Alan Ayckbourn News

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

Written by Sir Alan Ayckbourn and directed by Janet Brandwood for Stirling Theatre, Absurd Person Singular documents the changing fortunes of three married couples who turn up in each other's kitchens on successive Christmas Eves. 

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!

APRIL IN PARIS runs at North Fourth Art Center, 4904 4th St. NW, Albuquerque, NM 3 weekends, from April 21 – May 7, 2023.

A previously unseen John Bratby portrait of theatrical legend Alan Ayckbourn will be the centrepiece of a new exhibition at Scarborough Art Gallery exploring the role of portaiture.  

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and Neal Street Productions, in association with Hera Pictures, have announced casting for the world-premiere of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti and directed by RSC Acting Artistic Director Erica Whyman. 

The cast has been announced for Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds' much-anticipated upcoming production of The Children, alongside the previously announced Imogen Stubbs.  Lucy Kirkwood's post-apocalyptic drama was hailed by The Guardian as one of the top three plays in their 'Best Theatre Shows of the 21st Century', following two retired nuclear scientists whose isolated life by the sea is disrupted by an old friend with a frightening request. 

​​​​​​​Wagner's soaring masterpiece Lohengrin returns to the Met stage after 17 years, in a new production by internationally renowned director François Girard. The production runs from February 26th-April 1st.