Editing Alan Ayckbourn (section)

===Adult life===

After leaving school at 17, Ayckbourn took several temporary jobs in various places before starting a temporary position at the [[Stephen Joseph Theatre|Scarborough Library Theatre]], where he was introduced to the artistic director, [[Stephen Joseph]].<ref name=webbio/><ref name=p41>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 43–46</ref> It is said that Joseph became both a mentor and father figure for Ayckbourn until his untimely death in 1967,<ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 118–119</ref> and Ayckbourn has consistently spoken highly of him.<ref>Ayckbourn, Alan (2003). ''The Crafty Art of Playmaking'', Faber, {{ISBN|0-571-21509-2}}</ref>

Ayckbourn's career was briefly interrupted when he was called up for [[National Service]]. He was swiftly discharged, officially on medical grounds, but it is suggested that a doctor who noticed his reluctance to join the Armed Forces deliberately failed the medical as a favour.<ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 72–75</ref> Although Ayckbourn continued to move wherever his career took him, he settled in Scarborough, eventually buying Longwestgate House, which had previously been owned by his mentor, Joseph.<ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 145–146</ref>

In 1957, Ayckbourn married Christine Roland, another member of the Library Theatre company.<ref name=20facts>[http://biography.alanayckbourn.net/BiographyFacts.htm 20 Facts about Alan Ayckbourn] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090119100222/http://biography.alanayckbourn.net/BiographyFacts.htm |date=19 January 2009 }} accessed 5 January 2009</ref><ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 297–299</ref><ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 65–67</ref> Ayckbourn's first two plays were, in fact, written jointly with her under the pseudonym of "Roland Allen".<ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 67–72</ref> They had two sons, Steven and Philip.<ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 69, 85</ref> However, the marriage had difficulties, which eventually led to their separation in 1971. Ayckbourn said that his relationship with Roland became easy once they agreed their marriage was over. About this time, he shared a home with Heather Stoney,<ref>P. Allen, 2001, p. 132</ref> an actress he had first met ten years earlier.<ref>P. Allen, 2001, p. 88</ref> Like his mother, neither he nor Roland sought an immediate divorce and it was not until thirty years later, in 1997, that they were formally divorced and Ayckbourn married Stoney.<ref name=20facts/><ref>P. Allen, 2001, pp. 297–298</ref> One side effect of the timing is that, when Ayckbourn was awarded a [[Knight Bachelor|knighthood]] a few months before the divorce,<ref name=knighted>P. Allen, 2001, p. 295</ref> both his first and second wives were entitled to take the title of Lady Ayckbourn.

In February 2006, he suffered a stroke in Scarborough, and stated: "I hope to be back on my feet, or should I say my left leg, as soon as possible, but I know it is going to take some time. In the meantime I am in excellent hands and so is the Stephen Joseph Theatre."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/Ayckbourn-has-stroke.1368917.jp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505123429/http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/Ayckbourn-has-stroke.1368917.jp |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=Scarborough Evening News, 28 February 2006 |publisher=Scarborougheveningnews.co.uk |date=28 February 2006 |access-date=29 August 2011 }}</ref> He left hospital after eight weeks and returned to directing after six months.<ref>{{cite news|author=Mark Lawson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2006/oct/04/theatre.health |title=The Guardian, 4 October 2006 |newspaper=The Guardian |date= 4 October 2006|access-date=29 August 2011 |location=London}}</ref> The following year, Ayckbourn announced he would step down as artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre.<ref name="BBC News, 4 June 2007">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/6720029.stm |title=BBC News, 4 June 2007 |work=BBC News |date=4 June 2007 |access-date=29 August 2011}}</ref> He continues, however, to write and direct his own work at the theatre.