Alibi (play) - Broadway Production

Broadway Production

Laughton also starred in and directed the Broadway production, retitled The Fatal Alibi which opened at the Booth Theatre on February 8, 1932 with settings by Dale Stetson and produced by Jed Harris. It was not a success and only played for twenty-four performances, closing on March 1.

Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times reviewed the play in its issue of February 10, 1932 when he claimed that, "the minuteness of the facts involved and the meticulousness of the play construction make 'The Fatal Alibi' a rather difficult crime play to follow in the theatre". He further said that the cast was "excellent" and signalled out Laughton's performance as "an immensely entertaining exercise in poster portraiture", however, "Since Mr. Laughton enjoys playing the part, a guileless theatregoer may enjoy watching him. But colorful acting, slightly detached from the flow of narrative, can also temper a drama's illusion. In the opinion of this department, Mr. Laughton's lithographic performing has that subtle effect. It diverts attention from the play."