Henceforward…

2.5 stars I loved the robot and the defiant misgendered-by-EVERYONE-including-the-stage-directions-but-not-himself trans boy who transcends what the author (I think? given the misgendering stage directions?) meant for him to be. I have already written the fanfic in my head where they escape together......more

It's not particularly Alan Ayckbourn's fault that this has aged badly. Predicting future technological or social change is hard and he did as well or badly as many have done . It makes reading what, I think, isn't a strong play just a little harder though. The main character is just so unlikeable th......more

When you read something that so blatantly reduces women to sycophantic tools for men's use and disposal, I often wonder if the author intended it as an elaborate, intentional, ironic commentary, or if he really does just not have an awareness of another person's experiences. An (awareness of an) exp......more

Henceforward's largest flaw is a lack of focus. It grapples with several thought-provoking concepts, each of which could form the basis of an entire play on its own. However, because they're all put together in a single story, I got the sense that some of them were unable to reach their potential by......more

Een ‘futuristische’ Ayckbourn, met een satire op een wereld van robots, onveiligheid, privacy- en genderissues… Uiteindelijk blijkt er op het gebied van de liefde helaas niet veel geëvolueerd en blijkt het toch weer een vrij klassieke Ayckbourn, met grappige momenten maar ook wat ongeloofwaardige plo......more