Mixed Doubles (play)

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For other uses, see Mixed Doubles.

Mixed Doubles: An Entertainment on Marriage (London: Methen, 1970) is a program consisting of a series of short plays or revue sketches composed by various English playwrights and first performed on 6 February 1969 in the Hampstead Theatre Club. (An earlier title of the program was We Who Are About To...; later it was changed to Mixed Doubles.) The main theme in these dramatic sketches is marriage. Taken together, the program of these dramatic sketches presents an image of marriage from the moment of blessing up until the silver wedding anniversary. In the course of the program, a large number of people appear on stage in various professional capacities. The characters in Mixed Doubles appear to be plagued by everyday trivialities, their pasts, their jobs, and their marital problems. Even though this program of Mixed Doubles presents marriage as a struggle, its subtitle, an entertainment on marriage, suggests that many of the dramatic sketches are ironic in their tone.

[edit] The revue sketches

"The Vicar," by George Melly
"A Man's Best Friend," by James Saunders
"The Bank Manager", by George Melly
"Score," by Lyndon Brook
"The Lawyer," by George Melly
"Norma," by Alun Owen
"The Nannie," by George Melly
"Night," by Harold Pinter
"The Advertising Man," by George Melly
"Permanence," by Fay Weldon
"The Headmaster," by George Melly
"Countdown," by Alan Ayckbourn
"The Union Official," by George Melly
"The Silver Wedding," by John Bowen

On "Countdown," by Alan Ayckbourn, from "One Act Plays" (alanayckbourn.net):

“

In February 1969, the piece [Countdown] is premiered as We Who Are About To... at Hampstead Theatre Club with the original cast now joined by Nigel Stock and Vivien Merchant. Direction is credited to both Alexander Dore and Anton Rodgers and the programme is largely the same with John Gorrie's piece replaced with one by Alun Owen.

The production transferred to the Comedy Theatre in London, under yet another title revision of Mixed Doubles. However, the production was not quite finished: Lyndon's Brooks piece originally titled Mixed Doubles was altered to "Score" and a new piece by Harold Pinter ["Night"] replaced Julia Jones' contribution.
The final piece in the Countdown puzzle is a recently discovered television adaptation, which was broadcast in December 1972 as part of the Full House arts programme. It featured Sheila Hancock and Clive Dunnas the husband and wife.
Mixed Doubles was published in 1977 [sic] and remains popular to this day. (Italics and bold print added.)