National Theatre of Scotland and Communicado Theatre Company present the world premiere of Calum’s Road and a revival of Tall Tales for Small People, touring throughout Scotland from 24 September to 26 November 2011, with opening performances at Cumbernauld Theatre on 1st October 2011.

CALUM’S ROAD
Adapted by David Harrower, from the book by Roger Hutchinson
Directed by Gerry Mulgrew, with Design by Gordon Davidson and Lighting Design by Sergey Jakovsky. Music Composed by Alasdair Macrae. Assistant Direction (Movement) by Malcolm Shields and Video Design by John McGeoch

TALL TALES FOR SMALL PEOPLE
Written and directed by Gerry Mulgrew, adapted from traditional stories as told by Duncan Williamson. Designed by Karen Tennent, with Lighting Design by Sergey Jakovsky and Assistant Direction (Movement) by Malcolm Shields

The cast for both shows is Angela Hardie, Scott Fletcher, Alasdair Macrae, Iain Macrae, Ceit Kearney and Finlay Welsh.

This is the first co-production between Communicado Theatre Company and the National Theatre of Scotland. They will be touring Scotland throughout the autumn, with two shows, one for grown–up’s, Calum’s Road and one for children, Tall Tales for Small People, both directed by the acclaimed director and Artistic Director of Communicado Theatre Company, Gerry Mulgrew. The National Theatre of Scotland is also offering free story-telling workshops for young people and families throughout the tour.

Calum’s Road and Tall Tales for Small People are touring to: Cumbernauld Theatre, the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, The Corran Halls, Oban, Byre Theatre, St Andrews, Ka Campus Arran, Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock, Craigmonie Centre, Drumnadrochit, The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen and Raasay Community Hall, Isle of Raasay.

Calum’s Road is additionally touring to: North Edinburgh Arts Centre, FTH, Falkirk, Eastgate Theatre, Peebles, Paisley Arts Centre, Paisley, Perth Theatre, Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock, The Maltings Theatre and Cinema, Berwick-Upon-Tweed and Eden Court Theatre, Inverness

Calum’s Road tells the remarkable true story of one man’s single-minded determination to challenge the powers-that-be. Based on Roger Hutchinson’s novel of the same name, Scottish playwright David Harrower brings to the stage, the richly detailed description of a dying way of life in Northern Raasay.

Calum MacLeod, having battled the inaction of authorities on Raasay for years, sets off alone with a pick, a shovel and a wheelbarrow to build a road that will connect up the island. His daughter has been forced to board at secondary school on Skye and now Calum wants to turn the tide of neglect and indifference and keep his family – and community – together.

His unpaid labour of love was to dominate the last 20 years of Calum’s life and leave behind a legacy – both practical and poetic – carved into the landscape he loved.

Roger Hutchinson, originally from Lancashire now living on Raasay, is an award-winning author and journalist. His book The Soap Man was shortlisted for the Saltire Book of the Year (2004) and Calum’s Road was shortlisted for the Ondaatje Prize (2007).

David Harrower lives and writes in Glasgow. He has written several plays including Knives in Hens, Kill the Old, Torture Their Young and Blackbird which won the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland and the Olivier Award for Best Play in 2007. In May 2011, he wrote and directed his new play, A Slow Air for the Tron Theatre Company. His new version of Government Inspector by Gogol will open at the Young Vic in June 2011, directed by Richard Jones.

Tall Tales for Small People was originally produced by Communicado Theatre Company in 1995 and the National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to be joining forces with the company to revive this much-loved children’s production for audiences across Scotland. The play follows a travelling family making their way to Blairgowrie for the berry picking. They stop for the night and bewitch us with centuries’ old stories from the world of travellers’ tales.

Based on the work of the late Duncan Williamson, the master story-teller and Scottish traveller, it is a beautiful show for all ages which will enrich a new generation with the traditional stories which have flourished for generations within the Scottish travelling community and been passed lovingly from family to family. This collection of stories including the Hunchback and the Swan and The Girl and the Boots has been woven into a tapestry of music, magic and adventure.

Both shows are directed by Gerry Mulgrew. Under his Artistic Directorship, Communicado has presented over thirty pieces of original theatre. He has written and performed in many of the company’s productions, and directed the majority of them himself. He is also a highly acclaimed actor and joint winner with Keith Fleming of the Best Actor 2011 CATS award for Dundee Rep and National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Peer Gynt. Recently, he directed and acted in his production of The Government Inspector.

Listings Information:

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: Cumbernauld Theatre
Tall Tales: Friday 30 September 7.30pm (preview)
Saturday 1 October 2011, 2.30pm
Tickets: £8 / £7 / £5

Calum’s Road: Saturday 1 October, 7.30pm
Tickets: £10 / £8 / £5
Box Office: 01236 732887 website: www.cumbernauldtheatre.co.uk

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: Tron Theatre, Glasgow
Calum’s Road: Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 October, 7.45pm
Tickets: Tue – Thu £11 / £7. Fri & Sat £15 / £11

Tall Tales for Small People: Saturday 8 October, 2.30pm
Tickets: £8 / £6

Box Office: 0141 552 4267 website: www.tron.co.uk

Calum’s Road: FTH, Falkirk on Monday 17 October, 7.30pm
Tickets: £10 / £9 / £5
Box Office: 01324 506850 website: www.ticketweb.co.uk

Calum’s Road: Eastgate Theatre, Peebles on Wed 19 October 7.30pm
Tickets: £14 / £12 / £5
Box Office: 01721 725 777 website: www.thebooth.co.uk

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: The Corran Halls, Oban
Box Office: 01631 567333

Calum’s Road: Friday 21 October, 7.30pm Tickets: £10/ £9 / £6
Tall Tales: Saturday 22 October, 2.30pm Tickets: £6 / £22 (family ticket)

