PRESS RELEASE
National Theatre of Scotland –
BELONG SEASON 2015
WORLD PREMIERES
A Play, A Pie and A Pint, in association with National Theatre of Scotland
and the University of Edinburgh, presents
A Play, A Pie and A Pint: International Plays from Ukraine and Russia
Three new plays from Ukraine and Russia
Curated by Nicola McCartney
Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha by Natalia Vorozhbyt (Ukraine)
Translated by Sasha Dugdale
Directed by Nicola McCartney
Cast: Jill Riddiford, Paul Cunningham and Jenny Hulse
Òran Mór, Glasgow, week commencing 23 March 2015
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, week commencing 31 March 2015
Presented in collaboration with the Traverse Theatre
In a modest home on the outskirts of Kiev, Katya and Oksana are busy preparing a funeral meal for their
beloved Sasha. A husband, a stepfather, an Army colonel, he was all these things until he dropped stone
cold dead on the bathroom floor.
But Sasha isn’t going without a fight. His women need him. His country needs him. Now more than ever. He
and the others must return; they must march again. They have a solemn oath to uphold. It’s time for the
sixth wave of mobilisation. Line up!
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The War Hasn’t Started Yet by Mikhail Durnenkov (Russia)
Literal translation by Alexandra Smith
Adapted and directed by Davey Anderson
Òran Mór, Glasgow, week commencing 4 May 2015
Russian troops enter Ukraine. But the war hasn’t started yet. Not officially. Meanwhile, protestors take to
the streets, parents lose their children, strangers find lovers, journalists lie on television, cancer patients
crack jokes about the absurdity of existence, the downtrodden dream of rising up against their oppressors
and everyone everywhere is addicted to something.
‘You see all these people in the subway with icy cold eyes. Burning inside. It’s either gastritis, or their souls,
or God knows what. They look like they could pounce at any moment, tear you apart and eat you alive.’
A darkly funny, kaleidoscopic look at contemporary Russia on the brink.
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Thoughts Spoken Aloud From Above by Yuri Klavdiev (Russia)
Literal translation by Alexandra Smith
Adapted by Peter Arnott
Òran Mór, Glasgow, week commencing 25 May 2015
A surreal and fantastical journey through contemporary Russia as seen through the eyes of one of Russia’s
most popular and controversial playwrights. Issues such as gay rights, corruption and love are seen through
prisms as wide ranging as Penguins in the Antarctic to a girl on a forest floor. This piece of magic realism
will transport the audience to an imaginative Russia never before seen on the Scottish stage.
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“Nothing in the history of Russia or Ukraine is ever simple.”
Collaborating on their fifth international season, A Play, A Pie and A Pint, in association with the National
Theatre of Scotland and the University of Edinburgh, presents new work from three of Russia and Ukraine’s
most established and respected writers of “Novii Drama” or “New Drama.”
The writers were asked to respond to the conflict that has escalated between the two countries over the
last 18 months. The result is the three new plays forming this season; a timely blend of comedy, tragedy
and farce.
Novii Drama is a relatively new form of theatre in Russia and Ukraine, where, traditionally, social realism
and the plays of playwrights such as Chekhov have dominated the scene. These exciting new pieces will be
adapted and directed by acclaimed Scottish theatre -makers, Peter Arnott and Davey Anderson.
Curator Nicola McCartney says:
“Four years ago, David MacLennan asked me to travel to Moscow to find out if anyone there might be
interested in A Play, A Pie and A Pint; he was keen to commission a season of Russian work.
There was a lot of interest – and also some consternation at the idea of great art such as theatre being
mixed with alcohol and pies. Shortly after that trip, the hostilities between the two countries commenced
and we knew the time was ripe.
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The three playwrights I have chosen for this season come from both nations involved in the conflict, are
well-established and enormously respected, not just in Russia and Ukraine, but the world over. What is even
more special is that they are best friends. We asked them to respond to what has been happening over the
last 18 months. Nothing in the history of Russia or Ukraine is ever simple…”
Susannah Armitage, producer of A Play, A Pie and A Pint says
Both A Play, A Pie and A Pint and the National Theatre of Scotland are particularly excited to be presenting
new work from both Russia and Ukraine in Spring 2015. It feels like a prescient time to be turning a cultural
spotlight towards that part of the world and to dIscover artists’ responses to what has been happening in
their countries. It is also the realisation of a long-term ambition of both David MacLennan and Nicola
McCartney to see contemporary Russian and Ukranian work as part of the A Play, A Pie and A Pint
programme”
With thanks to the University of Oxford for translation support.
LISTINGS INFORMATION FOR A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT AT ORAN MOR
Venue:
Times:
Ticket prices:
Booking:
Òran Mór, Byres Road, Glasgow
All performances start at 1pm and run for approximately 50 minutes.
£10 to £14 (incl a drink -beer, wine or soft drink, plus a pie /vegetarian quiche
ticketweb.co.uk, 08444 771000 (booking fee will apply) /at venue on day of performance
LISTINGS INFORMATION FOR A PLAY, A PIE AND A PINT AT TRAVERSE THEATRE
Venue:
Times:
Ticket prices:
Booking:
Traverse Theatre, Cambridge Street, Edinburgh
All performances start at 1pm and run for approximately 50 minutes.
£12 (incl a drink -beer, wine, soft drink, tea or coffee, plus a pie /vegetarian pie
traverse.co.uk/at venue on day of performance/ 0131 228 1404
Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha by Natalia Vorozhbyt (Ukraine)
Dates: Òran Mór, Glasgow from 23 to 28 March 2015 at 1pm
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh from 31 March to 4 April 2015 at 1pm, Friday 3 April 1pm & 7pm
The War Hasn’t Started Yet by Mikhail Durnenkov (Russia)
Dates: Òran Mór, Glasgow, from 4 to 9 May 2015 at 1pm
Thoughts Spoken Aloud From Above by Yuri Klavdiev (Russia)
Dates: Òran Mór, Glasgow from 25 to 30 May 2015 at 1pm
Full cast details/additional content to follow at www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
Join the conversation: #UkRuPPP
National Theatre of Scotland Press contacts:
Emma Schad - Press Manager – emma.schad@nationaltheatrescotland.com
Tel: +44 (0)227 9016 M: +44 (0)7930 308018
You can follow the National Theatre of Scotland’s press office on Twitter @NTS_press
Press Images: - please contact the press office
BELONG PHOTOGRAPHS
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The National Theatre of Scotland has commissioned a photographic essay from Pete Dibdin around the
theme of Belonging. Working with photographer Peter Dibdin, we met representatives of some of
Scotland’s communities. Each group portrait reflects one of the productions or stories to be told in our
Belong Season. You can view the images here .
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The National Theatre of Scotland is dedicated to playing the great stages, arts centres, village halls,
schools and site-specific locations of Scotland, the UK and internationally. As well creating groundbreaking productions and working with the most talented theatre-makers, the National Theatre of
Scotland produces significant community engagement projects, innovates digitally and works
constantly to develop new talent. Central to this is finding pioneering ways to reach current and
new audiences and to encourage people’s full participation in the Company’s work. With no
performance building of its own, the Company works with existing and new venues and companies
to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. Founded in 2006, the Company, in its short life,
has become a globally significant theatrical player, with an extensive repertoire of award-winning
work. The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government.
www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
2. A Play, a Pie and a Pint is the UK's largest commissioner and producer of new drama. Founded in
2004, it has mounted over 350 productions in the last ten years. We seek to produce and promote
high quality, tourable new plays from Scotland, the UK and the rest of the world and to present
them at an affordable price to the people of Scotland. Plays from a Play, a Pie and a Pint at Òran
Mór have been produced in England, Ireland, Sweden, Holland, Italy, Spain, Russia, Australia and
the USA. Previous international collaborations with the National Theatre of Scotland have included
plays from Jamaica, Syria, Morocco, China and Latin America. www.playpiepint.com
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ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES 2015
Davey Anderson – Adapter and Director of The War Hasn’t Started Yet (part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Russia/Ukraine season)
Davey has previously worked for the National Theatre of Scotland on Enquirer (as composer and Associate
Director), Peter Pan and Be Near Me (as Musical Director), Architecting (as collaborating writer), Rupture
(as Director) and Black Watch (as Associate Director - Music). Davey has also curated a season of New
Writing from China, in which he adapted and directed Thieves and Boy. He was dramaturg on Ménage à
Trois and Falling, was co-director of Transform Orkney - Mixter Maxter and Associate Director for Home:
Glasgow. In 2006-07 he was the Company’s Director-in-Residence and Associate Director during 2014.
