Absurd Person Singular: Significant Productions

This page contains details of significant productions of Alan Ayckbourn's Absurd Person Singular, such as the world and London premieres as well as Ayckbourn-directed revivals. It is not a complete list of productions given how frequently it has been performed by professionals and amateur companies around the world.

World Premiere (1972)

First performance: 26 June 1972
World premiere: 26 June 1972
Final performance: 16 September 1972
Venue: Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn

Stage Manager: Jennifer Smith
Deputy Stage Manager: David Millard
Assistant Stage Manager: David Hayward
Assistant Stage Manager: Sue Rogers
Character
Jane Hopcroft
Sidney Hopcroft
Ronald Brewster-Wright
Marion Brewster-Wright
Eva Jackson
Geoffrey Jackson
Actor
Philippa Urquhart
Piers Rogers
Christopher Godwin
Matyelok Gibbs
Jennifer Piercey
Ray Jewers

London Premiere (1973)

First performance: 4 July 1973
Premiere: 14 July 1973
Venue: Criterion Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Director: Eric Thompson
Design: Alan Tagg
Lighting: Mick Hughes
Character
Jane Hopcroft
Sidney Hopcroft
Ronald Brewster-Wright
Marion Brewster-Wright
Eva Jackson
Geoffrey Jackson
Actor
Bridget Turner
Richard Briers
Michael Aldridge
Sheila Hancock
Anna Calder-Marshall
David Burke

London Recast / Transfer (1974)

First performance: 4 July 1973
Premiere: 14 July 1973
Venue: Criterion Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Transfer first performance: 30 September 1974
Venue: Vaudeville Theatre
Staging: End-stage

Director: Eric Thompson
Design: Alan Tagg
Lighting: Mick Hughes
Character
Jane Hopcroft
Sidney Hopcroft
Ronald Brewster-Wright
Marion Brewster-Wright
Eva Jackson
Geoffrey Jackson
Actor
Angela Scoular
Peter Blythe
Paul Eddington
Fenella Fielding
Marty Cruickshank
Paul Shelley

London Recast (1974)

First performance: 30 September 1974
Final performance: 1 November 1975
Venue: Vaudeville Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Director: Eric Thompson
Design: Alan Tagg
Lighting: Mick Hughes
Character
Jane Hopcroft
Sidney Hopcroft
Ronald Brewster-Wright
Marion Brewster-Wright
Eva Jackson
Geoffrey Jackson
Actor
Millicent Martin
John Clive
Paul Eddington
Amanda Barrie
Stephanie Turner
David Baron

New York Premiere (1974)

First performance: 8 October 1974
Final performance: 6 March 1976
Performances: 591
Venue: Music Box Theatre

Director: Eric Thompson
Design: Edward Burbridge
Lighting: Thomas Skelton
Costumes: Levino Verna
Character
Sidney
Eva
Ronald
Marion
Geoffrey
Jane
Actor
Larry Blyden
Sandy Dennis
Richard Kiley
Geraldine Page
Tony Roberts
Carole Shelley

Tour (North America) (1975)

First performance: TBC 1975
Final performance: To be confirmed
Venue: Various

Director: Eric Thompson
Design: Edward Burbridge
Lighting: Thomas Skelton
Costumes: David Toser
Character
Ronald
Marion
Sidney
Jane
Geoffrey
Eva
Actor
Patrick Macnee
Sheila MacRae
Paul Shyre
Judy Carne
David Watson
Betsy von Furstenberg

Revival (1989)

First performance: 20 December 1989
Premiere: 28 December 1989
Final performance: 27 January 1990
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Michael Holt
Lighting: Francis Stevenson

Stage Manager: Vaughan Curtis
Deputy Stage Manager: Natasha Betteridge
Deputy Stage Manager: Lynda Snowden
Assistant Stage Manager: Sarah Percival
Assistant Stage Manager: Marina Kilby
Character
Jane Hopcroft
Sidney Hopcroft
Ronald Brewster-Wright
Marion Brewster-Wright
Eva Jackson
Geoffrey Jackson
Actor
Lesley Meade*
Richard Kane
Donald Douglas
Moira Redmond
Robin McCaffrey*
Jeff Shankley
* The 1989 revival of Absurd Person Singular went on a national tour before transferring to the Whitehall Theatre, London, on 15 May 1990. For the London transfer, Lavinia Bertram replaced Lesley Meade and Jennifer Wiltsie replaced Robin McCaffrey

New York Revival (2005)

First performance: 18 October 2005
Final performance: 4 December 2005
Performances: 56
Venue: Biltmore Theatre

Director: John Tillinger
Design: John Lee Beatty
Lighting: Brian MacDevitt
Character
Eva
Jane
Geoffrey
Sidney
Marion
Ronald
Actor
Mireille Enos
Clea Lewis
Sam Robards
Alan Ruck
Deborah Rush
Paxton Whitehead

London Revival (2007)

First performance: 27 November 2007
Premiere: 11 December 2007
Final performance: March 2008
Venue: Garrick Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Director: Alan Strachan
Design: Michael Pavelka
Lighting: Jason Taylor
Sound: Ian Horrocks-Taylor
Costumes: Brigid Guy
Character
Jane
Sidney
Ronald
Marion
Eva
Geoffrey
Actor
Jane Horrocks
David Bamber
David Horovitch
Jenny Seagrove
Lia Williams
John Gordon Sinclair

Revival (2012)

First performance: 8 Jun 2012
Premiere: 12 June 2012
Final performance: 13 October 2012
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Michael Holt
Lighting: Jason Taylor

Company Stage Manager: Fleur Linden Beeley
Deputy Stage Manager: Neil Webb
Assistant Stage Manager: Clare Heath
Character
Eva
Jane
Geoffrey
Sidney
Marion
Ronald
Actor
Ayesha Antoine
Laura Doddington
Richard Stacey
Ben Porter
Sarah Parks
Bill Champion
Note: This was a co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre and was included in the 2012 Festival (the cultural celebration which accompanied the London 2012 Olympics).
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce without crediting the author and this website.