A fresh start

With the festive season over, we are looking forward to a really busy year. There are lots of TAG shows on offer in 2009:

In March we are re-touring with our award-winning production of David Greig's play YELLOW MOON about a couple of teenage runaways. As well as performing in Frankfurt and The Hague (thanks to the British Council), we will also be in the UK. Click here for more details.


Photo by Tim Morozzo

In March and April we are also offering a brand new play by Davey Anderson along with a follow up workshop exploring issues of tolerance, bullying, citizenship and respect. This project, called OUTSPOKEN is being offered Free to S1 and S2 students.

In May MUSEUM OF DREAMS, a brand new work by Ailie Cohen and Guy Hollands will open at the Citizens Theatre and tour to the Bank of Scotland Imaginate Festival in Edinburgh. More details here.



Finally, in September, we hope to re-tour another Davey Anderson play that premiered at the Citz last year. LIAR, a co-production with Sounds of Progress may be available for touring (budgets permitting) from 7-26 September.


Photo by Eamonn McGoldrick

Along with loads of other education projects we are looking forward to a productive new year.

Hx

The blog lady lands

I'm sitting in a Deli in Brooklyn on a decidely rainy Friday morning. I seem to have accidentally brought the Scottish weather with me. The blog lady has finally landed in the US of A to join the intrepid cast of Yellow Moon for their final days of the show in New York as part of the Brits Off Broadway festival.

Having arrived yesterday morning and spent an afternoon getting aquainted with Midtown, I watch the show at 59E59 last night. It was great to see it again and to see the venue the cast have been telling us about. I never tire of watching it. Andy was convinced I'd fallen asleep but I think he must have glanced at me during a contact lens malfunction (mine, not his)! Being awake for that long was playing havoc with my eyes.

A great energised show seemed even more in-yer-face in the intimate space at the theatre. I loved watching New Yorkers respond to it. Especially when they cover their faces or gasp. For me that's now half the fun of seeing the show...watching the audience.

I bumped into Emma from the Traverse in the theatre bar, about to head in and catch their show Damascus. Very strange indeed to see such familiar faces so far away. The Stellar Quines crew were also in the building for The Unconquered.

I managed to keep my eyes open til an astonishing 2am (which is actually 7am at home) as we went to a great Cabaret night in Chelsea. After a good night's sleep, I'm meeting Nal and Andy shortly before heading back to Manhattan to check out the Met with Keith this afternoon. Fingers crossed it stays dry for the rest of the weekend.

So, this is it, if you happen to be in New York this weekend, this is your last chance to check out Yellow Moon stateside. The UK tour starts in earnest on 23 May when they head to DG One in Castle Douglas. More info and all other tour dates are here.

...at last, "I'm in a story"!

Hx

New video

Here is a brand new, short documentary feature on Yellow Moon where one of our actors, Keith Macpherson, tells us a bit more about the show and the experiences they have had in creating it.



Hx

P.S. Click tour dates for more info.

One week and counting...

Well, we are about to go into the last week of Yellow Moon in New York and I have to say (probably unsurprisingly) apart from catching up with loved ones I will be sorry to leave. This whole time has been a blast. The show has been going great. This last week especially the audiences have been a great mix of ages and they seem to really follow the whole journey Lee and Leila go on. We even had a one woman standing ovation, that tickled us. I do love it when there is a mix, different generations seem to see different things in the play and it's so fun to see the audience watching each other as much as us.


The whole 'Brits Off Broadway' season has got a really good buzz about it now as well. David Greig's other show 'Damascus' opened this week and Stellar Quines 'The Unconquered' has been going great guns too so the theatre is busy with audience and actors and the ever cheery staff. It would be nice just to hang on for a bit and soak up the New York and 59E59 atmosphere for longer but Britain beckons and I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to seeing how the rest of the tour goes. But this really has been an experience we will never forget. Even just last night the staff partied with us in the bar with their resident Saturday Latin DJ (very good he is too!) to celebrate the birthday of Neal from Stellar Quines (and man these cats can dance!). Kenny (the house manager) nipped out and got him a cup cake and candle, they are so darned sweet here! Of all the things in New York I think I'll miss the staff of the theatre most of all. They are cracking! A home from home really.

