Arrivals & Departures: Frequently Asked Questions
Alan Ayckbourn's Archivist Simon Murgatroyd's answers some of the most frequently asked questions about Alan Ayckbourn's Arrivals & Departures. If you have a question about this or any other of Alan Ayckbourn's plays, you can contact the website via the Contact Us page.The play is written to have 11 actors plays 30 roles, can I use more actors?
There's no reason why not in this case. The doubling (occasionally tripling of roles) was a device by the playwright to allow a far larger cast of characters. If you have more actors available, then there is no reason why all 30 roles can't be individually cast.
Spoiler Alert: Does Barry die at the climax of the play?
This depends to an extent as to how you, as an audience member, interpret the climax and the play-text does allow some slight ambiguity. However, from the playwright's perspective and from a dramatic perspective, he almost certainly dies from his wounds.
All research for this page by Simon Murgatroyd.
