Podcast
Alan Ayckbourn
Hosted by Simon Murgatroyd · EN
The playwright Alan Ayckbourn and his sixty plus years of plays come under the spotlight with his archivist, Simon Murgatroyd.
The channel sees Simon exploring the plays, looking at the background to and history of some of Alan Ayckbourn's most significant and popular works, offering new insights into the play canon and the playwright's career.
Researched, written and presented by Simon Murgatroyd - an acknowledged expert on the playwright, his career and his writing - in collaboration with the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, which holds the Ayckbourn Archive.
All material copyright of Simon Murgatroyd or Haydonning Ltd, unless otherwise noted.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Who is Alan Ayckbourn?
Jan 26, 202300:09:31Tap to summarizeThe life, career and achievements of Alan Ayckbourn are chronicled in a new video, Who is Alan Ayckbourn? on the Ayckbourn YouTube Channel. The playwright’s archivist, Simon Murgatroyd M.A., narrates this updated video which looks at Sir Alan’s writing and directing careers and achievements as well as his long involvement with the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where he was Artistic Director for four decades. Who is Alan Ayckbourn? can be found on the Ayckbourn Channel here or by clicking the video below. It is also available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts here or in the audio player below. To listen to the podcast version, click on the audio player below. Who is Alan Ayckbourn? Podcast by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. (2023)
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Podcast: The Early Christmas Plays
Dec 21, 202200:10:00Tap to summarizeSpotLight on Ayckbourn – The Early Christmas Plays podcast The latest SpotLight on Ayckbourn video launched yesterday, but if your like to listen on the move or just prefer podcasts, the latest SpotLight is also now available on audio in the player above and on Apple Podcasts here. SpotLight on Ayckbourn – The Early Christmas Plays sees Alan Ayckbourn’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, looking at Alan Ayckbourn’s plays Dad’s Tale (1960) and Christmas V Mastermind (1962). These are his first children’s and Christmas plays and have long since been withdrawn having never been performed again. The podcast can be listened to via the player above or on Apple Podcasts by clicking here or on the Ayckbourn YouTube Channel by clicking on the video below. You can also find out more about the plays be visiting the Plays section of Alan Ayckbourn’s Official Website.
Transcribe →Podcast: Artistically Directed
Nov 16, 202200:20:20Tap to summarizeArtistically Directed: An Alan Ayckbourn Podcast with Simon Murgatroyd Artistically Directed is a new podcast celebrating the 50th anniversary of Alan Ayckbourn being appointed the Artistic Director of the Library Theatre, Scarborough, on 12 November 1972. Simon Murgatroyd M.A. The playwright’s archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, looks at how Alan Ayckbourn became Artistic Director of what is now the Stephen Joseph Theatre for 37 years and the impact it had on both him and the theatre. Over almost four decades, Alan Ayckbourn and the Stephen Joseph Theatre became practically synonymous and Simon explores the extraordinary achievements during that period and how he ensured a small, seasonal, regional theatre became a thriving, internationally renowned, producing house which championed new writing. Artistically Directed is researched, written and presented by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. This podcast is a SiMo production in association with Haydonning Ltd. It can be listened to via WordPress in the audio player at the top of the page, via YouTube by clicking on the image below or at the Ayckbourn Channel on Apple Podcasts by clicking here.
Transcribe →Bonus Supernatural Podcast
Nov 8, 202200:05:08Tap to summarizeLast week, the SpotLight on Ayckbourn video took a terrifying turn as we looked at the playwright’s supernatural plays. What The Devil! poster To accompany the video a bonus podcast episode has now been released on Apple Podcasts and WordPress with a rarely heard piece of Ayckbourn ephemera. The video refers to one of Alan Ayckbourn’s earliest forays into the supernatural with a song called The Ghost of ‘Enry Albert Murgatroyd written for the revue What The Devil! For the bonus podcast, Alan Ayckbourn has given permission for the first airing of it since 1975. Appropriately, it’s delivered by his Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd. One Murgatroyd telling the story of another! You can find The Ghost of ‘Enry Albert Murgatroyd on Apple Podcasts here or in the player below. The original SpotLight on Ayckbourn video – also available below – is also now available as an Apple Podcast by clicking here. SpotLight on Ayckbourn Bonus Episode: The Ghost of ‘Enry Albert Murgatroyd Watch the original SpotLight on Ayckbourn: The Supernatural Plays by clicking on the image below.
