The first season of Dundee Rep Theatre under the joint artistic directorship of Phillip Howard and Jemima Levick has been announced.
Howard will direct the first of Dundee Rep Ensemble’s works in the programme. Written by David Greig, Victoria covers three generations of a Highland community and a landed estate in its look at Scotland in the twentieth century.
A specially constructed auditorium space is being put in place for Euripides' Hecuba in a version by Frank McGuinness. This production will be directed by Amanda Gaughan, who recently completed a new director’s placement with the National Theatre of Scotland.
For the Christmas period Roald Dahl’s The BFG has been adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright David Wood, which Joe Douglas will direct. Other shows for families and young people include Hairy Maclary and Lifeboat.
There will be a host of visiting companies offering a wide ranging programme: Kiss Me Honey, Honey tells the story of adult friendship through a shared love of Shirley Bassey whilst Educating Ronnie is a story of teenage friendship. If these spasms could speak is a solo performance based on stories about disabled people and their bodies.
Mad about ABBA, New Jersey Nights and Sing-A-Long Rocky Horror Picture Show are part of the musical theatre offering which also includes Parade and Dundee School Music Theatre’s Back to Back company in Sweet Charity.
Other music is provided in a tribute to Dundonian songwriter, Michael Marra, a night with young local Celtic rock band Gleadhraich, jazz from Stacey Kent and songs from Fascinating Aida's Charm Offensive.
Winter, Again & Second Coming is from the Scottish Dance Theatre with, for one night only, SisGo where the audience joins the dancers on stage.
For comedy there is Dundee’s own Paul Pirie: Me and Craig Hill's Tartan About, the Comedy Club Jongleurs plays several nights at Bonar Hall and dinner is served ‘Fawlty Style’ for the tribute Fawlty Towers—The Dinner Show.
One-woman show Promises Promises by Douglas Maxwell will play community spaces around Dundee and then tour the Highlands. This is co-production with Eden Court Theatre.
Openings and events in outline:
- August: Parade, Sweet Charity, The Berries
- September: Victoria, Fawlty Towers Dinner Show, Kiss Me Honey, Honey, Roadkill, Pictures we make, Paul Pirie: Me, Tribute to Michael Marra
- October: New Jersey Nights, Educating Ronnie, If These Spasms could speak, Hairy Maclary, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Cleadhraich, Vagina Monologues, Sing-A-Long Rocky Horror, Hecuba, Stacey Kent, Promises, Promises, Lifeboat, The Tailor of Inverness
- November: Fascinating Aida Charm Offensive, Craig Hill, September in the Rain, Winter, Again & Second Coming, SisGo, Jongleurs Comedy Club, Mad about ABBA, The BFG
- January: Sunday Morning on Dundee Law, Boeing, Boeing
- February: An Evening of Dirty Dancing
Refer to the Dundee Rep web site for the full programme details and for booking.