New Plays Index (1955 - 1996)

This page contains a list of new plays commissioned by and premiered at theatre in the round in Scarborough between its opening on 14 July 1955 at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre to 3 February 1996, when the company left its second home, the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round.

It includes every professional play premiered by the company including details of its author and first performance. Full details of every play listed here can be found in
The Plays pages of this website.

This list has been compiled by Alan Ayckbourn’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd M.A., and should mot be reproduced without crediting both him and this website, www.a-round-town.com.

Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre (1955 - 1976)
1955
Circle Of Love
‘Prentice Pillar
Dragons Are Dangerous
Turn Right At The Crossroads

1956
Father Matthew
The Disguises of Arlecchino
Call The Selkie Home
Wuthering Heights
Idol In The Sky

1957
The Ornamental Hermit
Honey In The Stone

1958
A Sense Of Loss
Ring Of Roses

1959
Alas, Poor Fred
Halfway To Heaven
Frankenstein
The Square Cat
Viennese Interlude
Love After All

1960
Out Of The Flying Pan
Soldier From The Wars Returning
Mutatis Mutandis
Dad’s Tale

1961
Standing Room Only
Stranger In The Family
We’ve Minds Of Our Own
The Bed-Life Of A Mad Boy
David Copperfield
The Boys And The Girls

1962
A Thief In Time
Usher
Nine Floors, Not Counting The Mezzanine
The Birds And The Well-Wishers
The Station People
Death At The New Year

1963
Comeback

1964
Dead And Alive

1965
Meet My Father
March Of Time
Cock & Bull Story
See The Pretty Lights
The Play Of Mata Hari

1967
Hop, Step And Jump
The Sparrow

1968
A Boat in The Backyard

1969
The Dynamic Death-Defying Leap Of Timothy Satupon The Great
A Little Stiff Built Chap
How The Other Half Loves

1970
The Shy Gasman
The Story So Far…

1971
Time And Time Again
One For The Road

1972
Carmilla
Absurd Person Singular
Tom, Dick And Harry
Tranio’s Box

1973
Fancy Meeting You
Make Yourself At Home
Round And Round The Garden
Having A Lovely Time
All Together Now

1974
Absent Friends
Away From It All
Confusions
The Christmas That Nearly Wasn’t

1975
Bedroom Farce
The Adventures Of Bongo Bungle
The Village That Woke Up Asleep
Brontës
An Englishman’s Home
What The Devil!
Charlie’s Christmas Countdown
The Chimes

1976
Just Between Ourselves
Stars
The Mystery Of The Lost City
Mother Country

Eleanor D Glaser
Ruth Dixon
David Campton
Joan Winch


Aubrey Colin
Clifford Williams
Eleanor D Glaser
Joan Winch
David Campton


Catherine Prynne
Ruth Dixon


J.W. James
David Campton


James Saunders
Hilda Valentine
David Campton
Alan Ayckbourn
Colin Wilson
Alan Ayckbourn


David Campton
David Campton
David Campton
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Norman Horner
William Norfolk
Stockwell Allen
Joan MacAlpine
David Campton


Joan MacAlpine
David Campton
William Norfolk
William Norfolk
Richard Gill
R.G. Gregory


David Campton


David Campton


Alan Ayckbourn
Denys Ives
David Campton
Alan Plater
Mike Stott


Alan Plater
Alan Ayckbourn


David Bramley


Peter Hawkins
Leonard Barras
Alan Ayckbourn


Leonard Barras
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Ray Herman


David Campton
Alan Ayckbourn
Peter Blythe
Jennifer Smith


Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Peter Blythe
Peter King


Alan Ayckbourn
Peter King
Alan Ayckbourn
Janet Dale


Alan Ayckbourn
Janet Dale
Janet Dale
Bob Eaton / Peter Clough
Stephen Mallatratt
Bob Eaton / Polly Warren
Janet Dale
Stephen Mallatratt


