|
A Pocket Guide to Alan Ayckbourn's Plays
By Paul Allen
276 pages
£7.99
Faber and Faber
Dateline: 15th April, 2004
Sir Alan Ayckbourn can put the letters CBE after his name. For more
years than he may care to remember, BCA would have been a better alternative.
It seems as if the words Best Comedy Award have followed Alan Ayckbourn
on an annual basis forever. This is a mark of his great popularity.
This book is the latest in Faber and Faber's invaluable series of pocket
guides to the performing arts. We have already seen Shakespeare, opera
and twentieth-century drama and later this year, Ibsen, Chekhov and
Strindberg (together) and ballet will follow.
The formula used will be familiar to those who know the august German
theatrical work Gregor, or to give it its full name Der Schauspielführer.
It works well and in this case, the choice of Alan Ayckbourn's biographer,
Paul Allen, to write the book ensures that the comment is given from
a position of very great knowledge and strength.
After a short biographical introduction and a brief overview of six
early plays that even the playwright it appears would prefer forgotten,
the book moves into in-depth analyses of over 60 staged plays.
The analysis of the individual plays is impressive. It commences by
putting them into context, both in terms of the playwright's life and
more widely other artistic influences and trends and where necessary,
world events.
We are then provided with a breakdown of characters. Usefully for directors
we are told how many male and female actors are required to perform.
The longest sections are analyses of the plays themselves running through
chronologically and in considerable detail. These can be rather breathless,
reflecting the nature of the action in so many of Ayckbourn's plays.
They are followed by a production history picking out key productions
with details of important directors and actors.
Finally, after an overview of many other writings such as adaptations,
plays for children and for television, the book provides even more invaluable
data. This includes a selective chronology of plays since the end of
the Second World War and for those wishing to perform any of Ayckbourn's,
details of Performing Rights. Since he is reputed to be the most performed
playwright in the world, this last will prove a helpful addition for
many prospective purchasers.
For fans of perhaps our most popular playwright, it will prove fascinating
and living up to its name, will get dog-eared in many a pocket. It can
be read either cover to cover or in many cases will prove ideal immediately
before or after one goes to see a performance or when one is planning
to produce or direct a ubiquitous Ayckbourn revival.
Philip Fisher
You
can buy A
Pocket Guide to Alan Ayckbourn's Plays from our Bookshop for £6.39
Articles Indices:
Articles from 2004
Articles from 2003
Articles from 2002
Articles from 2001
Articles from 2000
Articles from 1999
Articles from 1998
Articles from 1997
|
