Tag: drama

20,000 more young people to access new and renovated youth clubs – in England

Young people in England set to benefit from 140 new or refurbished youth centres thanks to latest funding round from the UK Government’s Youth Investment Fund of £90 million

  • Nearly 20,000 more young people will have access to dance, drama and sport as part of the Government’s latest investment in youth services
  • 140 more youth centres to be built or refurbished backed by over £90 million from the Youth Investment Fund 
  • Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer officially opens The Chichester Shed – the first new build youth centre funded by the Youth Investment Fund 

Young people in villages, towns and cities across England are set to benefit from 140 new or refurbished youth centres thanks to the largest funding round to date from the Government’s Youth Investment Fund. 

Totalling more than £90 million, funding announced today (3 February) will support nearly 20,000 more young people per year to access new state of the art facilities such as workshop spaces, sports halls, art rooms, recording studios and skateparks. 

Activities ranging from dance, drama and music to sport, horticulture and employment skills development will be on offer, giving young people access to opportunities that broaden their horizons. 

Today also marks a major milestone with the very first new build youth centre funded by the Youth Investment Fund opening its doors.

Located in a deprived area with high levels of antisocial behaviour, The Chichester Shed has used a grant of over £420,000 to build a brand new space to support more than 120 young people. The open access service will provide a space to relax and learn new skills, with activities including woodworking, yoga and skateboarding available.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said: “I want to see every young person have someone to talk to, something to do, and somewhere to go outside of the classroom, no matter where they are from, to help maximise their potential in life. 

“This next round of funding from the Youth Investment Fund will help nearly 20,000 more young people achieve this goal. 

“We have now committed to building or refurbishing over 220 projects in some of the country’s most underserved areas, creating more opportunities for young people to gain the skills needed to succeed in life and stopping them from falling through the cracks.” 

The Youth Investment Fund has now allocated £250 million of its more than £300 million budget to services in areas of the country where need is high and provision is low. 

It will engage young people most in need, including those that might have otherwise been at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour or falling out of education, training or employment.  

This is the latest announcement that forms part of the Government’s ambition to make sure young people are supported with positive and engaging opportunities both in and outside of school hours.

Clare de Bathe, CEO of Chichester Community Development Trust said: “The Chichester Shed will provide an informal, dynamic and versatile space where young people can connect, learn and experience new activities.

“The space will be a haven for all ages and backgrounds to use throughout the school day and holidays, including intergenerational activities where boundaries can be broken down as well as adult education sessions and group workshops delivered. 

“The funding has enabled the project ideas to be brought to a reality and we cannot wait to open the doors.”

Examples of other youth centres receiving grants in this funding round include:

  • Bodies in Motion, Pendle – a combined grant of over £1.4 million will pay for the refurbishment of Orchid House Gym with new changing facilities and equipment, supporting 290 additional young people a week. The Garden Project will create a community-focused garden and greenhouse facility, engaging an additional 400 young people through therapeutic horticultural activities to promote a sense of wellbeing.
  • Youth Options, Southampton – a new community café and training centre, backed by £1.2 million investment, will provide a safe haven for nearly 100 additional young people a week in a disadvantaged part of the city.The café will offer training in catering and hospitality, and will be targeted at those not in education, employment, and training, while the indoor space will be transformed to create new activity space and a counselling room.
  • Positive Futures, Liverpool – The Positive Futures hub will be expanded to provide a sensory room, music rooms, art space, large sports hall and virtual reality spaces to support 250 additional young people a week. 
  • Tinside Cove and Lido, Plymouth – two listed buildings at the Tinside Lido will be renovated to  provide space for nearly 300 more young people a week to benefit from new training and educational programmes, while the lido will be used for swimming, snorkelling, diving and life-saving classes. 
  • Weymouth West Air Scouts, Weymouth – The Scouts building will be refurbished with a new shower room, extended kitchen and three breakout rooms, doubling the building’s size and enabling them to run multiple activities at the same time. The project will support nearly 80 more young people a week. 

Nick Temple, CEO of Social Investment Business said: “The Youth Investment Fund is transforming the youth service landscape right across the country, enabling youth centres of all shapes and sizes to enhance their services and reach more young people. 

I”t’s very exciting to see the first Youth Investment Fund newbuild open its doors to Chichester’s young people today. Before securing the funding, these young people had nowhere safe to go, and nothing to do after school.  

“Young people now have a brand-new youth centre, inspired by their ideas and needs, giving them every opportunity to thrive and discover their passions. The Youth Investment Fund is truly unlocking potential and creating a legacy for future generations of young people in communities like this across the country.”

Denise Hatton, Chair of Back Youth Alliance said:  “We are delighted that nearly 20,000 young people will be able to access new and refurbished youth clubs through the latest instalment of the National Youth Guarantee.

“With mental health, loneliness and anti-social behaviour all on the rise, now more than ever young people need a safe space to go, a trusted adult to speak to and access to positive activities in their communities all year round. 

Ruth Marvel, CEO of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE), said: “This multi million-pound investment is so much more than skateparks, sports halls and art rooms. It’s an investment in the resilience, confidence and independence of young people, which thanks to the on-going impact of a pandemic and cost of living crisis, has never been more needed.

“We at the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award know first-hand that when you invest in young people, there is no limit to what they can achieve. The government’s National Youth Guarantee has brought the DofE to thousands of young people in England for the first time, breaking down barriers and providing life-shaping activities and volunteering opportunities.”

Today’s announcement forms the latest part of the Government’s ‘National Youth Guarantee’, that will ensure every young person aged 11-18 in England has access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home, and volunteering opportunities by 2025, backed by an investment of over £500 million. 

The National Youth Guarantee will provide greater access to activities such as The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and the National Citizen Service, and uniformed youth groups such as Scouts, Girlguiding, and Cadets.

To further support giving young people the best start in life, in September 2023 the Government announced the opening of the second phase of the £19 million Million Hours Fund, designed to create more than one million additional hours of youth centre provision in areas with high numbers of antisocial behaviour incidents.

