House & Garden
Alan Ayckbourn
An extraordinary theatrical experiment consisting of two plays performed simultaneously by the same cast in two different auditoriums. While House takes place in the drawing-room, Garden occurs at the same time in the garden; actors exit one stage and immediately enter the other to continue the story. The narrative centers on Teddy Platt, a philandering politician whose life unravels during a garden fete. The plays offer two perspectives on the same events, exploring themes of betrayal, public image, and the hidden rot beneath the surface of English country life. It is a unique achievement in choreography and narrative timing.
Teddy Platt: A wealthy, arrogant, and serial adulterer who is attempting to host a political event while his marriage and career fall apart around him. Trish Platt: Teddy’s long-suffering wife, who has finally reached her breaking point and decides to stop speaking to her husband during the crucial fete. Joanna Mace: The wife of Teddy’s best friend, whose ongoing affair with Teddy becomes the catalyst for the day’s various domestic and social explosions.
First Performance: 1999, at Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
A critical sensation; praised for its unprecedented ambition and the flawless execution of its complex timing.
Original Actors: Jane Asher, David Haig