By Douglas Langworthy, Literary Manager, Denver Center Theatre Company
Alan Ayckbourn
Ayckbourn, who at age 72 has written more than 70 plays including ABSURD PERSON SINGULAR which is playing now in The Space Theatre, is considered the most prolific professional playwright living. Each of his plays has some sort of stylistic device that makes each play easy to remember. Here is a selected list of some of his more popular titles. Let us know which one you would like to see produced next!
Standing Room Only: A maternity ward on a double-decker bus
Relatively Speaking: A romance where no one knows who they’re in love with
How the Other Half Loves: Three couples attend two dinner parties at the same time
Time and Time Again: Three men chase after the ultimate trophy woman
The Norman Conquests: Three plays, one cast
Bedroom Farce: One night, three bedrooms
Season’s Greetings: Another average Christmas with affairs and gunshots
Intimate Exchanges: Two actors, one small decision, eight possible plays
Woman in Mind: A woman with both a real and imaginary family
A Small Family Business: Family furniture business turned drug-dealing ring
The Revenger’s Comedies: Two plays, one epic tale of revenge
Body Language: Two women given the chance to exchange bodies
Time Of My Life: A family drama that spans the past, present and future
Communicating Doors: A time-travel comedy-thriller
By Jeeves: A musical-turned-farce, all due to a missing banjo
Comic Potential: A robot discovers her comedic acting abilities
House and Garden: Two plays occurring simultaneously in two different theatres
Virtual Reality: Miscommunication in a world of advanced technological communication
Damsels in Distress: Three different plays with the same set and cast
Improbable Fiction: One story told spanning multiple genres
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My wife and I attended two productions last week at DCPA and loved them both.
“Christmas Carol” was some of the best ensemble work I’ve seen in a long time. Just delightful and moving and spiritually refreshing.
Also, “Absurd Person Singular” was so goood! The acting, staging, costumes, sound, directing. It was like watching a lighter shade of Pinter.
To be sure, the audience last Monday night consisted mostly of people with name tags from some financial group. They seemed clueless about what they were seeing. They reminded me a bit of the lives of the characters on stage.
For me the contrast between the two productions focused the contrast between Christmas with Christ and His absence in people’s lives all year round.
Bravo! to the creative team at work here. And to all, a Merry Christmas
Phil Ginsburg
Posted on December 9th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
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