The bleakest play written by Ayckbourn for many years, it intimately follows a few days in the lives of six characters, in four tightly interwoven stories through 54 scenes.
[3][4] As with Absurd Person Singular, Private Fears in Public Places has little in common with the play for which its title was first devised.
It was written for performance by the Stephen Joseph Theatre Company late in the 2004 season, using six of the seven actors already cast in Drowning on Dry Land, a new Ayckbourn play performed earlier in the year,[2] thus to some extent repeating the repertory format used in 2001 for the Damsels in Distress trilogy when three different plays were written for the same cast.
Whilst there is only a passing reference in the play, and no direct mention made of the 2003 Iraq war, it forms part of the character of Dan, an ex-officer relieved of his commission through his failure to prevent a military scandal caused by the men under his command.
In addition, there is a seventh voice-only part of Arthur, Ambrose's abusive elderly father, who is only ever heard shouting from a room off-stage.
[9] However, the Stephen Joseph Theatre show reports gave a consistent running time averaging 107 minutes.
[2][10] When the play begins, Nicola is being guided through an unoccupied flat by Stewart, her estate agent, keen to make a sale.
Stewart returns to the office and chats to his co-worker, Charlotte, with whom they share a very fond friendship, albeit a totally platonic one.
Charlotte, openly a devout Christian frequently reading her Bible, lends Stewart a video of a programme she recorded, Songs That Changed My Life.
It now transpires that Dan used to have a promising career in the Army, but was dismissed after the men he was responsible for committed some undisclosed atrocity.
Although Dan accepts that what his men did was wrong and, as the only officer present, he should carry the can, he appears to be in denial about his share of the responsibility.
Vaguely referring to a past relationship, Ambrose suggests that the solution may be for Dan to, at least temporarily, meet other women.
However, Imogen (having this time lost her nerve completely and left a cafe abruptly) returns early and catching him watching the video, much to her disgust.
Both use assumed names and Dan quite convincingly glosses over the bits of the past he is ashamed of, and yet confides that his father no longer speaks to him, and he can only visit his mother when he is not around.
Imogen returns home happy and drunk, but hurtfully taunts a miserable Stewart for the video caught him watching, calling him a "greasy pornographer".
Finally, on the third evening, Charlotte promises Arthur something he won't forget, and enters his room wearing a skimpy outfit looking mischievous.
Unfortunately, at this moment, Imogen enters and sees Dan sitting at a table, flowers resting there, talking to another woman.
Stewart, having earlier heard from Nicola that she no longer needs a flat, tries to apologise to Charlotte, saying he will understand if she wishes to take the matter further.
With some embarrassment, Ambrose says that Arthur said strange things about her dancing naked, and other stuff he can't repeat.
This production, twenty minutes longer than the 2004 original, previewed at the Stephen Joseph from 21 to 30 April 2005 before opening at the Orange Tree on 5 May 2005.
Following its commercial success, it was speculated the run would continue with an American cast, but the producers wanted to use a larger theatre and Alan Ayckbourn would not agree to this.
[2] The North West England premiere was staged by Chris Honer at the Library Theatre, Manchester in September 2006.