Shakespeare says that "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players". Jaques (pro Jakes), in As You Like It, outlines the parts men play as they cycle through the seven stages and ages in their lives - Infancy, The Whining School-boy, The Lover, The Soldier, The Justice, The Lean and Slippered Pantaloon, and eventually into Second Childishness.

Back in 2004, RTÉ Drama On One invited writers Maeve Binchy, Aidan Mathews, Paula Meehan, Mannix Flynn and Patrick McCabe to respond to the Seven Ages of Man.

We continue those reflections with John Banville’s take on The Lean and Slippered Pantaloon.

Niall Tóibín stars as an ageing besotted player in A World Too Wide and is introduced now by John Banville.

Produced by Cathryn Brennan.