Playwright Ayckbourn (4)
I believe the answer is:
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">playwright ayckbourn</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I've seen this in another clue)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is all the clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for alan that I've seen before include "A.A. Milne's first name" , "Boy" , "English historian/poet" , "Sir -- Sugar (The Apprentice)" , "Messrs Ladd and Dukes" .)