DEVOTEES of farce need never to go far to catch some mirth and mayhem by newly-knighted Alan Ayckbourn.

There's a double dose at the New Victoria Theatre in Newcastle under Lyne this spring and both plays are part of his "Intimate Exchanges" series. Both feature Sarah Mortimer and Adam Norton playing a whole host of roles.

A Game of Golf opened first and runs until April 26. Described by the author as a piece of theatrical lunacy, the work involves an opening scene, two choices of second scene, four choices of third, eight alternative main scenes and 16 possible endings.

Running in tandem with the production from this week is A One-Man Protest in which life takes on many more unusual twists. By the end of April, it may be that Sarah and Adam will not know which way to turn!

By then, Shirley Ann Field, Christopher Strauli, Shirin Taylor, David Janson, Linda Davidson and Peter Blake will already be touring with Alan's vintage and hilarious tale of marital unrest, Absent Friends.

It opens at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on May 6.

There'll be further confusion at the Library Theatre in Manchester from May 29 when Alan's latest comedy, Communicating Doors opens for a month's run. Six people are thrown together in a time-travelling hotel room.

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