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Vintage Ayckbourn making a comment on the manners of the seventies. Women are always at the bottom of everything, they may not mean to be, but they are, as the title says, time and time again. It did not take Ayckbourn long to work this out, and so came about his success with the pen which brought pleasure to everyone who was fortunate enough to experience one of his plays. We start here sometime in the 1970s, Spring is the time of year, we see the conservatory of a house surrounded by a garden that overlooks a recreation field, a set supplied by designer Michael Holt. A funeral has just taken place and now we face the aftermath.
“Time and Time Again” is in repertory at the Round, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough from the 28th July until the 17th September, 2005. This is a No Smoking theatre.
Graham (John Branwell), a boisterous, sexually frustrated middle aged man is going through the motions of a wake, with his 'take it as it comes' wife Anna (Eileen Battye). They entertain Anna's well educated brother Leonard (Giles New) who finds it hard to focus his mind to anything important beyond the immediate, which has taken him from a job teaching to that of clearing up for the council, Joan (Laura Doddington) an attractive girl who tries to do the right thing, but distracts the male members around her, including Peter her boyfriend (Neil Grainger), who does not excite many around him.
Mix into this a cricket match, a football match and you should not have much of a story, but this is Ayckbourn territory and things start to happen to the entertainment of everyone privileged to be able to watch. A garden pond watched over by a gnome called Bernard which to everyone else is mundane and unexciting, but here it is the focal point of almost all the action. We see the sort of everyday things that everyone comes in contact with, you only need a fertile imagination and a plot is hatched. It is the usual mix of observation which is turned back on the audience so that thay may laugh at themselves. This is a playwright at his best skilfully observing people's traits, how they cope with the problems of everyday life and then slipping in those things common to all, like not being able to remember someone's name, but able to convey it to others. We all experience these living experiences, but it takes skill to make it entertaining and Ayckbourn does that to perfection.
This play is as fresh as the day it was written and the audience did not want this accomplished band of actors to leave the stage after their bows, they wanted more. Do not miss this play directed by the writer, it's magnificent. © BA
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