Stephen Joseph Theatre: 2006

This page contains a more detailed guide to significant events concerning the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, in 2006.

2006

  • 21 February: Alan Ayckbourn suffers a stroke.
  • 28 February: News of Alan Ayckbourn's stroke is made public with the playwright reported to be recovering well.
  • March: The announced and practically fully-booked seventh Ayckbourn and the Round theatre school is cancelled. The event is never revived.
  • 1 March: The SJT announces director Tim Luscombe will replace Alan Ayckbourn as director of the previously announced year-long revival of Alan Ayckbourn's Intimate Exchanges.
  • March: With smoking having been banned in public places in the UK on 8 December 2005, it is somewhat ironic the next SJT production is Smoke by Byron Lavery which features a picture of someone smoking. It is emphasised in publicity there is no actual smoking in the play, but there is a caution for 'ladette language' - whatever that may be!
  • 27 March: A co-production with the Birkbeck University of London sees the first production of a David Hare play by the SJJT company with Skylight. It is one of the shortest runs by the resident company running for just four nights.
  • 14 April: Alan Ayckbourn is reported to have left hospital and recovering well
  • 12 May: A redesigned SJT website is launched.
  • June: E-ticketing is launched at the SJT.
  • 4 August: Platform talk with playwright Peter Nichols.
  • September: Alan Ayckbourn begins rehearsals for the world premiere of his play If I Were You. From this point forward, all rehearsals for his plays will take place at the rehearsal rooms adjoining his home in the old town rather than in the Stephen Joseph Theatre.
  • 12 October: World premiere of If I Were You, written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn. His first production since his stroke of a play he completed only days prior to the stroke.
  • 22 October: The SJT becomes part of the Music in the Round programme bringing concert programmes to theatres in the round across the UK.
  • 29 December: The Stephen Joseph Theatre Archive is renamed The Bob Watson Archive in honour of its Bob Watson, the first archivist who died in 2004.
  • Date TBC: Laurie Sansom leaves the SJT to become Artistic Director of the Royal & Derngate, Northampton, later becoming Artistic Director of National Theatre of Scotland in 2013 and subsequently of the Northern Broadsides.
  • Date TBC: Laura Harvey steps down as Literary Manager of the SJT and is not replaced. The Literary Department goes dark for several years.
Article by and copyright of Simon Murgatroyd. Please do not reproduce this article without permission of the copyright holder.