My Websites
Alan Ayckbourn's Official Website
Alan Ayckbourn's Official Website at www.alanayckbourn.net is the single largest, freely accessible internet resource dedicated to a living playwright in the world. It spans more than 3,500 pages and covers every Ayckbourn play in-depth as well as every aspect of the playwright's professional life.Launched in 2001 and recognised by the playwright officially in 2002, the primary aim of www.alanayckbourn.net is to be the first-stop resource for anyone researching Alan Ayckbourn and his plays with a dedication to accurate and up-to-date information.
I created it following my studies for my MA and am solely responsible for creating and curating the website. In 2013, The Stage newspaper recognised my achievement:
"Ayckbourn is quintessentially a man of the theatre, and Simon Murgatroyd's achievement has been to celebrate and annotate that for posterity."
The website includes exclusive material by Alan Ayckbourn as well as original material. It draws on material from the Ayckbourn Archive held in the Borthwick Institute for Archives, the digital Ayckbourn Archive, as well as material from other public and private collections.
A Round Town
Launched in 2023, A Round Town celebrates the history of theatre in the round in Scarborough and how Alan Ayckbourn, Stephen Joseph and theatre in the round have contributed to the cultural heritage and history of the town.A Round Town at www.a-round-town.com offers a look at the history of theatre in the round in Scarborough, the venues, key figures such as Stephen Joseph and Alan Ayckbourn.
There is also a complete catalogue of plays performed at the theatre which includes company details for every play between 1955 and 1975 as well as details of significant plays from 1955 to 2009.
The website is also home to a section dedicated to the play adaptation of The Woman in Black, which premiered in Scarborough before becoming a West End phenomenon.
The website includes exclusive and original research by Simon Murgatroyd as well as exclusive material from several collections. It draws on material from the Ayckbourn Archive held in the Borthwick Institute for Archives, the digital Ayckbourn Archive, the theatre in the round collection at Scarborough Library as well as material from other public and private collections.
A Note on the Websites
I'm responsible for every aspect of the websites from design to administration, content to updates. I've designed and programmed the websites using the Rapidweaver platform on the Mac and frequently update them with new and revised content as we as making quality of life improvements to the site.I'm always open to feedback about the website experience, if you have any issues or constructive suggestions, please contact me.