Onto Dumfries and Galloway after next week. From a beautiful American city to the beautiful Scottish countryside - and boy is it beautiful down there. I think Dumfries and Galloway really comes into a league of its own in terms of beauty in the autumn but quite frankly any time of the year is bonny there so it should be fun.

So, here's to our final week in the big apple. Let's hope the audiences keep coming and keep enjoying watching it as much as we enjoy doing it. And Helen, the blog lady herself, joins us this week so should be a good one! Wish us luck.

Beth x

Time Out, New York Review

In a 4 star review for Yellow Moon, published in Time Out New York - the critic said:

“The excellent first offering in this year’s Brits Off Broadway festival is David Greig’s Yellow Moon, a tart clever verse drama that doles out tragedy with his usual thrift.”

“In a tidy 90 minutes…Yellow Moon tucks a grand romantic tradition into a wry, modern packet.”

“The enforced intimacy makes Moon a deliciously sad campfire story: The play may dabble in despair, but it offers enough warmth and music for many retellings.”

Hx

I may not come home

Ok I have finally got round to adding to the blog!! Guilty! This city is so brilliant that sitting at the pc just hasn't happened yet. So let's start at a week and half ago. The wierdest thing was arriving in New York and immediately feeling at home. The atmosphere and the people just makes it feel like Glasgow except that the surroundings have had an american makeover. I know that sounds crazy but believe me it's true, my other half and our pal just left today having stayed a week and they said the same thing. It took me a week and a trip up the Empire State Building to finally have the 'woah I'm in America' mind blow moment - what a view. Even the way the architecture catches up on you reminds me of Glasgow. Edinburgh is obviously the traditionally beautiful city in Scotland but when you actually look around Glasgow you see so many hidden gems and beautiful buildings and here is full of the same. You have huge tower office blocks next to gorgeous stone stores or houses. And Central Station and the Public Library truly are as stunning as they look in pictures. So to all you scots out there, come to New York! The people are fab, the atmosphere rocks, I may never come home!! (Only joking U.S immigration authorities!)

As Keith said, the theatre is great. It's situated a couple of blocks from the south east end of Central Park (which I heard was modelled on Kelvingrove Park but I don't know if that's true).
So, an hour's walk through the beautiful park from our apartments on the north west side and we are at work. It's such a buzz to work in a building where the staff are so welcoming and helpful and all comment how much they like their jobs. It's like a big family atmosphere which is a compliment really to Peter and Elizabeth - the big high heid yins. They are truly enthusiastic and passionate about theatre and supporting the talent that New York and further afield has to offer. The enthusiasm is infectious! And the audiences have been great, Peter was saying he has been well impressed by initial turn out. We expected to play to maybe 20/30 people tops (including lots of invited freebees) but the first week was averaging 50/60 (without freebees) every night and the theatre only seats 70 odd! It's been great seeing the American reaction to the show and affirming that the subject matter and characters David has written really are recognizable and universal. We had a hint of that at the Edinburgh Festival but it's nice to have it reaffirmed. It's been mostly over-21 audiences so far but we did have 2 schools from the Bronx in and that was brilliant. It was great to see how the reaction of american kids wasn't too different from their scottish countertparts. Lee's 'rapping' went down very well! We were saying the other night it would have been brilliant if we could have taken it into new york schools like we did and will be doing again in Scotland. It's hard to beat the buzz you get with this show when its done on home territory.

So, needless to say, we are having a ball and spending far too much money! And some traditions never fade. Andy has a growing u.s fan club, including the lone older woman who passed him and Keith in the street and randomly said "I like the tall one, come on let's go!". Let's just hope all the reviews are as nice as the New York Times and the audiences keep coming. As they say here, 'lader'!

Beth x

"Now at last we're in a story"

Our first blog entry from the cast of Yellow Moon in New York -

"So here we are, a week and a half into our New York run. Where to start? We're all feeling blown away by this incredible city, and are loving the reception the play's getting.Beth, Nal and I landed at Newark on Sunday 20th, having not slept for about 33 hours (3am taxi to Glasgow Airport...), so I for one was feeling a strange mixture of sleep-deprived spaced out-ness, excitement and nervousness as we sat in the yellow taxi from the airport, catching our first sight of the Manhattan skyline as we drove through the industrial hinterland. A creeping suspicion was in the back of my mind that despite all the work in getting back up to speed with the play, I might arrive to find I'd forgotten it completely... Anyway, we arrived at the apartments in the Upper West Side, met Andy, and were all relieved to find that our studio apartments were all equally lovely (no danger of flat envy!).

