The playwright Alan Ayckbourn is a standout figure in British theatre, not least as an octogenarian whose plays outnumber his years. Just as his 86th play finishes its run at a tiny theatre near Whitby, his 87th is about to open 20 miles along the Yorkshire coast in his home-from-home, Scarborough. Meanwhile, down in Sussex, Chichester is warming up for a revival of his 1985 comedy Woman in Mind.
What better tonic could there be in this deeply unfunny era than an evening with a consummate craftsman who has spent six decades mining laughter from personal calamity. As a recent Arts Council report spells out, the arts are indeed a tonic, with an important role to play in the mental health of the nation.
