Born: April 12, 1939
Since the early 1970s, Alan Ayckbourn has been the artist director of Scarborough, England’s Stephen Joseph Theatre, the “home base” of over sixty world premieres of his plays.
Time magazine’s Richard Zoglin, views him as one of world’s greatest living playwrights. Many other “master dramatists” may focus on important political issues. However, Ayckbourn is more interested in exploring the sometimes funny, sometimes tragic everyday moments in typical neighborhoods and homes. Here is a brief look at a few of his memorable plays:
The Norman Conquests:
Although he has long been admired in England, the popularity of his plays in America has been hit and miss. Recently in America, however, his work came back into the spotlight. His hit 1973 comedic trilogy The Norman Conquests earned a 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Audiences loved the humorous characters within a cracked-up family. Critics loved the complexity of the trilogy. Each play stands on its own, yet has moments of connectivity. I love the fact that each play takes place at the same time; each one is set in a different room in the house.
Absurd Person Singular:
Written around the time in which his first marriage dissolved, Ayckbourn’s Absurd Person Singular takes place over the course of three Christmas parties. Much of the storyline deals with married characters who simultaneously loathe and rely on one another. The play’s dark comedy is at its grim best during Act Two when a desperate wife attempts suicide, but the rest of the characters think that she is trying to clean the oven.
The Revenger’s Comedies:
An epic love letter to the exciting thrillers of the 1930s and 40s. This two part play is a tangled web of Hitchcockian subplots. Ayckbourn wrote the play to celebrate his 50th birthday, and described The Revenger’s Comedies this way:
I wanted to write a play about a man who picks up a stray kitten and finds it's a boa constrictor instead.
To learn more about Alan Ayckbourn and his plays, his official website is an invaluable resource.
