Absurd Person Singular LitChart

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Absurd Person Singular

Three evokes the famous game of “blind man’s bluff” at the end
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION of Pinter’s Birthday Party (1957). Another term that’s often
applied to Pinter’s oeuvre, “Comedy of Menace,” seems like an
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF SIR ALAN AYCKBOURN
apt description for Absurd Person Singular.
Ayckbourn was born in London, and his parents divorced when
he was still a child. He left school at the age of 17, as was
KEY FACTS
common for working-class English teenagers in the 1950s. He
got married at the age of 18, and took a job at the Scarborough • Full Title: Absurd Person Singular
Library Theater, which helped encourage him to write and • When Written: 1971
produce plays. He succeeded in getting several plays produced
• Where Written: London and Scarborough, England
in the West End in the early 1960s, including Mr. Whatnot.
• Literary Period: Postwar British Theater
However, this play was a flop. Ayckbourn’s first major success
was Relatively Speaking, which made him a rich man. In the • Genre: Social realism (though there are arguably some
1970s, Ayckbourn was at the height of his powers, with three elements of Theater of the Absurd, especially in the second
back-to-back hit plays, all of which dealt with the plight of the act)
British middle class. Ayckbourn was knighted in 1997, and to • Setting: An unnamed English city, over the course of three
this day he enjoys a stellar reputation in the British theater successive Christmas Eve parties
world, though he’s relatively unknown outside of his own • Climax: The arrival of Sidney and Jane Hopcroft in Act Three
country.
EXTRA CREDIT
HISTORICAL CONTEXT Pop-pop-popular. It’s been suggested that Ayckbourn is the
Ayckbourn’s play, a study of recognizably middle-class most performed living English-language playwright, and the
characters, is often discussed in terms of the economic changes second most performed in history (after William Shakespeare,
affecting the U.K. in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In the of course). To be fair, there are several other playwrights to
quarter-century following the end of World War Two, the whom the latter honor is often attributed, including Ibsen,
British middle class expanded. However, many pointed out that Pinter, and Noel Coward.
the middle class’s lack of a common culture and ideology had
left its members alienated and consumed with self-loathing—an Keep on keepin’ on. Though Ayckbourn is an elderly man, he
insight that lies at the core of Ayckbourn’s play. The play also continues to write and produce successful plays. His early
briefly mentions apartheid, the system of racial segregation 2000s play Private Fears in Public Places was a hit, and in 2006 it
used in South Africa until the early 1990s. was made into a well-received film by the great French New
Wave director Alain Resnais.
RELATED LITERARY WORKS
Ayckbourn’s play incorporates many different and almost PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY
contradictory theater styles. For example, many elements of
the play, such as its middle-class setting and grim depiction of The play consists of three acts, taking place over three
social aspiration, fit in with the social realist tradition of the successive Christmas Eve parties. The first act, and party, takes
“Angry Young Men” of the postwar period, particularly John place in the suburban home of Sidney Hopcroft and his wife,
Osborne, whose play Look Back in Anger (1956) is often Jane Hopcroft. Sidney and Jane are frantically trying to prepare
considered the definitive exploration of these themes. At other the house for the night’s festivities. Sidney is particularly keen
points, Ayckbourn’s tone is closer to that of another great on impressing the successful banker Ronald Brewster-Wright
postwar British playwright, Harold Pinter, whose work is often and his wife, Marion Brewster-Wright. Jane, on the other hand,
associated with the Theater of the Absurd, the style that seems to take pleasure in the simple act of cleaning the kitchen.
emphasizes illogical actions and speeches over coherent plot The Brewster-Wrights arrive, and almost right away Jane
and characterization. Particularly in the second and third acts, accidentally spills something on Ronald’s trousers. In private,
as the characters become more despondent, the play becomes the Brewster-Wrights express their desire to leave quickly,
absurdist at times (the title is a dead giveaway), with Sidney, while another couple, Dick Potter and Lottie Potter arrive and
Jane, and Robert turning a blind eye to Eva’s suicide attempts. laugh loudly (over the course of the play they’re heard but
Also, the bizarre, mirthless game that Sidney organizes in Act
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never seen). The next guests to arrive are Eva Jackson and her complex he designed collapsed.
husband, Geoffrey Jackson. Eva complains that she needs to Marion comes downstairs and begs Ronald to have a drink,
take her pills or else become a “raving lunatic.” Geoffrey, on the saying, “It’s Christmas.” Geoffrey arrives as well, and Eva
other hand, is a charismatic and handsome man. Alone with encourages him to ask Ronald to return the money he lent
Ronald and Sidney, he alludes to his sexual affairs with other Ronald in the past. Then, the doorbell rings—it’s Sidney and
women and claims that Eva has to “play by his rules.” Jane Hopcroft. Ronald admits that he’d like to tell them both to
Disaster strikes when the guests run out of tonic water. go away, but can’t, since Sidney has a sizeable deposit at his
Desperate to please everyone, Jane puts on her husband’s bank. He turns off all the lights in the apartment and hopes that
raincoat and goes out into the rain to buy more. Finding herself the Hopcrofts will go away. Instead, the Hopcrofts enter
locked out, she’s forced to ring the bell and enter through the through the back door and find Ronald, Eva, Geoffrey, and
front door of the house. However, Ronald doesn’t recognize Marion trying to hide from them. Seemingly oblivious to their
her, and Sidney later lies by telling Ronald that the person who “friends’” attitude, Jane and Sidney announce that they’ve
entered through the front was a deliveryman bringing tonic brought gifts for Ronald and Marion. They give Ronald a set of
water. Sidney also begs Ronald for a loan that will enable him to screwdrivers and Marion a bottle of gin.
expand his growing chain of grocery stores. Shortly afterwards, Sidney announces that he’s brought a game for everyone to
Geoffrey asks Ronald to recommend him as an architect for the enjoy. The game, Musical Dancing, involves everyone dancing
community’s forthcoming shopping complex. and stopping at the exact instant that the music stops. Anyone
The guests depart shortly after one another, leaving Sidney and who continues dancing must take a forfeit—i.e., carry some
Jane alone once again. Sidney justifies his choice to lie to object that makes dancing more difficult. Neither Sidney nor
Ronald about Jane by saying that these guests can be “very Jane plays the game. Humiliated, the other characters dance,
useful to us.” He goes to watch television, and Jane returns to too financially dependent on Sidney to ignore him.
scrubbing the kitchen.
Act Two, which takes place exactly one year later at the
apartment of Geoffrey and Eva Jackson, begins with Geoffrey CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS
berating his sad, suicidal wife. He suggests that he’s going to
MAJOR CHARACTERS
move out until Eva recovers, and alludes to having hit Eva
recently. He also complains that his work on the shopping Sidne
Sidneyy Hopcroft – Sidney Hopcroft is a thirty-something,
complex is slow and frustrating. middle-class businessman who appears to own a chain of
stores, and later a number of apartment buildings. However,
Sidney and Jane Hopcroft arrive, and in private Geoffrey
the precise nature of his business is never fully explained.
bitterly notes that Sidney has been doing very well lately.
Initially portrayed as a mediocre, talentless man, Sidney’s
Suddenly, Eva tries to commit suicide by stabbing herself with a
fortunes grow between each act of the play. In the first act, his
knife. Geoffrey stops her and then goes out to find a doctor,
fortunes are insecure, and he is eager to impress his wealthier,
leaving Eva alone. One by one, Jane, Sidney, and Ronald enter
more successful friends. But by the third act, it is Sidney who
the room. Although Eva says nothing, and proceeds to write a
seems wealthy and self-satisfied, while his friends are eager to
suicide note and then attempt to kill herself, the characters
flatter him. In some ways, Sidney is presented as a pathetic
seem not to notice. Instead, they notice various aspects of the
character—in particular, his infatuation with games seems
kitchen, and volunteer to repair them: Sidney fixes the sink
childish. In other ways, Sidney could be interpreted as an
pipes, Jane scrubs the oven (just after Eva has tried to
aggressive, even abusive character: he seems to take his wife,
asphyxiate herself in it), and Ronald tries to change the light
Jane Hopcroft, for granted, and to think of her as a tool to help
bulb in the ceiling (even while Eva tries to hang and them
him impress his friends and make more money. But ultimately,
electrocute herself). Marion enters the room and mentions that
Sidney is neither hero nor villain. Like every other character in
the Jacksons’ dog, George, has bitten Dick Potter. At the end of
the play, he’s adrift in the world—even though he’s doing well in
the act, Eva begins to sing “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” very
Act Three, it’s not hard to imagine an Act Four in which he’s
softly. One by one, the guests join in. Geoffrey returns,
poor again.
accompanied by the doctor, to find his guests and wife sitting in
the kitchen, singing a carol. Jane Hopcroft – Jane Hopcroft is Sidney Hopcroft’s long-
suffering wife. Obsessed with cleaning her house (and, at times,
The third and final act begins exactly one year later. This time,
cleaning other people’s houses), she lacks much of a sense of
the setting is Ronald and Marion’s Victorian home. Marion has
empathy or understanding for other people’s thoughts and
become an alcoholic, and spends most of her time in bed. Eva
feelings. She is, in some ways, the most sympathetic character
stops by to visit with Ronald, and together they discuss their
in the play, since she’s never shown to do anything to hurt
failing fortunes. Ronald’s bank isn’t doing particularly well, and
another character, and seems not to be greedy or interested in
Geoffrey hasn’t found any work in a while, since the shopping

“getting ahead.” At the same time—and this probably isn’t a MINOR CHARACTERS
coincidence—Jane is probably the least fully developed Dick P
Potter
otter – A local friend of the other characters, known for
character in the play: compared with the five other cast being funny, sometimes in an obnoxious way, and for being a
members, she has the smallest number of lines. schoolteacher. Dick Potter never appears onstage.
Ronald Brewster-Wright – Ronald Brewster-Wright is a local Lottie P
Potter
otter – Dick Potter’s wife, a teacher, like her husband.
banker who, as the play begins, is seen by his friends and peers She also never appears onstage.
as an impressive, successful man whose favor is always worth
currying. Over the course of the play, however, Ronald’s Sally – A woman with whom Geoffrey Jackson is considering
fortunes decline, just as Sidney Hopcroft’s fortunes improve: by running away in Act Two. Like the Potters, she is only
Act Three, it is Ronald who’s desperate to impress Sidney, not mentioned by name and doesn’t appear onstage.
the other way around. Like the two other male characters in the Walter Harrison – Owner of a local shopping center.
play, Ronald is often shockingly indifferent or oblivious to other
people’s feelings, especially those of women. He appears to
envy Geoffrey Jackson for getting away with cheating on his THEMES
wife, Eva Jackson, and seems highly unsatisfied with his
In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color-
marriage to Marion Brewster-Wright, an alcoholic.
coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes
Marion Brewster-Wright – Marion Brewster-Wright is, along occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have
with Jane Hopcroft, the character with the fewest number of a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in
lines in the play. However, it’s clear from the beginning that black and white.
she’s an uncomfortable, frequently insecure woman. As the
wife of a successful banker, Marion looks down on many of her
THE MIDDLE CLASS
husband’s friends—indeed, she can’t even remember Sidney
Hopcroft’s name until the second act. By the end of the play, In Absurd Person Singular and his other plays from
Marion has become a full-fledged alcoholic, suggesting that the 1970s, Sir Alan Ayckbourn offered a scathing
she’s unhappy in her marriage to Ronald Brewster-Wright (who critique of the British middle class. For most of the
never seems to show her much affection, or even take much early 20th century, the British class system was mostly split
interest in her). between the working class (families whose incomes came
mostly from manufacturing-based jobs) and the upper class
Geoffre
Geoffreyy Jackson – At the beginning of the play, Geoffrey
(families whose incomes came mostly from financial and
Jackson is a confident, attractive, highly charismatic man in his
managerial jobs, or who lived off of an inheritance). That
thirties. But by the end of the play, he’s lost his charisma and his
changed following the end of World War Two: Great Britain
optimism. An architect by trade, Geoffrey seems to think highly
(rather like the United States) became a country with a large
of himself, and has affairs with other women, often bragging
and influential middle class.
about it in innuendo-filled conversations with Ronald
Brewster-Wright and Sidney Hopcroft. As time goes on, All six of the characters in Absurd Person Singular are
however, Sidney’s fortunes decline: his wife, Eva Jackson, recognizably middle-class. To begin with, the men’s professions
becomes suicidal, and he loses his credibility as an architect aren’t immediately tied to manufacturing or some other kind of
after a shopping center he designs collapses. In some ways, physical labor (which would probably make them working-
Geoffrey’s “character arc” is the most tragic: the young, class), but nor are the men financially secure to the point where
ambitious man rapidly becomes disillusioned and tired of life. they don’t have to worry about money. One is an architect, one
runs a small bank (we know it’s small because he suggests that
Eva Jackson – Eva Jackson is the volatile wife of Geoffrey
a single customer’s deposit could make or break his business),
Jackson. She’s shown to be mentally unstable in some never-
and one is in some kind of real estate-related field (he’s
explained way, and in Act One she claims that she has to take
described as having many tenants and having put up many
pills every few hours in order to stabilize her moods. In Act
buildings). They all have to go to work, but what, exactly, they do
Two, for reasons never explained, she becomes actively
in the course of a day is never made clear. Furthermore, the
suicidal, and tries to kill herself in various grotesque ways while
three women don’t appear to work for a living, but have enough
the other characters ignore or misinterpret her actions. In Act
disposable income to buy non-essential items like washing
Three, Eva seems relatively content and self-controlled,
machines. Financially speaking, all six characters are doing well,
especially compared to the other characters, many of whom are
but not to the point where they can afford to do nothing. And
deeply disillusioned with life. But, as with all the other
this can be downright nerve-wracking: the characters are
characters in the play, it’s easy to imagine a fourth act in which
obsessed with making money and entering the ranks of the
Eva’s fortunes change once again: such is life for the 1970s
upper class, but they’re also terrified by the possibility of failing
British middle class, at least as Ayckbourn sees it.

