Pitlochry Festival Theatre has announced a new series of digital commissions following the postponement of its summer season to 2021.
The team asked 25 writers from Scotland and beyond to create new writing for audiences inspired by the River Tay.
The commissions will be made into audio dramas, podcasts, and short films and presented over the coming weeks as part of #PFTLightHopeJoy, which is PFT’s online response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The theatre’s Shades of Tay project was originally announced in late 2019 as a three-year initiative but the plans have been brought forward.
Writers include Jo Clifford, Stephen Greenhorn, Hannah Khalil, Douglas Maxwell, Linda McLean, Chinonyerem Odimba, Frances Poet, Sally Reid, May Sumbwanyambe, and Timberlake Wertenbaker
Professional actors who would otherwise have been taking part in this year’s summer season will perform the new pieces for online audiences.
The compilation of work will also be performed as a live festival at the Enchanted Forest at Faskally Wood in Highland Perthshire and at the theatre itself after the lockdown comes to an end.
NEWS! We have commissioned 25 leading artists to write inspirational new works for SHADES OF TAY @pitlochryft as part of #PFTLightHopeJoy! We may not be able to share the work with you in person at the moment but we will online! So excited to bring these new works to life! pic.twitter.com/kLDWzKeCku
— Pitlochry Theatre (@PITLOCHRYft) April 7, 2020
Pitlochry Festival Theatre artistic director Elizabeth Newman said: “The River Tay is 117 miles long. It possesses some of the most spiritual, exciting and inspiring stories.
“We want this work to respond to the ideas found in this rich landscape, creating a celebration of our shared humanity and how art is wholly and truly inspired by nature.
“As we’ve said before, Shades of Tay is our love letter to Scotland. We are so excited about the idea of continuing to write beautiful words about our extraordinary country and its citizens, and this feels like the perfect time to create a space where art can help us celebrate our shared humanity and connect us with how much rich inspiration can be found in nature.”
