Outrageous fun and real-life stories take top billing in the National Theatre of Scotland’s new season, writes Susan Welsh
No sooner has the dust settled on last week’s National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) visit to Inverness, when a star-studded cast presented Yer Granny, but there’s news of more high-quality shows coming our way. The next season looks equally busy, with new works, revivals and tours taking the company throughout Scotland and as far afield as Japan and the US, while tales from Oban and Moray will feature strongly.
Continuing with its theme of belonging, the season will include the world premiere of Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, adapted by Lee Hall from Alan Warner’s novel The Sopranos, directed by Vicky Featherstone, in a co-production with Live Theatre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the revival of popular award-winning National Theatre of Scotland shows, and two new community productions in Forres and Wigtown.
Artist director Laurie Sansom said: “Most of us want to belong. The bosom of the family might make us feel safe, or like running to the hills. Sometimes, it’s not always easy to fit in. The embrace of community can protect and it can stifle.
“Our Belong season continues as we celebrate and emotionally navigate the tumultuous worlds of teen tribes. A group of Catholic schoolgirls from Oban takes the trip of a lifetime to Edinburgh; we experience their tribal loyalties and the joy of friendship and rebellion that only teenage years can bring.
“We are thrilled to welcome communities in Findhorn and Dumfries to share stories of journeys they have undertaken, to escape and invent new identities. Young people will be a vital and vocal part of our audiences this season.”
Based on Alan Warner’s book The Sopranos – which has no connection to the popular American TV show – Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour will have its world premiere at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, before visiting Aberdeen and Inverness. Adapted from Warner’s brilliant novel about six girls from Oban on the cusp of change, love, lust, pregnancy and death all spiral out of control in a single day. Warner’s blisteringly funny dialogue ends in fireworks (literally). Warner, whose 1995 debut novel Morvern Callar became a literary phenomenon, continues his themes of being young, lost and out of control in this musical play about losing your virginity and finding yourself.
With a soundtrack featuring classical music and 70s pop rock, this is an outrageous piece of new music theatre. Director Vicky Featherstone said: “I am beyond thrilled that Alan Warner has trusted Lee Hall with his game-changing novel about the Sopranos from Oban and am honoured that Laurie Sansom has programmed this anarchic, heartbreaking and life-filled show. It is everything that Scotland is – fearless, hopeful, musical, angry – and I cannot wait to be back telling this story with the National Theatre of Scotland.”
The show visits the Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, on September 15 and 16, and Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, on September 18 and 19.
Two new productions, To Begin, will weave together real-life stories of dramatic journeys, both physical and emotional, and be performed in the vibrant rural arts communities of Wigtown and Forres, as part of the Wigtown Book Festival (September 25-October 4) and Findhorn Bay Culture Day (September 26) programmes.
From now until August, NTS theatre artists will host a series of colourful story-sharing events, including building a giant osprey nest for a storytelling session. an interactive café event, at which guests choose from a menu of conversation, a series of drop-in coffee-for-a-story exchanges, specially positioned postboxes around town for anonymous story deposits, and creative suitcase-packing challenges.
Director Simon Sharkey said: “We’ve started looking for stories about journeys in Wigtown and Forres, to create two special pieces of theatre – physical journeys or emotional journeys, stories about preparing to leave or waiting to arrive, the people you leave behind or the people you might yet meet, returning a hero or with your tail between your legs, love and escape, leaving to start a new chapter in life or returning home to settle down. These two towns are full of stories about journeys – and journeys make for great theatre. ”
Contact: www.nationaltheatrescotland.com