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You Can't Take it With You
At first the Sycamore family seems mad, but it is not long before we realize that if they are mad, the rest of the world is really verklempt.
72 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1936
19 people are currently reading
3680 people want to read
About the author
Moss Hart
56 books24 followersMoss Hart was an American playwright and director of plays and musical theater. Hart recalled his youth, early career and rise to fame in his autobiography, Act One, adapted to film in 1963, with George Hamilton portraying Hart.
Hart grew up at 74 East 105th Street in Manhattan, "a neighborhood not of carriages and hansom cabs, but of dray wagons, pushcarts, and immigrants" (Bach 1). Early on he had a strong relationship with his Aunt Kate, whom he later lost contact with because of a falling out between her and his parents, and her weakening mental state. She got him interested in the theater and took him to see performances often. Hart even went so far as to create an "alternate ending" to her life in his book Act One. He writes that she died while he was working on out-of-town tryouts for The Beloved Bandit. Later, Kate became quite eccentric, vandalizing Hart's home, writing threatening letters and setting fires backstage during rehearsals for Jubilee. But his relationship with Kate was life-forming. He understood that the theater made possible "the art of being somebody else… not a scrawny boy with bad teeth, a funny name… and a mother who was a distant drudge." (Bach 13).
After working several years as a director of amateur theatrical groups and an entertainment director at summer resorts, he scored his first Broadway hit with Once In A Lifetime (1930), a farce about the arrival of the sound era in Hollywood. The play was written in collaboration with Broadway veteran George S. Kaufman, who regularly wrote with others, notably Marc Connelly and Edna Ferber. (Kaufman also performed in the play's original Broadway cast in the role of a frustrated playwright hired by Hollywood.) During the next decade, Kaufman and Hart teamed on a string of successes, including You Can't Take It With You (1936) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939). Though Kaufman had hits with others, Hart is generally conceded to be his most important collaborator.
You Can't Take It With You, the story of an eccentric family and how they live during the Depression, won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It is Hart's most-revived play. When director Frank Capra and writer Robert Riskin adapted it for the screen in 1938, the film won the Best Picture Oscar and Capra won for Best Director.
The Man Who Came To Dinner is about the caustic Sheridan Whiteside who, after injuring himself slipping on ice, must stay in a Midwestern family's house. The character was based on Kaufman and Hart's friend, critic Alexander Woollcott. Other characters in the play are based on Noel Coward, Harpo Marx and Gertrude Lawrence.
After George Washington Slept Here (1940), Kaufman and Hart called it quits. Hart had decided it was time to move on. Throughout the 1930s, Hart also worked, with and without Kaufman, on several musicals and revues, including Face the Music (1932), As Thousands Cheer (1933), with songs by Irving Berlin, Jubilee (musical) (1935), with songs by Cole Porter and I'd Rather Be Right (1937), with songs by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. (Lorenz Hart and Moss Hart were not related.)
Hart continued to write plays after parting with Kaufman, such as Christopher Blake (1946) and Light Up The Sky (1948), as well as the book for the musical Lady In The Dark (1941), with songs by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin. However, he became best known during this period as a director.
Among the Broadway hits he staged were Junior Miss (1941), Dear Ruth (1944) and Anniversary Waltz (1954). By far his biggest hit was the musical My Fair Lady (1956), adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The show ran over seven years and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. Hart picked up the Tony for Best Director.
Occasionally, Hart wrote scree
Hart grew up at 74 East 105th Street in Manhattan, "a neighborhood not of carriages and hansom cabs, but of dray wagons, pushcarts, and immigrants" (Bach 1). Early on he had a strong relationship with his Aunt Kate, whom he later lost contact with because of a falling out between her and his parents, and her weakening mental state. She got him interested in the theater and took him to see performances often. Hart even went so far as to create an "alternate ending" to her life in his book Act One. He writes that she died while he was working on out-of-town tryouts for The Beloved Bandit. Later, Kate became quite eccentric, vandalizing Hart's home, writing threatening letters and setting fires backstage during rehearsals for Jubilee. But his relationship with Kate was life-forming. He understood that the theater made possible "the art of being somebody else… not a scrawny boy with bad teeth, a funny name… and a mother who was a distant drudge." (Bach 13).
