No Time For Comedy
By S.N. Behrman
Directed by Kent Paul
March 15th 2002 through April 7th 2002
Where:
The Mint Theater
311 West 43rd St, 5th floor
Among the most prolific and popular writers of his day, S. N. Behrman penned glittering comedies that both celebrated and satirized New York’s smart set, poking fun at their foibles while exposing their self-doubt. Once a Broadway mainstay, Behrman’s plays were largely forgotten until the Mint’s production of NO TIME FOR COMEDY, the play’s first professional production in N.Y. since its 1939 Broadway premiere.
“Is it true that this is no time for comedy,” asked the New York Herald Tribune back in 1939, “or is this just the day when comedy is most necessary to the preservation of what is left of the world’s sanity?” In a city still stunned by the aftermath of 9/11, Behrman’s piercing comedy—which tells the story of a playwright who wrestles with his guilt over writing comedies as the world teeters on the brink of war—offered startling resonance.
“Wit, sophistication, charm—where do you find it these days? At the Mint Theater…an evening of good smart fun,”1 hailed Performing Arts INSIDER of NO TIME FOR COMEDY in 2002. “A sparkling and unexpectedly insightful piece…thought-provoking, entertaining, and remarkably timely”2 wrotenytheatre.com‘s Martin Denton.