David Greig Archives - North West End UK

17Feb

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Two Sisters – Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh

Writer David Greig, returns to the stage for the first time since taking the reins as Artistic Director of The Royal Lyceum in 2016, with a whimsical exploration of time, memory, love and self-fulfilment. The title might be a nod to Chekhov, but the setting is closer to home ,a rusting and decrepit caravan park, on the shoreline of the Firth of Forth in the kingdom of Fife. Two thirtysomething sisters, Amy and Emma meet up in Holiday Heaven, the favourite holiday location of their youth. Emma is now a successful lawyer and company director who is just looking for peace and quiet and a space to write, on her own, a last chance of self expression before her first child arrives. Amy, leather clad and tottering about in high heals, is a failed rock star, who has jumped from one idea to the ...

The Snow Queen – Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

8Dec

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Snow Queen – Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh

The Royal Lyceum’s Christmas show is always something to be anticipated and relished. Navigating a careful course away from the ubiquitous seasonal ‘panto’, it aims for the high road, a more refined magical, mirth-filled, musical path, under the helm of Artistic director David Greig’s discerning eye. After the rather wonderful, An Edinburgh Christmas Carol, last year, which I loved, I was lucky enough to obtain a ticket for this year’s The Snow Queen, albeit a couple of weeks after the official press night. The opening scene, with a magical set and some nicely shadowy projections introduces, Hans Christian Anderson’s famous tale in a darkly Scottish setting, Edinburgh to be exact, complete with icy Edinburgh castle. So far so good. Two orphan children, Gerda, played by the rather won...

Charlie Bucket comes to Leeds Playhouse this Christmas

11Feb

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Charlie Bucket comes to Leeds Playhouse this Christmas

Over the last few years Leeds Playhouse have staged on a series of family festive extravaganzas and this year they’re staging the musical version of the beloved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Their reinvention of the West End and Broadway hit will be directed by their Artistic Director James Brining, adapted from Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel by David Greig, with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman. Generations of fans have loved the magical tale as young golden ticket winner Charlie Bucket ventures into a strange factor run by eccentric confectionary wizard Willy Wonka with five other winners for a wild ride through the imagination “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is such a special story, loved by generations of children and their parent...

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart – Royal Exchange

9Dec

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart – Royal Exchange

At Christmas the Royal Exchange usually stages a classic musical to bring us some festive cheer with Sweet Charity, Guys and Dolls and Gypsy being recent successful offerings. It is therefore something of a radical departure this year to find the new team of Artistic Directors (Bryony Shanahan and Roy Weise), plumping for a play based around Scottish folk ballads to entice theatregoers away from pantomime, hearth and home. As I made my way to my favourite theatre, braving monsoon conditions, drunken office parties and the questionable attractions of the Manchester markets, I was intrigued by this quirky choice. I left three hours later, exhilarated, charmed and slightly confused by this uneven but undeniably captivating piece of theatre. We are presented with the eponymous Prudencia Har...

Touching The Void – Bristol Old Vic at Home

27May

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

REVIEWS

Touching The Void – Bristol Old Vic at Home

After a successful and critically acclaimed West End run, David Greig’s tense play based on Joe Simpson’s bestselling mountaineering memoir is brought to the live streaming platform by Bristol Old Vic. Touching The Void is a play about the human spirit and the need to survive under extreme and dangerous circumstances. The story is set in the perilous Peruvian Andes where climbers Joe (Josh Williams) and Simon (Angus Yellowlees) are facing the treacherous descent of the infamous Siula Grande Mountain. Greig’s lean and powerful script plays out like a nail biting thriller as we see both climbers struggle to survive not just the unforgiving weather conditions but the mountain itself. When one of the climbers slips during their descent, all bets are off as the real tension builds and ...

