Latest news with #PerthTheatre
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
New musical adaptation of Restless Natives coming to Glasgow
Restless Natives, featuring well-known Scottish stage talent, will run at the King's Theatre in Glasgow from June 24 to 28. Leading the cast are Kyle Gardiner and Finlay McKillop, who will bring to life the iconic characters of Will and Ronnie, also known as The Clown and The Wolfman. They will be joined by Olivier-nominated Kirsty MacLaren, who will play tour guide Margot. The ensemble cast also includes Robin Campbell, Ailsa Davidson, Caroline Deyga, Stuart Edgar, Sarah Galbraith, Ava MacKinnon, Alan McHugh, and Harry Ward. Read more: Popular singer-songwriter coming to Glasgow as part of UK tour Restless Natives: The Musical has been produced and directed by the original team behind the 1985 cult classic film, in collaboration with co-producers Perth Theatre. The story follows Ronnie and Will, who, tired of their mundane urban lives, become the Highland Highwaymen. They soon gain international fame by charmingly robbing tourists on buses. Tour guide Margot believes these modern-day Robin Hoods can restore national pride. However, with the authorities hot on their trail, their story takes an intriguing turn. Read more: American musician coming to popular Glasgow venue - Here's when The production, which features music inspired by the spirit and songs of Big Country, is written by Ninian Dunnett, Michael Hoffman, and Andy Paterson, with Tim Sutton composing the score. The musical is designed to captivate both fans of the original film and new audiences alike. For more information and to book tickets, visit the ATG tickets website.
Scotsman
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Theatre reviews: Just Between Ourselves
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Just Between Ourselves, Perth Theatre ★★★★ EH7, Craigentinny Community Centre, Edinburgh ★★★ At what point does a play cease to be contemporary, and become a costume drama? Alan Ayckbourn's great plays of the 1970s are now teetering on the edge of social history; and his disturbing 1976 piece Just Between Ourselves, which has just paid a brief visit to Scotland in a new production by London Classic Theatre, is no exception. Tom Richardson as Dennis, Joseph Clowser as Neil in Just Between Ourselves The play is set in the garage attached to the suburban house of a couple called Dennis and Vera; and it takes its place in a powerful strand of Ayckbourn plays about women driven to depression or suicide by the tension between the continuing patriarchal attitudes of the men in their lives, and their inner sense, well developed by the 1970s, that they should be men's equals, and able to strive for some kind of self-fulfilment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In Just Between Ourselves, the woman almost out of her mind is Vera, who is around 40, and both childless and jobless. She suffers from mental health problems – anxiety, depression – and is bullied and patronised not only by the jocular Dennis, but by his doting mother Marjorie, who lives with them. And when she and Dennis strike up a new friendship with neighbouring couple Neil and Pam, the dysfunctional quality of their marriage becomes ever more glaringly visible, while Pam's explicit fury about what marriage and motherhood has done to her life provides a powerful contrast to Vera's ever-deepening silence. Sign up to our FREE Arts & Culture newsletter at The story – played out over a year – therefore offers plenty that seems both contemporary and familiar, and also much that now seems almost inexplicable, including the idea that Vera would simply give up her work on marriage, and that Dennis could easily afford for her to do so. Beyond the portrait of a society in transition that features in all Ayckbourn's 1970s plays, though, Just Between Ourselves offers, in the character of Dennis as reinforced by his mother, an all too recognisable study of self-satisfaction and insensitivity raised almost to an art-form. In that sense, Ayckbourn's play remains a ruthless and ultimately frightening work of art; and if Michael Cabot's 25th anniversary production for LCT finally lets it drift off into silence without delivering the final punch it should, it nonetheless features a memorable quintet of performances from a powerful cast, led by Tom Richardson as the appalling Dennis, Holly Smith as Vera, and Helen Phillips as Pam, harbinger of a future when women at last have more power to walk away from destructive relationships, before it is too late. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mairi Jayne Weir as St Triduana in EH7 The changing lives of women also featured, in the latest show from Citadel Arts of Leith, a community and professional company that specialises in local history, and the memories of older citizens. EH7 is a fine and satisfying 90-minute show about that often overlooked chunk of Edinburgh that stretches east from Leith Walk without ever quite becoming Leith or Portobello; Lochend, Craigentinny and Restalrig. With scenes created by seven local writers, Mark Kydd's deft production therefore proceeds in eight scenes, moving from the Norman Conquest through tales of the hot air balloonist James Tytler, the doomed illusionist The Great Lafayette, the strange 16th century trial for treason of local aristocrat Sir Robert Logan, and the women workers at the local Munrospun knitwear factory. All this is neatly threaded onto the story of Magnus Byrne's charismatic young Rory, a contemporary student researching local history, and discussing it with his grandad, delightfully played by stage veteran James Bryce. Themes include not only the changing lot of women, but immigration, the abuse of power, and the need to understand and cherish those who don't conform to sexual norms. And through it all is laced the founding myth of Saint Triduana; a saint beautifully played by Mairi Jayne Weir as a voice of love and compassion through the ages, and one whose well still sits in the shadow of St. Margaret's Parish Church, Restalrig.
