Those of a certain age can tell you exactly where they were, and what they were doing, when they heard the news that President John F. Kennedy had been assassinated.
For the next generation, the date they will never forget is July 13, 1985, when Live Aid took place – a day that changed the world.
Mull Theatre revisits that memorable day for its latest production, Rough Island, by Nicola McCartney.
Actor Barrie Hunter said: “The play is set on the beach of a tidal island, somewhere off the west coast, on the day Live Aid happened.
“Not everyone could make it to Wembley, so three young friends decide to get away from all the hype by heading to the beach, where they’ll have a party and listen to the concert via their ghetto-blaster.”
But their plans for a fun day out alter when 13-year-old Stephen, the younger brother of Gary, played by John Scougall, turns up.
Barrie takes on the role of the teenager and says he drew on his own childhood memories to help immerse himself in the part.
“It’s a long time since I was 13, but, like the character I play, I also have an older brother in real life, so I can remember all the politics about sharing a bedroom and so on.
“I was in the Cubs but not the Scouts, although, strangely enough, I joined the Venture Scouts when I was older and had great fun doing Outward Bound courses and the like,” said Barrie, who has a raft of theatre, television and film work under his belt.
Also appearing are Helen McAlpine as Sharon and Astrid Azurdia as Joanne, while music from Live Aid has a role to play.
“The play explores the ups and downs of the brothers’ relationships then something happens – I don’t want to give too much away – but only three people come back.”
The play concludes with three people meeting up on the same beach 30 years on, to search for the answer to what happened that day.
The play is performed in English, has Gaelic subtitles and is part of a suspense-filled double bill which makes it an excellent value-for-money night out for theatregoers.
The first half of the evening features the play Doras Duinte, by Catriona Lexy Campbell, which will be spoken in Gaelic with English subtitles.
Alone on a stormy night in an isolated house in the west Highlands, Lydia Ross awaits her new lodger, Guthrie, but she soon realises he’s not quite what she had in mind.
This contemporary thriller with animation and a haunting soundscape is followed by Rough Island.
The double bill opens at Oran Mor, Glasgow, on Monday, February 3, and is there for a week before undertaking an extensive tour of the Highlands, visiting venues at Oban, Coll, Appin, Resolis, Gairloch, Plockton, Skye, Inverness, Rosehall, Ullapool, Lewis, Harris, South and North Uist and Barra.
Contact: Mull Theatre on 01688 302673 or visit www.mulltheatre.com