Today sees the announcement of the 2017 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS) Awards with Edinburgh’s Royal Lyceum dominating the shortlists. David Greig’s first season as artistic director of the Lyceum sees 15 nominations for five different productions across eight categories.
The most nominated production, was Dundee Rep’s production of Death of a Salesman that was shortlisted in six different categories, including the top award of Best Production.
The high standard of work for children and young people being created in Scotland is exemplified in the shortlisting of Black Beauty, a Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company co-production that premiered in Edinburgh’s Traverse at Christmas, under the categories of Best Production for Children and Young People Award, but in the Best Design, Best Director, Best New Play and Best Production.
CATS co-convenor Joyce McMillan says, “The range of new work being produced is impressive. This year 84 new plays or devised works premiered in Scotland, and many of these shows stretch and challenge our CATS categories, working with other art forms from music and dance to visual installations, and challenging traditional relationships between theatre and audience. The sense of creative energy is immense, and we hope that these shortlists help to reflect that exciting, fast-moving theatre scene.”
CATS co-convenor Mark Fisher adds, “This year also had a blurring of the lines between genres with performers and composers from both the folk and classical music traditions collaborating with theatremakers to create some truly inspiring work.”
There are first nominations in three categories this year with Robert Jack as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, Dundee Rep Ensemble being nominated for Best Male Performance; Andy Cannon, Andy Manley and Shona Reppe are in Best New Play category for Black Beauty along with Karine Polwart for Wind Resistance and three actors, Lucy Briggs-Owen as Lydia Languish in The Rivals, Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, Nicole Cooper as Coriolanus, Coriolanus, Bard in the Botanics and Louise McCarthy as Bernadette in Cuttin' a Rug, Citizens Theatre, for Best Female Performance.
The 2017 CATS Awards will be presented at a glitzy ceremony at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh at 4pm on Sunday 11 June (doors open at 3.30pm). Tickets priced £15 (£10 Festival Theatre Friends) are on sale now. So, get your glad rags on, join the fun and find out who this year’s winners are over a glass of fizz!
For further information and to book visit: http://www.edtheatres.com/cats
The CATS judging panel for 2017 was made up of: Mary Brennan (The Herald), Irene Brown (edinburghguide.com), Mark Brown (The Sunday Herald and the Daily Telegraph), Anna Burnside (Daily Record), Paul F Cockburn (Broadway Baby), Neil Cooper (The Herald), Michael Cox (Across the Arts), Thom Dibdin (The Stage and AllEdinburghTheatre.com), Mark Fisher (The Guardian), Joyce McMillan (The Scotsman), David Pollock (The Independent), Allan Radcliffe (The Times), Amy Taylor (The Public Reviews and TVBomb), Gareth K Vile (The List) and Joy Watters (Across the Arts).
This year there were 163 productions eligible for the 2017 CATS awards and from these, the following are the shortlists.
BEST MALE PERFORMANCE, sponsored by STV
Brian Ferguson (Bernard 1, 2 and Michael Black), A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
Robert Jack (Benedick), Much Ado About Nothing, Dundee Rep Ensemble
Billy Mack (Willy Loman), Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
Gerry Mulgrew (Krapp), Krapp's Last Tape, Tron Theatre, Glasgow and Paul Brotherston
BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE, sponsored by the Scottish Drama Training Network
Lucy Briggs-Owen (Lydia Languish), The Rivals, Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
Nicole Cooper (Coriolanus), Coriolanus, Bard in the Botanics
Louise McCarthy (Bernadette), Cuttin' a Rug, Citizens Theatre
Gemma McElhinney (Kelly Butcher) GamePlan, (Rosie Seymore) FlatSpin and (Paige Petite) RolePlay, Pitlochry Festival Theatre
BEST ENSEMBLE, sponsored by Equity
Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
The Lonesome West, Tron Theatre, Glasgow
A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
The Rivals, Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
BEST DIRECTOR
Ian Cameron, Andy Cannon, Andy Manley and Shona Reppe, Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
Joe Douglas, Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
Zinnie Harris, A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
Wils Wilson, Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival and supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
BEST DESIGN
Fred Meller (designer) and Ben Ormerod (lighting designer), A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
Francis O'Connor (designer), Tim Mitchell (lighting designer) and Jamie Macdonald (video designer), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh
Shona Reppe (designer) and Simon Wilkinson (lighting designer), Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
Neil Warmington (designer) and Sergey Jakovsky (lighting designer), Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
BEST MUSIC AND SOUND
John Browne (composer and musical director) and Stephen Deazley (vocal leader), The Suppliant Women, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Actors Touring Company
Jonathan Gill (musical director), Richard Price (sound designer) and Gareth Williams (composer), The 306: Dawn, National Theatre of Scotland, 14–18 Now and Perth Theatre in association with Red Note Ensemble
Nikola Kodhabashia (composer), Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
Pippa Murphy (sound designer), Karine Polwart (composer and musical director), Ben Seal (live sound) and Mark Whyles (live sound), Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival
BEST TECHNICAL PRESENTATION, sponsored by BECTU
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh
Coriolanus Vanishes, Fire Exit and Tron Theatre, Glasgow
Dr Stirlingshire's Discovery, Grid Iron and Lung Ha Theatre Company supported by RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. Part of Edinburgh International Science Festival.
The 306: Dawn, National Theatre of Scotland, 14–18 Now and Perth Theatre in association with Red Note Ensemble
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE, sponsored by Young Scot
Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
Dr Stirlingshire's Discovery, Grid Iron and Lung Ha Theatre Company supported by RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh. Part of Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Mikey and Addie, Andy Manley and Red Bridge
The Story of the Little Gentleman, Catherine Wheels
BEST NEW PLAY
Andy Cannon, Andy Manley and Shona Reppe, Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
David Greig, The Suppliant Women, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Actors Touring Company
Kieran Hurley, Heads Up, Show and Tell and Kieran Hurley
Karine Polwart, Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival and supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
BEST PRODUCTION
Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival and supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund