The Old Laundry Theatre, Bowness-on-Windermere has announced the cast for the world premiere of Alan Ayckbourn’s light-hearted production All Lies.
Opening on Thursday May 5, and directed by the world-famous playwright, this is a rare opportunity to see a world premiere of one of his productions outside of Scarborough – in fact, it is the first in 35 years.
The play features a cast of three, who are largely kept separate during the play until a final scene bringing the two lovers together.
Much of the narrative is told through letters – these decisions were part of Alan’s desire to create a play which was robust enough to cope should social distancing measures be reimposed in theatres during 2022.
Luke Dayhill plays the role of Sebastian Goodfellow (a compulsive liar), Saskia Strallen plays Posy Capstick (the love of his life) and Rhiannon Neads plays Sonia Goodfellow (his sister).
All Lies was inspired by the rise of fake news and how people lie about themselves.
Alan was intrigued about how we occasionally lie, not out of malice but to impress someone else, particularly at the start of a relationship.
Intrigued but realising that the concept would not stand up in the modern day when we can instantly check a lie through the internet, he decided to set the play during the 1950s when he was a teenager.
Alan Ayckbourn said: “With all this business about fake news and people with various versions of the truth, it struck me that a play was due where people with the best will in the world told lies about themselves.
“It occurred to me then that most of us did this in the very early stages of our relationships, mainly to bolster our claim for the one we are attracted to’s heart, as it were. Increasing our possible credentials for their affections.
“I think it is an enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes of your life, It’s good fun. And which of us has not told white lies to our partner at some stage if only to impress them?”
Alan has a close association with The Old Laundry Theatre, which is a theatre-in-the-round which replicates the design of Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre.
Roger Glossop, the set designer for All Lies and a director of The Old Laundry Theatre, has been regularly designing sets for Alan’s world and West End premieres since 1986.
Alan added: “My heart is with theatres of this size. They are on a scale I always equate with my strong feelings for the first two homes in Scarborough: The Library Theatre and the Stephen Joseph Theatre in the Round or Westwood as we knew it. I’m very invested in The Old Laundry and it is very close to the way we were at Westwood.”
The Old Laundry Theatre is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
All Lies runs from Thursday, May 5 to Saturday, May 21.