and falling back in with the working class. This, in a nutshell, MATERIALISM
was the dilemma of the British middle class of the 1970s.
All six of the characters in Absurd Person Singular
Ayckbourn explores this dilemma throughout his play, but believe in the same twisted “religion”—materialism.
especially through the characters of Sidney Hopcroft and Fanatically, they seek to accumulate physical
Ronald Brewster-Wright. Over the course of the play, Sidney possessions: washing machines, toys, bottles, spoons. It can be
gets richer and Ronald gets poorer. However, it’s never clear overwhelming just to think about all the useless stuff that the
why; the characters’ jobs are vaguely defined, and as the play characters buy over the course of the play. Ayckbourn was
goes on they become vaguer, not clearer. In the first act, Sidney writing his play at a time when the middle class was booming,
Hopcroft appears to own a few general stores, but by Act Two, and when the sale of nonessential products and appliances was
it’s unclear how he’s earning his money: he just says he’s had through the roof. In many ways, Absurd Person Singular is his
some “lucky hunches” (you wonder if even Sidney himself satire of the vulgar materialism of the era.
completely understands the source of his own success).
Why, exactly, are the characters in the play so obsessed with
Because we don’t understand how the characters make their
material possessions? One might think that these objects are
money, we can’t fully understand why their economic status
important simply because they give the characters pleasure.
keeps rising or falling. Ronald Brewster-Wright’s status
For example, one of the first appliances the characters discuss
appears to be going down, while Sidney’s appears to be going
is the washing machine in Sidney and Jane Hopcroft’s suburban
up, but it could just as easily be the other way around. Such is
home. While nonessential, this machine would seem to be
the inherent instability of middle class life, Ayckbourn suggests.
useful because it gives its owners more leisure time. But
Ayckbourn matches his characters’ economic instability with Ayckbourn undercuts this assumption almost immediately by
cultural instability. The six characters have no real heritage or showing that its owner, Jane Hopcroft, actually enjoys doing
traditions to fall back on (which is especially striking, physical labor. If given the choice of how to spend her free time,
considering that the play takes place during the Christmas she’d scrub the kitchen, wash her laundry by hand, etc.
season, when many families celebrate their traditions). The Throughout the rest of the play, the characters exchange and
characters never even discuss their own backstories, or refer to discuss other appliances that, while potentially useful, don’t
any event that takes place long before the beginning of the play. seem to give their owners any discernible pleasure—for
Their conversations are nauseatingly present-tense, revolving example, in Act Three, Sidney and Jane give Ronald Brewster-
around crass products and incomprehensible business deals. Wright a set of screwdrivers for Christmas, a gift that seems to
This could then be interpreted as Ayckbourn’s commentary on bewilder Ronald. One would think that material goods would
middle-class values. Bereft of a real heritage (unlike the upper bring their owners some kind of intrinsic pleasure, especially
class or the working class), the new middle class of the 1970s considering how much time the characters spend discussing
strives to make its own values and traditions and legacy, but them. But Ayckbourn goes out of his way to show that this
without much immediate success. Indeed, one of Ayckbourn’s simply isn’t the case.
most important insights is that the defining feature of the
So why, then, are material things so important to the characters
middle class is precisely its lack of a stable identity and set of
in Absurd Person Singular? Ayckbourn suggests a second, subtler
beliefs: everything is in flux.
reason: material goods are status symbols, a way of showing off
In the absence of a strong culture or sense of identity, the or currying favor with one’s peers. The characters use material
middle-class characters of Absurd Person Singular are often goods for this purpose throughout the play. Even before any of
alienated from one another—sometimes comically, sometimes the characters has spoken, for instance, we see Jane and Sidney
tragically. Such is the case throughout the play, but never more Hopcroft preparing their home for a Christmas party. The
so than at the end of Act Two, during which four of the purpose of their action is unmistakable: they want to impress
characters make idle chitchat and tinker around in someone their wealthy, successful guests, Ronald and Marion Brewster-
else’s kitchen while Eva Jackson, supposedly their friend, tries Wright. They want to use material things—a clean, shiny
to commit suicide in various ways. The six characters in the play kitchen, a brand new washing machine—to communicate that
are supposed to be a community, looking out for each other. they’re successful, independent people, and therefore worthy
Instead, they seem oblivious to each other: no values or beliefs, of the Brewster-Wrights’ respect (and, in Sidney’s case, worthy
aside from a shallow materialism, bind them together. The flaws of a loan from Ronald’s bank). Sidney also gives other
of the middle class are at the core of Absurd Person Singular, and characters gifts in order to signify his material wealth. At the
in a way all the other important themes of the play emanate end of the play, when he gives Ronald the set of screwdrivers,
from this one, underlying theme. the message is clear, both to the characters and to the
audience: Sidney’s fortunes have improved, to the point where
he can flaunt his wealth by giving extravagant (albeit very
weird) gifts to other people. So material things aren’t important

to the characters because they’re intrinsically interesting or that the most significant events in their lives happen offstage in
even intrinsically useful. Rather, material things are part of a between each of the three acts. Each of the three Christmas
language of status and power, in which all six of the characters parties depicted in the play shows the results of the major
are fluent. events of the previous year. For example, in Act Three we learn
Ultimately, this is the poignant side of Absurd Person Singular: that Sidney has become a powerful businessman of some kind,
the characters can only understand the world, and each other, and that Geoffrey Jackson has lost his credibility as an
in material terms. They have no sense of each other’s thoughts architect after one of his buildings collapsed earlier in the year.
or feelings, and because they’ve been so brainwashed by the By depicting only three brief scenes from his characters’ lives,
doctrine of materialism, they lack the capacity to learn. Ayckbourn emphasizes the unpredictability of fortune, and
Consider the moment in Act One when the characters talk makes the shifts in the characters’ lives seem especially abrupt
about the Hopcrofts’ washing machine. Nobody seems and shocking. In just a few minutes of play-time, Geoffrey
particularly keen on carrying on the conversation—but nobody Jackson goes from a confident, ambitious architect to a
has anything better to discuss, either. Even after Eva Jackson disillusioned, prematurely weary has-been. As with so much of
confesses that she’s suffering from depression (or another, Absurd Person Singular, this structural feature of the play can be
similar psychological problem), the others prattle on about interpreted as Ayckbourn’s commentary not only on the
material things. Their materialism becomes even more unpredictability of life in general, but also on the instability of
disturbing in Act Two, when they busy themselves fixing Eva’s the mid-seventies English economy. Ayckbourn wrote his play
sink, light bulbs, and oven, so obsessed with appliances that at a time when millions of English citizens were uncertain of
they don’t recognize that Eva is actively trying to commit their job security and financial stability. The economy of 1970s
suicide. The characters’ obsession with material goods also England was unpredictable and ambiguous: one month things
explains why their gifts are often wildly inappropriate—for seemed rosy, and the next month it seemed that the postwar
example, in Act Three, the Hopcrofts give Marion Brewster- boom was finally coming to an end. By obscuring the source of
Wright, an alcoholic, a bottle of gin for Christmas. Instead of the characters’ fortunes, Ayckbourn captures this sense of
empathizing with her condition, or trying to do something to unpredictability.
improve it, they enable it. In all, materialism blinds the Moving away from economics, Absurd Person Singular’s
characters to anything that can’t be measured in strictly portrayal of fortune makes the play’s tone difficult to interpret,
material terms—such as loneliness, depression, alcoholism, and since it’s difficult to decide how much to sympathize with the
insecurity. As a result, the characters live out miserable little characters. In many ways, the play is tragic: the characters
lives, buying things they don’t want with money they don’t have suffer from depression, alcoholism, and runaway ambition, all
to impress people they don’t like. familiar tragic themes. And yet, in the typical tragedy, the
characters’ own qualities bring about their success and then
FORTUNE their downfall—King Oedipus’ thirst for knowledge causes his
suffering. Not so in Absurd Person Singular: Geoffrey Jackson is
One of the most puzzling things about Absurd
arrogant and charismatic, but these qualities seem to have
Person Singular is the way that the characters’
nothing to do with his failed career. He doesn’t bring about his
fortunes—both their economic status and their
failure—instead, failure just “happens” to him. The same could
overall luck in life—keep going up and down for no discernible
be said for any of the other characters in the play: Ayckbourn
reason. In only two years, Ronald Brewster-Wright—who was
depicts them as puppets, passive victims of fortune. Sometimes
introduced as a successful, impressive middle-aged
they’re sympathetic, sometimes merely pathetic. By depicting
banker—falls on hard times, to the point where he’s relieved
fortune in this unconventional way, Ayckbourn could be said to
simply because his bank isn’t “in the red.” Another character,
create a hybrid genre, somewhere between the gritty realism
Eva Jackson, goes from being socially functional to being
of John Osborne and the menacing absurdism of Harold Pinter
actively suicidal to being, for all intents and purposes, the most
(both major English playwrights of the generation preceding
confident, secure character in the play. To name one more
Ayckbourn’s). Ayckbourn, like Osborne, is clearly attuned to the
example, Sidney Hopcroft goes from being a pathetic,
economic and political realities of his time, and he depicts the
financially insecure businessman to being, it would seem, one of
lives of ordinary, suffering English people. And yet, rather like
the most successful people in his community—and yet it’s never
Pinter, Ayckbourn doesn’t lose sight of the fact that these
clear what he does or why he’s been successful. The characters’
ordinary people are sometimes, in spite of their suffering,
happiness, confidence, and economic status are constantly
laugh-out-loud funny.
rising or falling, but Ayckbourn gives little to no indication of
why. Their fortunes would seem to be beyond their own
control.
One reason the characters’ shifting fortunes can be puzzling is

