The Circular Christmas Quiz 2022

So how did you do in our SJT Circular 2022 Christmas quiz? How may of Alan Ayckbourn's full-length plays set during and around Christmas could you identify?

You can find out in two ways. First up is Alan Ayckbourn's Archivist Simon Murgatroyd talking about all 14 plays in the latest Ayckbourn InSights video on the Ayckbourn YouTube Channel (or just click on the video below). And if you visit and enjoy it, there's plenty of other videos on Alan Ayckbourn to enjoy and please subscribe.

Alternatively, the answers can also be found on this page below the video.

Happy Christmas, hope you enjoyed the quiz!

Simon

Ayckbourn InSights: The Christmas Plays (available from 16 December)

Ayckbourn InSights: The Christmas Plays
Posted: 16 December 2021

Alan Ayckbourn's Archivist Simon Murgatroyd looks at Alan Ayckbourn's many Christmas plays and why the playwright thinks Christmas is the perfect setting for a play.

The Answers (alongside the photo / poster details!)

1. Dad's Tale - Tonya Burcka as the dancing Christmas tree from the 1960 world premiere.
Set during Christmas with a poor family dreaming of a better Christmas.
2. Christmas V Mastermind - Heather Stoney & Alan Ayckbourn in the world premiere in 1961.
Set during Christmas with a genius criminal trying to derail Santa's toy factory,
3. Absurd Person Singular - Ben Porter & Laura Doddington in Alan Ayckbourn's 2012 revival.
Set over three Christmases.
4. Joking Apart - Leigh Symonds in Alan Ayckbourn's 2018 revival.
The third scene is set on Boxing Day,
5. Suburban Strains - World premiere poster (1980).
The 31st scene is set at Christmas (!)
6. Season's Greetings - The puppet scene from the world premiere in 1980.
Set from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.
7. Intimate Exchanges - World premiere poster (1982).
One of the 16 different codas is called A Midnight Mass and set on Christmas Eve.
8. Wildest Dreams - World premiere poster (1991).
The second act is set in the run-up to Christmas.
9. Time of my Life - James Powell & Rachel Caffrey in Alan Ayckbourn's 2013 revival.
One of the Act I flashback scenes is set at a Christmas meal.
10. GamePlan - Saskia Butler & Alison Pargeter in the 2001 world premiere.
Act 2, Scene 2 is set the week before Christmas.
11. Sugar Daddies - Rex Garner & Alison Pargeter in the 2003 world premiere.
The play begins with 'Santa' almost getting run over.
12. Improbable Fiction - Clare Swinburne & Laura Doddington in the 2005 world premiere.
The play is set the week before Christmas.
13. Life & Beth - Ruth Gibson & Liza Goddard in the 2008 world premiere.
The play is set during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,
14. A Brief History of Women - Russell Dixon as the panto dame in the 2017 world premiere.
Act 2, Scene 1 is set during rehearsals for a Christmas panto.