You Can’t Take It with You (Masterplots II: Drama, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: George S. Kaufman, Moss Hart
- First Published: 1937
- Type of Plot: Farce
- Time of Work: 1936
- Setting: New York City
- Principal Characters: Penelope “Penny” Vanderhof Sycamore, Essie Sycamore Carmichael, Ed Carmichael, Paul Sycamore, Grandpa Martin Vanderhof, Alice Sycamore, Anthony “Tony” Kirby, Jr., Mr. De Pinna, Rheba, Donald, Boris Kolenkhov, Mr. Kirby, Mrs. Kirby
- Genres: Drama, Farce
- Subjects: Family or family life, New York, North America or North Americans, Northeast, U.S., United States or Americans, Love or romance, New York City, 1930’s, City life, Dancing or dancers, Money
- Locales: New York, NY
The Play
You Can’t Take It with You opens with Penny Vanderhof Sycamore typing at a play in the living room of a house near Columbia University. She is working on her eleventh play in the eight years since a typewriter arrived at the house, quite by accident; in this household, the delivery of a typewriter is enough to begin a literary career. Essie Carmichael enters from making candy in the kitchen, and the nonstop action begins. While Essie practices dancing, Penny tries to extricate her heroine from the monastery in which she has spent the last six years. At times,...
[The entire page is 2595 words long]
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