TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. We interview well-known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year-round programme at the Traverse. The Traverse is Scotland’s new writing theatre. Formed in 1963 by a group of passionate theatre enthu…
For this episode, the final in the series, our Co-Artistic Director, Gareth Nicholls walks you through the process of pitching your play to theatres, from research right through to building an ongoing relationship with a company.
Content warning: Contains sounds of explosives and armed combat
Who knows how long more the arse will be dragged out of this? It’s 2048 and the end of the world is nigh. Actually, it’s not that nigh – it’s been going on for flipping ages and everyone’s a bit over it, to be honest. Liam and his long-suffering wife Edel have been up all night trying to get their chaotic affairs into some kind of order, surrounded by dozens of empties from last night’s raging party. They feel rough, they’re on edge, and they’re blasting music to drown out the cataclysmic noise outside as cities start to disappear and the world’s animals go haywire. Liam is hammering furiously at his typewriter, finishing the memoirs that no-one will ever read. Edel is wrangling with her laptop, desperately trying to say a final goodbye to their beloved kids. And they’re both reflecting on past regrets - and trying to put them right in sometimes bloody, messy, outrageous ways. As tempers fray, family secrets are outed and their behaviour becomes ever more questionable, Liam and Edel try to work out what really matters as they career towards a bickering end - while the world literally falls apart around them. John Morton’s brutally comic Denouement - presented as an audio recorded reading - has been nominated for the inaugural Popcorn Award for playwriting. A co-production between the Traverse Theatre and Lyric Theatre Belfast stars real-life couple Ian McElhinney (Game of Thrones, Derry Girls) as Liam and Marie Jones (In the Name of the Father) as Edel, is directed by the Traverse’s award-winning Co-Artistic Director Gareth Nicholls (Crocodile Fever, Ulster American) and features sound design and composition by Michael John McCarthy.
Debbie Hannan, Co-Artistic Director Designate at the Traverse Theatre speaks to Lorn Macdonald, the BAFTA award-winning actor who is making his directorial debut at Traverse Festival 2020 with Declan - a new short film taking on class, culture and appropriation - based on original text from Traverse smash-hit Mouthpiece by Kieran Hurley. Last week during an interview with Janice Forsyth, host of BBC Scotland’s The Afternoon Show, Lorn was unfortunately cut off several times due to WIFI problems. In this podcast, Debbie and Lorn pick up the conversation where they left off.
Two co-workers meet in the staff room of a non-descript corporate office. As one colleague struggles with current events across the Atlantic hitting home, the other is tasked with assessing her mental fitness. Uma Nada-Rajah’s The Watercooler addresses racism with a searing streak of surrealism. The Breakfast Plays: New Tracks are generously supported by the Noël Coward Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust. The Traverse Theatre is funded by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, with additional support from The Scottish Government Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund.
A cathedral at the edge of time, at the end of the world. A few hundred cling to life within its thick, safe walls. Humanity’s final outpost. The cathedral bells ring out in the hopes of finding more lost souls to bring to sanctuary but is there anyone actually left to save? The Breakfast Plays: New Tracks are generously supported by the Noël Coward Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust. The Traverse Theatre is funded by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, with additional support from The Scottish Government Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund.
For this episode, the final in the series, our Co-Artistic Director, Gareth Nicholls walks you through the process of pitching your play to theatres, from research right through to building an ongoing relationship with a company.
21st December 2012, the day the world was meant to end. The day a cult leader’s apocalyptic predictions failed. Faye and Felix devoted themselves to a doomsday that didn’t come and now, having seen the world get continually worse over the past nine years, they’re confronting their former leader with their findings. The Breakfast Plays: New Tracks are generously supported by the Noël Coward Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust. The Traverse Theatre is funded by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, with additional support from The Scottish Government Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund.
Dead in the woods, Ren of Ord clears her windpipe of soil, earth and rot. Sworn to enact vengeance, she rises to protect her land and her sisterhood from the fate that befell her that day upon the hill. Rabbit Catcher is a lyrical, mythical lore set within the dark, dense woods of Ord Hill, Inverness. The Breakfast Plays: New Tracks are generously supported by the Noël Coward Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust. The Traverse Theatre is funded by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, with additional support from The Scottish Government Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund.
In this episode some familiar voices that you've heard throughout the series will tackle some quick-fire playwriting related questions.
