Alan Ayckbourn (copyright: Adrian Gatie)

 

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A Timeline For The Norman Conquests

             


The Timeline offers a chronological view of significant events in history of the The Norman Conquests.

 

September 1972

In an interview with a local journalist, Alan Ayckbourn - not altogether seriously - says his next project will be a trilogy.

 

March 1973

A local newspaper prints an interview with Alan Ayckbourn, noting his next project will be a trilogy of plays. This is news to the Library Theatre, Scarborough, where Alan premieres his plays. Alan decides he likes the idea and challenge of a trilogy and confirms he will write it.

 

May 1973

Alan Ayckbourn writes The Norman Conquests (at this time though, the trilogy is not known as The Norman Conquests) over the course of ten days.

 

18 June 1973

World premiere of Fancy Meeting You (later re-titled Table Manners) at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, directed by Alan Ayckbourn.

 

25 June 1973

World premiere of Make Yourself At Home (later re-titled Living Together) at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, directed by Alan Ayckbourn.

 

2 July 1973

World premiere of Round And Round The Garden at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, directed by Alan Ayckbourn.

 

4 April 1974

The Stage reports the trilogy now has the title The Norman Conquests for its first London production at Greenwich Theatre; this is the first public mention of the overarching title.

 

9 May 1974

The trilogy, now referred to as The Norman Conquests, opens in London at the Greenwich Theatre. Table Manners opens on 9 May, Living Together on 21 May and Round And Round The Garden on 6 June. The trilogy is directed by Eric Thompson.

 

1 August 1974

The Norman Conquests transfers to the Globe Theatre, London. Table Manners opens on 1 August, Living Together on 5 August and Round And Round The Garden on 8 August. The trilogy is directed by Eric Thompson.

 

December 1974

The Norman Conquests wins the London Evening Standard Award for Best Play.

 

1974

Alan Ayckbourn wins the Variety Club Of Great Britain Playwright Of The Year Award and The Norman Conquests wins the Plays and Players Award for Best Play.

 

6 December 1975

The Norman Conquests transfers to the Apollo Theatre, London.

 

7 December 1975

The Norman Conquests opens in Broadway at the Morosco Theatre, New York, directed by Eric Thompson.

 

1975

Chatto & Windus publish a hardback mass market edition of the The Norman Conquests; Samuel French publish the acting edition of The Norman Conquests.

 

13 March 1976

The Norman Conquests closes in London after running in the West End for more than 20 months.

 

19 June 1976

The Norman Conquests closes in New York.

 

9 August 1976

British regional theatre premiere of The Norman Conquests at the Theatre Clywd, Mold.

 

5 October 1977

The Norman Conquests is premiered on British television over three consecutive weeks, directed by Herbert Wise.

 

1978

The 1977 television adaptation of The Norman Conquests is broadcast for the first time in the USA on the PBS channel.

 

1978

The Norman Conquests is nominated for Outstanding Writing In A Drama Series in the 1977 - 1978 Television Academy Awards (The Emmys).

 

1984

The 1977 television adaptation of Table Manners is released on VHS video cassette in the UK; legal issues prevent the release of the rest of the trilogy.

 

30 October 1990

A BBC radio adaptation of The Norman Conquests is broadcast over three consecutive weeks, directed by Gordon House.

 

21 April 1993

Alan Ayckbourn revives The Norman Conquests at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough.

 

June 1993

The BBC releases the 1990 radio adaptation of The Norman Conquests on audio cassette.

 

1999

LA Theatre Works produces an audio dramatisation of The Norman Conquests, directed by Dennis Erdman.

 

1999

The National Theatre names The Norman Conquests as one of the 100 Plays Of The Century.

 

4 April 2000

The 1977 television adaptation of The Norman Conquests is released on VHS video cassette in the USA.

 

2004

The 1977 television adaptation of The Norman Conquests is released on DVD in the UK.

 

10 May 2006

Kevin Spacey, Artistic Director of the Old Vic, announces the theatre will revive The Norman Conquests presenting it in London for the first time since it closed in the West End in 1976.

 

11 September 2008

The Norman Conquests is revived at the Old Vic, London, directed by Matthew Warchus. The three month limited run sees the auditorium of the venue entirely altered to accommodate an in-the-round space.

 

20 December 2008

The Norman Conquests closes at the Old Vic, London.

 

7 April 2009

The Old Vic’s production of The Norman Conquests transfers to the Circle In The Square Theater, New York.

 

7 June 2009

The Norman Conquests is awarded the Tony for Best Revival at the annual Tony awards; the first Ayckbourn play to win a Tony. The trilogy also receives the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards for Best Revival.

 

25 July 2009

The Norman Conquests closes at the Circle In The Square Theater, New York.

 

4 March 2010

The 1990 BBC Radio adaptation of The Norman Conquests is released on CD - and later in the year as a digital download - as part of the BBC Classic Radio Theatre series.

 

1 March 2011

The 1977 television adaptation of The Norman Conquests is released on DVD for the first time in North America.

 

Copyright: Simon Murgatroyd 2012

 
 

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