A Brief History of Women BY ALAN AYCKBOURN​

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59E59 Theaters, New York

STEPHEN JOSEPH THEATRE, Scarborough​

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Director  ALAN Ayckbourn

Lighting Designer  Jason Taylor

Scarborough Production Photographs ©Tony Bartholomew

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"The surprise star, though, is Jenkins’s set, which crams a ballroom, paneled study and marbled hallway onto the small 59E59 mainstage. Watching it change from elegance to raffishness and back again, putting on different identities (a fireplace becomes a heater, chairs get increasingly comfortable), is somehow very poignant." Helen Shaw, TimeOut

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But through some metamorphic magic conducted by stage hands in full view of the audience, this grand “Downton Abbey”-style home is transformed into a girls’ school of 1945; an arts center of 1965; and finally the Kirkbridge Manor Hotel, which takes place in 1985. (Kevin Jenkins designed the time-capsule set and costumes.) Ben Brantley, New York Times

 

The design, by Kevin Jenkins, and the sound and music cues of Simon Slater keep the action flowing seamlessly between not just the different rooms but the different time periods, with simple adjustments of furniture, floor coverings and soundtrack." Mark Shenton, The Stage

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"Kevin Jenkins’s intelligent set design skilfully recreates different time periods through small adjustments in props and furniture"  British Theatre Guide

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"Kevin Jenkins’ transformations of the manor are as clever and as smartly handled as the cast’s changes of character"  The Reviews Hub