http://playpiepint.com/plays/chic-murray-funny-place-window/
” The Beaches of St Valery” which opened to four star reviews at Oran Mor in March will be touring next year to venues all over Scotland. The play tells the epic story of a young Scottish Soldier of the 51st Highland Division.
The play debunks the “miracle” of Dunkirk, and tells the tale of the 9,000 Scottish Soldiers sacrificed by Churchill in a secret deal with De Gaulle. For them there was no way home. For them there were no little ships. For them there was only St Valery-en-Caux, surrender, and four years incarceration .
But a few of them escaped . We follow one of them , 18 year old Private Callum Chisholm as he ages from a raw recruit in the 4th Cameron Highlanders in 1938, to a war-weary officer on the Rhine in 1945.
He suffers defeat, surrender, escape, and a hollow victory, as the juggernaut of war rumbles on. But through the horrors of war, Callum finds and then loses the love of his life, Catriona. “The Beaches Of St Valery” is Callum and Catriona’s story.
Watch this space for details.
Major General Victor Fortune Surrenders to General Erwin Rommel at St Valery ©Imperial War Museum
I am delighted to announce that my new play, “The Empty Charcoal Box” will open the new season at Oran Mor on Monday August 28th.
“It all started with the empty Charcoal Box. But that’s not where it started for Eddie. For Eddie, it started with Sonja Kristina……”
“The Empty Charcoal Box” is the tragi-comic story of how a long-hidden event of extreme violence 45 years ago has haunted the lives of three Ayrshire Schoolboys ever since. A contemporary crisis mean that Billy, Eddie and Deansy are finally forced to confront that age old question which determines our path to wisdom: Should we look backwards to try undo our mistakes, or forwards and try not to repeat them?
The play will be directed by myself and will feature three of Scotland’s most talented actors, Ryan Fletcher, James McKenzie and Gavin Jon Wright.
Ryan Fletcher
Gavin Jon Wright
James McKenzie
The play will use sound, movement and live music to tell this darkly comic tale of guilt, retribution and rebirth. Amongst others it features the work of Curved Air, Pink Floyd, John Kongos, Sham 69 and The Ramones.
Ryan Fletcher has most recently been seen on the stage as Phil McCann in “Cuttin’ A Rug” at the Citizens and in “Milk” at The Traverse, and has appeared in “River City” , “Gary Tank Commander” and “The Limmy Show” on the small screen.
Gavin Jon Wright is just back from the US tour of “Titus” where he played the title role. He played “Spud” in Trainspotting at The Citizens, and features in the role of Hugh Kirk in the recent three part ITV Drama “In Plain Sight”.
James McKenzie was last seen onstage at the Oran Mor and The Traverse as John Wilkes Booth in “His Final Bow” . He also appeared in the NTS production “Rites” and will be familiar to “River City” fans for his role as Gary Trenton.
The play runs from August 28th till September 2nd.
Full programming and booking details here at Play, Pie & Pint
An article by Joyce McMillan in “The Scotsman.”
Joyce McMillan in “The Scotsman”
Mary Brennan in “The Herald”
David G. Moffat for “Mumble Theatre”
Very pleased to announce that “The Beaches Of St Valery” which will open at Oran Mor on Monday 6th of March is now cast.
Ron Donnachie will be playing the role of Captain Callum Chisholm of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.
The part of Young Callum will be played by James Rottger.
Catriona will be played by Ashley Smith. “The Beaches Of St Valery” At Oran Mor
Full details of the play and booking details can be found HERE
I’ll be appearing at the Scottish Screenwriters Christmas get together talking about writing for stage and screen at the CCA in Glasgow. See their website for details. http://scottishscreenwriters.ning.com/
See you there.
“The Beaches Of St Valery” which formed part of my PhD in English Literature from the University Of Glasgow premiere on Monday 6th of March. I am currently in negotiations to tour the play in the new year.
Here are a selection of the Four Star Reviews.
Mary Brennan In The Herald. Four Stars.
Joyce McMillan in The Scotsman. Four Stars.
Mumbles Theatre Blog . Four Stars
The play follows the life of a young Scottish Soldier of the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders and the 51st Highland Division from 1938 to the end of the war in 1946.
We see our everyman soldier go from a carefree 18 year old roads engineer to a battle-hardened veteran of 26.
The photograph below shows the CO of the 51st Highland Division, Major General Victor Fortune surrendering to General Erwin Rommel at St Valery-en-Caux on the 12th of June, 1940. This event forms the central motif of the play.
| HOSPITALFIELD are delighted to announce a new initiative for screenwriters |
| Creative Scotland Screenwriters Workshops 2016 |
Application Deadline: Wednesday 25 May 2016, midnight
Eligibility: Emerging Scotland-based writer/directors, screenwriters and artists with previous work which has received positive attention from the industry and public, and who are looking for guidance and support towards writing a feature length screenplay.
