Alan Ayckbourn

A Brief History of Women

May 17, 2018

Although the title covers part of the plot, the play is really a trenchant social history of Britain from 1925 – 1985 in four short sequences, showing the changes that take place in one house over 60 years and following the career of one everyman, Anthony Spates, known familiarly as Tony. It also follows the women in Tony’s life who help him, love him and leave him in each of four decades. While Antony Eden plays the phlegmatic Tony at four stages in his life (17, 37, 57 and 77) with equal aplomb, the rest of the cast play four characters each, a remarkable feat, as time marches on. "A Brief History of Women" has the depth of a novel and the breath of an epic. [more]

Invincible

June 23, 2017

Betts' "Invincible" has been compared to Alan Ayckbourn’s work. Although there are similarities, particularly in Betts’ ear for capturing the jargon of his characters and his feel for social class distinctions, Ayckbourn’s plays are more delicately constructed and make their points—whether social or emotional—more cleverly than Betts. Even so, Invincible—the title a football reference—is satisfying as both a comedy and a drama, breaking more than a few hearts. [more]

Hero’s Welcome

June 20, 2016

Now having its American premiere in repertory with "Confusions," one of Ayckbourn’s earliest plays, with the same actors in both, the production which is directed by the author is from the Stephen Joseph Theater, Scarborough, where most of the author’s plays have had their world premieres. This is a powerful and engrossing study of friendship, love, jealousy, competition and betrayal. [more]

Confusions

June 11, 2016

First performed in 1979, this is a relatively early work by the supreme British dramatist Alan Ayckbourn (b. 1939) who is as of this writing up to his 79th play, "Hero’s Welcome.' The new play is having its U.S. premiere at 59E59 Theaters and performs in repertory with "Confusions." "The Norman Conquests" is among Ayckbourn’s best-known works and "Confusions" is representative of his trademark style and concerns. Human behavior in all its complexities is dramatically rendered with depth and humor in a boldly theatrical and inventive manner. Both productions come from the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, which has staged almost all of Ayckbourn's plays and from which he retired as Artistic Director in 2009 but where he continues to direct plays. . [more]