The Complete Plays: Absurd Person Singular (1972)

Production Details
Title:
Author:
New Play:

Venue:
Location:
Staging:
Absurd Person Singular
Alan Ayckbourn
Yes

The Library Theatre, Scarborough
Concert Room
Round
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
26 June 1972
26 June 1972
16 September 1972
Company Details
Director:

Stage Manager:
Deputy Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Assistant Stage Manager:
Alan Ayckbourn

Jennifer Smith
David Millard
David Hayward
Sue Rogers
Character
Jane Hopcroft
Sidney Hopcroft
Ronald Brewster-Wright
Marion Brewster-Wright
Eva Jackson
Geoffrey Jackson
Actor
Philippa Urquhart
Piers Rogers
Chistopher Godwin
Matyelok Gibbs
Jennifer Piercey
Ray Jewers
Why is this play significant?
Inarguably one of Alan Ayckbourn's most famous and popular plays. Absurd Person Singular helped ensure not only his place as a popular playwright but also a playwright willing to push boundaries in terms of playwriting and structure. It cemented Alan's place as the foremost tragicomic writer of his generation and is the first of his 'off-stage' plays with the action taking place in the less obvious location of the kitchens over three Christmases. It went on to hold the longest contiguous run of any Ayckbourn play in both the West End and on Broadway. It is probably the most produced play worldwide to have originated in Scarborough.
Notes
○ Absurd Person Singular was, unusually, rehearsed largely in Sheffield as the company preceded the Scarborough season with a production of David Campton's Carmilla at the Crucible theatre.
○ The first performance on 26 June 1972 is unique as Alan felt the play ran too long. He promptly cut half-an-hour from the play for subsequent performances. This first night is the only time the script was performed uncut. The published version of the script is the edited version.
○ Whilst many clever theories have been put forward as to the title's relevance to the play, there actually is no connection. The play was intended for an entirely different unwritten play by the author but as he liked the title so much, he just decided to use it for his next play.
○ The play was originally set in three living rooms, but soon after he began writing, Alan Ayckbourn realised this was a very boring place to set the play and the real action was in the kitchen; it thus became his first 'off-stage' play.
Links
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd. Image copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust