Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Studio is about to stage the world première of This Is A Gift, a brand new play by Edinburgh-based Icelandic playwright and director Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir, set in Leith, based mostly on the Greek Midas Myth, that explores class, care and penalties.
If you might have one want, what would it not be?
Zoe is about to move off to college, assuming she’s bought the grades. Dad’s gilding enterprise is struggling however they don’t speak about that. Summer is right here and every part is about to vary. Hopefully.
When Silvain passes out towards their door, Zoe and pa take him in and look after him – a easy act of kindness that has sudden penalties. As a token of his gratitude, Silvain’s buddy, Dennis, provides dad a want. But all needs include a worth. Gold doesn’t glitter. Gold simply blinds.
Directed by Sam Hardie (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Pitlochry Festival Theatre), This Is A Gift featured as one of many Royal Shakespeare Company’s 37 Plays, a nationwide playwriting venture in 2023 which created a collection of 37 model new performs that mirrored the world we stay in. The new play was additionally longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting the identical yr.
Playing the function of Zoe would be the acclaimed, award-winning Scottish actress Blythe Jandoo whose theatre credit embody Gypsy, The Maggie Wall and Sunshine on Leith (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Peter Pan (Clyde Auditorium Glasgow), and he or she additionally featured within the Walt Disney Pictures Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast.
Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir is an Icelandic director, playwright and dramaturg based mostly in Edinburgh. Her writing consists of Deliverance by Brite Theatre (produced by Vanishing Point), Kit Kat (Breakfast Plays, Traverse Theatre) and Can This Be (Prague Fringe). In Spring 2022 she was Resident Director on the Tron Theatre the place she directed Me and My Sister Tell Each Other Everything (which she was nominated as Best Director on the 2022 CATS Awards) and dangle. Her current freelance credit embody ChildMinder (Traverse Theatre), Variant (A Play, A Pie and A Pint) and Maryland (Traverse Theatre).
Playwright Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir mentioned:
“This Is A Gift is a love letter. To Leith. To Scottish humour. To youth. To the Greek myths. To dad and mom and youngsters and care. To the outsiders. To rising up poorer than other people and the ambitions that include that. To being on the precipice.
It was such an honour to have it carried out script in hand as a part of the 37 Plays on the Royal Shakespeare Company – I did my Masters on Shakespeare and his love of language is such an inspiration to me. I point out that as regardless that it’s a piece of latest writing it owes rather a lot to the previous masters and their craft. It is a really lyrical, rhythmic piece, it’s a rollercoaster journey of huge feelings and hanging imagery. Expect a little bit of magic, an previous story advised in a brand new means, a younger perspective. Expect a surprising solo efficiency and marriage of artforms. Expect it to be each intimate and epic, private and divine. Expect the sudden. I’m past thrilled to have it premiere at beautiful Pitlochry and might’t wait to listen to your reactions.”
This Is A Gift runs within the Studio at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 24 June – 11 September. Tickets and additional info can be found from the Box Office on 01796 484626 or on-line at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com.
Leave a Reply