As the play progresses the characters make choices, each of which causes the story to go in one of two directions, leading to one of 16 possible endings.

Ayckbourn was left with a summer season to fill and only two actors, Robin Herford and Lavinia Bertram.

He decided to pursue a theory he had been mulling on for a few years: that the tiny, often careless choices we make in our lives can lead to vast consequences.

Ayckbourn started writing in early 1982 with the intention of performing all of the plays over the summer months of that year.

In total, Intimate Exchanges includes 31 scenes, 16 hours of dialogue, and 10 characters, all performed by only two actors.

[3] Depending upon whether or not the character of Celia Teasdale decides to have a cigarette in the first five seconds of the play, several people might get divorced, married, start affairs, have children or die.

At Easter 1983, Robin Herford and Lavinia Bertram performed all of the sixteen possible variations over the course of twelve days.

This initial scene lasts only a few seconds and ends with the character of Celia Teasdale making a decision to either smoke a cigarette or to resist the temptation.

The play splits into one of two directions depending upon her decision, leading to either "A Gardener Calls" or "A Visit from a Friend".

Each scene has its own title and Intimate Exchanges is often treated as eight different plays named after the longest scenes in the play: "Affairs in a Tent, "Events on a Hotel Terrace", "A Garden Fête", "A Pageant", "A Cricket Match", "A Game of Golf", "A One Man Protest", and "Love in the Mist".

Celia emerges to fetch a step ladder from the garden shed but spies a packet of cigarettes on the table.

Celia's marriage to Toby is failing and Lionel drops several unsubtle hints that he would be available, including a promise to come round on weekends to make sure her crazy paving is "properly laid".

Instead, as she leaves the shed she is greeted by Miles Coombes coming over the fields round the back of the house.

Toby's behaviour and ability to perform his job have deteriorated to the point where the school is losing pupils.

Toby returns from his meeting and apologises to Celia for the verbal abuse he gives her, promising to change and suggesting they take an exciting and fun holiday together.

Sylvie can either: Five days later, Miles drops in on Celia as she is finishing preparations for their al fresco dinner.

Toby has apparently gone for cigarettes at the pub and Rowena has been delayed at a "meeting" with the school PE teacher.

Rowena admits to sleeping with most of the squash club and recommends that Miles have an affair as well to rediscover his long-lost sense of adventure.

To add to the pressure, the tomatoes and cucumber for the sandwiches get dropped on the running track and trampled.

Nevertheless, she is ready to give up on her husband and asks Lionel what plans he has for their future, only to learn that he is a hopeless incompetent.

Lionel tells Sylvie that she needs to settle down and stop wasting her time on the private tuition she is having with Toby.

It is the day before the performance and Lionel still has not finished building the stage, while the woman playing Boudicca has just broken her wrist.

Celia has been asked by the play's author to take on the role of Boudicca and comes to rehearse only to find that Toby has already given the part to Sylvie.

Toby can either: Five weeks later, Miles and Rowena are attending the "teachers versus pupils" cricket match.

Rowena is in high spirits that Miles had the guts to start an affair and goes off to speak with some young estate agents.

The two them get lost in a sudden fog and Miles is terrorised by a passing sheep so they take shelter in a nearby builders' shed.

Five years later, Celia has recovered from her breakdown with Lionel's support, has left Toby and is now running a gourmet freeze-dried convenience food business.

Five years later, Toby's verbal abuse of Celia is worse than ever and she finally makes up her mind to leave him.

At that moment, Lionel returns to the village for the first time in five years having started a successful taxi business.

Rowena took the opportunity to move to India while Celia has returned to her old career and offers Miles advice on handling Toby's continuing drinking problem.