Intimate Exchanges is actually a cycle of 16 plays, all of which hinge on a woman's decision whether or not to have a cigarette. From this moment come two plays, each of which split again after they document the next five days, then again when the plays document the next five weeks, and then again when the plays have documented the next five years. Throughout the plays, the characters follow different fates, as they marry, have affairs, argue, tie each other up in sheds, and walk over the edges of cliffs. Few actual changes occur, however, except to Sylvie -- the central character. Ayckbourn's hilarious choose-your-own-adventure play cycle shows that our simple choices can have massive repercussions, and yet few actions or choices truly change who we are.
Intimate Exchanges guide sections
