House & Garden: Timeline
The Timeline offers a chronological view of significant events in the history of the play House & Garden; it only lists major productions and does not include the vast majority of the many professional and amateur productions of the play.Circa 1972
Approached about the possibility of writing for the recently opened Sheffield Crucible, Alan Ayckbourn has the idea of writing two plays to be performed simultaneously in two spaces. The project never comes to fruition although it does lay the seeds for The Norman Conquests the following year.
April 1996
The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, opens. For the first time, the Scarborough company has two purpose-built theatre spaces within the same venue.
Circa late 1998
Alan Ayckbourn begins writing House & Garden; a piece of event theatre to celebrate his 60th birthday.
Early April 1999
The Stephen Joseph Theatre announces House & Garden by Alan Ayckbourn; two plays performed simultaneously in two auditoria sharing the same cast.
17 June 1999
World premiere of House & Garden at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, directed by Alan Ayckbourn.
4 May 2000
The National Theatre announces it will be producing House & Garden during summer 2000.
7 August 2000
Faber & Faber publishes House & Garden to coincide with the London premiere of the play at the National Theatre.
9 August 2000
House & Garden opens in the Olivier and the Lyttelton auditoriums at the National Theatre, London, directed by Alan Ayckbourn.
23 September 2000
House & Garden closes at the National Theatre, London.
January 2001
House & Garden nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Comedy.
2001
American premiere of House & Garden at the Goodman Theater, Chicago.
21 May 2002
House & Garden opens at the Manhattan Theatre Club, New York, directed by John Tillinger.
28 January 2003
Samuel French publishes the acting edition of House & Garden. This is considered the definitive published edition as it incorporates changes that were incorporated into the plays during the run at the National Theatre.
October 2011
Faber & Faber publishes the collection Alan Ayckbourn: Plays 4, which includes The Revengers' Comedies, Things We Do For Love and House & Garden.
Article by Simon Murgatroyd. Copyright: Haydonning Ltd. Please do not reproduce without permission of the copyright holder.