THE National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to announce details of its activity within Edinburgh’s International Book Festival programme, 2011.
Andrew O’Hagan will deliver a lecture as part of National theatre of Scotland’s Staging The Nation programme entitled, The Magic of Civic Memory: Making Scotlands of the Mind.
And to celebrate Alasdair Gray’s contribution to Scottish literature, the closing event of the 2011 Book Festival is the first public reading of Fleck, featuring a stellar cast of writers and actors.
Andrew O’Hagan The Magic of Civic Memory: Making Scotlands of the Mind
Monday 22nd August 16.30 – 17.30
RBS Main Theatre – £10 (£8)
“The Atlantic was always a presence in our lives, and many of us looked out there from that coast, into the old religious Irish past, as well as the new America.”
So wrote Andrew O’Hagan of his Ayrshire upbringing. Currently at work adapting his 1995 debut novel, The Missing, to be staged by the National Theatre of Scotland this autumn.
O’Hagan has been invited by the Company to write a new lecture to explore how our understanding of places in general – and Scotland in particular – depends on memories that are shared.
This event is part of Staging the Nation, a wider conversation about theatre in Scotland.
Introduced by Vicky Featherstone, artistic director of the National Theatre of Scotland.
Alasdair Gray’s Fleck
Monday 29th August 20.00 – 22.00
RBS Main Theatre – £15 (£12)
Alasdair Gray, now known as a novelist and artist, had five plays networked on television, seven broadcast by BBC Scotland and three in theatres between 1968 and 1977. Since adolescence he has been obsessed with Goethe’s Tragedy of Faust, and in 2007 wrote Fleck, a modern version.
To celebrate Gray’s astonishing contribution to Scottish literature, the closing event of the 2011 Book Festival is the first public reading of the whole play featuring writers and actors.
Narrated by Liz Lochhead, with performances by Alan Bissett, Ron Butlin, Chiew-Siah Tei, Regi Claire, Janice Galloway, Rodge Glass, Alasdair Gray, A L Kennedy, David MacLennan, Ian Rankin, Will Self, Zoë Strachan and Louise Welsh, as well as actors Cora Bissett, Paul Birchard and Gerda Stevenson.
Presented in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland. Supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo fund.
The full programme can be viewed at www.edbookfest.co.uk
In addition to the Company’s activity at the Book Festival, the National Theatre of Scotland will present a World Premiere of Zinne Harris’ The Wheel at the Traverse Theatre; The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart at Edinburgh pub, the Ghillie Dhu; a theatre Symposium at Fringe Central in partnership with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society and the Federation of Scottish Theatre.
Additional projects in association with/supported by the National Theatre of Scotland include The Citizens Theatre TAG production of Monster In The Hall; Real Men’s Real Men Dream in Black and White and David Hughes Dance Productions’ Last Orders.
Vicky Featherstone, artistic director, National Theatre of Scotland, said:
“It is fitting that as the Edinburgh Festivals go from strength to strength the National Theatre of Scotland is able to contribute so significantly to the overall programme.
“The variety of work demonstrates our commitment to innovation, to partnerships, to developing new audiences, to furthering the discussion about Scotland and its theatre and to challenging the very notion of what theatre is.
“From a devised piece by young people (Real men) to a hit site specific piece back by popular demand (PRU) to a brilliant new play by Zinnie Harris via dance and debate we hope audiences will delight in and be challenged by our selection.
“There is more to come too, so keep watching this space…”
Further activity will be announced shortly.
Press Contact
Andrew Neilson, Press Officer, National Theatre of Scotland
E: andrew.neilson@nationaltheatrescotland.com
T:+44(0)141 227 9497 / M:+44(0)7912 540 139
Frances Sutton, Press Manager, Edinburgh International Book Festival
E: frances@edbookfest.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)131 718 5654 / M: +44(0)7841 579481
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Press images are available to download from www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/press
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Notes to Editors
1. 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 over 137 productions in 125 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 almost 600,000 people, across three continents. www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
2. For box office information and updates visit www.nationaltheatrescotland.com and / follow us on twitter.com/NTSonline; facebook.com National Theatre of Scotland and http://www.youtube.com/user/NTSonline
3. Edinburgh International Book Festival runs from 13 – 29 Aug, 2011
Information is available at www.edbookfest.co.uk
Programme launch: Thu 16 Jun. Tickets on sale: Sun 26 Jun.
Listen to leading authors read their new stories and watch live recordings of events at www.edbookfest.co.uk
4. Staging the Nation: In its fifth year, the National Theatre of Scotland is resuming, provoking, and joining a nation-wide conversation about theatre with Scottish artists and audiences. Staging The Nation features a number of strands – lectures, debates, curated events, book clubs – and is open to everyone who cares about theatre-making in Scotland. The Staging the Nation online home, www.stagingthenation.com features further information, updates and box office details.
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Contact: Andrew Neilson
Phone: 07912540139
Email: andrew.neilson@nationaltheatrescotland.com
Website: http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
