Factor 9 by Hamish MacDonald
from the testimonies of Bruce Norval and Robert Mackie
Online release date: Wednesday July 15, 2020
The UK Government’s Infected Blood Inquiry began public hearings in April 2019, five years after Dogstar opened Factor 9, Hamish MacDonald’s play about the scandal, as part of the Umeå 2014 European Capital of Culture in Sweden.
The Inquiry continues and Factor 9 remains as relevant now as when it opened. Indeed, some of those at the heart of the 35-year campaign for justice cite Factor 9 as a significant influencer towards the granting of the public inquiry.
Dogstar Theatre Online will release our production with Vimeo on Demand on Wednesday July 15, adding to our current online offer The Tailor of Inverness and Brian Ross and Hopscotch Films’ outstanding documentary Circling A Fox.
The infected blood scandal is now recognised as the greatest healthcare disaster in the history of the NHS. Factor 9 has been seen by health ministers and other leading politicians in both the Scottish and Westminster governments, and by all leading members of the inquiry, including its chairman, Sir Brian Langstaff.
There is an uncounted legion of victims across the world. Official figures in the UK cite around 5,000 people who were infected with HIV and Hepatitis through the administration of contaminated blood products during the 1970s and 80s.
Half of this number are now dead as a result and new deaths occur every month. There are no figures for the infection of spouses, children, and other relatives.
The multi-media performance tells the true story of two Scottish haemophiliacs, Bruce Norval from Inverness and Rab Mackie from the Scottish Borders, and how their lives were devastated from an early age by NHS-prescribed blood clotting products.
With tremendous performances by Matthew Zajac (Bruce) and Stewart Porter (Rab), Factor 9confronts how society can react towards its most vulnerable in the moment of a pandemic – and what can happen in the name of medical research.
In the enclosed world of the abandoned ward, a decades-long struggle with government and health authorities for recognition and truth unfolds, taking an uncompromising journey from the 1940s Nazi military-industrial complex to the 1960s Arkansas prison system via the 1980s AIDS crisis to the haemophilia clinics of Scotland, asking, how could this happen?
Director Ben Harrison said “When Hamish and Matthew approached me with the subject, I saw a great opportunity to uncover theatrically a great scandal.
“We hoped to achieve a similar balance between the visually compelling and the emotionally powerful that Matthew and I achieved with The Tailor of Inverness. The betrayal of the principle of care that lies at the heart of the story will I am sure both touch and anger audiences.”
Composer/sound designer Pippa Murphy, set and costumes Emily James, lighting Paul Claydon
The 2014 production was supported by Creative Scotland and produced in association with leading Swedish theatre company Profilteatern and Umea 2014 European Capital of Culture.
www.vimeo.com/ondemand/factor9
www.dogstartheatre.co.uk www.taintedblood.info
Running time: 84 minutes
The production contains strong language. Age suitability 14+
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