If you have a question regarding any aspect of Alan's work, email it to: ayckbourn@gmail.com (labelled Ask The Archivist) and we'll publish any interesting questions.
Question: We're extrapolating on a recent question about Alan's directing career today, by focussing on a less well known area of Alan's directing career - with a look at where, other than the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Alan has professionally directed.
Answer: As we noted in the 17 February edition of Ask The Archivist (click here), Alan began directing at the Library Theatre, Scarborough (the company which now the Stephen Joseph Theatre) in 1961, where he has spent the majority of his acting career. However, he has also directed for a number of other venues and companies over the years.
Victoria Theatre, Stoke: In 1962, Stephen Joseph founded the first permanent and professional in-the-round venue in the UK (he had previously founded the UK's first professional in-the-round company in Scarborough in 1955). Alan joined the Victoria as an Associate Director and worked as actor, playwright and director at the venue between 1962 and 1964. During that period, he directed six productions which included his first opportunity to direct one of his own plays (Standing Room Only) and the world premiere of his sixth play Mr Whatnot.
National Theatre, London: In 1977, Alan co-directed with Peter Hall his first play at the National Theatre, Bedroom Farce. Between 1977 and the present day, Alan has since directed 12 full-length plays at the venue (Bedroom Farce, Sisterly Feelings, Way Upstream, A Chorus Of Disapproval, A Small Family Business, Invisible Friends, Mr A's Mazing Maze Plays, House & Garden, Will Evans & Valentine's Tons Of Money, Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge, John Ford's Tis Pity She's a Whore. Alan was also a company director for two years at the National between 1986 and 1988 when he took a sabbatical from Scarborough.
West End, London: Between 1977 and the present day, Alan has directed 14 West End productions - predominantly for the producer Michael Codron - including Just Between Ourselves, Ten Times Table, Joking Apart, Season's Greetings, Woman In Mind, Henceforward..., Man Of The Moment, The Revengers' Comedies, Time Of My Life, Communicating Doors, By Jeeves, Things We Do For Love and Comic Potential (note: this figure does not include transfers of productions from the Stephen Joseph Theatre or the National Theatre).
Royal Shakespeare Company: In 1994, the Royal Shakespeare Company asked Alan to direct his most recent work for the company. He directed Wildest Dreams, which was performed at The Pit at the Barbican in London before transferring to the company's home town of Stratford.
Alley Theatre, Houston: As well as touring several of his Scarborough productions to Houston in the USA, Alan also directed the American premiere of his play Henceforward... with the Alley Theatre in 1987.
Goodspeed Opera House: In 1996, Alan was invited to direct his and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical By Jeeves at the Norma Terris Theater in Chester. Between 1996 and 2001, Alan re-directed the piece several times in different venues for the company until the play opened on Broadway in 2001.
Hampstead Theatre, London: In 2002, Alan Ayckbourn directed a revival of Tim Firth's The Safari Party which he had previously directed in Scarborough.
Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond: Most recently, Alan directed a highly acclaim production of his farce Taking Steps at the in-the-round venue in London in 2010.
Since 2009, when Alan Ayckbourn stepped down as Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, he has - essentially - become a freelance director so it is probable this list will expand in the future.
To find out more about Alan Ayckbourn's directing career, visit the Directing section of Alan Ayckbourn's website.
To submit your question to Ask The Archivist, email Simon Murgatroyd at: ayckbourn@gmail.com labelled Ask The Archivist.