Some good news for youth work facilities south of the border then, but here in North Edinburgh the future for children and families provision is looking far from positive. MORE ON THAT NEXT WEEK …

Maggie & Me: Coming to Traverse Theatre in 2024

WORLD PREMIERE

 National Theatre of Scotland presents 

Maggie & Me 

Written by Damian Barr and James Ley,  

Adapted from the memoir by Damian Barr  
Directed by Suba Das 

Opening at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, and touring to Eden Court, Inverness; Perth Theatre; Lanternhouse, Cumbernauld; Dundee Rep Theatre and Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, with full tour dates and venues to be announced.  

Opening performance at the Tron Theatre on Thursday 9 May 2024.

Maggie & Me, Damian Barr’s award-winning and darkly witty memoir about growing up gay in Thatcher’s Britain is coming to Scottish stages, in a bold and explosive new production.   

Damian Barr is adapting his memoir for the stage, teaming up with Scottish playwright James Ley and directed by Suba Das.  

This new production from National Theatre of Scotland premieres at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow in May 2024 before touring to Inverness, Perth, Cumbernauld, Dundee and Edinburgh. 

“Don’t you worry. I’ll always love you. Love doesn’t run out. It’s not like the gas meter. I’ll find extra love.”  

It’s October 12, 1984 – the Brighton bombing. Maggie Thatcher emerges from the rubble, dusty but defiant and somehow in the living room of 8-year-old Damian Barr in Newarthill, North Lanarkshire. 

No time for turning, so buckle up for a surreal yet so-real rollercoaster ride through Damian’s painful past rediscovering who he really is. From the furnaces of the Ravenscraig Steelworks to the sanctuary of Carfin Grotto, there’s pain and joy, coming of age and coming out. And Saint Dolly Parton.  

It’s about finding your voice and telling your story.  Before you can move on, you have to look back… 

Published in 2013, Maggie & Me was named Sunday Times Memoir of the Year, awarded Paddy Power Political Satire Award and Barr was named Stonewall Writer of the Year.  

The National Theatre of Scotland will be collaborating with film and video students from New College Lanarkshire to create a short documentary about the making of the production. 

Damian Barr, co-writer and author of Maggie & Me, said: “National Theatre of Scotland has given me some of my most memorable nights in the theatre so it’s a great honour to be bringing Maggie & Me to life on stage with them. 

“Maggie & Me is not just my story – it’s about the community that survived Thatcher, so I’m delighted we are working with New College Lanarkshire – based on the site of the Craig where my dad worked.  

“I’m a huge fan of James Ley’s plays and especially what they say about identity – writing with him has been a joy and I’ve learned so much about making the shift from page to stage.

“Director Suba Das is one of the most exciting theatre makers in the UK so I am thrilled he’s lending us his unique and uniquely engaging vision. I’m dedicating this play to my family, to my family of choice and to everyone who has ever struggled to find their place in the world.” 

James Ley, co-writer, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of the team reimagining Damian’s joyous, funny, heartbreaking memoir for the stage. The chance to get to work with Damian, Suba and National Theatre of Scotland is a dream come true.

“The play is so much more than a memoir, it’s a vital check-in with the nation about what’s important to us, who we are and how we make sense of everything that’s thrown at us in life.

“Going on this journey with Damian has been as moving, hilarious and uplifting as I hope and believe the play will be when it gets in front of audiences next Spring. I can’t wait!” 

Suba Das, director, said: “I’m honoured that National Theatre Scotland have stretched the border a pinch to invite a Geordie director – proudly queer and working-class –  up to Glasgow to help create the world premiere of Maggie & Me.

“Damian’s account of survival and the quest for community, joy and voice resonates for any of us who know what it is to negotiate boundaries of sexuality and class. In a world that remains hostile to difference, I’m so moved to have Damian and James’s trust to now lead the creation of a production that holds hope and healing at its heart – for me, for us, and for every audience member we’ll meet on the great big adventure ahead.” 

Maggie & Me was high acclaimed upon publication and established itself as a classic Scottish memoir. This is the first time it has been adapted for the stage:

‘Funny, tender, and heartbreaking.’ The Independent 

‘Certain memoirs catch a moment and seem to define it, bottle it… Hugely entertaining.’ The Sunday Times 

‘A memoir which is both personally moving and a valuable historical document.’ Literary Review 

Born in Bellshill and now living in Brighton, Damian Barr is an award-winning writer and broadcaster.

His debut novel, You Will Be Safe Here, was Book of the Year in the Observer, Guardian and Mail. He has written several plays for radio, with Maggie & Me marking his first stage play. In 2019, Damian brought books back to television with the BBC’s Big Scottish Book Club, now in its fifth series. 

James Ley is an award-winning writer living in Glasgow.  

‘One of Scotland’s most exciting, early-career writers.’ Exeunt  

He wrote and directed Ode to Joy (How Gordon got to go to the nasty pig party), winner of a Scotsman Fringe First in 2022 and nominated for a Critics Award for Theatre Scotland Award 2023 for Best New Play which will tour next year.

His other plays include Wilf (Traverse Theatre) and Love Song to Lavender Menace (Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Summerhall, SoHo Playhouse, New York). James is currently under commission with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, and is an alumnus of the BBC Writersroom Scottish Voices 2022/2023 and Edinburgh Film Festival Talent Lab. 

Suba Das is an award-winning theatre maker from the North East of England. Previously Creative Director at the Liverpool Everyman; and Artistic Director/CEO of the internationally acclaimed new writing company HighTide; Suba trained at Cambridge and on the prestigious Birkbeck MFA in Theatre Directing. He is a 2023 graduate of the National Film and Television School’s Director’s Series.  

His directing credits include major revivals of Top Girls (Liverpool Everyman), East Is East (Northern Stage and Nottingham Playhouse) and The Importance of Being Earnest (Bolton Octagon); in addition to the world premieres of Ravi Shankar’s Sukanya (with The Royal Opera and London Philharmonic Orchestra), Pink Sari Revolution by Purva Naresh, and Wipers by Ishy Din (all as Associate Director at Leicester Curve). This is his first time working with the National Theatre of Scotland. 

