Alan Ayckbourn 20 Facts

Alan Ayckbourn: 20 Facts

1. Alan Ayckbourn was born on 12 April, 1939 to Irene Maud Worley (better known as ‘Lolly’) and Horace Ayckbourn in Hampstead.

2. Alan attended school at Wisborough Lodge and then Haileybury

3. Alan’s professional career began as an ASM and actor with Donald Wolfit’s company with a three week engagement at the Edinburgh Festival.

4. Alan’s early career saw him work as ASM and actor at the Connaught Theatre (Worthing), the Thorndike Theatre (Leatherhead), the Oxford Playhouse and the Library Theatre (Scarborough). He joined the latter in 1957.

5. Alan’s acting career ran from 1956 to 1964 and encompassed more than 50 different roles – the majority performed in-the-round.

6. Alan’s playwriting career began in 1959 with The Square Cat (having confronted Stephen Joseph about his role in David Campton’s Ring Of Roses). As of 2008, Alan has written 72 full-length plays.

7. Alan married his first wife Christine Roland in 1957; together they had two sons Steven and Philip. Alan’s second marriage was to Heather Stoney in 1997.

8. Alan’s first production as director was Gaslight at the Library Theatre in 1961. Since then he has directed more than 250 productions in the UK and abroad, including the London premieres of 32 of his plays in the West End.

9. In 1962, Alan moved with the Studio Theatre Company to the Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, as Associate Director. He both directed and acted there, as well as premiering two new plays, before leaving the company in 1964.

10. From 1964 to 1970, Alan worked as a drama producer for BBC Radio in Leeds.

11. Alan’s first major West End success was Relatively Speaking in 1967; as of 2008, 39 of Alan’s plays have been produced in the West End or the National Theatre (this does not include major fringe productions).

12. Alan Ayckbourn became the Artistic Director (Director of Productions) of the Library Theatre, Scarborough, in 1972. He will step down as Artistic Director in March 2009. *

13. In 1974, Alan held the record for having the most plays running simultaneously in the West End with Living Together, Table Manners, Round And Round The Garden, Absurd Person Singular and Absent Friends. Only Andrew Lloyd Webber since has had more productions running concurrently.

14. The Variety Club named Alan Playwright of the Year in 1974; between 1973 and 2008, Alan has received more than 25 major theatre awards.

15. In 1976 Alan wrote his first play intended for end-stage performance (Bedroom Farce); although he is primarily associated with the Round, he has written five plays intended for the end-stage: Bedroom Farce, A Small Family Business, Haunting Julia, Things We Do For Love and Virtual Reality.

16. In 1976, Alan and the Library Theatre company moved to the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round (based at the old Boys’ Grammar School). In 1996, he would again move the company to the Stephen Joseph Theatre (based at a former Odeon cinema).

17. Between 1986 to 1988, Alan was invited by Sir Peter Hall to form his own company at the National Theatre. He directed A Small Family Business, A View From The Bridge, Tons Of Money and ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore.

18. In 1992, Alan was appointed Cameron Macintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre, at the University of Oxford.

19. Alan was awarded a CBE (Companion of the Order of the British Empire) in 1987. 10 years later to the day, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II ‘for services to the theatre.’

20. Fatuous fact: Alan Ayckbourn has been said to be the most performed living playwright in the world. There is no plausible way either to prove or disprove this. But he is undoubtedly very, very popular….

These facts have been compiled by Simon Murgatroyd with the help of Alan Ayckbourn and Heather Stoney. They are correct at the time of publication.

* For further details about Alan's position as Artistic Director and the confusion over the year he took the job, click here. The 20 Facts can also be downloaded for reproduction and reference by clicking here.