Literary Associate, Eleanor White speaks to four members of our readers panel to find out what they look out for when reading scripts.
'Just keep writing. Keep telling the story that you want to tell, the story that you don't see and that needs to be centre stage.' Grab yourself a cuppa and settle in as Debbie Hannan and Nessah Muthy chat about how to represent working-class voices in theatre.
This week’s Open Submissions workshop led by Julia Taudevin is filled with advice, anecdotes and exercises for the writer-performer.
Oliver Emanuel's Open Submissions Workshop on dramatic tension gives you a healthy dose of playwriting knowledge by using your 5-a-day. Intrigued? Listen and find out for yourself.
Percentages, chemical reactions and graphs - they don't have anything to do with playwriting, right? In this week's Open Submissions Workshop, Meghan Tyler shares the theory that playwriting can be a science.
In this week's Open Submissions Workshop, Clare Duffy gives her tops tips and advice for what to consider when writing dialogue.
'Your responsibility as a storyteller is to represent the world and the people in it.' In this Open Submissions Workshop, Matilda Ibini and Natasha Sutton Williams discuss writing with and representing disability in your work.
The Breakfast Plays, returns this year as a podcast. Breakfast Plays: New Tracks will be available wherever you get your podcasts from Monday. In celebration, we wanted to introduce you to the writers.
Welcome to the sixth session in our new Open Submissions Workshop series! The Traverse is producing a series of Open Submissions Workshops that you can view and listen to for free from anywhere in the world. Each week a professional playwright or theatremaker, both established and early career, will deliver a workshop on a particular aspect of the writing process, and elements of particular consideration for writers, aiming to practically and proactively support writers through the process of having an initial idea for a script to pitching their script to a theatre. If you have a question which isn't answered here, please tweet it to @traversetheatre or email writing@traverse.co.uk and we'll do our best to get it answered! - - - - - - - - - - To find out more about and help support the Traverse's talent development work, visit www.traverse.co.uk/support-us - - - - - - - - - - The Traverse Theatre is supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council. Open Submissions and Open Submissions Workshops are supported by the Foyle Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust.
Welcome to the fifth session in our new Open Submissions Workshop series! The Traverse is producing a series of Open Submissions Workshops that you can view and listen to for free from anywhere in the world. Each week a professional playwright or theatremaker, both established and early career, will deliver a workshop on a particular aspect of the writing process, and elements of particular consideration for writers, aiming to practically and proactively support writers through the process of having an initial idea for a script to pitching their script to a theatre. If you have a question which isn't answered here, please tweet it to @traversetheatre or email writing@traverse.co.uk and we'll do our best to get it answered! - - - - - - - - - - To find out more about and help support the Traverse's talent development work, visit www.traverse.co.uk/support-us - - - - - - - - - - The Traverse Theatre is supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council. Open Submissions and Open Submissions Workshops are supported by the Foyle Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust.
Open Submissions Workshop #4: Finding inspiration, with Douglas Maxwell by Traverse Theatre
Welcome to the second session in our new Open Submissions Workshop series! The Traverse is producing a series of Open Submissions Workshops that you can view and listen to for free from anywhere in the world. Each week a professional playwright or theatremaker, both established and early career, will deliver a workshop on a particular aspect of the writing process, and elements of particular consideration for writers, aiming to practically and proactively support writers through the process of having an initial idea for a script to pitching their script to a theatre. This second workshop answers some of your questions about the Open Submissions Workshop series, our Open Submissions script initiative and playwriting more generally. If you have a question which isn't answered here, please tweet it to @traversetheatre or email writing@traverse.co.uk and we'll do our best to get it answered! - - - - - - - - - - To find out more about and help support the Traverse's talent development work, visit www.traverse.co.uk/support-us - - - - - - - - - - The Traverse Theatre is supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council. Open Submissions and Open Submissions Workshops are supported by the Foyle Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust.