Touring to Tron Theatre, Glasgow (previews Wed 8 May) Thurs 9 May – Sat 11 May; One Touch, Eden Court Tues 14 May – Wed 15 May; Perth Theatre Fri 17 May – Sat 18 May; Cumbernauld Theatre Thurs 23 May – Sat 25 May; Dundee Rep Theatre Thurs 30 May – Sat 1 June; Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Tues 11 June – Sat 15 June 

The National Theatre of Scotland’s popular Theatre for a Fiver scheme will be available for 14 to 16 year-olds and those on Universal Credit. 

Full tour information and creative biogs to date here. 

MGA Academy celebrates next generation of stars

Brand new multi-million pound campus in Livingston opens its doors 

ONE of Scotland’s largest centres of performing arts is putting its best foot forward as it ushers in the new era of students with the opening of its brand new campus.  

The purpose-built 30,000 sq ft campus in Livingston will see MGA Academy of Performing Arts to triple its student intake to more than 500, extend its educational programme to 11 BA degrees, and two post-graduate Masters degrees, and house 18 state of the art studios. 

The new campus based in the former tax office in Almondvale, Livingston, received a multi-million pound investment and will feature Scotland’s largest sprung dance floor which spans 347 sq ft. 

Established in 2005 to address a demand for an innovative performing arts academy outside of London, has produced a wealth of talented graduates who have appeared in studios, on stage and on screen in major productions. 

Giles Auckland Lewis, Chief Executive of The MGA Academy, said: “It’s a very exciting time for the academy as we open the doors of our brand new campus. There has been a great buzz with new and returning students as they explore all the exceptional facilities.

“Being part of this chapter of the academy’s story has been incredibly rewarding, and as we’re now located almost exactly half way between Edinburgh and Glasgow it’s much more convenient for students and staff.  

“We’ve worked hard to ensure the new campus can offer our talented students to advance their skills in singing, dancing and acting and become the stars we know they are.”  

Included in the new campus is seven rehearsal studios for acting and musical theatre, seven fully sprung dance studios, four singing rooms and a TV production suite. Other features include a student welfare and physiotherapy room, a learning resource centre and library, IT suites, study areas and a cafe and social areas, as well as 130 parking spaces. 

The MGA Academy campus in Balgreen will remain part of the academy’s footprint becoming a hub for junior age groups.  

Mr Auckland-Lewis added: “The new campus in Livingston is truly state of the art, we’re in a great position to continue to develop our reputation as a leading international competitor to the world’s most successful arts education institutions. 

“The platform we’re providing for aspiring performers allows them to remain in Scotland while studying at a level equivalent to other prestigious UK colleges. We also now have the ability to attract even more students and world class tutors from across the world.” 

The MGA Academy is approved by the Scottish Qualifications Agency, the Imperial Society for the Teachers of Dance, and is Scotland’s only fully accredited college with the UK’s Council for Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre. 

Graduates from The MGA Academy have gone on to star in West End and TV productions such as Gossip Girl, Wicked, Frozen the Musical and Shrek the Musical.  

Learn more about The MGA Academy and how to enrol for courses here: 

https://www.themgaacademy.com/ 

National Theatre of Scotland’s DRACULA: MINA’S RECKONING draws first blood!

  • First look at the National Theatre of Scotland’s new production DRACULA: MINA’S RECKONING ahead of the show touring Scotland, Liverpool and Coventry in September and October 2023. 
  • Character images of Mina Murray and Dracula released, alongside a glimpse into the rehearsal room with director Sally Cookson
  • Bram Stoker’s classic novel has been reimagined by writer Morna Pearson, set in the North-East of Scotland and brought to life by an all-female and non-binary ensemble 

World Premiere 

National Theatre of Scotland and Aberdeen Performing Arts in association with Belgrade Theatre, Coventry present 

DRACULA: MINA’S RECKONING 

Conceived by Morna Pearson and Sally Cookson  

Story by Morna Pearson, Sally Cookson and Rosie Kellagher 

Additional material devised by The Company 

Written by Morna Pearson after Bram Stoker  

Directed by Sally Cookson 

Full cast: Natalie Arle-Toyne, Maggie Bain, Ailsa Davidson, Catriona Faint, Danielle Jam, Liz Kettle, Anne Lacey and Ros Watt. 

Set and Costume Designer – Kenneth MacLeod, Composer – Benji Bower, Movement Director – Vicki Manderson, Lighting Designer – Aideen Malone, Video Designer – Lewis den Hertog, Casting Directors – Simone Pereira Hind CDG and Anna Dawson. BSL Performance interpreters Catherine King and Yvonne Strain.  

Corporate Sponsor: Pinsent Masons 

Touring the UK from Saturday 2 September to Saturday 28 October 2023,  

Opening at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen and touring to Theatre Royal, Glasgow; Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling; Eden Court, Inverness; Dundee Rep; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry and Liverpool Playhouse from September to October 2023. 

Opening Performance at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen on Thursday 7 September 2023. 

“Protect your loved ains fae the claws o’ a beast.”  

A thrilling new adaptation of Dracula by acclaimed Scottish playwright Morna Pearson, directed by Sally Cookson, is brought to stages across Scotland and England by the National Theatre of Scotland in a co-production with Aberdeen Performing Arts in association with Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. 

Sally Cookson’s sweeping, atmospheric production of Morna Pearson’s bold new adaptation is relocated to Aberdeenshire and the wild beauty of North-East Scotland, acknowledging the area’s recently reported inspiration for Bram Stoker’s classic novel. To mark this, Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning opens at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen in September 2023 before touring to Glasgow, Stirling, Inverness, Dundee, Edinburgh, Coventry and Liverpool. 

Set in a psychiatric hospital in Aberdeenshire in 1897, this unique Scottish adaptation places the character of Mina Murray at the centre of the action.

Mina seeks refuge at the hospital to escape the horrors she has experienced, retelling her encounters with the most terrifying of beasts: Dracula. Mina is joined by the patients, an all-women and non-binary ensemble, and together they tell a unique version of Bram Stoker’s legendary tale.

We are transported to a world where immortality and ultimate power is possible, even for women – but with terrible consequences. 

