The Scottish Government has awarded £200,000 to the Edinburgh International Festival to present the world premiere of a new stage adaptation of Alasdair Gray’s classic novel ‘Lanark’, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop announced today.
The adaptation by David Greig, directed by Graham Eatough, will take place as part of a celebration of Alasdair Gray’s 80th birthday year, and will be delivered in collaboration with the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow.
Lanark is set in the disintegrating cities of Unthank and Glasgow, and tells the interwoven stories of Lanark and Duncan Thaw. A work of extraordinary imagination and wide range, its playful narrative techniques convey a profound message, both personal and political, about humankind’s inability to love, and yet our compulsion to go on trying.
Ms Hyslop said:
“Through the Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund, the Scottish Government has directly invested more than £15 million in the Edinburgh festivals since 2008/09, including more than £1.5 million for projects delivered as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. I am delighted to announce today that this fund will provide £200,000 in 2015 to enable the EIF to present the world premiere of a new stage adaptation of Lanark.
“Our ongoing investment in Edinburgh’s festivals underlines this government’s commitment to creating long term benefits for Scottish artists, the economy and Scotland’s international reputation. The Edinburgh festivals contribute more than £250m in tourism revenue to Scotland’s economy but just as important is their international profile.
“Edinburgh’s festivals have been defining and promoting Scotland’s identity as a confident, creative, welcoming nation for over 65 years. We are supporting their work through the Expo Fund to fund innovation, collaboration and artist development, all vital for future success of our festivals.”
Festival Director, Fergus Linehan said,
“The Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund has enabled us to present new work from many wonderful Scottish artists and companies on the Festival’s international stage. The support for Lanark, which opens at the Edinburgh International Festival and then continues at the Citizens Theatre in the autumn, helps make it possible to stage this enormous Scottish literary landmark. I am truly excited about the creative team behind this endeavour and look forward to seeing the results of their work on stage. We would like to thank the Scottish Government for its farsightedness in establishing this fund and for its continuing strategic support for Scottish artists and work at the Festival.”
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