When an Alan Ayckbourn play comes locally, I will be there. His latest, and 76th play, is strangely sci fi. His trademark style of witty family drama is this time encapsulated well in the future. Technological advances are there to behold, including what it means to live a lot longer. And can relationships stand the test of this much longer time frame.
So there is much to enjoy in this subtle take on how the future might effect us. All wrapped up in Ayckbourn's clever writing. The play is in three acts with two intervals, partly because six actors play thirteen characters and costume changes are required. So the first break after 45 minutes seems far too early after a slowish first act. But all that changes in the superb second act where the plot development is entirely satisfying.
The acting is very good. I thought that Bob Champion was excellent. He only plays one character, and he glues the whole thing together. His relationship with his young daughter is the focus of the first act, when he seems quite withdrawn. That all changes and he becomes smart, engaging and powerful. The most amusing character is Jan, the android. Unforgettable.
The only disappointment of the evening was the empty seats, the theatre was less than half full. That does nothing for the atmosphere. Ayckbourn mentions in the programme his earlier reluctance to write science fiction as "possibly the female percentage (of the audience) would find it unwatchable". I guess he was right.
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