Dracula Mina's Reckoning PR Shot - Photo credit Pete Dibdin 05 Full-Res

The lead character of Mina is played by Danielle Jam, who recently toured with Kidnapped (National Theatre of Scotland) and James IV: Queen of the Fight, (Raw Material and Capital Theatres, in association with National Theatre of Scotland) and appeared in Wings Around Dundee (Dundee Rep) and is known to TV audiences for her roles in Scot Squad (BBC) and Molly and Mack (CBeebies).

She will be joined by Ailsa Davidson (Lucy and Elsie). Ailsa has performed in Heathers the Musical (Bill Kenwright & Paul Taylor-Mills) in London’s West End, Lipsync at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Cumbernauld Theatre), Elegies for Angels Punks and Raging Queens (Union Theatre) and Grease (UK & International Tour). 

Dracula Mina's Reckoning PR Shot - Photo credit Pete Dibdin 07 Full-Res

Liz Kettle takes on the role of Dracula, she was most recently seen on Scottish stages in Macbeth – An Undoing (Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh) and has appeared in numerous roles on TV including Unforgotten IV, The Secret Life of Mrs Beeton, Doctors (BBC), Fracture (20th Century Digital / Disney), Honoria Glossop in Jeeves & Wooster, Inspector Morse, Rosemary & Thyme and Poirot. 

Dracula Mina's Reckoning - Rehearsal Photography 01 - Photo credit Eoin Carey

They are joined by Natalie Arle-Toyne (Van Helsing and Titchy).  Natalie’s recent theatre work includes Mrs Puntila and Her Man Matti, Arabian Nights, Rhinoceros (CATS Ensemble Award) at the Lyceum Theatre and The Lost Lending Library (Punch Drunk/Imaginate). Maggie Bain (Dr Seward and Georgina) has appeared in roles in theatre, TV, film and radio most recently on stage in Linck & Mülhahn (Hampstead Theatre), We’ll Meet in Moscow (Traverse Theatre), Dream (RSC) and on TV in I Hate Suzie (Sky) and Luther: The Fallen Sun (Netflix). 

Catriona Faint (Jonathan and Annie) most recently performed in Enough of Him (National Theatre of Scotland). Anne Lacey (Mr Swails and Bella), who has worked extensively in theatre, film, TV and radio was recently on stage in Medea (National Theatre of Scotland at the Edinburgh International Festival), and Earthquakes In London (National Theatre); and on TV in Shetland (ITV). Ros Watt’s (Renfield and Katherine) previous includes Godot is a Woman (Silent Faces) at the Pleasance, Edinburgh. 

Dracula Mina's Reckoning - Rehearsal Photography 02 - Photo credit Eoin Carey

Dracula is dripping with Morna Pearson’s trademark humour, theatricality, and her taste for the strange, the shocking and the grotesque. The production celebrates the novel’s gothic horror origins while, in a radical twist, it allows audiences to view the story through the eyes of Mina and the patients. Elements of the piece will be devised by the company. 

The production features atmospheric, Gothic-inspired set and costumes designed by Kenneth MacLeod with video design by Lewis den Hertog, a dark, distinctive score from composer Benji Bower and visceral movement from Vicki Manderson. 

Dracula Mina's Reckoning - Rehearsal Photography 11 - Photo credit Eoin Carey

Writer Morna Pearson said:  “I was excited to adapt Dracula and place it in the familiar setting of the North-East, the place where my writing feels at home. I wanted to examine themes of our times – fear, trauma, and powerlessness – in ways the horror genre lends itself to.   

With Stoker drawing influence from Cruden Bay, it felt appropriate to relocate the narrative to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, exploring the area and characters I find most inspirational.  

There is room for more horror and stories from the North-East in theatre, so I am thrilled that my first large scale production is a bold retelling of Dracula set there.” 

Dracula Mina's Reckoning - Rehearsal Photography 06 - Photo credit Eoin Carey

Morna Pearson was born in the North-East of Scotland, in Elgin, and is an award-winning Edinburgh-based playwright and screenwriter. Morna’s work for National Theatre of Scotland includes Darklands written as part of Interference trilogy and Clearing for Scenes for Survival. Other theatre work includes Let’s Inherit the Earth (Dogstar/Profilteatern); How to Disappear (Traverse) and Dr Stirlingshire’s Discovery (Lung Ha/Grid Iron). She was a recipient of the Meyer-Whitworth Award and her first short film, I Was Here, gained BAFTA Scotland and EIFF nominations for Best Short Film.  

“One of the freshest, most fearless and taboo-busting voices to be heard anywhere right now” The Herald on The Artist Man and the Mother Woman 

Dracula Mina's Reckoning - Rehearsal Photography 16 - Photo credit Eoin Carey

Sally Cookson is an Olivier award-winning director (A Monster Calls), an associate director at Bristol Old Vic and a collaborator with Travelling Light Theatre Company. Her theatre credits include Wonder Boy (Bristol Old Vic); A Monster Calls (The Old Vic/UK tour); The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (West Yorkshire Playhouse/Bridge Theatre/UK Tour/Gillian Lynne) and Jane Eyre and Peter Pan (Bristol Old Vic/National Theatre). 

“Audaciously inventive” ***** The Guardian on Wonder Boy 

Bram Stoker’s Dracula was first published in 1897 and has since been adapted into numerous films and plays. Stoker himself wrote the first theatrical adaptation, which was presented at London’s Lyceum Theatre on 18 May 1897 under the title Dracula, or The Undead.  For years Dracula has been associated with Whitby and Transylvania, but recent research suggests that Aberdeenshire played a significant part in shaping the novel, and in particular Slains Castle which features an octagonal room like the one described by Stoker in Dracula’s Castle. 

Touring from September to October 2023 to His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (previews Sat 2, Tues 5, Wed 6 Sept) Thurs 7 – Sat 9 Sept; Theatre Royal, Glasgow Wed 13 – Sat 16 Sept; Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling Thurs 21 – Sat 23 Sept; Eden Court, Inverness Thurs 28 – Sat 30 Sept; Dundee Rep Thurs 5 – Sat 7 Oct; Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Wed 11 – Sat 14 Oct, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (18 to 21 October) and Liverpool Playhouse (24 to 28 October). 

Full tour information and creative credits and biogs here. 

