Family Circles: Significant Productions

This page contains details of significant productions of Alan Ayckbourn's Family Circles, such as the world and London premieres as well as Ayckbourn-directed revivals. It is not a complete list of productions given how frequently it has been performed by professionals and amateur companies around the world.

World Premiere (1970)

First performance: 20 August 1970
World premiere: 20 August 1970
Final performance: 12 September 1970
Venue: Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough
Staging: Round
Original Title: The Story So Far...

Director: Alan Ayckbourn

Stage Manager: Philip Randell
Deputy Stage Manager: Graham Phoenix
Assistant Stage Manager: Gillian Davidson
Assistant Stage Manager: Jane Douglas
Assistant Stage Manager: Richard Derrington
Character
Edward
Emma
Polly
Jenny
Deirdre
Oliver
David
James
Actor
Robert Peck
Eve Shickle
Heather Stoney
Elisabeth Sladen
Stephanie Turner
Joe Dunlop
Ronald Herdman
Piers Rogers

Revival (1971)

Premiere: 25 August 1971
Venue: Phoenix Theatre, Leicester
Staging: End-stage
Revised Title: Me Times Me Times Me

Director: Robin Midgley
Character
Edward
Emma
Polly
Jenny
Deirdre
Oliver
David
James
Actor
John Robinson
Ambrosine Philpotts
Heather Stoney
Bridget Turner
Cherith Mellor
Peter Blythe
John Normington
David Wood

Revival (1972)

Premiere: 13 March 1972
Venue: Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
Staging: End-stage
Revised Title: Me Times Me

Director: Basil Coleman
Designer: Hutchinson Scott
Character
Edward
Emma
Polly
Jenny
Deirdre
Oliver
David
James
Actor
Roland Culver
Celia Johnson
Bridget Armstrong
Ann Penfold
Cherith Mellor
John Nettleton
Peter Blythe
David Firth

London Premiere (1978)

Premiere: 24 November 1978
Closed: 20 January 1979
Venue: Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond
Staging: Round

Director: Sam Walters
Character
Edward
Emma
Polly
Jenny
Deirdre
Oliver
David
James
Actor
Rio Fanning
Jan Bashford
Auriol Smith
Jan Carey
Liz Crowther
Michael Wynne
Brian Miller
David Gillies

Revival (1985)

First performance: 4 September 1985
Premiere: 4 September 1985
Final performance: 4 January 1986
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Lighting: Francis Lynch
Design: Adrian P Smith
Costumes: Martin Vaughan
Music: Paul Todd

Stage Manager: David Milling
Deputy Stage Manager: David Emmett-Miller
Deputy Stage Manager: Jo Linfoot
Assistant Stage Manager: Paul Quinn
Assistant Stage Manager: Kathryn-Anne Woodward
Character
Edward
Emma
Polly
Jenny
Deirdre
Oliver
David
James
Actor
Geoffrey Banks
Rhoda Lewis
Jane Hollowood
Lesley Meade
Caroline Webster
Russell Dixon
Nicholas Lumley
Ben Daniels

London Revival (1996)

First performance: 28 November 1996
Final performance: 15 February 1997
Venue: Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond
Staging: Round

Director: Sam Walters
Lighting: Joe White
Design: Sam Dowson

Stage Manager: Annabel FitzGerald
Character
Edward
Emma
Polly
Jenny
Deirdre
Oliver
David
James
Actor
Mark Kingston
Aural Smith
Jenny Funnell
Julie Peasgood
Emma Gregory
Philip York
John Hudson
Damien Matthews
Note: Presented as part of the Orange Tree Theatre's 25th anniversary season, this production was so popular, it was revived from 14 August to 27 September 1997. The play was recast with only Auriol Smith and Philip York returning to the company joined by David Antrobus, Prue Clarke, Emma Gregory, Robert McBain, Joanne Mitchell and Timothy Watson.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.