Ayckbourn's Intimate Exchanges Part of Brits Off-Bway Fest

59E59 Theaters has announced the two Theater A Shows for the 2007 Brits Off-Broadway festival.

According to press materials, "59E59Theaters welcomes back two extraordinary writers whose plays provided two of the most memorable moments of Brits Off Broadway in 2005—  Jonathan Lichtenstein and Sir Alan Ayckbourn."

Memory, by Lichtenstein and directed by Terry Hands, will play the week of May 7 (exact date TBD) – Sunday, May 27.

"From the author of the devastating play The Pull of Negative Gravity comes a powerful dramatization of the power and failure of memory. Crossing between two generations, Memory links the events of the Holocaust with the modern-day Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  Mr.  Lichtenstein has created an intimate and powerful exploration of division, destiny and memory.  From the Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Wales, Memory is directed by Tony Award-nominee Terry Hands, former Artistic
Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company."

Intimate Exchanges, written and directed by Ayckbourn (Absurd Person Singular, House and Garden), will play the week of May 28 (exact date TBD) – Sunday, July 1.

"Master-playwright Sir Alan Ayckbourn follows up his box office record-breaking Brits Off-Broadway hit Private Fears in Public Places with  the New York premiere of his most ambitious play ever, Intimate Exchanges.  Direct from a sold-out run at Sir Alan's Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, Intimate Exchanges is an extraordinary theatrical event. One character's dilemma—to smoke or not smoke—kicks off eight separate plays with 16 different endings."

The play "follows the fortunes of headmaster Toby Teasdale and his long-suffering wife Celia, whose marriage is going through a bit of a sticky patch to say the least. What with suicidal friends,  busybody neighbours, sexy school caretakers, pushy fathers and mad mothers-in-law to add to their troubles, will they ever be able to sort things out? Will it all end happily ever after? Well, it all depends which ending you want to see!"

Intimate Exchanges was first performed in Scarborough in 1984 and transferred for a seven month run in the West End, culminating in a Best Comedy Olivier Award nomination.  The play has not been performed in its entirety since its revival in 2006 at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and its Brits Off-Broadway run marks its NYC premiere.

The remaining Brits Off-Broadway line-up is being finalized and will be announced in the coming weeks.

59E59 Theaters is located at 59 East 59th Street, between Park and  Madison Avenues.  Tickets are available by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visiting www.ticketcentral.com.  Tickets can also be purchased in person at the 59E59 Theaters Box Office. Box office hours are Monday 12-6pm, Tuesday-Saturday 12-8pm, Sunday 12-3pm or curtain time.  For more information on 59E59 Theaters and shows now playing, visit www.59e59.org.