Alan Ayckbourn's Official Website is the largest and only official online resource dedicated to the playwright. It is affiliated to the world's largest public resource on Alan Ayckbourn held in The Bob Watson Archive at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough. This website is also run by the theatre's archivist, Simon Murgatroyd
For anyone researching Alan and his work, this website and the archive contains a wealth of essential and accurate information. This includes factual details about World and West End premieres of all his plays, introductions and histories to all Alan's plays - approved by the playwright himself, interviews with Alan, biographical information and much more.
For anyone wanting to find out more about The Bob Watson Archive, there is a list of frequently asked questions below.

What does the Archive contain?
The archive holds archival material concerning the history of the Stephen Joseph Theatre from its creation in 1955 to the present day. As a result of this, it contains a substantial collection pertaining to Alan Ayckbourn, the artistic director of the theatre from 1972 to 2008, who has staged the majority of the world premieres of his plays at this venue. The archive contains an extensive collection of original programmes, posters, photographs, reviews and press cuttings. It is also the only place in the world to hold a complete collection of every Ayckbourn play-script.

What is the name of the current archivist?
The full-time archivist is Simon Murgatroyd.

How do I contact The Bob Watson Archive?
Simon can be contacted by email at admin@alanayckbourn.net or by phone at +44 (0) 1723 370540.

Who can contact the Stephen Joseph Theatre Archive with enquiries?
The Stephen Joseph Theatre welcomes any enquiries about the archive and will gladly try to deal with all enquiries concerning the collections.

Is there open access to the actual archive?
Currently the Stephen Joseph Theatre does not have the facilities to accommodate access on demand to the archive and the majority of current inquiries are successfully dealt with via email, mail or phone contact.
If a visit is requested for specific research purposes, access to the archive can be arranged by appointment.

How does the Archive deal with requests?
All requests are initially dealt with via email or phone contact. Experience has shown the majority of enquiries can be dealt with successfully in this manner. If the request is of a more specialised or extensive nature (such as academic or research), arrangements can be made to visit the archive by appointment only.

Can I borrow items from the archive?
No. The archive does not operate a public loan system. As the process of creating a digital archive progresses, digital copies of material will be available to remove from the Archive or to be emailed to interested parties. Much of the material in the Archive is unique and obviously cannot be physically removed from the archive.

Can the archive send me scripts of plays?
No. For legal and copyright reasons, the archive cannot provide copies of scripts. The majority of plays by Alan Ayckbourn are published by Samuel French and / or Faber and can be purchased at the Stephen Joseph Theatre Shop. For unpublished scripts held in the Archive, arrangements can be made to read the scripts on the premises.

How do I contact the archivist?
To contact Simon Murgatroyd at The Bob Watson Archive, the following information may be useful:
Email: admin@alanayckbourn.net
Telephone: +44 1723 370540 extension 250
Mail: Simon Murgatroyd, The Bob Watson Archive, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Westborough, Scarborough, YO11 1JW

Can I access the original manuscripts of both published and unpublished Alan Ayckbourn plays?
Yes. The Bob Watson Archive is the only place to hold a complete set of Alan Ayckbourn's plays - both published and unpublished. This collection also includes the revues, adaptations, children's plays, original screenplays, one act plays and the Grey Plays. It is worth noting that many of these are original manuscripts that differ from the final published version and offer fresh insight into the original productions. For a complete list of Ayckbourn manuscripts, click on Manuscripts above.