Scottish Theatre Highlights: November 2022

If you’re one of the people who get S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) when November starts, cosying up in a warm theatre this winter might just be the remedy. And why not get a pie and a pint while you’re at it? Thankfully, A Play, a Pie and a Pint are touring again with five new plays from emerging Scottish playwrights. The season includes Joe McCanna's Alföld, a play about a young interracial couple whose marriage is on the verge of collapse. It is a dark comedy that explores themes of language, misogyny, politics, racism and what it takes to survive in Viktor Orbán’s illiberal democracy (Traverse Theatre, 1-5 Nov).

The CCA in Glasgow has two striking performances on this month. First up is Ciggie Stories: Twenty Tales of Love and Sorrow (3-4 Nov), a performative launch of a new collection of autobiographical writings by multi-disciplinary artist Emily Furneaux. Also on is Tricky Hat’s Don’t Stop Me Now (5 Nov), which challenges the taboos surrounding ageing.

If you’re saving up for the holiday season, you might like these free events: The Citadel Arts Group's new play Caring, based on playwright Rhona McAdam's experience as a carer for her son, is staged at the Scottish Storytelling Centre (3-4 Nov). Queer Stories is a pop-up event by Shaper/Caper that explores the impact of Section 28, a ban that once prohibited the 'promotion of homosexuality'. Inspired by interviews with LGBTQ+ people who lived through the time, they’ll be performing in Dundee, West Lothian, and Inverness. 

Under the £1 Traverse Ticket scheme is Witch Hunt (16-17 Nov), a cautionary fairytale that celebrates the wisdom of the witch, unpacks the notion of the predator, and conjures a world of coven-ready weird sisters.

Also playing this month are Stellar Quines’ Sister Radio in Aberdeen at The Lemon Tree (2 Nov) and in Edinburgh at the Traverse (10-12 Nov); Jordan & Skinner's The Time Machine: A Radical Feminist Retelling at the Traverse (3-5 Nov); and NTS's Enough of Him at CatStrand in NewGalloway, Platform in Glasgow, Lanternhouse in Cumbernauld, Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh, and Perth Theatre.