Woman in Mind
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| Woman in Mind | |
| Written by | Alan Ayckbourn |
|---|---|
| Date of premiere | 30 May 1985 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Comedy drama |
| Setting | A garden in London |
| Official site | |
Woman in Mind (December Bee) is the 32nd play by English playwright, Alan Ayckbourn. It was premiered at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough, in 1985.[1] Despite pedestrian reviews by many critics, strong audience reaction resulted in a transfer to London's West End.[2] The play received its London opening at the Vaudeville Theatre in 1986 where it received predominantly excellent reviews.[3]
Woman in Mind was Ayckbourn's first play to use first-person narrative and a subjective viewpoint and is considered to be one of his most affecting works[2] and one of his best.[4]
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[edit] History and influences
Most of Woman in Mind was written while Ayckbourn was on holiday in the Virgin Islands. Originally intending to have a male central character, Ayckbourn found that a woman's voice was emerging and therefore changed the sex.[2] Ayckbourn has also commented that he did not want the central character to be a man in case audiences took it to be autobiographical.[5] Nevertheless, Paul Allen, Ayckbourn's biographer, believes that Woman in Mind is Ayckbourn's most personal play and that a major influence on it may have been a breakdown suffered by his mother in the 1950s.[2]
Influences for the play include the film D.O.A. in which the narrator is revealed to be dead at the climax.[2] The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks is also said to be an influence.[2]
[edit] Synopsis
[edit] Act 1
Susan regains consciousness to find Doctor Bill Windsor tending to her and speaking gibberish. As Bill's language starts to make sense, Susan learns with embarrassment that she has knocked herself out after treading on the garden rake and is lying in her garden. Susan, however, fails to recognise her surroundings, insisting that her garden is much larger. Bill becomes concerned by Susan's mental state and goes to get her some tea and to check that an ambulance has been ordered.
As Bills leaves, Susan's husband (Andy), daughter (Lucy), and brother (Tony) enter and all show great concern for her welfare. As they leave to organise the household staff to pamper her, Bill returns to see if she had got the cup of tea from her sister-in-law (Muriel). Susan denies having a sister-in-law and becomes more confused when Bill says that her husband has not yet come home. When her husband (Gerald) and Muriel enter, Susan is so shocked that she again lapses into unconsciousness.
The following day, after returning from hospital, Susan is woken by Gerald while she is dozing in the garden. Gerald reminds her that their son (Rick), is visiting for lunch. While Muriel makes them all bad coffee and Bill comes to check up on Susan, it is revealed that Rick joined a sect two years previously which forbids children from talking to their parents. Bill agrees to stay for lunch and to act as a go-between so that Gerald and Susan can communicate with their son. Bill also insists that Susan take it easy, so Muriel is left to prepare lunch herself.
When Rick arrives, Susan cannot bring herself to go into the house to see him and instead joins Lucy, Tony and Andy for a picnic in the garden. Rick then comes into the garden and, to Susan's surprise, talks to her, asking her to come inside. As she goes to her son she becomes dizzy and collapses again.
[edit] Act 2
Susan wakes to find Rick still speaking to her, explaining that he has left the sect he was with but has now married and is moving to Thailand. Gerald comes to learn what is happening and Susan gets into a fierce argument with him, supported by Tony and Lucy. Shocked by the increasing influence that Lucy, Tony and Andy are having on her life, she tries to persuade Andy to leave her alone but he refuses, insisting that Susan needs them.
Susan turns to Bill for help and after Bill expresses his long term infatuation for her, Lucy steals his bag and Tony throws him in the lake. Andy then seduces Susan, making love to her on the lawn, initiating a thunderstorm. Gerald comes out into the garden to persuade Susan to come in from the rain, but Susan rejects him. Tony brings her an umbrella and the storm ends in time for Lucy to marry Rick while Bill lays bets on various brides and grooms. A heavily pregnant Muriel serves champagne to the gathering crowd and they all toast Susan, demanding a speech.
Lit by the blue light of an approaching ambulance, Susan's speech descends into gibberish and, with a desperate request to "December bee", she collapses a final time.
[edit] Productions
[edit] Premiere
Woman in Mind received its world premiere at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough, on 30 May 1985.[1] The production was directed by Ayckbourn and the cast consisted of:
- Ursula Jones as Susan
- Barry McCarthy as Bill
- Robin Herford as Andy
- Caroline Webster as Lucy
- John Hudson as Tony
- Russell Dixon as Gerald
- Heather Stoney as Muriel
- Tom Bowles as Rick
[edit] London premiere
In 1986, Woman in Mind transferred to London's West End and received it's premiere on 3 September 1986, closing on 4 July 1987.[1] Again directed by Ayckbourn and with design by Roger Glossop, the cast consisted of:
- Julia McKenzie as Susan
- Peter Blythe as Bill
- Benedick Blythe as Andy
- Christina Barryk as Lucy
- John Hudson as Tony
- Martin Jarvis as Gerald
- Josephine Tewson as Muriel
- Daniel Flynn as Rick
Julia McKenzie won the Evening Standard award for best actress for her portrayal as Susan and Roger Glossop's set design also received praise for its J. M. Barrie-esque sinister and seductive ambiance.[6]
[edit] American premiere
Woman in Mind received its American premiere in New York on 17 February 1988 at the Manhattan Theatre Club. The production was directed by Lynne Meadow and the cast included Stockard Channing in the role of Susan, for which she won a Drama Desk Award for best actress.[2]
[edit] Themes
[edit] Reception
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Woman in Mind (1985) - Productions. alanayckbourn.net. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ a b c d e f g Simon Murgatroyd. Woman in Mind (1985) - History. alanayckbourn.net. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Simon Murgatroyd. An Introduction to Woman in Mind - The Critics. alanayckbourn.net. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Hepple, Peter (1986-09-11), “Woman in Mind at the Vaudeville”, The Stage
- ^ Simon Murgatroyd. An Introduction to Woman in Mind - Alan Ayckbourn. alanayckbourn.net. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Billington, Michael (1986-09-05), “Driven to the arms of a devil”, The Guardian
