Woman in Mind
The author's latest revival, in which Janie Dee proves as compelling as Julia McKenzie in the original, confirms Ayckbourn's status as a master of tragi-comedy
The author's latest revival, in which Janie Dee proves as compelling as Julia McKenzie in the original, confirms Ayckbourn's status as a master of tragi-comedy
The Guardian
The author's latest revival, in which Janie Dee proves as compelling as Julia McKenzie in the original, confirms Ayckbourn's status as a master of tragi-comedy
The author's latest revival, in which Janie Dee proves as compelling as Julia McKenzie in the original, confirms Ayckbourn's status as a master of tragi-comedy
Woman in Mind is Alan Ayckbourn's bittersweet comedy about an unhappy middle-class woman who slips into mental illness. Directed by the playwright, this highly acclaimed revival subtly blends social comedy and psychological drama, wittily depicting how society is unable to cope with mental distress.
Written in 1985, Woman in Mind views the world of Susan's life through her eyes. Susan is married to a sexless vicar who pours himself into writing a 60-page history of the parish; her sister-in-law is maddening, and her estranged son is part of a sect that swore him to silence. She escapes to a happier dream world in her suburban garden, where an imagined family provides the excitement and stimulation she longs for in her real life. But gradually reality and fantasy begin to overlap, and then finally collide...
Woman in Mind was written in 1985, inspired by the desire to write a play that was cinematic in its approach. This is the first major revival of the comedy hit in over two decades, and features Janine Dee as Susan.