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Birth
Alan was born in Hampstead, London. To Irene Maud and Horace Ayckbourn. Up to date Alan has written 89 plays. -
Parents Separation
Alan's parents got divorced, though they were never married, he found out in his middle age. His mom then got married with a bank manager and moved to rural sussex. It was an unhappy marriage that led to an unhappy childhood, which can now be seen through his plays since they go over relationships. -
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School
Earned a scholarship to a well respected school: Haileybury."Two people inspired me. A wonderful teacher, Edgar Matthews, at my school, Haileybury, who first introduced me to theatre and sent us on tours to the States and the Netherlands with our school Shakespeare productions.."
Correspondence, 2005. Where he acted in productions by Shakespeare and traveled with a theater group to see some too. He dropped out at 17 to pursue his acting career. -
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Director Position
He was Director of Productions of Stephen Joseph founded Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough. -
Acting Career
He was employed as an actor/stage manager with Sir Donald Wolfit's company at the Edinburgh Festival. -
New Job
He moved to the Library theater Scarborough with the Stephen Joseph Company with small parts. He complained to Stephen and he said “If you want a better part you better write one for yourself”, seeing the potential in him as a writer rather than an actor. -
Love After All
Winter of 1959. A farce about a man's attempts to woo a miser's daughter using various disguises, only to be outwitted and end up with the maid instead. -
The Square Cat
In the summer of 1959 Alan created his first play, a collaboration between him and his wife under the pseudonym Roland Allen. It's about a housewife organizing an unlawful meeting at a country estate with rock 'n' roll sensation Jerry Wattis, who is not what he appears to be. Mayhem ensues when her husband, son, and daughter show there. -
Marriage
Alan married Christine Roland, another member of the same set. -
Dads Tale
It's a Christmas play incorporating balletic interludes in which a poor family dreams of happier times. This play made Alan realize that theres no play for ballet in his writing. It even made him doubt himself and even thought of going back to acting. -
Birth of Philip Nicholas
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Founder of Victoria Theatre
Alan left Scarborough to become founder member of Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent. The company’s origins go back toStephen Joseph in the late 1950’s, along with other younger theatre practitioners. -
Mr. Whatnot
Alan directed his first large-scale World-Premiere play. It sort of failed but it lead him to the beginnings of a professional relationship with Margaret Ramsay. It goes over a silent piano tuner's visit to a country house turning into an extraordinary adventure as he falls in love with a soon-to-be-married aristocratic young woman. -
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BBC
Alan joined the British Broadcasting Company as a producer of radio dramas invited by Alfred Bradley, "Although only a dozen or so years older than I, Alfred turned out to be what I later referred to as one of my 'guardian uncles'; those remarkable people whom I was lucky enough to meet in my early years who subsequently shaped and informed my life. I remain indebted to him." -
Relatively Speaking
Alan enjoys his first major London Hit. It's about a complicated love, the main character attempting to break up with her lover just to talk to the wife (which he believed to be the mother) which just lead to complications. -
Stephen Joseph death
One of Alans closest friends, and teammates died. Stephen lead Alan to write. For this he continued to keep his company alive. -
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Artistic Director
Alan became the Artistic Director of Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough. -
Evening Standard Best Comedy Award (Absurd Person Singular)
Alans first award -
Evening Standard Best Play Award (The Norman Conquests)
Another award Alan would soon earn several of. -
Variety Club of Great Britain Playwright of the Year
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Olivier Best Comedy Award
Earned his first Olivier Award with the Best Comedy Award for A Chorus Of Disapproval; Absent Friends and Absurd Person Singular broadcast on television. -
CBE
Earned a "Companion of the Order of the British Empire", which is the highest ranking Order of the British Empire award. -
The Revengers' Comedies
On his 50th birthday Alan wrote this play to celebrate. It's about two suicidal strangers, Karen and Henry, who meet on London's Albert Bridge where they agree to swap revenges. Karen proves psychotically efficient at taking 'her' revenge, while Henry falls in love with the object of 'his' revenge, much to Karen who insists they have a deal to keep no matter the cost. -
Othello
Directed his first production of a play by Shakespeare with Othello at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, starring Michael Gambon. -
Dreams From A Summer House
Alan collaborated with the composer John Pattison for the first time on the musical Dreams From A Summer House. -
Knighted for services to theatre
Alan was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his contributions to British theatre -
2nd Marriage
Alan marries Heather Stoney -
Stroke
Alan at 66 suffered a stroke and was hospitalized in in a Scarborough hospital. -
Step down
Alan decided to step down his artistic director position at Stephen Joseph Theatre due to his stroke, decided to calm down a bit. -
Special Tony Award
The Life of Riley, by Alan Ayckbourn received a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater. -
The Boy Who Fell Into a Book
Alan directed the musical adaptation of his play The Boy Who Fell Into A Book at the Stephen Joseph Theatre. -
The Divide
Wrote the divide, his first fictional prose work and debut novel is a tragic love story set in a post-catastrophic England where genders are segregated by the Divide. -
The Karaoke Theatre Company
Alan wrote his first play with improvisational elements with The Karaoke Theatre Company. An event that’s foundation is improve, no one can say what will happen. -
Director Emeritus
Stephen Joseph Theatre named Alan Ayckbourn as its first Director Emeritus (honorary award to an individual who has moved an organization to new heights) recognizing his 60 years with the company.