The Stage

NToS scoops six prizes at Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland

Published Tuesday 6 June 2006 at 11:20

Only four months after its debut production, the new National Theatre of Scotland has dominated this year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland.

Nominated in seven out of a possible ten categories, the company won a total of six awards including the top prize of Best Production for Roam, produced in collaboration with Grid Iron theatre company. Staged at Edinburgh Airport, Roam also won the awards for Best Ensemble and Best Technical Presentation.

Robert Dawson Scott, convener of the awards said: “Roam was hugely ambitious in every sense and despite enormous difficulties, Grid Iron pulled it off. What is significant about the National Theatre of Scotland’s involvement is that it enabled existing talent, in this case Grid Iron, to operate on a bigger and more ambitious scale, a clear illustration of how the NTS is supposed to work.”

The production Home: East Lothian won Best Show for Children and Best Design for NTS in partnership with Brunton Theatre and East Lothian Council, with Home: Shetland giving NTS, in partnership with Shetland Islands Council, the award for Best Music.

Stagetheatre critic and CATS awards panellist Thom Dibdin said: “In a year in which the breadth and depth of Scottish theatre was already strong, the NTS provided a level of funding which allowed talented individuals a much greater scope than they would normally have.

“The success of such a large number of projects in which the NTS was a contributing partner is a clear indication that it has started its life as it was intended to do.”

Scotland’s national theatre company launched with its site-specific Home: productions in February in ten different locations across Scotland. With no building of its own, the NTS aims to take theatre all over Scotland producing its own work but also working in collaboration with existing companies and local communities.

The full list of winners was:

Best New Play: Blackbird by David Harrower

Best Show for Children: Home: East Lothian

Best Actor (Male): Liam Brennan - Tales From Hollywood

Best Actor (Female): Cara Kelly - Molly Sweeney

Best Design: Home: East Lothian

Best Use of Music: Home: Shetland

Best Technical Presentation: Roam

Best Ensemble: Roam

Best Director: Gregory Thompson - Molly Sweeney

Best Production: Roam