Alan Ayckbourn
Stephen Lowe
Janet Dale
Stephen Mallatratt

14 July 1955
21 July 1955
28 July 1955
11 August 1955


12 July 1956
19 July 1956
19 July 1956
26 July 1956
2 August 1956


1 August 1957
15 August 1957


7 August 1958
22 December 1958


25 June 1959
25 June 1959
16 July 1959
30 July 1959
14 December 1959
21 December 1959


4 August 1960
4 August 1960
4 August 1960
19 December 1960


13 July 1961
27 July 1961
9 September 1961
9 September 1961
11 December 1961
26 December 1961


12 June 1962
28 June 1962
5 July 1962
5 July 1962
19 July 1962
13 September 1962


11 July 1963


30 July 1964


8 July 1965
15 July 1965
29 July 1965
12 August 1965
9 September 1965


10 July 1967
13 July 1967


24 June 1968


23 June 1969
3 July 1969
31 July 1969


16 July 1970
20 August 1970


8 July 1971
19 August 1971


19 June 1972
26 June 1972
7 August 1972
9 August 1972


18 June 1973
25 June 1973
9 July 1973
30 July 1973
20 August 1973


17 June 1974
15 July 1974
30 September 1974
23 December 1974


16 June 1975
19 July 1975
30 August 1975
22 September 1975
15 October 1975
26 November 1975
9 December 1975
18 December 1975


28 January 1976
21 July 1976
31 July 1976
25 August 1976
Between 1955 and 1976, 77 plays were premiered at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre from 159 produced works. During this period, 48.5% of productions were world premieres of new work.

Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round (1976 - 1996)
1976
The Guv’nor
Robin Hood And The Magic Forest

1977
Ten Times Table
Westwood Coronation Day Street Party
The Jubilee Show
Bert Podger And The Great Game Robbery
Shooting, Fishing And Riding
Housey, Housey

1978
Joking Apart
Reversed Charges
Men On Women On Men
On Me Todd
This, That And The Other
The Wizard Of Oz
A Little Arrangement
Travelling Hopefully
Patriotic Bunting
Once Upon A Time

1979
Sisterly Feelings
Kidstuff
Old Hat
Saint Trixie
New Wave
Tishoo
Taking Steps
Once More Upon A Time

1980
Suburban Strains
First Course
Absolutely Free
Second Helping
Trailer
Season’s Greetings

1981
The Conservatory
Me, Myself & I
Tapster
Out Front
You Should See Us Now
Way Upstream
The Vanishing
Making Tracks

1982
Intimate Exchanges
A Trip To Scarborough

1983
Incidental Music
At The End Of The Day
Backnumbers
Before Your Very Eyes
It Could Be Any One Of Us

1984
The 7 Deadly Virtues
A Chorus Of Disapproval
The Westwoods: Her Side
The Westwoods: His Side
Bricks ‘n’ Mortar

1985
Boy Meets Girl
Girl Meets Boy
Woman in Mind
Imaginary Lines
The Brontës Of Haworth

1986
Mere Soup Songs
Touch Wood And Whistle
Pay Day Night
Calling

1987
Henceforward…
The Woman In Black

1988
The Haunt Of Mr Fossett
The Parasol
Man Of The Moment
The Ballroom
Mr A’s Amazing Maze Plays
The Turn Of The Screw

1989
The Revengers’ Comedies
The Donkeys Are Eating Their Lunch
Pull For The Shore
Sand In The Sandwiches
The Inside Outside Slide Show
Invisible Friends
Ghost Stories

1990
Body Language
Three Men In A Boat
This Is Where We Came In
Abiding Passions
Callisto 5

1991
Wildest Dreams
Closing Number
Augustus Carp, Esq.
The Village Fete
A Man Of Letters
My Very Own Story

1992
One Over The Eight
Time Of My Life
Neville’s Island
A Bigger Slice Of The Pie
Apple Blossom Afternoon
Dreams From A Summer House
Prince On A White Bike

1993
The End Of The Food Chain

1994
Communicating Doors
Haunting Julia
Penny Blue
Appropriate Channels
Love Is In The Air
Windy
White Lies
The Musical Jigsaw Play