Casting announced for world premiere of David Greig’s new play Adventures with the Painted People

21May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

Casting announced for world premiere of David Greig’s new play Adventures with the Painted People

Pitlochry Festival Theatre have announced Nicholas Karimi and Kirsty Stuart will star in the world stage premiere of David Greig’s new play, Adventures with the Painted People. Greig’s first play since 2013’s The Events will open at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 10th June to 4th July as part of their outdoor Summer Season. Karimi plays Lucius who is a cultured Roman officer, captured by the Picts and about to be sacrificed. Stuart is Eithne, a wise Pictish woman, who wants to record her people's history in writing, a skill they do not yet have. She makes a deal where she will rescue Lucius in exchange for him teaching her to write. So, they must flee - not by road, the Romans have not built those yet - but down river. Performed in the theatre’s outdoor amphit...

David Greig’s new play Adventures with the Painted People gets its stage premiere

9May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

NEWS

David Greig’s new play Adventures with the Painted People gets its stage premiere

David Greig’s new play Adventures with the Painted People which started life as a radio play makes its stage debut at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. It was first commissioned as part of Pitlochry’s cancelled 2020 season and subsequently became a radio play on BBC Radio 3. Now it’s set to have its world stage première from 10th June to 4th July in the theatre’s outdoor amphitheatre as part of their Summer Season. Greig’s first new play since 2013’s The Events will be directed by Pitlochry’s Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman, and is a love story exploring the value of history and the power of writing. Lucius is a cultured Roman officer captured by the Picts and about to be sacrificed. Eithne is a wise Pictish woman, who wants to record her people's history in writing - a skill ...

Pitlochry Festival Theatre to reopen with exciting outdoor Summer Season

19Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Pitlochry Festival Theatre to reopen with exciting outdoor Summer Season

• Pitlochry Festival Theatre to welcome audiences again with outdoor Summer Season of stage premieres, concerts, new adaptations, and family entertainment • 2021 will be the 70th anniversary Summer Season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre • Season to be performed in newly built 80-seater outdoor amphitheatre in the grounds of Pitlochry Festival Theatre • Season to feature Stage premiere of David Greig’s new play Adventures with the Painted People • New works from leading Scottish playwrights including a new adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde by Hannah Lavery and Jo Clifford and Lesley Orr’s new promenade production Requiem which will see the two celebrated playwrights devise a ceremony which will mourn and celebrate the lives of those lost during the pandemic and support the process of ...

Adventures with the Painted People – Pitlochry Festival Theatre/BBC Radio 3

10Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Scotland

Adventures with the Painted People – Pitlochry Festival Theatre/BBC Radio 3

Leading Scottish playwright David Greig’s first play since 2013 was going to be the centrepiece of the new season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre until Covid-19 forced them to close their doors. But the virus has forced theatres to become much more agile so Adventures with the Painted People has been rejigged to be part of their online Shades of the Tay offer, and not surprisingly given Greig’s reputation BBC Radio 3 snapped it up for their Arts in Quarantine series It’s the same story set in 86AD as disgraced Roman officer and wannabe poet Lucius is captured by the fierce Picts lead by Caledonian witch with a heart Eithne, who is keen to use her captive to negotiate a peace with the disciplined legionnaires who are massacring their wild menfolk. By a quirk of theatrical luck Ei...

Elizabeth Newman finds new ways of making work

2Jun

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Interviews

Elizabeth Newman finds new ways of making work

In the second part of an interview with Pitlochry Festival Theatre Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman our Features Editor Paul Clarke hears about the innovative work her team are doing to stay connected to their audience and community. Like most artistic directors Elizabeth Newman was focused on staging her next season at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and then COVID-19 struck forcing her to abandon most of that work as the theatre closed its doors. That meant Newman and her team at the Perthshire venue had to quickly pivot away from the traditional way of making theatre into a very different way of connecting with their audience at the self-styled ‘theatre in the woods’. “As we entered lockdown we launched some really key initiatives,” recalls Elizabeth. “The first was PFT ...