Everyman: Private Fears in Public Places

Alan Ayckbourn’s 2004 play is a departure from his normal structure, a long one-Act presentation telling the stories of six characters across 54 short scenes. The scenes provide a snapshot of their lives over a few days, with three interconnected stories of misunderstanding, and missed opportunities.

Having been cashiered from the army, Dan whiles away his life at a local hotel bar, while his fiancée, Nicola, struggles to find a new place for them to live.

Estate agent Stewart is shocked at what he discovers at the end of a videotape he has borrowed from co-worker Charlotte.

Charlotte provides respite care to bar manager Ambrose’s bedridden father, Arthur, and has an unusual way of dealing with Arthur’s unpleasantness – though with unforeseen consequences.

The scenes are by turns hilarious, poignant, tragic, and unexpected – each of the six characters very subtly drawn, as they strive to seek to address something missing in their lives, whether it be love, respite, variety or security. There are parallels with Chekhov, whose works this play has been compared with – though also so very much grounded in the 21st century, with attitudes, hopes, and expectations expressed that are so recognisable in our lives today.