A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from December 11, 2022
“I only saw Act I. The program said ‘Act II, one year later,’ and I couldn’t wait that long”

A theater program often says that Act II has the same location as Act I, or that Act II takes place a year later than Act I. There are jokes about both.
   
“I only saw Act I. The program said ‘Act II - same as Act I,’ but I didn’t want to see it over again” is a joke that has been told since at least 1940.
 
“I only saw Act I. The program said ‘Act II - one year later,’ and I couldn’t wait that long” is a joke that has been told since at least 1950.
   
         
Newspapers.com
26 November 1940, Asbury Park (NJ) Evening Press, “We Women” by Helen Horton Albert, pg. 11, col. 2:
“Where in the world have you been?’
 
“Why I’ve just been looking around.”
 
“Well why didn’t you come back to your seat and see the rest of the performance? Didn’t you enjoy the first act?
 
“Yes I did, but I didn’t want to see it over again.”
 
“What are you talking about?”
 
“Why that program said ‘Act Two—same as Act One.’”
 
Newspapers.com
30 March 1944, Hooper (NE) Sentinel, “Chuckle Awhile,” pg. 8, col. 6:
Bill D.: I only saw one act and left.
Jackie T.: Why didn’t you see act two?
Bill: The program said, act two same as act one.
   
Newspapers.com
12 November 1945, Hollywood (CA) Citizen-News, “The Gossipel Truth” by Sidney Skolsky, pg. 7, col. 4:
Snag Werris tells about the chorine who was asked by a friend how she liked a certain play. “I saw only one act and left,” said the chorine. “Why?” asked her friend. “Well,” said the chorine, “the program said, ‘Act Two, same as Act One.’”
 
Newspapers.com
24 February 1950, Long Beach (CA) Press-Telegram, pg. A-10, col. 3:
Durante in Hurry
A new play opened in Los Angeles and Don Ameche asked Jimmy Durante, the NBC comedian, if he had seen it.
 
“I saw the first act but not the second,” said Durante. “I couldn’t wait for the next act. The program said, “Second Act, two years later.’”
   
Newspapers.com
14 September 1950, Springville (UT) Herald, pg. 3, col. 7:
He Had a Home
Sam asked Jed how he liked the second act of a current play they had been to see.
 
“I didn’t see it at all,” Jed remarked casually.
 
“How come you didn’t see it?”
 
Jed explained: “The program said, ‘Second Act, two years later.’ Did you think I was going to sit around all that time?”
   
Newspapers.com
21 April 1952, Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman, “Office Cat” by Junius, pg. 6, col. 1:
Jack—I only saw one act and I left.
Ruthe—Why didn’t you see act two?
Jack—The program said, act two same as act one.
 
Newspapers.com
6 July 1957, Nebraska Farmer (Lincoln, NE), pg. 33, col. 2:
Little Laughs
Willy: “Did you like the second act of the play?”
Nilly: “I didn’t see it. The program said ‘Second Act Two Years Later’ and I couldn’t wait.”
—Anita L. Miller (11) Ashland
   
Newspapers.com
26 August 1958, Battle Creek (MI) Enquirer and News “The Watchman,” pg. 10, col. 1:
A local husband and wife are now numbered among the city’s smartest theater-goers. They went out to The Barn recently and were back home by 9 p.m. “The program said Acts II and II, same as Act I,” they reported, “so there was no sense in hanging around.”
 
Newspapers.com
5 September 1962, Nashville (TN) Banner, “Fun Time—The Chuckle Box,” pg. 31, col. 4:
Pete: Did you see the second act of the play?
Mary: No. The program said: “Second Act—Two Years Later,” and I couldn’t wait.
 
Newspapers.com
19 January 1971, Tucson (AZ) Daily Citizen, “Fun Time—The Chuckle Box,” pg. 25, col. 5:
Ed: Did you like the second act of the play?
Beverly: I didn’t see it. The program said “Second Act—Two years later,” and I couldn’t wait.
 
Newspapers.com
24 January 1985, The Tennessean (Nashville, TN), “Scram-lets” word game by Clay R. Pollan, pg. 12-F, col. 4:
Dummy: “I left the play after the first act. The program said, ‘Act II, one year later,’ and I couldn’t ____ that ____.”
(The answer is “...I couldn’t wait that long.”—ed.)
   
Newspapers.com
2 July 1985, The Record (Hackensack, NJ), The Mini Page sec., pg. 1, col. 1:
I went to the theater last night, but left after the first act.
The program said, “Act two—five years later.” I couldn’t wait that long!
By Garry Zeichess, Bergenfield
 
Google Groups: blue_devil
I am a horrid beast
Joel
Dec 22, 2005, 11:51:28 PM
(...)
Bob: How was the play you went to?
Bill: I only saw one act.
Bob: Why?
Bill: the program said Act II [3 months later] so I came home.
 
Twitter
Kanata Theatre
@KanataTheatre
Two men were talking. Said the first “I went to the theatre last night but had to leave after Act I.”
“Why was that?” asked the second.
“Well, the program said ‘Act II - one year later’, and I couldn’t wait.” #NationalTellAJokeDay #Kanata #Ottawa
1:06 PM · Aug 16, 2019
 
Twitter
Theatre @ Tarleton Alumni Association
@TheatreTSUAlum
#TheatreJokes
Two men were talking. Said the first “I went to the theatre last night but had to leave after Act I.”
“Why was that?”” asked the second. “Well, the program said ‘Act II - one year later’, and I couldn’t wait.” #Theatre #Jokes 🤣🎭
3:21 PM · Jul 24, 2021

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityMusic/Dance/Theatre/Film/Circus • Sunday, December 11, 2022 • Permalink


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