Benefactors (play)

Benefactors
premiere programme
Written by	Michael Frayn
Characters	Jane Sheila Colin David
Date premiered	1984
Place premiered	Vaudeville Theatre, London
Original language	English
Genre	Drama
Setting	1960s

Benefactors is a 1984 play by Michael Frayn. It is set in the 1960s and concerns an idealistic architect David and his wife Jane and their relationship with the cynical Colin and his wife Sheila. David is attempting to build some new homes to replace the slum housing of Basuto Road and is gradually forced by circumstances into building skyscrapers despite his initial aversion to these. This is set against the backdrop of 1960s new housing projects. Sheila becomes his secretary but it is unclear if she is helping him or the other way around. As the title of the play suggests it is about helping people and explores some of the difficulties inherent in this or in being helped.

Awards and nominations

Awards

1984 Evening Standard Award for Best Play
1984 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play
1984 Plays and Players London Theatre Critics Award for Best Play
1986 New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Foreign Play

Nominations

1986 Drama Desk Award for Best Play
1986 Tony Award for Best Play

Production Nominations

2011 New York Innovative Theatre Awards Outstanding Production of a Play, produced by Retro Productions
2011 New York Innovative Theatre Awards Outstanding Actress in a Lead, Kristen Vaughan (winner) Retro Productions
2011 New York Innovative Theatre Awards Outstanding Actress in a Lead, Heather E. Cunningham Retro Productions
2011 New York Innovative Theatre Awards Outstanding Ensemble, Heather E. Cunningham, David Ian Lee, Matthew Semler, and Kristen Vaughan Retro Productions

Productions

The most recent New York City revival of this play is opened November 3, 2010. It was being produced by the Off-Off Broadway company Retro Productions. It starred Heather E. Cunningham, David Ian Lee, Matthew Semler and Kristen Vaughan.

Notes

References

Frayn, Michael (1984). Benefactors: A Play in Two Acts (First ed.). London: Methuen. ISBN 0-413-54160-6.

External links

Benefactors at the Internet Broadway Database
Benefactors at the Internet Broadway Database

Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play (1976–2000)

Dear Daddy (1976) The Fire that Consumes (1977) Whose Life Is It Anyway? (1978) Betrayal (1979) The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1980) Children of a Lesser God (1981) Another Country (1982) Glengarry Glen Ross (1983) Benefactors (1984) Red Noses (1985) Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1986) Serious Money (1987) Our Country's Good (1988) Racing Demon (1989/1990) Dancing at Lughnasa (1991) Death and the Maiden (1992) Six Degrees of Separation (1993) Arcadia (1994) Broken Glass (1995) Skylight (1996) Stanley (1997) Closer (1998) The Weir (1999) Goodnight Children Everywhere (2000)

Complete list (1976–2000) (2001–2025)

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