The Divide: Significant Presentations
This page contains details of significant presentations of Alan Ayckbourn's The Divide.
First read-through (2015)
First Read-Through: 4 June 2015
Venue: Alan Ayckbourn’s home
Staging: N/A
Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Venue: Alan Ayckbourn’s home
Staging: N/A
Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Character
All characters
All characters
Actor
Alan Ayckbourn
Heather Stoney
Katherine Dunn-Mines
Simon Murgatroyd
Alan Ayckbourn
Heather Stoney
Katherine Dunn-Mines
Simon Murgatroyd
Note: Unusually the first read-through of The Divide took place with the staff of Alan Ayckbourn’s own company. Given the unusual nature of the piece and its length, a preliminary read-through was held to ascertain how long it ran for the proposed gala rehearsed reading (see below) as well as its suitability for ‘performance’. At the initial read-through, The Divide ran for seven-and-a-half hours without breaks.
Gala Read-Through (2015)
World premiere: 27 September 2015
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Staging: Three-sided
Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Lighting: Tigger Johnson
Costumes: Rebecca Cartwright
Editor: Katherine Dunn Mines
Company Stage Manger: Fleur Linden Beeley
Deputy Stage Manager: Sue Volans
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Lang
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
Staging: Three-sided
Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Lighting: Tigger Johnson
Costumes: Rebecca Cartwright
Editor: Katherine Dunn Mines
Company Stage Manger: Fleur Linden Beeley
Deputy Stage Manager: Sue Volans
Assistant Stage Manager: Emma Lang
Character
Walsice / Tana / Marzin /
Doctor
Giella
Fergo / S. Jagg / Walby
Tutor Morden / Vint /
Brigadier
Hork / Teacher Ollishaw /
Mondrian
Clerk
Soween
Sassa
Mama Chayza
Young Soween
Editor / Donal / Chief Diver
Axi / Cllr Grosh
Mapa Kest
Desolia / Talyed
Elihu
Tutor Rudgrin / Doagul /
Dern
Older Soween
Young Elihu
Understudy
Walsice / Tana / Marzin /
Doctor
Giella
Fergo / S. Jagg / Walby
Tutor Morden / Vint /
Brigadier
Hork / Teacher Ollishaw /
Mondrian
Clerk
Soween
Sassa
Mama Chayza
Young Soween
Editor / Donal / Chief Diver
Axi / Cllr Grosh
Mapa Kest
Desolia / Talyed
Elihu
Tutor Rudgrin / Doagul /
Dern
Older Soween
Young Elihu
Understudy
Actor
Stephen Billington
Elizabeth Boag
Andy Cryer
Russell Dixon
Laura Doddington
Katherine Dunn-Mines
Terenia Edwards
Ruth Gibson
Liza Goddard
Velvet Hebditch
Paul Kemp
Emma Manton
Alexandra Mathie
Fleur Mould
James Powell
Richard Stacey
Heather Stoney
Sam Tennant
Jaye Lewis
Stephen Billington
Elizabeth Boag
Andy Cryer
Russell Dixon
Laura Doddington
Katherine Dunn-Mines
Terenia Edwards
Ruth Gibson
Liza Goddard
Velvet Hebditch
Paul Kemp
Emma Manton
Alexandra Mathie
Fleur Mould
James Powell
Richard Stacey
Heather Stoney
Sam Tennant
Jaye Lewis
Note: Regarded as the first public performance of The Divide, this was a semi-staged, read production which was both rehearsed and performed within the weekend of 26 - 27 September 2015. It was not altered to accommodate a staged presentation, only edited down in length to a manageable running time.
World Premiere - Staged (2017)
First performance: 8 / 9 August 2017
World Premiere: 11 August 2017
Final performance: 20 August 2017
Venue: King's Theatre, Edinburgh
Staging: End-stage
Director: Annabel Bolton
Design: Laura Hopkins
Composer: Christopher Nightingale
Lighting: David Plater
Sound: Bobby Aitken
Video: Ash J Woodward
A co-production between the Edinburgh International
Festival and The Old Vic.