Full information on accessible performances here 

The Ghosts of North Leith: Citadel Arts Group leave no stone unturned

Citadel’s Arts Group’s 12th foray into Leith Festival is an exploration of the atmospheric North Leith Burial Ground. Their playwrights workshop wondered what lies beneath Coburg Street and found a number of big characters interred in this small cemetery.

Seven members of Citadel’s group of older writers each chose to research the story behind one of the graves.

There are people whose achievements and eccentricities will be dramatized in a play, The Ghosts of North Leith. Using music, humour and poetry, the drama will raise awareness of this fascinating area of Leith history.

In the Coburg Street Burial Ground lies Lady Anne Mackintosh nicknamed the ‘Colonel’. Playwright Rhona McAdam explains she was drawn to her ‘as she seemed a strong, independent woman, taking part in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. 

“Her husband, Sir Angus, chief of Clan Mackintosh, was a Captain in the government troops.  Since he was unable, or unwilling, to raise the clan to fight for Bonnie Prince Charlie, Lady Anne did it instead. 

“When the Jacobites won the Battle of Prestonpans, Sir Angus surrendered to his wife.  After the Battle of Culloden, when the Jacobites were defeated, Lady Anne surrendered to her husband.’  

Jim Brown took on the poet, Robert NicolI, heralded as the next Robert Burns. Jim said: ‘I became fascinated by Robert Nicoll because he was a poet, writer and radical newspaper man born in 1814, who packed so much into his short life. He died aged 23.’

No stone marks the burial place of 12-year-old Matilda Molesworth, but burial records indicate the spot. She features in the real-life story of the Trinity poltergeist. One of the collection of unexplained happenings in Catherine Crowe’s 1848 book “The Night Side of Nature“, it has popped up in anthologies of uncanny happenings ever since.

Another member of Citadel’s playwrights’ workshop, novelist Hilary Spiers explains: ” I’ve long been interested in the history of slavery in Scotland.

“While John Gladstones (buried in North Leith graveyard) and his grandson William Gladstone are better known, I felt John’s wife Nellie (who was known to be a very capable woman) might well have held views at odds with the men in her family. Women were a strong if largely unsung force in the abolitionist movement’.

Elaine Campbell came across the North Leith gravestone of three children and told us: ‘I was intrigued. Who were these three bairns so lovingly remembered?

“In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries when the Millar children lived and died, infant mortality was ferociously high. Sadly all attempts to locate the children in church records proved fruitless.

“There were Millars living in Leith at the time.  I have assumed Peter, John and Archibald were part of this extended, prosperous family of merchants. Although the “Three Cherubs” is my fictional account, I drew on historical material to describe their short lives and untimely deaths.

“By telling their story I hope to have given voice to the countless children who lie long forgotten in North Leith Graveyard’. 

Was it chance or Divine intervention that led writers Carolyn and Brian Lincoln to the gravestone of the Rev. Dr. David Johnston? Previous attempts at finding the grave of this pillar of the North Leith community had proved fruitless.

The Lincolns were paying one last visit to the Coburg Street churchyard, when they noticed the letters D.D. poking through the moss. D.D. Doctor of Divinity.  They scraped away some moss and there was the name. David Johnston (1735-1824) served the parish for nearly 60 years, a strong leader when Leith was seriously threatened by the ships of John Paul Jones, who supported the breakaway American colonies.

The play, which includes all these stories, and more, will be given a trial performed reading in North Leith Parish Church on 15 June. Citadel Arts Group seeks feedback from this first audience at Leith Festival with a view to staging a full performance of the play later in the year in the same venue.

North Leith Parish Church in Madeira Street welcomes Citadel Arts Group’s interest in the burial ground, and the church building which was to have been the keystone of Leith’s ‘New Town’.

Tim Bell told us: ‘I welcome the play as a chance for local and Edinburgh people to see this beautiful Georgian Church before it is released from the Church of Scotland estate in 2024’.

Venue: North Leith Parish Church, 51 Madeira Street EH6 4AU

Date: June 15th 7pm

Tickets: £5 from lizhare@blueyonder.co.uk /07770 623 924

Associated event: Hilary Spiers will lead a free guided tour of North Leith Burial Ground in Coburg Street on Monday June 12th at 2pm. Places are limited. Book from Liz Hare

Writers: Carolyn and Brian Lincoln, Jim Brown, John Lamb, Hilary Spiers, Elaine Campbell and Rhona McAdam.

Cast: Mark Kydd, Deborah Whyte, Chelsea Grace, Gregor Davidson, Dale McQueen.

Director: Liz Hare

Sound: Stewart Emm

Citadel Arts Group (SC 034687) is a Leith-based theatre company which specialises in creating new plays based on local stories, memories, and history.

Out Of Her Mouth: Written by women, about women, for women

Dunedin Consort, Hera and Mahogany Opera come together to breathe life into 300 year-old ‘operas’ that have never been staged in Britain before

23 June – 12 July 2023 

Findhorn, Glasgow, Edinburgh, York, London 

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre Cantates Bibliques: ‘Judith’, ‘Rachel’ & ‘Susanne’ 

Carolyn Sampson, Anna Dennis, Alys Mererid Roberts – Sopranos 

Modern English translations by Toria Banks 

Directed by Mathilde Lopez 

Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s biblical cantatas are extraordinary historical jewels. Written by a woman, about women, for women, they tell bold, unflinching tales about love, marriage, tragedy and adultery, each one a tiny opera in all by name. 

These breath-taking miniatures – in new English translations by Toria Banks and directed by Mathilde Lopez – will receive their UK premieres more than 300 years after they were composed. 

Out Of Her Mouth will be performed in atmospheric, accessible settings that champion the ability of women to tell their own stories and narrate their own experiences from the Highlands of Scotland to central London. 

Translator, Producer & Joint Artistic Director, Hera Toria Banks said: “I’ve been thinking about this project since I first read and heard the Cantates Bibliques, particularly those that tell knotty stories about Biblical women, because while there are exceptions, complex narratives about female experience are pretty rare in the operatic canon.” 

But as much as the stories themselves, it’s also about the way they’re told, with a single female singer holding the stage in an authoritative way, and presenting the different characters including the men.  

