Wives Have Their Uses
1938 play by Gwen Meredith
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Wives Have Their Uses is a 1938 Australian stage play by Gwen Meredith. It is a comedy.
| Wives Have Their Uses | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Gwen Meredith |
| Date premiered | November 23, 1938 |
| Place premiered | Sydney, Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | marriage |
| Genre | comedy |
The Sydney Morning Herald called it " one of the wittiest, most entertaining and best constructed comedies 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.