Young Woodley is a 1925 play by John Van Druten. It is a drama in three acts with four scenes, two settings, and nine speaking parts. The action of the play takes place over several weeks at a fictional English public school. The story concerns a school prefect who falls in love with the wife of his housemaster. Because of its negative depiction of public school life, and its controversial subject matter, the play was banned from performance in the United Kingdom by the Lord Chamberlain in his capacity as theatrical Censor.
The play was first produced in the United States, by George C. Tyler and Basil Dean, with the latter also staging it. The sets were designed by Gladys Calthrop and built by Gates and Morange. Young Woodley starred Glenn Hunter, with Helen Gahagan and Herbert Bunston in support. It had tryouts in Boston and Buffalo during October 1925, and premiered on Broadway during November, where it ran until late May 1926, for 258 performances. It was included as one of the top ten works in Burns Mantle's The Best Plays of 1925-1926.
The ban on Young Woodley in Britain was lifted in February 1928, after the Lord Chamberlain viewed a performance at a private London theatrical club. This was the first time the Censor's ban had been reversed. The play premiered in the West End the next month. It ran there for over 400 performances, making a star of its lead Frank Lawton.
Van Druten wrote Young Woodley: A novel after the play, covering later events in the character's life, for UK publication in 1929. Young Woodley was adapted for a 1928 British silent film of the same name, which was never released. It was further adapted for a 1930 British movie, also called Young Woodley. There was also an adaptation for British television in March 1960.
Characters Characters are listed in order of appearance within their scope.
Lead Roger Woodley is 17, a shy sensitive poet and prefect, raised in Hampstead by his father and aunt. Supporting Ainger is 19, handsome and athletic, house captain for Tree House, and Roger's friend. Laura Simmons is 28, from the Lake District, the shy, retiring wife of the much older Simmons. Frank Simmons is 50, a mathematics teacher and the sarcastic housemaster for Tree House. Featured Cope is 14, who fags for the prefects at Tree House; nosy and naive. Vining is 18, wealthy, coarse and too well dressed; an exploiter of shop girls and house maids. Milner is 18, pleasant and agreeable, and easily led by others. Mr. Woodley is Roger's father, a widower who owns a soap manufacturing company. Bit Player Parlormaid, called Maude, serves the Simmons.
Synopsis
The settings are both within the Tree House at Mallowhurst School.
Act I (The prefects' room. About 5pm on a May afternoon.) Cope, behind in his fagging duties, is teased by Vining for asking about Riley, a student who was just expelled. Vining baits Cope, but Ainger puts a stop to it and sends Cope off. The prefects commiserate over the headmaster's lecture on moral purity following the expulsion. Woodley comes in, having been lectured by Simmons over a risqué poem he wrote for the school paper. He and Vining speculate Riley's downfall was the dark-haired maid at Plunkett's House. Vining decries the suppression of natural instincts suggested by the headmaster's lecture. Ainger and Woodley dispute with him, until Milner catches Cope peeking in the window. He is hustled into the room, chided for snooping, and sent off to wash up the tea things. The prefects talk of a red-haired shop girl who is amenable to Sunday afternoon walks. Vining and Milner leave; Ainger and Woodley discuss Vining's position on natural instincts. Ainger confesses he has not done much with girls but suspects Vining has. Woodley has trouble reconciling romance with "beastliness". He is attracted to girls of his own social class, but cannot think of them as objects of desire. Ainger counsels him to take it easy, there is no rush to get involved at age 17. Both are startled by Mrs. Simmons, who complains about the younger boys traipsing through shrubbery. Ainger promises to deal with them. He goes out to monitor P.D.,Prefects' Detention: a punishment period for minor infractions, handed out by the prefects to lower classmen. leaving Laura Simmons and Roger Woodley to talk of poetry. They are reciting Swinburne when her husband enters, looking for Ainger. He is sarcastic towards Woodley, mocking his poem and describing Swinburne as "intellectual measles". Mrs. Simmons hustles him out. Vining returns and immediately speculates about the Simmons' personal life, causing Woodley to exit abruptly. (Curtain)
Act II (Mrs. Simmons drawing-room. Three weeks later, about 4pm.) Simmons, after grading papers and gloating over student mistakes, realizes it is Laura's birthday. He apologizes for forgetting the date and gives her a perfunctory kiss on the cheek. They discuss a strange atmosphere that has settled over the school since Riley's expulsion. Laura is chafing at the pettiness of public schools, and sympathizes with the students. Simmons, however, puts the malaise down to lack of respect, especially by the prefects and Woodley in particular. Laura suggests Simmons should be more human with the boys. He rejects playing down to popularity. Laura declines his request to watch a house cricket match, as she has invited Ainger and Woodley to tea. Simmons suggests they will be bored. Laura responds with a burst of emotion, ruing that she married a schoolmaster and not a man. Simmons goes off to cricket. Maude announces Woodley. Ainger could not come; he had to substitute for an injured