Toria Banks added: “I think you can feel Jacquet de la Guerre’s confidence and ease as a mature composer in these pieces. Within each one there’s a lot of musical variety and a fascinating relationship between teller and tale, characterised by nuance and irony and all sorts of subtle shifts of tone. They’re very fleet of foot, which feels very contemporary.” 

Out Of Her Mouth is directed by Mathilde Lopez, a freelance director and the artistic director of August 012 theatre company.  

Mathilde Lopez said: “These are three stories about sex and power and ultimately the perpetuation of patriarchy. We are narrating the heroic moments in the lives of three women from the bible: Susanne, Rachel and Judith who endure and overcome different but equally perilous situations. 

“Surprising and complex, these baroque vignettes display varied dilemmas and moral contortions but all have in common the very recognisable fear, solitude and violence generated by constant unwanted sexual attention, harassment and objectification. Our women are all kneaded by male violence and the thousand years of abuse that comes with having a female body. 

“In Out Of Her Mouth we are presenting these three pieces together as variations on female oppression. Performed by 3 different singers, 4 musicians, 5 watermelons and 7 large blue rolls, we are staging the one long story of accumulated frustrations, anger, wounds and violences of Susanne, Rachel and Judith and lay it bare for the audience to see.  

“There will be knives, watermelons and destruction – with regular cleaning and resetting.” 

In writing an English version Banks set out to preserve the sinuous quality in the dynamic relationship between singer and story and audience.

“I think I’m always trying to translate ‘faithfully’, but you do have to be faithful to a number of different things at once.

“There are the original words (by Antoine Houdar de la Motte), but also I think you owe something to the central characters and their plausibility and wholeness as women, and to the emotional shape of the music which is aiming at effects on an audience that is very different to the one originally imagined (we can’t all be Louis XIV). And everyone deserves a clear, singable, idiomatic text.” 

It’s definitely a feminist project. But it’s not just about performing music by women. That’s important, but ‘Yay for women!’ isn’t enough. It’s a show about three women characters who are all trying to exercise agency and live fully in really constrained circumstances.

The actions they take, and the things that they bear, living under patriarchy come at a cost to themselves. There’s real power and beauty in hearing that expressed. 

The three characters and stories are told by three fabulous sopranos: Carolyn Sampson immerses us in the story of Judith, Anna Dennis in that of Rachel and Alys Mererid Roberts brings us the story of the young Susanne.  

Throughout Out Of Her Mouth the three partners have sought to create opportunities for professional development, offering support and mentoring to an artist appointed by open call to each area of the production. 

Dunedin Consort has appointed Katarzyna Kowalik as harpsichordist, Hera has engaged Welsh soprano Alys Mererid Roberts, and Mahogany Opera has appointed Mathilde Lopez to the directorial team. 

Working with Mahogany Opera on Dido’s Ghost in 2021 marked the beginning of a wonderful new partnership for Dunedin Consort. 

Dunedin Consort’s Chief Executive, Jo Buckley commented: “It was a real meeting of minds, where we discovered a shared passion for exploring new ideas, pushing our boundaries, and opening up the world of opera in brilliant and creative ways.

“So, we are thrilled to be partnering with Mahogany Opera again for Out Of Her Mouth, and to be working with Hera for the very first time, particularly given their specialism in representing stories told by and about women.”  

This project marks the culmination of Dunedin Consort’s 22/23 season and is the perfect way to bring it to a close. Bringing early music to life and in fresh and insightful ways is at the heart of Dunedin Consort’s mission.  

Jo Buckley added: We want to spark curiosity in our listeners, and what could be more thrilling than Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre’s biblical cantatas, now 300 years old and never before staged in the UK?

“Composed by a woman, about women, for women, these powerful miniature operas deserve to be far better known – and we can’t wait to give them the prominence they deserve across Scotland, in York and in London this summer.” 

Making their work as accessible as possible to both audiences and performers drives all three ensembles. The potential to enjoy Out Of Her Mouth will be widened with the use of creative captions, audio description introductions and the film of it will be released later this year as part of National Centre for Early Music’s online Christmas festival. 

Out Of Her Mouth is a partnership between Dunedin Consort, Hera, Mahogany Opera and the National Centre for Early Music.

Performing arts students take centre stage in spring spectacular

Scotland’s freshest performers tread the boards at top Edinburgh venues

GIFTED STUDENTS at one of Scotland’s leading performing arts schools will take to the stage in a captivating spring showcase to flaunt their singing, dancing and acting skills.

In a series of highly entertaining performances, The MGA Academy will be showcasing the graduating class of 2023 as they perform well known shows including Jekyll and Hyde, Little Women and Jerry’s Girls alongside a Triple Bill of fantastic choreography, promising an unforgettable experience for audiences.

The Academy firmly believes in the educational value of students performing in front of live audiences and it is an integral part of its philosophy to offer the chance to put students’ learned skills into practice within a professional setting.

Marcella Macdonald, Principal of The MGA Academy, said: “Live performance is at the heart of everything we do here at the MGA Academy so we encourage all musical and theatre lovers to come along to watch the fantastic performances in the flesh.

“It’s so important for our students to have the opportunity to showcase their talents and for their family, friends and the general public to enjoy the fruits of their labour, especially after a challenging few years for the industry.

“We’re hoping to see a great turn out from the general public and they snap up tickets for one or more performances to support our students, who are some of the most exciting and driven young performers in Scotland.”

The spring showcase series will kick off on Thursday, 4 May with a radical reimagination of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Jekyll and Hyde, which will see the BA Hons Acting Class of 2023 portray the clash between civilised Victorian London and seedy Soho in a story of scientific experimentation.

Directed by Becky Hope Palmer, performances of the Edinburgh-inspired tale will be held at Assembly Roxy on Thursday, 4 May at 7.30pm, Friday, 5 May at 7.30pm, and twice on Saturday, 6 May at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

For dance enthusiasts, a Triple Bill performance will be a showcasing of three exciting dance pieces devised by three different choreographers. While for those with a musical theatre interest can expect impressive performances of Little Women and Jerry Girls by MGA’s Musical Theatre cohort.

Marcella added: “The spring showcase is one of the school’s largest performance projects of the year and it really demonstrates the level of skills our aspiring performers have learned throughout their time with us – it is definitely not one to miss!”

