THE National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Black Watch returns to the SECC in Glasgow, on 15th September 2010, with an all new cast, before embarking on a tour to Scottish, UK and international venues.
Cast rehearsal Footage available by clicking here
The 2010-2011 tour featuring an all new cast will open at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow (15 September to 9 October 2010), followed by dates at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (13 to 23 October 2010), Girls Model School, Belfast as part of the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival (27 October to 31 October) and the Barbican Theatre, London (27 November 2010 to 22 January 2011).
The production will then embark on a US tour to Washington’s Shakespeare Theatre Company at the Harman Center for the Arts (26 January to 6 February 2011), the University of North Carolina (9 to 13 February 2011), the Texas Performing Arts, University of Texas, Austin (16 to 20 February 2011) and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater at the Broadway, Armory, Chicago (30 March to 10 April).
Hurtling from a pool room in Fife to an armoured wagon in Iraq, Black Watch is based on interviews conducted by Gregory Burke with former soldiers who served in Iraq.
Viewed through the eyes of those on the ground, Black Watch reveals what it means to be part of the legendary Scottish regiment, what it means to be part of the war and what it means to make the journey home again.
John Tiffany’s production makes powerful and inventive use of movement, music and song to create a visceral, complex and urgent piece of theatre.
The original creative team reunite to bring Black Watch back to the stage with an entirely new cast for the 2010 and 2011 tour.
Black Watch director, John Tiffany, said:
“Seeing Black Watch come to life and being interpreted by a brand new cast has been a thrilling experience. It’s great to see the actors bring fresh ideas to the production which feels as relevant now as ever.”
- Chris Starkie (Stewarty) recently appeared on stage as Starkey in the National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Peter Pan.
- Richard Rankin (Granty) has appeared on television in Taggart and was a core cast member of the BBC Two Scotland comedy Burnistoun.
- Scott Fletcher (Kenzie) is a recent graduate of the RSAMD, Scott has appeared in previous National Theatre of Scotland productions of The Dogstone and 365. He also recently appeared as Charlie Smith in the BBC Two Scotland sit-com, Gary: Tank Commander.
- Ian Pirie (Officer/Lord Elgin) has appeared in movies The Dark Knight, Die Another Day and Gangs of New York, stage roles include work with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in Phantom of the Opera.
- Keith Fleming (writer/Sergeant) previously performed with the National Theatre of Scotland as Peer Gynt in Peer Gynt (2007/2009) and in many shows with Dundee Repertory.
- Ross Anderson (Rossco) is currently training at Drama Centre.
- Jack Lowden (Cammy) is currently studying at RSAMD and will make his professional stage debut in Black Watch.
- Jamie Quinn (Fraz) recently appeared in Any Given Day at the Traverse and has featured on screen in River City and Still Game (BBC).
- Stuart Martin (Nabsy) has appeared in a number of stage productions including The White Guard and Burnt by The Sun (National Theatre).
- Cameron Barnes (Macca) makes his professional stage debut in Black Watch as the bagpiper. He has won piping competitions around the world and is a member of the Fife Constabulary Pipe band.
Creative Team: Directed by John Tiffany, associate director Movement – Steven Hoggett, associate director Music – Davey Anderson, set designer – Laura Hopkins, costume designer – Jessica Brettle, lighting designer – Colin Grenfell, sound designer – Gareth Fry, video designers – Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer for Fifty Nine Productions Ltd.
The production has now played to over 113,000 people across three continents and has garnered 22 awards. Most recently, the production won four Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Director, Best Theatre Choreography, Best Play and Best Sound Design and the company won its first US award with the New York Drama Circle naming Black Watch Best Foreign Play.
Black Watch finished its 2008 world tour at St Ann’s Warehouse in New York, in December 2008, having previously played at venues and festivals in Australia, New Zealand, Glenrothes, Glasgow, London, Toronto, Virginia, Wales, Salford, Coventry and Dublin. In 2007 the production played to audiences in Los Angeles, New York, Pitlochry, Aberdeen, Dumfries, Dingwall, Glasgow and Edinburgh. The production premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006 at the University of Edinburgh Drill Hall.
Previous US engagements include two sell-out runs at St Ann’s Warehouse in New York (2007 and 2008) and visits to arts festivals in Los Angeles at UCLA Live! (2007) and in Virginia at Norfolk Arts Festival (2008).
The production has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and BBC TV Scotland and BBC 4, alongside the Scottish BAFTA award-winning documentary, Black Watch: A Soldier’s Story and both the performance and the documentary have been released on DVD by John Williams Productions.
An educational resource pack is available upon request to any secondary schools, Further Education and Higher Education colleges in Scotland.
Press Performances:
Friday 17 September 2010 at 8pm at SECC, Glasgow
Tuesday 30 November 2010 at 7.45pm at the Barbican Theatre, London
Press Contacts:
Wendy Grannon – Press Manager – 0141 227 9016 – emma.schad@nationaltheatrescotland.com
Andrew Neilson – Press Officer – 0141 227 9497 – andrew.neilson@nationaltheatrescotland.com
For London performances, contact Peter Leone at Arthur Leone PR on 020 7637 2994 or peter@arthurleone.com
Press Images:
There is a selection of images for current productions available for download from www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/press
Please do contact the press office for a password.
