The Productions of Time

by John Brunner

The plot follows actor Murray Douglas as he joins a theatre production with a group of other actors. Each of the cast members has had career problems because of drugs, alcohol, or other kinks. The play is an improv where the actors make up the script during rehearsal, and rehearsals take place in an isolated country house. It emerges that the alleged playwright is feeding each participant's vices, using a futuristic form of sleep learning to overcome their attempts to stay "clean". This is being done to benefit the prurient interests of decadent time travellers.