LOOK BACK IN ANGER: A not-so-brief synopsis

Next May John Osborne's modern English classic Look Back in Anger will turn 60. The play premiered on May 8, 1956 at the Royal Court Theatre under the direction of Tony Richardson. The role of Alison Porter was played by actress Mary Ure (this was just before Osborne divorced his first wife and married Ure, see earlier blog posts for more info). This was Osborne's first solo venture into the realm of playwright and quite arguably his most acclaimed.

The play opens with Jimmy Porter, his wife Alison and his childhood friend Cliff onstage in their attic apartment. Alison irons a pile of clothes while the two men read newspapers in their armchairs. It is clear from the start of the play that Jimmy is condescending and verbally abusive to both his wife and his good friend. They talk about the current state of the British government, something that Jimmy loves to talk about especially because it makes him angry. The conversation switches to Alison's family who Jimmy despises (with the exception of her brother Nigel). The banter escalates and the two men end up rough-housing but Jimmy knocks Cliff into Alison who falls into the iron and is burned. Cliff shows much more tenderness and affection towards her in this situation than her husband does, something that Jimmy seems to ignore. After apologizing for his actions Jimmy leaves the two alone in the room electing instead to play his trumpet loudly in his room (something he does often throughout the play). While alone, Alison confides in Cliff that she is pregnant. Cliff leaves to purchase cigarettes but returns to tell Alison that she has a call downstairs. Jimmy returns to the living room to talk with Cliff but they are interrupted when Alison returns to tell them that her friend Helena is coming to stay with them. Jimmy is angered by this news as he hates Helena and rages at his wife as she cowers by the stove and the curtain comes down on Act I.

Act II begins and two weeks have passed. Helena is now staying with them and she and Alison prepare dinner alone on stage. They talk about Alison’s relationship with Jimmy as well as her ambiguous relationship with Cliff. Alison tells the story of her first months married to Jimmy. After their marriage her mother and father cut her off completely from her inheritance (they didn’t approve of Jimmy) leaving the newlyweds destitute forcing them to stay with Jimmy’s friend Hugh. Helena interrupts Alison to encourage her to either leave Jimmy or admit to him that she is pregnant. Jimmy enters with Cliff and begins to rant (as usual). Helena and Alison prepare to leave for church, something that shocks Jimmy. He gets into an enormous argument with Helena that ends with him leaving to accept a phone call. It is about Hugh’s mother who is on her deathbed after suffering a stroke. Alison is forced to choose between going with Helena to church or with Jimmy to visit Hugh’s mother. She chooses Helena. Several days later Alison’s father comes and helps her pack and leave. Alison leaves a letter with Cliff to give to Jimmy. Cliff, angry at the whole situation, explodes at Helena and leaves her with the letter. Jimmy enters suddenly and angrily having been at Hugh’s mother’s funeral and on his way back ran into Alison and her father as they left. Angry with everyone and everything he confronts Helena challenging her to hit him. She finally does, then passionately kisses him. End of Act II.

The third act starts just like the first but now Helena has taken the place of Alison. Jimmy talks of a variety show that he wants to take on the road with the other two. They rehearse part of their act until Jimmy gets cross and ends it. Helena exits to iron a shirt and Cliff tells Jimmy that he is thinking about leaving and starting a new life somewhere else. Upon Helena’s reentrance Jimmy tells them both to get ready and they will go out for drinks. There is a knock on the door, Jimmy opens it to find Alison. In the next scene the two women speak alone in the kitchen and Helena reveals that she is leaving Jimmy. Alison begs her not to because then Jimmy will be totally alone. Upon Jimmy’s reentrance Helena breaks the news to him and then leaves. He angrily rages at Alison and she tells him in tears that she lost the baby and finally she understands the pain he feels. He comforts her and they embrace as the curtain falls.