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Night of January 16th was Rand's first play, and the only one of her plays to achieve success in her lifetime. (One of her other plays had a brief run and bombed; the rest were never produced during her lifetime.) It ran first in Hollywood under the name Woman on Trial, and then on Broadway under the title by which it is now known. Rand's original title was Penthouse Legend. In 1968, Rand re-edited the text and added an introduction to create the published version. There is also another version, edited by Nathaniel Edward Reeid, which is published in playbook form for production by amateur companies. The amateur version differs in a number of ways from Rand's version, mostly due to the insertion of new material by the producer when the play was performed on Broadway. Rand excised this material for the version published in 1968, although she did retain the name that the producer gave the play. Copies published since 1985 also incorporate "small editorial changes" made by Rand for a 1973 production, and a note was added explaining those changes.
Karen Andre stands trial, accused of murdering her employer/lover, Bjorn Faulkner. In an unusual twist, a jury composed of audience members will decide her fate at the end of the play.
Each act of the play covers a different day of the trial. The "Note to Producer" explains how the audience-participation jury works.
In 1941, a movie based on Rand's play was released. Rand did not participate in the production of the movie and did not approve of the finished product. The following links are available related to the movie:
Because Night of January 16th is a play, reviews and critiques are almost always related to specific productions, rather than the published text. Because the original Broadway production was in the 1930s, most contemporary productions are by amateur companies or small local theater groups. The following perpectives on productions of this play are available online:
Additional keywords: Ann Rand, Anne Rand, Ayn Rad, Ayn Ran, Any Rand, Night of January Sixteenth
The philosophy of Ayn Rand, a twentieth-century novelist and philosopher, is known as Objectivism. The Objectivism Reference Center provides resources about Rand, her ideas, her works, and places where those are discussed and debated. Visit the Site Information page for details on site policies. Suggestions for additional materials or additional links are welcomed.
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