Night of January 16th

Night of January 16th is a play written by Ayn Rand, inspired by the death of the "Match King", Ivar Kreuger. First produced under a different name in 1934, it takes place entirely in a court room and is centered on a murder trial. It was a success on Broadway during the 1935-36 season, followed by several regional productions. A movie loosely based on the play was released in 1941. Rand disagreed with a number of changes made by the Broadway producer and in amateur versions of the play, so in 1968 she re-edited the script for publication as the "definitive" version.

The play deals with issues of a man's ability to regard oneself as important and exist in a society where moral decay is ever prevalent. It also deals with issues of love, loyalty and betrayal. One unusual feature of the play is that members of the audience are picked to take on the role of jury members each night. The play does not directly portray the events; instead the "jury" must rely on character testimony and vote on whether the "defendant" is guilty or not guilty. The play has different endings depending on the verdict.