Countdown: Significant Productions

This page contains the company details for significant productions of Alan Ayckbourn's Countdown; this generally includes (where applicable) the world premiere, London premiere, New York premiere, London transfers, London revivals as well as revivals directed by Alan Ayckbourn or produced in Scarborough. It does not represent a comprehensive list of productions of the play as, like most of Alan Ayckbourn's plays, it has been produced many times by professionals and amateurs in many venues - often around the world - since its world premiere.

World Premiere: If Love Decay… (1962)

World Premiere: 16 September 1962
Venue: Colchester Repertory Club

Director: Vivian Matalon

She: Andrée Melly
He: Oscar Quitak
Programme: If Love Decay...
Here We Are (Dorothy Parker)
Keepsakes (Arthur Schnitzel)
Fish Are Supposed To Be Sensual (John Gorrie)
Mixed Doubles (Lyndon Brook)
Countdown (Alan Ayckbourn)
Nagging (Douglas Jerrold)
The Harmfulness Of Tobacco (Anton Chekhov)
Resting Place (David Campton)

World Premiere: The Last Word (1967)

World Premiere: 7 November 1967
Venue: Malvern Festival Theatre

Director: Anton Rodgers
Research: Oliver Ford-Davies
Design: Anton Rodgers

Husband: Oscar Quitak
Wife: Andrée Melly
Programme: The Last Word
A Man’s Best Friend (James Saunders)
Mixed Doubles (Lyndon Brook)
Fish Are Supposed To Be Sensual (John Gorrie)
Sleeping Partners (Julia Jones)
Permanence (Fay Weldon)
Countdown (Alan Ayckbourn)
Silver Wedding (John Bowen)
Resting Place (David Campton)

Linking material by Lyndon Brook
Additional research by Oliver Ford-Davies

World Premiere: We Who Are About To... (1969)

World Premiere: 6 February 1969
Venue: Hampstead Theatre Club

Directors: Alexander Doré and Anton Rodgers
Design: Tim Goodchild
Lighting: Christopher Bazeley

Husband: Nigel Stock
Wife: Vivien Merchant
Programme: We Who Are About To...
A Man’s Best Friend (James Saunders)
Mixed Doubles (Lyndon Brook)
Norma (Alun Owen)
Sleeping Partners (Julia Jones)
Permanence (Fay Weldon)
Countdown (Alan Ayckbourn)
Silver Wedding (John Bowen)
Resting Place (David Campton)

World Premiere / London Premiere: Mixed Doubles (1969)

World Premiere: 9 April 1969
Venue: The Comedy Theatre, London

Director: Alexander Doré
Devised by: Anton Rodgers
Design: Tim Goodchild
Lighting: Joe Davies

Husband: Nigel Stock
Wife: Vivien Merchant
Programme: Mixed Doubles
Haven - retitled from A Man’s Best Friend (James Saunders)
Score -
retitled from Mixed Doubles (Lyndon Brook)
Norma (Alun Owen)
Night (Harold Pinter)
Permanence (Fay Weldon)
Countdown (Alan Ayckbourn)
Silver Wedding (John Bowen)
Resting Place (David Campton)
The Figures Of Authority (George Melly)
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.
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