The Complete Plays: The Norman Conquests (1973)

The Trilogy / The Norman Conquests
In 1973, Alan Ayckbourn wrote a trilogy of plays which - from its London premiere in 1974 - would become known as The Norman Conquests. The original production in Scarborough did not have that title and it was referred to by Aland and the company y simply as 'The Trilogy'. Two of the three plays had different titles to those known now. To find out more about the individual plays, visit the pages for Fancy Meeting You, Make Yourself At Home and Round and Round the Garden.
Production Details
Title:
Author:
New Play(s):

Venue:
Location:
Staging:
The Trilogy / The Norman Conquests
Alan Ayckbourn
Yes

The Library Theatre, Scarborough
Concert Room
Round
First performance:
Opening night:
Final performance:
18 June 1973
18 June 1973
15 September 1973
Company Details
Director:

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

David Price
Allan Took
Robert Benfield
Character
Reg
Sarah, his wife
Ruth, Reg's sister
Norman, her husband
Annie, Reg & Ruth's sister
Tom
Actor
Stanley Page
Alex Marshall
Janet Dale
Christopher Godwin
Rosalind Adams
Ronald Herdman
Why are these plays significant?
The Norman Conquests is - alongside Absurd Person Singular - possibly the most famous of Alan Ayckbourn's plays; a trilogy of plays telling the events of a single weekend from three different perspectives. Despite not being advertised as a trilogy (for fear of putting off tourists), it was a sell-out success at Theatre in the Round in the Library Theatre before going onto to award-running runs in the West End and on Broadway. The Norman Conquests has won more awards than any other Ayckbourn play and was named as one of the top 100 works of the 20th century by the National Theatre - and it all started in the Concert Room at Scarborough Library in 1973!
Notes
○ Fancy Meeting You, Make Yourself At Home and Round and Round the Garden were not originally advertised as a trilogy and did not share the common title The Norman Conquests. This was only introduced when the trilogy transferred to London in 1974.
○ The title of Fancy Meeting You was altered to Table Manners and Make Yourself At Home to Living Together for the plays' London premiere in 1974.
Links
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd. Image copyright: Scarborough Theatre Trust