Though Mr. O'Hara's once-popular novels and short stories are no longer widely read, he was famous in 1940 for his well-tuned ear, and the characters in "Pal Joey" sound like they stepped out of a real-life alley after throwing a couple of punches.
WSJ: 'Woman in Mind': Funny as a Straitjacket | Eclipse Theatre Company | Pal Joey | Porchlight Music Theatre | Reviews by Terry Teachout