Balgay Hill

“Billy Mackenzie was a unique character,” says James Brining, director of Balgay Hill. “He was a local guy who could have been anything or gone anywhere, but he chose to come back to Dundee.”

Balgay Hill is Dundee-born playwright Simon McCallum’s latest offering, a story about the city, fame and heroes. Featuring some of The Associates’ most famous songs, combining music, drama and video of Billy Mackenzie in performance, this production offers a unique reflection upon our society’s obsession with celebrity, centred upon life in Dundee.

“Dundee is obviously important to the story”, says Brining, “It’s not known for having a lot of famous people, like Glasgow or London. Everyone knew someone who knew Billy.”

The play shifts between the 80s and the present day, and the influence Mackenzie’s music had upon the city and the wider world. This is not, however, a simple tribute to the singer and the events in his life. “It’s not just for fans of Billy Mackenzie and The Associates as it’s not a biography, it’s a work of fiction,” insists Brining. “The lives of the four fictional characters relate and intertwine with Billy, his experiences and his music.”

The portrayal of Mackenzie's life and premature death reveals the pressures of fame and of a life lived in the spotlight. The play is fragmentary, slipping between the past and the present, between fact and fiction, its unconventional form lending itself to a reflection upon the fractured, complex nature of fame. [Anna Fenton]