Was this play really premiered as long ago as 1971? The programme note for Oldham Lyceum's production this week makes implicit mention of the fact that the mores and morals of men at that time were different from today; an era before #metoo, equality and feminism; and yet, it also feels very fresh and contemporary. I know men who would (if only society would permit) act like that today.... nothing much has really changed!
'Time And Time Again' is a gentle comedy, one of Alan Ayckbourn's earlier works, and in it we see three very different men all lusting after the same young lady. We start in Spring, and the wake of Leonard and Anna's mother. Leonard (Vince Bowers), we learn, is estranged from his wife and children and boarding with his sister and brother-in-law at their mum's house. He is a retired school teacher who loves poetry and would undoubtedly have been classed a "romantic" a century or so earlier. He prefers solitude and finds solace in chatting to the resident garden gnome in their garden. Anna (Verity Mann), is the typical wife of the period; house-proud, provides for her husband in terms of housewifery and cooking etc, and although she might well have opinions and thoughts of her own, isn't at home expressing them in front of her husband. Even when he throws her own brother out of the house, packing his clothes and leaving him stranded, all she can do is feel sorry for him.
In a last minute change of cast due to circumstances beyond anyone's control, Graham, the above-mentioned husband / son-in-law was played by Damien Kavanagh. He had the script with him, more as a comfort blanket than anything, as he hardly referred to it, and brought about an intelligently developed characterisation of the overbearing, domineering lech. [I have seen Kavanagh a few times at the Lyceum and know him to be a consummate actor].
This delicate threesome arrangement is interrupted by friends and neighbours Peter and Joan. Peter (Gavin Stamper), who just happens to work for Graham, is the young sporty outdoorsy type, but with a fiery temper and terribly jealous; whilst his fiancee, Joan (Jenny Owen), is pretty, demure, and the object of the three men's desires.
Directed by Sue Stephenson, the play started at quite a pedestrian pace this evening; perhaps that is due to it being first night etc; and is forgivable; since the second scene was much more successful, and once we were taken into Autumn and the third act, all the cast had found their stride completely and the audience were with them all the way. Perhaps it is also Ayckbourn's fault in the writing of this play inasmuch as the first scene starts at their mother's wake, it is rather downbeat, and there a several long speeches at the beginning which automatically slow things down.
As always, the set was a delight. Designed by Sue Stephenson and Roger Stretton, it was split between the house's garden and patio extension. Dressing was superb. Garden paraphenalia, fences, plants, and goodness knows what else in the one half, whilst the interior had table, chairs, cupboards, ornaments and even the famous three flying ducks along the wall! It always amazes me how they can create such roominess from such a small space. Costuming too was lovely, complementing the early 1970's feel.
The characters' arcs were considered and played nicely, leading to a well-handled denouement. I feel perhaps that some of the comedy might have been lost in the script though. A little more caricature was needed generally from the cast in order to bring out the sarcasms, snides, backbiters, and blatant putdowns with more effect; the way the characters were directed here was to give them more fully-rounded humane characteristics, in the hope we would sympathise or even empathise with them; and perhaps we did; but some of the sharpness of Ayckbourn's wit was lost in the so doing.
All in all though, this was a very "brave" production. Ayckbourn's earlier works are rarely if ever produced these days,(for reasons already mentioned above); so it was delightful to see it, and catch a glimpse of the work of the genius he was to become. The five cast members worked excellently as an ensemble, feeding from each other with practised skill, building some truly lovely dynamics. Hopefully the pace will pick up a tad as the run progresses.
An enjoyable production, sensibly realised.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 14.2.22
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