As a writer, Davey's plays include; The Static (ThickSkin), Blackout (NT Connections), Playback (Ankur),
Clutter Keeps Company (Birds of Paradise), Liar (TAG/ Citizens Theatre), Wired (Òran Mór) and Snuff
(Arches), which he directed as winner of the Arches Award for Stage Directors 2005. Davey has recently
written a number of short plays for Theatre Uncut and collaborated wth a collective of writers making
topical agitprop for A Play, a Pie, and a Pint. He has also worked as composer and sound designer on Dublin
Carol (Donmar Warehouse), musical director on Cinderella, Aladdie, Weans in the Wood (Tron Theatre) and
as assistant director on House of Murders and Court of Miracles (Citizens Theatre).
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Peter Arnott – Adapter of Thoughts Spoken Aloud From Above (part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Russia/Ukraine season)
Peter has worked as a playwright, principally in Scotland, since 1984. He has also written songs and
screenplays. Peter recently worked with the National Theatre of Scotland on Dear Scotland at the Scottish
National Portrait Gallery.He is the winner of UK Theatre, Creative Scotland and Fringe First Awards.
He was writer-in-residence at the Tron Theatre in 1990, the National Library of Scotland in 2008-2011, and
at the Genomics Forum and Traverse Theatre at University of Edinburgh in 2011-12.
Recent successes include his plays with music, Why Do You Stand There in the Rain, Janis Joplin: Full Tilt and
Propaganda Swing.
He is currently under commission to Mull Theatre and to the University of Edinburgh for Ensemble, an
exploration of theatre and censorship in the former German Democratic Republic.
Sasha Dugdale – Translator of Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha (part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Russia/Ukraine season)
Sasha is a translator and poet. She 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 Popescu and
Rossica prizes.
She has published three collections of poetry, most recently Red House (Carcanet) and she is currently
editor of Modern Poetry in Translation magazine.
Mikhail Durnenkov – Writer of The War Hasn’t Started Yet (part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Russia/Ukraine season)
Mikhail is a lecturer, screenwriter and member of the “New Drama” movement of young Russian
playwrights. His work includes KHLAM! (Center for Playwrights and Directors Theater, Moscow/the ILKHOM
Theater, Tashkent) Last Summers Day, (Moscow Art Theater) and The Drunks, a new play by the Durnenkov
brothers premiered in August 2009 at the Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The play was one of
four specially-commissioned works in a series that the Royal Shakespeare Company calls Other Russia.
Yuri Klavdiev - Writer of Thoughts Spoken Aloud From Above (part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Russia/Ukraine season)
Yuri is a celebrated Russian playwright and screen writer whose works have been translated and produced
in the USA and UK at the Royal Court Theatre. He has also worked on Class Act Russia with the Traverse
since 2004. As directed by Yury Urnov, Martial Arts stunned and delighted audiences at the Center for
International Theatre Development's New Russian Drama Conference in 2009, and I Am the Machine
Gunner, as directed by David White, had its premiere at the Baltimore Theatre Project, and toured to
Chicago and San Diego, among other cities.
Nicola McCartney – Curator of A Play, A Pie and A Pint Russia/Ukraine season
Nicola is a playwright, director and dramaturg. She trained as a director with Citizens Theatre/G&J
Productions and Charabanc Theatre Company Belfast. Nicola was Artistic Director of LOOK OUT! Theatre
Company, Glasgow from 1992-2002, and has twice been an Associate Playwright of Playwrights Studio
Scotland. As a dramaturg, she has worked for a host of organisations, including Vanishing Point and Stellar
Quines. Her plays include: Easy, Heritage, Cave Dwellers and Lifeboat. She currently leads the Masters
programme in Playwriting at the University of Edinburgh.
Alexandra Smith – Translator of The War Hasn’t Started Yet and Thoughts Spoken Aloud From Above
(part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint Russia/Ukraine season)
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Dr Alexandra Smith is Reader in Russian Studies at the University of Edinburgh. She authored two books
and published numerous articles on Russian 19th, 20th and 21st literature and culture. She has worked as a
translator and researcher for BBC2 and Channel 4. Her recent translations of Russian poetry were published
in Rossica (vol. 20) in 2011. She is currently preparing for publication a co-authored book on the 20th
century Russian poetic canon and post-Soviet national identity.
Natalya Vorozbhit – Writer of Take the Rubbish Out, Sasha (part of A Play, A Pie and A Pint
Russia/Ukraine season)
Natalya is a prominent Ukrainian playwright and screenwriter. Her plays include Galka Motalka
(Manchester School of Theatre and The Royal Exchange Theatre), I Join Them (Tristan Bates, London), The
Khomenko Family Chronicles (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs) and The Grain Store (Royal Shakespeare
Company).
ENDS
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