So after a good night's sleep we met Guy in the afternoon for a line run in the park in Bryant Square, where we sat by the lawn in cast iron chairs, surrounded by tall trees, themselves dwarfed by the tall buildings around them, and with a clear view of the Chrysler building glistening in the late afternoon sun. By this point we were feeling well and truly happy to be in New York. The line run was fine; I felt reassured that I still knew the play.Work started in earnest the next day in the theatre, where we met our very capable and friendly stage manager/sound operator, Ray, who was being trained up by Andrew Coulton in operating the sound for the show. Rehearsals went very smoothly - over the next day and a half, the show felt in good shape. So we felt confident about the first performance on Wednesday, but wondered, what would an American audience make of it? In the event, we needn't have worried. The first night went very well, with a good house and a really warm reception from the audience. They completely "got it". It really felt good to be presenting the audience with a world which might be unfamiliar to them (Inverkeithing and the Highlands), but which they completely engaged with; and to find that we have essentially the same relationship with them as we've had with our Scottish audiences. Which is something I like about this play. Given the direct eye-to-eye contact we have with audience members, you really do feel you have a relationship with them. And with a script as good as this they have something of real depth and substance to engage with.

So we've had a great week so far. Everyone at 59E59 Theaters is incredibly welcoming, especially Peter Tear, the executive producer, who has been warm, enthusiastic and supportive throughout. It's lovely to be working in the kind of place where the focus is on creating the kind of relaxed and supportive environment in which good work can get done.

And we're all loving exploring the city. It's great to walk out of the theatre and find yourself in Midtown Manhattan, surrounded by tall buildings, and in a warm breeze. I've been overwhelmed by how much variety there is here, so much to see and do - going running in Central Park (always full of runners, rollerbladers, cyclists, dog walkers), the East Village (a bit like Camden only more glamorous and exotic), Williamsburg, ramshackle and kind of industrial, but very appealing with its scruffy clapboard houses - and so on and so on. High point for me so far has been the Lenox Lounge in Harlem, where we saw a brilliant jazz band called the Sugarhill Quartet (have I got that right? There were about 10 of them...), fronted by a guy called Patience Higgins with a very charming line in chat with the audience. All fantastic musicians, and the dude (or should I say "cat"?) on saxophone, wearing a yellow velour tracksuit with basketball logo, was jawdroppingly good...

Anyway, I'm heading out now to catch some sun before getting my head into gear for doing the show later on.

Wish you were here!

Keith"

...so do we! Hx

Start spreading the news...

Yellow Moon has had a triumphant opening in New York. We were delighted to receive a terrific review in the NEW YORK TIMES:

“a breathless drama from the Scottish playwright David Greig that kicks off the fifth Brits Off Broadway Festival at the 59E59 Theaters with a fierce little bang”.

“This drama of young lives gone haywire is related in a headlong rush that is almost whispered in your ear and never lets up.”

“directed with finesse by Guy Hollands”

“The intensity of performers quietly excavating the souls of their characters is all that is necessary to hold the attention.”

NYTHEATRE.COM said:

“Greig's script is sharp and full of action, its conclusion at once surprising and inevitable.”

“The cast excels in the challenges set by their masterful playwright and director.”

“a bold ensemble…a memorable night of theatre.”

Hx

Brian Way Award 2008

It is with great delight that I can tell you of another award win for Yellow Moon, or more specifically David Greig. David was presented with the Brian Way Award 2008 for Yellow Moon, in an award ceremony in London last week at Shoreditch Town Hall.

L-R: Natalie Wilson (Director of Theatre Centre), Tim Crouch (judge), Roy Williams (judge), David Greig (Winner) and Fin Kennedy (Runner-Up).

This is an award for playwrights who write for young people. It is funded and administered by Theatre Centre. Well done David!

