The Complete Plays: The Sparrow (1967)

Production Details
Title:
Author:
New Play:

Venue:
Location:
Staging:
The Sparrow
Alan Ayckbourn
Yes

The Library Theatre, Scarborough
Concert Room
Round
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
13 July 1967
13 July 1967
6 September 1967
Company Details
Director:
Design:
Music:

Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Alan Ayckbourn
Catriona Trevelyan
Trevor Holroyd

Catriona Trevelyan
Stephen Armstrong
Character
Evie
Ed
Tony
Julia
Actor
Pamela Craig
John Nettles
Robert Powell
Heather Stoney
Why is this play significant?
Allan Ayckbourn's long-forgotten eighth play, The Sparrow, is notable for marking the professional acting debut of John Nettles as well as starring Robert Powell shortly before he found television fame in Doomwatch. An early indication of the type of acting talent which has been found and developed by theatre in the round in Scarborough.

Note: Later research has cast the accuracy of this in doubt. Although John's debut is almost always given as The Sparrow because of the Ayckbourn connection, in all likelihood his professional stage debut was three days earlier in Hop, Step & Jump at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough.
Notes
○ The Sparrow marked the first time Alan Ayckbourn had directed one of his own plays Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough. From this point forward, he will direct all the world premieres of his work
○ The Sparrow was originally advertised with the title The Silver Collection. This appeared on the earliest poster and in early discussions of the season. It was then altered to The Sparrow which appears in brochures and on later posters for the season.
Links
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd. Image copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust