The National Theatre of Scotland and Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum have emerged as the leaders in this year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland nominations, shortlisted in no less than six categories each. Dundee Repertory Theatre and The Traverse Theatre Company also have plenty to celebrate, following closely behind with an impressive five nominations apiece.
Roadkill and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street lead the field in terms of individual productions – both are in the running for five awards – whilst Age of Arousal, The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain and The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart could potentially walk away with four trophies.
The Best Female Performance category will be hard fought as Kate Dickie (Any Given Day), Blythe Duff (Good With People) and Gemma McElhinney (The Monster in the Hall) and Mercy Ojelade (Roadkill) compete for the coveted title. The competition for Best Male Performance is no less fierce as David Birrell (Sweeney Todd:The Demon Barber of Fleet Street), Alex Ferns (The Hard Man), Peter Forbes (Educating Agnes) and Ian Smith (My Hands Are Dancing But My Heart Is Cold) wait to find out who this year’s victor will be.
Glasgow highlights include three production award nominations for Vox Motus. Fellow CCA residents, Cryptic are 2011’s newcomers receiving their very first nomination for Best Technical Presentation (Orlando). The Citizens Theatre is also represented in the Best Production for Children and Young People category (Beauty and the Beast).
Looking East, whilst the Royal Lyceum and Traverse Theatre dominate, Musselburgh-based children’s theatre company Catherine Wheels is in line for four awards, including two for Best Production for Children and Young People for White and Caged.
Co-convenor Mark Fisher said: “It was a spectacular year for theatre in Scotland and, in category after category, the judges found themselves weighing one great show against another. The nominations range from Nothing To See Here, a community show in Aberdeen with a cast of 250, to My Hands Are Dancing But My Heart Is Cold, a one-man show performed to an audience of one. All manner of work lies in between – from popular musicals to site-specific drama, from lively comedy to sublime children’s theatre – demonstrating the range and vibrancy of theatre in Scotland.”
In an exciting addition to CATS’ well-respected group of sponsors, Equity, the UK trade union for professional performers and creative practitioners has entered into a three year relationship with the awards, sponsoring the Best Ensemble category.
Now in its ninth year, the CATS has become a highlight of the theatrical calendar in Scotland, celebrating the actors, directors playwrights and other artists who have made the most thrilling contributions to the industry. Any piece of professional theatre substantially produced in Scotland in the 12 months from May to April (the natural break in the theatre year) is eligible. This year’s ceremony will be held for a third time at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh on Sunday 12 June at 3.00pm.
The event is open to members of the public and offers a unique opportunity for audiences to come together with the cream of the Scottish theatre community to celebrate the contribution that work produced in Scotland makes to the cultural life of the country.
Tickets cost £15 (including live entertainment, entry to the awards ceremony, a pre- and post- show glass of fizz and light refreshments) and can be purchased through the Festival Theatre box office. For further information on the CATS visit the website