Welcome to the second session in our new Open Submissions Workshop series! The Traverse is producing a series of Open Submissions Workshops that you can view and listen to for free from anywhere in the world. Each week a professional playwright or theatremaker, both established and early career, will deliver a workshop on a particular aspect of the writing process, and elements of particular consideration for writers, aiming to practically and proactively support writers through the process of having an initial idea for a script to pitching their script to a theatre. This second workshop answers some of your questions about the Open Submissions Workshop series, our Open Submissions script initiative and playwriting more generally. If you have a question which isn't answered here, please tweet it to @traversetheatre or email writing@traverse.co.uk and we'll do our best to get it answered! - - - - - - - - - - To find out more about and help support the Traverse's talent development work, visit https://www.traverse.co.uk/support-us - - - - - - - - - - The Traverse Theatre is supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council. Open Submissions and Open Submissions Workshops are supported by the Foyle Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust.
Welcome to the first session in our new Open Submissions Workshop series! Over the next 16 weeks, the Traverse will be producing a series of Open Submissions Workshops that you can view and listen to for free from anywhere in the world. Each week a professional playwright or theatremaker, both established and early career, will deliver a workshop on a particular aspect of the writing process, and elements of particular consideration for writers, aiming to practically and proactively support writers through the process of having an initial idea for a script to pitching their script to a theatre. This first workshop covers what you can expect from the Open Submissions Workshop series, some more information about the Traverse Theatre, exactly what's involved in our Open Submissions initiative, and what we're on the lookout for. If you have a for Eleanor to answer in next week's session, tweet it to @traversetheatre or email writing@traverse.co.uk by Mon 18 May and we'll do our best to get it answered! - - - - - - - - - - To find out more about and help support the Traverse's talent development work, visit https://www.traverse.co.uk/support-us - - - - - - - - - - The Traverse Theatre is supported by Creative Scotland and the City of Edinburgh Council. Open Submissions and Open Submissions Workshops are supported by the Foyle Foundation and the Turtleton Charitable Trust.
During the festival this year some of our productions are offering Audio Described performances. Learn more about those shows by listening to their audio flyer. Thanks to Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for producing these tracks.
During the festival this year some of our productions are offering Audio Described performances. Learn more about those shows by listening to their audio flyer. Thanks to Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for producing these tracks.
During the festival this year some of our productions are offering Audio Described performances. Learn more about those shows by listening to their audio flyer. Thanks to Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for producing these tracks.
During the festival this year some of our productions are offering Audio Described performances. Learn more about those shows by listening to their audio flyer. Thanks to Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society for producing these tracks.
Sponsored by Spotlight.
In Conversation at the Traverse: Mark Thomas by Traverse Theatre
How to Disappear | Audio Introduction by Traverse Theatre
Girl in the Machine | Post show discussion by Traverse Theatre
A post show discussion recorded live in Traverse 1 on November 3rd 2016 featuring the cast and creative team from Grain in the Blood by Rob Drummond. NB Please note this discussion contains spoilers and reveals elements of the plot. The discussion is hosted by Traverse Engagement Manager Sunniva Ramsay. Please Note: This was recorded live in Traverse 1 and the volume is lower than a studio recorded podcast. Featuring music by Michael John McCarthy from Grain in the Blood. Track: Lamb Slaughter http://www.michaeljohnmccarthy.com/
TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Rob Drummond. Rob is an award-winning playwright, performer and director who has worked with the most prestigious theatres in the UK. Rob is under commission to Traverse Theatre, National Theatre of Scotland, The Royal Court and the National Theatre. Theatre includes: Mr Write (National Theatre of Scotland); Rob Drummond: Wrestling (The Arches); Bullet Catch (The Arches, Traverse Theatre, 59E59 Theater, National Theatre, World Tour); Quiz Show (Traverse Theatre); Uncanny Valley (Summerhall), In Fidelity (Traverse and HighTide Festival). Awards: Rob’s plays Mr Write, Uncanny Valley and Quiz Show have all won Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland. Bullet Catch won the 2012 Total Theatre Award and received a Herald Angel. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Alan Bissett. Alan is a playwright, novelist and performer who grew up in Falkirk and now lives in Renfrewshire. His novels include Boyracers, Death of a Ladies’ Man and Pack Men and his plays, many of which have been made in collaboration with director Sacha Kyle, include The Ching Room, Turbo Folk, The Pure, The Dead and The Brilliant, Ban This Filth!, The Red Hourglass and his ‘one-woman show’ The Moira Monologues, which has just finished a sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe. He was Glenfiddich Scottish Writer of the Year in 2011 and, believe it or not, has a street in Falkirk named after him. