The National Theatre of Scotland and Newcastle’s Live Theatre have announced details of their new co-production, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, based on The Sopranos by cult Scottish novelist Alan Warner.
The adaptation is by Lee Hall who has a long association with Live, having been writer-in-residence and author of its biggest success in recent years, The Pitmen Painters.
“This is a project I've wanted to bring to the stage since I first read the book 17 years ago,” he said. “Alan Warner's view of the world chimed so much with my own experience of growing up in Newcastle so it seemed a perfect project to work on as a co-production with Live Theatre where I have a very long association.
"I think the Scots and Geordies share a common understanding of the world. A robust sense of humour, an appetite for a good time and a lack of pretension about what Art should be. The Sopranos is filthy, manic, hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure—all the things I think theatre should be.
"Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour is a show full of music from the most exquisite classical choral pieces to foot-stomping disco classics and much else in between. This is a very special show and very much a labour of love for Vicky Featherstone and I who have been working on this for several years now.”
Vicky Featherstone directs. Currently she is Artistic Director at the Royal Court and was the inaugural Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Scotland from 2004 to 2013, before which she was Artistic Director of Paines Plough (1997 to 2004).
She said, “I am beyond thrilled that Alan Warner has trusted Lee Hall with his game-changing novel about the Sopranos from Oban and am honoured that Laurie Sansom has programmed this anarchic, heart-breaking and life-filled show. It is everything that Scotland is—fearless, hopeful, musical, angry, unique and I cannot wait to be back telling this story with the National Theatre of Scotland.”
The all-female cast of young Scottish musical theatre actresses features Dawn Sievewright (Legally Blonde) and Karen Fishwick (The Overcoat for Gecko Theatre and Caucasian Chalk Circle for The Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh), who return to work with the National Theatre of Scotland, having both previously appeared in the award-winning musical, The Glasgow Girls.
They are joined by Caroline Deyga who most recently appeared in Lucy Porter’s Fair Intellectual Club, Frances Mayli McCann (National Theatre’s Here Lies Love and Priscilla Queen of the Desert in the West End), Kirsty MacLaren (Piltochry Festival Theatre season) and Melissa Allan who is making her professional debut in the production.
They will be joined on stage by a trio of young female musicians, Amy Shackcloth, Becky Brass and Emily Linden.
The play, about six girls on the cusp of change as love, lust, pregnancy and death all spiral out of control in a single day, premières at The Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh during the Fringe (18 to 30 August) and, after a Scottish tour, will play at the Newcastle theatre from 1 to 24 October.
The tour dates are:
- Tron Theatre, Glasgow (8 to 12 September)
- Lemon Tree, Aberdeen (15 and 16 September)
- One Touch Theatre, Eden Court, Inverness (18 and 19 September)
- Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy, Fife (22 and 23 September)
- The Brunton, Musselburgh (25 and 26 September)