A Small Family Business
Alan Ayckbourn
When the incorruptible Jack McCracken takes over his father-in-law's furniture business, he intends to instill a new era of honesty. However, he quickly discovers that every member of his extended family is involved in systemic theft, bribery, and fraud. As Jack attempts to do the right thing, he is forced into increasingly immoral compromises to protect his kin, eventually leading to a shocking act of complicity. The play is a scathing satire on Thatcherite values and the corrosive effect of greed on the family unit, moving from farce to a chillingly dark conclusion.
Jack McCracken: A man of strict moral principles who is gradually destroyed by his own family's corruption as he tries to maintain his integrity. Poppy McCracken: Jack's wife, whose desire for material comfort and family stability makes her turn a blind eye to the illegal activities surrounding them. Benedict Hough: A sinister private investigator whose discovery of the family's crimes forces Jack into the ultimate moral and professional compromise.
First Performance: 1987, at Olivier Theatre (National Theatre), London
Major success at the National Theatre; won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play.
Original Actors: Michael Gambon, Simon Russell Beale