Henceforward...: Significant Productions

This page contains details of significant productions of Alan Ayckbourn's Henceforward..., such as the world and London premieres as well as Ayckbourn-directed revivals. It is not a complete list of productions given how frequently Alan Ayckbourn's plays are performed by professionals and amateur companies around the world.

World Premiere (1987)

First performance: 30 July 1987
World premiere: 30 July 1987
Final performance: 16 January 1988
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Roger Glossop
Lighting: Mick Thomas
Music: Paul Todd
Synclavier Programming: Yasmin Hashmi

Stage Manager: Duncan Lewis
Deputy Stage Manager: David Parker
Deputy Stage Manager: David O’Neill
Assistant Stage Manager: Braco Dawson
Assistant Stage manager: Kate Haswell
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
Geain, aged 13
NAN 300F
Actor
Barry McCarthy
Robin Herford
Serena Evans
Victoria Horsfield
Penny Bunton
Michael Roberts
Emma Chambers
Herself
Note: Henceforward… was initially advertised to close on 31 October 1987. However, the play was so popular, it was kept in repertory through the winter season at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round, eventually closing on 16 January 1988. It would then be revived during the summer of 1988 at the venue.

North American Premiere (1987)

Premiere: 8 October 1987
Venue: Alley Theatre, Houston
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Charles S. Kading
Lighting: James Sale
Sound: John Michener
Music: Paul Todd
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
Geain, aged 13
NAN 300F
Actor
George Segal
Robin Herford
Judy Geeson
Victoria Horsfield
Annalee Jefferies
Adam LeFevre
Brenda Daly
Herself

Revival (1988)

First performance: 8 June 1988
Premiere: 8 June 1988
Final performance: 2 July 1988
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Co-director: Robin Herford
Design: Roger Glossop
Lighting: Mick Thomas
Music: Paul Todd
Synclavier Programming: Yasmin Hashmi

Stage Manager: Vaughan Curtis
Deputy Stage Manager: Kate Haswell
Deputy Stage Manager: David O’Neill
Assistant Stage Manager: Braco Dawson
Assistant Stage manager: Sarah Percival
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
Geain, aged 13
Rita (voice)
NAN 300F
Actor
Barry McCarthy
Robin Herford
Jenny Funnell
Victoria Horsfield
Lynette Edwards
Peter Forbes
Francesca Buller
Braco Dawson
Herself
Note: The revival of Henceforward… opened in Scarborough before going on a UK / European end-stage venue tour. The end-stage production was co-directed by Robin Herford and Alan Ayckbourn.

London Premiere (1988)

Premiere: 21 November 1988
Final performance: 16 September 1989
Venue: The Vaudeville Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Roger Glossop
Lighting: Mick Hughes
Music: Paul Todd
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
Geain, aged 13
Rita
NAN 300F
Actor
Ian McKellen
Robin Herford
Serena Evans
Victoria Horsfield
Jane Asher
Michael Simkins
Emma Chambers
Suzy Newman
Herself

London Recast (1989)

Recast Date: February 1989
Final performance: 16 September 1989
Venue: The Vaudeville Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Director: Alan Strachan (based on the original production by Alan Ayckbourn)
Design: Roger Glossop
Lighting: Mick Hughes
Music: Paul Todd
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
Geain, aged 13
Rita
NAN 300F
Actor
Martin Jarvis
Robin Herford
Sara Crowe
Victoria Horsfield
Joanna Van Gyseghem
Peter Forbes
Susanna Newman
Emma Gibbins
Herself

Tour (1990)

First performance: 9 April 1990 (TBC)
Venue: The Hexagon, Reading (TBC)
Staging: End-stage

Director: John David
Design: Roger Glossop
Music: Paul Todd

Producer: John Newman
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 9
Geain, aged 13
Corinna
Mervyn
Rita
NAN 300F
Actor
Simon Ward
Robin Herford
Deborah Winckles
Victoria Horsfield
Thomasina Carlyle
Janet Key
Alister Cameron
Olivia Eisinger
Herself

North American Revival (1991)

First performance: 3 November 1991
Final performance: 29 December 1991
Venue: Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles
Staging: End-stage

Director: Tom Moore
Design: Ralph Funicello
Lighting: Peter Maradudin
Costumes: Robert Blackman
Sound: Jon Gottlieb
Music: Larry Delinger
Music: Craig Sibley
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 13
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
Rita
NAN 300F
Actor
John Glover
Alan Shearman
Jane Krakowski
Ellen Idelson
Brandi Chrisman
Paula Wilcox
Dakin Matthews
Nike Doukas
Herself

Revival (2016)

First performance: 8 September 2016
Premiere: 13 September 2016
Final performance: 8 October 2016
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Roger Glossop
Lighting: Jason Taylor
Costumes: Rebecca Cartwright
Video Design: Paul Stear
Casting: Sarah Hughes

Stage Manager: Nikki Colclough
Deputy Stage Manager: Jen Hirst
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Lang
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 13
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
NAN 300F
Actor
Bill Champion
Andy Cryer
Laura Matthews
Jessie Hart
Velvet Hebditch
Jacqueline King
Russell Dixon
Herself

Tour (2017)

First performance: 19 January 2017
Venue: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
Staging: End-stage

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Roger Glossop
Lighting: Jason Taylor
Costumes: Rebecca Cartwright
Casting: Sarah Hughes

Stage Manager: Nikki Colclough
Character
Jerome
Lupus
Zoë
Geain, aged 13
Geain, aged 9
Corinna
Mervyn
NAN 300F
Actor
Bill Champion
Andy Cryer
Laura Matthews
Jessie Hart
Velvet Hebditch
Jacqueline King
Nigel Hastings
Herself
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.