Alan Ayckbourn was ahead of the curve in predictions of AI-created TV soaps
Letters: Yvonne Whalley on the rise of AI actors. Plus Mike Peacock on Donald Sinden’s Othello
November 2023
Letter: Peter Wilson obituary
Harland Walshaw writes: Peter Wilson took The Woman in Black from the cafe of the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, to the West End, where it ran for more than 30 years
September 2023
Michael Gambon: an actor who let his heart and soul crack open
A star with incredible presence, Gambon brought heft and delicacy, mischief and feeling, to the stage and screen
Michael Gambon, star of Harry Potter and The Singing Detective, dies aged 82
The Olivier award-winning actor, whose major film roles included Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series, has died
Constant Companions review – Ayckbourn’s sex robots show our need for messy humanity
Ayckbourn has fun imagining the hazards of malfunctioning android lovers and misbehaving auto-maids – but there’s a deeper message too about human desire
July 2023
Other lives
Stephen Wood obituary
Other lives: Head of the press office at the National Theatre and executive director at the Stephen Joseph theatre in Scarborough
May 2023
Welcome to the Family review – Alan Ayckbourn’s ingenious 88th play promises more than it delivers
The playwright’s latest comedy boasts some fine acting, and touches on big themes, but fails to engage emotionally
November 2022
The best theatre to stream this month
The best theatre to stream this month: The Book of Dust, Four Quartets and the start of panto season
Our roundup of drama to watch at home includes Alan Ayckbourn’s 87th play, live performance from Ukraine and a concert of lost showtunes
September 2022
Woman in Mind review – when the vicar’s wife’s worst nightmare is her own life
Family Album review – Alan Ayckbourn’s funny, moving new play about the lives of women
Noises Off: the farce masterclass that is truly revealing
Family Album review – Alan Ayckbourn’s playful snapshot of social flux
August 2022
The Guardian view on Alan Ayckbourn: a tonic for sick times
Editorial: Don’t assume that the arts are just about entertainment – they have a crucial part to play in the mental health of the nation
June 2022
The reader interview
Post your questions for Tom Courtenay
Ahead of the release of The Railway Children Return, here’s your chance to ask the legendary actor about his extraordinary career. Leave your questions in the comments – all aboard!
May 2022
Other lives
Jennifer Piercey obituary
Other lives: Actor who worked with Alan Ayckbourn and appeared on TV in The Two of Us
December 2021
‘You immediately tell your friends to cancel their tickets’ – what’s it like to star in a flop?
How does it feel to go back on stage night after night in a play that’s been mauled by critics and deserted by audiences? Richard Eyre and other directors and actors relive their trauma
June 2021
The Girl Next Door review – Ayckbourn’s inventive time-bending comedy
The Girl Next Door review – Ayckbourn casts history’s lens on lockdown Britain
May 2021
Reopening culture
From McKellen’s Hamlet to a comic Hullabaloo: what to see as theatres and comedy clubs reopen
As stage shows return, we pick the best post-lockdown offerings – featuring Egyptian gods, rebelling vicars, dancing youths ... and Ian McKellen playing the Dane at 82
February 2021
Lockdown culture
The lockdown boom in audio plays: 'it's drama the pandemic can’t touch'
Mike Bartlett, Alan Ayckbourn, Adjoa Andoh and other top theatre-makers reflect on why listening to drama is perfect for our times
