The stage is set for a unique theatre tour throughout Perth and Kinross.
Pubs, hotels and village halls will provide unusual venues for dramatic performances over the next few weeks. As the £14.5 million refurbishment of Perth Theatre continues, two intimate shows will travel to several communities.
Newly-commissioned productions Face, by Peter Arnott, and Jacquoranda, by Alan Bissett, will tour from Kinross to Blair Atholl as part of the Out and About series.
One of the first venues has been unveiled as McKays Bar and Restaurant in Pitlochry.
Owner and former thespian Richard Drummond was only too happy to transform the back of his pub into a makeshift theatre after being approached by Horsecross Arts.
He attended Sheffield University drama school in his 30s before auditioning with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and spending time working on stage and radio in London.
At one point he was even a warm-up act for rock legends Status Quo. Richard hopes the venture will get more locals interested in arts and drama.
“As someone who trained as an actor, I think it is great that people who would not normally go to a theatre can see great plays,” he said.
“I am really pleased, therefore, that we are having theatre in McKays. We host live comedy and have live music four nights per week already, so this adds something new for our customers.”
McKays will host a performance of Face on Thursday, while Jacquoranda will make its way to Pitlochry a week later. Richard praised the innovative project, saying: “Having theatre in unusual venues has worked very well in other places.
“The A Play, A Pie and A Pint concept, for example, has been hugely successful at Oran Mor in Glasgow.
“These two plays are also by excellent Scottish writers, so this is a rare opportunity for people to see great shows while effectively having a drink in their local.”
The Out and About tour launches on Tuesday evening with a performance of Face at the Green Hotel in Kinross, which is also a well-established music venue.
This will then move on to the Kenmore Hotel on Wednesday, before playing McKays on Thursday and the Famous Grouse Experience at Glenturret Distillery in Crieff on Friday.
Next week will feature performances at Blair Atholl Village Hall on June 17, Dunning Hotel on June 18 and the Taybank Hotel in Dunkeld on June 19, before finishing at the specially reopened Perth Theatre Redrooms on June 20 and 21.
Meanwhile, Jacquoranda will complete the same tour between June 17 and 28.
Chief executive of Horsecross Arts Colin McMahon said: “We are grateful to our partner venues for welcoming us and our audiences into their performance spaces and we look forward to discovering new theatre and music lovers across Perthshire who will join us in the transformed Perth Theatre when the venue reopens.”
For tickets, or further information about either of the plays in the tour, contact the box office on 01738 621031, or go online to www.horsecross.co.uk.
Picture by David Wardle