After working several years as a director of amateur theatrical groups and an entertainment director at summer resorts, he scored his first Broadway hit with Once In A Lifetime (1930), a farce about the arrival of the sound era in Hollywood. The play was written in collaboration with Broadway veteran George S. Kaufman, who regularly wrote with others, notably Marc Connelly and Edna Ferber. (Kaufman also performed in the play's original Broadway cast in the role of a frustrated playwright hired by Hollywood.) During the next decade, Kaufman and Hart teamed on a string of successes, including You Can't Take It With You (1936) and The Man Who Came to Dinner (1939). Though Kaufman had hits with others, Hart is generally conceded to be his most important collaborator.
You Can't Take It With You, the story of an eccentric family and how they live during the Depression, won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for drama. It is Hart's most-revived play. When director Frank Capra and writer Robert Riskin adapted it for the screen in 1938, the film won the Best Picture Oscar and Capra won for Best Director.
The Man Who Came To Dinner is about the caustic Sheridan Whiteside who, after injuring himself slipping on ice, must stay in a Midwestern family's house. The character was based on Kaufman and Hart's friend, critic Alexander Woollcott. Other characters in the play are based on Noel Coward, Harpo Marx and Gertrude Lawrence.
After George Washington Slept Here (1940), Kaufman and Hart called it quits. Hart had decided it was time to move on. Throughout the 1930s, Hart also worked, with and without Kaufman, on several musicals and revues, including Face the Music (1932), As Thousands Cheer (1933), with songs by Irving Berlin, Jubilee (musical) (1935), with songs by Cole Porter and I'd Rather Be Right (1937), with songs by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. (Lorenz Hart and Moss Hart were not related.)
Hart continued to write plays after parting with Kaufman, such as Christopher Blake (1946) and Light Up The Sky (1948), as well as the book for the musical Lady In The Dark (1941), with songs by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin. However, he became best known during this period as a director.
Among the Broadway hits he staged were Junior Miss (1941), Dear Ruth (1944) and Anniversary Waltz (1954). By far his biggest hit was the musical My Fair Lady (1956), adapted from George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The show ran over seven years and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. Hart picked up the Tony for Best Director.
Occasionally, Hart wrote scree
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
November 23, 2009
This play is begging for new productions. Written in the 1930s, it seems entirely current. War on terror? Recession? Suburban sprawl? Copyright vs. sharing works for free? All in there. Remarkable.
February 28, 2021
my school is doing this for our spring play (which will be my last highschool play!) so maybe i'm biased, sentimentally, but ngl. i'm kind of obsessed with it
(obligatory update that i got the role i wanted the gays are winning)
(obligatory update that i got the role i wanted the gays are winning)
September 24, 2023
إذا قررت اللطافه أن تستخدم إسما مستعار بالتأكيد سيكون عنوان هذه المسرحيه
دنيا زوال المترجمه عن You can't take it with you
المسرحيه كما ذكر فى مقدمتها ظهرت فى فتره من الزمن غنيه بالأحداث الرهيبه كصعود الإمبراطوريات الإستبداديه كألمانيا النازيه و إيطاليا الفاشيه و التحالف بين القوتين بجانب ظلال الكساد الإقتصادى التى لم تكن قد إختفت بعد ؛ فجاءت المسرحيه تركز على البساطه و الإسترخاء اللذان يبدو و كأن العالم إفتقدهما إلى الأبد
حسنااا
لدينا أسرتين يتم التعارف عليهما و بينهما من أجل مصاهره منتظره
الأولى أسرة سيكامور الراااااائعه
جدو الذى قرر منذ ٣٥ عام أنه سيرتاااااح و يسترخى فترك عمله فى التجاره و جلس فى المنزل يتتبع حفلات تخريج الجامعات التى يعشق خطابات طلابها و خاصة جامعة كولومبيا ، السيد و السيده سيكامور و هما أبن جدو بول و زوجته بينى
بول يصنع صواريخ و ألعاب ناريه و بينى التى تتأرجح بين موهبتين رسامه فاشله و كاتبة روايات أفشل .. بينى التى قررت التحول من الرسم إلى الكتابه لأن أله كاتبه وصلت للمنزل ذات يوم عن طريق الخطأ 😂
الأبنه الكبرى أسى و زوجها إد
أسى صانعة حلوى نهارا و راقصة باليه عفنه كما يعتقد مدربها مساءا (تتمرن على حركة البيرويت منذ ثمانى سنوات)
إد موزع حلوى أسى ، عازف بيانو لا يقل موهبه عن باقى أفراد الأسره 😂 و يتم تعقبه من شخص غريب فى أوقات فراغه
أليس الإبنه الصغرى زهرة المنزل و العروس المرتقبه شخصيه عقلانيه أخيرا تعشق أسرتها المجنونه
السيد دويبا الذى جاء يبيع الثلج ذات مساء للأسره منذ ثمانى سنوات ثم لم يشاهده أحد يخرج من المنزل من يومها ..
