The Chairs – 28/05/1963

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Title The Chairs
Start Date 28/05/1963
End Date 30/05/1963
Abstract Part of “Theatre of the Absurd” – a season of French Absurdist works presented by the Marlowe Society
Author Eugene Ionesco
Cast Member Max Gillies
Designer Peter Corrigan
Director Patrick McCaughey
Cast Member Jon Dawson
Cast Member Lorraine Archibald
Company Marlowe Society
Venue Union Theatre
Reviews Beatrice Faust, “The Season of the Absurd in Review” in “Theatre” (1963) no.4., pp.45-6: “the urge to rationalise the play into a single formulated theme was noticeable”, but “Lorraine Archibald proved that she is versatile as well as sensitive and intelligent, and Max Gillies showed perfect control of the Old Man’s part. Patrick is undeniably a painstaking director but he succeeds here in terms of naturalism, not in the proper tradition of the Absurd”. Also review in Farrago 17/6/63 p.5. – Peter Corrigan stated that Patrick McCaughey attemped to rationalize the play into a single formulated theme, highlighting the words to the detriment of the visual aspects, including the doors and the number of chairs and their arrangement.
References “Theatre” (1963), no.3.; Louise Thorne Collection, Rowden White Library
Notes Part of the 1963 ‘Theatre of the Absurd’ season (see festival entry).