Wives Have Their Uses

Wives Have Their Uses is a 1938 Australian stage play by Gwen Meredith. It is a comedy.

Wives Have Their Uses
Written byGwen Meredith
Date premieredNovember 23, 1938 (1938-11-23)
Place premieredSydney, Australia
Original languageEnglish
Subjectmarriage
Genrecomedy

The Sydney Morning Herald called it " one of the wittiest, most entertaining and best constructed comdies by an Australian author. With this initial full-length effort, Miss Meredith enters the front rank of Australian playwrights; for in no way is her work amateurish or derivative. It is not only keenly humorous and possesses a definite intelligent trend, but has a good psychological basis for its sparkling dialogue."[1]

Leslie Rees argued the play "seemed to break new ground — in Australia at any rate — with its Maughamesque wit and comedy of divorce."[2]

The play was performed around Australia in amateur theatres and helped launch Meredith's career.[3][4]

Wives Have Their Uses was published in book form at a time when that was rare for Australian plays.[5]

Premise

A philandering husband has to deal with his wife at a resort.

References
  1. "Witty Comedy". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 31, 481. New South Wales, Australia. 24 November 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 24 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Rees, Leslie (1953). Towards an Australian Drama. p. 124.
  3. "The Drama in Australia". The West Australian. Vol. 55, no. 16, 553. Western Australia. 22 July 1939. p. 5. Retrieved 24 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. Australasian Radio Relay League. (July 20, 1940), "Play Wrights of Australia Comedy and Sophistication", v. ; 24-38 cm., The Wireless Weekly: The Hundred per Cent Australian Radio Journal, Sydney: Wireless Press, 35 (29), nla.obj-720018818, retrieved 24 July 2023 – via Trove
  5. Australian Broadcasting Commission. (8 June 1946) [1939], "Gwen Meredith Is Writing Lawsons Novel", v.: ill. ; 29cm., ABC Weekly, Sydney: ABC, 8 (21), nla.obj-1334110414, retrieved 24 July 2023 – via Trove
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