GENDER ROLES brags about his sexual conquests, for example, Sidney laughs
along with everybody else, but Ayckbourn notes that he’s way
Absurd Person Singular comments on what modern
“out of his depth.” In Act Three, furthermore, the female
English society expects men and women to do, as
characters are often more business-minded than their
the play’s middle-class characters obey strong yet
husbands: for instance, Eva Jackson has to pressure her
unwritten rules about their gender roles. The three male
husband to ask Sidney Hopcroft for job opportunities, and in
characters work, while their wives do not, and tend to be more
the end she just asks on his behalf. In the strange new world of
overtly associated with the domestic sphere. And yet, as a
the middle class, masculine and feminine gender roles seem to
result of the structure of middle-class life, these kinds of
be moving closer and closer together.
gender roles keep getting mixed up. Men behave in
stereotypically effeminate ways, and women embrace One could argue that Ayckbourn is having his cake and eating it,
stereotypically masculine behaviors. (Ayckbourn finds an apt too: criticizing traditional gender roles and also criticizing the
symbol for these scrambled gender roles when the characters modified, middle-class roles that succeed them. On one hand,
cover Ronald Brewster-Wright, who’s just been electrocuted, he pokes fun at Sidney and the other male characters for their
with a variety of male and female articles of clothing.) timid, emasculated behavior and finds humor in Jane’s donning
a man’s raincoat. On the other hand, he seems to suggest that
Although the characters only ever speak about gender rules
traditional, rigidly defined gender roles are just as bad, or
indirectly, it’s clear that they all have strong ideas about how
worse. But perhaps these two concepts—rigidly-defined
they’re supposed to behave. The men act as “breadwinners” for
gender roles and reversed or blurred gender roles—are more
their families, and seem to believe that this permits them to be
closely connected than they appear: put another way, the
unfaithful and inattentive to their wives. This is clearest toward
characters assert traditional gender roles because they see
the end of the first act, when Geoffrey Jackson, Ronald, and
these gender roles collapsing. At times, the emasculated male
Sidney Hopcroft discuss Geoffrey’s affairs with other women.
characters become so frustrated that they lash out at their
In an innuendo-heavy monologue, Geoffrey brags about how
wives, ordering them around (as Sidney does in Act One),
he’s cheated on his wife, Eva Jackson, many times, and adds
hitting them (as Geoffrey claims to have done in Act Two), or
that Eva has no choice but to accept his “rules” of marriage, a
calling them ugly (as Ronald does in Act Three). In each act of
sentiment that Ronald and Sidney approve of, or believe they’re
Absurd Person Singular, one could even argue, gender roles
supposed to show their approval of in a party setting.
Throughout the play, furthermore, the male characters treat become complicated in some significant way, only to be clumsily
their wives indifferently, and instead focus their energy on reestablished by the characters. Gender roles, like everything
vaguely defined, nonsensical business pursuits. There’s even a else in this play, are in a constant state of flux, and any order the
suggestion that Geoffrey has hit his wife, reinforcing the fact characters try to impose is short-lived.
that he, like other men, dominates his wife and forces her to
play by his rules. At the end of Act One, Sidney is so pleased at
having persuaded Ronald to give him a loan that he ignores his
SYMBOLS
anxious, weary wife, Jane, even though she’s been humiliated at Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and
her own party. The act ends with the poignant, Sisyphean image Analysis sections of this LitChart.
of Jane alone in her kitchen, cleaning the same objects she was
cleaning earlier, while Sidney watches television. The
shallowness and materialism of the British middle class, GEORGE THE DOG
Ayckbourn implies, has in some ways exaggerated old, offensive George the dog is mentioned in all three acts of the
stereotypes about male and female behavior. Men, because of play, though it never appears onstage. At various
their labor, enjoy some small measure of freedom, while women points, the characters describe George as a good, obedient,
are confined to the kitchen. lovable dog—however, in Act Two, George bites a party guest,
But although there’s a strong sexist undercurrent throughout Dick Potter, even though Dick is supposedly good with dogs. As
Absurd Person Singular, gender roles repeatedly break down as a family pet, George is supposed to bring its owners
the play goes on. At many points, it is the female characters, not happiness—but instead, it ends up hurting other people. In this
their partners, who do the hard physical labor, while the men way, George might be interpreted as a symbol of domestic bliss
remain idle. During her Christmas party, Jane Hopcroft, not gone sour: the characters try to find happiness in their homes
her husband, goes out into the rainy night to buy more bottles and their partners, yet these are the very things that cause
of tonic water—an act that Ayckbourn symbolically genders as them the greatest amount of pain.
male by having Jane don a man’s raincoat before leaving the
house. Throughout Act One, Sidney often seems emasculated
and too timid to assert himself at his own party. When Geoffrey

ALCOHOL Act One Quotes

Throughout the play, the characters drink alcohol SIDNEY: [chuckling knowingly] I don't imagine the wife of
and offer it to others. Alcohol is another example of a banker will particularly choose to spend her evening in our
something that’s supposed to bring its consumers happiness, kitchen. Smart as it is.
but which often ends up making them sadder and lonelier. In
this way, alcohol is an apt symbol for the tawdry, superficial Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft (speaker), Jane
pleasures the characters pursue, and the alienation they often Hopcroft
feel as a result.
Related Themes:
MUSICAL DANCING Page Number: 16
The play concludes with a bizarre game, organized
by Jane Hopcroft and Sidney Hopcroft. In this Explanation and Analysis
game, the characters must dance and then stop at the same As the play begins, Sidney and Jane Hopcroft are preparing
time as the music. Players who continue dancing earn a for a Christmas party. Jane is concerned with cleaning every
forfeit—an object they must hold or wear, which makes further room of the house, including the kitchen—even though
dancing harder. The Musical Dancing game is humiliating for its Sidney, her husband, insists that none of the guests will
players, and yet they all participate, because they want to want to go in there. As it turns out, Sidney is wrong: the
impress Sidney Hopcroft—the man who, in Act Three, seems to guests do go in the kitchen, and in fact, the entire play is set
be making more money than anyone else. In all, the game in three different kitchens, across three different years. So
symbolizes the sycophancy and “sucking up” in which all the the line is an ironic joke that sets the tone for the rest of the
characters engage at different times, in the hopes that they’ll play. Contrary to what Sidney condescendingly claims, the
be rewarded with some material gain. guests will look at the kitchen, and Ayckbourn’s play is a look
“behind the scenes” at the banality of English middle-class
life, for which there’s probably no better symbol than a
THE SHOPPING COMPLEX kitchen.
Geoffrey Jackson is chosen to design a new
shopping complex; however, he’s humiliated when
the complex collapses, nearly killing its manager. The building
JANE: No, but it's special tonight, isn't it? I mean, with Mr.
symbolizes the instability of Geoffrey and the other characters’
and Mrs. Brewster-Wright and Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. It's
lives: one day, their fortunes are going up, up, up, and the next
important.
they’re nothing but a pile of rubble.
SIDNEY: Don't forget Dick and Lottie Potter. They're coming,
too.
CHRISTMAS JANE: Oh, well, I don't count Dick and Lottie. They're friends.
All three acts of the play are set during Christmas
parties. Christmas is often considered a holiday Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft, Jane Hopcroft
that celebrates kindness, generosity, and family. However, (speaker), Ronald Brewster-Wright, Marion Brewster-
Christmas is also a holiday that epitomizes greed and Wright, Lottie Potter, Dick Potter, Eva Jackson, Geoffrey
conspicuous consumption. It’s a time when wealthy families Jackson
who practice the holiday lavish money on gifts for themselves
and show off by buying overpriced presents for other people. In Related Themes:
all, Christmas perfectly symbolizes the contradictions of the
middle class: like most of the characters in the play, it’s defined Page Number: 19
by selfishness and selflessness, childishness and maturity, Explanation and Analysis
community and crass materialism.
Jane and Sidney are nervous about hosting their Christmas
party, as many hosts would be. They want to make good
QUO
QUOTES
TES impressions on their guests, and make it clear that they
have a lovely, respectable suburban home. But as this
Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the Grove passage makes clear, not all the guests are equal in the
Press edition of Absurd Person Singular published in 1994.

Hopcrofts’ eyes. Some are more important and respectable Related Characters: Jane Hopcroft, Marion Brewster-
than others. The Brewster-Wrights, in particular, are people Wright (speaker)
who Jane and Sidney see as very important.
The passage establishes one of the key themes of the play: Related Themes:
there’s an intricate social hierarchy, and every one of the
Page Number: 25
Hopcrofts’ friends belongs in a different place in this
hierarchy. However, different people, including the Explanation and Analysis
Hopcrofts themselves, are always rising and falling—such is
In this brief scene, the Hopcrofts give Marion a tour of their
the nature of English middle-class life in the 1970s.
house and point out their washing machine. Marion notices
that the machine has a colored / white setting, and makes a
feeble joke about apartheid. (The idea being that apartheid,
MARION: Just look at these working surfaces and you the South African system of racial segregation, involved
must have a gorgeous view from that window, I imagine. separating human beings into white and black, or “colored,”
SIDNEY: Well… groups. It’s really not a funny joke.)
MARION: It must be stunning. You must look right over the It’s notable that this is one of the only times in the play when
fields at the back. the characters discuss politics, culture, or “the world at
SIDNEY: No—no. large.” And it’s no coincidence that Jane doesn’t get the joke,
JANE: No, we just look into next door's fence. either. The characters are so obsessed with their own feeble
MARION: Well, which way are the fields? little lives that they have little to no awareness of what
JANE: I've no idea. people in other parts of the world are going through—yet
MARION: How extraordinary. I must be thinking of somewhere another sign of the characters’ callousness and indifference
else. to suffering.
Related Characters: Jane Hopcroft, Sidney Hopcroft,

Marion Brewster-Wright (speaker) SIDNEY: What?
EVA: Did I put that glass in there?
Related Themes: SIDNEY: Er—yes.
EVA: My God, I knew it, I'm going mad. I am finally going mad.
Page Number: 24
Explanation and Analysis Related Characters: Eva Jackson, Sidney Hopcroft

In this scene, there’s a subtle contest between the host and (speaker)
their guests. Marion Brewster-Wright and her husband,
Robert, are clearly wealthier and more socially Related Themes:
distinguished than the Hopcrofts. As Marion examines the
Hopcrofts’ home, she makes various comments suggesting Related Symbols:
that it’s not a very nice place to live: it doesn’t have a good
view, for example (a house with a nice view being one of the Page Number: 32
quintessential signs of social status, all the more so because
Explanation and Analysis
having a nice view is “useless”). Marion’s tone seems
dismissive and even derisive, and the Hopcrofts seem Eva Jackson, the wife of Geoffrey Jackson, suffers from
embarrassed and intimidated by their wealthier party some kind of mental illness, and has to take pills every three
guests. The message is clear: the Brewster-Wrights hours in order to stabilize her mood. As a result of her
“outrank” the Hopcrofts in the hierarchy of the middle class. condition, she can be somewhat volatile, and in this scene,
she casually throws a glass into a trash can without
realizing—only to catch herself a moment later. The strange
thing about Eva is that, while she’s ostensibly the only
MARION: [bending to read the dial] What's this? Whites-
character with a defined mental “problem,” she’s also the
coloureds—my God, it's apartheid.
only character who seems aware of her own problems, and
JANE: Beg pardon?
shows some willingness to get better. By contrast, the other

characters in the play seem so hopeless lost in their Jane goes out to buy tonic waters and, through a series of
delusions—greed, superficiality, jealousy, etc.—that they farcical mishaps, winds up having to trudge through the
don’t even realize that they have a problem. front door in a soaking wet raincoat, leading Ronald to
believe that a strange little man has intruded on the
Hopcrofts’ party. When he points this out to Sidney, Sidney
MARION: Oh, that's lovely. Just that teeny bit stronger. improvises and claims that the “man” was really a
You know what I mean. Not too much tonic . . . deliveryman from the shop around the corner, a lie that
Ronald finds perfectly plausible.
SIDNEY: No, well . . .
MARION: Perfect. First, note that Ronald obviously doesn’t know either of his
SIDNEY: Actually, that's neat gin, that is. hosts too well, or he would’ve recognized Jane when she
was wearing her husband’s raincoat. Second, Sidney is so
desperate to impress Ronald (and then ask him for a bank
Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft, Marion Brewster-
loan) that he tells a silly lie about Jane. Telling the truth
Wright (speaker)
wouldn’t be all that embarrassing—but Sidney has been so
set on talking to Ronald, and is so hell-bent on keeping up
Related Themes:
appearances, that he chooses to lie.
Related Symbols:
Page Number: 33 GEOFFREY: Oh now, come off it. Nonsense. She chooses
to live with me, she lives by my rules. I mean we've always
Explanation and Analysis made that perfectly clear. She lives her life to a certain extent; I
Marion complains that her gin and tonic doesn’t have live mine, do what I like within reason. It's the only way to do it...
enough tonic (in fact, it doesn’t have any). Then, Sidney goes SIDNEY: Good gracious.
to find some tonic water to add to her beverage. A moment RONALD: I wish you'd have a chat with Marion. Convince her.
later, he returns to Marion, without having done anything to
the drink. Marion sips the drink and claims that it now has
Related Characters: Ronald Brewster-Wright, Sidney
the perfect amount of tonic water in it.
Hopcroft, Geoffrey Jackson (speaker), Eva Jackson, Marion
The exchange isn’t just a perfect example of the “placebo Brewster-Wright
effect.” It’s also a sign that the characters are out of touch
with reality. The mere power of suggestion—the fact that Related Themes:
Marion thinks Sidney has added tonic to her gin—is enough
to delude Marion into believing that she’s tasting something Page Number: 40
different than she actually is. The scene also foreshadows
Marion’s alcoholism later in the play.
Geoffrey Jackson, another one of the guests at the
Hopcrofts’ party, is a charismatic, handsome man who likes
to brag to his male friends about his sexual conquests. In
RONALD: Ah. Well, as long as you know about him. Might
oblique terms, Geoffrey suggests that he cheats on his wife
have been after your silver. I mean, you never know. Not
all the time, but adds that she’s learned to “play by his rules.”
these days.
In other words, Geoffrey uses adultery to assert his
SIDNEY : No, indeed. No, he—he was from the off-licence.
authority over Eva: he’s the “king of the castle,” and Eva has
to support him in whatever he does.
Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft, Ronald Brewster- The passage is a grating, satirical example of “guy talk.” The
Wright (speaker), Jane Hopcroft three male characters crack little jokes about adultery, at
least partly to fit in with the group. Sidney in particular
Related Themes: seems uneasy having such a discussion, but he thinks that
he has a social obligation to join in.
Page Number: 36