Our cast should by now all be in New York. We'll get more news from them, once they've caught their breath. The first show of the current tour is on at 59E59 Theaters this Wednesday!!

Hx

What's all the fuss about?

So you've probably heard us going on about Yellow Moon - if you haven't seen it and want to know what all the fuss is about. Here's a quick 1 minute trailer to put you in the picture -



Click on Yellow Moon (above) to find out where we're touring.

Hx

New York tickets about to go on sale!

It's two weeks to the day until Yellow Moon kicks off the 2008 tour in New York. The show's appearance as part of the Brits Off Broadway Festival at 59E59 Theaters in Manhattan will be the production's first appearance in North America.

We're all insanely excited. News just in - members of the public will be able to book tickets online from the Brits Off Broadway website from Monday 14 April 2008.

The cast, who have performed the show over 100 times had a re-rehearsal last week and will get some time in the space before opening to the public. If you've never seen Yellow Moon and/or never been to New York, why not take advantage of the exchange rate and join us in the Big Apple!

Hx

A great end to a great year...

We are able to announce today that Yellow Moon will be going to the Big Apple in Spring 2008. From 22 April - 18 May 2008, David Greig's runaway success will be at 59E59 Theatres in Manhatten as part of the Brits Off Broadway Festival.Three Scottish companies will make the Atlantic crossing. Alongside Yellow Moon, the festival will showcase David Greig’s other 2007 Edinburgh Festival hit, Damascus by Traverse, and Stellar Quines' The Unconquered by Torben Betts.

Look out for booking details and UK tour dates, coming soon.

Hx

Starry Starry Night

So maybe 'OK' was a bit ambitious...here's our photo from The Stage.Hx

P.S. Apologies to those who are slightly chopped off at the bottom.

Yellow Moon text winner

Firstly apologies for the delay in announcing this...It is with great delight that I can inform you that KYLE YEATS from Westhill Academy in Aberdeenshire is the winner of our schools text competition, and will shortly be receiving his HMV vouchers.

Kyle, who saw the show at Inverurie Academy was one of the many students who texted in with feedback after watching Yellow Moon.

Well done Kyle, and thanks to everyone who texted! Click on TEXT to read the comments.

Hx

Yellow Moon wins at TMA Awards

Last night Yellow Moon was named Best Show for Children and Young People at the TMA Awards in London.

These annual Theatrical Management Association Awards were swept by Scottish Theatre with 5 of the 12 categories being won by Scots (there were a further 2 nominations).

Alongside TAG/Citizens the other winning Scots were:

Best Touring Production
- The Wonderful World of Dissocia (NTS)
Best Supporting Performance in a Play
- Meg Fraser (All My Sons, Lyceum)
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
- Ann Louise Ross (Sunshine on Leith, Dundee Rep) and
Best Musical Production
- Sunshine on Leith (Dundee Rep)

Anna Stapleton (the Citizens' Administrative Director) and myself went along and almost immediately started to get excited as our seats were in the second row. There was no prior warning for winners, but Anna reckoned that we might get an idea from the location of our seats.

As the butterflies built, we were excited to see Lee Mead, star of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and winner of the Any Dream Will Do TV series, appear to present our category. When he read out Yellow Moon as the winner - I learnt later - that there was a whoop from the Scottish contingent further back. I didn't hear it at the time as I was too busy concentrating on not falling in my heels. I made my way up to receive the award (Thanks Guy - for asking me to go) and answered a couple of questions about the production.

There were a few photos taken backstage for the OK Diary, amongst other publications...finally my chance of fame! Winner of the Best Performance in a Play category, the inimitable Patrick Stewart (who received his award from Stockard Channing) even stopped to offer his congratulations. I reciprocated obviously...it'd be rude not to!

I'll try to track down some pictures of the evening.

Well done to David Greig, Guy Hollands, the cast, crew and all involved in the production. Truly a night to remember.

Hx

Homecoming

There was a homecoming of sorts this morning as the Yellow Moon tour reached Inverkeithing High School. The two main characters in the play are from Inverkeithing and the action kicks off in the town.

I had hoped to make it through to watch it here, but was totally gutted to miss it. Too many meetings and not enough transport!

