A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

Communicating Doors

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  3w, 3m

Communicating Doors
by Alan Ayckbourn

This intricate time traveling comic thriller by the British master of farcical comedy delighted London and New York audiences. A London sex specialist from the future stumbles into a murder plot that sends her, compliments of a unique set of hotel doors, traveling back in time.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 3m
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • 1997 Moliere for Best Comedy

    1994 Olivier Award nomination for Best Comedy

Details

Summary

This intricate time traveling comic thriller by the British master of farcical comedy delighted London and New York audiences. A London sex specialist from the future stumbles into a murder plot that sends her, compliments of a unique set of hotel doors, traveling back in time. She and two women who were murdered in 1998 and 1978 race back and forth in time trying to rewrite history and prevent their own violent ends. The frantic race begins when Poopay is hired for an evening at the Regal Hotel by an old man who eschews a fling in favor of confessing his role in the demise of his wives. Now a target, Poopay flees into the vestibule and somehow triggers the time machine.

"A real knockout...A vastly entertaining blend of the West End drawing room thriller with one of Priestley's old time plays, where characters go whirling throughout time. Of course, Ayckbourn has added innumerable piquant and bizarre details of his own..."

M3 (30s-70) F3 (25-45)
  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting A hotel suite
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

Videos

  • Alan Ayckbourn on Growing As a Dramatist youtube thumbnail

    Alan Ayckbourn on Growing As a Dramatist

  • Alan Ayckbourn on Comparisons youtube thumbnail

    Alan Ayckbourn on Comparisons

  • Alan Ayckbourn on How to Approach His Plays youtube thumbnail

    Alan Ayckbourn on How to Approach His Plays

  • Alan Ayckbourn on Getting Started youtube thumbnail

    Alan Ayckbourn on Getting Started

  • Alan Ayckbourn on the Difference Between Then and Now youtube thumbnail

    Alan Ayckbourn on the Difference Between Then and Now

  • Alan Ayckbourn on Ideas youtube thumbnail

    Alan Ayckbourn on Ideas

  • Alan Ayckbourn on Writing a Well Made Play youtube thumbnail

    Alan Ayckbourn on Writing a Well Made Play

Show more +

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
    This title may have restrictions in place for London based productions. Please submit a licence request to confirm specific availability.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Authors

Alan Ayckbourn

A playwright and theatre director, to date Alan Ayckbourn has written 89 plays – Family Album attracted four-star reviews when it premiered in September 2022 at the Stephen Joseph, where nearly all his plays are first staged.

However, this year he will stage his 88th play Welc ...

View full profile

Now Playing