Interviews with Alan Ayckbourn

This interview with Alan Ayckbourn was written during 1991 and is held in The Ayckbourn Archive; no further details are held about it.

Why Do You Write?

Why do you write?
Alan Ayckbourn:
I can’t help myself.

Why did you write Wildest Dreams?
The idea of people pursuing their innermost fantasies to their logical conclusions interested me.

Why do you write plays?
God knows. I like the prospect of writing them and I’m delighted once I’ve finished but the bit in the middle is sheer purgatory. What I really enjoy is directing the plays once they’re written. But then, if I haven’t written them I can’t direct them, can I? So I’m forced to keep writing them. Because although I’ve written 9 by now, by the time I’ve directed a play a couple of times I’m bored with it and certainly don’t want to direct it again. Ever. That’s one of the reasons I writer anyway.

What’s the function (or should be the function) of theatre in contemporary society?
To engage our minds, enthral our emotions and entertain us overall.

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