The MGA Academy of Performing Arts was established in 2005 to provide a platform for aspiring performers to remain in Scotland while studying at a level equivalent to prestigious London colleges.

The performing arts school is Scotland’s only full accredited vocational college, holding Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), Council of Dance, Drama and Musical Theatre (CDMT) and Imperial Society for the Teachers of Dance (ISTD) certifications and also has a partnership with Bath Spa University to offer full-time degrees.

Find out more about the events on offer and buy tickets here: https://www.themgaacademy.com/shows-and-events/productions/

Learn more about the MGA Academy here: https://www.themgaacademy.com/

Free Chicken Western coming to Edinburgh next month

Adrenalism Theatre Presents 

The Good, The Bad and The Poultry

Give a man a chicken and he’ll eat for a day, give a chicken a gun and he’ll be the most ‘impeckable’ gunslinger this side of Texas.

Touring Scotland, Spring 2023. 

Adrenalism Theatre are clucking proud to present the first full tour of their chicken western The Good, The Bad and The Poultry.

Taking in venues across Scotland from 18 March – 7 May, this non-verbal exploration of fear sees two cowboy chickens, a turkey  and ‘Hennio Morricone’ (the live poultry band) explore being brave in the face of danger. 

The Good, The Bad and The Poultry is a free, outdoor performance for cowboys of all ages. “The Good” and “The Bad” chicken, along with the dim-witted turkey, find themselves in a typical Western Showdown, over the highly coveted big golden egg. Tensions rise, with all the tropes of your favourite western from a fast-paced chase to a tense standoff, and a musical shootout with everyone’s weapon of choice – handbells. Will our poultry find a way to coop-erate?

Once the precious big golden egg is laid in the perfect place, the peaceful coop suddenly becomes a saloon with a musical barman, seed shots and classic Wild-West interior.

This epic western will roll into town in Giffnock, Fife, Dunoon, Irvine, Arran, Aberdeen, Wick, Edinburgh, Cumbrae, Mull, Hawick, Duns and St Andrews.

Wrap around activities for families will see little cowboys making their own wanted poster, going on egg hunts and more – a whole day of eggcellent fun for all! 

The Good, The Bad and the Poultry is an outdoor, walkabout performance suitable for all ages. A fun, silly show featuring audience participation for all of the family. 

Adrenalism is a recipient of the Creative Scotland Open Project Fund.

Press Kit available to download here

Run Time: 40 mins

Age Recommendation: 4+

https://www.adrenalism.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-poultry

Listings

March 

Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock -18 March

Forgan Arts Centre, Fife – 25 March

Dunoon Burgh Hall, Dunoon – 26 March

April 

Harbour Arts, Irvine- 1 April

Aberdeen City Council, Duthie Park – 6 April

Lyth Arts Centre, Wick – 8 April

WHALE Arts, Edinburgh – 11 April

Millport Community Hall, Cumbrae – 12 April

Mull Theatre, Mull – 15 April

Hawick Museum, Hawick – 22 April

The Beacon, Greenock – 29 April

Arran Theatre Trust, Arran- 30 April

May

Dunsplayfest, Duns – 1 May

The Byre, St Andrews – 7 May

Further Dates to be added

Creative Team

Created By Lewis Sherlock, Andrew Simpson, Ruxy Cantir and Richie Merchant

Produced By Christiana Bissett

Designed By  Fergus Dunnet

Kidnapped stars stop by Stevenson Statue

KIDNAPPED: A Swashbuckling Rom-Com Adventure 

Adapted by Isobel McArthur with Michael John McCarthy  

Co-directed by Isobel McArthur and Gareth Nicholls   

Based on the novel by Robert Louis Stevenson  

Cast includes Malcolm Cumming, Christina Gordon, Kim Ismay, Danielle Jam, Fatima Jawara, Ryan J Mackay, Grant O’Rourke, David Rankine, Isaac Savage, and Karen Young.  

Composer and Music Supervisor Michael John McCarthy Set and Costume Design Anna Orton, Sound Design Clare Hibbert Video Design Tim Reid Lighting Design Ben Ormerod Casting by Michael Howell  

Supported by Sir Ewan and Lady Brown  

Touring the UK from Tuesday 28 March to Saturday 13 May 2023  

Opening at the Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock and touring to Theatre Royal, Glasgow; Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh; Eden Court, Inverness; Perth Theatre and Northern Stage, Newcastle from March to May 2023.    

Opening Performance at the Beacon Arts Centre on 31 March 2023  

 Kidnapped, Robert Louis Stevenson’s adventure-classic is touring Scotland and Northern England in a riotous new retelling for 2023. 

19-year-old Davie Balfour has never left home, never been kissed and never fired a gun. Armed with nothing but a hand-drawn map, he heads off on an adventure like no other – quickly realising that he has a lot of catching up to do. The production follows Davie on a journey of eye-opening discovery as he navigates murderous foes, Jacobite outlaws and the most inept crew of pirates this side of the Atlantic.    

Kidnapped was originally written as serialised fiction in the magazine Young Folks from May to July 1886, then first appeared in book form published by Cassell and Company in July 1886. The novel, and author Robert Louis Stevenson, both have a number of local connections to the city of Edinburgh. Stevenson was born and raised in the City, studying at the University of Edinburgh. The city and the surrounding geography influenced his writing, and Kidnapped takes place in locations familiar to Edinburgh locals.

In 2004, Edinburgh was designated the world’s first UNESCO City of Literature, and to celebrate, almost 15,000 copies of Kidnapped were given away as part of a city reading campaign in 2006. The Writer’s Museum in Edinburgh presents the lives of three prominent of Scottish writers, one of them being Robert Louis Stevenson. Visitors to the museum can see a collection of portraits, photographs, personal possessions and treasures that Stevenson found on his own travels.

The climax of the novel, Kidnapped takes place upon Corstorphine Hill, where a statue dedicated to Robert Louis Stevenson now stands, on Corstorphine Road. The 15-foot-tall statue was sculpted by Alexander Stoddart and depicts principal characters Alan Breck Stewart and Davie Balfour.

