When the first edition of this book was written, it seemed necessary to justify Sir Alan Ayckbourn's status as a serious comic writer. Time has eliminated that necessity. His output is enormous and varied. At the time of writing this, he is directing the 78th play that he has written. Of course this imposes on his critic the responsibility of deciding how much of this to write about. Not all the plays are great works but it is not possible to include many fine ones in a small volume like this. In some ways deciding which plays merit inclusion is the hardest responsibility. Ayckbourn has constantly switched between his experimental work and the well-crafted pieces that he regularly returns to. Certain plays are interesting in spite of being flawed. They are either thematically or structurally noteworthy or they mark a point of development. But this means not being able to discuss, in any detail, works which many playwrights would envy: Time and Time Again, Absent Friends, Seasons Greetings, Body Language, Communicating Doors, Heroes Welcome, Neighbourhood Watch and Haunting Julia to name just a handful. However, before examining the genesis of Sir Alan Ayckbourn's talent and his influence on other dramatists, one play begs to be looked at, however briefly. Its title should attract us. Could Comic Potential (1998) provide some insights into the craft of writing comedy?

After all, the plot involves an apprentice playwright seeking advice from a past master, an embittered, veteran comedy writer. Although an experienced craftsman, the old man is now reduced to directing androids in hastily produced soap operas. When one of these robots is spotted laughing at some mistake in the production, we are once again set to follow a machine as it wrestles with becoming human. But the important idea in this situation is the implied definition of what it takes to be human. A sense of humour is particular to us; no animal has one. Comedy, asserts Ayckbourn, is core to our being. He also recognizes that, throughout history, it has often been seen as a dangerous, subversive thing. When the robot becomes good at doing comic business, the owner of the television company says,'Melt her down__She's unstable, next time she could kill someone'.