The Best Man

Joseph Cantwell is a ruthless and hard-driving young man, a dirty fighter who will let no scruples stand in the way of his ambitions

And Arthur Hockstader is an ex-President, who loves politics for their own sake, he admires a rough-and-tumble battler more than a chivalrous one

And he is determined to have the final say in the selection of his party's candidate the ruthless young man has got hold of papers indicating that his rival once suffered from a mental crackup, which he is all set to use

Then his scrupulous antagonist comes across some incriminating evidence about Cantwell, which he is loath to produce. The scruples don't appeal to the ex-President, who enjoys seeing the boys fight

All of this provides the framework for some vivid and interesting scenes in which Mr. Vidal contrasts the minds, emotions and fighting spirits of the two candidates " ~ The New York Post

"Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN makes you wish that Vidal were writing the dialogue for the presidential debates. It brings to the back stabbing world of campaigning the bright verbal fire that All About Eve and Sweet Smell of Success brought to the backstabbing worlds of show business and journalism" ~ NY Times

"A sophisticated, elegant and damnably entertaining play!" ~ The New Yorker

"Gore Vidal's best play! Well-crafted and witty with surprises, reversals, pungent character sketches, satire, worldly wisdom and juicy roles for all concerned" ~ NY Magazine

A large mixed cast of 16 men and 4 women is required