Running through daily tweets mentioning @Ayckbourn, there was a recent query whether The Norman Conquests is the only TV adaptation of an Ayckbourn plays to have been released on DVD.
Despite the fact there have been television adaptations of 11 of Alan Ayckbourn's full-length plays, only The Norman Conquests has ever been commercially released and none of the BBC adaptations have ever seen the light of day (The Norman Conquests was produced by Thames Television).
Despite the onset of digital programming and streaming, this also doesn't look likely to change in the foreseeable future - or at least Alan Ayckbourn is not aware of any plans regarding them.
While this is disappointing, it is presumably a commercial decision as Sir Alan has publicly spoken about how he is not against them being released on DVD; however the release of DVDs is not something he has any involvement with or say in (and for anyone who thinks otherwise, do you honestly believe the atrocious A Chorus Of Disapproval film would be on DVD if he had any say in such matters!).
The only other DVDs available of Alan Ayckbourn's plays are the movie adaptations with Private Fears In Public Places available in the UK and the USA, a French language (non-subtitled) Smoking / No Smoking (adapting Intimate Exchanges) available in France, the previously aforementioned Chorus DVD in the UK and on streaming services such as Netflix and America in North America, and, from next year in the USA and parts of Europe, Life Of Riley.
You can also still find Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical By Jeeves on DVD.
If ever the situation changes, www.alanayckbourn.net will be there to report on any future DVD / digital releases.
The Norman Conquests, starring Tom Conti, Richard Briers, David Troughton, Penelope Wilton, Penelope Keith and Fiona Walker, is available now on DVD and further details can be found here.
Details of all the filmed adaptations of Alan Ayckbourn's plays can be found on his official website here.
