1. Alan Ayckbourn

2. Table of contents Childhood 1-2 1-2 Adult life 3-4 3-4 Early career 5-6 5-6 Major successes 7 „A small family business“ 8 Bibliography 10 10

3. Childhood ► Alan Ayckbourn was born at the 12th of april 1939 in Hampstead, London ► He has written and produced more than seventy full-length plays in Scarborough and London ► Between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough

4. Childhood ► His mother Irene Worley was a writer of short stories who published under the name "Mary James". ► He´s a prolific English playwright ► His father, Horace Ayckbourn, was an orchestral violinist ► His parents, who separated shortly after World War II, never married ► Ayckbourn attended Haileybury, in the village of Hertford Heath

5. Adult life ► Leaved the school with an age of 17 years ► Ayckbourn's career took several temporary jobs in various places before starting a temporary job at the Scarborough Library Theatre ► In Scarborough Library Theatre he was introduced to the artistic director ► Ayckbourn's career was briefly interrupted when he was called for National Service ► In 1957, Ayckbourn married Christine Roland, another member of the Library Theatre company

6. Adult life ► They had two sons, Steven and Philip ► Separation in 1971 with Christine Roland ► His second wife was Heather Stoney ► In February 2006, he suffered a stroke in Scarborough and was eight weeks in a hospital

7. Early career ► On leaving school his theatrical career started immediately, with an introduction to Sir Donald Wolfit by his French master ► Joined Wolfit on tour to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe as an acting assistant stage manager ► In 1957, Ayckbourn was employed by the director Stephen Joseph at the Library Theatre ► This employment led to Ayckbourn's first professional script commission, in 1958

8. Early career ► 1962 Ayckbourn moved to Stoke-on-Trent to help set up the Victoria Theatre ► He left the Stoke company in 1964, to commit his time to the London production of Mr. Whatnot ► His final role on stage was as Jerry in Two for the Seesaw by William Gibson, at the Civic Theatre in Rotherham

9. Major successes ► Include : ► The Norman Conquests trilogy (1973) ► Absurd Person Singular (1975) ► Just Between Ourselves (1976) ► Woman in Mind (1985) ► A Small Family Business (1987) ► Private Fears in Public Places (2004)

10. „A small family business“ ► Some information about the novel : ► The novel based around the business of the title and dealing with the Thatcherism of the time and dealing with the Thatcherism of the time ► It premiered at the Olivier stage of the Royal National Theatre on 20 May 1987 the Royal National Theatre on 20 May 1987 ► It won the Evening Standard Award for Best Play for that year for Best Play for that year ► Its Broadway premiere occurred on 27 April 1992

11. Bibliography ► http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Ayckbourn http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Ayckbourn ► http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Small_Family_Business http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Small_Family_Business ► http://www.google.de/search?q=alan+ayckbourn+a+small+family+bu siness&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47534661,d.Yms&biw=1920&bih=9 41&pdl=300&um=1&ie=UTF- 8&hl=de&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=M_awUffoO8fcsgb6 5IGwAQ http://www.google.de/search?q=alan+ayckbourn+a+small+family+bu siness&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47534661,d.Yms&biw=1920&bih=9 41&pdl=300&um=1&ie=UTF- 8&hl=de&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=M_awUffoO8fcsgb6 5IGwAQ http://www.google.de/search?q=alan+ayckbourn+a+small+family+bu siness&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47534661,d.Yms&biw=1920&bih=9 41&pdl=300&um=1&ie=UTF- 8&hl=de&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=M_awUffoO8fcsgb6 5IGwAQ