Transcribe →Podcast: Learn More About The Absurd Person Singular Discovery
Oct 27, 202200:22:43Tap to summarizeAbsurd Person Singular: Rewriting History with Simon Murgatroyd This week saw the announcement of the discovery of the original abandoned manuscript for Alan Ayckbourn’s seminal play Absurd Person Singular. The first page of the abandoned Absurd Person Singular draft (© Haydonning Ltd) The discovery – alongside early concept notes and a hand-written complete first draft of the script – have completely altered our understanding of how the play was conceived. The launch of the website www.absurdpersonsingular.com looks into the story of the discovery but a more in-depth analysis can be found in a new podcast which examines the discovery, its significance and how it ties into other discoveries and recent acquisitions in the Ayckbourn Archive. The podcast is researched, written and presented by Alan Ayckbourn’s Archivist Simon Murgatroyd M.A., who was responsible for the discovery at the Borthwick Institute for Archives. The podcast is available from this page in the player above as well as on Apple Podcasts by clicking here.
Transcribe →Just Between Ourselves Podcast – October 2022
Oct 13, 202200:30:06Tap to summarizeJust Between Ourselves podcast: October 2022 The latest Just Between Ourselves podcast (also available in the Player above) has now launched with some exclusive material relating to Alan Ayckbourn’s latest play, Family Album. Click image to listen on Apple Podcasts Just Between Ourselves sees the playwright’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, looking at the playwright and his plays through interviews, extracts and other news. For October 2022, there’s an exclusive extract from the live capture of Family Album, which is being streamed from 22 October to 5 November via www.sjt.uk.com. There’s also an extended 17 minute interview with Alan Ayckbourn talking about the play, its inspiration and challenges when writing. Elsewhere, Simon presents an extract from David Wood’s memoirs Elizabeth Taylor’s Kiss and Other Brushes with Hollywood capturing an interesting moment during rehearsals for Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s flop 1975 West End musical Jeeves. There’s also some tantalising glimpse of Simon’s first big announcement following his stepping down as the Stephen Joseph Theatre’s Archivist to concentrate on his role as Alan Ayckbourn’s Archivist as well as a glimpse at the playwright’s 2023 plays. Just Between Ourselves: October 2022 is available to stream for free from this page (click on the player above) or on Apple Podcasts by clicking here.
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Podcast: NewsRound – Unseen Ayckbourn
Jul 28, 202200:04:38Tap to summarizeNewsRound: Unseen Ayckbourn with Simon Murgatroyd The first NewsRound podcast looks at the launch of Unseen Ayckbourn – 2022 Edition, a new book by Alan Ayckbourn’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd. The book looks at the lost, withdrawn & unwritten Ayckbourn plays as well as other obscure works from the Ayckbourn Archive. Simon presents the podcast talking a little about the book and where you can get it. Unseen Ayckbourn – 2022 Edition is out now, priced at £15, and can be ordered from the playwright’s website here. The NewsRound adapted the latest NewsRound video from the Ayckbourn YouTube Channel and can also be heard on Apple Podcasts on the Alan Ayckbourn channel.
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Podcast: SpotLight on Just Between Ourselves
Jun 30, 202200:12:59Tap to summarizeSpotLight on Just Between Ourselves with Simon Murgatroyd What is, arguably, Alan Ayckbourn’s darkest play, Just Between Ourselves, is under the SpotLight as the playwright’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, continues his look at significant plays with this 1976 classic – alongside contemporary recordings of the playwright speaking about the play. Simon looks at what inspired the playwright to write such a dark play, how he created it and his own response to the work. The SpotLight podcast draws on archive material held in the Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives and adapts the SpotLight on Ayckbourn video from the Ayckbourn YouTube Channel and can also be heard on Apple Podcasts on the Alan Ayckbourn channel.
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Podcast: SpotLight on Mr Whatnot
Jun 23, 202200:16:34Tap to summarizeSpotLight on Mr Whatnot with Simon Murgatroyd Alan Ayckbourn’s sixth play, Mr Whatnot, comes under the spotlight of the playwright’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, in SpotLight on Mr Whatnot. Premiered in 1964 and rarely considered a classic, Simon argues it is a pivotal work in the playwright’s development as a writer. Simon traces the history of the play, its creation and dismal West End transfer whilst arguing that, without Mr Whatnot, Ayckbourn would not have written his breakout play, Relatively Speaking. The SpotLight podcast draws on archive material held in the Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives and adapts the SpotLight on Ayckbourn video from the Ayckbourn YouTube Channel and can also be heard on Apple Podcasts on the Alan Ayckbourn channel.
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Podcast: SpotLight on The Square Cat
Jun 18, 202200:17:07Tap to summarizeSpotLight on The Square Cat podcast with Simon Murgatroyd Alan Ayckbourn’s first play, The Square Cat, is the focus of this episode of the SpotLight series in which the playwright’s Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, heads back to 1959 to explore the early development of Ayckbourn as a playwright. His inspiration and influences – including his early experiences working with Harold Pinter and Stephen Joseph – as well as archive material held by the Borthwick Institute for Archives feature within the podcast. The SpotLight podcast draws on archive material held in the Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives and adapts the SpotLight on Ayckbourn video from the Ayckbourn YouTube Channel and can also be heard on Apple Podcasts on the Alan Ayckbourn channel.
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