Alan Ayckbourn: The 'Grey Plays'

The 'Grey Plays' represent a section of Alan Ayckbourn's writing which has been produced, but subsequently the plays have been withdrawn, never published and are not available for production. The term was suggested by Alan Ayckbourn's Archivist, Simon Murgatroyd, in 2005 to account for plays which were known but generally unacknowledged.

The plays were all written subsequent to the start of his professional play-writing career in 1959 and have all been produced in some form (be it professional, amateur or rehearsed reading). They are all short pieces and are held in the Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University Of York.

A brief guide to the plays is offer below and further details can be found by clicking on the relevant play title. Further details about these plays can also be found in Simon Murgatroyd's book Unseen Ayckbourn.

The Grey Plays

○ Backnumbers (1983): A revue in two parts by Alan Ayckbourn and the composer Paul Todd, collecting songs from their previous collaborations.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ Between The Lines (1992): A musical revue with book and music by the composer Paul Todd compiled from his previous collaborations with Alan Ayckbourn (who is credited as lyricist).
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ Double Hitch (1960): A one act play about two honey-mooning couples double-booked into the same decrepit cottage.
Held in: The British Library & the Ayckbourn Archive at the University of York
○ Dracula (1975): A comedy sketch about the infamous vampire's arrival at a farm where not all is as it seems. It was presented as part of the revue What The Devil!.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ An Evening With PALOS (1987): A sketch featuring members of Pendon Amateur Light Operatic Society written for a memorial evening to commemorate the career of the actor Colin Blakely.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ The Fearsome Threesome (1989): A monologue ghost story written for the late night slot at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round during Christmas 1989. The narrated piece about an apparent accidental death culminated (in the original production) with two ghosts appearing via a 'Pepper's Ghost effect.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ Follow The Lover (1962): A one act play about an elderly couple who hire two young detectives to investigate each other's apparent infidelities.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ The Jubilee Show (1977): A revue written to celebrate the silver jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in 1977.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ Love Undertaken (1961): A one act play about a clandestine love affair conducted in an undertaker's parlour.
Held in: The British Library
○ Ron & Julie (1991): A sketch written for the National Theatre to highlight the lighting, sound and special effects departments.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ Untitled Farce (2005): A one act play written to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in 2005.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York
○ Men, Meals & Me (2018): A full-length act play intended for the 2019 summer season at the Stephen Joseph Theatre. Unproduced, it was premiered as a rehearsed reading, directed by the playwright, at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in 2025.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive to be transferred to the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York in the future
○ Father of Invention (2019): A full-length act play which was an extensive rewrite of an unproduced earlier play Small Mercy (2019). Written in 2020 and amended in 2022, it premiered as a rehearsed reading, directed by the playwright, in September 2024 at the Stephen Joseph Theatre.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive to be transferred to the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York in the future
○ Truth Will Out (2020): A full-length act play scheduled to premiere during 2020 at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, but cancelled due to the pandemic; premiered as a rehearsed reading, directed by Alan Ayckbourn, in September 2023 at the Stephen Joseph Theatre.
Held in: The Ayckbourn Archive to be transferred to the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York in the future

All research in this section is by Simon Murgatroyd and should be credited if reproduced.