The acclaimed production of Alan Ayckborn’s latest play, The Girl Next Door, will return to Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre for a limited run from 1-4 September, before playing at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme from 7-18 September.

Ayckbourn’s 85th play, which he also directs, originally received its world premiere production at the SJT last month, performed by two alternate casts to protect against Covid. The returning cast are Bill Champion, Linford Johnson, Alexandra Mathie and Naomi Petersen, who performed the bulk of the shows in the original run.

The Girl Next Door sees veteran actor Rob Hathaway stuck at home during the summer of 2020 with only his sensible older sister for company. Rob has little to do but relive his glory days when, as the star of the nation’s favourite TV period drama National Fire Service, he ruled the roost as George ‘Tiger’ Jennings: wartime hero, and living legend among firefighters.

Then one day Rob spots a stranger hanging out the washing in the adjoining garden. But the neighbours haven’t been around for months. So who is the mysterious girl next door? And why is she wearing 1940s clothing?

Alan Ayckbourn says: “I was born in 1939, so my earliest memories are of a sort of lockdown: of crowding into Anderson shelters or subway stations; of sleeping in deckchairs or on my mother’s lap. Things have come full circle for me.

“The Girl Next Door is an affirmation of love across the generations – I hope it’s positive and hopeful for those today crawling out of their metaphorical Anderson shelters blinking into the light."

The production is designed by Kevin Jenkins, with lighting by Jason Taylor.

Booking opens at 10am on Friday 16 July here.