- Conjugal Rites
-
Conjugal Rites is a play by actor and playwright Roger Hall.
Contents
Performance history
Conjugal Rites was first performed in the United Kingdom at the Watford Palace Theatre[1] on 24 January 1991. It starred Nicky Henson and Gwen Taylor.
The play was also performed in New Zealand at the Fortune Theatre (New Zealand) in Dunedin. It starred Timothy Bartlett and Janet Fisher.[2]
Characters
- Barry, late forties/fifty
- Gen(evieve), a few years younger than Barry
Synopsis
Barry, a dentist, and his wife Gen are in bed when the play begins. They are about to celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary. The scene- their bedroom- remains the same throughout the play, as we see the couple discussing their marriage, their grown-up children and their work. It is clear that a major shift has occurred in the power balance between the two of them, since Gen has studied for a law degree in later life, and has recently become a practising solicitor. Towards the end of the play there are revelations about infidelities on both their parts- Barry with a patient, and Gen with one of her fellow solicitors.
TV adaptation
Conjugal Rites was adapted as a situation comedy for ITV made by Granada Television which ran to 13 episodes over two seasons in 1993 and 1994. The lead roles were taken by Gwen Taylor and Michael Williams. Though they are only referred to- but not seen- in the stage play, the couple's son and daughter appear in the sitcom: Phillip Stephen Moyer and Gillian Cordelia Bugeja[3]
References
- ^ Conjugal Rites
- ^ Samuel French acting edition
- ^ Conjugal Rites
- Rees, Jasper (28 May 1994). "Review: A sitcom with a certain air: it stinks". The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/review-a-sitcom-with-a-certain-air-it-stinks-1439026.html. Retrieved 2009-05-25.
Categories:- British plays
- ITV sitcoms
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