Calum’s Road: Paisley Arts Centre on Thursday 27 October, 7.30pm
Tickets: £10 / £6
Box Office: 0141 8871010 website: www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/onlinebooking

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: Byre Theatre, St Andrews
Box Office: 01334 475000 website: www.byretheatre.com

Calum’s Road: Friday 28 October, 7.30pm Tickets: £15 / 13 / £8
Tall Tales: Saturday 29 October, 2.30pm Tickets: £8 / £6

Calum’s Road: Perth Theatre on Wednesday 2 November, 7.45pm
Tickets: £16.50 / £10.50 / £14.50 (kids go free)
Box Office: 01738 621 031 website: www.horsecross.co.uk

Calum’s Road: Palace Theatre, Kilmarnock on Friday 4 November, 7.30pm
Tickets: £8.50 Box Office: 01563 554900 www.visiteastayrshire.com

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: KA Campus Arran, Arran High School, Lamlash
Box Office: 01770 302 288

Calum’s Road: Saturday 5 Nov, 7.30pm Tickets: £12 / £10 / £5
Tall Tales for Small People: Sunday 6 November, 1pm Tickets: £7 / £5

Calum’s Road: The Maltings Theatre & Cinema, Berwick-upon-Tweed on Tues 8 Nov, 7.30pm
Tickets: £15.50 / £14.50 / £12.50 / £10.50
Box Office: 01289 330 999 www.maltingsberwick.co.uk

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh
Box Office: 0131 665 2240 www.bruntontheatre.co.uk

Calum’s Road: Wednesday 9 November, 7.30pm Tickets: £11.25 / £9.25
Tall Tales for Small People: Thursday 10 November 7.00pm Tickets: £6 / £22 (family of 4)

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock, Glasgow
Box Office: 0141 577 4970

Calum’s Road: Friday 11 November, 7.30pm Tickets: £12 / £10 / £8
Tall Tales for Small People: Saturday 12 November, 2.30pm Tickets: £7 / £5

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: Craigmonie Centre, Glen Urquhart High School, Drumnadrochit
Box Office: 01456 459 224 www.booklochness.com

Calum’s Road: Tuesday 15 November, 7.30pm Tickets: £10 / £9 / £5
Tall Tales for Small People: Wednesday 16 November, 7pm Tickets: £6, £22 (family ticket)

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
Box Office: 01224 641122 www.boxofficeaberdeen.com

Calum’s Road: Friday 18 November, 7pm Tickets: £12 / £10
Tall Tales for Small People: Saturday 19 November, 2pm Tickets: £7.50

Calum’s Road: Eden Court, Inverness on Tuesday 22 & Wednesday 23 November, 7.30pm
Tickets: £12.00/ £10.00 / £5.00
Box Office: 01463 234 234 www.eden-court.co.uk

Tall Tales & Calum’s Road: Raasay Community Hall, Kyle, Isle Of Raasay
Box Office: 01478 660358

Calum’s Road: Friday 25 November, 2.30pm & 7.30pm Tickets: £10 / £7 / £5
Tall Tales for Small People: Saturday 26 November, 1.30pm Tickets: £10 / £7 / £5
Calum’s Road: age guide 14+. Running time 2 hours including interval
Tall Tales for Small People: age guide o8 +. Running time approx 90 minutes.

Workshop Listings:

Location and date: Falkirk Library on Sat 1 October
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (10.30am – 12.30pm)
Booking Number: 01324 503605

Location and date: Oban Public Library on Sat 15 October
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01631 571444

Location and date: Paisley Central Library on Mon 17 October
Workshop Name & Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 0141 8873672

Location and date: The Byre Theatre, St Andrews on Tue 18 October
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01334 475000

Location and date: Giffnock Library, Eastwood on Wed 19 October
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 0141 5774976

Location and date: Arran Library, Brodick on Fri 21 October
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01770 302835

Location and date: A K Bell Library, Perth on Sat 22 October
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01738 444949

Location and date: Burns Monument Centre, Kilmarnock on Mon 24 October
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01563 55 300

Location and date: Berwick Library, Berwick-upon-Tweed on Thu 27 October
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (11am – 1pm)
Booking Number: 01289 334051

Location and date: Musselburgh Library on Sat 29 October
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 0131 6652183

Location and date: Craigmonie Centre, Drumnadrochit on Sat 5 November
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01456 459224

Location and date: Aberdeen Central Library on Sat 12th November 2011
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01224 652500

Location and date: Inverness Library on Sat 19 November
Workshop Time: Tall Tales (10 – 11am & 11.30am – 12.30pm)
Workshop Time: Calum’s Road (1 – 3pm)
Booking Number: 01463 236463

The workshop on Raasay will be announced online at www.nationaltheatrescotland.com and in local press in October 2011.

You can also view photography and read a blog by Colin Hattersley showing images of Calum’s Road for the National Theatre of Scotland here:  http://www.colinhattersley.com/news/calum-s-road

• The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government. Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating over 137 productions in 125 different locations. With no building of its own, the Company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests. The company has performed to almost 600,000 people, across three continents.

• Bank of Scotland is a long-standing supporter of sports and the arts in Scotland. Through their sponsorships they aim to support emerging talent across Scotland. Bank of Scotland currently has partnerships with a wide range of Scottish sporting and cultural bodies including Imaginate, the Edinburgh International Festival, the Scottish Football Association and the Great Scottish Run. As part of the Lloyds Banking Group, Bank of Scotland is a Proud Partner for Scotland for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Their mission is to inspire and support young people, colleagues, communities and businesses across Scotland all the way to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond, through cultural and sporting activities.

Source: The National Theatre of Scotland