Farcicals

Producing Company

Stephen Joseph Theatre

2014 not only marks Alan Ayckbourn’s 75th birthday but also 50 years since the first production of one of his plays in London’s West End, (Mr Whatnot). To date he has written 78 plays; his work has been translated into over 35 languages, is performed on stage and television throughout the world and has won countless awards. 

He was Artistic Director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre from 1972 - 2009, where he worked at both earlier homes of the company before establishing its first permanent base in 1996. Almost all his plays have been premiered by the company and he continues to stage the world premieres of his plays there alongside directing major revivals each year. He will direct a new musical version of The Boy Who Fell Into A Book and his 78th play, Roundelay there this summer.   In recent years, he has been inducted into American Theatre’s Hall of Fame, received the 2010 Critics’ Circle Award for Services to the Arts and became the first British playwright to receive both Olivier and Tony Special Lifetime Achievement Awards. He was knighted in 1997 for services to the theatre.