MARION: This really is a simply loathsome little house. I
mean how can people live in them. I mean, Geoff, you're an human beings; instead, he sees them as “useful,” because of
architect, you must be able to tell me. How do people come to what they can do for him. Therefore, a guest like Ronald is
design these sort of monstrosities in the first place, let alone someone who he respects and admires, whereas a guest like
persuade people to live in them? Dick Potter is someone he doesn’t care about impressing.
GEOFFREY: Well... Sidney doesn’t even seem to care about his own wife’s
MARION: Oh, God. Now he's going to tell me he designed it. feelings: although she’s been humiliated that evening,
GEOFFREY: No. I didn't do it. They're designed like this mainly having to trudge in through the front door in a wet raincoat,
because of cost and people who are desperate for somewhere Sidney doesn't even ask her how she’s feeling. His ambition
to live aren't particularly choosey. and greed for material wealth has blinded him to everything
else.
Related Characters: Marion Brewster-Wright, Geoffrey
Jackson (speaker)
Act Two Quotes
Related Themes: GEOFFREY: Yes, I know. You’re very anxious, aren't you,
that I should go and work for the up and coming Mr. Hopcroft?
Page Number: 42 So is up and coming Mr. Hopcroft.
Related Characters: Geoffrey Jackson (speaker), Sidney
Just as the Hopcrofts predicted, the Christmas party is in
Hopcroft, Eva Jackson
reality a subtle game of one-upmanship, in which the
different couples quietly judge one another for social status.
Related Themes:
Marion, the wife of the successful banker Ronald Brewster-
Wright, doesn’t seem to think much of Sidney and Jane, and Page Number: 48
in this passage Marion makes it clear why. She thinks they’re
beneath her in the economic hierarchy: their house is cheap Explanation and Analysis
and ugly-looking, so they can’t be very wealthy at all. As Act Two begins, one year has gone by since the last
As Ayckbourn makes clearer and clearer as the play goes on, Christmas party, and things have changed. Sidney, first
however, Marion and Geoffrey’s obsession with ranking encountered as a pathetic, struggling businessman (in some
other peoples’ social status is a sign of their insecurity vaguely defined field), is now a successful businessman (his
regarding their own social status. In the middle class, jobs has something to do with real estate, but Ayckbourn
families are always rising and falling, and over the course of says almost nothing more about it). Geoffrey Jackson, who
the play Geoffrey and Marion will do both. in Act One comes across as a cocky, ambitious young
architect, is now a cynical, prematurely jaded fellow, who
clearly envies Sidney for his sudden success.
SIDNEY: These people just weren't anybody. They are In the turbulent world of the 1970s middle class, Ayckbourn
people in the future who can be very, very useful to us... suggests throughout the play, fortunes are always rising and
falling. Furthermore, fortune seems to have nothing to do
with one’s talent or drive. Ayckbourn never explains why,
Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft (speaker), Jane
exactly, Sidney has been doing well and Geoffrey
Hopcroft
hasn’t—their economic success would appear to have little
to do with their innate qualities.
Related Themes:
Page Number: 43

After the guests have left, Sidney and Jane discuss their
party. Sidney makes it clear how he feels about things: he
thinks the party was a great success because he was able to
convince Ronald to give him a bank loan. Sidney doesn’t
really think of his party guests as intrinsically valuable

GEOFFREY: Eva—I'm being very patient. Very patient
indeed. But in a minute I really do believe I'm going to lose leave her alone while he phones the doctor. This seems like
my temper. And we know what happens then, don't we? I will a foolish thing to do, since—just moments ago—she tried to
take a swing at you and then you will feel hard done by, and by jump out of a window. One would think that Geoffrey
way of reprisal, will systematically go round and smash should stay with his wife.
everything in the flat. And come tomorrow breakfast time, The passage is a good example of how the actors and
there will be the familiar sight of the three of us, you, me and director of a theatrical production—not just the
George, trying to eat our meals off our one surviving plate. playwright—get a hand in interpreting it. On paper, it’s
unclear if Geoffrey is just clueless, and doesn’t know any
Related Characters: Geoffrey Jackson (speaker), Eva better than to abandon his wife, or if he has a sinister
Jackson motive for exiting the room (in light of their earlier
conversation, it’s plausible that, on some level, he’s hoping
Related Themes: that she’ll “finish the job” and leave him to run off with Sally,
presumably his mistress.)
Related Symbols:
Page Number: 48 JANE: I must clean that oven if it kills me.

A year after the Christmas party in Act One, Geoffrey and Related Characters: Jane Hopcroft (speaker)
Eva’s marriage has disintegrated. Geoffrey is contemplating
Related Themes:
leaving Eva, perhaps forever, and claims that he’s been
seeing another woman. Eva, chatty and energetic in Act
Page Number: 51
One, has become quiet and apparently suicidal.
Furthermore, Geoffrey alludes to having hit his wife in the Explanation and Analysis
past—perhaps on many occasions. As Act Two goes along, its tone becomes more and more
Beneath the idle, banal façade of the characters’ lives, farcical. Here, Jane walks into the room and—seeing Eva
there’s a lot of violence in this play. Geoffrey and Eva seem stick her head in an oven—assumes that Eva is trying to
like a typical thirty-something couple, but in fact Geoffrey is clean her oven. Jane has become so blinded by her
an abusive husband who often takes out his anger on his obsession with cleaning things that she assumes everyone
wife, and Eva responds by breaking their possessions or else is just like her. The idea that Eva is sticking her head in
attempting to hurt herself. Part of Ayckbourn’s goal in an oven to commit suicide (which, of course, she’s doing)
writing Absurd Person Singular is to expose the cruelty and doesn’t even occur to her.
brutality of “ordinary” middle-class family life. The passage is also a good example of dramatic irony, since
Jane uses the phrase “if it kills me” idiomatically and not
seriously, whereas Eva has just made a serious attempt on
GEOFFREY: Now, I'm going to phone the doctor. I’ll just be her own life. There are lots of other similar instances of
two minutes, all right? Now, you sit there. Don't move, just dramatic irony in the rest of Act Two.
sit there like a good girl.
Related Characters: Geoffrey Jackson (speaker), Eva JANE: Shall I tell you something—Sidney would get so
Jackson angry if he heard me saying this—but I'd far sooner be
down here on the floor, on my knees in the oven—than out
Related Themes: there, talking. Isn't that terrible. But I’m never at ease, really, at
parties. I don't enjoy drinking, you see.
Page Number: 50
Explanation and Analysis Related Characters: Jane Hopcroft (speaker), Sidney

In this passage, Geoffrey Jackson realizes that Eva Jackson, Hopcroft, Eva Jackson
his wife, has tried to kill herself. Appallingly, he decides to
Related Themes:

RONALD: Had a good year. Must be pretty pleased.
SIDNEY: Oh, yes. Had a few lucky hunches. Seemed to pay
Related Symbols:
off.
Page Number: 53
Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft, Ronald Brewster-
Wright (speaker)
In this rare moment of candor from Jane Hopcroft, she
admits that she doesn’t enjoy drinking or going to parties. Related Themes:
This is interesting, since we first met Jane when she was
about to host a Christmas party. In many ways, Jane is the Page Number: 59
most sympathetic character in the play. She doesn’t really
buy in to the culture of drinking and shallow conversation
that Ayckbourn satirized in Act One (and continues to In this scene, Sidney and Ronald talk about Sidney’s recent
satirize now). And her desire to find happiness in the act of successes as a businessman. However, because Sidney’s
cleaning, while somewhat pathetic, is also rather poignant. exact profession is almost unknown to the audience, their
However, whatever sincerity and openness one finds in conversation is confusing. Sidney doesn’t even talk about
Jane’s speech gets undercut by the fact that Jane remains what business deals, in particular, have left him so much
oblivious to the fact that Eva is trying to commit suicide. better off than he was a year ago. Instead, he just says that
Jane can be honest about herself, but she’s still blind to the he’s had some lucky hunches. The word “lucky” is important,
suffering of other people—and in this sense, Jane is no since Sidney’s good fortune as a businessman seems
different from the other characters. unrelated to his talent or ambition. Sidney hasn’t earned
success for himself—just as he suggests here, he’s just been
lucky. Success “happened” to him; he didn’t earn it for
himself. The same could be said for any of the other
SIDNEY: Now. I'll give you a little tip, if you like. You’ll
characters in the play. Their fate is out of their hands:
never get a sink unblocked that way.
instead, they’re the passive victims of vast,
incomprehensible forces.
Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft (speaker), Eva
Jackson
SIDNEY: Don't do that! Don't do that! It's too late for that.
Related Themes:
Look at this shirt. This is a new shirt.
Page Number: 53
Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft (speaker)
After Jane begins scrubbing Eva’s oven, her husband Sidney Related Themes:
walks into the room. Noticing that Eva is bending over the
sink (she’s dropped the sleeping pills on which she is trying Page Number: 68
to overdose), Sidney wrongly assumes that Eva is trying to
repair her sink. Just like his wife, Sidney is so used to
thinking about household appliances (mostly as status Sidney has been busily repairing Eva’s pipes (even though
symbols) that he can’t see the blatant truth; Eva is trying to she hasn’t asked him to do anything of the kind, and in fact
end her life. hasn’t spoken at all). Then Jane accidentally runs the
faucets, spilling dirty water all over Sidney’s new shirt.
When Sidney begins repairing Eva’s sink, the play becomes
Sidney becomes surprisingly angry when this happens—he
more savagely funny and satirical. Act One of the play, while
yells that his shirt has been permanently ruined (although
hyperbolic in some ways, was for the most part believable as
one would think that he could just throw it in his washing
a portrait of middle-class life. In Act Two, however, the
machine). But the fact that Sidney would become so angry
characters behave in increasingly oblivious and grotesque
about a shirt suggests that, in the year between Act One
ways, and their acts become more symbolic of Ayckbourns’
and Act Two, he’s become even more selfishly materialistic,
satire of middle-class values, rather than expressions of how
and even more oblivious to the needs of other people.
middle-class people would literally behave.
Indeed, while Sidney complains about his shirt being ruined,
Eva is still trying to kill herself.

