A BRAND NEW production of Alan Ayckbourn’s classic comedy Henceforward… comes to Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre where it will play from Thursday, January 19 to Saturday, January 28.
All alone, high up in an isolated, derelict suburban tower block, avant-garde composer Jerome struggles vainly to complete his life’s masterwork about love.
With the help of a deranged android childminder, he hatches a plan to retrieve his source of artistic inspiration, his beloved daughter Geain, from his hostile and estranged ex-wife.
But the best laid plans of men and mechanical women…
This new revival, directed by the author, stars Bill Champion, Andy Cryer, Russell Dixon, Jessie Hart, Velvet Hebditch, Jacqueline King and Laura Matthews.
Ayckbourn first produced Henceforward… in Scarborough in 1987 and subsequently at the Vaudeville Theatre, London in 1988 starring Ian McKellen and Jane Asher, where it won the Evening Standard Best Comedy Award.
Ayckbourn explains how the idea for his obsessive, creative protagonist came about: “Henceforward… denotes the point in my writing life when the guilt finally got to me; after years of first nights, facing the reproachful stares of close family continually recognising elements of themselves, wives, mothers, children (God, I even stole bits of my children!).
“The character of Jerome, although loosely based on feelings of guilt I had at the time, is of course nothing at all like me. After all, Jerome steals bits of people and really doesn’t even care at all; no scrap of remorse, completely shameless. I was never as bad as that!”
Infused with Ayckbourn’s trademark themes of people and relationships, this dark comedy takes a critical look at the creative process – and just how dangerous it can be.
Tickets for Henceforward… are on sale now! You can book yours by calling the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Box Office on (01483) 44 00 00 or by visiting the website at www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk
Tour Dates
19 – 28 January Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre
6 – 11 February Royal Theatre, Royal & Derngate
13 – 18 February Theatre Royal Windsor
22 – 25 February Cambridge Arts Theatre
