Customer Reviews

Time of My Life

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"Time of My Life" by prolific British author and playwright Alan Ayckbourn, is a fascinating stage play where the fabric of time is twisted and stretched to reveal family secrets and critical decisions of the characters, current, past, and future. The play is not necessarily a great 'read' because it relies upon actors, set, props, and director to fully bring the author's words 'to life'. The action proceeds in real time on center stage, and both backwards and forwards, all within the setting of a restaurant of dubious ethnic origin. The title refers to a remark made by one of the characters as a British family (father, mother, two sons, a daughter in law and a girlfriend ) gather to celebrate the mother's 50-something birthday. The younger son and girlfriend travel back in time to reveal how they first met. The older son and his wife travel forward in time through a series of events precipitated in part by the real-time actions of those who remain at center stage. The message of the play might be summarized as "Live your life fully each day, because circumstances can change in a moment."

This play is depressing, sad, and meaningless. I enjoyed reading it for the style in which it is written (the play progresses backward) and some of the staging techniques are rather interesting. The theme of the play boils down to that the most precious moments in our lives are the one we don't even realize. That theme is an important one, but is overused so much it has lost much of it's impact. Still, when used correctly, it's a profound and ephipanical message. However, when used as it often is, such as in TIME OF MY LIFE, it feels pasted on and fake. Read the play if you wish, but it's really not worth the time.