Between The Lines (1992)

World Premiere: 23 April 1992
Venue: Etcetera Theatre Club, Wimbledon

Play Description: Grey Play
Published / Available to Stage: No

Short Synopsis: A musical revue written by the composer Paul Todd (with lyrics by Alan Ayckbourn) based around a relationship between two actors.

The Grey Plays are acknowledged miscellaneous minor pieces by Alan Ayckbourn, which have received limited performance but have never been published, are not available for production and are not included in the official canon of Ayckbourn plays.

History

Between The Lines is actually not an Alan Ayckbourn creation, it is instead a revue by the composer Paul Todd which uses material from previous collaborations between himself and Alan - as a result of this, productions of the revue must not credit Alan Ayckbourn as writer.

Between 1978 and 1986, the composer Paul Todd collaborated with Alan Ayckbourn on 10 revues and two full length musicals as well as composing music for numerous Ayckbourn productions at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough. During this period the pair wrote, at a conservative estimate, at least 100 songs together.

In 1988, Paul was approached to write a musical revue featuring some of the many songs he and Alan had collaborated on. The suggestion was made by Ian Watson (author of Conversations With Ayckbourn) with the intent that a small scale show could be created to tour around the country. With Paul having agreed to the idea and to write the book around which the various songs would be incorporated, permission to use the songs was then put to Alan Ayckbourn who tentatively agreed.

The project was initially called Ayckbourn On Song and Paul's idea was the plot would be loosely based around his experience with working with Alan over the years - with actors portraying both Paul and Alan on stage. Alan was not keen on this idea and felt that, at best, he should be an off-stage presence and preferably not featured at all. Subsequently the piece went through at least two substantially different drafts and a re-title to Todd On Ayckbourn On Song - to emphasise the play was from Paul rather than Alan's perspective. Although Ian Watson had all but finalised a 1989 UK tour, difficulties with writing a satisfactory book meant the project fell through and was never performed.

By 1991, Paul had returned to the piece and began to rethink its initial premise and decided to make it a play about two non-specific people working together on a musical. This was then developed into Between The Lines, a rehearsal room-set backstage story about an actor and actress in a new musical featuring 18 songs.

Unlike Todd On Ayckbourn On Song, this musical was produced and premiered at the Etcetera Theatre Club in Camden on 23 April 1992 starring Janie Dee, Simon Green and Stefan Bednarcyzk (all of who would subsequently work with Alan Ayckbourn). It has rarely been performed since then and because of the nature of the revue and Alan not having any direct involvement in it - other than the use of his songs - productions of the revue must contractually and clearly state that Alan is only the lyricist and did not write the revue. This is in part to stop productions incorrectly identifying and promoting it as Alan Ayckbourn's Between The Lines.

Synopsis & Songs

Between The Lines is a musical within a musical. While Jenny and Roger the two performers of a 'new musical' try to come to terms with each other's problems, we see in detail the backstage world of the musical theatre, with all of its ups, down and complications. Hence 'Between The Lines.'
In the middle is Stephen, the composer of the music who is both confidante and 'whip cracker' to both of them. Will they ever find out what the plot is? Will they ever understand each other?

Synopsis by Paul Todd
The story starts at their [Jenny & Roger] respective auditions. They are cast and meet to rehearse only to find that there is, as yet, no script. The script and the lyrics arrive throughout the show. They rehearse, open and tour. The actor and actress play Jenny and Roger as well as many attendant characters. Paralleling the pressure of their professional life a personal relationship may be developing, too, unlikely though it seems at one point.

Songs (lyrics by Alan Ayckbourn)

Act 1
1. Electric Women
2. Saying Goodbye
3. I Don't Want To Do It
4. Liberational Man
5. Voices
6. Photocopy Love
7. Teaching The Children
8. Fancy Meeting You
9. Copytype
10. Much Good

Act 2
1. Strangers On A Train
2. Good-Time Girl
3. The Wife-Swap Dance
4. Someone Wrong
5. Closer
6. Drinking At Charlie's
7. Have You Ever Thought?
8. Love Song

Premiere Production Details (1992)

World premiere: 23 April 1992
Venue: Etcetera Theatre Club, Camden

Director: Vivienne Cozens
Music and book: Paul Todd
Lyrics: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Nigel Winborne
Lighting: Jimmy Kagan

Character
Jenny
Stephen
Roger

Actor
Janie Dee
Stefan Bednarcyzk
Simon Green

Choreography
The cast with Trudy Moffatt

Between The Lines (1992)

History

Synopsis & Songs

Premiere Production Details (1992)

Further Reading