An observant 9-year-old, Winnie, records the events swirling around the chair where she sits writing in a deluxe household of strangers. She's composing an essay on the topic “My Wonderful Day,” which her teacher assigned for homework. The adults in the room hardly register her presence, for she is merely the immigrant housecleaner’s daughter and (they think) ignorant of English. But although Winnie is beneath their notice, she notices everything, and understands most of it only too well — and writes it all down.
What Winnie describes in her essay are people blessed with ease and affluence whose relationships are coming apart. One of the characters talks about “lonely love,” an apt phrase for any feelings of affection surviving in the somewhat infantile grownups whose resentments and losses unfold around the girl. British playwright Alan Ayckbourn’s famous wit and flair, and his young protagonist’s charming blend of perceptiveness and naiveté, make his 73rd play well worth seeing.
If you go: Seattle Public Theatre at the Bathhouse's Seattle premier production of “My Wonderful Day” previews Jan. 27 and runs Jan. 28-Feb. 20, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinee 2 p.m. Bathhouse Theatre at Green Lake, 7312 West Green Lake Dr. N. (206) 524-1300. (A note to parents: SPT at the Bathhouse cautions on its Web site that some of the play’s themes are too “adult” for young children.) Adult ticket prices generally run $23 to $28; discounts for seniors (65 and older) and youth (25 and younger).
