Alan Ayckbourn News

A year of shows from Scarborough's SJT has been unveiled, including adaptations of two classic novels, two stirring Yorkshire stories, a sparkling Christmas show and the 90th play, no less, from the SJT's Director Emeritus, Alan Ayckbourn.

Wiltshire Creative has announced their Spring 2024 programme. Building on their recent in-house productions at Salisbury Playhouse, which include The Girl on the Train and Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, Wiltshire Creative's programme for next spring includes three new in-house productions.  

Mary Shelley's shocking classic novel, Frankenstein, receives new life at Cleveland Play House. A haunting and highly theatrical adaptation of the classic horror story. Directed by Michael Barakiva, the production features Josh Bates, Madeline Calais, Ellen Grace Diehl, Gavin Michaels, and Kayodè Soyemi.

Four couples. Three Bedrooms. One endless Saturday night. Trevor and Susannah, whose marriage is on the rocks, inflict their miseries on their nearest and dearest friends and family: three couples whose own relationships reflect the give and take of married life. Set in the mid 1970s, the play takes place sequentially all in one evening in the bedrooms of the three beleaguered couples where beds, tempers, and domestic order are ruffled. A long-running hit in London and New York. By Alan Ayckbourn, Directed by Darnell Lautt, Cast: Delia - Gail Matos, Ernest - John Pekar, Nick - Peyman Majidi, Jan - Mary Murphy, Kate - Jane O’Brien, Malcolm - Fred Norris, Susannah - Raia Hirsch, Trevor - Scott Poling. Performances run October 21, 27 & 28 2023 at 7:30 pm and October 22 & 29, 2023 at 2:00 pm at Event space at Maria’s Mexican Restaurant, 129 E Main Street, Lancaster, OH 43130. Purchase tickets: https://www.thelancasterplayhouse.org/

The 2023 UK Theatre Awards winners have been revealed in a ceremony at London's Guildhall, hosted by Musical Theatre star Zoe Birkett.

Rebecca Wheatley has been announced playing Annie and Val in the cast of Killing Jack by Sadie Hasler at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. Learn more about the cast and the production here!

Sir Michael Gambon, who had an acting career that took him from Laurence Olivier’s nascent National Theatre to screen roles in the Harry Potter films, has died at the age of 82.

Rehearsals are under way for Alan Ayckbourn’s 89th play, Constant Companions, which will play at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre from 7 September to 7 October before touring to The Old Laundry Theatre, Bowness-on-Windermere (17 to 21 October) and the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme (24 October to 4 November). Check out rehearsal photos here! 

Globally renowned playwright Alan Ayckbourn will make a rare outing as an actor at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre in September.

The cast has been announced for HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES  by Alan Aykbourn at The Mill at Sonning. Performances run 10 August - 23 September.

Producers, Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that multi-platinum Australian recording artist Emily Williams will star as Rachel Marron in the award-winning international smash hit musical The Bodyguard, from Tuesday 12 September 2023 at the Liverpool Empire.

Multi-platinum Australian recording artist Emily Williams will star as Rachel Marron in the award-winning international smash hit musical THE BODYGUARD, from Tuesday 12 September 2023 at the Liverpool Empire.

Casting has been announced for Alan Ayckbourn's 89th play, Constant Companions, which will play at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre from 7 September to 7 October before touring to The Old Laundry Theatre, Bowness-on-Windermere (17 to 21 October) and the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme (24 October to 4 November).

Performances are at The Witham in Barnard Castle on 27 September, The Playhouse in Alnwick on 28 September, Queen's Hall Arts Centre in Hexham on 29 September, and The Maltings in Berwick on 30 September.

Critically acclaimed writer and actress, Alison Skilbeck, returns to Assembly for her fifth Edinburgh Fringe to premiere her new play, 'Alison Skilbeck's Uncommon Ground', in the Front Room, Assembly Rooms on George St from 3-27 August.

There are those rare instances when a director perfectly casts and directs a play. The actor in every role inhabits the playwright’s characters and delivers performances that transcend an exceptional script to further elevate the material. That is exactly what Robert Ashton has done with Albion Theatre’s second show of their inaugural season with his casting and direction of Alan Ayckbourn’s comical farce ABSENT FRIENDS.

Hedgerow Theatre announced both a one-week extension and a virtual streaming option of the company's Barrymore Recommended world premiere production of The Puzzle by Juliette Dunn.

Cleveland Play House will bring its 2022-2023 season to a close with the world premiere production of Ken Ludwig's Moriarty: A New Sherlock Holmes Adventure. Running April 29 through May 21 in the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square.

Smash-Hit show The Bodyguard will visit Milton Keynes Theatre on 29 May - 03 June

BroadwayWorld UK spoke with Robert Hastie about what it's been like to be involved with Operation Mincemeat, how he became a director, and what it's like to direct both Shakespeare and musicals!