Life and Beth

It’s Christmas and Beth Timms is mourning the recent death of her health and safety officer husband, Gordon.  Beth’s sister-in-law, Connie, and son Martin have come to stay, determined to ensure that she should have a stress-free Christmas, but between Connie’s drinking and Martin’s unspeaking and emotionally volatile girlfriend, Ella, their intentions prove to be short-lived.

Only David, the local vicar, provides Beth with any comfort, but when he says a prayer for her bereavement, he unwittingly summons Gordon’s ghost to return to the family home.  Gordon has been busy implementing health and safety measures in the afterlife and is now determined to stick around to help Beth manage her affairs.  It soon becomes apparent, however, that his return is not altogether welcome. 

Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE FRSA (born 12 April 1939) is a prolific British playwright and director. He has written and produced as of 2024, 90 full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their first performance. More than 40 have subsequently been produced in the West End, at the Royal National Theatre or by the Royal Shakespeare Company since his first hit Relatively Speaking opened at the Duke of York's Theatre in 1967.

Tickets £10 to £12

This amateur production of “Life and Beth” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk