A Brief History of Women

Frodsham Players

A Bried History of Women

Frodsham Community Centre

29/4/26

Alan Ayckbourn has written 91 full-length plays and is one of the world’s most-performed living playwrights. Knighted in 1997 for services to the theatre, he received the 2010 Critics’ Circle Award for Services to the Arts and became the first British playwright to receive both Olivier and Tony Special Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Alan Ayckbourn’s 2017 play A Brief History of Women (his 81st play) follows the life of Anthony Spates; a comedy in four parts about an unremarkable man and the remarkable women who loved him, left him, or lost him over 60 years; and of the equally remarkable old Kirkbridge Manor house that saw and heard it all happen. From his first unsettling encounter as a very young man in 1925, to an unexpected reunion late in life, Anthony Spates’ romantic progress is captured in this quirky and gently touching comedy. Structured in four parts, the play showcases his journey from a servant to a school teacher and later a hotel manager, navigating love, loss, and social change. The play explores the idea that, while women are central to Anthony’s life, he remains an observer to whom things happen, reflecting on social, domestic, and personal changes in England.

At Kirkbridge Manor, 1925

An autumn evening at Kirkbridge Manor where the engagement of Lady Cynthia (Zoe Edwards), step-daughter of Lord Edward Kirkbridge (Dan O’Donnell), and Captain Fergus Ffluke (George Jenknson) is being celebrated. Lady Cynthia is agitated complaining to her Mother Caroline (Ali Wheeler), that Lord Edward has her fiancé Fergus trapped in his study plying him with brandy.
Anthony Spates (Taylor-Mahoney-Pendleton), 17, is from the local village, employed as an occasional waiter at the manor has been ensuring that he two gentlemen are not short of brandy. Caroline (Ali Wheeler), and Mrs Reginald Ffuke, Fergus’s mother (Sue Southern) who have been entertaining themselves in the drawing room. Caroline has become increasingly drunk and irritated that her husband is apparently shunning the party. Her anger boils over as her daughter is upset, she barges into his private study and they argue, culminating in Caroline accusing him of being a homosexual. Incensed and agitated Kirkbridge goes to strike her, but Spates stops him as the elder man suffers a stroke.
Kirkbridge is taken to his room and Caroline assures Spates he is not to blame, even if he will lose his job. She enquires if Antony is happy, then asking if he finds her beautiful. She moves to kiss him, but is interrupted by the news Kirkbridge has suffered a second stroke and is unlikely to survive. Realising her own future is uncertain and Cynthia's engagement has been cancelled, Caroline urges Spates to make something of himself in a changing world and consider further education. As he leaves, she impulsively gives him his first kiss.

At Kirkbridge Girls Boarding School, 1945
Bonfire night 1945 and Spates (Iain Bennet) having taken Caroline's advice and financial help returned as a teacher to what is now a girl’s boarding school. Now in a 'clandestine' relationship with the French teacher, Ursula Brock (Carrie Bennett). Headmaster Dr Wynford Williams (Andrew Wilson), who wishes the couple be more discreet or formalise their union. Spates would like to, but Ursula is still affected by the death of her husband, Jimmy, during the war.
Leading the bonfire celebrations is sports teacher Des (Sam Davis), formerly in munitions and who makes his own fireworks. He excitedly reveals to his colleagues, Miss Phoebe Long (Martina Keith-Stewart) and Miss Eva Miller (Sue Southern) the fireworks will end with the Magnesium Magnificence a massive rocket.
During break, Spates tells Ursula he wants things to move on, but she reveals Jimmy still visits her at night, and has promised he will return in a blinding light. Spates thinks this is doubtful on all accounts.
Come the bonfire display, Ursula is suddenly overcome and tries to make love to Spates. as his trousers come down, the Magnesium Magnificence erupts, illuminating Spates and Ursula in front of the school. Appalled, the headmaster berates them both, but Ursula wanders off convinced Jimmy has returned. As the finale rocket takes off, she grabs on and everyone watches horrified as the rocket and she explode in the sky above.
Spate’s resignation is demanded and the next day he leaves the school.

 At Kirkbridge Arts Centre, 1965
It is December 1965, the swinging sixties,  and Spates (Mike Howard) is now the Administrative Director as the house now transformed into an arts centre, involving local amateur dramatics, chaotic rehearsals, and tangled love affairs. Currently preparing for its annual panto; a labour of love for director, panto dame, writer Dennis Dunbar.(Jake Powell) Rehearsals that evening are not going smoothly and Dennis's long-suffering wife, Gill (Yvette Owen), discovers the front-end of her panto-cow is injured.
Gill and Spates go to watch Dennis and his principal boy, Pat Wriggly (Clare Prebble), rehearse the panto's opening scene. After losing their lead man, Rory (Andrew Wilson), because of the 'offensive' script, Dennis and Pat leave to rehearse their duet, leaving Gill and Spates together.
Gill encourages Spates to reveal a little more about his life, but reveals more of her unhappy marriage. They later interrupt Dennis and Pat, who have been indulging in slightly more than a musical duet. An upset Gill realises her marriage is over and she accompanies Spates as he closes the centre for the evening. In the theatre, Gill asks the MD to play the panto-cow music and, as she teaches him the cow dance, a spark is kindled…

At Kirkbridge Manor Hotel, 1985
A summer evening at Kirkbridge Manor Hotel where Spates (David Leslie), retired but covering for the current manager, welcomes Tilly and Jim Seabourne -Watson who have brought their 98 year old, wheelchair bound grandmother, Caroline Seabourne (Carol Crooks), to stay.
Spates, it transpired, married Gill - who died a couple of years previously - and lives with his stepdaughter and their husband. The condescending couple ask if Spates worked at the Manor when Caroline lived there before asking her if she remembers Spates. She says she gave him his first kiss, much to their disbelief.
Left alone, Caroline asks Spates to take her into the garden to look at the house. Caroline tells him houses never forget people and asks if he can hear the house talking. He says no, but as she takes his hand, he hears the faint music of the panto cow dance. They are left listening to the house and their memories.

 

 

 The overall production of Alan Ayckbourn’s “A Brief History of Women” was handled with great sensitivity and intelligence, allowing the emotional depth and humour of the piece to shine throughout all four periods of the story. The direction ensured smooth transitions between timelines, maintaining clarity while allowing each era to develop its own atmosphere.

The open staging was both imaginative and effective, creating a fluid performance space that enabled the audience to move seamlessly through the changing decades without disrupting the pace of the play itself. Costuming was successful in distinguishing the passage of time, with each era convincingly realised through thoughtful wardrobe choices that reflected both changing fashions and the development of the characters.

Overall, this was a polished, engaging and highly accomplished production which demonstrated a strong understanding of Ayckbourn’s writing. The combined efforts of the director, and cast resulted in a memorable theatrical experience that was hilarious, emotionally resonant and visually effective. An evening of quality live theatre.

 

Joanne Rymer

NODA

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