Absurd Person Singular

Alan Ayckbourn’s award-winning 1972 comedy follows three married couples over three Christmas Eves, each in their own kitchen. The up-and-coming Hopcrofts host a party in their bright, gadget-filled kitchen, while an architect and his wife entertain in their neglected flat, and a bank manager and his wife in their large Victorian-style kitchen. Amid the festive chaos and behind-the-scenes disasters, the Hopcrofts’ rise to prosperity contrasts with the others’ decline. By the final act, the “little man” triumphs, leaving the rest literally and comically dancing to his tune.