The National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to announce tour dates for Men Should Weep.

The play will receive its National Theatre of Scotland premiere at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow (16 September-8 October 2011), before embarking on a tour to Scottish venues, including Eden Court Theatre, Inverness (25 –29 October, 2011); His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (1–5 November, 2011); Kings Theatre, Edinburgh (8-12 November, 2011), and Perth Theatre (15-26 November, 2011).

Ena Lamont Stewart’s landmark 1947 play is set amid the crippling poverty of Glasgow’s infamous tenements in the 1930s. Her salty, brilliantly comic play was written for the Glasgow Unity Theatre in 1948 but only received great acclaim when it was revived by 7:84 Theatre Company.

Men Should Weep Director, Graham McLaren comments: “Men Should Weep is one of the very best plays ever to be written about the corrosive effects of poverty. This is not a problem that has ever gone away. It is almost the story of my own family 70 years ago and it is almost the story of people living with the pressure of poverty and unemployment today in Glasgow, Manchester, London or any city on the planet.

“It has been compared to the work of Sean O’Casey or Synge.  I see more similarities with Ken Loach or Tennessee Williams but, unlike them, Ena Lamont Stewart is a Scot and I’m excited to help bring the play to a new audience here at home.”

Men Should Weep is supported by Bank of Scotland as part of Pioneering Partnership – a new sponsorship connecting Bank of Scotland and the National Theatre of Scotland in a relationship across a wide range of National Theatre of Scotland programme elements over two years.  The partnership offers geographic spread and reach across productions, initiatives, workshops and events particularly in the area of supporting creativity and emerging talent.

National Theatre of Scotland

Source: National Theatre of Scotland