cricket player. Laura and Woodley talk of poetry again; he reads her a love poem. They were both only children. Laura asks to call him Roger, which he allows. She mentions having met Simpson while he was on a walking tour. Laura apologizes for her husbands rudeness and explains that is why she never goes to school functions. Being shy, she feels everyone must think she is like him. Roger assures her that everyone likes her but wonders why... "Why I married him?" she completes the thought then breaks down crying. Roger is flustered, more so when she touches his hand briefly. He tries to leave, but her vulnerability and loneliness keep him. He blurts out that he loves her and they embrace on the sofa, kissing passionately. But Simmons surprises them, and is taken aback by Woodley's challenge. Laura sends Woodley out. She insists this was the only encounter and it was her fault. When he threatens to expel Woodley, she threatens to leave him. Stymied, he agrees to wait while she works on Roger to forget her. (Curtain)
Act III (Scene 1:Same as Act I. Two days later.) Ainger, Vining, and Milner try to figure out why both Mr. Simmons and Woodley are on edge. Cope tells Woodley that Vining suggested he ask Mrs. Simmons about Riley, who was expelled. Woodley confesses to Ainger that he went with a shop girl to the woods and felt beastly about it afterwards. Woodley confronts Vining about Cope, but becomes enraged when Vining rags him about Mrs. Simmons. He takes a knife from the tea things and starts towards Vining, but is stopped by Ainger. Mr. Simmons comes in and demands an explanation. Woodley taunts him, saying Mr. Simmons has won and can have him expelled now. Ainger and Simmons take Woodley off to the sick room. (Quick Curtain)
Act III (Scene 2:Same as Act II. The following afternoon.) Mr. Woodley has arrived and has spoken with the headmaster and with Simmons. Alone with the latter, he challenges him for the complete story, and gradually comes to understand that the housemaster wanted to get rid of his son because of his wife's affection for him. Laura meets Mr. Woodley and explains the entire situation was her fault, not Roger's. When Mr. Woodley meets up with his son, they agree that Roger should come into the business with his father. Mr. Woodley reveals what Laura told him, causing Roger to breakdown. He begs his father to hasten their departure as soon as possible. Ainger calls to Woodley from the window; they shake hands in parting. Laura comes to say goodbye to Roger and apologize for what she said the other day. She had to do it, but admits she loves him and does not want him to be bitter about love because of her. They embrace, she leaves, and Mr. Woodley returns to take Roger home. (Curtain)
Original production Background John Van Druten was a young university lecturer when his first play, The Return Half, was performed by members of the RADA Ex-Students' Club on 5 October 1924. John Gielgud played the leading character, a student and would-be poet whose businessman stepfather ships him off to Australia. It attracted a decent review from a newspaper critic who judged Van Druten as a playwright to watch. Van Druten's second play, Young Woodley, however, fell afoul of the Lord Chamberlain, who banned it from performance in the United Kingdom. Basil Dean had already purchased the play's British rights, and George C. Tyler the North American rights. Tyler decided to produce Young Woodley, and hired Basil Dean, who was already in New York, to stage it. Glenn Hunter, who had been touring in Merton of the Movies, which George C. Tyler had co-produced, would play the title role, while the female lead would be filled by Helen Gahagan.
Cast + Cast for the Boston and Buffalo tryouts and through the Broadway run. Role Actor Dates Notes and sourcesRoger WoodleyGlenn Hunter5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926 AingerEdward Crandall5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926 Laura SimmonsHelen Gahagan5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926 Frank SimmonsHerbert Bunston5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926 CopeGeorge Walcott5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926Walcott was the youngest cast member, having turned fourteen shortly before the production began. ViningGeoffrey John Harwood5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926More than one reviewer suggested Harwood appeared too mature for this role. MilnerJohn Gerard5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926 Mr. WoodleyGrant Stewart5 Oct 1925 – 29 May 1926 ParlormaidEsther Bell5 Oct 1925 – 30 Jan 1926 Willa Frederic1 Feb 1926 – 29 May 1926
Tryouts The play had its first tryout, a two week engagement, starting 5 October 1925, at the Hollis Street Theatre in Boston. The critic for The Boston Globe observed that the play was better suited for an audience that took drama more seriously than the usual entertainment seekers. They complained about the performers being inaudible past the first few rows, but praised the character sketches and thought the dialogue very natural.
From Boston, the production went to Buffalo, New York, for a week-long run at the Majestic Theatre, starting 19 October 1925. Here the local reviewer was more enthusiastic, saying that "no better show will be seen in Buffalo this season", and that unlike some trial works played there "needed no patching up". They judged the cast was uniformly strong, but singled out Glenn Hunter, Helen Gahagan, Herbert Bunston, and Edward Crandall for special mention.
Broadway premiere and reception