Act Three Quotes

the possible exception of Sidney Hopcroft, a man who, as
RONALD: Drink? No, I don't honestly think so. She's we’ve seen already, Geoffrey despises.
always liked a—I mean, the doctor did say she should lay off. But
As was the case in Act Two, it’s unclear why Geoffrey’s
that was only because it was acting as a stimulant—She hasn't
fortunes have plummeted. We’re given so little information
touched it lately.
about the collapse of the shopping complex that it’s
impossible to tell if the collapse was a product of Geoffrey’s
Related Characters: Ronald Brewster-Wright (speaker), carelessness, or just an unrelated mistake. More broadly,
Marion Brewster-Wright the passage suggests that Geoffrey’s fate—and the fates of
the other characters—is out of his own hands.
Related Themes:
Related Symbols:
RONALD: Both my wives, God bless them, they've given
Page Number: 73 me a great deal of pleasure over the years but, by God,
they've cost me a fortune in fixtures and fittings. All the same.
Explanation and Analysis Couldn't do without them, could we?
As Act Three begins, another year has gone by. Ronald’s
wife Marion has become bedridden for vaguely-defined Related Characters: Ronald Brewster-Wright (speaker),
reasons. Eva suggests that Marion is an alcoholic, while Marion Brewster-Wright
Ronald refuses to believe this. However, as the act goes on,
it becomes clear that Eva is exactly right. Ronald’s refusal to Related Themes:
believe the obvious truth about Marion is a form of denial:
he can’t accept the painful truth that his wife is addicted to Page Number: 79
alcohol (even though he begins to admit that she is, and
then cuts himself off). The passage is a telling example of the
way Ronald—and all the other characters—hide their Ronald delivers a long monologue about his marriages, and
problems from view rather than discussing them candidly. about his relationships with women in general. He mentions
Because their social milieu places so much stock in having been married once before marrying Marion, his
appearances, the characters repress their serious problems. current wife. However, his way of discussing his two wives is
surprisingly clinical and bloodless. He shows no real
affection for either woman; instead, he speaks about
women as if they’re investments, measuring the risks
EVA: Darling, I hate to remind you but ever since the against the rewards and coming to the bland conclusion
ceiling of the Harrison building caved in and nearly killed that he can’t do without them.
the Manager, Sidney Hopcroft is about your only hope of
surviving as an architect in this city. Ronald, no less than the other characters in the play, is a
vulgar materialist, somebody who measures everything in
life—even other people—based on how useful they might be
Related Characters: Eva Jackson (speaker), Walter for him.
Harrison, Geoffrey Jackson, Sidney Hopcroft
Related Themes:
RONALD: Nobody wants your damn picture, now shut up.
Related Symbols:
Related Characters: Ronald Brewster-Wright (speaker),
Page Number: 76 Marion Brewster-Wright
Related Themes:
In this expository line of dialogue, it’s revealed that
Geoffrey Jackson’s career is in crisis. He designed and built Page Number: 82
a shopping complex, but the building collapsed, nearly killing
a few people. Now, nobody in town will hire Geoffrey, with Explanation and Analysis

SIDNEY: Yes. Up at Walter's place. Walter Harrison.
In this passage, Marion Brewster-Wright has come down RONALD: Oh—old Harrison's.
from her room and proceeds to deliver a long monologue SIDNEY: Oh of course, you'll know him, won't you.
about how she was once a beautiful woman. She’s clearly RONALD: Oh, yes.
upset at having lost her looks (in part because she’s drank so GEOFFREY: Yes.
much in the last couple years). But instead of offering his SIDNEY: Oh, yes, of course. Asking you if you know old
wife sympathy, comfort, or even constructive advice, Ronald Harrison. I should think you do know old Harrison. He certainly
just tells her to shut up. His reaction, while cold and remembers you. In fact he was saying this evening...
unfeeling, is typical of the way the male characters in the
play treat their partners: they make no effort to provide
Related Characters: Geoffrey Jackson, Ronald Brewster-
sympathy or compassion. The failure of communication
Wright (speaker), Walter Harrison
between husbands and wives is one of the fundamental
flaws of middle-class life, as Ayckbourn depicts it.
Related Themes:
Page Number: 85-86

MARION: Why don't you just go in the hall and shout "Go
away" through the letter-box?
RONALD: Because he happens to have a very large deposit At Ronald’s party, Sidney is his usual obnoxious self. He
account with my bank. brags about having gone to another party before Ronald’s,
hosted by Walter Harrison—seemingly a powerful, wealthy
member of the community (and therefore a symbol of
Related Characters: Ronald Brewster-Wright, Marion
Sidney’s newfound social status). Furthermore, Sidney
Brewster-Wright (speaker), Jane Hopcroft, Sidney
brings up the fact that Geoffrey knows Walter, since it was
Hopcroft
Geoffrey who designed the ill-fated shopping complex
Walter owned.
Related Themes:
The passage is another good example of why it’s up to the
Page Number: 83 actors to interpret a playwright’s work. On paper, it’s
unclear if Sidney is trying to mock Geoffrey for his failings
Explanation and Analysis and brag about his own success, or if Sidney is genuinely
The Hopcrofts have arrived at the Brewster-Wrights’ clueless. A good performer playing Sidney has to make
house, and now they’re trying to get in. Nobody inside these kinds of choices, and in doing so provides his own
wants to see the Hopcrofts; they seem to find them interpretation of Ayckbourn’s text.
annoying. Furthermore, neither Geoffrey nor Ronald wants
to talk to Sidney Hopcroft, who’s become increasingly
successful over the last two years. Their envy for Sidney’s
SIDNEY: That's it. Dance. Come on. Dance. Dance. Come
financial success is palpable. But at the same time, Sidney’s
on. Dance. Dance. Dance. Keep dancing. Dance . . .
financial success is the only reason that Ronald doesn’t tell
Sidney to go away; he needs Sidney’s business at his bank,
which, we’ve already heard, is on the verge of going under. Related Characters: Sidney Hopcroft (speaker)
So because Ronald is so financially insecure and so
desperate for better social status, he decides not to tell Related Themes:
Sidney to leave.
Related Symbols:
Page Number: 93

The play ends with a funny yet disturbing image of the
characters playing a humiliating game. According to the
rules of the game, the characters must dance, and then stop
at the same time that the music stops. The last person to be
caught dancing must accept a “forfeit,” i..e., must carry an

object that makes it harder for them to continue dancing. Ayckbourn has been ruthless in exposing the various ways
None of the characters wants to play this game. But that middle-class people sacrifice their humanity in order to
because Sidney (who’s tried and failed to introduce party gain material wealth and social status. And the dance-game
games in each of the last two acts) is now such a powerful is the ultimate symbol of this idea. The characters sacrifice
businessman, the characters feel that they must play along their own dignity just so that they can impress Sidney, a man
in the hopes of staying in his good graces. whose name they could barely remember two years ago.
In all, the dance is a fitting way to bring the play to an end.

SUMMARY AND ANAL

ANALYSIS
YSIS
The color-coded icons under each analysis entry make it easy to track where the themes occur most prominently throughout the
work. Each icon corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart.
ACT ONE
The play begins “last Christmas” in the kitchen of the suburban Take careful note of the setting, not just the characters. First, it’s
home of Sidney Hopcroft and Jane Hopcroft, both in their suburban. This was a time when the British middle class was
thirties. Their home is modest, but it has modern appliances, expanding and moving out of cities and into suburbia. Note, also,
such as a fridge and a washing machine. Jane busily scrubs the the modern appliances—familiar signifiers of a bourgeois, middle-
floor with a cloth, singing as she works. Sidney walks cheerily class, materialistic environment. Meanwhile, Jane and Sidney both
into the room, wearing fancy, somewhat old-fashioned clothes. seem blandly happy in their respective gender roles. Altogether, it
seems like the kind of scene you’d find in an ad.
As Jane scrubs, Sidney notes that he has “a few games lined up We get a lot of information here. Jane and Sidney are planning a
.... just in case.” He also points out that Jane doesn’t really need party, and Jane sees to be more invested in keeping up appearances
to scrub the kitchen, since their guests that night won’t be than Sidney—in fact, she seems to be interested in cleaning, just for
standing there. Jane points out that some of the women might the sake of cleaning. Also notice that Sidney seems highly attuned to
want to look at the kitchen, but Sidney argues that bankers’ his guests’ social status: his goal this evening, it can be assumed,
wives won’t care about someone else’s kitchen. He mentions isn’t just to have fun; it’s to do some networking.
that he spilled something on a sideboard, and Jane, agitated,
immediately goes to clean the spillage, complaining that now
the house will smell of polish.
Sidney asks Jane for a “Christmas kiss,” but Jane instead says Sidney and Jane are neurotically, but also comically, interested in
that Sidney’s tie smells like fly spray. Then Sidney notes that it’s the tiny details of their party, right down to the number of minutes
8:28, meaning that the party officially starts in two minutes. until it starts. Also, Ayckbourn lets readers know upfront that the
Suddenly, the bell rings. Frantically, Jane says that she hasn’t Potters will never be seen. This is interesting because it might
sprayed the kitchen yet, and pulls out a spray canister. Sidney suggest that the entire act will be set in the kitchen, away from the
goes to let the first two guests, the Potters, into the house. guests and “behind the scenes” of this ordinary, banal Christmas.
These guests, Dick and Lottie Potter, are never seen, but their And in a way, that’s exactly what the play is: a behind-the-scenes
loud, braying laughs now fill the house. look at what it means to live an ordinary middle-class life.
Sidney ducks back into the kitchen, where Jane is still spraying. Sidney ranks his guests into a very clear hierarchy. Dick and Lottie
Jane remembers that she’s been wearing slippers—she’s left are just bodies in the room—he doesn’t particularly care about
her dress shoes by the fireplace, and begs Sidney to go get impressing them (which may be why he rudely left them alone). The
them at once. Sidney retreats back into the room with the Brewster-Wrights (even their last name sounds pompous and
Potters, and there is a sudden bellow of laughter. Then, Sidney fancy), however, are people whose favor Sidney is trying to win.
returns to the kitchen, carrying Jane’s shoes. He notes that it’s
lucky “it’s only Dick and Lottie” in the other room, rather than
the Brewster-Wrights.
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Jane and Sidney leave the kitchen, and the sound of laughter The fact that Sidney and Jane both know who “they” are would
and conversation from offstage fills the kitchen. Sidney returns suggest that they both regard the Brewster-Wrights as important
to look for a bottle opener, and suddenly the doorbell rings. people (though what makes them so important is anybody’s guess).
Sidney goes to open the door; a moment later he comes back
into the kitchen and hisses, “It’s them.” Jane knows that Sidney
means Ronald Brewster-Wright and his wife, Marion
Brewster-Wright.
A moment later, Jane, Sidney, and Ronald Brewster-Wright—a Ayckbourn’s description of Ronald is worth keeping in mind.
man in his mid-forties who is “impressive without being Nothing in this play, when it comes down to it, is particularly
distinguished”—burst into the kitchen. Ronald’s trousers are distinguished: the characters and setting and dialogue are all mostly
wet, and Jane is apologizing profusely for spilling on him. She tawdry and banal. By spilling a drink of Ronald’s trousers, Jane sets
offers him a tea towel, which he uses to dry his trousers. a more plainly comic, slapstick-y tone.
Marion Brewster-Wright, Ronald’s wife, enters the kitchen. Jane was right after all—bankers’ wives would want to see the
She praises the kitchen, especially the shiny “working surfaces” kitchen (and Ronald is, in fact, a banker, though we don’t know this
and the cupboard drawers, which can be filled with “all sorts of yet). So far, there hasn’t been any really substantive conversation:
things” and then shut and forgotten about. Marion also notices the guests are just making chit-chat about appliances and other
the washing machine, which was Sidney’s Christmas present to material things. Even when Marion tries to allude to politics and
Jane. She notices the dial that reads, “Whites-coloreds” and current events, however loosely, Jane has no idea what she’s talking
jokes, “it’s apartheid,” a comment that Jane doesn’t understand. about. (The apartheid system of racial segregation was still in effect
in South Africa when this play was released.)
The doorbell rings, and Jane leaves the room to greet the The characters keep harping on about the washing machine, almost
guests. Marion asks Sidney, who she calls “Mr. Hopcraft,” how as if they’re incapable of talking about anything else. By this point,
he managed to “squeeze” the washing machine into the kitchen. audiences are starting to get a sense for the “rhythm” of the
Sidney explains that he’s built all the shelves in the kitchen and play—every few minutes, somebody walks in or out of the kitchen,
measured the washing machine to fit underneath the shelves. and sometimes, there’s nobody in the kitchen at all.
Jane pokes her head into the kitchen and announces that the
Jacksons, Eva and Geoffrey, have arrived. Jane and Sidney walk
out of the kitchen.
Marion and Ronald stay in the kitchen, studying the washing Marion and Ronald don’t want to be at this party: they don’t seem
machine. Marion tells her husband to “make our excuses quite to take Sidney and Jane seriously, and dislike the other guests. It’s
shortly,” since she wants to get home to her children, finds Dick clear that they consider themselves to be superior to the others.
Potter’s jokes horrible, and doesn’t like the drinks. Ronald
complains that Jane spilled soda on his trousers while pouring
him a drink.
Sidney returns to the kitchen to summon the Brewster- Just a second after bad-mouthing the hosts, Marion flatters them
Wrights into the drawing room. Marion tells him, “we can’t tear for having a nice kitchen. So far, it’s worth noting, a decent chunk of
ourselves away from your divine kitchen,” but she and Ronald the conversation has been about the kitchen, suggesting that Jane
follow Sidney out. A moment later, Jane returns with an empty was right after all (and also that these guests aren’t very imaginative
bowl, which she fills with chips. Sidney follows her, explaining in their conversation).
that they’re out of tonic water. Jane asks him to tell Lottie to
stop eating so many chips.

