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1972

Alpha Beta

Written by E. A. Whitehead

Play Details

Context

Artistic Director
Oscar Lewenstein

Dates Performed

Wednesday 26th January 1972
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

Thursday 16th March 1972 
Apollo Theatre

Play Details

Synopsis

A claustrophobic domestic space becomes a battleground for a crumbling marriage.

The Man and The Woman, known only by these generic titles, are locked in a vicious cycle of codependency and emotional warfare. Their relationship oscillates between savage arguments and desperate attempts at reconciliation, exposing the raw nerves of a union in its death throes.

Whitehead’s unflinching script peels back the veneer of marital bliss to reveal the festering wounds beneath. Through caustic dialogue and moments of painful self-reflection, Alpha Beta dissects the disintegration of intimacy and the suffocating weight of societal expectations. The play forces us to confront uncomfortable truths about love, personal failure, and the struggle for identity within the confines of a failing relationship.

Director(s)

Anthony Page

Poster credit

Poster courtesy of V&A Theatre and Performance Archive

Cast & Creative

Cast

Albert Finney

Cast

Rachel Roberts

Designer

Alan Tagg

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