Life of Riley (play)

Life of Riley
Written byAlan Ayckbourn
CharactersKathryn
Colin
Simeon
Tamsin
Jack
Monica
Date premiered21 September 2010
Place premieredStephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Original languageEnglish
SubjectTerminal illness, relationships
GenreComedy
Official site
Ayckbourn chronology
My Wonderful Day
(2009)		 Neighbourhood Watch
(2011)

Life of Riley is a 2010 play by Alan Ayckbourn. It was first performed at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.[1]

Structure

It is set over a period over the seven months that a man called George Riley is diagnosed with a terminal illness, although George Riley does not appear in the play himself and is only ever referred to by the six onstage characters.

This play is the only Ayckbourn play to directly reference another Ayckbourn play (Relatively Speaking) within the story.[2]

Characters

  • George Riley (unseen)
  • Colin
  • Kathryn
  • Jack
  • Tamsin
  • Monica - Riley's ex-wife
  • Simeon
  • Small boy (unseen)
  • Teenage daughter (unseen)
  • Basil Bender (unseen) [3]

Adaptation into film

The play was filmed by the French director Alain Resnais, as Aimer, boire et chanter (2014).[4]

References

  1. ^ Berry, Kevin (22 September 2010). "Life of Riley review at Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough | Review | Theatre | The Stage". The Stage. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  2. ^ Ayckbourn, Alan (2011). Alan Ayckbourn Plays 5: Snake in the Grass; If I Were You; Life and Beth; My Wonderful Day; Life of Riley. Faber & Faber. ISBN 9780571274635.
  3. ^ Purves, Libby (21 September 2010). "The Life of Riley at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough". The Times. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  4. ^ Kenny, Glenn (24 October 2014). "Life of Riley Movie Review & Film Summary (2014) | Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Retrieved 18 June 2018.


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