Taking Steps: Significant Productions

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

World Premiere (1979)

First performance: 27 September 1979
World premiere: 28 September 1979
Final performance: 5 January 1980
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Music: Paul Todd

Stage Manager: Sean O’Neill
Assistant Stage Manager: Eric Lumsden
Assistant Stage Manager: Nina Edwards
Character
Elizabeth
Roland, her husband
Mark, her brother
Tristram, a solicitor
Leslie, a builder
Kitty, Mark’s fiancée
Actor
Alison Skilbeck
John Arthur
Robin Herford
Robin Bowerman
Jeffrey Robert
Lavinia Bertram

Revival (1980)

First performance: 18 June 1980
Premiere: 18 June 1980
Final performance: 20 September 1980
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Music: Paul Todd

Stage Manager: Simon Whitaker
Deputy Stage Manager: Eric Lumsden
Assistant Stage Manager: Sue Merry
Assistant Stage Manager: Abigail McKern
Character
Elizabeth
Roland, her husband
Mark, her brother
Tristram, a solicitor
Leslie, a builder
Kitty, Mark’s fiancée
Actor
Marcia Warren
Ronald Herdman
Robin Herford
Michael Simkins
Jeffrey Robert
Lavinia Bertram

London Premiere (1980)

First performance: 2 September 1980
Final performance: 6 June 1981
Venue: The Lyric Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Director: Michael Rudman
Design: Alan Tagg
Lighting: Gerry Jenkinson
Costumes: Lindy Hemming
Character
Elizabeth
Roland, her husband
Mark, her brother
Tristram, a solicitor
Leslie, a builder
Kitty, Mark’s fiancée
Actor
Nicola Pagett
Dinsdale Landen
Paul Chapman
Michael Maloney
Richard Kane
Wendy Murray

Revival (1990)

First performance: 28 November 1990
Premiere: 4 December 1990
Final performance: 22 December 1990
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Michael Holt
Lighting: Mick Hughes
Music: John Pattison

Stage Manager: Joanne Rolfe
Deputy Stage Manager: Marina Kilby
Deputy Stage Manager: Jane Tynan
Assistant Stage Manager: Patricia Swales
Character
Elizabeth
Roland, her husband
Mark, her brother
Tristram, a solicitor
Leslie, a builder
Kitty, Mark’s fiancée
Actor
Elizabeth Bell
Michael Gambon
Rupert Vansittart
Adam Godley
Ken Stott
Claire Skinner

New York Premiere (1991)

First performance: 20 February 1991
Final performance: 28 April 1991
Performances: 78
Venue: Circle In The Square Theatre

Director: Alan Strachan
Design: James Morgan
Lighting: Mary Jo Dondlinger
Character
Elizabeth
Roland, her husband
Mark, her brother
Tristram, a solicitor
Leslie, a builder
Kitty, Mark’s fiancée
Actor
Jane Summerhays
Christopher Benjamin
Jonathan Hogan
Spike McClure
Bill Buell
Pippa Pearthree

London Revival (2010)

First performance: 24 March 2010
Final performance: 29 May 2010
Venue: Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Michael Holt
Lighting: Mick Hughes
Character
Elizabeth
Roland, her husband
Mark, her brother
Tristram, a solicitor
Leslie, a builder
Kitty, Mark’s fiancée
Actor
Anna Francolini
Michael Simkins
Stephen Beckett
Matthew Cottle
Adrian McLoughlin
Emily Pithon

Revival (2017)

First performance: 13 July 2017
Premiere:18 July 2017
Final performance: 5 October 2017
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Staging: Round

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Design: Kevin Jenkins
Lighting: Jason Taylor
Casting: Sarah Hughes

Company Stage Manager: Nikki Colclough
Deputy Stage Manager: Amy Bending
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Lang
Character
Elizabeth
Roland, her husband
Mark, her brother
Tristram, a solicitor
Leslie, a builder
Kitty, Mark’s fiancée
Actor
Louise Shuttleworth
Russell Dixon
Laurence Pears
Antony Eden
Leigh Symonds
Laura Matthews
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.