Middle of the Night

Middle of the Night (1956), a play by Paddy Chayevsky. [ANTA Theatre, 477 perf.] When a rich, aging, and widowed Manufacturer (Edward G. Robinson) falls in love with his young, newly divorced receptionist, their liaison is opposed on both sides: by the Mother (June Walker) of the Girl (Gena Rowlands), and by the Manufacturer's Daughter (Anne Jackson). Only his Son‐inLaw (Martin Balsam) seems sympathetic. The Girl returns briefly to her former Husband (Lee Philips), a coarse, oversexed musician, before the Manufacturer and the Girl reach an understanding. Originally produced as a shorter television play, the work was expanded into a Joshua Logan production that divided the New York critics, some seeing it as a sensitive character study, others as soap opera. The magnificent, understated performance of Robinson was the main reason for the play's success.