Just Between Ourselves

by Alan Ayckbourn

A handyman, Dennis spends most of his time messing about in the garage, oblivious to the rivalry between his wife and his mother, both living in the house. When he sells the family car to an eccentric neighbor and forms a curious comic bond with the man, tensions build for their wives. Alan Ayckbourn brings them all together in an unexpected climax.

Genres: Plays, Drama, British Literature, Fiction, Theatre

Audio Cassette

First published May 1, 1978

About the author

Sir Alan Ayckbourn is a popular and prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their first performance. More than 40 have subsequently been produced in the West End, at the Royal National Theatre or by the Royal Shakespeare Company since his first hit Relatively Speaking opened at the Duke of York's Theatre in 1967. Major successes include Absurd Person Singular (1975), The Norman Conquests trilogy (1973), Bedroom Farce (1975), Just Between Ourselves (1976), A Chorus of Disapproval (1984), Woman in Mind (1985), A Small Family Business (1987), Man Of The Moment (1988), House & Garden (1999) and Private Fears in Public Places (2004). His plays have won numerous awards, including seven London Evening Standard Awards. They have been translated into over 35 languages and are performed on stage and television throughout the world. Ten of his plays have been staged on Broadway, attracting two Tony nominations, and one Tony award.

Reviews

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two wives fall apart as their inattentive husbands look own in befuddlement. I can see signs of what Ayckbourn would become in his later plays. However, to refer to this play as “a darkly comic masterpiece” is a huge stretch. It was more depressing than it was amusing, and it is not a masterpiece.

[Anton Segers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zoals Tsjechov gezien werd als een dramatisch auteur terwijl hij zelf vond dat hij komedies schreef, zo wordt Ayckbourn gezien als een humoristisch auteur, hoewel hij net als Molière via humor heel dramatische onderwerpen aansnijdt. Hier zoals zo vaak de liefdeloosheid in het huwelijk, onverschillig- en wreedheid onder het mom van liefde.
Hij vertrekt vanuit alledaagse situaties - dus even doorbijten in het begin- die met een ijzeren logica escaleren als een lawine tot ze uitmonden in een waanzinnige, zowel hilarische als naar de keel grijpende finale.

[Caroline Brassard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relatively thin plot, but always interesting from a sociocultural point of view. Having lived in the UK for five years I enjoyed the setting, understood some of the characters and overall had a good time listening to the well acted play. I was expecting more developed characters hence the lowish rating.

[Mack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Depressing look at people with problems.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried...really tried.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mildly humerous

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

The play is set in a garage and garden over four successive birthdays. Neil and Pam arrive to buy a car from the technically inept Dennis and his wife Vera, who cares for Dennis's over-bearing mother who shares the house with them.

Over the course of a year, we see the two couples fall apart. Neil and Pam's relationship becomes increasingly bitter, not helped by Neil's reliance on emotional and financial advice from the ill-equipped Dennis. Meanwhile, Vera is driven increasingly desperate by Dennis's lack of attention and the constant jibes of his mother. Dennis, far from being evil, has absolutely no comprehension of what his wife is going through and marches cheerfully on oblivious to events around him. Vera is eventually driven into a catatonic state with Dennis still unable to understand what has happened to Vera or to even acknowledge a problem exists.

Just Between Ourselves is the first of what Alan Ayckbourn termed at the time his winter plays; three consecutive plays written for the first time during the Scarborough winter. Just Between Ourselves, in particular, presents a profound departure in tone for the playwright. The play was written between Christmas and the New Year during a harsh winter and Alan has noted this as he reflected on what he wrote; the play is one of the darkest of his entire canon.

[Bettie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adaptation of Alan Ayckbourn's celebrated 1977 stage play, a bitter-sweet comedy about love, marriages and mothers.

Dennis ...... Stephen Critchlow
Vera ...... Samantha Spiro
Marjorie ...... Auriol Smith
Neil ...... Chris Pavlo
Pam ...... Alison Pettitt

Music composed by David Chilton.

Directed by Gordon House.

Just Between Ourselves is the first of what Alan Ayckbourn termed at the time his winter plays; three consecutive plays written for the first time during the Scarborough winter.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've liked most of the plays I've read by Ayckbourn (The Norman Conquests is a favorite), but this was very underwhelming. I don't think I ever laughed during it because none of the characters were witty, funny, or interesting enough.

[Carey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I find the characters too horrible to listen to, second time I have had to abandon this play.