*This article is sponsored by the Gladstone Theatre*
Next month, Plosive Productions will bring a modern masterpiece to the Gladstone stage: Private Fears in Public Places, by the legendary Sir Alan Ayckbourn.
Hailed as “rueful, funny, touching and altogether wonderful” by The New York Times, this richly human play offers a poignant, sometimes painfully funny exploration of urban isolation and the messy business of human connection. Written just a year after Love Actually, it echoes that film’s intersecting lives and heartfelt moments—only sharper, smarter, and more grounded in emotional reality.
Local artist-producers David Whiteley and Vivian Burns, the dynamic duo behind Plosive Productions, are bringing Private Fears to the heart of Little Italy June 18-28. As we go “elbows up” and look for alternatives to all things American, they offer a 100% local take on British comedy. “Ayckbourn like to say of this show, ‘It’s like Pulp Fiction without the violence’ because of its intertwined stories,” Whiteley relates. “But I’d say it’s more like Love Actually with brains.”
“This marks Plosive`s 39th show,” Burns points out. “That includes three other Ayckbourn shows that have tickled audiences pink: his trilogy of domestic comedies The Norman Conquests.” Ayckbourn has long been a favourite with Gladstone audiences, with How the Other Half Loves, Bedroom Farce and Absurd Person Singular drawing huge crowds and provoking huge laughs. In Private Fears in Public Places, he sheds the farce and froth of his earlier work for something still comedic but deeper. The result is a play as cinematic as it is theatrical, weaving together the lives of six lonely Londoners in search of love, meaning—and a decent apartment.
This is Ayckbourn at his most mature and masterful. With his trademark wit, insight, and compassion, he delivers a story that feels more relevant now than ever.
Don’t miss this quietly powerful gem! Tickets are on sale now at thegladstone.ca. Use coupon code EARLYBIRD at checkout for a special discount — but hurry, the offer expires May 31!