The Pleasure man

   After a brief run at the Bronx Opera House (17-22 September) and a week (commencing 24 September) at the Boulevard Theatre in Queens, Mae West's provocative comedy-drama opened at the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway on 1 October 1928 and ran only two performances despite a heavy advance sale. Each performance was raided by police who took the cast to the police station; bail was provided for over 50 people in each instance. The play was deemed indecent and immoral because of its emphasis on sexuality with some homosexual implications. The action is set among vaudeville performers playing a Midwestern engagement. The title character, a sexual predator, incurs the wrath of two men, whose wife and sister have been compromised by him, and he dies after being mutilated by one of them. The 14-day trial began on 13 March 1930 and resulted in the dismissal of all indictments. Although West reportedly lost $60,000, she deemed it good value in publicity.

   See also censorship.