Confusions
by Alan Ayckbourn

Name: Confusions
Brand: Alan Ayckbourn
SKU: 9780573110733
Rating: 3.63 (157 reviews)

Confusions Book Cover — Confusions Cover

Highlights

Small Cast

Female

Male

120 minsPresent DayComedy

What readers are saying

Readers appreciate the sharp wit and humor present in Ayckbourn's plays, noting their relevance and relatability to human behavior. Many consider it a significant addition to school curricula, particularly for drama students. While the majority find the plays engaging and funny, some mention that parts may feel dated or not as memorable.

Sharp and witty writingGreat for GCSE studentsPainfully funny momentsSomewhat dated humor

Synopsis

Ayckbourn's series of five interlocked plays typify his black comedies of human behavior in recognizable and absurd domestic situations.

First produced in 1976, the plays are alternately naturalistic, stylized and farcical, but underlying each is the problem of loneliness and characters who suffer the result of being ignored.

"The Mother Figure" shows a mother unable to escape from baby talk with adults; in "The Drinking Companion" an aging absentee husband clumsily attempts seduction without success; in "Between Mouthfuls," an embarrassed waiter witnesses domestic break-ups on two separate tables.

A garden party gets out of hand when a secret affair is announced over the loud speaker in "Gosforth's Fete" while "A Talk in the Park" is a revue-style curtain call piece for the five actors

Alan Ayckbourn's witty dialogue and penchant for farce are perfectly featured among his best writing and most colorful characters.

The Student Edition features a comprehensive Introduction and additional information to provide context for understanding this play.

Press Reviews

"Runs the gamut of comic technique from faintly pathetic situation comedy to outright farce... Ayckbourn has demonstrated once again that even in a trivial situation he can hold the attention with his matchless ear for conversational speech, and in untrivial situations shows himself a comic writer of immortal quality."
— Financial Times