David Greig's first season at Royal Lyceum garnered 15 nominations for five of its productions for the Critics Awards for Theatre In Scotland and Dundee Rep's production of Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman was the most-nominated production with mentions in six categories including Best Production.
A close second was Black Beauty from Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company with five nominations including Best Production for Children and Young People.
CATS co-convenor Joyce McMillan said, "we’re delighted that 19 different productions have made the shortlists, from theatres and companies all across Scotland; they represent a huge range of theatre, from the smallest scale to the largest, and from complex pieces of musical theatre to the most apparently simple solo shows.
"The range of new work being produced is impressive. This year, 84 new plays or devised works premièred in Scotland, and many of these shows stretch and challenge our CATS categories, working with other art forms from music and dance to visual installations, and challenging traditional relationships between theatre and audience. The sense of creative energy is immense, and we hope that these shortlists help to reflect that exciting, fast-moving theatre scene."
Co-convenor Mark Fisher added, "work for younger audiences has always been an important part of theatre in Scotland. This year, one of the four shortlisted shows nominated for Best Production for Children and Young People—Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company’s Black Beauty—is also making several other shortlists including Best New Play and the supreme award category, Best Production, highlighting once again the calibre of work being produced in this field.
"This year also had a blurring of the lines between genres with performers and composers from both the folk and classical music traditions collaborating with theatremakers to create some truly inspiring work."
The CATS judging panel for 2017 was made up of Mary Brennan (The Herald), Irene Brown (edinburghguide.com), Mark Brown (The Sunday Herald and the Daily Telegraph), Anna Burnside (Daily Record), Paul F Cockburn (Broadway Baby), Neil Cooper (The Herald), Michael Cox (Across the Arts), Thom Dibdin (The Stage and AllEdinburghTheatre.com), Mark Fisher (The Guardian), Joyce McMillan (The Scotsman), David Pollock (The Independent), Allan Radcliffe (The Times), Amy Taylor (The Public Reviews and TVBomb), Gareth K Vile (The List) and Joy Watters (Across the Arts).
The 2017 CATS will be presented at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh at 4PM on Sunday 11 June (doors open at 3:30PM).
Full nominations
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE, sponsored by STV
- Brian Ferguson (Bernard 1, 2 and Michael Black), A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
- Robert Jack (Benedick), Much Ado About Nothing, Dundee Rep Ensemble
- Billy Mack (Willy Loman), Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
- Gerry Mulgrew (Krapp), Krapp's Last Tape, Tron Theatre, Glasgow and Paul Brotherston
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE, sponsored by the Scottish Drama Training Network
- Lucy Briggs-Owen (Lydia Languish), The Rivals, Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
- Nicole Cooper (Coriolanus), Coriolanus, Bard in the Botanics
- Louise McCarthy (Bernadette), Cuttin' a Rug, Citizens Theatre
- Gemma McElhinney (Kelly Butcher) GamePlan, (Rosie Seymore) FlatSpin and (Paige Petite) RolePlay, Pitlochry Festival Theatre
BEST ENSEMBLE, sponsored by Equity
- Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
- The Lonesome West, Tron Theatre, Glasgow
- A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
- The Rivals, Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
BEST DIRECTOR
- Ian Cameron, Andy Cannon, Andy Manley and Shona Reppe, Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
- Joe Douglas, Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
- Zinnie Harris, A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
- Wils Wilson, Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival and supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
BEST DESIGN
- Fred Meller (designer) and Ben Ormerod (lighting designer), A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
- Francis O'Connor (designer), Tim Mitchell (lighting designer) and Jamie Macdonald (video designer), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
- Shona Reppe (designer) and Simon Wilkinson (lighting designer), Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
- Neil Warmington (designer) and Sergey Jakovsky (lighting designer), Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
BEST MUSIC AND SOUND
- John Browne (composer and musical director) and Stephen Deazley (vocal leader), The Suppliant Women, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Actors Touring Company
- Jonathan Gill (musical director), Richard Price (sound designer) and Gareth Williams (composer), The 306: Dawn, National Theatre of Scotland, 14–18 Now and Perth Theatre in association with Red Note Ensemble
- Nikola Kodhabashia (composer), Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
- Pippa Murphy (sound designer), Karine Polwart (composer and musical director), Ben Seal (live sound) and Mark Whyles (live sound), Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival
BEST TECHNICAL PRESENTATION, sponsored by BECTU
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
- Coriolanus Vanishes, Fire Exit and Tron Theatre, Glasgow
- Dr Stirlingshire's Discovery, Grid Iron and Lung Ha Theatre Company supported by RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. Part of Edinburgh International Science Festival.
- The 306: Dawn, National Theatre of Scotland, 14–18 Now and Perth Theatre in association with Red Note Ensemble
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE, sponsored by Young Scot
- Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
- Dr Stirlingshire's Discovery, Grid Iron and Lung Ha Theatre Company supported by RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. Part of Edinburgh International Science Festival.
- Mikey and Addie, Andy Manley and Red Bridge
- The Story of the Little Gentleman, Catherine Wheels
BEST NEW PLAY
- Andy Cannon, Andy Manley and Shona Reppe, Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
- David Greig, The Suppliant Women, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Actors Touring Company
- Kieran Hurley, Heads Up, Show and Tell and Kieran Hurley
- Karine Polwart, Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival and supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
BEST PRODUCTION
- Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
- Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
- A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
- Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival and supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund