The modern ghost story ChildMinder has a story forged in Edinburgh spanning decades and continents
A brand new modern ghost story, Childminder, is set to thrill audiences at the Traverse this summer.
The story centres around Joseph, now a famous New York child psychiatrist, who has returned to his childhood home of Edinburgh and is haunted by a past he thought he’d escaped. Not just by all he buried, but physically, in his swanky flat. He didn’t realise it was the same place he assessed Sam that fateful day. Who turns hospitals into luxury apartments? But Sam’s not left and now Joseph can’t either.
The story was written by local playwright and real life child psychiatrist Iain McClure who explained he had both the theatre and his old hospital in mind when writing the script:
“I wrote ChildMinder specifically for the Traverse, to tell a modern Edinburgh ghost story, set in the old Royal Infirmary, where I worked as a doctor. The writing evolved slowly, so its wide span arose naturally.What begins in one room, reaches across to America and back into the shared history of our two countries. This depth somehow enhances the play’s driving idea; two Edinburgh boys, scared and vulnerable, decades apart, do the only thing they can think of to survive.”
The play’s Director, Kolbrún Björt Sigfúsdóttir said: “ChildMinder is a director’s dream; a unique story written in a distinct voice, with three complex characters for the actors to sink their teeth into and a breadth of visual opportunities for the creative team to shine. For me it’s a chance to create something that will haunt the audience’s subconscious as well as thrill them in the moment and I’m delighted we’ve got a stellar team bringing it all together.”
The three strong cast are one of Scotland’s finest screen and stage actors Cal MacAninch (Mayflies, Trigger Point, Vigil,Vera ) as Joseph, Mara Huf (Toast of Tinseltown,Tetris) as Cindy and Ben Ewing (Hollyoaks, Clique) as Sam.
Actor Cal MacAninch said: “I believe that ChildMinder is an extraordinary piece of writing. Dark and multi-layered it will be challenging for the cast, the Production team and indeed the audience and I can’t wait to get started bringing it to life.”
Childminder is at The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, from June 8-10
Tickets available here: http://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/childminder-summer-23
