Alan Ayckbourn Encyclopaedia: V
Victoria Theatre: The first purpose-built professional theatre-in-the-round in England. The theatre was designed and created by Stephen Joseph; Alan Ayckbourn moved from the Library Theatre, Scarborough, to become an Associate Director when the Victoria Theatre opened on 9 October 1962. Alan premiered two of his plays at the theatre; Christmas V Mastermind and Mr Whatnot, before leaving the theatre in 1964. The theatre is now known as the New Vic Theatre and is still in-the-round with close ties to the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough.A View From The Bridge: In 1987, Alan Ayckbourn directed a critically acclaimed production of Arthur Miller's A View From The Bridge at the National Theatre, whilst on sabbatical from the Stephen Joseph Theatre. The production won many awards, would transfer for a successful West End run to the Aldwych Theatre and would be praised by Arthur Miller as a definitive production of the play. It is widely seen as the production which sealed Alan Ayckbourn's reputation as a director.
Virtual Reality: Alan Ayckbourn's 56th play premiered at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, on 3 February 2000. The play was written specifically for the end-stage and is about our inability to communicate in the modern world. It centres on a man undergoing a mid-life crisis and how his affair with a young actress destroys the lives of those around him. This play has been withdrawn from production by the playwright and has never been published.
Original research for the The Alan Ayckbourn Encyclopaedia section is by Simon Murgatroyd and copyright of the author.