Human-machine Relationship Exploring Interpersonal Relationship: Alan Ayckbourn And His Robot Plays

Alan Ayckbourn,who was born in Hampstead,London,1939,is one of the world's most popular and prolific professional playwrights.He has written-as of 2021-85 full length plays.These have been translated into over 35 languages,are performed throughout the world and he and they have won countless awards.A recipient of the Critics' Circle Award for Services to the Arts,he has been inducted into American Theatre's Hall of Fame and became the first British Playwright to receive both Olivier and Tony Lifetime Achievement Awards.He was knighted in 1997 for services to the theatre.It is interesting to note that when Alan Ayckbourn writes about the nature of art,he does it through the medium of science-fiction.In 1987,Henceforward… explored the concept of creativity,in a near future with a fascinating robot character.In 1998,he wrote Comic Potential,exploring the nature of comedy and centring on a robot.Surprises in 2012 sees Alan Ayckbourn going back to the future for a time-travelling play about love and longevity.The aim of this dissertation is to focus on three of Alan Ayckbourn's Robot plays,namely Henceforward…(1987),Comic Potential(1998)and Surprises(2012)in order to analyse how Ayckbourn employs science-fiction elements and how he creates comedy while he writes about such themes as the destruction of marriage and its effects on children,the inseparable nature of private and public and the absence of standards.