Mere Soup Songs (1986)

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World Premiere: 22 May 1986
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough

London Premiere: 5 December 1986
Venue: Lyttelton Buffet, National Theatre

Description: Revue
Composer: Paul Todd

Published / Available to Stage: No

History

Mere Soup Songs was the final collaboration between Alan Ayckbourn and the composer Paul Todd and was premiered as a lunchtime entertainment in the Studio Theatre at the Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough, in 1986. Like the majority of Alan’s previous revues, the entertainment offers a look at the relationships between men and women with Mere Soup Songs focussing on the untruths and lies found in relationships.

It was revived by Alan Ayckbourn at the National Theatre as a late-night entertainment in December 1986 when he took his two-year sabbatical at the National Theatre and pressed the venue to allow him to do work in spaces other than the main auditoria.

The Songs

1. Prologue
2. Untruths
3. Deceptions
4. Falsehoods
5. Deceits
6. Fibs
7. Total Lies
8. Epilogue

Premiere Production Details (1986)

World premiere: 22 May 1986
Final performance: 11 September 1986
Venue: Stephen Joseph Theatre In The Round, Scarborough
Staging: End-stage

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Musical Director: Paul Todd
Design: Clare Bracewell
Lighting: Mick Thomas
Character
Charles
Janice
Michael
Annabelle
Actor
Richard Mapletoft
Janet Jefferies
Nigel Cooke
Serena Evans
Stage Manager: David Parker
London Premiere Details (1986)
First performance: 5 December 1986
Premiere: 14 December 1986
Venue: Lyttelton Buffet, National Theatre, London
Staging: End-stage

Director: Alan Ayckbourn
Music: Paul Todd
Design: Emma B Lloyd
Lighting: Steve Ramsden
Sound: Rob Barnard
Sound: Gary Giles
Character
Charles
Janice
Michael
Annabelle

Synthisiser
Actor
Russell Dixon
Kate Dyson
Michael Simkins
Diane Bull

Paul Todd
Stage Manager: Jenny Frazer

Further Reading

Mere Soup Songs has not been published.

Manuscripts (research & reference)
An original manuscript for Mere Soup Songs is held in the Ayckbourn Archive in the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York. The manuscript is accessible onsite for research purposes.

Reviews (world premiere)
Mere Soup Songs Recipe For Success (Scarborough Evening News, 23 May 1986)
Mere Soup Songs (David Jeffels, The Stage, 19 June 1986)

Reviews (London premiere)
There's A Lie In My Soup (Stephen Games, The Independent, 15 December 1986)
Mere Soup Songs (The Times, 15 December 1986)
Mere Soup Songs (What's On, 22 January 1987)
All research and original material in this section of Alan Ayckbourn's Official Website is by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. and copyright of Haydonning Ltd. All other material is copyright of the named copyright holder. Please do not reproduce any material without permission of the copyright holder. For enquiries, email: archive@alanayckbourn.net