The Voice of the Turtle (play)

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The Voice of the Turtle is a Broadway comedy by John William Van Druten about single life in New York City during World War II. It follows Sally Middleton, a young actress who has just moved to the city and is torn between the chastity lessons she grew up with and a growing attraction to a man named Bill Page.

The title comes from a Bible verse in the Song of Solomon. The story begins on a Friday afternoon in early April. Sally’s hoped-for romance with a married Broadway producer ends badly, leaving her heartbroken. She talks with her friend Olive Lashbrooke, a worldly woman who loves a good time. Olive has arranged for Bill Page, a soldier on leave, to visit Sally’s apartment. At the last moment Olive cancels her own date with Bill, so the two strangers end up spending the weekend together. They must face fears about faithfulness and their growing interest in each other.

The Voice of the Turtle opened on December 8, 1943, at the Morosco Theatre in New York. It ran for 1,557 performances, making it one of the longest-running Broadway plays of its time. The show later moved to the Martin Beck Theatre and then the Hudson Theatre, before closing in January 1948. It inspired a 1947 film adaptation starring Ronald Reagan, Eleanor Parker, Eve Arden, and Wayne Morris.

Opening night cast included Margaret Sullavan as Sally Middleton, Elliott Nugent as Bill Page, and Audrey Christie as Olive Lashbrooke. A 2001 off-Broadway revival at the Blue Heron Arts Center, directed by Carl Forsman, featured Elizabeth Bunch as Sally, Nick Toren as Bill, and Megan Byrne as Olive.

Critics called the original production a witty, tender, and smart romantic comedy, notable for its three-actor cast and practical set. Some Catholic critics thought it softened moral issues too much, while a soldier who saw the show during World War II thought it was too tame. Theater historian Jordan Schildcrout notes that reviews of the 2001 revival often connected the play to hopeful themes after the events of September 11, 2001.