bringing it to the attention of the community theater group in my area. Definitely worth downloading, especially since it's free so you'll be losing nothing and gaining a little gem of a play.