Please do contact the press office directly for images for future productions.
NOTES TO EDITORS
The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government.
Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating 117 productions in 114 different locations. With no building of its own, the company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests. The company has performed to over 468,000 people, across three continents.
The Scottish Government’s International Touring Fund is used to support the National Performing Companies’ performing activities overseas, with priority given to tours to areas of significance to the Scottish Government. The National Theatre of Scotland has been offered up to £100k to take Black Watch to Europe and USA and up to £10k to take Long Gone Lonesome to the Galway Arts Festival 2010 from the 2010-11 Fund.
BLACK WATCH AWARDS
Edinburgh Festivals 2006
- A Herald Angel, a Fringe First, a Best Theatre Writing Award from The List, The Friends of the Fringe Award and a Stage Award for Best Ensemble for BLACK WATCH
The Critics Circle Awards 2006
- Best Director: John Tiffany for BLACK WATCH
The South Bank Show Awards 2006
- Best Theatre Award for BLACK WATCH
Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland 2006-2007
- Best Director: John Tiffany for BLACK WATCH
- Best Ensemble, Best Technical Presentation and Best Production for BLACK WATCH
Scottish Baftas 2007
- Best Documentary: BLACK WATCH – A SOLDIER’S STORY
Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards 2007
- Best Play (Theatre): Gregory Burke for BLACK WATCH
Helpmann Awards 2008 (Australia)
- Best Sound Design: Gareth Fry for BLACK WATCH
Sunday Mail Great Scot Awards 2008
- Great Scot Award for Entertainment for BLACK WATCH
Theatre Management Association Awards 2008
- Best Touring Production for BLACK WATCH
Manchester Evening News Award
- Best Visiting Production for BLACK WATCH
Laurence Olivier Awards 2009
- Best New Play: Gregory Burke for BLACK WATCH
- Best Director: John Tiffany for BLACK WATCH
- Best Theatre Choreographer: Steven Hoggett for BLACK WATCH
- Best Sound Design: Gareth Fry for BLACK WATCH
New York Drama Critics’ Circle Awards
- Best Foreign Play for BLACK WATCH
The Dora Mavor Moore Awards (Canada)
- Outstanding Touring Production for BLACK WATCH
Ends
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Venue, date and time: SECC, Glasgow from 15 September to 9 October 2010 at 8pm
(Matinees 2,9 October at 3pm)
Ticket Prices: £27.50/15
Booking number: 0844 395 4000
Online booking: www.tickersoup.com
Accessible Perfs: Captioned performance 2 October at 8pm, Audio Described and Signed 7 October 2010 at 8pm
Venue, date and time: AECC, Aberdeen from 13 to 23 October 2010 at 8pm (Matinee 16 October at 3pm)
Ticket Prices: £27.50/15
Booking number: 08444 77 9000
Online booking: www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Accessible Perfs: Captioned performance 22 October at 8pm, Audio Described and Signed 23 October 2010 at 8pm
Venue, date and time: Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Girls Model School, Belfast 27 October to 31 October at 8pm (Matinees 30 October at 2.30pm & 31 October at 3pm)
Ticket Prices: £22.50 (£17.50)
Booking number: 02890 97 11 97
Online booking: http://www.belfastfestival.com
Venue, date and time: Barbican Theatre, London from 27 November 2010 to 22 January 2011 at 7.45pm (Matinees 4, 11, 18, 21, 23, 30 & 31 December 2010, 5,8 Jan 2011 at 2pm)
Ticket Prices: £40/35
Booking number: 020 7638 8891
Online booking: http://www.barbican.org.uk/
Accessible Perfs: Captioned performance 21 December at 2pm, Audio Described 11 December at 2pm
Venue, date and time: Sidney Harman Hall, Washington from 26 January 2010 to 6 February 2011
Ticket Prices: $82/ $73
Booking number: 202.547.1122
Online booking: http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/
Venue, date and time: Memorial Hall, University of North Carolina from 9 February 2011 to 13 February 2011
Ticket Prices: $25/$10
Booking number: 919.843.3333
Online booking: http://www.carolinaperformingarts.org/
Venue, date and time: Bass Concert Hall, University of Texas at Austin from 16 February to 20 February 2011
Ticket Prices: $38/$10
Booking number: 512.471.4454
Online booking: http://ev9.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=BW&linkID=tex-pac&shopperContext=&caller=&appCode=&RSRC=tex-pac&RDAT=black-tpa-event
Venue, date and time: Broadway Armory, Chicago from 29 March to 10 April 2011
Ticket Prices: $38
Booking number: 312.595.5600
Online booking: http://www.chicagoshakes.com/main.taf?p=2,57
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Contact: Andrew Neilson
Phone: 01412279497
Email: andrew.neilson@nationaltheatrescotland.com
Website: http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