The Courier
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: Perth Concert Hall needs £3m overhaul in 20th birthday year
Perth Concert Hall needs almost £3 million of taxpayers' money spent on its upkeep. Perth and Kinross councillors have agreed to fund a £2.895m overhaul of the venue. It comes as preparations are under way to celebrate Perth Concert Hall's 20th anniversary later this year. The council says the funding will pay for 'essential maintenance and upgrades'. There are no details of precisely what's required. But a council spokesperson told The Courier the works are needed 'to improve the general condition and energy performance of the building'. They added: 'The initial phase of works will prioritise the roof, heating and air conditioning systems and building fabric improvements.' The steel and glass venue was completed in 2005 at a cost of £12.3m. The new funding package was approved by Perth and Kinross Council's finance and resources committee. The same meeting also agreed to award £75,000 towards celebrations in September to mark the 20th anniversary of the Concert Hall opening. The 125 Live! street party will also commemorate the 125th anniversary of Perth Theatre. The two venues are run by a charity, Horsecross Arts, on behalf of the council. A spokesperson there referred questions back to the council. The Concert Hall was officially opened by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 following a two-year construction project. It has hosted many top acts, as well as political conferences and other large gatherings. And its Gannochy Auditorium is said to be one of the best-sounding halls in Europe. The arrival of the Concert Hall rendered the old Perth City Hall redundant as an events space and it closed. The city centre landmark lay empty for more than a decade and was slated for demolition before it re-opened as Perth Museum after a £27m facelift last March. Councillors were warned in 2021 that Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre needed millions of pounds spent on them in order to upgrade 'fairly elderly' equipment and infrastructure. The cost of keeping both premises ventilated was described as 'prohibitively expensive.' A meeting in December 2021 heard: 'Horsecross had not any history of setting aside funds – probably because there wasn't the funds to set aside – for investment in its own internal equipment and infrastructure.'
The Courier
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
6 unmissable events for the whole family at Perth Festival of the Arts 2025
Looking to break out of your weekend routine? Look no further than Perth Festival of the Arts 2025. In one packed weekend (May 23-25) it hosts 16 vastly different events to choose from, as well as open air concerts and art exhibitions from ArTay and Perthshire Photographic Society. Here are six events to look out for that weekend. Those of an older disposition will remember Sir Derek Jacobi in the TV adaptation of I Claudius. But his career spans six decades and his versatility ranges from classic Shakespeare characters, cameos in both Gladiator films, The Crown, Day of the Jackal and lots more. Richard Clifford's longevity in the acting world mirrors that of Sir Derek, and with him in the driving seat for the evening there will be incredible insights and anecdotes – as he has also been Derek's partner since the 1970s. What better way to kick off the weekend? Perth Theatre, 1a Mill St, Perth PH1 5HZ. Friday May 23, 7.30pm. Tickets are £29 each; concessions £27. Council parking in Perth city centre is free after 6pm. Thimblerow car park is a short walk away from the theatre and usually has plenty of space. Lauder tells the tale of the legendary Scottish entertainer Sir Harry Lauder, who by 1911 had become the highest-paid performer in the world and an international star. MacDougall might be more familiar as the voice of classical music on BBC radio, but his versatility will bring Lauder to life, revealing a man of mischief and ingenuity and the creator of classics like Roamin' in the Gloamin' and I Love a Lassie. Winston Churchill called Lauder 'Scotland's greatest ambassador'. Jamie's one-man show, written by Jimmy Logan, will give ample proof that this was no over-exaggeration. Perth Theatre, 1a Mill St, Perth PH1 5HZ. Sunday May 25, 3pm. Adults £22.50, concessions £20.50, under-18s £5. This performance is dementia-friendly, with adapted sound and lighting for comfort and a relaxed approach to sound an movement. The festival is never purely secular – the sacred side of things plays an equally important part. The magnificent St Ninian's Cathedral, one the city's finest buildings, hosts choral evensong on Sunday, sung by the cathedral choir. The setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis will be by Noble and the anthem chosen is The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, by Sir Edward Elgar. But the music doesn't end there. At 5pm, the Cathedral's Director of Music, Geoff Bolton, will perform an organ recital, with music by JS Bach, Healey Willan, Messiaen and Eugene Gigout. Perth Cathedral (St Ninian's), N Methven St, Perth PH1 5PP Sunday May 25, 4pm. Free. If you miss this performance, don't fret – the choir will also be singing at a Choral Mass to mark Ascension Day at 7pm on May 29. World class symphony orchestras are common visitors to the festival, some international, some home-bred. This year, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra are set to bring an eclectic mix of the familiar and the less well-known. Under the baton of Grzegorz Nowak, the concert opens with a brand-new work by Jeffrey Ching, Il Maestro di Capella, commissioned for the orchestra's UK tour. The orchestra will perform two of the most popular works from the operatic and ballet repertoire including Bizet's scintillating Carmen Suite and music from perhaps the greatest of all ballets – Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Then follows Vaughan Williams' Lark Ascending and Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations, before the concert ends with Beethoven's mighty fifth symphony. Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ Saturday May 24, 7.30pm. Tickets range from £22.50 to £41.50, concession £19.50 to £38.50 Under-18s are £5. Perth Concert Hall and Perth Theatre are on the same street, but they're different buildings – the concert hall is the round building. Children are always catered for by the festival organisers, and there's a double-dose of fun this year. Opera singers Colleen and Katie combine classical music's best loved arias and duets with singing games, sensory play and puppet friends. Perth Theatre, 1a Mill St, Perth PH1 5HZ. May 24-25, various times between 10am and 2pm. £8 per child, with one adult included. £3 per extra adult. Performances are split into 0-2 years and 2-4 years brackets. See festival website for specific times for each version. Prokofiev's music is specially arranged for wind quintet by Children's Classic Concerts. This team of musical animals, led by Owen Gunnell, will move effortlessly from madcap mayhem to virtuosic performances, with plenty of audience participation along the way. Perth Theatre Studio, 1a Mill St, Perth PH1 5HZ. Saturday May 24, 1pm and 3pm. Tickets £16, concessions £14, under-18s £8. Carers go free when accompanying the person they care for, as is the case for many of the events at Perth Festival of the Arts. Perthshire Brass, who for the past 40 years have been promoting their style of music in Perth and Kinross, will perform an outdoor concert in St Paul's Plaza this year. And Perth Festival's chairman Craig Dennis will be taking his customary seat with fellow tuba players. However, he will have one eye on the music and one on the weather. He knows only too well what performing outdoors in a Scottish summer can be like! St Paul's Church Plaza, S Methven St, Perth PH1 5NU Saturday May 24, 11am. Free Perthshire Brass forms one act on the Community Stage programme. Other acts will take place in various venues across the city, including cafe cabaret performances, pop-up drumming concerts and adventure circus workshops! For more information and ticket prices of each performance, visit the Perth Festival website or phone 01738 621031.
The National
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Highland heists and Big Country songs: Restless Natives hits the stage
In the movie – which boasts music by Scottish rock band Big Country and a screenplay by Ninian Dunnett – the pair take to a reconditioned Suzuki motorcycle in pursuit of tourist buses and the riches contained therein. Now – as Restless Natives celebrates its 40th anniversary and Perth Theatre and Concert Hall mark 125 years of arts provision in the Fair City – the cult film has been adapted as a new stage musical. Created by Perth Theatre and no fewer than three co-producers, the show will tour to Stirling, Aberdeen, Inverness and Glasgow following its stint in Perth. READ MORE: Ex-Scottish LibDem minister faces probe over lobbying and 'verbal attack' claims As an adaptation, this theatrical apple hasn't fallen very far from the cinematic tree. This is hardly surprising given that it is directed by Hoffman himself with lyrics by Dunnett. Indeed Hoffman and Dunnett contribute to the book, alongside Andy Paterson, while composer Tim Sutton has written a score that, needless to say, has songs by Big Country woven through it. We first meet Ronnie (Kyle Gardiner) and Will (Finlay McKillop) in the Edinburgh joke shop where Ronnie works. There it is that the duo are inspired to take up highway robbery wearing their soon-to-be-iconic clown and wolfman masks. From there, the play captures the film's sense of a 1980s Scotland in which these imaginative, young criminals capture the hearts of many of their country folk – and, even, those of some of the tourists whose cash and valuables they're stealing. For sure, Will has procured the affections of Margot, a patriotic bus tour guide whose father just happens to be chief of Lothian and Borders Police. (Image: MIHAELA BODLOVIC) The production is blessed with an excellent cast across the board, from young stars like the ever-impressive Kirsty MacLaren (Margot) to more experienced hands such as Sarah Galbraith (Texan cop Bender), Alan McHugh (Scottish police chief Baird) and Harry Ward (Will's dad and lunatic criminal Nigel). Translating a road movie to the stage is a tricky proposition, not least because the play can't rely on the energy that the film generates in its motorbike scenes. Consequently, this stage adaptation does stutter occasionally as it makes gear changes. Moreover, with so many scene changes – between urban and rural, indoors and outdoors – too much is asked of designer Becky Minto's set, which collides the joke shop with Highland road signs. Nonetheless, the show succeeds in evoking the times, the humour and, of course, the music of the movie. As it takes off around the country, it will, one suspects, prove to be an imperfect crowd-pleaser. At Perth Theatre until May 10, then touring until June 28:
