The Norman Conquests plays final performance on Broadway

The Old Vic�s critically acclaimed production of Alan Ayckbourn�s comedy trilogy, The Norman Conquests, directed by Matthew Warchus, ends its strictly limited engagement on 26 Jul 2009 at Circle in the Square Theatre as scheduled.

The Norman Conquests won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. The production is also the winner of three Drama Desk and three Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Director of a Play (Mattthew Warchus), and Distinguished Ensemble (Amelia Bullmore, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Mangan, Ben Miles, Paul Ritter and Amanda Root).

The cast was also honored with a Theatre World special award and a special citation from the NY Drama Critics� Circle, shared with director Matthew Warchus.

The Norman Conquests opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre on 23 Apr 2009, following previews from 7 Apr 2009.

The production opened to excellent reviews: "If you can�t get to all three on a marathon Saturday, just pick one and go go go!" (newyorktheatreguide.com); "crippling you with laughter that shakes the body and, more subversively, fractures the soul." (NY Times); "Unbridled libido makes for uncontrollable laughter" (NY Daily News); "sprinkling magic dust all over Broadway." (NY Post); "titillating revelations as funny as they are serious" (Bloomberg); "delivers more laughs than ought to be legal" (Variety).

The first Broadway revival of Ayckbourn�s The Norman Conquests featured the original company from The Old Vic: Amelia Bullmore (Ruth), Jessica Hynes (Annie), Stephen Mangan (Norman), Ben Miles (Tom), Paul Ritter (Reg) and Amanda Root (Sarah), directed by Matthew Warchus.

The Norman Conquests comprises three full length plays � 'Table Manners,' 'Living Together' and 'Round and Round the Garden' � which are ingeniously written to be enjoyed individually or as a trilogy, in any order. The action is simultaneous and each exit in one play turns out to be an entrance in another. The plays will be performed on a rotating schedule during the week and can also be seen in one day on �Trilogy Saturdays�.

Set in the dining room (Table Manners), living room (Living Together) and garden (Round and Round the Garden) of an English country house, The Norman Conquests follows six characters � assistant librarian Norman, his wife, in-laws and the local vet � from Saturday night through Monday morning.

We watch as desperate lothario Norman (Stephen Mangan) attempts to seduce his sister-in-law Annie (Jessica Hynes), charm his brother-in-law�s wife Sarah (Amanda Root) and woo his estranged wife Ruth (Amelia Bullmore), during a disastrously hilarious weekend of eating, drinking and misunderstanding. With his characteristic compassionate humor, Ayckbourn explores the disappointments bubbling beneath the surface as his characters� dreams of love and fulfillment go amiss.

The first London revival of The Norman Conquests ran 11 Sep - 20 Dec 2008 at The Old Vic and was an instant sell out. For the production, the 200-year-old theatre was converted for an in-the-round staging which will be retained for Circle in the Square�s unique configuration

Alan Ayckbourn (Playwright) is one of England�s most treasured playwrights, author of 71 plays which have been produced in the West End, at the National Theatre or at the Royal Shakespeare Company. They have been translated into 35 languages, and performed continually throughout the world and have received many national and international awards.

The Norman Conquests is designed by Rob Howell, with lighting by David Howe, music by Gary Yershon and sound by Simon Baker for Autograph.

The Norman Conquests is produced on Broadway by Sonia Friedman Productions, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Steven Baruch, Tom Viertel, Dede Harris, Tulchin/Bartner/Lauren Doll, Harriet Newman Leve, Eric Falkenstein/Jamie deRoy, Michael Filerman/Jennifer Manocherian, in association with Pam Laudenslager/Remmel T. Dickinson, Jane Dubin/True Love Productions, Barbara Manocherian/Jennifer Isaacson.