1995
A Word From Our Sponsor
Let’s Pretend

Christopher Godwin
Bob Eaton


Alan Ayckbourn
Bob Eaton
Alan Ayckbourn / Mervyn Watson
Janet Dale
Stephen Lowe
Alison Skilbeck


Alan Ayckbourn
Mervyn Watson
Alan Ayckbourn
Paul Todd
Devised
David Millard
Derek Buttress
Ken Whitmore
Brian Thompson
Christine Welch


Alan Ayckbourn
Tessa Harrison
Devised
Stephen Mallatratt
Devised
Brian Thompson
Alan Ayckbourn
Christine Welch


Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Stephen Lavell
Alan Ayckbourn
Paul Copley
Alan Ayckbourn


Brian Thompson
Alan Ayckbourn
Paul Copley
Trevor Cooper
Peter Tinniswood
Alan Ayckbourn
Polly Warren
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Peter Tinniswood
Alan Ayckbourn
Michael Cashman
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Michael Cashman


Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
R.R. Oliver
Christopher Fry / Kerry Gardner


Alan Ayckbourn
Stephen Mallatratt
Stephen Mallatratt
Paul Copley


Alan Ayckbourn
Stephen Mallatratt


Stephen Mallatratt
Frank Dunai
Alan Ayckbourn
Peter King
Alan Ayckbourn
Stephen Mallatratt


Alan Ayckbourn
John Pattison
John Pattison
John Pattison
Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Blake Heathcote
Alan Ayckbourn
Derrick Goodwin
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Cass Allen
Blake Heathcote
Peter Tinniswood
Tim Firth
Alan Ayckbourn


Peter Robert Scott
Alan Ayckbourn
Tim Firth
Tim Firth
Dave Sheasby
Alan Ayckbourn
Charles Thomas


Tim Firth


Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Vanessa Brooks
Julian Perkins
Eric Prince
Michael Cook
Robert Shearman
Alan Ayckbourn


Alan Ayckbourn
Vanessa Brooks

15 November 1976
14 December 1976


18 January 1977
29 April 1977
7 June 1977
23 July 1977
20 August 1977
26 August 1977


11 January 1978
28 April 1978
17 June 1978
28 June 1978
5 July 1978
8 July 1978
21 July 1978
25 July 1978
10 October 1978
5 December 1978


10 January 1979
25 May 1979
6 June 1979
23 June 1979
27 June 1979
24 July 1979
27 September 1979
4 December 1979


17 January 1980
8 July 1980
16 July 1980
5 August 1980
8 August 1980
25 September 1980


28 May 1981
2 June 1981
1 July 1981
8 August 1981
12 August 1981
2 October 1981
1 December 1981
15 December 1981


3 June 1982
8 December 1982


12 January 1983
13 July 1983
19 July 1983
10 August 1983
5 October 1983


12 January 1984
2 May 1984
29 May 1984
31 May 1984
22 August 1984


23 May 1985
25 May 1985
30 May 1985
12 June 1985
11 October 1985


22 May 1986
16 July 1986
8 August 1986
16 October 1986


30 July 1987
11 December 1987


14 June 1988
6 July 1988
10 August 1988
14 September 1988
30 November 1988
7 December 1988


5 June 1989
13 June 1989
14 June 1989
15 June 1989
22 July 1989
22 November 1989
29 December 1989


16 May 1990
4 July 1990
4 August 1990
8 August 1990
12 December 1990


1 May 1991
28 May 1991
30 May 1991
5 June 1991
12 June 1991
10 August 1991


9 January 1992
15 April 1992
10 June 1992
7 July 1992
9 July 1992
20 August 1992
18 November 1992


22 December 1993


27 January 1994
13 April 1994
22 June 1994
14 July 1994
20 July 1994
26 July 1994
12 August 1994
1 December 1994


13 April 1995
2 August 1995
Between 1955 and 1976, 106 plays were premiered at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre from 233 produced works. During this period, 45.5% of productions were world premieres of new work.
This list is researched, compiled by and copyright of Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce without acknowledging the author and Alan Ayckbourn's Official Website www.alanayckbourn.net.