Family discord at the heart of ‘Table Manners’

The play is the first part of a trilogy written by acclaimed playwright Alan Ayckbourn called “The Norman Conquests”, focusingd on the activities of a character called Norman, central to all three                           plays.
Each play is a stand-alone piece and features the scenes in a country house during the course of a weekend. In “Table Manners” the action takes place in the dining room, where hilarity results from a descent into family discord.

It has been directed by Gloria Prentice, now based in Australia but who has returned home especially to be involved with this production, which stars Sue Bolt, John Dennison, Fiona Garrity, Kevin Hanssen, Tim Harrap and Vanessa Vos.
Alan Ayckbourn is one of Britain’s best-known playwrights, with 75 plays written and performed to date. Almost all received their first performance at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, with more than 35 of his works being subsequently staged in the West End, at the National Theatre or by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Major successes include “Relatively Speaking”, “How the Other Half Loves”, “Absurd Person Singular”, “Bedroom Farce”, “A Chorus of Disapproval”, “A Small Family Business”, “Henceforward . . .”, “Comic Potential”, “Things We Do For Love” and “House & Garden”.
In 2009, Matthew Warchus’ hit-in-the-round production of “The Norman Conquests” first seen at the Old Vic transferred to Broadway, earning a Tony for Best Revival of a Play.

Although Ayckbourn stepped down in 2009 as artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, a post he held for 37 years, he continues to guest direct there.
His plays have been translated into 35 languages, have won many awards nationally and internationally and have been performed worldwide on stage and television.

Gloria Prentice has a long and distinguished theatrical career, having directed productions in Bulawayo, Mazowe-Concession and in Harare.

She has a particular love of Reps Theatre and has directed various plays on the Reps main stage an in Theatre Upstairs.
“Table Manners” runs until Saturday June 30, with performances each evening at 7pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and matinee performances on Saturdays at 2.30pm. Advance booking is available at The                              Spotlight.