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Sue MacLaine. Sue is a UK theatre-maker, with a singularly driven voice, making work because she has to with the stakes of her investigations are high. She casts a fearless gaze - on both herself and her subject to write scripts that are bleakly funny, challenging whilst remaining compassionate and warm. She is particularly interested in marrying form with subject and was short-listed in 2012 for a Total Theatre Award in the category of 'Innovation, experimentation, and playing with form' for her work Still Life: An Audience with Henrietta Moraes which continues to tour art spaces and galleries. http://www.suemaclaine.com/ Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Al Smith. Al's Play Diary of a Madman is part of the Traverse Festival programme 2016. His other theatre work includes Harrogate (HighTide / Royal Court Theatre); Enola; The Bird (Underbelly); Radio (Underbelly / Soho / 59E59NYC); The Astronaut Wives Club (Soho Theatre). He is currently under commission to the Royal Court Theatre. Radio includes: LifeLines; Duchamp’s Urinal; Life in the Freezer; The Postman of Good Hope; Radio (BBC Radio 4) and Everyday Time Machines; Everyman (BBC Radio 3). Television includes: Shakespeare Live; The Coroner; Father Brown; The Cut; Africa; Holby City; EastEnders (BBC1). Awards: BFI / Wellcome Trust Screenwriting Prize, and the Pearson Playwriting Bursary (Finborough). Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s new writing theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights and theatre-makers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Matt Regan. Matt, AKA Little King, studied Classical Music at Queens University Belfast and graduated in 2010. Soon after he moved to Glasgow and has been working as a freelance musician, writer and performer for six years. He creates his own music, makes music for performances and facilitates music workshops in communities, hospitals and prisons across Scotland. He was nominated for a CATs award for his work for Theology, awarded young innovators funding for Swim Team and was part of Enormous Yes’ Platform 18 award at the Arches. He creates his own work is under the pseudonym ‘Little King’ which features spoken word, poetry and song performed with a string quartet. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellaghar, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Alan Gordon. Alan is an Edinburgh based playwright who strives to make theatre which is accessible to a wide audience and attracts new audiences to the theatre. Alan has produced 4 plays at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has worked with Strange Town since 2011. His plays for Strange Town include, “Teach Me”, which was shortlisted for the Scottish Arts Club Edinburgh Guide Scottish Theatre Award in the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Alan is also one of the Traverse 50 and has been through the Playwrights Studio Scotland Mentoring Scheme. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellaghar, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Errol White and Davina Givan of the renowned group White & Givan. Errol White (Creative Co-Director) Trained at the Northern Contemporary Dance School, Errol White has performed with some of the UK’s best known contemporary dance companies including Phoenix Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre, Random Dance Company and National Dance Company of Wales. He has performed internationally working alongside a number of distinguished directors and choreographers including Rui Horta, Bill T Jones, Kenneth Kvarnstrom, Darshan Singh Buller, Fin Walker and Janet Smith and Ashley Page. Errol was the Artistic Director of National Youth Dance Wales from 2009 till 2013. Currently he is the Creative Co-Director of the Scottish contemporary dance duo White & Givan (previously Errol White Company) A teaching artist and performer, Errol has over 20 years’ experience, including five years as Rehearsal Director with Scottish Dance Theatre. As guest lecturer in dance colleges and other educational settings throughout the UK Errol shares his legacy of practice teaching the next generation of contemporary dancers. He also leads residencies and classes for professional dance companies. In 2014 and in collaboration with Davina Givan, he launched Scotland’s first paid pilot apprenticeship programme, Evolve. Errol is a recipient of the Dance Europe Magazine’s Critics Award for Best Male Performer (2003/2004), the Marion North Mentoring Award for Choreography (2002), the Lisa Ullman Travelling Scholarship Award (2009). His most recent choreographic collaborations with Davina Givan include the successful and critically acclaimed works Three Works (2009) and IAM (2012). Davina Givan (Creative Co-Director) Davina Givan is an experienced and highly articulate artist who trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. Edinburgh born, Davina has worked and performed with Richard Alston Dance Company, Phoenix Dance Theatre, Scottish Dance Theatre and also as the Creative Director of National Youth Dance Wales 2009-13. Currently, she is the Creative Co-Director of the Scottish contemporary dance duo White & Givan (previously Errol White Company). Throughout