السيد كولنخوف مدرب الرقص الروسى الهارب من ستالين
ريبيا و دونالد الخادمان ذوى القدرات العقليه المحدوده
الموقف الذى يمكنه تلخيص فلسفة أسرة سيكامور بإختصار
هو أن بائع الحليب أقام مع هذه الاسره خمس سنوات ثم مات دون أن يعرفوا إسمه الحقيقى فدفنوه بإسم الجد الذى أصبح مسرورا لأنه إستراح من الرسائل و البريد و لم يعد أحد يطلبه على الهاتف 😂
و فى المقابل لدينا أسرة أل كيربى
السيد كيربى الأب الذى يعمل فى وول ستريت و يهوى زراعة زهرات الأوركيد غالية الثمن
السيده كيربى المولعه بالروحانيات و معارض الزهور السنويه
طونى كيربى الإبن العريس الوسيم خريج جامعه حديث فنائب رئيس مكتب كيربى مباشرة
تتلاقى الأسرتان ذات مساء فى غير الموعد المحدد عن طريق السهو و الخطأ من جانب طونى و تتعارفان بشكل مأسوى يجعلك لا تتوقف عن الضحك الذى تصنعه المواقف و المشاهد المكتوبه بخفة دم غير عاديه
مسرحيه مسليه لذيذه تدعوك فى رساله صريحه للإسترخااااااء حتى تأتيك الدنيا دون طلب كما يعدنا بذلك جدو !
دنيا زوال المترجمه عن You can't take it with you
المسرحيه كما ذكر فى مقدمتها ظهرت فى فتره من الزمن غنيه بالأحداث الرهيبه كصعود الإمبراطوريات الإستبداديه كألمانيا النازيه و إيطاليا الفاشيه و التحالف بين القوتين بجانب ظلال الكساد الإقتصادى التى لم تكن قد إختفت بعد ؛ فجاءت المسرحيه تركز على البساطه و الإسترخاء اللذان يبدو و كأن العالم إفتقدهما إلى الأبد
حسنااا
لدينا أسرتين يتم التعارف عليهما و بينهما من أجل مصاهره منتظره
الأولى أسرة سيكامور الراااااائعه
جدو الذى قرر منذ ٣٥ عام أنه سيرتاااااح و يسترخى فترك عمله فى التجاره و جلس فى المنزل يتتبع حفلات تخريج الجامعات التى يعشق خطابات طلابها و خاصة جامعة كولومبيا ، السيد و السيده سيكامور و هما أبن جدو بول و زوجته بينى
بول يصنع صواريخ و ألعاب ناريه و بينى التى تتأرجح بين موهبتين رسامه فاشله و كاتبة روايات أفشل .. بينى التى قررت التحول من الرسم إلى الكتابه لأن أله كاتبه وصلت للمنزل ذات يوم عن طريق الخطأ 😂
الأبنه الكبرى أسى و زوجها إد
أسى صانعة حلوى نهارا و راقصة باليه عفنه كما يعتقد مدربها مساءا (تتمرن على حركة البيرويت منذ ثمانى سنوات)
إد موزع حلوى أسى ، عازف بيانو لا يقل موهبه عن باقى أفراد الأسره 😂 و يتم تعقبه من شخص غريب فى أوقات فراغه
أليس الإبنه الصغرى زهرة المنزل و العروس المرتقبه شخصيه عقلانيه أخيرا تعشق أسرتها المجنونه
السيد دويبا الذى جاء يبيع الثلج ذات مساء للأسره منذ ثمانى سنوات ثم لم يشاهده أحد يخرج من المنزل من يومها ..
