What’s on: The Emperor’s New Kilt

Kiltie capers with a laird

By Caroline Brodie

Published:

HANS Christian Andersen’s wonderful tale of The Emperor’s New Clothes has thrilled generations of children and a distinctly Scottish take on the old favourite is now continuing that tradition.

Theatre company Wee Stories, known for a funny, refreshing take on family theatre, has teamed up with the National Theatre of Scotland to bring The Emperor’s New Kilt to audiences across the land.

Telling the tale of the vain and tyrannical Laird of Kiltie, who loves nothing better than his prized collection of kilts, the production is everything audiences have come to expect from the Wee Stories mould – a fusion of storytelling with Scottish music hall, pantomime and ceilidh.

In the lead-up to the most important day in the Kiltie calendar – the Laird’s birthday – he is more determined than ever to have a new kilt, “the likes of which has never been seen”.

Enter Mr Harris and Mr Tweed, the two dodgy weavers, who give their gullible customer exactly what he asked for.

Co-directors Andy Cannon and Iain Johnstone, who have teamed up many times to bring classic tales such as Treasure Island, King Arthur and Macbeth to young audiences, have written and directed this latest offering, and are two of the five-strong cast.

Iain has also composed all the music.

Andy said getting so immersed in a project was nothing new for the pair, but admitted it could be a full-on experience.

Speaking about what he liked best about the story, he said: “I think it’s a great moral tale about having courage in your own convictions. It’s about not bowing down to popular opinion but to know your own mind. That’s what’s fantastic about children; they don’t care what people think.”

He also described the eight handmade stage sets, as “stars of the show”.

The backdrops, produced and designed by Becky Minto, were put together in a disused squash court and combine more than 80 different types of materials from taffeta to tweed and silk to satin.

The scenes conjure up mountains, forests, glens and lochs as well as the “big hoose”, the Laird’s dressing room and a kitchen.

Andy described them as “incredible” and said an “awful lot of work” had gone into them.

He said: “The first time we saw them was when they were hung up properly in the King’s Theatre, which was a bit of a nerve-racking moment. But they looked fantastic.”

The show opened in Edinburgh and has already been well received there and in Glasgow and Inverness.

Andy said: “It has been fantastically received. It really has gone down very well. At first that is a bit of a relief and then you are proud and then you have a commitment to maintain the high standard you have set as well.”

But he said it was all worthwhile when you saw several generations of people enjoying the same show.

The Emperor’s New Kilt is at HMT from today until Saturday at 7.30pm with matinee performances today at 1pm and Saturday at 2pm. Tickets, priced £5-£10, are available online at www.boxofficeaberdeen.com, or by phoning the box office on 01224 641122.