World Premiere: 11 August 2017
Final performance: 20 August 2017
Venue: King's Theatre, Edinburgh
Staging: End-stage
Director: Annabel Bolton
Design: Laura Hopkins
Composer: Christopher Nightingale
Lighting: David Plater
Sound: Bobby Aitken
Video: Ash J Woodward
A co-production between the Edinburgh International
Festival and The Old Vic.
Character
Hork
Elihu
Soween
Kest
Conrad
Axi
Sassa
Desollia
Giella
Fergo
Grosh
Older Soween
Chayza
Hork
Elihu
Soween
Kest
Conrad
Axi
Sassa
Desollia
Giella
Fergo
Grosh
Older Soween
Chayza
Actor
Clare Burt
Jake Davies
Erin Doherty
Thusitha Jayasundera
Richard Katz
Joanne McGuiness
Sophie Melville
Clare Lawrence Moody
Weruche Opia
Martin Quinn
Letty Thomas
Sian Thomas
Finty Williams
Clare Burt
Jake Davies
Erin Doherty
Thusitha Jayasundera
Richard Katz
Joanne McGuiness
Sophie Melville
Clare Lawrence Moody
Weruche Opia
Martin Quinn
Letty Thomas
Sian Thomas
Finty Williams
Note: This production, premiered during the Edinburgh International Festival, is regarded as the world premiere of the staged adaptation of The Divide and presented as a 'narrative for voice'. The Divide was presented in two parts, adapted by Annabel Bolton.
London Premiere - Staged (2018)
First performance: 1 February 2018
Premiere: 7 February 2018
Final performance: 10 February 2018
Venue: The Old Vic, London
Staging: End-stage
Director: Annabel Bolton
Design: Laura Hopkins
Composer: Christopher Nightingale
Lighting: David Plater
Sound: Bobby Aitken
Video: Ash J Woodward
Movement: Lucy Hind
Additional Movement: Rachel Nanyoinjo
Casting: Jessica Ronane
Musical Director: Will Stuart
Voice: Charlie Hughes- D'Aeth
Associate Director: Sean Linnen
Premiere: 7 February 2018
Final performance: 10 February 2018
Venue: The Old Vic, London
Staging: End-stage
Director: Annabel Bolton
Design: Laura Hopkins
Composer: Christopher Nightingale
Lighting: David Plater
Sound: Bobby Aitken
Video: Ash J Woodward
Movement: Lucy Hind
Additional Movement: Rachel Nanyoinjo
Casting: Jessica Ronane
Musical Director: Will Stuart
Voice: Charlie Hughes- D'Aeth
Associate Director: Sean Linnen
Character
Hork
Elihu
Older Soween
Soween
Kest
Conrad
Axi
Sassa
Desollia
Giella
Fergo
Grosh
Chayza
Orchestra
MD / Keyboards
Keyboard
Double Bass
Cello
Woodwind
Hork
Elihu
Older Soween
Soween
Kest
Conrad
Axi
Sassa
Desollia
Giella
Fergo
Grosh
Chayza
Orchestra
MD / Keyboards
Keyboard
Double Bass
Cello
Woodwind
Actor
Lucy Briggs-Owen
Jake Davies
Buffy Davis
Erin Doherty
Thusitha Jayasundera
Richard Katz
Joanne McGuiness
Sophie Melville
Clare Lawrence Moody
Weruche Opia
Martin Quinn
Letty Thomas
Finty Williams
Will Stuart
Bob Broad
Chris Reilly
Justin Pearson
Martin Robertson
Lucy Briggs-Owen
Jake Davies
Buffy Davis
Erin Doherty
Thusitha Jayasundera
Richard Katz
Joanne McGuiness
Sophie Melville
Clare Lawrence Moody
Weruche Opia
Martin Quinn
Letty Thomas
Finty Williams
Will Stuart
Bob Broad
Chris Reilly
Justin Pearson
Martin Robertson
Note: Although ostensibly a transfer of the Edinburgh International Festival adaptation of The Divide, it was presented at The Old Vic in a single part having been further edited by Annabel Bolton with advice from Alan Ayckbourn.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.