Bedroom Farce: Archive Images

A collection of archive material, posters, rehearsal and production images pertaining to Alan Ayckbourn's Bedroom Farce. The Archive Images page is presented in association with the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York where the Ayckbourn Archive is held. Click on an image to expand.

Bedroom Farce (1975)

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The first public mention of Bedroom Farce was in an interview with Alan Ayckbourn published in The Times on 30 June 1974. Within the interview he gives its original intended title Bedroom Farce, A Comedy.

Copyright: Times Media Ltd
Holding: Borthwick Institute for Archives

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The earliest notes relating to Bedroom Farce are this sketch of a cruciform set with four beds which was discovered on the back of a manuscript page on his previous work, Jeeves, dating to spring 1975.

Copyright: Haydonning Ltd
Holding: Borthwick Institute for Archives

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The previous notes for Bedroom Farce are expanded here with more details for a set including four beds in a cruciform shape; for the final play, Alan reduced the set to three beds. This note also includes early ideas for character names, several of which are different to the finished play.

Copyright: Haydonning Ltd
Holding: Borthwick Institute For Archives

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Alan Ayckbourn originally intended the premiere production of Bedroom Farce to be performed in-the-round at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, and this is his own unused plan for the in-the-round staging. Unfortunately, the set proved too big for the space and it had to be changed to a three-sided production.

Copyright: Haydonning Ltd
Holding: Borthwick Institute For Archives

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Alan Ayckbourn's sketch of the amended three-sided set for the world premiere of Bedroom Farce at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, during 1975.

Copyright: Haydonning Ltd
Holding: Borthwick Institute For Archives

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Stanley Page as Ernest & Heather Stoney as Delia in the world premiere production of Bedroom Farce at Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre, Scarborough, during 1975.

Photographer: TBC
Holding: The Bob Watson Archive

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Alan Ayckbourn directing Joan Hickson & Michael Gough in the National Theatre's production of Bedroom Farce during 1977.

Photographer: TBC (© National Theatre)
Holding: Ayckbourn Digital Archive

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Alan Ayckbourn's sketch for the end-stage stage design of Bedroom Farce in the Lyttelton at the National Theatre in 1977.

Copyright: Haydonning Ltd
Holding: Borthwick Institute For Archives

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The programme cover for Bedroom Farce at the National Theatre in 1977. This was one of several designs utilised by the National Theatre for the play's runs at the National Theatre, in the West End and on Broadway.

Copyright: National Theatre
Holding: Borthwick Institute for Archives

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Peter Hall, Artistic Director of the National Theatre, on the set of Bedroom Farce with Alan Ayckbourn (right) at the National Theatre in 1977.

Photographer: TBC (© National Theatre)
Holding: Borthwick Institute for Archives

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A flyer for the National Theatre's North American transfer of Bedroom Farce, which would see Alan Ayckbourn making his debut as a director on Broadway.

Copyright: National Theatre
Holding: Borthwick Institute for Archives

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The National Theatre celebrated its 50th anniversary during 2013 and as part of the celebrations the 'pilchards scene' from Bedroom Farce was performed with Nicholas le Provost as Ernest & Penelope Wilton as Delia.

Photographer: Catherine Ashmore (© Catherine Ashmore)
Holding: Ayckbourn Digital Archive

Do not reproduce images without permission of the copyright holder.
The Scene and Archive Images pages are presented in association with the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, where the Ayckbourn Archive is held.

All images on this page are copyright of the respective and labelled individual / organisation and should not be reproduced without permission.
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All images are copyright of the respective individual / organisation and should not be reproduced without permission.