Jane and Sidney continue looking for the tonic water, and Sidney’s tone is bullying and callous: he seems not to notice that he’s
Sidney complains that she’s “let us down” by forgetting where hurting his wife’s feelings, perhaps because he’s so fixated on
the tonic is—or, worse, forgetting to buy extra tonic. Sidney impressing his (supposedly important) guests, the Brewster-Wrights.
leaves the kitchen, and Jane stands alone, on the verge of tears. It’s interesting that Jane takes on the more active, physical role,
Suddenly she opens a drawer and begins counting out coins. running out to get more tonic. Also notice that she wears a man’s
She puts on her husband’s raincoat and then goes out into the coat, symbolizing that she’s performing a more traditionally
rain, leaving the back door ajar. masculine role.
Sidney returns to the kitchen, carrying Marion’s glass, which In contrast to the other guests, Eva is comically frank in her
needs tonic water. Then, Eva walks in. She’s in her thirties and conversation—instead of making idle chitchat about washing
“makes no concessions in either manner or appearance.” Eva machines, she “goes for it” and talks about her depression (or other,
explains that she needs some water so that she can take her unnamed mental illness). In a way, all the characters structure their
pills and avoid “turning into a raving lunatic.” She’s been taking existences around material things, on which they’re completely
pills since the age of eight, she claims, and finds it disturbing dependent—Eva with her pills, Jane with her appliances, etc. Yet Eva
that her existence is “geared round swallowing tablets every is the only character who seems not to like this state of affairs.
three hours,” including in the middle of the night. She accepts a
glass of water, drinks from it, and then throws it in the garbage
can.
Eva, speaking half to herself, goes on to explain that she and her Even though Eva in some ways seems more mentally unstable than
husband, Geoffrey, have left their dog, George, in the car so the other characters, she is also more self-aware. At least she’s not
that it won’t get too restless. However, the dog has a habit of obsessed with cleaning, like Jane, or currying favor, like Sidney.
sounding the car horn with its nose. As she speaks, Sidney
retrieves the glass from the trash. Eva, noticing him, says, “My
God was that me?” and says, “I am finally going mad.” She leaves
the kitchen.
Marion enters the kitchen, asking about her glass. She sips Marion is so out of touch with her senses, and reality, that she
from it and claims that it’s much better now that it has a little doesn’t even realize what she’s drinking (and this also foreshadows
tonic water—however, Sidney points out that it’s pure gin. her later alcoholism). There’s also some awkward flirting between
Marion teases Sidney, “what are you trying to do to me?” Sidney Marion and Sidney, even though Marion clearly isn’t interested in
points out that the mistletoe is in another room, and Marion the conversation (she can’t even remember Sidney’s name) and is
says, “Lead on,” though she can’t remember Sidney’s name. just going through the motions.
Sidney absent-mindedly closes the back door.
A moment later, Jane arrives at the back door, soaking wet, Even though viewers can’t see the living-room of the Hopcrofts’
with a carton of tonic waters. She finds that the door is locked. apartment, they can hear the squelching of the boots, symbolically
She knocks gently, then louder, but nobody hears. She decides undermining all the time that Jane presumably spent cleaning the
to try the front door. Sidney comes back into the kitchen, floors. Jane is doubly humiliated, first because she has to walk
carrying an empty chip-bowl. He sees the back door, realizes around in a man’s raincoat at her own party and second because
his mistake, and runs out into the rain. A moment later, he she hates dirtiness.
rushes back inside, and Jane comes in through the front door,
her boots squelching on the floor.

Back in the kitchen, Sidney asks Jane what happened, and Jane Jane is so self-conscious that she doesn’t want to continue on as a
explains that she went out for tonic water—Ronald Brewster- hostess. The fact that Ronald doesn’t recognize her in a raincoat
Wright let her in again. She notes, “I don’t think he recognized reinforces the fact that he’s quite indifferent to his two hosts, and
me” and admits that she doesn’t think she can face her guests doesn’t know them well.
now. Sidney says she should apologize to the guests.
Just then, Ronald enters the kitchen, and Jane rushes out the Sidney keeps up the charade and tells a bizarre lie about having an
back door rather than face her guest. Ronald explains that he “off-license” deliveryman, so that he can ask Ronald for a loan.
just let in a “little short chap.” Sidney hesitates, then says, “He Readers don’t really know what Sidney does for a living (something
was from the off-license” and brought some tonic water. Ronald with general stores, but that’s it). This, it’s suggested, is the
and Sidney discuss Sidney’s general store business, and Sidney conversation Sidney has been waiting all night to have: he’s
brings up a “chat” the two of them had the other day. Ronald desperate for that loan.
hesitates and then says, “I think the bank could probably see
their way to helping you out.”
Geoffrey Jackson, a handsome, confident man in his mid- Geoffrey is more comfortable talking about sex than the other
thirties, enters and asks, “Is there a chance of sanctuary here?” characters in the play, and here he introduces some “guy talk.”
He complains that Dick Potter is telling the women annoying Sidney joins in, sensing that that’s what he’s supposed to do, but he
jokes. Sidney claims that Dick is a “fascinating character,” a also gives the sense of being out of his element.
teacher who works with young people most of the time.
Geoffrey notes that Dick’s wife Lottie has sexy legs, especially
for a woman of her age. Sidney agrees, but then says he hasn’t
really seen Lottie’s legs.
Suddenly, Jane appears outside the back door. Sidney waves In this farcical section, Sidney manages to stop his guests from
her away, without his guests seeing him. Meanwhile, Ronald seeing Jane—it would seem that Ronald and Geoffrey are too busy
asks Geoffrey about a party the two of them went to, during talking about women to notice the actual woman standing by the
which Geoffrey flirted with a blonde. Geoffrey brags, “You have back door. Notice that Geoffrey never explicitly talks about sex or
no idea,” and Sidney tries to laugh along and give “noises of adultery, but gives the impression of having cheated on his wife. He
sexual approval.” Geoffrey complains that he wishes he could also boasts that he’s in charge in his household: his wife Eva has to
“bury” his wife sometimes. Ronald points out that Geoffrey is accept his infidelities. It’s unclear if Geoffrey really is the playboy he
lucky to have Eva, since she probably has a “jolly good idea” by claims to be, or if he’s only bragging. The mention of “burying” Eva is
now, but still lives with Geoffrey. Geoffrey says that Eva has also a dark joke foreshadowing her later attempts at suicide.
learned to live by his rules. He adds that there’s too much “good
stuff wandering around.”
Eva strolls into the kitchen and claims that the men have The “guy talk” comes to an abrupt end when Eva walks into the
“abandoned” the ladies at the party. Sidney leaves the kitchen. room. Ronald, who’d seemed to admire Geoffrey for cheating on his
Eva tells Geoffrey that they should get going, since their dog wife, is now reminded of his own spouse.
needs to go home and eat its dinner. She also tells Ronald, “Your
wife is looking slightly less than pleased.”
As Eva leaves, Geoffrey brings up a business deal with Geoffrey, it turns out, is just as eager as Sidney to get in Ronald’s
Ronald—he wants to know if Walter Harrison’s new shopping good graces: he needs Ronald to recommend him as an architect.
complex in the area has an architect yet. When Ronald says no, Ronald clearly has a lot of influence in his community, but it’s never
Geoffrey asks Ronald to put in a word with the owner of the fully explained why, beyond the fact that he’s a banker.
complex, and Ronald promises he will.

Marion enters the kitchen, just as Ronald is leaving. She tells Geoffrey and Marion enjoy a rare moment of camaraderie (which,
Geoffrey that the house is horribly ugly, and Geoffrey interestingly, contrasts with the “guy talk” of a few minutes ago),
agrees—he explains that houses like this are designed to be making fun of the Hopcrofts for their tiny, ugly house. The Hopcrofts
cheap, because people in the neighborhood usually aren’t have spent a lot of time making their home look nice, but their
choosey. She tells Geoffrey that he must come visit her and guests dismiss it right away. Marion’s invitation to Geoffrey could be
Ronald. interpreted as flirtatious, or it could just mean that Marion isn’t
keen on spending any more time with Eva Jackson.
Sidney and Ronald, now wearing his overcoat, come back into Notice that Marion invites Sidney and Jane to visit (whereas she
the kitchen. Marion thanks Sidney and tells him that he and extended this invitation to Geoffrey but not Eva). Sidney is clearly
Jane should visit them sometime—assuming he can ever find overjoyed to have extracted a promise of money from the powerful,
Jane. Alone in the kitchen, Sidney smiles and rubs his hands well-connected Ronald.
together.
Jane knocks on the back door and Sidney lets her in. Jane is a Sidney is so pleased with his agreement with Ronald that he’s
“sodden mess”—she explains that she stayed outside until all oblivious to Jane’s sadness and humiliation. He sees his guests as
the guests had left. Sidney claims that there was nothing he means to an end—financial success—rather than as interesting
could have said to the guests that would’ve explained Jane’s human beings.
bizarre behavior. The guests, he adds, are people “who can be
very, very useful to us.”
Sidney tells Jane that he’ll watch some television now—since Sidney’s obliviousness and lack of feeling for his wife suggests that
it’s Christmas Eve, there should be something good on. Sidney he’s single-mindedly focused on becoming rich. The act ends with
walks out, leaving Jane along in the kitchen. She stares at the the poignant image of Jane cleaning the same room she’d been
dirty things scattered around the room. She picks up a damp cleaning earlier in the day. This could be interpreted as a symbol for
cloth and begins to clean the room, singing happily to herself. the Sisyphean repetitiveness of Jane’s life. But at the same time,
Jane seems more content than the other characters in the play:
she’s the only one of them who seems to take genuine pleasure in
something, however superficial it might seem (whereas the other
characters seem more restless and uneasy).
ACT TWO
Act Two takes place “This Christmas” in the kitchen of Act Two takes place in a very different kind of middle-class home,
Geoffrey and Eva’s fourth-floor flat (apartment). The kitchen that of Geoffrey and Eva. Unlike Sidney and Jane, this couple
seems untidy—the appliances “have seen better days” and the doesn’t seem to place too much stock in appearances. Notice that
furniture is plain. Eva sits at the kitchen table, writing the act opens with another image of repetition, echoing the end of
something in a notepad. After a few moments of frustration, the previous act.
she tears up the page and starts again.

