Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre and Dundee Repertory Theatre take home six out of ten prizes

Press release 13 June 2010

Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre and Dundee Repertory Theatre, two of Scotland’s leading building-based companies, have emerged as the leaders at this year’s Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland, with the venues taking home six out of the ten prizes between them.

The Traverse Theatre, which received ten nominations in this year’s shortlists, took Best New Play for the third year running and Best Production for Ursula Rani Sarma’s The Dark Things, while Sian Thomas received the award for Best Female Performance for her role in The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?.

The Dark Things. Photo by Richard Campbell

Dundee Rep’s The Elephant Man was successful in three categories including Best Director for Jemima Levick, an award for which she has received two previous nominations. Kevin Lennon took Best Male Performance for his role as John Merrick in the same play, while Alex Lowde (set) and Colin Grenfell (lighting) were presented with the award for Best Design– marking the fourth year in a row that Dundee Rep has been successful in this category.

Nominated for the first time, all-inclusive theatre company Lung Ha’s won the Best Ensemble award for Huxley’s Lab, a co-production with Grid Iron which ran as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival. The National Theatre of Scotland’s Mr Write was named Best Production for Children and Young People, a title that the company previously won in 2006 for Home: East Lothian. Best Technical Presentation went to Perth Theatre for Jane Eyre, while Alasdair Macrae took the award for Best Use of Music and Sound for The Government Inspector, a co-production by Communicado Theatre Company and the Tron Theatre.

Now in its eighth year, the awards presentation took place on Sunday 13 June during a glittering ceremony hosted by special guests Jonathan Mills, director of the Edinburgh International Festival, and much-loved actress and comedienne Karen Dunbar, at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. Firmly established as a highlight in the theatrical calendar, the event was attended by some of the leading figures in Scottish theatre, as well as enthusiastic members of the public who joined in the celebrations.

Co-convenor, Mark Fisher, said: “With such a strong line-up of nominations, the CATS ceremony was sure to go with a swing and we were delighted with just what a lively occasion it was. The only shame is that everyone couldn’t be a winner, because there was so much talent in the room. And we know that was just the tip of the iceberg in another great year for theatre in Scotland.

“This year, we were particularly pleased to welcome STV, Guy Robertson Partnership, Northern Light, and W&P Longreach as sponsors of individual awards, as well as being grateful for the invaluable support of the Mackintosh Foundation, Appetite Direct, Inverarity and The List and, of course, our generous hosts the Edinburgh Festival Theatre.”