Skylight is a play by British dramatist David Hare. It opened at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe, directed by Richard Eyre, in 1995. The production then moved to the Wyndham's Theatre for a short run from 13 February 1996, after winning the Laurence Olivier Award for the 1995 season.

Plot

Tom Sergeant

Kyra Hollis

Edward Sergeant

East London school teacher Kyra Hollis is visited on the same night by son and father Edward and Tom Sargeant. Kyra had been living with the Sargeant family years earlier, but left after her affair with Tom was discovered by Tom's wife, who has since passed. Edward accuses Kyra of having left him as well, as he saw her as a big sister. His real older sister having left the house, he is now alone with his father, whom he finds difficult to deal with. Kyra gets angry with him and he leaves, not without asking her what she misses most about his father. Her response is: a good breakfast. Shortly thereafter, Tom, a wealthy restaurateur, with real life references to Terence Conran, appears unheralded and for no apparent reason. Kyra's less than glamorous lifestyle leads him to poke fun at her to the point of insult, accusing her of self-punishment. After Kyra cooks a spaghetti-dinner (which the actress actually cooks on stage), they consummate their relationship once again. During the second act, it becomes clear that their lifestyles and political views are so vastly different that they cannot possibly rekindle their relationship, and Tom leaves. A few hours later, at the break of dawn, Edward reappears with a full breakfast, which he has "borrowed" from a posh hotel.

Awards and nominations

• 1996 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play Nominations
• 1997 Tony Award for Best Play

References