Tea in the Afternoon by Vanessa Shealy

Elizabeth arrives on a mysterious great aunt's doorstep looking for answers. Instead, she unearths a well of mutual need and feisty antagonism, as each sees in the other some echo of a woman they remember.

"Fantastic writing…surprising and really intelligent...you think you know what to expect, but it slowly keeps making left turns, small shifts in your expectations that keep it from...
Elizabeth arrives on a mysterious great aunt's doorstep looking for answers. Instead, she unearths a well of mutual need and feisty antagonism, as each sees in the other some echo of a woman they remember.

"Fantastic writing…surprising and really intelligent...you think you know what to expect, but it slowly keeps making left turns, small shifts in your expectations that keep it from being either predictable or unbelievable." - Talking Broadway
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Tea in the Afternoon

Recommended by

  • Kel Vance:
    26 Jan. 2019
    “ "Tea In The Afternoon" with its beautifully crafted characters is superbly written. Bes and Elizabeth's journey, while feeling familiar, offers surprising twists that are rooted in its often brutal honesty and heart wrenching reality of life for those with, and for those caring for loved ones with dementia. Evoking empathy through humour, Shealy deftly peels through the layers of what it means to be family. A wonderful addition to any festival or theatre seeking to champion women's stories. ”

ELIZABETH
An aspiring artist who prides herself on her efficiency. She means well, but often doesn't know what she means. Lonely, stubborn, and uncomfortable with silence, Elizabeth handles her life by trying to fix others. Late twenties.
BES
Elizabeth's feisty great aunt. She has a quick wit, a short temper, and a lively pace. Now around eighty, she has lived alone in her home for over forty years. Her experience of dementia, which progresses from mild to severe throughout the course of the play, exacerbates her agitation and nervous energy. She is frustratingly unpredictable.

Development History

  • Reading
    ,
    Abingdon Theater Company
    ,
    2010
  • Reading
    ,
    Queen's Theater in the Park
    ,
    2009
  • Reading
    ,
    The Actors Studio
    ,
    2008

Production History

  • Workshop
    ,
    OnTheRoadRep
    ,
    2016
  • Fringe
    ,
    New York International Fringe Festival
    ,
    2006

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
Playwrights’ Week
,
Lark Theatre
,
2008