THE LARK; By Jean Anouilh / Adapted by Lillian Hellman

New York: Random House, 1956. First Printing. Cloth. Near Fine/Good. B&W photos. 8vo (8 1/4" x 5 5/8"), adapted by LILLIAN HELLMAN, gray buckram with black label and inset B&W photo of Julie Harris as Joan on front cover, illustrated with a few B&W stills from the production with Julie Harris & Christopher Plummer, photographic dust jacket (unclipped) of Joan with sword-as-cross, archival mylar-protected, 144 pages. Jean Anouilh [pron.: An-ouil or A-nouil & not "anwi"] (1910 - 1987) was a prominent French playwrite and screenwriter whose work ranged from sophisticated drama to absurdist farce. He is well known for Antigone (1944)--based on Sophocles' drama--which attacked the Nazified Vichy government. One of France's most prolific and important dramatists, his themes often dealt with renouncing reality for dreams, and maintaining integrity in a world of moral compromise. Text from the production with JULIE HARRIS as JOAN, Christopher Plummer, and Boris Karloff at the Longacre Theatre, NYC, in 1955. ADAPTED by LILLIAN HELLMAN via "a compassionate, admiring and yet steadily realistic and believable portrait of Joan, set down in a drama of beauty, humor and emotional power."--jacket. VERY GOOD CONDITION overall: tig'ht, bright, clean copy with light uniform age-toning. Dust jacket (price-clipped) is lightly age-toned with moderate wear & half a dozen relatively clean 1/2" - 1" edge cuts, and two triangular chips at top of rear panel. Previous owner's name on front pastedown.