her career Davina has worked with internationally renowned choreographers dancing original roles for Richard Alston, Darshan Singh Buller, Janet Smith, Henri Oguike, Ashley Page and Jan De Shenkle. She has received several awards including the Critics Award by Dance Europe Magazine (Best Female Performer 2001/2002)The Mitchell Dance Award (1993), and a nomination for the highly-prized Outstanding Young Artist category in the Critics Circle Dance Awards (2002). An experienced teaching artist and facilitator, Davina generously shares her practitioner experience working across age groups and in a variety of educational and professional settings in Scotland and internationally. In 2014 and in collaboration with Errol White, she launched Scotland’s first paid pilot apprenticeship programme, Evolve. Her most recent choreographic collaborations with Errol White include the successful and critically acclaimed works Three Works (2009) and IAM (2012). In 2015, White & Givan were invited to work with Orla O’Loughlin, Artistic Director and Joint CEO of the Traverse Theatre in the capacity of Movement Directors and Choreographers for the new play Swallow by Stef Smith. Swallow won the Scotsman Fringe First Award and the Scottish Arts Club Theatre Award-First Place when premiered in the 2015 Fringe Festival at the Traverse. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellaghar, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Maria Oller. Maria has been Lung Ha Theatre Company’s Artistic Director since 2009. She trained at Ecole Philippe Gaulier in Paris and London, and at The Drama Academy in Helsinki. Since then Maria has been working as an actor and director in theatre, TV and film in Scandinavia and the UK. Alongside working for Lung Ha Theatre Company, Maria is a member of Hearts & Minds Clowndoctor and Elderflower team. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Rebecca Sharp. Rebecca’s work spans theatre/performance, poetry, prose and collaborative projects. Originally from Glasgow, she studied Theatre at Glasgow University. Her early plays were produced at the Arches theatre in Glasgow - ‘fascinatingly complex, audacious and at times brain-poppingly clever work’ (Neil Cooper, The Herald): Last Child (2001) and Danger: Hollow Sidewalk (2006). Recent projects include The Ballad of Juniper Davy and Sonny Lumiere (poetry, performance), Little Forks (live literature), For the Bees (text and music with Mr McFall’s Chamber), Rules of the Moon (text/sound/performance with Philip Jeck), The Unmaking of Mary Somerville (with Stellar Quines theatre company) and The Wakeful Chamber (with a Play a Pie and a Pint, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Sound new music festival); as well as her current play, The Air That Carries The Weight with Stellar Quines. She currently lives in Fife. www.rebeccajoysharp.com Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Marc Brew. Marc Brew is an award-winning Australian performer, director and choreographer. Now based in Glasgow, Marc’s work has been toured to critical acclaim across the world, his outdoor work (i)land was commissioned for the Glasgow 2014 Cultural programme and Without Walls. Brew’s Unlimited Commission Fusional Fragments was part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and a collaboration with world-renowned percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie which toured the UK and Internationally. His new work For Now, I am... had its World Premiere at Dance International Glasgow Festival in May 2015. Marc has also produced work for a number of high profile companies such as Scottish Ballet, Indepen-dance 4, Ballet Cymru, AXIS Dance Company (USA), Candoco Dance Company, Scottish Dance Theatre, Touch Compass (NZ), Amy Seiwert’s Imagery (USA), The London Contemporary Dance School, YDance, National Theatre Scotland and Dundee Rep Theatre. Marc has been presented with a Centenary Medal for Outstanding Contribution as a dancer and choreographer and in 2014 Marc was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Performance (Individual) at the prestigious Isadora Duncan Awards for his solo piece Remember When. Marc is Associate Artist at Tramway and Associate Artistic Director at Ballet Cymru. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Devised, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Matthew Zajac. Matthew is from Inverness. He studied Drama at Bristol University and has worked as an actor for 33 years. Theatre includes work at the Citizens Theatre Glasgow, Manchester Royal Exchange, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Everyman, Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, the Lyric Hammersmith, Bush Theatre and the Young Vic. Most recently, he played Bishop Gornik in the feature film The Crucifixion, directed by Xavier Gens and due for release in 2016. He directed Seven Ages (2001), The Seer (2006), ‘e Polish Quine (2007), Jacobite Country (2010), Sweetness (2011) and The Baroness (2013) for Dogstar and wrote and performed The Tailor of Inverness for the company, winning the 2009 Best Actor Award at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland, a Scotsman Fringe First, the Holden Street Theatres Award and the Stage Award for Best Solo Performer at the 2008 Edinburgh Fringe. The Tailor of Inverness went on to run for a month at the 2009 Adelaide Fringe Festival, winning nominations for Best Production and Best Performance. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Conceived, produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain.
