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Network Theatre Company presents

Life and Beth - 4 to 7 December 2013

By Alan Ayckbourn / Directed by Emma Byrne

Reading: 17 September 2013 at 7.30pm (Doors 7pm) - Free
Auditions: 19 & 24 September at 7pm - Free
Performances: 4 to 7 December 2013 at 7.30pm (Doors 7pm) - Ticketed

This Christmas, Network Theatre is proud to present the London premiere of Alan Ayckbourn's Life and Beth.

Life and Beth is Alan Ayckbourn’s 71st play. First staged in 2008 it is the third part of the acclaimed Things that go Bump trilogy. It toured the UK after the initial run at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre but has yet to be produced in London.

The play is a comedy set at Christmas. Beth, recently widowed, is besieged by friends and relatives who just want to help. But when an unexpected dinner guest arrives on Christmas Eve we learn that Beth feels like she’s had all the “help” she can stand.

This brisk, acidic seasonal come-dy stars Suzi De Lazameta (Time for Love, Revenge of the Ama-zons) as Beth, Susan Small (Calendar Girls, Romeo and Juli-et) as Connie and Mike Wyer (Harvey, Love and Deceit) as Da-vid.

Directed by Emma Byrne (Dating for Dummies, The Blue Carbun-cle), Life and Beth is the perfect antidote to the schmaltz of the season.

Cast profiles

  • Beth, 50s, a recently bereaved widow, very much subservient to her husband during their marriage but now living her own life
  • Gordon, 60s, Beth’s late overbearing and pedantic husband, formerly a Health and Safety officer
  • Connie 50s, Gordon’s dipsomaniac sister, marginalised by her family in favour of her brother. Widow (or spinster.) Has a huge crush on…
  • David, 40s/50s, the local vicar. Widowed and with a badly-concealed longing for Beth
  • Martin, 30s, Gordon and Beth’s son, well-meaning but overbearing
  • Ella, Late 20s, Martin’s new girlfriend, overpowered by Martin’s misplaced affection. Nervy and introverted, she is silent (bar one exception) throughout the play
  • Two police officers – voice only

See the director's blog for more about the production.

An amateur production by arrangement with Samuel French.

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