Alan Ayckbourn: Research Utilities

	Using This Website To Study And Research Alan Ayckbourn And His Plays
	One of the primary reasons for creating this website was to provide an indispensable resource for anyone interested in Alan Ayckbourn and his plays, particularly people studying Alan Ayckbourn and his plays or teaching the subject. To help achieve this, the website is reliant on receiving feedback from teaching practitioners to advise what the website can provide to best serve teaching and student needs. If you have suggestions, please contact Simon Murgatroyd at admin@alanayckbourn.net.

	The Website As A Resource
	Details about Alan Ayckbourn himself can be found in the biography section (or click on the biography link above). This section offers a concise biography of Alan, 20 Facts, details of his acting and directing career, awards and an Ayckbourn-orientated Frequently Asked Questions section (also mirrored in the Education section). For information about Alan’s plays, the Playguide is a comprehensive resource with an introduction and history for each play, synopsis, quotes, downloads, major productions details, programme notes and articles, adaptations to other media details and other useful material. To visit the Plays section, click on the Plays link above. A large number of free downloads dealing with Alan Ayckbourn's plays are now also available. All Alan's plays have general Introduction To... playguides offering a basic overview and introduction to the plays, while the more popular works will be covered by the in-depth series The Alan Ayckbourn Guides. All these publications are approved by Alan Ayckbourn. All downloads relevant to a specific play can now be found in the Plays section, just click on the relevant play and then the Downloads link.

	The Bob Watson Archive As A Resource
	The Bob Watson Archive at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, has the country’s largest public collection of material pertaining to both Alan Ayckbourn and the Stephen Joseph Theatre. The archive has a comprehensive collection of reviews, press cuttings, photographs, programmes and posters. Much of this information is now also held in a digital capacity and can be sent to students and researchers via email. If you have a question about The Bob Watson Archive or are looking for relevant information for studies, please contact Simon Murgatroyd at admin@alanayckbourn.net or click on The Archive link above. Press cuttings, interviews and reviews are held digitally for every play and requests can be made to access this information. More than 2,000 Ayckbourn specific images are also held in the archive which can be used for research purposes (although in many cases they cannot be reproduced or published without contacting the copyright holder for permission). Programme and poster images for all of Alan Ayckbourn’s plays are held digitally as well as programme notes for specific plays. Entire programmes can be scanned for research purposes but can only be done on specific requests and within a timeframe dictated by the Archive. The Bob Watson Archive is the only place in the world to hold a complete collection of all Alan's plays in existence (including full-length plays, revues, one-act plays and plays for young people) - including the unpublished plays. On site access is available for the plays at the Stephen Joseph Theatre. The Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, has more than 13 years experience working for and with Alan Ayckbourn and the Stephen Joseph Theatre and is considered an expert on Alan Ayckbourn. He is happy to help with any Research enquiries by email at: admin@alanayckbourn.net.

	Visiting The Stephen Joseph Theatre
	For anyone wishing to learn more about Alan Ayckbourn, a visit to the Stephen Joseph Theatre is well worth considering. As well as offering the opportunity to see plays directed by Alan as they were intended (in the round) with student rates available, there are also opportunities to tour the building. The Archivist can also arrange to give talks on Alan Ayckbourn and the Stephen Joseph Theatre and is more than happy to tailor talks to each visit (I.E. For specific plays). If you interested in finding more about any of these options, please contact the following: Talks / individual or small party tours of the SJT: admin@alanayckbourn.net Education / school group visits: cheryl.govan@sjt.uk.com General tour bookings (large parties): paul.baines@sjt.uk.com Group bookings for productions at the Stephen Joseph Theatre: charlotte.keighley@sjt.uk.com

	A Note For Students
	PHOTOGRAPH COPYRIGHT: It is illegal to reproduce any images or other copyrighted material on the website without the express permission of the copyright holder. If violation of copyright is discovered, the copyright holder will be notified and proceedings taken against the infraction. The website will also contact universities / colleges if images are found to have been used without permission and legal proceedings may also be instigated. If you wish to use images, contact admin@alanayckbourn.net. The Bob Watson Archive is a resource but it is not able to provide blanket coverage about a play or to write essays / theses etc. The Archive should just be one aspect of the process of researching Alan Ayckbourn and every request sent to the Archive will be judged on its own merits. We would also request that if you use any material from the website, the website is acknowledged in your work (typical acknowledgement: Alan Ayckbourn’s Official Website: www.alanayckbourn.net) And finally: Please do not send requests for details of what a play is about or its synopsis. Read the play!



	If you have any enquiries about the website or any suggestions to help improve the Education & Research section, please do not hesitate to contact the website administrator by emailing: admin@alanayckbourn.net.