The Citizens Theatre and Edinburgh International Festival announce the cast and full creative team for the world premiere of Lanark. Sandy Grierson whose recent performance credits include a number of cult Scottish cultural figures such as Ivor Cutler and Martyn Bennett will play the role of Lanark, a role he has previously played in the BBC Radio 4 adaptation by Robin Brooks. The character of Lanark is widely thought to be a semi-autobiographical account of his creator, Alasdair Gray whose 20th century classic Scottish novel has been adapted for the stage by writer David Greig, and is directed by Graham Eatough.
Grierson will be joined by a cast of well-known Scottish actors that comprises Andy Clark, George Drennan, Jessica Hardwick, Paul Thomas Hickey, Louise Ludgate, Helen Mackay and Gerry Mulgrew alongside Camrie Palmer and Ewan Somers who make their professional debuts via the Citizens Theatre Actor Intern programme.
New music and songs for the production have been created by composer Nick Powell who has taken a collaborative approach to creating the sound world for Lanark., working with a number of musicians including Chin Keeler, Ted Milton, Lucy Wilkins and Alex Lee, a former member of Suede who has toured with Placebo, Nick McCarthy of Franz Ferdinand and Sarah Wilson, cellist with Belle and Sebastian.
Designer Laura Hopkins, Lighting Designer Nigel Edwards and Video Artist Simon Wainwright complete the creative team to create the fantastical settings and recognisable Glasgow landmarks of Lanark.
Lanark previews at Glasgow’s Citizens Theatre from Saturday 14 August – Monday 17 August, then transfers to Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum Theatre where it will preview on Saturday 22 August then play until Monday 31 August. The production returns to the Citizens Theatre from Tuesday 3 – Saturday 19 September. Running time approximately 3hrs 40mins.