Happy Ending and A Day of Absence.

by Douglas Turner Ward

A double-volume of two one-act comedies from a leading figure in late 20th century Black theatre. Blending biting satire, farce, and absurdism, Douglas Turner Ward turns a sharp eye on the social, moral, and racial biases that permeate American society. In Day of Absence , all of the Black residents of an unnamed Southern town suddenly disappear, leaving the white residents to fend for themselves. As babies cry without their caretakers and factory production grinds to a halt, the town quickly descends into chaos when the white townspeople find themselves utterly incapable of maintaining a functioning society. Happy Ending follows two sisters, Ellie and Vi, who work as a maid and laundress for the wealthy Harrison family. When Mr. Harrison discovers his wife’s infidelity, the sisters are faced with the grim prospect of the dissolution of the household—which Ellie and Vi rely on to maintain their lives more than the Harrisons realize.

Genres: Plays, Theatre, School, Drama

72 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1971

Reviews

[Aaron Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two acidly funny comedies from Douglas Turner Ward. Happy Ending is a perfect mid-20th-century comédie rosse, like something that would have been staged at the Théâtre du Grand-Guignol at the end of the 19th century. It's written in a hilarious style that starts out sad and then turns morality and contemporary assumptions upside down. It's a delightful and often laugh-out-loud funny play about two domestics shedding real tears about their boss's divorce.

Day of Absence is even broader. It's a whiteface comedy about a southern town that descends into total chaos and pandemonium when all of the town's black residents disappear one morning. The white folks just do not know what to do. This is a bit of a one-joke show, not quite as funny as Happy Ending, but it's a scathing critique and enjoyable all the same.

[Mac Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The craftmanship of this play should be studied by every playwright.
And studied in American History classes, and studied for its connection to the present time

[Kahmal Sealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever read something and then had to look up the authors other works? This was Happy Ending and A Day Of Absence for me.

Happy Ending
We’re thrown straight into the action with 2 woman crying at the fact their boss is divorcing his wife after cheating on him, albeit not the first time the wife has cheated nor a declaration of divorce has been made, this time is supposedly the last straw. In comes Junie, the nephew of the two woman, who rightly so is perplexed to their crying which sets the stage brilliantly for a cascade of hard truths, lessons and introspection.

An amazing tale of self-preservation, empowerment and not letting your situation define you. As Junie learned the hard way, not everything is as it seems on the surface.

Day Of Absence
When the people that are responsible for doing everything for you; cooking, cleaning, organisation, driving, looking after your kids, ironing, repairs, disappear... what happens? An expose into the precariousness of slavery and the hyper-reliance on black people to keep the wheels turning is what.

For me, it only really hit me after reading this play the ludicrousness of the situation. On one hand, black people were directly responsible for making civilisation run, even though not directly occupying positions of power themselves; simply by handling every menial task/occupation, it empowered white people to be unencumbered and flourish. On the other hand, despite how important they were, they were treated abhorrently; with their value not truly realised until they disappeared and the town goes into anarchy.

A must-read, if nothing else for the southern confusion as to ‘where the niagras went’, this play made me laugh multiple times over in a very bittersweet way.

[Stanley Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read or seen these plays since the 1970s, but I do remember that Douglas Turner Ward's satirical observations were dead on and hysterically funny, especially given the racial unrest of the times.

A Day of Absence is particularly biting as it shows the stupefying turmoil and helplessness white people in a small southern town 'suffer' when all the black folks disappear for one day.

Part of the greatness of this little gem is that all the characters, which are white (accept for one) are played by black actors in white face. Now as offensive as that may sound, it absolutely works for this play and adds to the clownish intent in depicting the absurdity of racial self-ghettoization, with blame equally shared.

Beyond Rodney King's plea of "can we all get along" nearly 30 years in the future, A Day of Absence, humorously, and without a single preachment, shows that we NEED to get along and appreciate each other, if we are to survive.

[☯Emily Ginder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for the one-act play A Day of Absence only. One day in the early 1960's, a small Southern town is left with only the white inhabitants. All the blacks have disappeared. Using caustic humor, the playwright shows all the unappreciated work that was done by the "Nigras" in the town. The town's businesses are in trouble because "the absence of handymen, porters, sweepers, stock-movers, deliverers and miscellaneous dirty-work doers is disrupting the smooth harmony of marketing!" The factories are paralyzed because "men are waiting for machines to be cleaned, floors to be swept, crates lifted, equipment delivered and bathrooms to be deodorized." The young white mothers don't know how to change their babies' diapers or calm them when they cry, since all the "mammies" have disappeared.

I enjoyed the play's theme and creative premise, but did not appreciate the occasional vulgarities and misuse of God's name. Otherwise, the play would deserve 5 stars.

[Bethany Whetstone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only read A Day of Absence, but it was a interesting play. It was acted with a full black cast, but they are playing the part of white people in the segregated south. It was strange and bizarre but interesting. Not a play that I would want to read again but will if I need to.

[Caroline]

douglas turner ward i was not familiar with your game

[Abby Bowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

only read day of absence.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not me clapping and cringing my entire way through this... so glad I read these plays!

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't really get myself into either story. I think the conceit behind both plays is intriguing, but neither really comes together for me. It could be the dialogue, or the execution in my mind, but I just didn't find it entertaining and had a hard time getting through everything.

[Brynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay...I thought the plot of Day of Absence was very interesting.

[L · Rating 4 out of 5]

read "Day of Absence" only

[Alison Rickert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only read A Day of Absence

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Ending didnt get me, but Day of Absence is still a great play.

[Mariam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars because "Day of Absence" was B-R-I-L-L-I-A-N-T!