Places: 6 (to undertake one 5 day and two 2 day residencies on specific dates in 2016)
Selectors: Olivia Stewart, Three Rivers Film with Ross McKenzie, Screen Officer, Creative Scotland and Claudia Yusef, Scottish Film Talent Network
About the programme An inspirational programme giving screenwriters the opportunity to work with a team of established industry mentors to develop original screenplays during a series of residencies and discussions.
This project arises from an identified strategic need for additional support for screenwriters based in Scotland, highlighted within Creative Scotland’s Film Strategy.
Olivia Stewart is the Director of the workshop and will be joined by two other experienced mentors Alfredo Covelli and Ian Sellar. For more Info Hospitalfield | info@hospitalfield.org.uk | The Patrick Allan-Fraser of Hospitalfield Trust | Hospitalfield House | Arbroath, Angus DD11 2NH, United Kingdom
|
Come along to an evening at The Tron Theatre Victorian Bar on Tuesday 10th of November at 7pm to find out more about becoming a Tron 100 member for 2016.
After a successful exciting first year, The Tron 100 club is now open for applications for 2016.http://www.tron.co.uk/creatives/creatives/100club/.
The event on the 10th will allow you to meet current Tron 100 members, network and find out more what the Tron 100 has to offer before applying. To attend this event please email lisa.nicoll@tron.co.uk by Friday 6th of November.
TRON 100
Tron 100 is an artistic membership dedicated to developing and supporting artists in the areas of theatre, television and radio. Tron 100 Club offers industry workshops, networking events, panel discussions, dedicated artist led devising, writing and performance opportunities as well as access to discounted rehearsal space. Perhaps most importantly, Tron 100 offers a place to come together regularly to discuss, explore and develop new ideas with the wider artistic community with the support of the Tron Creative Team.
Open to professional actors, writers, directors and other creative roles, The Tron 100 focuses on listening to artists needs and wants in order to work alongside them helping provide opportunities which enhance and develop their chosen career path.
A carefully curated week of events, workshops, discussions and creative opportunities takes place in the building each month to Tron 100 members.
Our aim is to develop and enhance artistic relationships and opportunities in Scotland and further afield in the UK.
Examples of relationships that developed through Tron100 2015 include; Soho Theatre, The Royal Court, The Agency, Shepherd Management, BBC, Oran Mor, Traverse Theatre, Dundee Rep, Orla O’Connor Casting and with individuals such as Stephen Greenhorne, Nicola McCartney, David Leddy, Kai Fischer, Ben Harrison, Matthew Lenton, Charlie Westenra, Jimmy McGovern, David Blair and David Hayman. ( For a full list of all 2015 workshops go to The Tron Creative Page)
Further to this, in 2016 there will be a dedicated Tron 100 performance week which gives the opportunity for members to promote their work as an artist to a wider audience.
All this plus discounts in The Tron Bar and Kitchen and on theatre tickets! Full benefits can be found athttp://www.tron.co.uk/creatives/creatives/100club/.
Membership costs £100 for the year and this can be split over ten months so that it is manageable.
Application deadline for Tron 100 is the 30th of November.
Feedback From Current Tron 100 Members
The most important thing Tron 100 brings is support. A face in the industry to share your ideas with that is willing to lend a hand or point you in the right direction. Space to share and develop your skills. A meeting place where you feel you are welcome and belong, where you are not feeling judged by “what are you up to at the moment” but are asked “What do you want to do now and how can we help.” I genuinely think it is the best thing to happen to our community in years.
As an actor born, bred and based in Glasgow, I have never really been able to access the same sort of networking and learning opportunities as my London counterparts, so the Tron 100 Club is an incredibly welcome innovation.
The best art is often the product of collaboration, and encouraging artists to develop, both personally and professionally, within an inspiring artistic community such as the Tron 100 Club is a fantastic resource for artists at any stage in their career.
Sometimes working in theatre can be a lonely. Standing in front of closed doors, wondering how to get that door opened and then what to do if that door opens. The Tron Theatre has always led by example, producing brilliant and exciting work, as well as programming and supporting emerging artists. And now the Tron 100 wonderfully opens the doors to artists, opens the door to opportunities to learn, to network, to discover, to collaborate, to inspiration and to find who we are as artists.
Lisa Nicoll
Development Producer
Tron Theatre | 63 Trongate | Glasgow | G1 5HB
Direct Line: 0141 559 5304
Box Office 0141 552 4267
Online http://www.tron.co.uk