From offstage, Geoffrey plays with his dog, George. He walks Geoffrey and Eva show no fondness for each other: Eva doesn’t even
into the kitchen and kisses Eva. Eva barely notices—she’s too kiss her husband, and Geoffrey seems much more concerned with
busy writing. Geoffrey pours himself a drink and complains that his architectural project (the shopping complex mentioned in the
Walter Harrison’s shopping complex, which he’s been previous act) than in his wife’s well-being.
designing, is proceeding slowly, and it’s going to cost twice as
much as he’d thought.
Geoffrey notices that Eva seems distracted. He points out that Though never mentioned again, Geoffrey seems to be
she’s still in her dressing gown. Then, he mentions the contemplating running away with a woman named Sally, with
conversation they had last night. As they’d discussed, Geoffrey whom, it’s implied, he’s been having an affair. However, Geoffrey
will go and live with Sally. He hopes that Eva isn’t bitter about discusses the matter obliquely, so it’s unclear exactly what has
what’s happened, and promises that eventually he’ll want to see happened.
Eva again. Finally, he claims that he’ll be moved out by Boxing
Day.
Geoffrey recalls that some friends will be coming by soon and Bizarrely, Geoffrey and Eva are having a Christmas party, even
realizes that there’s only a little bit of liquor in the flat. As he though Geoffrey is apparently on the verge of leaving his wife
rummages through the drawers looking for alcohol, he reminds altogether. Sidney Hopcroft, a pathetic, struggling businessman in
Eva that the people coming to the flat that night are really Eva’s the previous act, is rapidly becoming a successful, respected figure,
friends, not his. One of these is “the up and coming Mr. though why this has happened is never explained.
Hopcroft,” and Geoffrey has no intention of being polite to him,
even though Mr. Hopcroft wants Geoffrey to come work for
him. Eva says nothing.
Geoffrey picks up a dishcloth and carries it around with him. He Geoffrey alludes to having hit Eva in the past. He’s a contemptible
turns to Eva and claims, “I’m being very patient,” and then says character: someone who seemingly takes out his frustration with his
that he might lose his temper, in which case he’ll probably hit job and his marriage by bullying his wife in various ways. Notice
Eva and she’ll “smash everything in the flat.” Just then, the bell that Eva, in contrast to her persona in the previous act, has yet to
rings. Geoffrey goes to answer the door and tells Eva to go to speak. However, the ominous way she attaches her note to the table
bed, so that things will be easier. Alone in the kitchen, Eva alerts the audience that something isn’t right.
finishes writing her note. She pins it to the table with a kitchen
knife.
Eva immediately turns to the window. She opens it and stands Eva is trying to commit suicide: she’s alluded to her problems with
on the ledge. Geoffrey comes back into the kitchen, explaining mental illness in Act One, and now her pills seem unable to improve
that the “bloody Hopcrofts” have arrived. He cleans some her mood. The passage sets up a contrast between the pettiness of
glasses and complains that Jane Hopcroft is too fussy about Geoffrey’s concerns about the party and the deep seriousness of
cleanliness. Just then, he notices that Eva is standing by the Eva’s suicide attempt—Ayckbourn will riff on this contrast for the
window. He pulls her back inside, and she begins to moan and rest of the act.
wail.
Geoffrey notices Eva’s note on the table and reads it. He asks Geoffrey recognizes that Eva has left a suicide note on the kitchen
Eva, “what do you mean, a burden to everyone?” Suddenly, Eva table. But despite this—whether because of his obliviousness, the
stands up and tries to cut herself with a bread knife. Geoffrey absurdity of the play’s world, or, more darkly, because he wants her
stops her and says he needs to call a doctor, who’ll probably be to kill herself—he leaves her alone.
able to “calm you down a bit.” He tells Eva to wait in the kitchen
while he makes the call.

Alone, Eva writes another note. Then, she turns to the oven and Gradually, the tone of the act becomes more and more farcical. Jane
sticks her head inside. Jane walks into the room, carrying some doesn't even realize that Eva is trying to kill herself: Jane is so
glasses. Eva tries to sit up, and bonks her head on the inside of obsessed with cleaning things that she assumes Eva is just cleaning
the oven. Jane tells her, “You shouldn’t be on the cold floor in her oven. The passage has a few choice examples of dramatic irony:
your condition, you know.” Jane notices that the oven is dirty Jane casually uses the idiomatic phrase “if it kills me,” even though
and says, “I must clean that oven if it kills me.” She looks around Eva is literally trying to kill herself.
the kitchen for oven cleaner.
Geoffrey walks back into the room, and Jane asks him if she Geoffrey’s time estimate seems pretty low (and, as it turns out, he’s
could borrow an apron. Geoffrey nods and explains that he’s gone for much longer than ten minutes). Also, his allusion to the
called a doctor, who’s out on another call. He decides to go out Muslim party downstairs is interesting, because in the 1970s
and find the doctor, which he claims should take no more than immigrants from Muslim countries began to come to the U.K. in
ten minutes. Jane promises to keep an eye on Eva while greater numbers than ever before. Jane, oblivious as ever, doesn’t
Geoffrey is gone. Geoffrey removes the knives from the room, question Geoffrey’s bizarre explanation for removing the knives
and then walks out. He claims that he’s taking the knives from the room.
downstairs to the group of Muslims having a big party. As
Geoffrey walks out, the bell rings.
Alone with Eva, Jane tells her that George is getting big. She Jane makes idle chitchat, of the kind she and her husband made in
adds that Dick Potter is very good with dogs. She also tells Eva the previous chapter. Viewers can deduce that Eva is trying to kill
that she usually prefers cleaning to socializing at parties—she’s herself by overdosing on pills (since, if she were merely taking her
never enjoyed drinking and chatting. As Jane talks, Eva finds a prescription, as she alluded to in Act One, she’d only take one pill).
small pillbox and swallows a pill, then another. Then she spills
the pills, and they disappear down the drain.
Sidney enters the room and sees Eva and Jane. He explains that Sidney, no less than his wife, is unable to recognize that Eva is
the Brewster-Wrights have arrived. Seeing that Eva is trying to suicidal. He’s so obsessed with material things, especially bourgeois
fish something out of the sink, she tells her, “You’ll never get a household appliances, that he has no understanding of people’s
sink unblocked that way.” He looks under the cupboard and feelings. The passage becomes even more darkly comic when Sidney
promises to fix the sink with a wrench. To explain things to Eva, ignores Eva’s suicide note and writes on the back. Eva’s “friends,”
he picks up Eva’s suicide note, glances at it, and then turns it contrary to what Jane suggests, pay almost no attention to her.
over and draws a diagram of the sink and pipe. Jane smiles and
tells Eva, “It’s at times like this you’re glad of your friends, aren’t
you?”
Sidney steps out of the room, and Eva finds a piece of rope, The farce expands as Eva tries other ways of killing herself, and is
climbs up on a chair, and begins to tie the rope around a ceiling foiled again and again. Notice, also, that the characters believe
light. She tears out the bulb and the fitting, and begins to yawn they’re giving Eva valuable help by repairing her kitchen, to the
as a result of taking two sleeping pills. Suddenly, Ronald enters point where they feel they have the right to repair her appliances in
the kitchen, and behind him Lottie Potter’s laughter can be the middle of a Christmas party. Appliances, it sometimes seems,
heard. He notices Eva standing on the table, and Jane tells him, are the only things they understand.
“Bulb’s gone.” Ronald offers to fix the bulb for Eva. Meanwhile,
Sidney has retrieved a heavy bag of tools, including a wrench,
from his car, and begins fixing the pipes.

Ronald gets up to change the bulb and notices that the fitting Ronald doesn’t realize that Eva wants the ceiling wires to be live: he
has been removed, leaving bare wires. Sidney offers to fix the still assumes that she’s just trying to repair her light bulb, despite all
light, and again writes on the back of Eva’s suicide note to evidence to the contrary.
explain what he’s doing. As he writes, Eva “scrawls another
suicide note.” Then, she stands on the table again and reaches
her hands out to the bare wires on the ceiling. Sidney and
Ronald stop her, warning, “They might have been live.”
Sidney checks to make sure the light is turned off, and tells In this passage, we get a very small amount of information about
Ronald that it’s safe to touch the wires. While Ronald and how the different characters view one another. Sidney, no longer a
Sidney perform their respective jobs, Sidney asks what Marion struggling, pathetic businessman, has had a good year—but readers
is up to, and Ronald explains that she’s probably in the living- still don’t fully understand why, or even what Sidney’s job consists
room, talking to the Potters, adding that Marion’s been “on her of. There’s an interesting contrast between the concrete, literal
pins” lately. Ronald praises Sidney for having had a good year, nature of the characters’ “work” in this scene, and the ambiguity
and Sidney admits he’s had some “lucky hunches.” surrounding what the characters “do for work.”
While Jane, Sidney, and Ronald work, Eva writes yet another Marion’s exclamation is another good example of dramatic irony:
suicide note, and then finds a tin of paint stripper. She tries to audiences recognize that the real “ghastly” event, Eva’s attempted
pry open the tin, but can’t. Just then, Marion enters the room suicide, is taking place right in the kitchen. Also, notice that George
and says that something “ghastly” has happened—George has has bitten Dick, even though Dick is supposed to be good with
bitten Dick Potter’s leg. Meanwhile, Eva rummages through the animals. This could symbolize the heightening menace and internal
bag and finds a screwdriver. Marion asks, “How’s the invalid?” strife of the British middle-class household. Finally, notice that
and Ronald replies, “Very groggy.” Marion shrugs and offers Marion carelessly gives Eva a drink, even though Eva has already
everyone a drink. She gives a drink to Eva, just as she’s used the overdosed on sleeping pills.
screwdriver to open the tin.
Sidney suggests that the guests play a party game. Just then, In each of the three acts, Sidney suggests that the guests play a
Ronald drops a small “thing” that’s a part of the ceiling lights. game (but they only play in Act Three). Ronald’s electrocution is
Sidney crawls around on his hands and knees, trying to find the sickening but also darkly hilarious—almost like a gag in an old
“thing.” Ronald decides he doesn’t need the “thing”—a Charlie Chaplin or Jerry Lewis movie. The pile of male and female
nut—after all—he wants a screw instead. Marion puts the light clothes has been interpreted as a symbol of the scrambled gender
on so make easier to see; just then Ronald, who’s touching the roles of the English middle class, and the emasculation of the
wires in the ceiling, begins to “vibrate” and moan. Marion turns middle-class man.
off the light, and Sidney and Jane carry Ronald down. The
guests cover Ronald, who seems cold and weak, in “an
assortment of laundry, both male and female.”
Marion offers Ronald a drink, and Ronald replies, in a strained Notice that Marion’s solution to every problem is to offer someone a
voice, “I feel very peculiar.” Jane goes to wash her hands in the drink—this’ll become important, and rather tragic, in Act Three. The
sink, and when she turns on the sink, water drips down the pipe slapstick-y tone of the scene builds when Sidney gets doused with a
and onto Sidney, who’s still underneath the sink. Sidney, sink-full of dirty water. Again, the characters all complain about
irritated, tells Marion that she’s ruined a new shirt, and that comically trivial matters, even as their “friend” Eva contemplates
he’s going to get his overcoat before he freezes. He angrily tells ending her life.
Eva, “That dog of yours is a liability,” and adds, “This is the last
time I accept hospitality in this household.”

Faintly, Eva begins to sing, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Surprisingly, Eva stops trying to kill herself and takes refuge in a
After each verse, a guest joins in—first Marion, then Jane, then Christmas carol—as do the other characters. And this, curiously
Ronald, then Sidney. In the distance George barks. Suddenly, enough, is one of the only times in the play when the characters
Geoffrey walks in. He’s astounded by the sound of his guests come together to celebrate a Christmas tradition. Perhaps
and his wife singing. Ayckbourn’s point is that Eva, like the other women in the play, has
the ability to escape her sadness and take comfort in little things like
music (much as Jane takes comfort in cleaning). Finally, the
materialistic aspect of “The Twelve Days of Christmas” makes it the
perfect song choice for these crass, materialistic guests.
ACT THREE
Act Three takes place “next Christmas” in the kitchen of the Ayckbourn first introduced the Brewster-Wrights as an impressive
Brewster-Wrights’ old Victorian house. The kitchen has many couple with a lot of social status, and their house would seem to
modern appliances, but also the “flavor” of the original support such an interpretation. Victorian architecture still signifies
Victorian design. Ronald sits in an armchair, wearing a scarf and wealth and prestige. However, the chilliness of the house (signaled
listening to the radio. He reads a book, and laughs out loud by Ronald’s scarf) might also symbolize the couple’s cold,
every couple seconds. emotionless life together.
Eva walks into the rom, wearing a winter coat. She complains Eva has come by to take care of Ronald’s wife, Marion. Eva—quite
that the house is very cold, and Ronald asks her if “her room’s reasonably, given her earlier behavior—suggests that Marion is an
all right.” Eva tells Ronald that “she” would like a sandwich, and alcoholic, something which Ronald (who appears to be in denial
adds that “she” is doing much better. Ronald thanks Eva for about his wife) won’t acknowledge.
dropping by, and assures her that Marion appreciates it, too.
Marion, he explains, has been living “on her nerves” lately, since
she’s very insecure. Eva suggests that this may be because she
drinks too much, but Ronald denies this, claiming that she
hasn’t been drinking at all, lately.
Ronald offers Eva a drink, and she accepts after turning it Even after they discuss alcoholism, the characters continue to drink,
down the first time. Just then, the bell rings, and Eva says that suggesting that they’re all highly dependent on alcohol (if not
it’s probably Geoffrey. Ronald walks off to answer the door. A actually alcoholics). Eva, not Geoffrey, takes an active role in her
moment later, Geoffrey walks into the kitchen and asks Eva, family’s finances, while her husband (charismatic and active in the
“How is she?” Eva replies, “drunk.” Eva asks Geoffrey if he asked previous acts) is now more passive and laconic. No explanation is
Ronald for money, and Geoffrey says he hasn’t. Eva points out offered for why Eva, suicidal in the previous section, seems so much
that Ronald owes Geoffrey the money, and claims that she’ll calmer here. The implication is that Eva’s stability and mental
bring it up with Ronald after Christmas. health is outside her own control.

Ronald enters the room, noting that there seems to be little Ronald refuses to accept that his wife is an alcoholic and, in all
alcohol left in the house, even though he bought some recently. probability, is the one who’s been sneaking drinks. This is also one of
He guesses that his maid has been sneaking drinks. Ronald the only times in the play when it’s suggested that a woman has a
goes off to look in other parts of the house. Alone, Eva tells job outside the house. This could be interpreted to signal that the
Geoffrey that she hates working for him—he leaves in the Jacksons’ finances are plummeting since the shopping complex
middle of the day, leaving Eva to do all his typing. Eva also Geoffrey designed collapsed (since he has hired his wife to save
suggests that Geoffrey reach out to Sidney Hopcroft, but money). Finally, notice that Sidney’s fortunes have continued to rise
Geoffrey refuses to get involved in his “seedy little schemes.” while Geoffrey’s have gone down—but again, Ayckbourn offers no
Eva replies that ever since the roof of Walter Harrison’s explanation for why this should be so. The result is that Sidney’s
shopping complex caved in and nearly killed the Manager, good fortune feels as accidental and beyond his own control as does
“Sidney Hopcroft is about your only hope of surviving as an Geoffrey’s bad fortune.
architect in this city.”
Ronald returns with the drinks, and the three of them toast Ronald is reading a child’s book, suggesting his infantilism (much
and drink. Geoffrey notes, “Bit quieter than last Christmas, like in the previous act). Ronald’s fortunes, just like Geoffrey’s, are
eh?” He notices the book Ronald was reading—a “saucy” thing, plummeting: that’s why he’s pleased simply because he’s not losing
Ronald explains, which he found under “one of the boys’ money.
mattresses.” He tells Geoffrey that he was sorry to hear about
the collapsed shopping complex. Geoffrey asks Ronald how his
bank is doing, and Ronald explains, “We’re not in the red, yet.”
The bell rings, and Ronald explains that it’s Marion upstairs. Eva This is one of the few times in the play when a male character
goes to attend to Marion. With Geoffrey, Ronald reminisces explicitly voices his feelings about women. Ronald sees his
about his first wife, a woman who left him abruptly and wrote relationships with women as being unpredictable and beyond his
him a letter saying, “she’d had enough.” Ronald next married own control. He’s alienated from everything and everyone, even his
Marion, but he still thinks about his first wife sometimes. He own wife (who, one would think, he’d understand pretty well).
adds that he still has no idea “what most women think about
anything.”
Eva enters the room again. Ronald asks her how their dog is The characters often describe Dick as an annoying, bothersome
doing, and Eva tells him, “We had to … give him away.” Ronald character, but they also seem lonely without Dick in the picture.
remembers that Dick Potter had to have three stitches Also, Eva’s comments could be interpreted to mean that she and
because of his dog bite. Dick Potter is mountain-climbing in Geoffrey had to have George put down because he bit somebody, or
Switzerland this Christmas, meaning “We’ll have to do without that they had to give the dog away because they could no longer
old Dick to jolly us up this year.” afford to take care of him.
Suddenly, Marion walks into the room. She greets the guests To Marion, Christmas is an excuse to get drunk (as it is for plenty of
and thanks them for coming. Ronald warns her that she needs people). And yet she’s drinking not for its own sake, but because
to put on warmer clothing. After Marion asks him for a drink, she’s miserable. She’s dissatisfied with the direction her life has
Ronald starts to say, “The doctor said very plainly …” Marion gone. Obsessed with appearances, she hates herself for having lost
cuts him off, saying, “For the love of God, Ronnie, it’s her looks as she’s grown older. Ronald, as unfeeling as ever, offer
Christmas.” Then, she begins to weep. She tells the guests that Marion no sympathy and simply silences her.
she used to be a very beautiful woman. Ronald cries, “Nobody
wants your damn picture, now shut up.”

The doorbell rings, and Eva goes to see who it is. She comes This scene is equal parts slapstick, horror, and social realism. We see
back to the kitchen and tells Ronald that it’s the Hopcrofts. how far Ronald has fallen—to the point where just one deposit could
Ronald says “Oh, good grief,” and Geoffrey adds, “Heaven make or break his bank. At the beginning of the play, Sidney and
forbid.” Marion asks Ronald why he doesn’t yell for them to go Jane had to grovel and flatter in the hopes of getting Ronald’s
away, and Ronald replies, “Because he happens to have a very attention. But now the shoe’s on the other foot: it is Ronald who has
large deposit account with my bank.” Eva suggests that they to stay in Sidney’s good graces.
just sit silently and wait for the Hopcrofts to go away. Ronald
turns off the lights in the kitchen. They can hear the Hopcrofts
walking around to the back door. The Hopcrofts are dressed in
party hats and they’re clearly a little drunk. Suddenly, Ronald
says, “I’ve got a nasty feeling I didn’t lock the back door.”
Sidney opens the back door, even though Jane tells him not to. This is another good example of the play’s tragicomic tone. It’s
He shoots back, “I haven’t yet forgiven you for that business at hilarious, and almost like something out of a sitcom, that the guests
the party. How did you manage to drop a whole plate of trifle?” are caught in the act of trying to hide from Sidney and Jane. Yet it’s
Sidney and Jane walk into the kitchen and turn on the light, to also horribly sad: whatever community these six “friends” once had
find Ronald, Marion, Geoffrey, and Eva trying to hide in various has been torn apart as their fortunes have veered in wildly different
spaces. There’s a pause, and then Marion says, “Boo.” directions.
Ronald offers Sidney and Jane drinks, and Sidney mentions Sidney has evidently become a powerful member of the community
that he’s just come from Walter Harrison’s party. He turns to (signaled by the fact that he knows Harrison, the owner of the
Geoffrey and says, “You’ll know him, won't you?” He mentions shopping complex). While it’s difficult to know how to interpret
that he and Jane went to the party partly for pleasure, but adds, Sidney’s character (and this is largely up to the actors and directors,
“You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.” not just Ayckbourn), Ayckbourn suggests that Sidney, for all his new
wealth, is still a rather petty, pathetic character. He thinks in empty
clichés, and doesn’t seem to understand the source of his own
fortune.
Jane offers Ronald and Marion their presents, which they open, Sidney’s present for Ronald is pricey, a signifier of his new social
confused. Jane and Sidney explain that the presents are a set of status. But it’s also impersonal—nothing in the play so far suggests
electrical screwdrivers for Ronald and a bottle of gin for that Ronald would particularly enjoy receiving screwdrivers for
Marion. Jane also gives Ronald two “rather ghastly woolly toys” Christmas. Even more impersonal is Marion’s bottle of gin:
for Ronald and Marion’s children. Finally, Jane produces a tiny apparently, the Hopcrofts don’t realize Marion is an alcoholic (or
bell, which she gives to Geoffrey, saying that he can put it on don’t care, or are even trying to mock her for her addiction). The
George’s collar. She apologizes for not bringing any presents Hopcrofts are so obsessed with material things that they lack any
for Geoffrey and Eva—she didn’t know they’d be there. sense of empathy or compassion for others.
Ronald tells Sidney and Jane, “You’ll have to excuse us if we’re This is a good example of a place where the actors and director can
not our usual cheery selves.” However, Marion says, “I’m choose how to interpret Ayckbourn’s dialogue. Marion could be
perfectly cheery.” Eva mentions that Geoffrey is “dying” to do speaking sarcastically, or not. And depending on how Sidney delivers
jobs for Sidney, and Sidney replies, “I’ll certainly keep him in his line, he could be dangling his new wealth in front of Geoffrey, or
mind. Really rather depends.” he could be genuinely clueless.

Sidney and Jane tell the others, “We’re going to get you all For the third time in the play, Sidney tries to get everyone to play a
jumping about.” Sidney proceeds to tell Jane about his idea for a game. And this time, due to his new status, he succeeds: the guests
game, but because the radio is playing too loudly, it’s impossible have no desire to play, but they’re too desperate to say no.
to hear what he’s saying. Jane and Sidney proceed to remove all
the chairs in the kitchen, and then roll up the carpet.
Sidney explains that they’ll be playing a game called Musical The game is a sly parody of the different characters’ struggles for
Dancing. The point of the game is to stop dancing at the exact material success. In a way, they’ve been “dancing” for prizes all
moment when the music stops. The person who’s caught along: Geoffrey tries to charm Ronald into giving him an
dancing after the music stops will get a forfeit (an item they architectural contract, for example. Thus, the game is a microcosm
must carry), and at the end of the game, the person with the for the middle-class world the characters inhabit.
least forfeits gets a chocolate Father Christmas (i.e., Santa
Claus).
The game begins, and everyone but Jane and Sidney begins It’s perfectly obvious that none of the characters (except perhaps
dancing. Marion dances in a shaky “classical ballet style,” while Marion) want to play the game, but they play along anyway in an
the others dance “sheepishly and reluctantly.” Ronald gets the effort to stay in Sidney’s good graces. The game, much like the
first forfeit, an apple under the chin, followed by Eva, who gets Hopcrofts’ gifts, is absurd and impersonal: again, Marion is made to
an orange between the knees. The rest of the game proceeds drink. Finally, notice that neither of the Hopcrofts is playing the
more quickly, with the characters all getting forfeits. Marion’s game: as the organizers (and, as we’ve seen, the people with the
forfeit is to drink a shot of gin, which Ronald tries to most social clout), they have the privilege of watching everyone else
protect—but when he does so, he drops his own forfeit, a spoon humiliating themselves for the sake of potential money or status.
in the mouth. Thus, Jane gives him another forfeit, a pear on
the spoon in his mouth.
The game proceeds, with the characters “accumulating bizarre The play ends with a tragicomic image of the characters dancing.
appendages.” Eventually, Sidney no longer stops the music at The sight is funny, but also disturbing, since it suggests that the
all: he just yells out, “Dance. Dance. Dance. Keep dancing. characters are so desperate to succeed that they’re willing to throw
Dance …” And the curtain falls. away all dignity. For now, Sidney and Jane seem to be on top, but
there’s no guarantee that they’ll stay there. In the unstable middle-
class world in which this play takes place, everything is in a state of
flux.

To cite any of the quotes from Absurd Person Singular covered in

HOW T
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O CITE the Quotes section of this LitChart:
To cite this LitChart: MLA
MLA Ayckbourn, Sir Alan. Absurd Person Singular. Grove Press. 1994.
Arn, Jackson. "Absurd Person Singular." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 27 CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL
Sep 2017. Web. 21 Apr 2020.
Ayckbourn, Sir Alan. Absurd Person Singular. New York: Grove
CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL Press. 1994.
Arn, Jackson. "Absurd Person Singular." LitCharts LLC, September
27, 2017. Retrieved April 21, 2020. https://www.litcharts.com/lit/
absurd-person-singular.

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Absurd Person Singular

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ALCOHOL Act One Quotes

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Related Characters: Jane Hopcroft, Sidney Hopcroft,

Explanation and Analysis Related Characters: Eva Jackson, Sidney Hopcroft

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Explanation and Analysis

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Explanation and Analysis

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Page Number: 48 JANE: I must clean that oven if it kills me.

Explanation and Analysis Related Characters: Jane Hopcroft (speaker), Sidney

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Act Three Quotes

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Explanation and Analysis

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SUMMARY AND ANAL

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To cite any of the quotes from Absurd Person Singular covered in

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