I can't wait to hear how it went. The play should have a much greater significance for the audience here. The writer David Greig, who lives nearby, was also in attendance and available for an exclusive Q&A afterwards...what a coup!

I also can't wait to hear if Andy's accent will hold up to local scrutiny. One of my favourite stories from the tour preparation was this...
During rehearsals, Andy, determined to perfect his Inverkeithing accent, took a trip to Fife from Glasgow with a mate, managing to squeeze in an important round of golf in the process.

Andy’s tactic for learning the accent was to cruise around the town, stop randomly and ask passers-by to read excerpts of the script aloud – which they would read into a recorder, for future study.

Unsuspecting Inverkeithing folk were more than willing to comply, even when faced with the embarrassing prospect of reading a scene in which Andy’s character, Lee (a nervous and inexperienced adolescent boy) tries to get-it-on with Leila. Pretty shadey if you ask me!

In another excerpt Andy got them to read one of Lee’s brash statements:
“I’m thinking of going into business as a pimp. I don’t think there is a pimp in Inverkeithing at the moment.”

One local resident exclaimed – “actually there is!”. The Fife tourist board might not be too happy with this news!

Hx

Beth's blog...Crossroads, Judy Finnegan's neck and Blair Witch

Well, in Inverness having stayed in a brilliant little hotel called Crossroads just 13 miles outside Banchory for a couple of nights. Only a 2 star but so deserved more. I had french toast with bacon and maple syrup this morning, you don't get that on offer every day. Liam had the poshest room I've ever seen, a total boudoir according to Keith.

The schools in the north east have been brilliant. It's a funny thing when you walk into a school you can generally tell within 5 mins what the school is going to be like by the atmosphere. Things like if the staff are friendly and happy the pupils generally are and all the schools up here have been like that. Every one has had a really happy atmosphere and felt like a nice place to be, I'm moving up here, the quality of life and general jollity is awesome!

The people carrier has become a disturbing blend of paranoia and Judy Finnegan's neck. Helen (TAG administrator) taught us a game which involves the instruction 'do not think of Judy Finnegan's neck' (you're seeing it now eh!). Now I have nothing against Judy Finnegan or her pretty neck but really, enough already! Every hour or so a plaintive cry comes from yet another company member as Judy invades their brain, it's not healthy.

And the paranoia? Because dark things are afoot amongst the company! The 2nd midnight walk we took turned very blair witch (I obviously tempted fate). We were merrily jaunting through the wood taking pictures of dodgy Keith and his beard lurking behind trees when we came to a crossing over a ditch and discovered a sign. Next to carefully placed piles of fir cones and sticks a note was pierced on a stick saying "enter at you own risk and you will die". Andy immediately wanted to go home though he claims it wasn't out of fear (aye right!) and I immediately thought we must have annoyed the neighbours the night before (because sound doesn't half travel in the dark) so they were trying to scare us into shutting up. Me and Nal thought it was really funny though and as everyone was talking about it we decided it must have been one of us because who else would know we had been having the blair witch experience the night before. The main suspects are Keith and Andy coz they went for a run before dinner and had plenty of planting opportunity and Liam because he just would! But 3 days later no one has fessed up. Sensibly, and obviously, we are just utter egotists and it wasn't aimed at us at all but was a game amongst some local kids which we happened to stumble on, but this doesn't seem to wash with anyone else ‘cept me and Nal. Whatever it was it's genius coz we have been utterly paranoid since and every time one of us is away the other 4 seem to convince themselves it was them. It's all in good humour but everyone is totally suspicious there is a mole in the van! Either that or Helen drove all the way up and did it! With the help of Judy Finnegan I bet!

Still feel like we're on holiday. We had a lovely scenic drive to Inverness today to have our day off which included watching Andy disappear into the heathery wilderness to take pictures and yell which was rather amusing. Also had a wicked jaunt down a beautiful sandy beach on Friday. Yep, definitely going to retire up here.

Next week is Fife including Inverkeithing where the play starts and my old school in St. Andrews - that'll be weird!

Right, missing Eastenders so better go. Roll on Fife!

