EVANSTON, Ill.—It was a time in which there was no television, no internet, no cable, and no computers. Radio was in its early days, but it was only for entertainment. In the 1920s, the print newspaper was the primary source of daily news. This was a world in which correspondents pounded away on heavy mechanical typewriters, editors yelled out demands, and reporters shouted into telephones.
Getting the story out before your competitor did mattered more than anything. The news business was so aggressive that a reporter could lose his job if he missed a detail or was scooped by a rival. For these reasons and to survive the violence and tragedy they dealt with on a daily basis, crime reporters developed a psychological veneer of cynicism.
Now in a revamped and delightful revival of the play by Jeffery Hatcher, “The Front Page” opens in a gem of a production at the Northlight Theatre in its new location in Evanston, Illinois.
In that hard-edged world, Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur worked as reporters for a Chicago newspaper and detailed their experiences in their play “The Front Page.” It was a big hit when it opened on Broadway in 1928 and again as the 1940 movie “His Girl Friday,” which starred Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell.
A romance could be in the works, between former spouses Walter Burns (Timothy Edward Kane) and Hildy Johnson (Kate Fry), in "The Front Page." (Michael Brosilow)
Hecht and MacArthur wanted to expose the yellow journalism, corruption, and the lack of ethics of reporters who prioritized a sensational scoop over morality. They knew from firsthand experience that reporters survived the daily exposure to tragedy with dark humor, cynicism and wisecracks.
Hatcher based Northlight’s production on the film, in which Hildy is a woman divorced from Burns, then slimmed it down into a tight show and readjusted it with modern dialogue. He also created a workable stage production in which all the action takes place on a single set.
The Stage Production
Based on real reporters, the play revolves around ace reporter Hildy Johnson, who wants to quit and get married, and her ruthless editor, Walter Burns, who will stop at nothing to keep her. The conflict: Burns and Johnson were once married to each other.
A real event inspired the catalyst of the play’s plot: the alleged anarchist-communist Earl Williams escaping death row before his scheduled execution. In the real Chicago case, a reporter actually hid the criminal inside a roll-top desk under the police’s nose to secure an exclusive, front-page story before the law could grab him.
In the original play, there was no romance. Hildy Johnson was a man modeled after the real-life reporter J. Hilding Johnson. Walter Burns was editor Walter Howey. When director Howard Hawks was set to direct the cinematic version of “His Girl Friday,” he decided to make a few changes to the script.
A madcap search for an escaped death-row inmate has the reporting world in a tizzy, in "The Front Page." (Michael Brosilow)
In interviews with Peter Bogdanovich, published in the book “Hawks on Hawks,” Hawks recounted how it was his idea to change the Hildy character from a man to a woman. Screenwriter Charles Lederer suggested that Hildy and Burns become a divorced couple. Those changes upped the film’s stakes and the battle-of-the-sexes dynamic, creating romance. It also made the character of Burns less of a self-centered boss and more of a man desperate to hold on to the woman he loves.
Masterfully directed by B.J. Jones, the satirical comedy moves at an unrelentingly rapid pace. The set design by Jeffrey Kmiec recreates the Chicago Criminal Court of the early 20th century with evocative lighting design by J.R. Lederle and clear acoustic sound design by Andre Pluess that allows us to clearly hear the sharp back-and-forth dialogue.
Hatcher’s version is like that of the film. What makes the sparks between Hildy and Burns more riveting is that Kate Fry who plays Hildy, and Timothy Edward Kane, who portrays Burns, are married in real life. The two are extraordinary actors, but their personal relationship and magnetism in the show is palpable.
Furthermore, other ensemble characters caught up in the hectic rush for a news story come through. Standout performances are by Cindy Gold as Mrs. Hefflefinger, Mark David Kaplan as Joe Bensinger, William Dick, a hoot as Sheriff Hartman, and hilarious Tim Kazurinsky as Pincus.
The cast of "The Front Page." (Michael Brosilow)
“The Front Page” is a delicious romp of a show. It captures the turbulent era and culture of the Jazz Age with great humor, romance, and fun-loving mayhem. With this splendid production, one can catch a glimpse of history while laughing at the same time.
‘The Front Page’
Northlight Theatre
1012 Church St., Evanston IL 60201
Tickets: 847-563-8400 or Northlight.org
Runs: 1 hour, 45 minutes (one intermission)
Closes: Oct. 25, 2026
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