A number of the streets in Dumbrae and Clermiston area take their names from locations and characters in the novel.

Rannoch Road, Duror Drive and Morven Street are named after real locations that Alan and Davie visit, and Essendean Place and Terrace are named after a fictional location created by Stevenson. Hoseason Gardens plays tribute to character Captain Hoseason, Ransome Gardens to fictional cabin boy Ransome and Alan Breck Gardens to Alan Breck Stewart.

Actors Malcolm Cumming and Ryan J Mackay recently visited the statue, ahead of the new stage reimagining of Kidnapped coming to the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh. Malcolm and Ryan are playing Alan Breck Stewart and Davie Balfour, respectively.

Kidnapped has been reimagined by Isobel McArthur with Michael John McCarthy, who previously teamed up for the Olivier award-winning Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), in a colourful new take on the classic historical novella and is packed full of 20th century pop music and 18th century romance, all performed by a dynamic ensemble of actor-musicians.

This vibrant production is a coming-of-age romcom for today, which celebrates the poetry, humour, and heart of Stevenson’s writing. Edinburgh audiences can see Kidnapped when it visits the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh from the 11 to 22 April 2023, after opening in Greenock, or catch the show on tour in Glasgow, Inverness, Perth, and Newcastle from March to May.

Ryan J Mackay, who is playing Davie Balfour, was most recently seen on stage in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and he will be joined by Malcolm Cumming as Alan Breck Stewart, familiar to Scottish audiences from the acclaimed James IV: Queen of the Fight, (Raw Material and Capital Theatres, in association with National Theatre of Scotland) which toured Scotland in late 2022.  

They will be joined on this adventure by a talented ensemble including: Christina Gordon, who will be reuniting with Isobel McArthur and Michael John McCarthy after her run as an original cast member of Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), for which she was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role; David Rankine who is a Scottish actor most recently seen in the revival of the National Theatre of Scotland production of Rocket Post, which featured song arrangements from Michael John McCarthy; Kim Ismay is perhaps most familiar to audiences for playing the role of Tanya in the West End production of Mamma Mia, and Madame Morrible in the international and UK & Ireland tours of Wicked; Danielle Jam, who recently worked with Raw Material, Capital Theatres and National Theatre of Scotland as one of the lead roles in James IV: Queen of the Fight and will be reunited with her James IV co-star Malcolm Cumming in Kidnapped; Grant O’Rourke has done extensive work in theatre, television, film and radio, and is most familiar to Scottish audiences for his role in Outlander, and more recently, Shetland; Isaac Savage is an actor, musician and composer who will joining the ensemble as the Performing Musical Director for Kidnapped, and last year was the Performing Musical Director for Cinderella at Dundee Rep; Karen Young is a Scottish actress, recently appeared in Cinderella at Dundee Rep; Fatima Jawara was most recently seen as the titular role in Eastern Angles’ Christmas production of Little Red.

Join the conversation: #Kidnapped  

Touring to Beacon Arts Centre, Greenock (previews Tue 28, Wed 29, Thurs 30 March) Fri 31 March – Sat 1 April 2023; 

Theatre Royal, Glasgow Wed 5 – Sat 8 April 2023,

Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh Tue 11 – Sat 22 April 2023; 

Eden Court, Inverness Wed 26 – Sat 29 April 2023; 

Perth Theatre Wed 3 – Sat 6 May 2023 and 

Northern Stage, Newcastle Tues 9 – Sat 13 May 2023.   

Full tour information here.  

The People Woke Up

ice&fire present new Actors for Human Rights theatre piece

  • A new script and production for theatre company ice&fire’s long-running Actors for Human Rights project, focusing on the 2020 election crisis in Belarus and its fallout
  • A ‘political education project’ based on interviews and testimony of the Belarussian diaspora, including former political prisoners, presented as a rehearsed reading with four Belarusian actors. Award-winning poet Hanna Komar performs as herself
  • The piece will premiere in Edinburgh with two performances, one at the Scottish Parliament on September 28th and the other at the Scottish Storytelling Centre in Edinburgh on September 29th, before being made available for touring around the UK
  • ice&fire explore human rights stories through performance

‘The People Woke Up‘ is a new script from ice&fire’s long-running Actors for Human Rights project, focused on the 2020 election crisis in Belarus, its fallout and how its impacts are still felt today.

A partnership with The People’s Consulate of Belarus in Scotland, this new dramatic work tells the stories of people whose lives were changed forever in Belarus in 2020 following the rigged presidential election where Alexander Lukashenko further extended his 27 year reign.

Following the election, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians went out onto the streets to demonstrate and protest for justice and democracy. This resulted in the most widespread and violent crackdown in Lukashenko’s reign, with thousands of peaceful protestors arrested, tortured, and killed at the hands of the security forces.

Presented as a rehearsed reading with four Belarusian actors and comprised of first-hand testimony from the Belarusian diaspora across Europe, this new work tells the stories of some of the people who were caught up in these tumultuous events and the impacts that are still felt today.

A unique political education project, ‘The People Woke Up’ will premiere in Edinburgh with two performances: an abridged version at the Scottish Parliament on September 28th and a full version at the Scottish Storytelling Centre on September 29th, before being made available for touring around the UK. This project is supported by Creative Scotland.

Artistic Director of ice&fire, Christine Bacon, said: “While the protests across Belarus attracted the attention of the world in August 2020, the cameras have now moved on.

“However, the people of Belarus continue to resist and risk their freedom and their lives with the aim of removing the Lukashenko regime so a new nation can be built.

“With this new script, we invite audiences to listen to stories from the people at the heart of this struggle and ask themselves what they can do in solidarity with the people of Belarus.”

Irina McLean from The People’s Consulate of Belarus in Scotland said: “Sergey Tichanousky – 18 years of imprisonment. Aliaksandr Ivulin – 2 years of imprisonment. Maria Kolesnikova – 11 years of imprisonment. A vlogger. A sports journalist and footballer. A musician. Not criminals but citizens of THEIR country, who want it to be set free of pain, absurd autocracy and dictatorship.

“It is our pain. Every Belarusian feels it and this amazing opportunity to share it with others should help us to heal. This production will help us to tell our story. The story of our fight.”