Critic’s Theatre Awards come to Edinburgh

With 11 nominations across seven of the ten award categories, the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh heads the field for the 2009 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS).

The ceremony for the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland is to be held in Edinburgh for the first time. This year the prestigious awards are to be presented in a glittering ceremony at the Festival Theatre on the evening of Sunday 14 June.

One of the highlights of the calendar, the CATS ceremony brings together the cream of the theatre community to celebrate the contribution that work produced in Scotland makes to the cultural life of the country.

Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland are organised annually and awarded by the theatre critics of Scotland to celebrate the best Scottish theatre achievements in the theatre year May–April.

“Scotland is justifiably proud of its strong theatre tradition,” says Joyce MacMillan, co-convenor of the CATS Awards. “The annual CATS ceremony is a special opportunity to celebrate this with both the theatre professionals and, equally importantly, the public whose ongoing support is vital for the future of Scottish theatre. We are delighted to be coming to Edinburgh for the first time this year and to be staging the event at the Festival Theatre.”

John Stalker, Chief Executive of Festival City Theatres Trust, says, “Such is the range of exciting theatre being produced in Scotland today – it is great to have this excellent work recognised by the CATS awards. The Festival Theatre is delighted to be hosting the prestigious event this year and offering theatregoers a great opportunity to rub shoulders with Scotland’s award-winning theatre artists.”

The event is open to members of the public. Tickets priced £15 (includes entertainment, award ceremony, drinks and light refreshments) are available from the Festival Theatre Box Office Box office: 0131 529 6000 www.eft.co.uk/book_tickets

On May 19, 2009, following an all-day meeting at the Rhoderick Dhu bar in Glasgow, the CATS judges announced the following shortlists for the ten categories of the 2008-09 awards. There is a link to each company’s website.

FOR BEST MALE PERFORMANCE:

Andy Clark, Darren, The Ching Room, A Play, a Pie and a Pint/Traverse Theatre

Billy Mack, Morris Magellan, The Sound of My Voice, Citizens’ Theatre

Billy Seymour, schoolboy, Traverse Theatre/Birmingham Rep

Matthew Zajac, The Tailor of Inverness, Dogstar Theatre

FOR BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE:

Cora Bissett, Helena, Midsummer, Traverse Theatre

Irene Macdougall, Martha, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Dundee Rep

Gabriel Quigley, Oracle and Mae, Bliss/Mud, Tron Theatre

Gerda Stevenson, The Lasses, O, Rowan Tree Theatre

FOR BEST DIRECTOR:

James Brining, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Dundee Rep

David Leddy, Sub Rosa, Fire Exit/Citizens’ Theatre

Matthew Lenton, Interiors, Vanishing Point/Napoli Teatro Festival Italia/Mercadante Teatro Stabile di Napoli/Traverse Theatre in association with Lyric Hammersmith and Tron Theatre

Jemima Levick, Beauty and the Beast, Dundee Rep

FOR BEST ENSEMBLE:

Architecting, The TEAM/National Theatre of Scotland

Cockroach, Traverse Theatre/National Theatre of Scotland

The Drawer Boy, Tron Theatre

Interiors, Vanishing Point/Napoli Teatro Festival Italia/Mercadante Teatro Stabile di Napoli/Traverse Theatre in association with Lyric Hammersmith and Tron Theatre

FOR BEST NEW PLAY:

David Greig/Gordon McIntyre, Midsummer, Traverse Theatre

Sam Holcroft, Cockroach, Traverse Theatre/National Theatre of Scotland

David Leddy, Sub Rosa, Fire Exit/Citizens’ Theatre

Simon Stephens, Traverse Theatre/Birmingham Rep

FOR BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE:

Beauty and the Beast, Dundee Rep

Liar, TAG/Sounds of Progress

Peter Pan, Visible Fictions/Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis

Rudolph, Andy Manley/MacRobert

FOR BEST DESIGN:

Jamie Harrison and Candice Edmunds (design), Simon Wilkinson (lighting), Anna Scatola (puppet maker), Slick, Vox Motus/Tron Theatre

Stewart Laing, Les Parents Terribles, Dundee Rep

Alex Lowde (set) and Chris Davey (lighting), Beauty and the Beast, Dundee Rep

Jason Southgate (set) and Graham Sutherland (lighting), The Sound of My Voice, Citizens’ Theatre

FOR BEST USE OF MUSIC AND SOUND:

Seylan Baxter, Lillias Kinsman-Blake and Rachel Newton, The Lasses, O, Rowan Tree Theatre

Paddy Cunneen, Waltz of the Cold Wind, A Play, a Pie and a Pint

David Paul Jones and Zoey Van Goey, Dolls, Hush Productions/National Theatre of Scotland

Gordon McIntyre, Midsummer, Traverse Theatre

FOR BEST TECHNICAL PRESENTATION:

4.48 Psychosis, Sweetscar/Cumbernauld Theatre/Tramway

Peeping at Bosch, Mischief La Bas/National Theatre of Scotland/Tramway

Slick, Vox Motus/Tron Theatre

Sub Rosa, Fire Exit/Citizens’ Theatre

FOR BEST PRODUCTION:

Beauty and the Beast, Dundee Rep

Interiors, Vanishing Point/Napoli Teatro Festival Italia/Mercadante Teatro Stabile di Napoli/Traverse Theatre in association with Lyric Hammersmith and Tron Theatre

Midsummer, Traverse Theatre

Sub Rosa, Fire Exit/Citizens’ Theatre

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Dundee Rep

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