The Tunnel of Love (play)

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Tunnel of Love is a three‑act American comedy written by Joseph Fields and Peter De Vries, adapted from De Vries’s 1954 novel The Tunnel of Love. It opened on Broadway in 1957, produced by the Theatre Guild, and became a hit with 417 performances. The original star was Tom Ewell, with Johnny Carson later stepping in for six weeks. A London West End production also ran for more than a year. MGM released a film version in 1958, with Fraser and Wilson reprising their Broadway roles.

What the play is about
Set in the home studio of cartoonist Augie Poole in Westport, Connecticut, The Tunnel of Love centers on a married couple trying to have a child. Augie and his wife Isolde decide to pursue adoption, hoping to start a family with help from friends Dick and Alice Pepper. The story follows their tricky mix of love, jealousy, ambition, and the longing to become parents, all played out on a single, busy set with lots of entrances and exits.

Plot in brief
- Act One: Augie and Isolde are dealing with marriage pressures and the idea of starting a family. They begin adoption talks, while Dick Pepper (a flirt) and his wife Alice add to the chaos. An adoption officer, Estelle Novick, visits, and the stage is set for comic misunderstandings and shifting loyalties.
- Act Two: Complications deepen. Augie and Dick’s philandering and the adoption plans collide with the women’s hopes. Estelle’s visit and rumors lead to a tense, funny spiral as everyone tries to keep up with the changing situation.
- Act Three: News of an adoption comes, but not without more confusion. A photo mix‑up suggests a different paternity, prompting a climactic clash. In the end, the couples reconcile, and Isolde, who may be pregnant, plans to move with Augie to Manhattan to raise their future children.

Characters
- Leads: Augie Poole, a cartoonist; Isolde Poole, his wife.
- Dick Pepper, a magazine editor and serial philanderer; Alice Pepper, Dick’s wife.
- Supporting: Estelle Novick, an adoption investigator; Miss McCracken, another case worker; Dr. Vancouver, the fertility doctor; and various family and staff characters heard on the phone or offstage.

What critics and audiences thought
The play was popular with audiences and enjoyed strong box office, especially because of the humor and the performances. Critics were mixed, with some praising the acting and tempo, while others felt the material relied on a single running gag. Despite mixed reviews, its lighter, humorous take on marriage and adoption kept it moving through touring productions and revivals for years.

Differences from the novel
The play streamlines the story: fewer characters, one main setting, and a tighter timeline. It emphasizes situational comedy over the novel’s wordplay, and the dynamic between Augie and Dick is different. In the stage version, Augie Poole becomes the central figure, whereas the novel centers more on the broader ensemble and family chaos.

Why it mattered
The Tunnel of Love helped popularize mid‑century Broadway comedies that leaned on domestic satire and farcical situations. Its success on Broadway and in London, plus a film adaptation, shows how a relatively simple premise—marriage, jealousy, and the dream of parenthood—could entertain large audiences through sharp pacing and strong performances.