How The Other Half Loves: Articles

This section contains articles about How The Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn and other authors. Click on the link in the right-hand column to read the other articles.

This article was written by Alan Ayckbourn for the world premiere of the play at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, in 1969.

How The Other Half Loves

This is my seventh play to see its first light of day in Scarborough and, like the others, it's a comedy.

I suppose it's inevitable that comparisons will be drawn between this and Relatively Speaking. In fact, it's an exploration of the same sort of theme but with a few decided differences.

I've attempted, both in writing and production, to dispense with a conventional composite double setting and superimpose the rooms one upon the other. Thus there are moments when you will see two families existing in the same physical area, living out their lives, one unaware of the other.

I've also fiddled about with the time sequence, in one scene, when it's Thursday for one couple and Friday for the other. Anyway, all this should be perfectly clear - if it isn't blame the director and not the author.

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