Alan Ayckbourn Plays in London

Alan Ayckbourn is one of the most prolific playwrights in the country, with plays that have been making audiences laugh and squirm for over 60 years. Known for his satirical comedies about suburban middle-class life, many of his best-known works – including Absurd Person Singular, Woman in Mind and A Chorus of Disapproval – have been performed in the West End.

Want to watch one of Ayckbourn’s plays in London? Browse productions currently booking and past productions below. If your favourite isn’t on stage right now, set an alert, and we’ll let you know when it returns. Keep in mind that future revivals usually feature a different venue, cast, and creative team from the past productions listed here.

How the Other Half Loves

One of Ayckbourn’s best-loved farces, How the Other Half Loves follows Fiona and Bob, who have been accused of adultery by their spouses. Desperate to cover their tracks, the unfaithful duo use their neighbours, the Featherstones, as an alibi – with another lie about infidelity! As the three couples’ relationships get hopelessly mixed up, Fiona and Bob’s plan to get away with it becomes hilariously chaotic. This brilliant comedy has been revived several times since it premiered in 1976.

Last On: How the Other Half Loves is currently at the Old Vic Theatre, starring Roger Allam and Dorothy Atkinson.

Woman in Mind

One of Ayckbourn’s most original plays, Woman in Mind tells the story of housewife Susan, whose world begins to split in two after she hits her head. The line between mundane reality and exciting fantasy blurs in this darkly funny psychological drama about family and identity. First performed in 1985, it wasn’t originally a critical success. However, it’s since been revived many times around the UK, including in London.

Last On: Woman in Mind was most recently in the West End in 2025, starring Sheridan Smith as Susan.

A Chorus of Disapproval

Heartbreaking and hilarious all at once, this Olivier Award-winning play tells the story of widower Guy, who decides to join an amateur operatic society staging The Beggar’s Opera. As he unexpectedly rises through the ranks of the group, Guy wins the lead role… and embarks on illicit affairs with several of the female cast members! This is one of Ayckbourn’s most successful plays, and features songs from the original opera throughout.

Last On: A Chorus of Disapproval was last in London in 2012, starring Rob Brydon and Nigel Harman.

Relatively Speaking

Ayckbourn’s breakout play and his first West End hit, this is a whirlwind of outrageous farce and family chaos. When smitten Greg decides Ginny is The One after just a month of dating, he decides to follow her to her parents’ house to ask for her dad’s blessing. When he arrives, he finds Phillip and Sheila tucking into the Sunday breakfast… and they’re not Ginny’s parents! But who, exactly, are they?

Last On:Relatively Speaking was last in the West End in 2013, with a cast including Felicity Kendal, Jonathan Coy and Kara Tointon.

What Are Alan Ayckbourn’s Most Famous Plays?

Alan Ayckbourn has written more than 90 full-length plays, and over 40 have been performed in London between 1964 and today. His best-known works include his 1965 breakout hit Relatively Speaking and A Chorus of Disapproval, which won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy in 1985. Other major plays are the dark suburban comedies Woman in Mind and Absurd Person Singular, the marital-affair farce How the Other Half Loves, and The Norman Conquests trilogy.

How Often Are Plays by Alan Ayckbourn Performed in London?

Alan Ayckbourn is a very prolific playwright, although many of his plays are performed regionally rather than in the West End. However, London audiences have plenty of opportunities to see his work; there have been around 10 major revivals and several Off-West End productions since 2010.

The most commonly performed Ayckbourn plays are Woman in Mind, which was last staged in London in 2025 starring Sheridan Smith, and How the Other Half Loves, currently showing at the Old Vic with Roger Allam and Dorothy Atkinson. 

If you want to catch an Ayckbourn play in London, see what’s currently on above or set an alert for future productions. 

Where Can I Find Out More About Works by Alan Ayckbourn? 

You can read about Ayckbourn’s life, career and complete performance history on his official website, alanayckbourn.net.

What Else Can I See If I Like Alan Ayckbourn?

If you like Ayckbourn’s witty and sometimes dark satires about middle-class life and fractured relationships, similar shows include Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party, Noel Coward’s Hay Fever and Kevin Elyot’s My Night With Reg.

For fans of the backstage drama and liaisons in A Chorus of Disapproval, Michael Frayn’s Noises Off has a similar premise, with a lot of slapstick laughs.