PRESS RELEASE JULY 2008 to JANUARY 2009 The National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to announce a new season of work from June 2008 to January 2009, with eight world premieres, including a season of work from debut playwrights, two London transfers, two New York runs and one rural tour. Over the next seven months the Company will open productions in Kilmarnock, Dundee, Shetland, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen and produce a season of work in Inverness. At the National Theatre of Scotland we are constantly striving to create entertaining, stimulating and innovative events for our audiences to experience. The emphasis on family work and work for our younger members of society continues to be vital to us, as well as working with many of Scotland's leading theatre professionals who are at the top of their game. I am looking forward to a dynamic year full of debuts and firsts, as we continue to grow. Vicky Featherstone – Artistic Director • Ian Smith and Mischief La-Bas in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland and Tramway collaborate with a host of diverse artists and performers to create Peeping at Bosch, an interactive installation at Tramway, inspired by Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. (10 to 13 July) • The National Theatre of Scotland: New Work will join forces with the Team (USA) to present the world premiere of Architecting at the Traverse as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (31 July to 24 August at Traverse 2). • The National Theatre of Scotland return to the Edinburgh International Festival, following previous successes with Realism and The Bacchae. 365 is new work by David Harrower, directed by Vicky Featherstone about fragmented lives and young people in the care system today. 365 will preview at Eden Court, Inverness before a run at the Edinburgh International Festival, followed by a run in London. (Eden Court from 12 to 16 August, at The Edinburgh Playhouse from 22 to 25 August and at The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith from 8 to 27 September). • Wee Stories and the National Theatre of Scotland are off around the country again, this time with a small scale production of one giant leap which will open in Shetland and visit village halls and community centres across Scotland in the Autumn. (Touring from 1 September to 11 October 2008) • Something Wicked This Way Comes, an updated adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s coming-of-age classic. Adapted by Ray Bradbury himself, directed by Gill Robertson, in a co-production with Catherine Wheels. Touring from 1 October to 2 November: Dundee Rep Theatre (1 to 4 October), Macrobert, Stirling (7 October), Eden Court, Inverness (10 and 11 October), Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh (15 to 18 October), The Lowry, Salford (23 to 25 October), and Tramway, Glasgow (29 October to 2 November) • The National Theatre of Scotland, in partnership with the Traverse Theatre, under the new Artistic Directorship of Dominic Hill will present a season of four brand new plays by debut playwrights at the Traverse Theatre in the Autumn. The season is Nobody Will Ever Forgive Us by Paul Higgins (known for his acting roles in TV’s The Thick of It and the original/US production of Black Watch), directed by John Tiffany, Nasty, Brutish and Short by Andy Duffy and The Dogstone by Kenny Lindsay, directed by Dominic Hill and Cockroach by Sam Holcroft, directed by Vicky Featherstone. (The Traverse from 23 October to 30 November 2008). Further details about the plays to be announced later this year. • The National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to be co-producing with the Donmar Warehouse for the first time with Be Near Me, a new stage version of Andrew O’Hagan’s novel, adapted by Ian McDiarmid with Ian McDiarmid in the lead role. Be Near Me will be directed by John Tiffany and premieres at the Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock. (The Palace, Kilmarnock from 14 to 17 January, at the Donmar Warehouse, London from 22 January to 14 March and touring UK in Spring 2009). • The National Theatre of Scotland Learn 2008 programme continues and includes the return of the popular Youth Theatre festival, Exchange and a new Transform project directed by award-winning actor and director, Alison Peebles. Transform East Ayrshire will take place at Grange Academy, Kilmarnock. (17 to 19 June) and Exchange at Eden Court (1 to 5 July). • As previously announced The Bacchae are back, with Alan Cumming reprising his glittering role as Dionysus in the National Theatre of Scotland’s Edinburgh International Festival hit. Following performances in Aberdeen and Inverness, The Bacchae will visit New York in July 2008. (Touring to His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen from 19 to 21 June, Eden Court, Inverness from 25 to 28 June and at the Lincoln Center Festival 08 from 2 to 13 July 2008). • As previously announced Black Watch will finish its London run in July 2008 and will return to St Ann’s Warehouse, New York in October 2008. • The National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to present a season of work at the newly-refurbished Eden Court. The National Theatre of Scotland in Inverness Season will run from April to October 2008 and will include The Emperor’s New Kilt (in co-production with Wee Stories), The Bacchae, the National Theatre of Scotland Learn’s youth theatre festival, Exchange, Little Otik, previews of 365 and Something Wicked This Way Comes (in co-production with Catherine Wheels). From July 2008 through to January 2009 the Company will visit Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Kilmarnock, London, New York, Salford, Shetland and Stirling with further Scottish and UK touring dates to be announced. For more information visit http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com