Norman Mailer: Works and Days

Opening Night at the Theater

Pete Hamill's column describing the fistfight at the Deer Park opening-night party and quoting Mailer on why he provoked the critics: "I wanted the critics to feel self-conscious at the opening. You have to hustle."

A column by Pete Hamill describing the fistfight that broke out at the opening-night party for The Deer Park (67.13) at Mailer’s apartment, and quoting Mailer on why he wrote (in 67.4) that only an intelligent, perceptive critic would like his play: “I wanted the critics to feel self-conscious at the opening. You have to hustle.”

First published: 1967-02-02
Form: article
Lennon & Lennon: 67.4b
Cite as: /works/1967-02-02-opening-night-at-the-theater
Last updated: 2026-05-30