السيد كولنخوف مدرب الرقص الروسى الهارب من ستالين
ريبيا و دونالد الخادمان ذوى القدرات العقليه المحدوده
الموقف الذى يمكنه تلخيص فلسفة أسرة سيكامور بإختصار
هو أن بائع الحليب أقام مع هذه الاسره خمس سنوات ثم مات دون أن يعرفوا إسمه الحقيقى فدفنوه بإسم الجد الذى أصبح مسرورا لأنه إستراح من الرسائل و البريد و لم يعد أحد يطلبه على الهاتف 😂
و فى المقابل لدينا أسرة أل كيربى
السيد كيربى الأب الذى يعمل فى وول ستريت و يهوى زراعة زهرات الأوركيد غالية الثمن
السيده كيربى المولعه بالروحانيات و معارض الزهور السنويه
طونى كيربى الإبن العريس الوسيم خريج جامعه حديث فنائب رئيس مكتب كيربى مباشرة
تتلاقى الأسرتان ذات مساء فى غير الموعد المحدد عن طريق السهو و الخطأ من جانب طونى و تتعارفان بشكل مأسوى يجعلك لا تتوقف عن الضحك الذى تصنعه المواقف و المشاهد المكتوبه بخفة دم غير عاديه
مسرحيه مسليه لذيذه تدعوك فى رساله صريحه للإسترخااااااء حتى تأتيك الدنيا دون طلب كما يعدنا بذلك جدو !
August 8, 2013
George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's Depression-era feel-good -- light hearted, Pulitzer Prize winner is as resonant today as it was when it debuted in 1936.
Set in the large home of the Sycamore family, the story depicts the lightweight travels of a group of eccentrics living with little means of support. The family patriarch, "Grandpa" Martin Vanderhof hasn't worked in 35 years, having quit one day when he grasped the fact that work was interfering with his fun, an attitude that extends to shrugging off repeated attempts by the IRS to collect back taxes.
Grandpa's daughter Penelope Sycamore dabbles with play-writing and painting without achieving much in either arena; her husband, Paul builds models with Erector Sets and assembles unlicensed fireworks in the basement with his assistant Mr. DePinna. The Sycamores' married daughter Essie is an aspiring but incompetent dancer coached by a blustery Russian instructor named Kolenkhov; Essie and her young husband, Ed also live in the house. When Ed's not running his amateur printing press, he's knocking out pop tunes on the xylophone. Alice, the seemingly responsible daughter, loses plenty of sleep over her growing affection for the boss's son, Tony Kirby, a smart young man of a Wall Street family.There's almost no evidence that anyone in the household actually earns a living, but somehow they manage to sustain a relatively good lifestyle, even supporting a kitchen maid named Rheba and her handyman boyfriend Donald.
The premise, makes plenty of escapist sense in a high-unemployment economy — no one really needs money to live; all that's really needed is for a bunch of lovable loonies to jump in a boat together and row, even if, especially if, they're all pulling in different directions.The broke-but-happy Sycamore clan is in contrast to the wealthy, uptight Kirbys (Tony's workaholic investment-banker father and spiritualist/socialite mother), when the inevitable get-acquainted dinner goes dreadfully awry. It's a disaster, capped with the arrest of everyone in the household.
The third act reveals Kirby attitude softening toward the zany Sycamore clan. Kirby Sr., is a ruthless, grasping tycoon, eager to buy up every house on the Sycamores' block to make room for a munitions plant. When his son Tony tells his father that he resigns and no longer wants this lifestyle. After his son leaves, his father is shocked, and devastated by his son's decision. Kirby compares his life to the life of the Sycamores. He decides to not fulfill the takeover of the Sycamore home and visits "Grandpa" Martin Vanderhof where he realizes what's most important in life. The end of the story is of Kirby's regeneration at the hands of the carefree Sycamores.
Set in the large home of the Sycamore family, the story depicts the lightweight travels of a group of eccentrics living with little means of support. The family patriarch, "Grandpa" Martin Vanderhof hasn't worked in 35 years, having quit one day when he grasped the fact that work was interfering with his fun, an attitude that extends to shrugging off repeated attempts by the IRS to collect back taxes.
