Alan Ayckbourn: Actor

The Doctor And The Devils (1964)

Production Details

Play:
Author:

First performance:
Final performance:
Venue:
Staging:

Director:
Design:
The Doctor And The Devils
Dylan Thomas

18 May 1964
30 May 1964
Cardiff New, Cardiff
End-stage

Warren Jenkins
Elizabeth Friendship
Character
Narrator
Dr Knox
William Hare
William Burke
Elizabeth
John Murray
Mary Paterson
Dr Munro
Janet / Mrs Flynn
Daft Jamie
Nelly
Meg
Mrs Grey
Dr Barclay
Actor
Peter Penry Jones
Bruce Montague
Christopher Godwin
John Dun-Hill
Brandon Iorwerth
Peter King
Sandra Hampton
Alec Wallis
Angela Newsome
Esmond Webb
Phyllis McMahon
Julia McCarthy
Elspeth MacNaughton
Alan Ayckbourn

Quotes & Notes

During 1964, Alan retired from professional acting to concentrate on writing and directing. With his play Mr Whatnot optioned for a West End transfer, Alan believed this was the opportunity to concentrate on writing and to leave the acting profession acting.

Unfortunately Mr Whatnot was a flop in London and Alan subsequently took a job at the BBC as a radio drama producer, where he would work from 1965 until 1970; although during this period he would write four plays for Scarborough's Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre. His professional acting career, began in 1956, had come to a close.

That Alan Ayckbourn's penultimate acting job was in Wales in a theatre he had never encountered before is entirely due to the director of the piece. When directors for the West End production of Mr Whatnot were being considered, Warren Jenkins was suggested. He was based at the Cardiff New and Alan agreed to perform in a short run of The Doctor And The Devils to meet and work with Warren Jenkins. Peter King, who had played Mint in the world premiere of Mr Whatnot, would appear in the play as well prior to reprising his lead role in Mr Whatnot in the West End.

The production also marked the first time Alan worked with the actor Christopher Godwin, who would also appear in Mr Whatnot in the West End and would later become a stalwart of Alan's repertory company in Scarborough, creating classic Ayckbourn characters such as Leonard in Time And Time Again, Norman in The Norman Conquests, Colin in Absent Friends and Dennis in Just Between Ourselves.

With thanks to Stephanie Dattani for help in researching this production.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.