Family Circles: A Timeline
The Timeline offers a chronological view of significant events in the history of the play Family Circles; it only lists major productions and does not include the vast majority of the many professional and amateur productions of the play.Note: Family Circles was originally produced as The Story So Far..., before being retitled Me Times Me Times Me, which was retitled Me Times Me before arriving at its final title.
May 1970
Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, begins advertising Alan Ayckbourn's new play The Story So Far….
Late July 1970
Alan Ayckbourn begins writing his 10th play, The Story So Far....
3 August 1970
Alan Ayckbourn finishes writing The Story So Far….
7 August 1970
Rehearsals begin for the world premiere of The Story So Far….
20 August 1970
World premiere of The Story So Far... at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, directed by Alan Ayckbourn.
Circa late 1970 / early 1971
Alan Ayckbourn revises The Story So Far... and retitles it Me Times Me Times Me for a 1971 tour intended to go into the West End.
25 August 1971
A tour of Me Times Me Times Me begins at the Phoenix Theatre, Leicester, directed by Robin Midgley and produced by Eddie Kulukundis.
September 1971
Alan Ayckbourn continues revising the play, changing it from a three act play to a two act play with the shortened title Me Times Me.
20 September 1971
Me Times Me tours to Edinburgh from where it is advertised the play will immediately transfer in London.
27 September 1971
Me Times Me tours to the New Theatre, Oxford, from where it is advertised the play will immediately transfer to London.
18 October 1971
Me Times Me tours to the Theatre Royal, Bath. The tour ends here on 23 October and the play does not transfer to London.
February 1972
Alan Ayckbourn informs the board of Scarborough Theatre Trust that the producer Michael Codron is staging a new short tour of Me Times Me with the intention of taking it into London.
13 March 1972
A tour of Me Times Me opens at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham, directed by Basil Coleman and produced by Michael Codron.
20 March 1972
Me Times Me tours to the Theatre Royal, Brighton, for a three week run.
1 April 1972
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the producer Michael Codron says Me Times Me is due to transfer into London later in April.
Circa 8 April 1972
Me Times Me tour ends at the Theatre Royal, Brighton. It does not transfer to London.
Between April 1972 and July 1974
Alan Ayckbourn revises the play again and renames it Family Circles.
24 November 1978
London premiere of Family Circles at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, directed by Sam Walters; the first professional in-the-round staging of an Ayckbourn play in London.
4 September 1985
Revival of Family Circles at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough, directed by Alan Ayckbourn.
28 November 1996
Revival of Family Circles at the Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, directed by Sam Walters.
1997
Samuel French publishes the acting edition of Family Circles. The play is released for general production.
Article by Simon Murgatroyd. Copyright: Haydonning Ltd. Please do not reproduce without permission of the copyright holder.