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Life X 3

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  2w, 2m

Henri and Sonia are putting their son to bed when Hubert and Inez arrive for dinner, a day earlier than expected. As the evening degenerates, cruel observations blend with high comedy in an hilarious and poignant examination of our most personal intimacies.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 2m
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult
Accolades
Accolades
  • Nominee: Two 2001 Olivier Awards, including Best New Play

Details

Summary

Henri and Sonia are putting their son to bed when Hubert and Inez arrive for dinner, a day earlier than expected. As the evening degenerates, Yasmina Reza’s play – elegantly translated by Christopher Hampton – blends cruel observations with high comedy in an hilarious and poignant examination of our most personal intimacies and private longings. Life X 3 presents three versions of the same socially hapless evening in which the characters change subtly each time, providing a dramatically different outcome for each.

History

Life x 3 debuted at the Royal National Theatre in London on 7 December 2000, before transferring to the Old Vic in February 2001, with both productions starring Mark Rylance, Imelda Staunton and Harriet Walter. It was then revived in the West End at the Savoy Theatre with a new cast in 2002. The show debuted on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre on 31 March 2003, now starring Helen Hunt, Linda Emond, John Turturro and Brent Spiner.

HENRY
SONIA
INEZ
HUBERT

Voice of the child

  • Time Period Contemporary
  • Setting

    A living room. Paris. Contemporary.

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No Intermission
  • Duration 90 minutes

Media

“Slender sitcoms, elegantly streaked with troubling shadows and shaped with Cartesian symmetry.” – The New York Times

“In her (Reza’s) comedies there are no bizarre events or exaggerated eccentricities to her characters, instead one sees the foibles and strains of common human relationships.” – London Theatre Guide

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £70 per performance plus VAT when applicable.
    This title may have restrictions in place for London based productions. Please submit a licence request to confirm specific availability.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Authors

Christopher Hampton

Christopher Hampton became involved in theatre while studying French and German at Oxford University, and wrote a play in his first year.

The Royal Court's subsequent production was so successful that it transferred to the Comedy Theatre while he was still a student, making hi ...

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