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Stephen Greenhorn. Stephen has been a professional dramatist for theatre, radio and television since 1989. His plays have been produced by a wide variety of theatre companies across the UK and around the world. Notable successes include The Salt Wound (1994) for 7:84, Passing Places (1997) for the Traverse (produced at Pitlochry in 2014), King Matt (2001) for TAG, and award-winning The Proclaimers musical Sunshine on Leith for Dundee Rep which toured the UK and Scotland 2007-10. His feature adaptation of Sunshine on Leith for Black Camel Pictures/DNA premiered September 2013 at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews and has enjoyed a UK-wide release. Stephen's TV work includes the six-part drama series Glasgow Kiss (BBC1, 2000), the feature–length adaptation of Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea (BBC1, 2006), two episodes of Doctor Who and critically-acclaimed five-part series Marchlands (ITV, 2011). He also created the popular soap opera River City for BBC Scotland. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Literary Associate, Rosie Kellagher, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Rosie Speaks to Linda McLean. Linda comes from Glasgow, Scotland. Her plays have won many awards. They include Every Five Minutes, Sex & God, Any Given Day, Strangers, Babies, Shimmer, Riddance and One Good Beating. Since her first production in 1997, she has been known as a playwright who experiments with form. Her plays have been translated into many languages. An anthology of her work was published in France in 2015 by Actes Sud. Linda is on the artistic board of Magic Theatre, San Francisco. She is currently writing a comedy for Magic Theatre and a new play called Thingummy Bob, for Lung Ha theatre Company will premiere at the Traverse in October 2015. She has also written a Breakfast Play for the Traverse Theatre’s Festival 2015 programme. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma Speaks to Zinnie Harris. Zinnie’s celebrated early play Further Than The Furthest Thing (Royal National Theatre / Tron co-production) won her the Peggy Ramsay Playwriting and John Whiting Award in 2001. Her most recent play, How To Hold Your Breath, premiered at the Royal Court Jerwood downstairs in 2015. Her other plays include The Wheel (2011, National Theatre of Scotland), which won a Fringe First and was joint winner of the 2011 Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award; an adaptation of A Doll’s House (2009, Donmar Warehouse); Fall (2008, Traverse Theatre), Midwinter (2004, RSC), which won an Arts Foundation Fellowship Prize for Playwriting; and Nightingale And Chase (2001, Royal Court Theatre). Zinnie’s television work includes two 90 minute dramas for Channel 4, Born With Two Mothers and Richard Is My Boyfriend; episodes for the BBC One Drama Series SPOOKS; and she is currently lead writer on the series Partners In Crime (based on the Agatha Christie novels Tommy And Tuppence), for Endor / BBC 1 (to be broadcast in 2015), starring David Walliams. Her theatre direction includes The Garden (2009) and While You Lie (2010) for the Traverse Theatre, Midwinter (2004) and Solstice (2005) for the Royal Shakespeare Company, her own adaptation of Strindberg’s Miss Julie (2006) for the National Theatre of Scotland, Dealers Choice (2003) for the Tron Theatre and Gilt (2003) for 7:84. Zinnie has also worked extensively as a dramaturg, particularly with Edinburgh-based theatre company, Grid Iron where she was co-ordinating director on the award winning co-production with Edinburgh International Book Festival Letters Home (2014). Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Chris Campbell and Sasha Dugdale about the art of translation. A translator and poet, Sasha Dugdale has translated many plays from Russian for theatres around the world, including the Royal Court Theatre, the Traverse Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company and BBC Radio Drama. She also translates poetry and short stories, and her translation of the poet Elena Shvarts’ Birdsong on the Seabed (Bloodaxe) was a Poetry Book Society Recommended Translation and shortlisted for the Popescu and Rossica Prizes. Sasha translated 'Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha' by Ukrainian playwright Natalia Vorozhbyt as part of Traverse Theatre A Play, A Pie and A Pint Spring Season 2015. Chris Campbell has worked as an actor at theatres including The National, The Royal Court, The Traverse, The West Yorkshire Playhouse, The Birmingham Rep, The Gate and English Touring Theatre. Directors have included Howard Davies, Sir Richard Eyre, Sir Peter Hall, Richard Wilson, William Gaskill, Erica Whyman, Stephen Daldry, Ian Brown and Annie Castledine. He most recently appeared alongside Meryl Streep in 'The Iron Lady'. He has translated plays by Philippe Minyana, David Lescot, Rémi de Vos, Adeline Picault, Magali Mougel, Launcelot Hamelin, Frédéric Blanchette, Catherine-Anne Toupin and Fabrice Roger-Lacan for The National, The Almeida, The Donmar, The Traverse, The Birmingham Rep and The Young Vic among others. Chris was Deputy Literary Manager of the National Theatre for six years and is currently Literary Manager of the Royal Court. In 2014, Chris was appointed Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government. Chris translated 'Right Now' by Quebecois playwright and actor Catherine-Anne Toupin. Right Now is presented by the Traverse Theatre Company in May 2015. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced by Cian O Siochain and Eleanor Pender Devised and engineered by Cian O Siochain
*Please note, this month's TravCast was recorded via a remote link meaning there is a lower sound quality than usual at certain points in the episode.* TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to playwright and actor, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Her debut play 'Fleabag' opened at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe to acclaim and awards. Phoebe has been awarded The Critics Circle Award (Most Promising Playwright), two Off West End Awards (Most Promising Playwright and Best Female Performance), a Fringe First and a Stage Award (Best Solo Performance). She also received a Special Commendation from the Susan Smith Blackburn Award and was shortlisted for the Evening Standard Most Promising Playwright Award. This production of Fleabag was nominated for an Olivier Award 2014 for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre. She is currently adapting Fleabag for television and is working on a number of stage and screen projects. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced by Cian O Siochain and Eleanor Pender Devised and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Andy Manley and Ian Cameron, performers in Catherine Wheel's award-winning White. As an actor, deviser and director Andy Manley has been involved with many of the children’s theatre companies in Scotland. He creates performances largely through devising, though has worked on several written projects. He directs or performs depending on what feels right for the project. He started to make his own work in 2006, before that he was an actor. Andy works with a number of artists and collaborators to create his shows and the performances travel extensively to UK and international venues and festivals. Andy worked with Shona previously on Potato Needs a Bath, which has toured to the New Victory Theatre and he has worked with Catherine Wheels on Martha (Catherine Wheels), the internationally successful White and Kappa and The Ballad of Pondlife McGurk – which most recently toured to the New Victory Theatre in New York. His recent work includes a small story a co-production between Starcatchers and Theater O.N, Berlin and I Want a Rabbit! for Theater Junges Generation, Dresden. Further directing credits include work for Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne, Macrobert Arts Centre, M6 Theatre Company, Polka Theatre. Andy won the Herald Archangel at the Fringe 2012. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain
TravCast is the Writer's Podcast from the Traverse, Scotland’s New Writing Theatre. Associate Director, Emma Callander, interviews well known playwrights and theatremakers whose work features in the year round programme at the Traverse. In this episode, Emma speaks to Iain Finlay Macleod, writer of the current Traverse Theatre Company production 'The Devil Masters'. Iain Finlay has had over fifty dramatic works produced for radio, theatre, television and film. His work has been shown in a number of countries such as the US, Germany and France. Plays for the Traverse Theatre include The Pearlfisher, I was a Beautiful Day, Homers and Broke (A version of the French play, Un homme en Faillite). Other plays include Somersaults for the National Theatre of Scotland and St. Kilda - The Opera which was performed in five European countries simultaneously in four languages. Iain Finlay is currently Associate Artist (Gaelic) at the National Theatre of Scotland. He was awarded the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship in 2009. He was Associate Playwright for two years (2007-2009) with Playwrights’ Studio Scotland and Writer-in-Residence at Sabhal Mor Ostaig for two years. The play The Devil Masters was written when he was the IASH Edinburgh University/Traverse Theatre Fellow in 2013, based at the Institute of Advanced Studies for the Humanities at Edinburgh University. Original music by James Iremonger www.jamesiremonger.co.uk Produced and engineered by Cian O Siochain