Absurd person singular

123 Pages·1974·4.72 MB·English

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by Alan Д ^скЬопт
Absurd
Person
Singular
by Alan Ayckbourn
Take three couples made up of the following
individuals: a housewife who’d rather clean her
kitchen than do anything else; her husband, a
wheeler-dealer who social climbs his way to
business success; an architect whose build­
ings have a history of collapsing; his wife, who
has a penchant for attempting suicide in front
of witnesses; an alcoholic woman who locks
herself in her bedroom; and a banker who has
difficulty counting to ten. Put them all together
on three successive Christmas Eves and you
have what Clive Barnes called “ the best com­
edy Britain has sent us in years and years.”
Written by Alan Ayckbourn, referred to as
the “ British Neil Simon,” ABSURD PERSON
SINGULAR takes a long, hard— and yet hilari­
ous-look at today’s society. And in the hands
of a talent such as Mr. Ayckbourn’s, the hilarity
and truth of what the play reveals transcend
cultural and geographic boundaries to tickle
the funny bone of audiences on both sides of
the Atlantic.
Book Club
Edition
ABSURD
PERSON
SINGULAR
ABSURD
PERSON
SINGULAR
by A la n Ayckbourn
N ELSO N D O U BLED A Y , Inc.
Garden City, New York
COPYRIGHT © 1 9 7 4 BY ALAN AYCKBOURN
Caution: Professionals and amateurs are hereby ^vamed
that Absurd Person Singular is subject to a royalty. It is
fully protected under the copyright laws of the United
States of America, the British Empire, including the Do­
minion of Canada and all other countries of the Copyright
Union. All rights, including professional, amateur, motion
pictures, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broad­
casting, television and the rights of translation into foreign
languages are strictly reserved. In its present form the play
is dedicated to the reading public only.
Restricted, Where the play is available for amateur stage
presentation (in the U.S.A. or Canada) royalty will be
quoted on application to Samuel French, Inc., at 25 West
45th Street, New York, N.Y. 10036; or at 7623 Sunset
Boulevard, Hollj^'ood, Calif. 90046; or to Samuel French
(Canada), Ltd., 27 Grenville Street, Toronto 5, Ontario,
Canada.
Royalty of the required amount must be paid whether the
play is presented for charity or gain and whether or not
admission is charged. Stock royalty quoted on application
to Samuel French, Inc.
For all other rights than those stipulated above, apply to
Margaret Ramsay Ltd., 14a Goodwin's Court, St. Martins
Lane, London W C 2, England.
Printed in the United States of America
A BSU R D PER SO N SIN G U L A R opened at
the Music Box Tlieatre in New York City on
October 8, 1974. It was presented by the Thea­
tre Guild and the John F. Kennedy Center for
the Performing Arts in association with M i­
chael Codron. Tlie director was Eric Thomp­
son; scenery was designed by Edward Bur-
bridge; costumes were designed by Levino
Verna for Laurence Gross; and lighting was by
Thomas Skelton. The cast, in order of appear­
ance, was as follows:
Jane Carole Shelley
Sidney Larry Blyden
Ronald Richard Kiley
Marion Geraldine Page
Eva Sandy Dennis
Geoffrey Tony Roberts
A BSU R D PER SO N SIN G U L A R was first
produced at the Library Theatre, Scarborough,
in June 1972 and subsequently by Michael Co-
dron at the Criterion TTieatre, London, open­
ing on July 4, 1973. The director was Eric
Thompson and the settings were designed by
Alan Tagg. The cast, in order of appearance,
was as follows:
Jane Bridget Turner
Sidney Richard Briers
Ronald Michael Aldridge
Marion Sheila Hancock
Eva Anna Calder-Marshall
Geoffrey David Burke