Grandpa's daughter Penelope Sycamore dabbles with play-writing and painting without achieving much in either arena; her husband, Paul builds models with Erector Sets and assembles unlicensed fireworks in the basement with his assistant Mr. DePinna. The Sycamores' married daughter Essie is an aspiring but incompetent dancer coached by a blustery Russian instructor named Kolenkhov; Essie and her young husband, Ed also live in the house. When Ed's not running his amateur printing press, he's knocking out pop tunes on the xylophone. Alice, the seemingly responsible daughter, loses plenty of sleep over her growing affection for the boss's son, Tony Kirby, a smart young man of a Wall Street family.There's almost no evidence that anyone in the household actually earns a living, but somehow they manage to sustain a relatively good lifestyle, even supporting a kitchen maid named Rheba and her handyman boyfriend Donald.
The premise, makes plenty of escapist sense in a high-unemployment economy — no one really needs money to live; all that's really needed is for a bunch of lovable loonies to jump in a boat together and row, even if, especially if, they're all pulling in different directions.The broke-but-happy Sycamore clan is in contrast to the wealthy, uptight Kirbys (Tony's workaholic investment-banker father and spiritualist/socialite mother), when the inevitable get-acquainted dinner goes dreadfully awry. It's a disaster, capped with the arrest of everyone in the household.
The third act reveals Kirby attitude softening toward the zany Sycamore clan. Kirby Sr., is a ruthless, grasping tycoon, eager to buy up every house on the Sycamores' block to make room for a munitions plant. When his son Tony tells his father that he resigns and no longer wants this lifestyle. After his son leaves, his father is shocked, and devastated by his son's decision. Kirby compares his life to the life of the Sycamores. He decides to not fulfill the takeover of the Sycamore home and visits "Grandpa" Martin Vanderhof where he realizes what's most important in life. The end of the story is of Kirby's regeneration at the hands of the carefree Sycamores.
September 21, 2017
Funny and endearing.
July 27, 2022
this play is so silly i love it
January 29, 2022
Thoughts are available at https://roofbeamreader.com/2022/01/23...
December 26, 2019
4 1/4 stars
November 13, 2024
"المجنون ليس الدنيا يا كولنخوف ، بل الناس فيها مجنونون. الحياة بسيطة جدا لو سمح الناس لأنفسهم بالراحة والاسترخاء "
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بيت الجد مارتن فاندرهوف هو صورة مصغرة لمجتمع فريد، فأعضاء أسرته يمارسون حرياتهم الفردية بكل راحة في جو من الألفة والصحبة والدفء. الأم تكتب المسرحيات، ولم يكن ذلك لأن هذا شغفها ، بل لأن يومًا ما وصلت آله كاتبة الي منزلهم بالخطأ، وبدأت تستخدمها في كتابة المسرحيات. وهي في الأصل رسامة. الابنة "اسي" هي راقصة باليه فاشلة، لكنها تفعل ذلك لأنه يشعرها بالسعادة،وزوجها إيد عازف، لايفكر كثيرا فقط يعزف ويطبع اوراقاً دون أن يفكر في معناها ، الاب يعمل طول الوقت في صناعه الالعاب الناريه في المخزن ... الخ. وفي الناحية الأخري أسرة كيربي وهي علي النقيض تماما ، ويبدأ صراع حب بين الطبقات ،من نوعية الأمير والفقيرة بين أبناء العائلتين، ولكن ليس سعيا الي الرفعة الطبقية ، بل لتمتزج فلسفة العائلتين ويتقبل كل منها الاخر ويصيرا كياناً واحداً مجتمعا يمارس تحتة الجميع حريتة دون التدخل في حرية الأخر ،ولكن يربطهم ذلك الرباط العائلي .
لوهلة، شعرت أن هذا المجتمع المصغر القائم بذاتة قد يكون تمردًا على الواقع والقيم التي يفرضها المجتمع والسلطة ، تحت مسمي الفردية التامة. ولكني مع الرأي القائل بأن الفردية تُمارس هنا كنشاط جماعي في بيت فاندرهوف، وعندما تصبح الفردية مذهبًا جماعيًا، فإن سلوك الأفراد المؤمنين به يصبح سلوكًا نمطيًا أكثر منه سلوكًا ينبثق من المبادرة الفردية.