Beth

Beth's Blog...scrabble, charity shops and stars

So we are on tour and so far so very good. Newcastle was great first time i've ever been in the city apart from passing through. We were particularly intertested to see how the young folk who were coming would take it and they seemed to like it alot so we were well chuffed. Pretty city too!

Now we are in the north east of Scotland and it feels like we're on holiday! Liam (the boss... apparently hehe) has found us a wicked cottage in the middle of nowhere and it is stunning. We have been cooking and relaxing and playing scrabble, Honestly it was more interesting than it sounds coz Keith and Andy were in serious win mode. Andy came whizzing up from the rear with a finish of 66 points and stole the game by one point from me and Liam, genius...ok maybe you had to be there.

We were in Banchory today and finally found a wireless connection, much to Andy's delight, hence the blog. The schools up here have been great and the charity shops are fab. I just picked up 3 mint condition 70s casserole dishes in green and white. I'm a rubbish cook so they will probably never get used but, oh, they are a thing of beauty!

Tonight we are planning another after dark wander in the woods, we went last night but only had one torch between 5 of us so it was all a bit blair witch, especially when you have a dodgy bearded actor with a hoodie lurking behind trees and a technical manager who likes to disappear and jump out on you when you least expect it. It was like something out of the play, very atmospheric. Tonight we are prepared, we have 3 torches courtesy of Asda for the prime price of 58p, no expense spared. They'll probably die on us within a minute.

Ok it's still on the holiday theme, rather than we are actually up here working, but the nights up here are amazing. Outside the cottage there is just a blanket of stars and we have seen a shed load of shooting stars so yep, lots of wishes for work disappearing into the cosmos i imagine. Even a debatable couple of satellites though the likelihood is they were just very far away planes.

I should probably stop now coz we are off to make some tea and quite frankly I sound like an advert for the Aberdeen tourist board but hey, this is the life that's all I can say.

Beth

Awards

We have received some great news - The Citizens’ Theatre (and TAG) has been nominated for a total of 3 Theatrical Management Awards 2007:

CITIZENS’ THEATRE COMPANY
(Co-production with Headlong and Lyric Hammersmith)

Best Supporting Performance in a Play:
Kirsty Bushell ANGELS IN AMERICA

Best Director:
Daniel Kramer ANGELS IN AMERICA

TAG THEATRE COMPANY

Equity Award for Best Show for Children & Young People:
YELLOW MOON

Well done to everyone involved in both productions. The winners will be announced in a ceremony in London on 21 October 2007.

Hx

On the road

I have just arrived back in Glasgow from a brief trip to Newcastle to hook up with the Yellow Moon company on the first date of their 3 week tour. After a couple of cosy months in Edinburgh and Glasgow, the intrepid crew of four actors (Andy, Beth, Keith and Nal) and one Production Manager (Liam) set off in a people carrier to bring David Greig’s mighty show to young people from Newcastle to Inverness.

I was allowed to join the fun as they headed to a brand new venue in Newcastle. With a brief stop for essential scones courtesy of the Chetty family the team headed south. We hit pretty hideous traffic at Newcastle which meant that we had to head straight to the venue – no time to check in. Navigating an unfamiliar city isn’t the easiest of tasks but after some hilarity about it being like “Challenge Anneka”,

“This is like a challenge in a reality show.”

…"I don’t care if I die.
Do you care if you die?”

(If you haven't seen Yellow Moon, this won't make sense)
…we finally arrived.

Two performances of Yellow Moon, to invited audiences, formed a very special opening for The Round. This space, which is also the new home for Bruvvers Theatre Company is dedicated entirely to “theatre in the round”.

After a nice reception at the venue we headed back to our hotel (which Liam admirably found after the previous one cancelled at lunchtime!).

Later today the company will drive from the North East of England all the way up to the North East of Scotland for four days in Aberdeenshire. The only two public performances outside the central belt (and Newcastle) are at:

INVERURIE ACADEMY – Wed 19th Sept
01467 621 655 (ext 207)

WOODEND BARN Banchory – Sat 22nd Sept
01330 825431 / www.woodendbarn.co.uk

You can still grab tickets. In addition, a total of 21 schools will receive the show over the coming weeks. I’ll keep you posted on further tour updates.

Hx