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 administering, curating, writing and maintaining the website. In 2013, The Stage newspaper recognised my work with a feature which noted:
"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.
The website maintains a presence on social media on Instagram, YouTube and Wordpress.
Recently, the website introduced the Archive pages for each play containing scans of material held in various archives. These pages are presented in association with the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York.
A Round Town: Theatre in the Round in Scarborough
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 (www.theatre-in-the-round.co.uk) offers a look at the history of theatre in the round in Scarborough, the venues, key figures such as Stephen Joseph and Alan Ayckbourn, significant plays which have premiered in Scarborough as well as exploring theatre in the round's impact on the town since 1955.
The website will continue to expand into the future, drawing in more elements relating to the town and its cultural history and heritage.