المسرحية كوميدية، ممتعة، ذات نزعة وجودية يسودها جو من الدفء والسعي إلى أن يحقق الإنسان ذاته عن طريق القيم الإنسانية والإبداع والفن، وكل ما يجعله راضيًا عن نفسه حتي إذا دفعة ذلك الي التخلي عن أشياء قد تكون مهمة في حياتة .
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بيت الجد مارتن فاندرهوف هو صورة مصغرة لمجتمع فريد، فأعضاء أسرته يمارسون حرياتهم الفردية بكل راحة في جو من الألفة والصحبة والدفء. الأم تكتب المسرحيات، ولم يكن ذلك لأن هذا شغفها ، بل لأن يومًا ما وصلت آله كاتبة الي منزلهم بالخطأ، وبدأت تستخدمها في كتابة المسرحيات. وهي في الأصل رسامة. الابنة "اسي" هي راقصة باليه فاشلة، لكنها تفعل ذلك لأنه يشعرها بالسعادة،وزوجها إيد عازف، لايفكر كثيرا فقط يعزف ويطبع اوراقاً دون أن يفكر في معناها ، الاب يعمل طول الوقت في صناعه الالعاب الناريه في المخزن ... الخ. وفي الناحية الأخري أسرة كيربي وهي علي النقيض تماما ، ويبدأ صراع حب بين الطبقات ،من نوعية الأمير والفقيرة بين أبناء العائلتين، ولكن ليس سعيا الي الرفعة الطبقية ، بل لتمتزج فلسفة العائلتين ويتقبل كل منها الاخر ويصيرا كياناً واحداً مجتمعا يمارس تحتة الجميع حريتة دون التدخل في حرية الأخر ،ولكن يربطهم ذلك الرباط العائلي .
لوهلة، شعرت أن هذا المجتمع المصغر القائم بذاتة قد يكون تمردًا على الواقع والقيم التي يفرضها المجتمع والسلطة ، تحت مسمي الفردية التامة. ولكني مع الرأي القائل بأن الفردية تُمارس هنا كنشاط جماعي في بيت فاندرهوف، وعندما تصبح الفردية مذهبًا جماعيًا، فإن سلوك الأفراد المؤمنين به يصبح سلوكًا نمطيًا أكثر منه سلوكًا ينبثق من المبادرة الفردية.
المسرحية كوميدية، ممتعة، ذات نزعة وجودية يسودها جو من الدفء والسعي إلى أن يحقق الإنسان ذاته عن طريق القيم الإنسانية والإبداع والفن، وكل ما يجعله راضيًا عن نفسه حتي إذا دفعة ذلك الي التخلي عن أشياء قد تكون مهمة في حياتة .
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October 31, 2025penny sycamore will always have my heart
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November 3, 2025i mean i think this should count with the amount i’ve read and reread certain lines!
March 18, 2017
SIX WORD REVIEW: Tony & Alice = Tony & Maria = Romeo & Juliet.
August 3, 2013
3.5-4 stars
The plot of this enjoyable comedy involves Tony Kirby, the son of a wealthy couple, falling in love with Alice Sycamore who comes from the eccentric family of Grandpa Martin Vanderhof. The Kirbys show up at Grandpa's home on the wrong night for a "meet the parents" dinner when Tony and Alice become engaged. The conservative, financially successful Kirbys are shocked at Grandpa's crazy household. But Grandpa and his non-materialistic family are happy and love each other, a different measure of success.
The play, which was written in 1936, is witty and uses lots of physical humor. Many of the more successful sitcoms recently on TV involving families or "friends that act like family" have a similiar style--an unusual bunch of people thrown together that care for each other despite their idiosyncrasies. Although it is a little dated, the play is humorous escapist entertainment.
The plot of this enjoyable comedy involves Tony Kirby, the son of a wealthy couple, falling in love with Alice Sycamore who comes from the eccentric family of Grandpa Martin Vanderhof. The Kirbys show up at Grandpa's home on the wrong night for a "meet the parents" dinner when Tony and Alice become engaged. The conservative, financially successful Kirbys are shocked at Grandpa's crazy household. But Grandpa and his non-materialistic family are happy and love each other, a different measure of success.
