The Month in Scottish Theatre: October 2018

It’s finally autumn, and that means that a whole host of productions are about to begin touring across the country. But which shows are going where and what does Scottish theatre have to offer this month? Read on and find out, because you are in for a massive treat. 

Festivals

It would be remiss to write a whole guide to Scottish theatre in October and not mention The National Theatre of Scotland’s Futureproof, their upcoming, nationwide festival of radical new work created with Scotland’s young people (which just so happens to be part of the Scottish Government’s Year of Young People). OK, so Futureproof started at the end of September, but it runs until the end of this month, and there is a lot to see and do during the festival.

Co-curated by Lucy Gaizely of 21Common, the festival will see ten daring national and international companies working with local young people to create ten exciting new productions in ten locations across Scotland until 28 October.

Tours

Beginning on 6 October at the Lochgelly Centre, Fuora Dance Project’s first childrens' show W-hat About? aims to respond to the international uncertainty surrounding Brexit, based on their own uncertainty following the referendum. The tour moves to Dundee Rep on 12 October, before touring to Platform in Glasgow, Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy and Musselburgh’s Brunton Theatre, before ending its current run at Arran High School Theatre on 6 November.

Shows

Another show created with young people is This Way Up, a new promenade style dance-theatre show. A new production by Lyra's Young Company in collaboration with Lyra’s Artistic Director Jo Timmins and composer Caitlin Mulgrew, this piece runs from 5-6 October at Artspace. This Way Up was made with young performers from Craigmillar and Niddrie, and weaves together real life stories, feelings and wildly differing definitions of home.

Cumbernauld Theatre present the coming-of-age tale Mancub from 3-13 October. Adapted by one of Scotland’s most admired playwrights, Douglas Maxwell (Decky Does a Bronco, Our Bad Magnet, Charlie Sonata), from the book The Flight of the Cassowary by John Levert, Mancub is a magically comic and thoroughly compelling play. It explores the intensity of emotions in family life and the tribulations of growing up as a teenager in a contemporary Scottish town.

After completing their Dragon trilogy with last year’s Dragons of Drummohr, Vision Mechanics are turning their attention to one of the most beloved stories of all time, transforming the grounds of Drummohr House into the Land of Oz. Their new piece, Quest for Oz runs from 4-28 October and is their most ambitious project yet, combining storytelling, huge light installations and innovative augmented reality. 

Sylvian Productions' Stuff, a new show about hoarding of memories, emotions and things, begins at the Eastgate Theatre in Peebles on 19 October, before touring around Scotland until 7 November, with stops in Hawick, Galashiels and Livingston. Written by Sylvia Dow, directed by Muriel Romanes and designed by John Byrne, the show begins on the day the Council is coming to clear a hoarder’s house.