Actress Connie Walker talks about her role as an interfering, domineering mother/mother-in-law in Alan Ayckbourn’s play Just Between Ourselves coming to the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Regular visitors to the Theatre Royal, the London Classic Theatre are set to bring a tale of unhappy marriages and an overbearing mother to Bury St Edmunds this summer.

Just Between Ourselves is an Alan Ayckbourn play which demonstrates how we destroy those we supposedly love.

Connie Walker plays the interfering mother/mother-in-law Marjorie and here she tells us what the play is all about.

For those who don’t know, could you tell us a bit about the plot of Just Between Ourselves?

‘Five birthdays, two unhappy marriages, one possessive mother’

That’s the ‘headline promo’ for the show, but it’s so much more than that. It is a play about couples who don’t or can’t commit with each other. Dealing or more importantly, not dealing with their own personal struggles and their fractured relationships – adding to that a possessive, domineering mother/mother-in-law living with one of the couples with the personality to potentially tip people over the edge.

What is it that drew you to the role of Marjorie in this production?

She is simply irresistible – a delicious part. She is a formidable woman (with Marjorie being a Scorpio), with her son even commenting ‘in very deep waters Scorpios are secretive, scheming and devious’. Many families will have or know a ‘Marjorie’ – the one you have to invite at Christmas and bite your lip. And for me that makes for interesting theatre, so what is not to love!

What do you hope audiences take away from this production?

We have the capacity to destroy the ones we supposedly love. Ayckbourn has an incredible gift to tread the tightrope between tragedy and comedy and as an actor it is a joy to walk this tightrope too. He impeccably details the absurdity of relationships – always truthful with beautifully-observed characters, relationships and situations. It is essentially a tragi-comedy and at times as moving as it is funny.

You’ve worked with director Michael Cabot before. What are you looking forward to most about the rehearsal process with LCT?

I have worked with London Classic Theatre previously on productions of My Mother Said I Never Should, In Basildon and Beauty Queen of Leenane. I love exploring complex texts such as this one with such a collaborative and giving director. Michael lets us explore ideas and flesh out our characters and this is aided by working alongside such gifted actors – many of whom have also previously worked with LCT. In the rehearsal room we have been able to dissect the intricacies of each relationship, both its underlying tensions and hostility, and with this cast we have really been able to sink our teeth into this gripping play. I am so happy to be back working with LCT and can’t wait to share this production with audiences across the country.

Why should audiences come?

A crackin’ night out, pure and simple, with an opportunity to see a classic Ayckbourn play. Just Between Ourselves hasn’t been professionally produced since 2009 and it is about time a production was heading across the country. It is truly a jewel among Ayckbourn’s incredible 91 plays with every character being instantly recognisable. It’s very funny and at times heart-breaking and I hope that audiences will connect and love the characters as much as they will want to shake them to come to their senses.

Tickets for the show go on sale on March 25.

Just Between Ourselves, June 3-7. Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds. Call 01284 769505 or visit theatreroyal.org