The play, which was written in 1936, is witty and uses lots of physical humor. Many of the more successful sitcoms recently on TV involving families or "friends that act like family" have a similiar style--an unusual bunch of people thrown together that care for each other despite their idiosyncrasies. Although it is a little dated, the play is humorous escapist entertainment.
December 6, 2018
This play has so many issues with being offensive and dated, i.e. obviously the racial issues (at one point, the stage directions say a black character gives a “black look” ... ?!?) and the communism discussion. But it’s a pretty well-structured and entertaining play nonetheless. Interesting characters.
April 1, 2023
Reading the play after seeing the movie (Jimmy Stewart version, thank you) and seeing the play on Broadway (the James Earl Jones revival, thank you) made this experience an absolute joy.
November 12, 2025
Over fifty years ago, I appeared in a production of Hart and Kaufman’s You Can’t Take It With You. As an actor, it was the most rewarding experience I’ve ever had onstage. Today, I’m writing a novel in which a production of the play figures heavily. So, having not visited the play in years, I pulled it off the shelf to re-read. I am amazed, for I wondered how it would hold up eighty-eight years after it was written. The play is as funny and vibrant and timely as when I played the character Kolenkhov but also since it’s creation over eight decades ago. Plays are meant to be performed, but reading this one was a delight! (And by the way, the writing team is commonly known as Kaufman and Hart, but with this, their first endeavor, Mr. Kaufman was gracious enough to give the novice playwright Hart top billing.)
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September 9, 2023the play doesn't include james stewart fumblingly declaring his love for jean arthur, which makes the film version immediately superior.
jokes aside, it was fun to compare this to the film—which notably doesn't contain the subplot revolving around the grand duchess (and cuts out the stalin quips) and switches out grandpa's love of snakes for stamp collecting. lots of subtext surrounding communism/capitalism in the play is absent/reduced to a boilerplate tale of the great depression interpreted through the quintessential capraesque lens of christian morality in the film—far too overly sentimental for my liking. i preferred the play for its deceptive simplicity but all in all, i found it to be mostly memorable as a relic of the times rather than anything ground breaking.
jokes aside, it was fun to compare this to the film—which notably doesn't contain the subplot revolving around the grand duchess (and cuts out the stalin quips) and switches out grandpa's love of snakes for stamp collecting. lots of subtext surrounding communism/capitalism in the play is absent/reduced to a boilerplate tale of the great depression interpreted through the quintessential capraesque lens of christian morality in the film—far too overly sentimental for my liking. i preferred the play for its deceptive simplicity but all in all, i found it to be mostly memorable as a relic of the times rather than anything ground breaking.
September 13, 2023
A few good jokes but overall I found it too dated. I'm not having much luck with reading plays lately...
September 27, 2024
KENNETH MY VIRGINITY IS A PRICELESS THING TO ME
July 21, 2025
3.75 to be specific
May 7, 2024
Honestly wish this was a longer script because all the characters are so good and funny. But overall so freaking good and cute
October 5, 2018
I had heard such great things about this play and was really excited to read it (and possibly stage it). In fact, I even read somewhere that, for high schoolers, it is the most produced play of all time. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what all the fuss is about.
It's quirky, yes. There are funny parts, naturally. But it's a bit too "big" in its humor, and even disjointed. There's not much character development or dynamism, and the reversal at the end felt unnatural. On top of all that, I actually found the overall message to be spiritually and morally bankrupt. The character the audience is presumably supposed to admire the most essentially advocates hedonism. He also gets out of problems by ignoring them and then cheating. He's is only palatable because of how eclectic he is and how he sets himself against the overworked, wound-too-tight Wall Street guy. The play delivers some laughs, but they leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth.
It's quirky, yes. There are funny parts, naturally. But it's a bit too "big" in its humor, and even disjointed. There's not much character development or dynamism, and the reversal at the end felt unnatural. On top of all that, I actually found the overall message to be spiritually and morally bankrupt. The character the audience is presumably supposed to admire the most essentially advocates hedonism. He also gets out of problems by ignoring them and then cheating. He's is only palatable because of how eclectic he is and how he sets himself against the overworked, wound-too-tight Wall Street guy. The play delivers some laughs, but they leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth.
