Synopsis & Squash
translated by vanessa Chouraqui and Robert Plagnol
directed by Patrice Kerbrat
with Benjamin Boyer and Robert Plagnol
Le Petit Montparnasse, 2006
Festival d'Avignon, 2007
Théâtre de la commune, 2009
directed by par Robert Plagnol
with Pascal Lacoste and Nicolas Soulié
on directautheatre.com, 2022.
Then What : Alan and Brian are screenwriters who have been turning out episodes of mediocre TV shows for years. The former is diligent, punctual and serious while the latter is flamboyant, boastful and jealous. When Brian discovers that Alan has written a screenplay for the cinema, and that John Malkovich has agreed to play the lead role, a confrontation is inevitable.
Squash : Greg and Ryan have known each other for a long time. They meet every Wednesday to play squash. One night, Ryan needs an alibi because he has an assignation with Leslie, a beautiful and sexually adventurous woman he can't resist. Greg is gradually drawn into Ryan’s tangled web of lies, creating a crisis that threatens both of them.
download Then What
Reviews
"Our failing societies flounder in this confusion which, without the humour of the author Andrew Payne, would be unbearable."
Le Canard enchaîné
"The dialogue is sharp, full of anxious banter, and the language is resolutely contemporary. This show is highly recommended for lovers of theatrical adventures."
Le Figaro Magazine
"Two young men in London today, living their ordinary lives. Cruel and fascinating, a highpoint of theatrical art."
Le Figaro
"In theatre, English authors are fast where French writers are profound. Sometimes, we prefer speed which can bring its own profundity."
Les Echos
"The very British Andrew Payne weaves together seemingly innocuous dialogue, and provides no easy tying up of loose ends."
La Marseillaise
"Conflicting needs, conflicting personalities. Sparks fly from this confrontation. Ping, pong, pif, paf."
Marianne