Casting revealed for Alan Ayckbourn's 89th play at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre now

Georgia Burnell, Andy Cryer, Tanya-Loretta Dee, Alexandra Mathie, Naomi Petersen, Richard Stacey and Leigh Symonds will be directed by the author in the show.

The piece weaves together the stories of highflying lawyer Lorraine, lonely bachelor Don and technician Winston with Ayckbourn's characteristic humour and compassion.

Lorraine is a fabulously successful lawyer of a certain age. Jan Sixty is the janitor of her building, an android of indeterminate age. In a not-too-distant future where humans have turned to artificial friends for companionship without compromise, can Lorraine and Jan find true love?Alan Ayckbourn is one of the UK’s most successful playwrights. Constant Companions is his 89th play – most of them have premiered at the Stephen Joseph.

Inducted into American Theatre’s Hall of Fame and a recipient of the Critics’ Circle Award for Services to the Arts, he became the first British playwright to receive both Olivier and Tony Special Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Alan said: “Reading so much about the inevitable arrival of AI into our society – some would say it’s already here! – I felt a cautious look forward might be in order.

“Are we really prepared for an encounter with another race? Not from outer space, but one of our own creation which will inevitably eventually turn out to be a lot smarter than we are?

“Honestly, the human race! As if we didn’t have enough problems already…”

Constant Companions can be seen in the Round at the Stephen Joseph from Thursday September 7 to Saturday October 7.

Tickets are available from the SJT box office on 01723 370541 and online at www.sjt.uk.com

Constant Companions will then tour. It is at the the Old Laundry Theatre, Bowness-on-Windermere, from Tuesday October 17 to Saturday October 21 and at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, from Tuesday October 24 to Saturday November 4,