October 13, 2011
The thing that stuck out to me the most would have to be the character Paul. I like him because his profession is making fireworks. Since I was a little kid being a pyrotechnition has been my dream career. Another thing that was good about this play was it wasn’t very long. Since I didn’t really enjoy the play it was nice that it was only like 70 pages.
The worst thing about the play to me was the fact that it was old. It was written in the 1930s. It was supposed to be a comedy but I didn’t really find anything funny or I just didn’t get the old humor. The people in the 30s are like my grandmas age and we don’t think the same things are funny, nor do we understand each other’s humor.
I don’t ever plan on reading another one of their plays. I didn’t chose to read it this time but we had to. I guess if I was forced to read another one for class it wouldn’t be as bad and it might be easier because I would know what to expect. A person who enjoys plays might like it, but I’m not a big fan of plays so that didn’t help.
This play made me feel annoyed well more like bored. I just wanted to get it read so I could start on the project and write this paper. I would give it one star out of five. I give it that because it wasn’t my type of book. Since it wasn’t something I am interested in it was hard for me to get into it and enjoy it. After reading the play I didn’t really take anything away from it.
The worst thing about the play to me was the fact that it was old. It was written in the 1930s. It was supposed to be a comedy but I didn’t really find anything funny or I just didn’t get the old humor. The people in the 30s are like my grandmas age and we don’t think the same things are funny, nor do we understand each other’s humor.
I don’t ever plan on reading another one of their plays. I didn’t chose to read it this time but we had to. I guess if I was forced to read another one for class it wouldn’t be as bad and it might be easier because I would know what to expect. A person who enjoys plays might like it, but I’m not a big fan of plays so that didn’t help.
This play made me feel annoyed well more like bored. I just wanted to get it read so I could start on the project and write this paper. I would give it one star out of five. I give it that because it wasn’t my type of book. Since it wasn’t something I am interested in it was hard for me to get into it and enjoy it. After reading the play I didn’t really take anything away from it.
February 8, 2017
A modern classic that is as timely today as it was when written (first produced in 1936).
A crazy but lovable family that everyone can recognize; everyone has a crazy Uncle Louie or eccentric Aunt Fanny. The family home is also occupied by various friends, neighbors, suitors, servants, guests and finally G-men! There's Social Security fraud, a Russian threat, and Federal Government surveillance -- right out of 2017 headlines!
Kaufman and Hart were brilliant comedic writers, and this play holds up beautifully even after 80 years. It is regularly the most produced play in American high schools, and is also performed around the world.
Go see a local performance; you won't be sorry!
A crazy but lovable family that everyone can recognize; everyone has a crazy Uncle Louie or eccentric Aunt Fanny. The family home is also occupied by various friends, neighbors, suitors, servants, guests and finally G-men! There's Social Security fraud, a Russian threat, and Federal Government surveillance -- right out of 2017 headlines!
Kaufman and Hart were brilliant comedic writers, and this play holds up beautifully even after 80 years. It is regularly the most produced play in American high schools, and is also performed around the world.
Go see a local performance; you won't be sorry!
January 27, 2011
My school put on this play for Fall show. Its a great comedy with wonderful characters. I found that most of the characters in the play resembled my own family members, but then again, the bonds between the family members in You Can't Take It With You are ones that (one would hope) are shared between family members today. You Can't Take It With You- what a charming little play!
June 16, 2015
I started reading this play and thought to myself, "if my family ever acted like this, I'd slap them all and leave as quickly as I could". By the time I got to the end of the play, I felt much better about my own family as well as the family in the play. Some great points are made in this riotous comedy, and ultimately it's very sweet.
February 3, 2020
Read this in prep for an audition. I don't think this comedy dates particularly well. I need a bit more than "silly people are acting silly and . . . . there's like a bunch of them?" There's a few observations about enjoying life, but they're pretty cliched. I'm sure the chaotic ensemble is more effective onstage, but would not go out of my way to see it.
November 2, 2015
Saw this play in February starring Fran Kranz and James Earl Jones among others. One of the funniest things I've ever seen. Now I'm auditioning for it at my theater. So, I decided to read it. Brought back all the laughs. A hilarious time with wonderful characters and great heart.
May 2, 2013
A cute and heartfelt play that made me yearn for another crazy family gathering and maybe for a few weeks to spend in the 30's.
September 9, 2016
World famous title for an item from Mme Tussaud's wax works.
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