Five birthdays. Two unhappy marriages. One possessive mother.

It is 1976. Dennis tinkers in his garage, cheerfully indifferent to wife Vera’s impending breakdown. Marjorie hovers in the background, making tea and finding fault. Neil has planned a birthday surprise for his wife, but Pam doesn’t share his enthusiasm, preoccupied by frustrations of her own.

In perhaps his most emotionally charged play, Alan Ayckbourn masterfully evokes a world of hidden tensions and suppressed hostility. He expertly navigates the tightrope between comedy and tragedy, guiding us towards a hilarious, yet chilling finale.