Night Off; or A Page From Balzac

In this intriguing play, multiple subplots intertwine as Professor Justinian Babbitt uncovers a long-forgotten script from his university days. During his wife’s retreat at an extravagant spa—much to her disapproval of the theater—he shares his work with his captivated housekeeper. When a shrewd traveling theater manager arrives in town, the Professor finds himself drawn into a morally ambiguous deal to stage his play. Simultaneously, his daughter Angelica stumbles upon a page from Balzac that reveals a startling truth Every bride that lives, if she could but know the past and secret life of her husband, would renounce him even at the steps of the altar. As her well-meaning husband grows weary of her relentless questioning about his sordid past, he concocts a story borrowed from his university buddy’s life. Angelica soon becomes enthralled by the myth of her husband’s supposed adventurous history, leading to unexpected twists and turns.