Alan Ayckbourn Quotes, born April 12, 1939, in London, England, is a prolific English playwright and director, celebrated for his sharp, comedic explorations of middle-class life. With over 80 plays, including The Norman Conquests (1973), Absurd Person Singular (1972), and Woman in Mind (1985), Ayckbourn is one of the most performed playwrights after Shakespeare. His work blends humor with tragedy, often delving into human relationships and societal quirks. As artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, he pioneered theatre-in-the-round. These 15 quotes—sourced from his plays, interviews, books, and posts on X—reflect his insights on theatre, humor, and human nature, capturing his witty and observant spirit.
15 Alan Ayckbourn Quotes
- “Laughter is the greatest response you can get from an audience.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “A comedy is just a tragedy interrupted, I once said. Do you finish with the kiss or when she opens her eyes to tell him she loves him and sees blonde hairs on his collar?” (Book, The Crafty Art of Playwriting, 2003)
- “The darker the subject, the more light you must try to shed on the matter. And vice versa.” (Book, The Crafty Art of Playwriting, 2003)
- “Few women care to be laughed at and men not at all, except for large sums of money.” (Preface, The Norman Conquests, 1988)
- “As a writer one is allowed to have conversations with oneself. What is considered sane in writers is mad for the rest of the human race.” (Goodreads, n.d.)
- “There are very few people on top of life, and the rest of us don’t like them very much.” (Interview, Newsweek, 1979)
- “Comedy is often built around the tragicomic aspects of life.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “He really is terribly heavy going. Like running up hill in roller skates.” (The Norman Conquests, 1988)
- “Theatre should always remember that it is entertainment, albeit of a high order.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
- “If you are flattering a woman, it pays to be a little more subtle. You don’t have to bother with men, they believe any compliment automatically.” (Interview, Inspiring Quotes, n.d.)
- “My mother used to say, Delia, if sex ever rears its ugly head, close your eyes before you see the rest of it.” (Bedroom Farce: A Comedy In Two Acts, 1975)
- “What I find interesting is how close you can run the laughter along the seam of seriousness, and occasionally cross it, so that half the house genuinely doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry.” (Interview, A-Z Quotes, n.d.)
- “We need to save theatres—the small companies all over the country that are suffering these terrible blows. We are always going to need live performances with actors and audiences.” (Post on X, @Ayckbourn, 2020-06-22)
- “I think of a plot, I think of an idea, and then I wonder, How can I get that onto the stage? Whatever devices you use should always be there to serve the theme.” (Interview, Inspiring Quotes, n.d.)
- “Tragedy and comedy are two sides of the same coin.” (Interview, Bookey, 2023)
Alan Ayckbourn’s quotes are a brilliant mix of wit, insight, and theatrical wisdom, inspiring audiences and creators to find humor in life’s complexities and cherish live performance. Which one’s got you ready to laugh or cry at the theatre? Drop it in the comments and keep Ayckbourn’s stage legacy thriving!
Emma Thompson
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