More than 100 pupils are taking part in a novel biology lesson focussing on love as portrayed by the iconic 1980s Scottish movie Gregory’s Girl.
The scientific exercise is part of a British Film Institute project on the theme of movie heartbreakers.
“What’s the grey matter with Gregory?” will bring performers from Eden Court Theatre’s Young Company together with 105 students for what has been billed as an “immersive” event.
Donning 1980s school attire, they will enter a time warp shared by similar events at arts centres elsewhere in Scotland as today’s pupils are transported to the world of the classic romantic comedy.
It will take the form of a “biology lesson” about the science of attraction led by PhD candidates from top universities and interpretations of key scenes from the classic film being re-enacted by local young actors.
The lesson will culminate in a screening of the popular comedy.
George Macpherson, a director with film and theatre education company Cine Live, which is co-ordinating the event, said: “We thought the humour in Gregory’s Girl would translate nicely for a modern audience.
“We want to explore the science behind love and the psychology behind who we’re attracted to and also look at the role that our hormonal system plays, which is kind of intense but we get to explode a lot of myths and get youngsters looking at this massive driving force in all our lives from a different angle and engage with professional scientists at the same time.
“One thing I’ve always wanted to do is to have young people enjoy the idea of being young. When young, you have a capacity to imagine and create which, I feel, a lot of us lose as we get older.”
The inspiration was film maker Bill Forsyth’s classic tale of a lovelorn schoolboy.
Gregory, Dorothy, Susan and a whole host of other characters from Gregory’s Girl will be brought to life by specially-trained young actors.
Tomorrow’s day-long Inverness event will feature biology lessons alongside live re-enactments of key scenes from the movie in “a mix of arts and science education”.
During the course of the day, students posing as scientists will step into the 1980s and the strange world of Abronhill High, meet characters portrayed in the film, observe their behaviour and join workshops.
They will also work alongside real scientists to examine the influence psychology and hormones can hold over human behaviour.
