Overview
Synopsis
Alan Ackybourn’s Confusions is series of five, short, interlinked one-act plays: Mother Figure, Drinking Companion, Between Mouthfuls, Gosforth’s Fete, and A Talk in the Park. Some of the characters appear in more than one play; others are only seen in one. Each play is vastly different - one is comedic (Gosforth’s Fete), another naturalistic (Drinking Companion), and yet another is stylized (Mother Figure). Each, however, deals with the common themes of loneliness and relationships. The characters and their conflicts are immediately recognizable and applicable to everyday lives, and each play leaves the reader, or viewer, questioning their own lives and relationships.
**Ideally the play should be performed by five actors with them playing the following roles:
Actor 1 (m): Terry; Waiter (both Drinking Companion & Between Mouthfuls); Stewart; Arthur Actor 2 (m): Harry; Martin; Vicar; Ernest Actor 3 (f): Lucy; Bernice; Mrs Pearce (both Between Mouthfuls & Gosforth’s Fete); Beryl Actor 4 (f): Rosemary; Paula; Polly; Milly; Doreen Actor 5 (m): Mr Pearce; Gosforth; Charles
Note: The acting roles listed in the Samuel French edition for the 1976 London production do not reflect the author’s intention for how the roles should be split between the five actors. -http://confusions.alanayckbourn.net/styled-4/index.html
Show Information
- Book
- Alan Ayckbourn
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 5
- First Produced
- 1974
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
- Settings
- Contemporary
- Cast Size
- large
- Orchestra Size
- None
- Dancing
- None
- Ideal For
- professional theatre, university / college theatre, amateur theatre, community theatre, College/University, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Large Cast
Context
Plot
Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Mrs. Pearce - appears in Between Mouthfuls and Gosforth’s Fete |
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Sorry! We do not currently have terms for this guide.
Videos
Quizzes
Sorry! We do not currently have quizzes for this guide.
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Quote Analysis
Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.
Guide Written By:
