This Tadpole production is an endearing tale of marital betrayal, more entertaining than one might expect for a romantic dramedy more than 40 years old.

George and Doris spend one weekend together every year although they are both happily married to other people.

We see them every five years for 25 years; the Presidential portrait on the wall changes from Truman to Ford … [More] 

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Bernard Slade’s play follows George and Doris, who meet by chance over dinner and then, despite both being married to others, continue to meet over the course of the next twenty-five years. Over the course of their love affair, George, Doris and the world around them change in many ways. 

With only two characters, it is vital that we connect with them, and Paul Glover as George and Kate Elliot as Doris allow us to do that from the very beginning. Before a word is spoken we experience a sharply-observed and convincingly performed vignette of the ‘morning after the night before’ that has the audience laughing at the awkwardness each character shows at the realisation of what they have done. There is some good physical comedy from Glover as Elliot’s facial expressions tell us everything we need to know about the situation in this hotel room. 

The set (designed by Director John Callen and constructed by Nick Greer) also tells us much about the story. Furnished with the necessities of a good quality hotel (including a grand piano), the room is full of details that plunge us into the thick of the story immediately. The space gives the cast room to actually live in the room and make us believe that someone could comfortably inhabit it for a long weekend or more. The décor remains the same throughout the play, with subtle touches such as pictures and telephones being updated each time we move forward in time. 

In fact, the set changes between the scenes work very well. With the necessity of moving the action forward in time between each scene by making a number of small, but significant, changes to the set, there is the potential for these set changes to remove us from the action and dissipate our attention and investment in the characters. In this case, by using carefully chosen music (sound design by Sam Mence) to accompany the changes and letting us see the Stage Management team (led by Natasha Lay) at work, we are kept engaged and keen to see what has changed when the next scene begins.

The wonderfully appropriate costumes (by Robyn Fleming) also act to quickly anchor each new scene in its time and allow us to see time passing for the characters, while much in the room remains the same.

The heart of the play is in the characters of George and Doris as they grow and change over the twenty-five years of their affair. The early scenes move at a pace that keeps us involved, wanting to see what happens next for these seemingly unlikely lovers. The changes are quite subtle at first as George and Doris enjoy the fact that they have managed to keep their relationship together despite initial qualms.

The connection between Glover and Elliot is convincing, although it is Elliot’s Doris who seems to have the more attractive character in these early stages. Her laugh is heard frequently and this draws us to a character who is willing to be open and committed to the growing relationship. Glover has a harder task with George, whose lack of confidence can make him seem unsure and on edge. As an accountant, his world is ordered and logical, while Doris’ world seems more open to change.

The scene before the interval shows a bigger change for our couple, with Elliot making the most of the opportunity to play some effective and funny physical comedy, while Glover delivers some witty and incisive lines with energy and commitment. The first act ends on a high note with lots of laughter and a general feeling of enjoyment from the audience. 

In the second half, the changes for George, Doris and their worlds become much starker and it is here that Director John Callen’s deft touches allow us to connect with the many changes of emotion that result from these changes. We are taken from laughter to sorrow seamlessly, and the sorrow is more deeply felt and the joy more enriching because of that. We see different sides to the characters as their lives undergo some major fluctuations that reflect the upheavals taking place in the world beyond their hotel room, and we care about whether George and Doris will still find each other at the Same Time, Next Year.

Reflections on the large questions puzzling society through the time period the play covers are handled intelligently, allowing us to question our attitudes towards George and Doris as they take unconventional routes through the protests of the 60s and the liberation of the 70s. Much of this is handled within the script, but the direction and performances capture the nuances of the effect that these changes have on people with assurance.

When the final scene of the play arrives, we are invested in these characters and I find myself willing them towards a happy resolution. I encourage you to see the show to discover whether they find it. This is a show that has to have engaging performances to be successful, and we are fortunate that we have with two actors who connect so effectively with us and each other.  

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