Photo Flash: First Look at Stage West's MARITAL RELATIONS

Four couples, one anniversary dinner, and a housewarming party. What could go wrong? Well, since it's from the mind of Britcom master Alan Ayckbourn, everything could, and the whole evening begins to unravel, quickly and hilariously, in Bedroom Farce, beginning a 5-week run at Stage West on Thursday, October 16.

Check out photos below!

Ernest and Delia are the parents of Trevor, who has married the unpredictable Susannah, but may still be in love with former girlfriend Jan, who is now married to Nick. The younger couples have been invited to a housewarming party by recently-wed Kate and Malcolm (who have a fondness for practical jokes). Nick has damaged his back, and can't go, and is sulking because Jan is going without him, where she will be thrown together with Trevor again. The party, inevitably, turns out to be something of a disaster, and suddenly Ernest and Delia, who had retired for the evening, find themselves inundated with distraught partygoers.

It's trying for Ernest and Delia, but a hilarious ride for audiences, as Ayckbourn tackles a favorite topic-- the failures of relationships and family life. The Telegraph called it "A modern classic, as wise and touching as it is funny."

Ayckbourn is a prolific and highly respected playwright, sometimes called "the Moliere of the middle classes," whose works (70 full plays, and over 20 other revues and plays for children) have spanned some forty years. Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough from 1972 to 2009, he also spent two years as visiting director at London's National Theatre. More than half his plays have been produced in the West End or at the National Theatre; at one point, Ayckbourn held the record for having the most professional productions of his work being performed simultaneously in the West End. His work is characterized by his constant willingness to experiment with stage time and space, which led critic Michael Billington to label him as one of the few British playwrights to be constantly pushing the envelope of theatre. In 1997, he became the first playwright to be knighted since Terence Rattigan. Ayckbourn suffered a stroke in 2006, but later that year was directing again at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and in 2010, he received both Tony and Olivier Special Lifetime Achievement Awards. His most recent works are Arrivals and Departures (2013) and Roundelay (2014).

Jim Covault is directing the production, which features two actors new to Stage West, as well as some area favorites. Georgia Clinton, who starred in Stage West's Red Hot Patriot, and most recently was seen as Rita in the Uptown Players' production of The Lyons, will play Delia, with Ray Gestaut, seen as Anselme in Stage West's The Miser, as Ernest. Troubled couple Susannah and Trevor will be played by Allison Pistorius, applauded as Betsy and Lindsey in the Dallas Theater Center production of Clybourne Park, and John Forkner, most recently seen as Kent, Pascal et al in Amphibian Stage Productions' The Nosemaker's Apprentice. Tyler Martin, who just appeared as Bob in Stage West's Beyond Therapy, will play the hapless Nick, with Ashlee Elizabeth Bashore, who played Jane in This at SMU and was also seen in the Dallas Theater Center production of A Christmas Carol, as his wife Jan. Audrey Aherne, who appeared as Donna in Stage West's Starbright & Vine and Hero in Shakespeare Dallas's Much Ado About Nothing, and Mitchell Stephens, just seen as Andrew the waiter in Stage West's Beyond Therapy, will play host couple Kate and Malcolm.

The set will be designed by Jim Covault, with lighting by Michael O'Brien. Costume design will be handled by Michael Robinson and Dallas Costume Shoppe, with props and set décor by Lynn Lovett.

Bedroom Farce will preview Thursday, October 16 at 7:30 and Friday, October 17 at 8:00, and will run through Sunday, November 16. Performance times will be Thursday evenings at 7:30, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00, with Sunday matinees at 3:00. The opening night reception will be Saturday, October 18. Ticket prices range from $30 to $34, with discounts for the preview performance, and for students, seniors, and military. Food service is available 90 minutes prior to performances (reservations are necessary), and the Friday Prix Fixe special (dinner and show for $42) will be available beginning October 24. Reservations and information are available through the Box Office (817-784-9378), or on the website, www.stagewest.org.

Photo credit: Buddy Myers