Private Fears In Public Places: Characters & Structure
The structure of Private Fears In Public Places with its 54 scenes, multiple locations and characters crossing is one of the more complex found in an Ayckbourn play. Here is a brief breakdown of characters and scenes to accompany the synopsis and to put the synopsis into better context with which characters are interacting with which characters, where and when.
Dan: Engaged to Nicola; frequents hotel where Ambrose works; dates Imogen
Nicola: Engaged to Dan; client of Stewart
Stewart: Brother of Imogen; works with Charlotte; Nicola’s estate agent
Imogen: Sister of Stewart; dates Dan
Ambrose: Barman at the hotel Dan frequents; son of Arthur; employs Charlotte to care for Arthur
Charlotte: Works with Stewart; employed by Ambrose as a temporary carer for Arthur
Arthur (off-stage voice): Ambrose’s bed-bound father; cared for by Charlotte
Dan: Engaged to Nicola; frequents hotel where Ambrose works; dates Imogen
Nicola: Engaged to Dan; client of Stewart
Stewart: Brother of Imogen; works with Charlotte; Nicola’s estate agent
Imogen: Sister of Stewart; dates Dan
Ambrose: Barman at the hotel Dan frequents; son of Arthur; employs Charlotte to care for Arthur
Charlotte: Works with Stewart; employed by Ambrose as a temporary carer for Arthur
Arthur (off-stage voice): Ambrose’s bed-bound father; cared for by Charlotte
Structure (scene by scene breakdown with characters and location)
1) Nicola & Stewart (a flat)
2) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
3) Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
4) Dan & Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
5) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
6) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
7) Stewart (sitting room)
8) Imogen (a café)
9) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
10) Dan & Ambrose (the hotel bar)
11) Stewart & Imgoen (their sitting room)
12) Imogen (a café)
13) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
14) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
15) Imogen (a café)
16) Stewart (his sitting room)
17) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
18) Dan & Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
19) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
20) Nicola, Dan & Stewart (another flat)
21) Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
22) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
23) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
24) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
25) Imogen (a café)
26) Dan & Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
27) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
2) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
3) Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
4) Dan & Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
5) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
6) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
7) Stewart (sitting room)
8) Imogen (a café)
9) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
10) Dan & Ambrose (the hotel bar)
11) Stewart & Imgoen (their sitting room)
12) Imogen (a café)
13) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
14) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
15) Imogen (a café)
16) Stewart (his sitting room)
17) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
18) Dan & Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
19) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
20) Nicola, Dan & Stewart (another flat)
21) Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
22) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
23) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
24) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
25) Imogen (a café)
26) Dan & Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
27) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
28) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
29) Nicola & Stewart (another flat)
30) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
31) Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
32) Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
33) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
34) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
35) Stewart (his sitting room)
36) Imogen (a café)
37) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
38) Dan & Imogen (a café)
39) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
40) Dan, Imogen & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
41) Stewart (his sitting room)
42) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
43) Dan & Imogen (a hotel bar)
44) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
45) Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
46) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
47) Nicola, Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
48) Nicola, Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
49) Stewart (his sitting room)
50) Nicola, Dan, Imogen & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
51) Stewart (his sitting room)
52) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
53) Stewart (his living room)
54) Montage
29) Nicola & Stewart (another flat)
30) Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
31) Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
32) Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
33) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
34) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
35) Stewart (his sitting room)
36) Imogen (a café)
37) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
38) Dan & Imogen (a café)
39) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
40) Dan, Imogen & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
41) Stewart (his sitting room)
42) Charlotte (Ambrose’s kitchen)
43) Dan & Imogen (a hotel bar)
44) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
45) Nicola (Nicola’s flat)
46) Stewart & Imogen (their sitting room)
47) Nicola, Stewart & Charlotte (the office)
48) Nicola, Dan & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
49) Stewart (his sitting room)
50) Nicola, Dan, Imogen & Ambrose (a hotel bar)
51) Stewart (his sitting room)
52) Charlotte & Ambrose (Ambrose’s kitchen)
53) Stewart (his living room)
54) Montage
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.